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AP World History: Ancient World Flashcards

First set of words in the AP World History book by the Princeton Review.

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65660060AgricultureThe deliberate effort to modify a portion of Earth's surface through the cultivation of crops and the raising of livestock for sustenance or economic gain.0
65660061Agrarianpertaining to land or its cultivation; Ex. agrarian reform, agrarian society1
65660062Bands/ Clansextended family groups that generally lived together2
65660063Barbarianwithout civilizing influences3
65660064Bureaucracysystem of managing government through departments run by appointed officials (not elected)4
65660065Civilizationa society in an advanced state of social development (e.g., with complex legal and political and religious organizations)5
65660066City-Statesdifferent sections of land owned by the same country but ruled by different rulers (e.g. Greece)6
65660067Classicalof or characteristic of a form or system felt to be of first significance before modern times7
65660068Domesticationprocess of changing plants or animals to make them more useful to humans8
65660069Economysystem by which goods and services are produced and distributed to meet people's needs9
65660070Egalitariana person who believes in the equality of all people10
65660071Emperorsupreme ruler of an empire11
65660072Empiremany territories, countries, or peoples controlled by one government (also just any territory ruled by an emperor)12
65660073Feudalisma political system and a social system where by a powerful lord would offer "protection" in return for "service"13
65660074Foragingthe process of scavenging for food14
65660075Hierarchya series of ordered groupings of people or things within a system15
65660076HierarchicalOf, relating to, or arranged in a hierarchy16
65660077Hunter-GathererA hunter-gatherer society is one whose primary subsistence method involves the direct procurement of edible plants and animals from the wild, foraging and hunting without significant recourse to the domestication of either plants nor animals17
65660078Irrigationsupplying dry land with water by means of ditches, sprinklers, etc.18
65660079Monarchya government in which power is in the hands of a single person who usually inherits their power19
65660080Monotheismbelief in a single God20
65660081NeolithicThe New Stone Age from circa 8500 to 4500 BCE: The period of the Stone Age associated with the ancient Agricultural Revolution(s)21
65660082Nomadic(of groups of people) tending to travel and change settlements frequently22
65660083Pastoralrelating to shepherds or herdsmen or devoted to raising sheep or cattle (e.g. pastoral peoples)23
65660084PaleolithicThe Old Stone Age from circa 750,00 to 500,000 years BCE to 8,500 years BCE: The period of the Stone Age associated with the evolution of humans and the development of minor tools24
65660085Philosophythe rational investigation of questions about existence, knowledge, and ethics25
65660086Polytheismbelief in multiple Gods26
65660087River Valleythe fertile land surrounding a river- the first civilizations arose near them27
65660088Sedentaryremaining in one place28
65660089Settlementthe act of colonizing or a small group of people in a sedentary position29
65660090Subsistencethe necessities of life, the resources of survival30
65660091Surplusa quantity much larger than is needed31
65660092Sustenancethe act of sustaining life by food or providing a means of subsistence32
65660093Theocracygovernment run by religious leaders33
65660094Traditionalconsisting of or derived from tradition; customary practices34
65660095Urbanizationthe social process whereby cities grow and societies become more urban35
65660096Vassalslesser lords who pledged their service and loyalty to a greater lord -- in a military capacity36
65660097Alexander the Greatking of Macedon, conqueror of Greece, Egypt, and Persia; founder of Alexandria (356-323 BC)37
65660098Analects of Confucius"something that is repeated" - a collection of Confucius' famous sayings38
65660099Bronze Agea period between the Stone and Iron ages, characterized by the manufacture and use of bronze tools and weapons39
65660100Byzantiumthe civilization that developed from the eastern Roman Empire following the death of the emperor Justinian (C.E. 565) until the fall of Constantinople (C.E.1453)40
65660101Calendara system of timekeeping that defines the beginning and length and divisions of the year41
65660102Code of Hammurabithe set of laws drawn up by Babylonian king Hammurabi dating to the 18th century BC, the earliest legal code known in its entirety42
65660103CuneiformOne of the first written languages known: A system of writing in which wedge-shaped symbols represented words or syllables. It originated in Mesopotamia and was used initially for Sumerian and Akkadian but later was adapted to represent other languages of western Asia.43
65660104Democracya political system in which the supreme power lies in a body of citizens who can elect people to represent them44
65660105Eight Fold PathEight steps to end suffering and attain enlightenment according to Buddhist tradition.45
65660106Four Noble Truthsas taught by the Buddha, the four basic beliefs that form the foundation of Buddhism46
65660107Gothic MigrationsThe Migration period, also called the Barbarian Invasions or German: Völkerwanderung (wandering of the peoples), was a period of human migration that occurred roughly between the years 300 to 700 CE in Europe, marking the transition from Late Antiquity to the Early Middle Ages. These movements were catalyzed by profound changes within both the Roman Empire and the so-called 'barbarian frontier'. Migrating peoples during this period included the Goths, Vandals, Bulgars, Alans, Suebi, Frisians, and Franks, among other Germanic and Slavic tribes.47
65660108Great Walla fortification 1,500 miles long built across northern China in the 3rd century BC48
65660109Han Dynastyimperial dynasty that ruled China (most of the time from 206 BC to AD 220) and expanded its boundaries and developed its bureaucracy49
65660110HellenismThe ideals and principles that spread from Greece through much of the ancient world. Much of its influence such as philosophy, athletics, and architecture penetrated the Middle East.50
65660111The HunsFierce warriors from Central Asia- First invaded southeastern Europe and then launched raids on nearby kingdoms51
65660112Indian Ocean Tradeconnected to Europe, Africa, and China.; worlds richest maritime trading network and an area of rapid Muslim expansion.52
65660113Iron Agethe period following the Bronze Age; characterized by rapid spread of iron tools and weapons53
65660114Jewish DiasporaA "scattering" of the Jewish people54
65660115LegalismIn Chinese history, Legalism was one of the main philosophic currents during the Warring States Period- A philosophy of focusing on the text of written law to the exclusion of the intent of law, elevating strict adherence to law over justice, mercy and common sense55
65660116Pax RomanaA period of peace and prosperity throughout the Roman Empire, lasting from 27 B.C. to A.D. 180.56
65660117PyramidsHuge stone tombs with four triangle-shaped walls that met in a point on top57
65660118Roman RepublicThe period from 507 to 31 B.C.E., during which Rome was largely governed by the aristocratic Roman Senate.58
65660119Roman Senatea council of wealthy and powerful Romans that advised the city's leaders59
65660120Shang CivilizationChina's first dynasty almost 2000 BCE60
65660121Shi Huang Diharsh ruler who united China for the first time and used legalism in ruling (Qin China)61
65660122Siddhartha Gautamafounder of Buddhism; born a prince; left his father's wealth to find the cause of human suffering; also know as Buddha62
65660123Silk Road TradeThe most famous of the trading routes established by pastoral nomads connecting the Chinese, Indian, Persian, and Mediterranean civilizations; transmitted goods and ideas among civilization.63
65660124The Torahthe most sacred text of Judaism64
65660125The Vedas of HinduismAryan hymns originally transmitted orally but written down in sacred books from the 6th century B.C.E.65
65660126Zigguratsa temple or tomb of the ancient Assyrians, Sumerians, or Babylonians, having the form of a terraced pyramid of successively receding stories66

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