Before 1200: Patterns in World History - Vocabulary Flashcards

Hajj

The Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca, a central ritual that reflects the cosmopolitan character of Islam.

Paleolithic era

Old Stone Age; human societies were hunter-gatherers who foraged and used stone tools.

Foraging

Gathering wild foods, hunting, and fishing as a primary subsistence strategy.

Agricultural Revolution (Neolithic Revolution)

Transition from gathering and hunting to farming and domestication, enabling villages and eventually civilizations.

Pastoral/pastoralism

Herding domesticated animals; often mobile or semi-nomadic communities adapted to harsh environments.

Chiefdom

Societal structure with inherited leadership and redistribution systems, more centralized than tribes but lacking full state institutions.

Civilization

A complex society with cities and states, specialized labor, writing, and monumental architecture.

First Civilizations

Early urban-centered societies in Mesopotamia, Egypt, and along the central coast of Peru around 3500–3000 BCE.

Epic of Gilgamesh

Ancient Mesopotamian epic poem describing Uruk and its rulers; an example of early literature.

Ziggurat

Massive Mesopotamian temple-tower symbolizing religious and political power.

Mesopotamia

Cradle of civilization located between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers (cultural region, not a flashcard term itself).

Hinduism

Ancient Indian religion with no single founder; diverse beliefs, practices, and philosophies; includes concepts like dh