World History Unit 1: Ancient Civilizations Flashcards

Vocabulary flashcards reviewing key terms, locations, empires, and concepts from Ancient Mesopotamia, Ancient Egypt, Ancient India, and Ancient China.

Civilization

The process by which a society or place reaches an advanced stage of social and cultural development and organization.

Characteristics of Civilization

Stable food supply, social structure, system of government, religious system, advances in technology, and written language.

Fertile Crescent

A large area of rich farmland extending from the Persian Gulf to the Mediterranean Sea.

Tigris & Euphrates

The primary water sources of Ancient Mesopotamia.

Natural Levee

Embankments created by centuries of sediment build-up that provided high, safe flood plains.

Irrigation

Hand dug networks of canals, tunnels, and dikes redirected water to fields.

Theocracy

A system of governance where the position of king is supported by religion, and kings act as interpreters of the gods' will.

Ziggurats

Massive tiered platforms constructed out of mud bricks that served as both the spiritual center and administrative hub of the city-state.

Sumerians

People closely tied to the environment who used irrigation techniques for farming, invented the wheel, engaged in trading and bartering, used a theocratic government, and constructed ziggurats.

Cuneiform

The oldest known writing system in human history.

Babylonians

People who established private ownership of land, developed advanced mathematics, created a calendar system, used a system of unit for currency, and created Hammurabi's legal code.

Hammurabi's Code

282 laws made by King Hammurabi.

Lex Talionis

The law of retaliation.

Epic of Gilgamesh

The oldest known work of epic literature.

Nile River

Primary water source of Ancient Egypt.

Unification of Egypt

Pharaoh Menes united Upper and Lower Egypt into one nation in 3100 BCE.

Pharaoh

King and leader of the Ancient Egyptians.

Old Kingdom

Period characterized by dynamic growth, centralized prosperity, strong divine authority, and the construction of monumental pyramids.

Pyramids

Constructed to serve as tombs of pharaohs that would keep their memory alive so they could enter the afterlife.

Middle Kingdom

Period characterized by turbulent times, internal civil wars, famines, foreign invasions, loss of pharaoh power to local nobles, and extensive trade with Mediterranean groups.

New Kingdom

Period characterized by aggressive military conquest, creation of buffer zones beyond Egyptian borders, and establishment of a powerful standing army.

Hieroglyphics

The formal writing system of Ancient Egypt.

Rosetta Stone

Key to helping historians decipher hieroglyphics.

Ancient Egyptian Religion

Polytheistic, meaning they believed in many gods.

Obelisks

A tall four sided pillar that is shaped like a cone on the top that represents a pharaoh and is used to keep his name alive.

Afterlife

Time after death.

3 Steps to Afterlife

Passing the test of heart in the Hall of Maat, having your name written, and having a preserved body.

Mummification

Designed to preserve the natural body from decay using natural substances like natron, linen, resin, and frankincense.

Book of the Dead

Book of spells used to help people get to the afterlife.

Himalayas

Separated India from the rest of the Asian continent.

Indus & Ganges Rivers

The two major rivers of Ancient India.

Harappa/Mohenjo Daro

The two major planned cities developed in the Indus River Valley.

Citadel

A strong fortress in the center of the city.

Great Bath

A public sanitation bath.

Indus Valley City Planning

Cities were laid out in a precise grid pattern.

Cotton

Essential crop woven into textiles and traded by Indus farmers.

Aryan Invasion

In 1500 BCE nomadic warrior herders known as Aryans invaded the Indus River Valley.

Sanskrit

Written language brought by the Aryans.

Caste System

Rigid social order brought by the Aryans.

Untouchables

Outcasts who performed street sweeping and latrine cleaning.

Hinduism

The world's oldest active religion.

Reincarnation

A continuous cycle where the soul leaves one body and enters another.

Karma

The actions you do in your life.

Nirvana

Perfect peace in life.

Buddhism

Teaches that desire causes suffering.

Siddhartha Gautama

Founder of Buddhism.

Gupta Empire

Known as India's Golden Age.

Yellow River

Primary water source of Ancient China.

Isolation (Ancient China)

Isolated from India and the West by rugged mountains and harsh deserts.

Middle Kingdom (Ancient China)

What Ancient Chinese people called themselves because they thought they were the center of the world.

The Xia

The dynasty that was believed to be started by Yu in 2200 BCE.

Shang Dynasty

The first historical dynasty; built irrigation, used war chariots/bronze, and recorded early writing on oracle bones.

Zhou Dynasty

The longest lasting dynasty in Chinese history, introduced the Mandate of Heaven and ying-yang philosophy.

Mandate of Heaven

The political and religious doctrine used to justify the rule of the king or emperor.

Dynastic Cycle

New dynasty claims power, dynasty reaches maturity, aging dynasty/loss of mandate, problems and disaster strikes.

Qin Dynasty

Came to power in 221 BCE through military force; created an autocracy, built the Great Wall, and constructed the Terracotta Army.

Han Dynasty

Reigned for over 400 years; established the Silk Road trade network, expanded the empire larger than Rome, and led to citizens calling themselves "People of …".

Ancient Chinese Innovations

Seismograph, paper, sundial, gunpowder, silk, printing, acupuncture, compass, porcelain, and toilet paper.