HIS 111 First Chapter

Paleolithic Age

Also known as the “Old Stone Age.” Early humans made tools out of stone, which coined the phrase “Old Stone Age.”

Neolithic Revolution

The shift to systematic agriculture; had major consequences for human society.

Patriarchy

A social system where men hold the dominant roles; a pattern that would last for thousands of years.

Civilization

A complex culture shared by a large group of people.

Mesopotamia

Between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers; meaning “the land between the rivers.” Known as the “cradle of civilization.”

Ziggurat

Stepped tower where temples were.

Theocracy

Government by divine authority.

Polytheistic

Worship of many gods.

Cuneiform

A “wedge

Hieroglyphics

A writing system used in ancient Egypt to record the Egyptian language.

The first migrations of humans

Homo erectus were the first hominids to leave Africa, migrating into Europe and Asia.

Early civilization chronology

Egypt: c. 3100 B.C.E.; Mesopotamia: c. 3000 B.C.E.; India: c. 3000 B.C.E.; Peru: c. 2600 B.C.E.; China: c. 2000 B.C.E.; Central Asia: c. 2000 B.C.E.

Agricultural Revolution

The agricultural revolution changed everything with food; this gave people a stable and predictable food source. Humans shifted from a nomadic lifestyle of hunting and gathering to settled farming and animal domestication. This transition led to permanent villages, food surpluses, job specialization, and the rise of the first human civilizations.

What was needed to be called a civilization?

A society needed a reliable food surplus, large urban centers, a division of labor, a centralized government, and a writing system to be classified as a civilization.

Division of labor

The separation of a manufacturing or production process into different tasks, with each person or group responsible for a single specific task instead of doing the whole job alone.

Why was the Fertile Crescent the home of Mesopotamian city

states?

How were Mesopotamian city

states governed?

What were the economic activities in Mesopotamia?

The economy of Sumerian city

How did the development of bronze impact human life?

Bronze was a much stronger and more durable metal. This new level of human control over resources and the environment set the stage for the next great advancements in history.

Significance of Hammurabi’s Code

Hammurabi’s Code is a famous collection of 282 laws that offers a detailed look into Babylonian society; it reveals a society with strict justice, where penalties varied based on social class. The code held public officials accountable, requiring them to pay for property lost to theft or for the death of a murder victim if they failed to catch the criminals.

How did religion fit into Mesopotamian life?

Religion was central to Mesopotamian life. People believed the gods controlled everything, from war to daily events. This belief made the priestly class very important and led kings to dedicate offerings to the gods.

The importance of geography to Egypt

The geography of Egypt shaped its civilization by providing the Nile River for agriculture and vast deserts as natural barriers against foreign invasion.

Why do we know Egyptian history in terms of the Old, Middle, and New Kingdoms?

Historians divide ancient Egyptian history into the Old, Middle, and New Kingdoms to reflect long stretches of strong political unity, stability, and cultural achievement separated by unstable “intermediate periods.” In other words, intermediate periods were a time when Egypt lacked strong central leadership.

How did Pharaohs have help ruling their kingdoms?

Pharaohs relied on a structured government of officials, advisors, and regional leaders to manage their kingdoms.

How did religion fit into Egyptian life?

Religion was the core foundation of ancient Egyptian religion, completely shaping their daily existence, government, and view of the universe. It was not a separate part of life, but a system that connected humans, nature, and the divine.

What was the economy of ancient Egypt based on?

The economy of ancient Egypt was based primarily on intensive agriculture along the Nile River, centralized state planning, a barter system, and extensive foreign trade.

What religious changes did Amenhotep IV impose on Egypt?

Amenhotep IV created a religious upheaval in Egypt by introducing the worship of Aten as the chief god. Amenhotep moved the capital to a new city called Akhenaten; the reforms disrupted Egyptian religious and political traditions. Many Egyptians believed that removing the old gods threatened Ma’at and the stability of the universe.

Monotheism

The belief in one God.

Torah

The first 5 books in the Hebrew Bible; law.

