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AP World History Unit One Flashcards

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61180968agricultural villagea farming-based settlement; relatively small in population0
61180969fertile crescenta geographical area of fertile land in the Middle East stretching in a broad semicircle from the Nile to the Tigris and Euphrates1
61180970sumerA region of city-states in Mesopotamia that was home to the first civilization.2
61180971sargon of akkadA conqueror from Akkad, north of Sumer, who took over all of Mesopotamia and created the world's first empire.3
61180972gilgameshthe epic story of the king, Gilgamesh, who searched for immortality. This is a Sumerian legend and is believed to be the first story4
61180973zigguratan ancient Mesopotamian temple tower5
61180974pictogramsthe earliest forms of writing in which pictures represent words or ideas6
61180975cuneiformSumerian writing made by pressing a wedge-shaped tool into clay tablets7
61180976ideogramspictures that symbolize an idea or action8
61180977code of hammurabiset of laws that dealt with business practices, property ownership, medical practice, marrige, and childcare9
61180978shang dynastyDynasty in china that established the mandate of heaven.10
61180979ma'atPrinciple of truth, morality, justice, and order11
61180980pyramidHuge, triangular shaped burial tombs of Egyptian pharaohs built during the Old Kingdom12
61180981old kingdomthe age of pyramids. when Egypt attained its first continuous peak of civilization complexity and achievement13
61180982middle kingdomno more pyramids, pharoh had less power, & they traded with outside countries14
61180983aryansnomads from Europe and Asia who migrated to India and finally settled; vedas from this time suggest beginning of caste system15
61180984caste systema social structure in which classes are determined by heredity16
61180985babyloniansthey extended their own empire and therefore helped bring civilization to the Middle East; Hammurabi introduced his code of law; it established rules of procedure for courts of law and regulated property rights and the duties of family members, setting harsh punishments for crimes17
61180986hittitesPeople who were among the first to master ironworking, meaning they could make the strongest weapons of the time. They also used the chariot, a wheeled, horse-drawn cart used in battle which allowed soldiers to move quickly around a battlefield and fire arrows at their enemy.18
61180987zhou dynastythe imperial dynasty of China from 1122 to 221 BC; notable for the rise of Confucianism and Taoism19
61180988oracle bonesanimal bones carved with written characters which were used for telling the future20
61180989sage kingsLegendary rulers of China c. 2800-c. 2200.21
61180990anyangthe ancient Chinese capital of the Shang Dynasty22
61180991mandate of heavenIn chinese history, the belief the rulers had the gods approval to rule23
61180992nubiaEast African trading empire that developed south of Egypt on the Nile River24
61180993olmecspriests/aristocrats were at the top of society, built a ceremonial center, wroshiped the jaguar and werejaguar, best remains are the stone carved heads at la venta, use of calendar, spread through trade, known for art, most important legacy was priestly leadership and devotion25
61180994teotihuacanan enormous archaeological site in the Basin of Mexico, containing some of the largest pyramidal structures built in the pre-Columbian Americas, first major metropolis in Mesoamerica, collapsed around 800 CE. It is most remembered for the gigantic "pyramid of the sun".26
61180995mayaMesoamerican civilization concentrated in Mexico's Yucatán Peninsula and in Guatemala and Honduras but never unified into a single empire. Major contributions were in mathematics, astronomy, and development of the calendar.27
61180996mocheCivilization 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. (p. 313)28
61180997chimupowerful lowland kingdom in Andes; irrigation systems, capital city Chanchan, had well defined social order29
61180998chavinFirst major urban civilization in South America. Capital is de Huantar, was located in the Andes Mountains of Peru. Has 2 distinct ecological zones, the Peruvian Costal Plain and the Andean Foothills.30
61180999nok cultureAn African culture that existed around 500 BCE in Northern Nigeria. They lived along the Niger river and produced terra cotta sculptures.31
61181000zapotecsCivilization that flourished in southern Mexico's Oaxaca Valley (c. 500 B.C.E. to C.E. 600) -- developed own writting system, architecture modified32
61181001hegemonydominance, especially of one political body over another33
61181002republicA form of government in which citizens choose their leaders by voting34
61181003oligarchOne of several people who rule a country or empire together, sharing the power.35
61181004indo-europeanA family of languages consisting of most of the languages of Europe as well as those of Iran, the Indian subcontinent, and other parts of Asia36
