The Emergence of Cities and States

Vocabulary flashcards covering the emergence of civilizations, key archaeological sites, and theories of state development from the Chapter 6 notes.

Civis

One who is an inhabitant of a city.

Civitas

The urban community in which one dwells.

Civilization

In anthropology, a type of society marked by the presence of cities, social classes, and the state.

Mesopotamia

Located in present-day Iraq, this was the first civilization.

Catalhoyuk, Turkey

A $9500$-year-old village with more than $5000$ people; it was NOT considered a city due to the lack of central government or clear divisions of labor.

Mohenjo-Daro

A city of the Indus Valley with a population of $20000$ built on an artificial mound with grid-laid streets and drainage systems.

Teotihuacan, Mexico

A city founded $2200$ years ago with a layout translated from the solar calendar, featuring a north-south street connecting great pyramids.

Tikal, Guatemala

One of the largest Mayan centers settled $3000$ years ago, covering about $120\text{ square km}$ with $45000$ people.

Obsidian

Volcanic glass used for its readily sharp edges, relied upon by the Aztecs and Maya for everyday use.

Bronze Age

In the Old World, the period marked by the production of tools and ornaments of bronze; began about $5000$ years ago in China and Southwest Asia.

Grave goods

Items such as utensils, figurines, and personal possessions, symbolically placed in the grave for the deceased person's use in the afterlife.

Hydraulic Theory

The theory that explains civilization's emergence as the result of the construction of elaborate irrigation systems requiring full-time managers.

Trade Theory

The theory that centralized governments emerge in regions of ecological diversity to organize the procurement and redistribution of scarce resources.

Barrier Theory

The theory that states develop where populations are surrounded by environmental barriers (mountains, deserts, seas), leading to resource competition and social stratification.

Action Theory

The theory that self-serving actions by forceful leaders play a role in civilization's emergence.