Diaspora

The forced or voluntary scattering of a population away from its ancestral homeland; the exile and displacement of the Jewish people.

Satrapy/Satrap

A satrap was a provincial governor in the ancient Median and Persian (Achaemenid) Empires. A satrapy was the actual territory or province they governed.

Zoroastrianism

The imperial ideology and dominant state religion for successive Persian empires, shaping royal authority, ethics, and neighboring theological systems. Associated with Zoroaster; Zoroaster taught that Ahuramazda was the only true God.

Origins of the Hebrews

The Hebrews descended from Abraham, who migrated from Mesopotamia to Canaan. They became known as the “Children of Israel” after Abraham’s descendant Jacob, also called Israel.

Basics of Judaism

Judaism is an ancient monotheistic religion centered on the covenant between one God and the Jewish people. The first 5 books are called the Torah; a central message of the Hebrew Bible is that people must obey God. Covenant, law, and prophets are very important to the Jewish religious traditions.

Why did Judaism sometimes put its followers at odds with their government or their conquerors?

Judaism often put its followers at odds with rulers and conquerors primarily because of its strict adherence to monotheism and an exclusive religious law. In the ancient world, most empires practiced polytheism and required conquered peoples to honor local or imperial gods, or even worship the emperor as a deity. The Jewish refusal to participate in these practices was frequently viewed by authorities as political rebellion or disloyalty.

Family and social structure of the Hebrews

The family was the central institution of Hebrew society. Families were patriarchal, meaning that the husband and father held primary authority; fathers had extensive control over their children. Monogamy was often viewed as preferable; marriage usually took place at a young age and was arranged by parents. The main purpose of marriage was to have children, especially sons, who continued the family line. Their society developed clearer social divisions; the elite included royal officials, military officers, civil officials, and governors. The common people, sometimes called the “people of the land,” were free farmers and artisans.

Most significant contribution of the Phoenicians

Their alphabet used twenty

How did the Assyrians conquer a large empire?

The Assyrians built a massive empire through a combination of a professionalized standing army, advanced iron weaponry, and calculated psychological terror.

Reasons for the success of the Assyrian military; tactics the Assyrians used to subdue conquered people

The Assyrian army was large, disciplined, and well organized. It included infantry, cavalry, and horse

Economy of the Assyrians

Agriculture was the foundation of the economy. Trade was also important because Assyria connected several regions. The Assyrians imported timber, wine, metals, and precious stones and exported textiles and other goods.

How did the Persians maintain control over a large empire?

The empire had been divided into approximately twenty satrapies. Each satrapy was ruled by a provincial governor or satrap, literally a “protector of the kingdom.” Darius created a sensible system of calculating the tribute that each satrapy owed to the central government and gave the satraps specific civil and military duties. They collected tributes, were responsible for justice and security, raised military levies, and normally commanded the military forces within their satrapies.

Reasons for the success of the Persian military

The ancient Persian military was highly successful because it used a clear, organized system and elite, full

Economy of the Persians

The ancient Persian economy was based on farming and trade. The government built a massive network of roads, like the Royal Road, to help merchants travel and trade goods easily across the empire. To make buying, selling, and taxing simpler, the king introduced standard gold and silver coins, making Persia a powerful center for trade.

What similarities did Zoroastrianism have with Judaism?

Both religions emphasize a single, supreme, and transcendent deity (Ahura Mazda in Zoroastrianism and Yahweh in Judaism) who holds ultimate power over the universe, breaking away from traditional ancient polytheism. Both also place a heavy religious focus on moral living, truth, justice, and performing good deeds.

Why was written language important? How did it evolve over this time frame?

A written language is important because it enabled large

What similarities do we see between the ways that empires maintained control over their subjects?

Empires maintained control over their subjects by combining centralized bureaucracy, military force, economic integration, and cultural hegemony. To manage vast territories, rulers established standardized legal codes, built extensive transportation networks like roads and canals, and utilized professional administrators alongside co

What similarities do we see in the ways that religion impacted the lives of people?

Religion impacts human lives across different cultures by providing shared moral frameworks, community bonds, and coping mechanisms for daily existence.