AP World History Ancient Civilizations Flashcards

2787193755	Sumerian City-States	The Sumerian city-states came into play when their populations expanding, and they needed to prevent conflicts between urban residents from escalating into serious civic disorder. So, they created city-states to control city life and oversaw affairs in surrounding regions.	0
2787195887	Hammurabi and Babylonian Empire	The Babylonian Hammurabi reigned from 1792 to 1750 B.C.E. He called himself, "King of the quarters of the world." The entire Babylonian empire ruled until 1600 B.C.E. Hammurabi also created Hammurabi's Code.	1
2787198076	Nebuchadnezzar and New Babylonian Empire	The New Babylonian Empire ruled from 600 to 550 B.C.E. It's also called the Chaldean empire. One of the kings was King Nebuchadnezzar. He lavished wealth and resources on his capital city and symbolized the city's luxuriousness.	2
2787198806	Iron Metallurgy	In 1300 B.C.E craftsmen from Hittite society developed techniques of forging strong iron tools and weapons. It spread to many regions and helped people, like the Assyrians, to build their empire. Since the iron was cheaper and more available than bronze, iron quickly became the metal of choice.	3
2787199098	The Wheel	To create efficient means of transportation for long-distance trade, the Sumerians invented the wheel. The first wheel was probably invented in 3500 B.C.E.. Wheeled carts and wagons let people haul heavy loads of bulk-goods much longer than before.	4
2787199406	Social Classes	In early Mesopotamia, kings and nobles were at the top because of their valor and success as warriors. Then came priests and priestesses. They intervened with gods to ensure good fortune for their communities. Next are privileged classes of free commoners, dependent clients, and finally slaves.	5
2787200706	Education	Most education was vocational instruction that trained individuals to work in specific trades and crafts. They also established formal schools. Those who learned to read and write usually became scribes or government officials.	6
2787201371	The Early Hebrews	Early Hebrews were pastoral nomads who inhabited lands between Mesopotamia and Egypt. According to Hebrew scriptures, Abraham came from the Sumerian city of Ur and migrated to Palestine. Hebrews borrowed the principle of lex talionis from Hammurabi's code and also had stories of floods similar to Mesopotamia.	7
2787204239	Assyrian and Babylonian Conquests	Israel came under pressure of the Assyrian empire and had to pay tribute to the leaders too. The kingdom of Judah retained its independence the New Babylonian empire toppled the Assyrians.	8
2787205909	Phoenician Trade Networks	The Phoenicians influenced societies because of their maritime trade and communication networks. They traded overland with Mesopotamia and provided cedar timber, furnishings, and decorative items. They also imported for exchange for metal goods, textiles, pottery, glass, and works of art.	9
2787207915	Indo-European Homeland	The homeland of Indo-European speakers was probably modern-day Ukraine and southern Russia. They herded cattle, sheep, and goats. Their society was probably built between 4500 B.C.E. and 2500 B.C.E.	10
2787208389	Horses	Indo Europeans were able to domesticate horses originally as food, but then began riding them. When the Sumerians knowledge of bronze metallurgy and wheels had spread to the Indo-European homeland, the speakers soon hitched horses to carts wagons, and chariots.	11
2787208390	The Hittites	They were the most influential Indo-European migrants. They migrated to the central plain of Anatolia and built powerful kingdom and established close relations with Mesopotamia. They also traded with Babylonians and Assyrians, adapted cuneiform writing to their Indo-European language.	12
2787209345	Indo-European Migrations to East	When the Hittites built their state in Anatolia , many other Indo-European speakers migrated East to into central Asia as far as modern day western China.	13
2812883265	The Nile River Valley	The Nile is fed by rain and snow in the high mountains of east Africa. It is also the longest river in the world, at 6,695 km long. Each spring, rain and melting snow swell the river and surges north through the Sudan and Egypt. When the waters recedes, it leaves behind a layer of rich, fertile muck, and these alluvial deposits support the productive agriculture economy.	14
2812883266	Menes	Egypt rulers forged all the territory between the Nile delta and the river's first cataract a unified kingdom much larger and more powerful than any other Nile state. There, there was a ruler named Menes who was an ambitious minor official from southern Egypt. He rose to power and extended his authority north into the delta. He becomes the cultural and political center of ancient Egypt.	15