61181005assyriansknown as a warrior people who ruthlessly conquered neighboring countries; their empire stretched from east to north of the Tigris River all the way to centeral Egypt; used ladders, weapons like iron-tipped spears, daggers and swords, tunnels, and fearful military tactics to gain strength in their empire37
61181006hatshepsutfirst and only woman to serve as a pharoah, life peaceful at home (no wars) wore mens clothing and the false beard, improved trading, and built many temples & obelisks38
61181007triumvirateIn ancient Rome, a group of three leaders sharing control of the government.39
61181008julius caesarRoman general and dictator. He was murdered by a group of senators and his former friend Brutus who hoped to restore the normal running of the republic.40
61181009satrapythe twenty provinces that Darius divided the empire into; each province was ruled by a governor41
61181010zoroastrianismdual gods of equal power to form early monotheism; Persian; cosmic struggle over good and bad; those that do good go to heaven and bad go to hell; influenced Judaism and Christianity42
61181011minoansa seafaring and trading people that lived on the island of Crete from about 2000-1400 BC43
61181012mycenaeansfirst Greek-speaking people; invaded Minoans; dominated Greek world 1400 B.C. to 1200 B.C.; sea traders; lived in separate city-states; invovled in Trojan War against Troy44
61181013polisGreek city-state45
61181014dominancesuperior development of one side of the body46
61181015athensPowerful city in Ancient Greece that was a leader in arts, sciences, philosophy, democracy and architecture.47
61181016democracya political system in which the supreme power lies in a body of citizens who can elect people to represent them48
61181017solonabolished debt slavery and freed slaves. limited land allowed to be owned and extended citizenship. stopped the sale of grain. citizens gained more power49
61181018hoplitea heavily armed foot soldier of ancient Greece.50
61181019peloponnesian wara war between Athens and Sparta, 431-404 b.c., that resulted in the transfer of hegemony in Greece from Athens to Sparta.51
61181020alexander the greatson of Philip II; received military training in Macedonian army and was a student of Aristotle; great leader; conquered much land in Asia Minor, Syria, Egypt, and Mesopotamia; goal was to conquer the known world52
61181021hellenisticDescribing Greek history or culture after the death of Alexander the Great53
61181022cyrus the greatA remarkable leader who managed to reunite the Persian Empire in a powerful kingdom. Under Cyrus, Persia began building an empire larger than any yet seen in the world54
61181023hyksosthe people who invaded Egypt thus beginning the second Intermediate period during which the Hyksos ( a word meaning "foreigner) ruled as pharaohs in Lower Egypt and exacted tribute from the royal families in Thebes.55
61181024new kingdomThe period during which Egypt reached the height of its power and glory.56
61181025akhenatenEgyptian pharaoh (r. 1353-1335 B.C.E.). He built a new capital at Amarna, fostered a new style of naturalistic art, and created a religious revolution by imposing worship of the sun-disk. (p.66)57
61181026pax romanaA period of peace and prosperity throughout the Roman Empire, lasting from 27 B.C. to A.D. 180.58
61181027punic warsA series of three wars between Rome and Carthage (264-146 B.C.); resulted in the destruction of Carthage and Rome's dominance over the western Mediterranean.59
61181028plebianan ordinary citizen in the ancient Roman republic60
61181029paterfamiliasmale dominance in the family61
61181030octavian augustusCaesar's nephew, physically weak/nerdy; after beating Cleopatra and Antony he became 1st emperor of Rome62
61181031mark antonyCaesar's right-hand man, teamed with Octavian to punish Caesar's murders, fell in love with Cleopatra, went into civil war, at Battle of Actium, he and Cleopatra fled and committed suicide63
61181032cleopatra VIIRuler of egypt 51-30BC, mistress of Caesar, mother of Caesarion (Ptolemy XV). After Cesar's asassination, Cleopatra became the mistress of the Roman general Marc Antony.64
61181033battle of actiumbattle between Marcus Antony and Octavian for control of the empire. Octavian won in 31 B.C.65
61181034stoicismHuman reason is the source of virtue, perfection, and happiness66
61181035constantineRoman emperor (r. 312-337). After reuniting the Roman Empire, he moved the capital to Constantinople and made Christianity a favored religion. (p.159)67
61181036edict of milana ruling by Constantine that allowed Christians to openly practice their faith in the Roman empire.68
61181037oligarchya system of government in which a small group holds power69
61181038warring states periodthe period from 5th century BC to the unification of China by the Qin Dynasty in 221 BC when regional warlords battled amongst eachother and there was no ruler70
61181039legalismStrict, literal adherence to the law or to a particular code, as of religion or morality.71

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