Grade 11 History - CHW3M.docx

RadioCarbon or Carbon-14 Dating

A method used to determine the age of organic materials by measuring the decay of C-14 atoms.

Thorium Decay

A dating method used for items between 100,000 and 500,000 years old.

Confederate Flag

Symbol of unfortunate history that requires acknowledgment of the ugly parts of history.

Problems with Archaeology

The selection of historical narratives, limitations due to climate or human interference, and potential biases in interpretations.

Evolutionary Theory

The explanation of species variations through genetics, fossil evidence, natural selection, and adaptation to the environment.

Human Evolution

The appearance of hominids over 4 million years ago, characterized by bipedalism and brain size increase.

Australopithecus Line

Ancestral line including species like Afarensis, Anamnesis, and Africanus.

Genetics

Influence of genetic variance on human traits and evolution, such as height changes over generations.

Stone Age

Divided into Paleolithic, Mesolithic, and Neolithic ages, marked by social structures, art, and advancements in tools and settlement.

Ancient Mesopotamia

Region where civilizations like Sumerians thrived, known for social structures, cities, and religious beliefs like polytheism.

Cuneiform

Means "wedge-shaped"; used for record keeping in city-states and evolved from simple pictographic writing.

Scribe

A writer who records events; boys were educated from ages 8-20 to become scribes in ancient civilizations.

Akkadians

Successors of Sargon who unified city-states and spread culture through warfare in Mesopotamia.

Hammurabi’s Code

First recorded legal code with 282 laws engraved in stone; influenced by Sumerian and Akkadian laws.

Babylon

Kingdom in Mesopotamia with codified laws; conquered by Hammurabi around 1800 BCE.

Shamesh

Mesopotamian sun god believed to be in contact with King Hammurabi.

Economy

Mesopotamia was an ideal location for trade with caravans traveling between Sumerian and Akkadian cities.

Writing and Science

Babylonians made advancements in medicine, math, and astronomy; known for Hammurabi's Code.

Assyrians

Skilled warriors who conquered a large empire north of Babylon by 650 BC; parallel to Israel in protecting themselves.

Hanging Gardens of Babylon

Built by Nebuchadnezzar II around 600 BCE to cheer up his wife; considered an ancient wonder.