AP Notes, Outlines, Study Guides, Vocabulary, Practice Exams and more!

Unit 2: Organization and Reorganization of Human Societies (600 BCE - 600 CE) Flashcards

Terms : Hide Images
4958514697Caste Systema class structure that is determined by birth. Loosely, it means that in some societies, if your parents are poor, you're going to be poor, too. Same goes for being rich0
4958514698PatriarchyA male dominated society1
4958514699MatriarchalA female dominated society2
4958514700Mandate of Heavenan ancient Chinese belief and philosophical idea that tiān (heaven) granted emperors the right to rule based on their ability to govern well and fairly.3
4958514701Silk Roadan ancient network of trade and cultural transmission routes that were central to cultural interaction through regions of the Asian continent connecting the West and East by merchants, pilgrims, monks, soldiers, nomads, and urban dwellers from China and India to the Mediterranean Sea4
4958514702Social Heirarchyhow individuals and groups are arranged in a relatively linear ladder5
4958514703Reincarnationthe rebirth of a soul in a new body.6
4958514704AssimilationThe process by which a person or persons acquire the social and psychological characteristics of a group7
4958514705MonotheisticThe belief in only one god8
4958514706Eightfold Paththe path to nirvana, comprising eight aspects in which an aspirant must become practiced: right views, intention, speech, action, livelihood, effort, mindfulness, and concentration.9
4958514707Zoroanstrianismone of the world's oldest monotheistic religions. It was founded by the Prophet Zoroaster in ancient Iran approximately 3500 years ago.10
4958514708Greek Philosophythe rational investigation of questions about existence and knowledge and ethics11
4958514709PolytheisticThe belief in many gods12
4958514710Legalismstrict adherence, or the principle of strict adherence, to law or prescription, especially to the letter rather than the spirit.13
4958514711Confucianisma system of philosophical and ethical teachings founded by Confucius and developed by Mencius.14
4958514712Buddhismis a nontheistic religion or philosophy (Sanskrit: dharma; Pali: धम्म dhamma) that encompasses a variety of traditions, beliefs and spiritual practices largely based on teachings attributed to Gautama Buddha, commonly known as the Buddha ("the awakened one").15
4958514713Islamthe religion of the Muslims, a monotheistic faith regarded as revealed through Muhammad as the Prophet of Allah.16
4958514714Judaisman ancient monotheistic religion, with the Torah as its foundational text (part of the larger text known as the Tanakh or Hebrew Bible), and supplemental oral tradition represented by later texts such as the Midrash and the Talmud.17
4958514715Christianitythe religion based on the person and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth, or its beliefs and practices.18
4958514716Daoisma philosophical, ethical or religious tradition of Chinese origin, or faith of Chinese exemplification, that emphasizes living in harmony with the Tao.19
4958514717Han Dynastyan empire in ancient China, that lasted from 206 b.c.e- 24 c.e.20
4958514718Persiaan empire located in modern day Iran but stretched as far as Egypt and Iraq.21
4958514719Guptaan empire located in northern India that lasted from 320-550 c.e.22
4958514720Ancient Egyptan empire that lasted for 3000 years23
4958514721Roman empirelocated in modern day Italy but expanded to outlying countries throughout its reign, it lasted from 201 b.c.e- 476 c.e.24
4958514722Mayalocated in modern day central america, it lasted from 1800 b.c.e- 250 c.e.25
4958546461StateA body of people living in a defined territory who have a government with the power to make and enforce law without the consent of any higher authority26
4958546462Empirean extensive group of states or countries under a single supreme authority.27
4958549053Hebrew ScripturesTorah, Old Testament28
4958551664Assyrian Empirethis empire covered much of what is now Mesopotamia, Syria, Palestine, Egypt, and Anatolia; its height was during the seventh and eighth centuries BCE.29
4958551665Babylonian EmpireEmpire in Mesopotamia which was formed by Hammurabi, the sixth ruler of the invading Amorites.30
4958551666Roman EmpireExisted from 27 BCE to about 400 CE. Conquiered entire Mediterranean coast and most of Europe. Ruled by an emperor. Eventually oversaw the rise and spread of Christianity.31
