CHAPTER 1

ARTIFACT Human-made objects such as tools, and Jewelry.

CULTURE A people’s unique way of life.

HOMINID Any creature that walks upright

Paleolithic Age The earlier and longer part of the stone age, also called the OLD STONE AGE (2.5million-8000B.C.)

Neolithic Age Another name for the NEW STONE AGE (8000B.C.-3000B.C.)

Technology Ways of Applying knowledge.

Homo Sapiens The species name for modern humans.

Nomad Mobile people that move from place to place to find food.

Hunter-gatherers People who depend on hunting and gathering their food for survival

Neolithic Revolution The beginnings of Farming, also called the AGRICULTURAL REVOLUTION

Slash and Burn Farming Cutting trees or grasses and burning them to clear a field

Domestication Taming of animals

Civilization A complex culture with 5 characteristics: 1. Advanced cities 2. Specialized Workers 3. Complex Institutions 4. Record keeping 5.advanced technology

Specialization The development of skills in a specific kind of job

Artisans Skilled workers who make goods by hand

Institution A long-lasting pattern of organization in a community.

Scribes Professional record keepers

Cuneiform “Wedge-shaped” writing system invented by scribes.

Bronze Age Refers to the time when people began to use Bronze other than copper and stone. (2500B.C.)

Barter The way of trading goods without the use of money

Ziggurat A pyramid-shaped monument; means “mountain of god.”

CHAPTER 2

Fertile Crescent This arc of land provides some of the best farming in Southwest Asia.

Mesopotamia In the Fertile Crescent; means land between the rivers.”; The rivers are the Tigris and Euphrates.

City-State A city that acts much like a country

Dynasty A Family of Rulers

Cultural Diffusion The process in which a new idea or product spread form one country to another

Polytheism A belief in many gods.

Monotheism A belief in one god.

Empire Peoples, nations, or previously independent states under one ruler.

Hammurabi Brought the Babylonian Empire to its peak; most famous for his codes

Delta A broad, marshy, triangular area of land formed by deposits of SILT at the mouth of a river.

Narmer Possibly united upper and lower Egypt; Some say it was the Scorpion King

Pharaoh Egyptian King

Theocracy This type of government rule is based on religion

Pyramids The resting place of Pharaohs.

Mummification The process of preserving the body

Hieroglyphics Simple pictographs were the earliest form of writing in Egypt, but scribes developed this more flexible writing system

Papyrus Egyptians first wrote on clay and stone then they invented this paper made out of reeds.

Subcontinent India is often referred to as this type of large landmass.

Harappan Civilization The Indus Valley Civilization is sometimes called this.

Monsoons These seasonal WINDS dominate India’s climate

Oracle Bones Some of China’s kings used these bones to consult with the gods

Loess This is a type of silt most associated with China.

Mandate of Heaven Chinese rulers believed they ruled because of this belief

Dynastic Cycle The pattern of rise, and decline, and he replacement of dynasties in China

Feudalism In Europe and China; This is a political system in which noble, or lords, grant the use of land to others

Nile River This is the main river that runs through Egypt

Tigris and Euphrates These are the 2 main rivers that flow through the Fertile Crescent, and around Mesopotamia; Flows through IRAQ today

Indus River This river is the border of Pakistan and India