Filial piety
respect shown by children for their parents and elders
Artifacts
object made by human beings, either hand-made or mass-produced
Hominids
humans and other creatures that walk upright
Nomads
a member of a people having no permanent abode, and who travel from place to place to find fresh pasture for their livestock.
Prehistoric
before recorded history
Cuneiform
A form of writing developed by the Sumerians using a wedge shaped stylus and clay tablets.
Ziggurat
massive pyramidal stepped tower made of mud bricks. It is associated with religious complexes in ancient Mesopotamian cities, but its function is unknown.
Anthropology
science dealing with the origin, races, customs, and beliefs of humankind
3 periods of Ancient Egypt
Old, Middle, New
Shang Dynasty
Second Chinese dynasty (about 1750-1122 B.C.) which was mostly a farming society ruled by an aristocracy mostly concerned with war. They're best remembered for their art of bronze casting.
Zhou Dynasty
(1050BC-400BC) Longest dynasty in Chinese history. Established a new political order with king at the highest level, then lords and warriors and then peasants.
Hammurabi
Babylonian king who codified the laws of Sumer and Mesopotamia (died 1750 BC)
Hieroglyphics
Egyptian writing that involved using pictures to represent words.
Phoenicians
located on eastern Mediterranean coast; invented the alphabet which used sounds rather than symbols like cuneiform
Aryans
nomads from Europe and Asia who migrated to India and finally settled; vedas from this time suggest beginning of caste system
Sanskrit
the most important language of ancient India
Mandate of Heaven
a political theory of ancient China in which those in power were given the right to rule from a divine source
Monarchy
A government ruled by a king or queen
Republic
A form of government in which citizens choose their leaders by voting
Tyrant
a leader who held power through the use of force
Aristocracy
the highest class in certain societies, especially those holding hereditary titles or offices.
Homer
A Greek poet, author of the Iliad and the Odyssey
Pericles
Athenian leader noted for advancing democracy in Athens and for ordering the construction of the Parthenon.
Sophocles
Greek writer of tragedies; author of Oedipus Rex and Antigone
Spartan warrior vs. Athenian scholar
spartan life of military service vs Athenian life of seeking knowledge
Battle of Marathon
Greek victory over the Persian army that ended the First Persian War
Demosthenes
Athenian orator who tried to unite the Greeks against Philip and his army
Philip II
Macedonian king who sought to unite Greece under his banner until his death or murder. He was succeeded by his son Alexander.
Alexander the Great
Between 334 and 323 B.C.E. he conquered the Persian Empire, reached the Indus Valley, founded many Greek-style cities, and spread Greek culture across the Middle East.
Darius
The third king of the Persian Achaemenid Empire. He ruled the empire at its peak. He organized the empire by dividing it into provinces and placing satraps to govern it. He organized a new uniform money system, along with making Aramaic the official language of the empire. He also worked on construction projects throughout the empire.
Euclid
(circa 300 BCE), Greek mathematician. Considered to be the father of modern geometry.
Aristarchus
(310?-250? BCE) Greek scientist who first stated that the Earth revolved around the Sun, and rotated on its axis.
Archimedes
scientist/inventor; invented lever and the pulley
Pythagoras
Greek philosopher and mathematician who proved the Pythagorean theorem
Plato
Socrates' most well known pupil. Founded an academy in Athens.
Herodotus
Greek Historian, considered the father of History. He came from a Greek community in Anatolia and traveled extensively, collecting information in western Asia and the Mediterranean lands.
Socrates
(470-399 BCE) An Athenian philosopher who thought that human beings could lead honest lives and that honor was far more important than wealth, fame, or other superficial attributes. He was put to death for questioning the religion
Hinduism
A religion and philosophy developed in ancient India, characterized by a belief in reincarnation and a supreme being who takes many forms
Legalism
A Chinese philosophy that was devoted to strengthen and expand the state through increased agricultural work and military service.
Daoism
A religion in China which emphasizes the removal from society and to become one with nature.
Confucianism
The system of ethics, education, and statesmanship taught by Confucius and his disciples, stressing love for humanity, ancestor worship, reverence for parents, and harmony in thought and conduct.
Buddha
Means "Enlightened One." He is said to have found a path for overcoming suffering.
Brahmin
the highest of the four classes of the caste system, traditionally made up of priests
Reincarnation
In Hinduism and Buddhism, the process by which a soul is reborn continuously until it achieves perfect understanding
Dynastic Cycle
rise and fall of Chinese dynasties according to the Mandate of Heaven
Mahabharata
the longest single poem in the world, about a war fought between two branches of the same family. One of India's greatest epics written between 1000 and 700 BC
Moksha
Becoming liberated for the cycle of reincarnation in Hinduism.
Nirvana
The state of englightenment for Buddhists.
