Civilizations and Agrarian Societies

These flashcards cover key vocabulary and concepts related to civilizations and agrarian societies discussed in the lecture.

Agrarian Civilization

A stage of human society characterized by the production of crops and the establishment of states and empires.

Positive Feedback Loop

A process in agrarian civilizations where increased population leads to innovation, which boosts production, leading to greater population growth.

Centers of Gravity

Regions focused on accumulation of agrarian production where states and empires grow large.

Hub Regions

Areas characterized by exchanges of goods, ideas, and cultures, rather than primarily focused on agrarian production.

Accumulation

The process through which agrarian wealth is gathered, often through the labor of peasant populations.

Networks of Flows

Systems of exchange in agrarian civilizations that include the transfer of people, goods, ideas, and wealth.

Silk Roads

A network of trade routes that connected East and West, facilitating the exchange of goods and ideas.

Hierarchies of Power

Social structures in agrarian civilizations representing the distribution of power among different classes.

Bulk Goods Networks

Trade systems where heavy and low-cost goods are transported, generally over short distances.

Prestige Goods Networks

Exchange networks for luxury items that are expensive and lightweight, allowing for long-distance transportation.

Cultural Exchange

The process where ideas and beliefs, such as Buddhism, spread between different cultures through trade.

Political and Military Power

A type of state power that enforces control over a territory through armies and governance.