Ch. 1&2 study guide

Dao

"Way"; the correct or divine way

satrap

"protector of the Kingdom"; the governor of a province

cuneiform

"wedge-shaped," a system of writing developed by the Sumerians.

systematic agriculture

the keeping of animals and the growing of food on a regular basis

culture

the way of life of a group of people

"Out of Africa" theory

when Homo sapiens sapiens began spreading out of Africa 100,000 years ago and replacing populations of earlier hominids in Europe and Asia.

Homo sapiens sapiens

wise, wise humans

Who was Darius? What was he known for?

He was one of the rulers in the Persian Empire Added territory in western India Reorganizing and rebuilding the Royal Road

Describe how the Paleolithic way of life revolved around acquiring food?

Hunting and Gathering

What role did geography play in the development of the Indian subcontinent?

Mountains in the north and a desert to the east helped to protect the Indus Valley from invasion The mountains also guard an enormous flat and fertile plain formed by two rivers

Where was the site of one of the world's first libraries?

Nineveh

How did large-scale agriculture lead to new patterns of living in river valley civilizations?

People would grow their crops near the river, since it often flooded People would often use the river to bathe and get water In order to trade, people had to make boats

What was the pharaoh's role in the Old Kingdom?

Pharaoh was considered a god-king.

Who was the leader of the Akkadians?

Sargon

Archaeology

Scientists who learned about prehistoric people by excavating and studying traces of early settlements

What was unusual about pharaoh Hatshepsut?

She was first to regent for her stepson but then assumed the throne for herself

How does the code of Hammurabi portray society?

Social order was more important than human rights

What was the first empire in history

The Akkadian Empire

How did China's physical geography influence the location of its early civilizations?

The Huang He and Yangtze river aided people in terms of food and agriculture.

What was the significance of geography to Egypt's development?

The Nile river was their source of food, water, and transportation.

What characterizes the divisions in the first two major periods in Egypt's history?

The Old Kingdom: Prosperity The Middle Kingdom The new kingdom: Stability

What characterized the first Mesoamerican civilizations?

The Olmec (rubber people), farmed along riverbanks, traded jade and obsidian.

How did religious beliefs influence the organization of Sumerian society?

The Sumerians believed the cities were ruled by gods and they made the state a theocracy

Based on their achievements, why do we consider the Sumerians to be innovative?

The Sumerians invented tools and implement that made their Jobs easier. (ex. wagon wheel, sundial, bronze, number system)

How would the life of someone in the lower class of Egypt be different than the life of a member of the upper class?

The life of someone in the lower class is a life of poverty and labor. While the life of someone in the upper class has a life of wealth and power.

What was the lasting influence of the Israelites?

The religion of the Israelites influenced the religion of Christianity and Islam.

Ritual

a ceremonial rite

Obsidian

a dark natural glass stone formed by lava

Dynasty

a family of rulers whose right to rule is passed on within the family

Theocracy

a government established by divine authority, priests rule

Empire

a large political unit or state, usually under a single leader, that controls many peoples or territories

ziggurat

a massive stepped tower on which was built a temple dedicated to the chief god or goddess of a Sumerian city

pastoral nomads

a person who domesticates animals for food and clothing and moves along regular migratory routes to provide a steady source of nourishment for those animals

city-state

a state with political and economic control over the surrounding countryside

Bureaucracy

administrative organization that relies on non electives officials and regular procedures

Aristocracy

an upper class whose wealth is based on land and whose power is passed on from one generation to another

Pharaoh

ancient Egyptian monarch meant "great house" or "place"

civilizations

complex cultures in a large number of people share a number of common element such as social structure, religion, and art.

priests

in early urban civilization, an important and powerful person who supervised rituals aimed at pleasing gods.

satrapies

one of the 20 provinces into which Darius divided the Persian Empire

How did Egypt show its power during its peak?

Being the most powerful state in the Near East Pursued an active political and active democracy

Polytheistic

Belief in many gods

Monotheistic

Belief in one God

What contributed to the success and longevity of the Zhou rule?

Economic growth, technological advancements in agriculture.

How did people in the Fertile Crescent adapt to their environment?

Fertile soil around rivers developed agriculture access and it helped with farming and trade routes.

Anthropology

scientists who study culture

Monsoon

seasonal wind that blows dry air westward across the country (October-February) and moisture from east to southwest (June to October)

What are some of the important things Hammurabi is remembered for?

A Babylonian King who came to power. Gained control over Sumer and Akkad Created a new Mesopotamian kingdom (established his capital at Babylon) His set of rules (Hammurabi's Code) which was based on a system of strict justice (varied based on social class of the victim)

Zoroastrianism

A religion where Zoroaster was considered a prophet and where teachings were recorded in the Zend Avesta. It was considered a monotheistic religion and Zoroaster taught that there would be an end to the struggle between good and evil

Who was Amenhotep IV?

A ruler where the height of the New Kingdom reached its highest Introduced the worship of Aten (was considered a sole god, closed the temple of other gods; attempt at religious change failed)

How was Egyptian society organized?

Upper class: Royal family, rich landowners, government officials. Middle Class: Chiefly of merchant, manufactures, and artisan. Lower class: slaves or a unskilled laborer

Who tried to force Egyptians to worship a single god?

Amenhotep IV

Hieroglyphics

An ancient Egyptian writing system in which pictures were used to represent ideas and sounds

What was the Royal Road? Why was it significant?

An ancient highway reorganized and rebuild by Darius the Great Facilitated rapid communication on the western part of his large empire

What made the religion of Israel unique compared to other religions in Asia and Egypt?

Jews were monotheistic (one god) while the religions in Asia and Egypt were polytheistic. (many gods)

What were the cultural and economic accomplishments of the Phoenicians?

The cultural accomplishment is their alphabet and their economic accomplishment is trade. Produced a number of goods for foreign markets including purple dye, glass, and lumber

Filial Piety

The duty of family members to subordinate their needs and desires to those of the male heads of the family

How did the first humans adapt to survive?

The first people moved from one place to another to survive. making tools, growing crops, hunting and gathering food, and using heat to cook.

Sanskrit

The first writing system of the Aryans, developed around 1000 BC.

What was the influence of nomadic people on civilized societies?

The transferring of products and food between civilizations.

How did the Minoans interact with other ancient civilizations.

They communicated through trade.