AP World Modern Prologue Vocab (AMSCO)

Patriarchy

Domination by males in social society

Agricultural Revolution (Neolithic Era)

c. 8000 BCE; due to the warming from the last Ice Age, Earth became warm enough for humans to plant crops and raise livestock. This allowed humans to control their food supply, leading to specialization and major changes to human life.

Mesopotamia

The first civilization was formed in this region; around the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers (modern Iraq).

city-state

an independent state made up of a city and its surrounding territory. All city-states were usually highly patriarchal, built monumental architecture (such as ziggurats: religious temples), and engaged in long-distance trade. Many people were polytheistic.

Polytheistic

Believing in many gods

Cuneiform

The first written language; created by the people of Sumer (Mesopotamian city-state) to organize trade, taxes, and laws.

Egypt

Located in the Nile River Valley; highly centralized under one ruler: a pharaoh. Developed their own writing system: hieroglyphics and a mathematics system. Built monumental structures called pyramids to show the pharaoh’s power. Egyptian women had more rights than other societies of the time (own property, recognized as equal to men in court)

Indus River Civilization

Was very sophisticated according to archaeological remains; Cities (Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro) engaged in trade w/ Mesopotamia. Practiced polytheism, developed tech. (indoor plumbing, planned layouts of urban areas.)

China

Along the Huang He River (northern China) was a highly patriarchal and centralized system. Distinctive feature: the special honor the people gave to their ancestors.

Non-River Civilizations

Two in the Americas: Olmec (Mesoamerica) and Chavin (Andes); participated in trade

Animism

religion based on a reverence for deities associated with features of nature (animals, mountains, rivers)

Monotheism

Believing in one god

Hinduism

Polytheistic (monotheistic?) religion; About 3500 years ago, people called the Aryans came from the north of the Himalayan Mountains to the south of it to modern-day Pakistan and India. They spoke an Indo-European language and brought scriptures called the Vedas, which taught that a soul would continuously reincarnate until it spiritually advances from the cycle. The Vedas also taught people should be organized into a caste system (sharply defined classes)

Zoroastrianism

Monotheistic religion; developed in Persia. Followers focus on human free will and the eternal battle between the forces of good and evil.

Judaism

Monotheistic religion; traces back 4000 years ago, from when Abraham lived. Believe they have entered a covenant w/ their God, called Yahweh. In return, Yahweh would consider them his chosen people. Have Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament).

Classical Era

Time period between c. 600 BCE-c. 600 CE. Several empires arose during this time, trade routes were used, and other religions developed.

Buddhism

Monotheistic; c. 530 BCE: Siddhartha Gautama, who was the later founder of Buddhism, was born into a wealthy Hindu family. To understand people’s suffering, he left his family and went to live a life of poverty and meditation. According to Buddhist traditions, he was meditating under a bodhi tree when he figured out how to end the suffering. He named himself the Buddha ('“enlightened one”) and the knowledge was summarized in the Four Noble Truths. By following the Eightfold Path, an individual would meditate and eventually achieve nirvana and escape the cycle of reincarnation. Universalizing faith.

Mauryan Empire

322 BCE - 187 BCE; the first period of unity in South Asia. The highest point was under the rule of Ashoka. Promoted prosperity and spread knowledge of the law through pillars in the empire. Was one of the few rulers that converted faiths (Hinduism-Buddhism). Helped spread Buddhism in South Asia. Empire fell down after his rule.

Gupta Empire

c. 320 CE - c. 550 CE; second period of unity in South Asia, was the Golden Age of India. Centralized gov’nt based in Pataliputra (city in northwestern India). Intellectual and cultural life flourished (Medicine, mathematics). Social structure was patriarchal. The Gupta strongly supported Hinduism (unified the empire).

Warring States Period

After the Zhou Dynasty (1076 BCE-256 BCE) fell, China experienced a time of instability and decentralization.

Mandate of Heaven

a legacy from the Zhou Dynasty; the idea that some universal force provided the justification for an emperor to rule China. If the ruler was corrupt, “heaven” would show displeasure by sending natural disasters. This showed that the ruler had lost the mandate of heaven.

Confucianism

c. 551 BCE: philosopher K’ung Fu-tzu (Confucius) was born. His teachings were written down by his followers in the Analects, which taught how people should behave. Rather than focus on a deity, Confucianism focused on education, benevolence, virtue, respect for that w / authority, and a patriarchal society structure. Emphasized filial piety: the duty of people to honor their ancestors.

Daoism