World History for Us All - Big Era 3 Landscape 3.3, Lesson 1: What Does It Take To Be A Civilization?

Vocabulary flashcards covering key terms, places, and concepts related to the emergence of civilizations in Afroeurasia, as outlined in World History for Us All, Big Era 3 Landscape 3.3, Lesson 1.

Civilization

A complex society that emerged in Afroeurasia’s river valleys around 4000–1700 BCE, characterized by urban centers, writing, specialized labor, centralized governance, and organized religion.

Mesopotamia

Region between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers; cradle of early civilizations with irrigation, cities, and organized government.

Nile Valley (Egypt)

Egyptian river valley civilization united under pharaohs; distinctive religion, monumental architecture, and centralized authority.

Indus Valley (Harappan)

Indus River civilization known for planned cities and uniform bricks; central rule is debated due to limited inscriptions.

Yellow River Valley (China)

Region where Chinese complex society rose, with early urban centers by around 1700 BCE.

Irrigation

Water management system to make farmland productive in floodplains or arid areas.

Domestication

Breeding and adapting plants and animals for human use (e.g., milk, wool, labor, steady food supply).

Sickle

Curved agricultural tool used to harvest grain; evolved from flint to copper/bronze.

Urbanization

Growth of cities as population and resources become concentrated.

Specialization

Development of full-time occupations beyond farming, enabled by surplus resources (e.g., priests, scribes, merchants).

Sumer

Southern Mesopotamia region where settlements grew into cities around 4000–3000 BCE.

City-state

Independent political unit consisting of a city and its surrounding hinterland.

Akkad / Sargon of Akkad

Empire founded by Sargon that united Mesopotamian city-states and created the first multi-ethnic empire.

Ziggurat

Mesopotamian temple towers symbolizing religious and political authority.

Great Pyramid of Giza

Egyptian pharaoh’s tomb (circa 2600 BCE), renowned for massive scale and engineering.

Writing

System for recording information; began as pictographs on clay (Mesopotamia, ~3600 BCE) and evolved into cuneiform and hieroglyphs.

Cuneiform

Wedge-shaped writing used in Mesopotamia on clay tablets for administration and literature.

Hieroglyphs

Egyptian writing system using symbolic pictures.

Slavery

Widespread in Mesopotamia after ~2800 BCE; many slaves captured in war.

Priesthood

Religious leaders who controlled temple resources and ceremonies, influencing governance.

State

Centralized political authority that regulates, coerces, and provides public services; often religion- legitimized.

Trade networks

Local and long-distance exchange networks that connected cities to distant regions through boats and overland routes.