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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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4419563236AgricultureThe 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
4419563237Agrarianpertaining to land or its cultivation; Ex. agrarian reform, agrarian society1
4419563238Bands/ Clansextended family groups that generally lived together2
4419563239Barbarianwithout civilizing influences3
4419563240Bureaucracysystem of managing government through departments run by appointed officials (not elected)4
4419563241Civilizationa society in an advanced state of social development (e.g., with complex legal and political and religious organizations)5
4419563242City-Statesdifferent sections of land owned by the same country but ruled by different rulers (e.g. Greece)6
4419563243Classicalof or characteristic of a form or system felt to be of first significance before modern times7
4419563244Domesticationprocess of changing plants or animals to make them more useful to humans8
4419563245Economysystem by which goods and services are produced and distributed to meet people's needs9
4419563246Egalitariana person who believes in the equality of all people10
4419563247Emperorsupreme ruler of an empire11
4419563248Empiremany territories, countries, or peoples controlled by one government (also just any territory ruled by an emperor)12
4419563249Feudalisma political system and a social system where by a powerful lord would offer "protection" in return for "service"13
4419563250Foragingthe process of scavenging for food14
4419563251Hierarchya series of ordered groupings of people or things within a system15
4419563252HierarchicalOf, relating to, or arranged in a hierarchy16
4419563253Hunter-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
4419563254Irrigationsupplying dry land with water by means of ditches, sprinklers, etc.18
4419563255Monarchya government in which power is in the hands of a single person who usually inherits their power19
4419563256Monotheismbelief in a single God20
4419563257NeolithicThe New Stone Age from circa 8500 to 4500 BCE: The period of the Stone Age associated with the ancient Agricultural Revolution(s)21
4419563258Nomadic(of groups of people) tending to travel and change settlements frequently22
4419563259Pastoralrelating to shepherds or herdsmen or devoted to raising sheep or cattle (e.g. pastoral peoples)23
4419563260PaleolithicThe 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
4419563261Philosophythe rational investigation of questions about existence, knowledge, and ethics25
4419563262Polytheismbelief in multiple Gods26
4419563263River Valleythe fertile land surrounding a river- the first civilizations arose near them27
4419563264Sedentaryremaining in one place28
4419563265Settlementthe act of colonizing or a small group of people in a sedentary position29
4419563266Subsistencethe necessities of life, the resources of survival30
4419563267Surplusa quantity much larger than is needed31
4419563268Sustenancethe act of sustaining life by food or providing a means of subsistence32
4419563269Theocracygovernment run by religious leaders33
4419563270Traditionalconsisting of or derived from tradition; customary practices34
4419563271Urbanizationthe social process whereby cities grow and societies become more urban35
4419563272Vassalslesser lords who pledged their service and loyalty to a greater lord -- in a military capacity36
4419563273Alexander the Greatking of Macedon, conqueror of Greece, Egypt, and Persia; founder of Alexandria (356-323 BC)37
4419563274Analects of Confucius"something that is repeated" - a collection of Confucius' famous sayings38
4419563275Bronze Agea period between the Stone and Iron ages, characterized by the manufacture and use of bronze tools and weapons39
4419563276Byzantiumthe 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
4419563277Calendara system of timekeeping that defines the beginning and length and divisions of the year41
4419563278Code 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
4419563279CuneiformOne 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
4419563280Democracya political system in which the supreme power lies in a body of citizens who can elect people to represent them44
4419563281Eight Fold PathEight steps to end suffering and attain enlightenment according to Buddhist tradition.45
4419563282Four Noble Truthsas taught by the Buddha, the four basic beliefs that form the foundation of Buddhism46
4419563283Gothic 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
4419563284Great Walla fortification 1,500 miles long built across northern China in the 3rd century BC48
4419563285Han Dynastyimperial dynasty that ruled China (most of the time from 206 BC to AD 220) and expanded its boundaries and developed its bureaucracy49
4419563286HellenismThe 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
4419563287The HunsFierce warriors from Central Asia- First invaded southeastern Europe and then launched raids on nearby kingdoms51
4419563288Indian Ocean Tradeconnected to Europe, Africa, and China.; worlds richest maritime trading network and an area of rapid Muslim expansion.52
4419563289Iron Agethe period following the Bronze Age; characterized by rapid spread of iron tools and weapons53
4419563290Jewish DiasporaA "scattering" of the Jewish people54
4419563291LegalismIn 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
4419563292Pax RomanaA period of peace and prosperity throughout the Roman Empire, lasting from 27 B.C. to A.D. 180.56
4419563293PyramidsHuge stone tombs with four triangle-shaped walls that met in a point on top57
4419563294Roman RepublicThe period from 507 to 31 B.C.E., during which Rome was largely governed by the aristocratic Roman Senate.58
4419563295Roman Senatea council of wealthy and powerful Romans that advised the city's leaders59
4419563296Shang CivilizationChina's first dynasty almost 2000 BCE60
4419563297Shi Huang Diharsh ruler who united China for the first time and used legalism in ruling (Qin China)61
4419563298Siddhartha Gautamafounder of Buddhism; born a prince; left his father's wealth to find the cause of human suffering; also know as Buddha62
4419563299Silk 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
4419563300The Torahthe most sacred text of Judaism64
4419563301The Vedas of HinduismAryan hymns originally transmitted orally but written down in sacred books from the 6th century B.C.E.65
4419563302Zigguratsa 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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