Karma
(Hinduism and Buddhism) the effects of a person's actions that determine his destiny in his next incarnation
Dharma
In Hindu belief, a person's religious and moral duties
Brahman
A single spiritual power that Hindus believe lives in everything
Shi Huangdi
Founder of the short-lived Qin dynasty and creator of the Chinese Empire (r. 221-210 B.C.E.). He is remembered for his ruthless conquests of rival states and standardization. (163
Confucius
(551-479 BCE) A Chinese philosopher known also as Kong Fuzi and created one of the most influential philosophies in Chinese history, confucianism
Siddhartha Gautama
The prince who is said to have founded Buddhism.
Carthage
City located in present-day Tunisia, founded by Phoenicians ca. 800 B.C.E. It became a major commercial center and naval power in the western Mediterranean until defeated by the expanding Roman Republic in the third century B.C.E.
Punic Wars
A series of three wars between Rome and Carthage (264-146 B.C.); resulted in the destruction of Carthage and Rome's dominance over the western Mediterranean.
Greco-Roman
The cultural mixing of both ancient Greek and Roman traditions.
Pompey
Roman general and statesman who quarrelled with Caesar and fled to Egypt where he was murdered (106-48 BC)
Crassus
General who defeated Spartacus. Crucified 6,600 slaves on the Alpennine way. He later served in the First Triumvirate.
Julius Caesar
Made dictator for life in 45 BCE, after conquering Gaul, assassinated in 44 BCE by the Senate because they were afraid of his power
Augustus
Roman statesman who established the Roman Empire and became emperor in 27 BC
Marc Antony
One of Caesar's generals, Falls in love with Cleopatra, He and Cleopatra declare war on Rome in 31 BC which they lose, member of second triumvirate.
Antony and Cleopatra
The story of a love affair and of the final Roman civil war, ending with Octavius' victory at Actium. The title character commits suicide when he falsely hears his lover is dead. His lover then kills herself with the bite of an asp rather than be made captive by Octavius.
Tiberius and Gaius Gracchus
Urge the government to give back public land to the poor, both murdered by members of the senate
Dictator
A ruler who has complete power over a country
Twelve Tables of Rome
codified Roman laws; included concept of "innocent until proven guilty"; the codification of Roman law during the republic
Pax Romana
200 year period of peace in Rome.
Pantheon
Former roman temple for athena
Scipio
Roman general who commanded the invasion of Carthage in the second Punic War and defeated Hannibal at Zama (circa 237-183 BC)
Cato
the Roman senator who feared Carthage would grow too strong and ended every speech with a cry, "Carthage must be destroyed!"
Patricians
Powerful landowners who controlled Roman government and society
Plebeians
the common people of ancient Rome
Marcus Aurelius
last emperor of the Pax Romana
Etruscans
the group of people who ruled Rome before Romans revolted
Roman Senate
A council whose members were the heads of wealthy, landowning families. Originally an advisory body to the early kings, in the era of the Roman Republic the Senate effectively governed the Roman state and the growing empire.
Roman Legion
The Armies of Rome. Rome's Military was its great strength. They build the Roads and kept the borders of the Empire safe. Loyal to their Generals.
Monotheistic
Belief in one God
Covenant
A solemn agreement between human beings or between God and a human being in which mutual commitments are made.
Sabbath
a weekly day of worship and rest
Diaspora
the dispersion of the Jews outside Israel
Sect
A relatively small group that has broken away from an established denomination.
Messiah
Savior sent by God
Martyr
A person who is killed because of their religious or other beliefs
Heresy
against orthodox opinion
Mecca
City in western Arabia; birthplace of the Prophet Muhammad, and ritual center of the Islamic religion.
Medina
city of the prophet
Hajj
A pilgrimage to Mecca, performed as a duty by Muslims
Jihad
a holy war undertaken as a sacred duty by Muslims
People of the Book
what Muslims called Christians and Jews which means that they too only believe in one god
Islam
A religion based on the teachings of the prophet Mohammed which stresses belief in one god (Allah), Paradise and Hell, and a body of law written in the Quran. Followers are called Muslims.
Muslim
A follower of Islam
Jesus
Founder of Christianity
Charles Martel
A Frankish leader who rallied warriors to push Muslims out of France and defeated them at the Battle of Tours
Pepin the Short
He was Charles Martel's son. He was king and the Pope asked him for help against the Lombards who were invading. Pepin helps him and defeats them and in turn, the Pope names him king of the Franks. Then Pepin gives the Pope land called the Papal States.
Clovis
5th century Frankish leader of a large kingdom who converted to Christianity
Charlemagne
800 AD crowned by the Pope as the head of the Holy Roman Empire, which extended from northern Spain to western Germany and northern Italy. His palace was at Aachen in central Europe
Pope Leo III
Crowned Charlemagne Holy Roman Emperor on Christmas Day, 800
Pope Gregory I
This pope strongly emphasized the sacrament of penance and encouraged confession for the remission of sins which made people more dependent on the church for salvation.
Pope Gregory VII
reformed a lot and determined to challenge secular authority. He caused a lot of conflict and was admired by many and hated by many. He banned lay investiture, which angered Henry IV
Treaty of Verdun
843 Treaty that ended power struggle of Charlemagne's 3 sons after his death and split Franks into 3 kingdoms