River Valley Civilizations

A set of vocabulary flashcards covering the geography, religion, achievements, politics, economics, and society of the Mesopotamia, Egypt, Indus River, and Yellow River civilizations.

Mesopotamia

Modern day Iraq, located in the Fertile Crescent and known as the Cradle of Civilization; believed to be the world's first civilization, it is situated between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers.

Egypt

Located in Northeast Africa along the Nile River, which flows north and provides nutrient-rich soil; it was divided into Upper and Lower Egypt and surrounded by the Red Sea and Mediterranean Sea.

Indus River Civilization

Located in modern-day India and Pakistan on the Indian subcontinent, with city-states like Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa located along its banks.

Yellow River Civilization

Located in modern-day China along the Huang River; it was isolated due to natural barriers like the Gobi Desert and Himalaya Mountains.

Loess

Fertile yellow soil produced by the flooding of the Huang (Yellow) River.

Polytheistic

Relating to the belief in many gods, a system practiced by Mesopotamia, Egypt, and the Indus and Yellow River civilizations.

Ziggurat

A type of temple found in Mesopotamian cities.

Cuneiform

The written language created by the Mesopotamian civilization.

Hieroglyphics

The written language developed by ancient Egypt.

Sanskrit

The written language used by the Indus River civilization.

Calligraphy

The style of written language used in the Yellow River civilization.

Papyrus

A type of paper developed in Egypt.

Animism

A belief found in the Yellow River civilization that everything has a soul.

Shamanism

A practice in the Yellow River civilization where Shamans communicate with the spiritual world.

Shang Di

The supreme being in Yellow River religion who ruled over humanity, nature, and lesser gods.

Vizier

The overseer of government in Egypt who handled responsibilities delegated by the Pharaoh.

Theocracy

A government ruled by priests or religious leaders, as seen in the Indus and Yellow River civilizations.

Scribes

An upper-class group in Mesopotamia and Egypt who could read and write and were responsible for keeping records.

Bartering

An economic system based on the trading of goods and services for other goods and services, used in Mesopotamia, Egypt, and Indus River civilizations.

Indus seals

Items made of soapstone that provide proof of widespread trading between the Indus, China, Egypt, and Mesopotamia.

Cowrie shells

The objects used as money in the Yellow River civilization, marking the world's first money-based economy.

Rammed earth

A construction technique using wood and earth design buildings in the Yellow River civilization.