4958561525Sanskrit ScripturesAn ancient Indic language of India, in which the Hindu scriptures and classical Indian epic poems are written and from which many northern Indian languages are derived.32
4958561526Vedic ReligionsCore beliefs in sanskrit scriptures; Hinduism; influence of Indo-European traditions in the development of the social and political roles of a caste system; importance of multiple manifestations of Brahma to promote teachings about reincarnation.33
4958563122HinduismA religion and philosophy developed in ancient India, characterized by a belief in reincarnation and a supreme being who takes many forms34
4958569635Mauryan Empire(321-185 BCE) This was the first centralized empire of India whose founder was Chandragupta Maurya.35
4958569636AshokaLeader of the Mauryan dynasty of India who conquered most of India but eventually gave up violence and converted to Buddhism.36
4958569637Siddhartha Gautama (The Buddha)Means "Enlightened One." He is said to have renounced his worldly possessions and taught of a way to overcome suffering.37
4958579912Emperor ConstantineFounded Constantinople; best known for being the first Christian Roman Emperor; issued the Edit of Milan in 313, granting religious toleration throughout the empire.38
4958583351Buddha39
4958592783Shiva40
4958669870Brahma41
4958674614Vishnu42
4958686638Darius I43
4958698583Alexander the Great44
4958708841Parthenon45
4958719136Agora at Corinth46
4958738679Hoplite Armor47
4958751550Gupta Empire(320-550 CE) The decentralized empire that emerged after the Mauryan Empire, and whose founder is Chandra Gupta.48
4958776816Roman Columns49
4958808095Greek Columns50
4958946183Pantheon51
4958949870Aqueduct52
4958954806Colosseum53
4958961165Circus Maximus54
4958978175Christianity Rho Chi Symbol (Emperor Constantine)Religion?55
4959008432Indian Ocean Maritime System56
4959012249Silk Road57
4959014056Trans-Saharan Trade Route58
4959034141filial pietyIn Confucian thought, one of the virtues to be cultivated, a love and respect for one's parents and ancestors.59
4959034142monasticismA way of life in which men and women withdraw from the rest of the world in order to devote themselves to their faith60
4959034189shamanismThe practice of identifying special individuals (shamans) who will interact with spirits for the benefit of the community. Characteristic of the Korean kingdoms of the early medieval period and of early societies of Central Asia.61
4959036799animismBelief that objects, such as plants and stones, or natural events, like thunderstorms and earthquakes, have a discrete spirit and conscious life.62
4959036800ancestor venerationVeneration of the dead or ancestor reverence is based on the beliefs that the dead have a continued existence, and may possess the ability to influence the fortune of the living, the worship of deceased ancestors63
4959039442syncretic religionCombines two religious traditions into something distinctly new, while containing traits of both64
4959047106Persian EmpireGreatest empire in the world up to 500 BCE. Spoke an Indo-European language. A multi-ethnic and multi-religious empire. Fell to Alexander the Great.65
4959047107Qin Dynastythe Chinese dynasty (from 246 BC to 206 BC) that established the first centralized imperial government and built much of the Great Wall66
4959049620Han Dynasty(202 BC - 220 AD) dynasty started by Lui Bang; a great and long-lasting rule, it discarded the harsh policies of the Qin dynasty and adopted Confucian principles; rulers chose officials who passed the civil service exams rather than birth; it was a time of prosperity67
4959049621PhoeniciaSemitic-speaking Canaanites living on the coast of modern Lebanon and Syria in the first millennium B.C.E. Famous for developing the first alphabet, which was adopted by the Greeks.68
4959051455HellenisticOf or influenced by the Greek Empire. A type of culture typically referred to after the conquests of Alexander the Great.69
4959054060TeotihuacanA large central city in the Mesoamerican region. Located about 25 miles Northeast of present day Mexico City. Exhibited city planning and unprecedented size for its time. Reached its peak around the year 450.70
4959054061Mochecivilization of north coast of Peru (200-700 C.E.). An important Andean civilization that built extensive irrigation networks as well as impressive urban centers dominated by brick temples.71
4959056024ChacoAn urban center established by Anasazi located in southern New Mexico. There, they built a walled city with dozens of three-story adobe houses with timbered roofs. Community religious functions were carried out in two large circular chambers called kivas.72
4959062739Cahokiaan ancient settlement of southern Indians, located near present day St. Louis, it served as a trading center for 40,000 at its peak in A.D. 1200.73
4959062740PersepolisA complex of palaces, reception halls, and treasury buildings erected by the Persian kings Darius I and Xerxes in the Persian homeland. It is believed that the New Year's festival was celebrated here, as well as the coronations, weddings, and funerals of the Persian kings, who were buried in cliff-tombs nearby.74
4959062741Chang'anCapital of Tang dynasty; population of 2 million, larger than any other city in the world at that time.75
4959066182PataliputraThe captial of both Muryan and Gupta empires76
4959066183AthensA democratic Greek polis who accomplished many cultural achievements, and who were constantly at war with Sparta.77
4959066184CarthageCity 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.78
4959068974AlexandriaCity on the Mediterranean coast of Egypt founded by Alexander. It became the capital of the Hellenistic kingdom of Ptolemy. It contained the famous Library and the Museum and was a center for leading scientific and literary figures in the classical and postclassical eras.79
4959068975ConstantinopleA large and wealthy city that was the imperial capital of the Byzantine empire and later the Ottoman empire, now known as Istanbul80
4959073612Silk Roadstrade routes stretching from China to the Mediterranean, which allowed for the exchange of goods and ideas from China to the Roman Empire81
4959079566Trans-Saharan Caravan RouteIslamic trade in West Africa was conducted by caravans of camels. According to Ibn Battuta, the explorer who accompanied one of the caravans, the average size was a thousand camels per caravan, with some being as large as 12,000.82
4959079567Indian Ocean Sea Laneslanes throughout the Indian Ocean connecting East Africa, southern Arabia, the Persian Gulf, India, Southeast Asia, and southern China83
4959090005Mediterranean Sea LanesTrade routes that connected the Mediterranean civilizations together. The need for a sea rout for trade in the region. Trade increased and diffusion of cultures occurred84
4959090089Qanat Systema traditional system of gravity-fed irrigation that uses gently sloping tunnels to capture groundwater and direct it to low-lying fields85
4959094024Shadufa mechanical device that consists of a long pole balanced on a crossbeam. It has a rope and bucket on one end and a weighted balance on the other. It is used for transferring water from the river to the fields.86
4959317365Jesus of Nazaretha teacher and prophet born in Bethlehem and active in Nazareth; his life and sermons form the basis for Christianity.87
4959319690Paul of TarsusA Pharisaic Jew who persecuted the Early Christian community; later, he had an experience of the Risen Christ and became the "Apostle to the Gentiles" writing numerous letters to the Christian communities.88
4959327747Greco-Roman PhilosophyIdeas that emphasized logic, empirical observation, and nature of political power and hierarchy.89
4959352676ZoroastrianismWhat religion?90
4959357034ChristianityWhat religion?91
4959395089corvee laborunpaid forced labor usually by lower classes, forced upon them by the government92
4959399793tributeMoney paid by one country to another in return for protection93

Need Help?

We hope your visit has been a productive one. If you're having any problems, or would like to give some feedback, we'd love to hear from you.

For general help, questions, and suggestions, try our dedicated support forums.

If you need to contact the Course-Notes.Org web experience team, please use our contact form.

Need Notes?

While we strive to provide the most comprehensive notes for as many high school textbooks as possible, there are certainly going to be some that we miss. Drop us a note and let us know which textbooks you need. Be sure to include which edition of the textbook you are using! If we see enough demand, we'll do whatever we can to get those notes up on the site for you!