2812884846	Relations between Egypt and Nubia	Egyptians had a strong in Nubia because they were wary that Nubian kingdoms might threaten Upper Egypt, and they wanted products like gold, ivory, ebony, and precious stones. only found in southern land. Nubia was interested in Egypt because they wanted to protect their independence from massive and powerful neighbor to the north, and they sought to profit by controlling trade down the Nile.	16
2812886290	The Hyksos	Egypt came under the pressure of the foreign people from southern Asia, a Semitic group of people called the Hyksos. They were horse-riding nomads, and introduced horses to Egypt. They over to take advantage of Egypt because of their horse-drawn chariots, military advantage, and their weaponry.	17
2812888098	The Revived Kingdom of Kush	Nubian leaders organized a new kingdom Kush at the capital of Napata. By eighth century B.C.E, the rulers of Kush were powerful enough to invade Egypt. They eventually claimed tittle of pharaoh and extended their rule to the Nile delta.	18
2812889632	Trade Networks	Specialized labor and efficient means of transportation encouraged the development of long-distance trade. Egypt needed trade the land had few natural resources other than the Nile. They traded a lot with Nubia. Ivory, leopard skins, ostrich feathers, gemstones, gold, and salves were given to Egypt in exchange for pottery wine, honey, and finished products.	19
2812890527	Hieroglyphic Writing	The earliest Egyptian writing was pictographs. Symbols represented sounds and ideas. The Greeks called them hieroglyphs meaning "holy inscriptions" The were written on Egyptian monuments and buildings and also on sheets of papyrus. Papyrus is a paper-like material fashioned from papyrus reeds.	20
2812892721	Meroitic Writing	Nubian scribes created an alphabetic script from borrowing Egyptian hieroglyphics, but used the symbols for sounds rather than ideas. This would a more flexible writing system, but sadly scholars are unable to understand the Meroitic writing.	21
2812893396	Aten and Monotheism	The cult of Amon-Re faced monotheistic challenge from the god, Aten. Aten's champion, Pharaoh Amenhotep IV changed his name to Akhenaten to recognize his deity. Unlike the other priests of Amon-Re, Akhenaten and others believed Aten was the one and only god. It was probably the first time monotheism was introduced into the world.	22
2812894298	Mummification	Egyptians believed that death was not an end, but a transition to a new dimension of existence. The yearning for immortality explains the practice of mummification. Though during the Old Kingdom mummification was only for the wealthy an elite, it never became a general practice. With or without preservation of the body, a variety of religious cults promised to lead individuals of all classes to immortality.	23
2812895740	Cult of Osiris	According to myths, Osiris's evil brother Seth murdered him and scattered his dismembered parts throughout the land, but Osiris's wife Isis retrieved his parts and gave him a proper burial. The gods then restored Osiris to life, but as a god of the underworld. Egyptians associated Osiris with the Nile and with their crops.	24
2812898170	Nubian Religious Beliefs	Some Nubian religious traditions came from the early agricultural societies of Sudan. The most important Nubian deities was the lion-god, Apedemak, who was the war god for the kingdom. Sebiumeker was the creator god and divine guardian of his devotes.	25
2812898171	The Bantu	The original Bantu language was one of many related tongues in the larger Niger-Congo family. The lived in present day Nigeria. They cultivated yams and oil palms, and kept goats and raised guinea fowl. They lived in clan-based villages headed by chiefs and traded with hunting and gathering people.	26
2812899357	Spread of Agriculture	In Sub-Saharan Africa, cultivators extended the cultivation of yams and grains deep into east and south Africa. Headers introduced sheep and cattle to the region. By the late centuries B.C.E., agriculture had reached almost all of Sub-Saharan Africa except for densely forested regions and deserts.	27
2812899945	Religious Beliefs	In Sub-Saharan Africa, cultivators and headers also developed distinctive cultural and religious traditions. Sudanic and Niger-Congo people were monotheistic. One god was responsible for both good and evil. The god was Nyamba, and Nyamba created the world. The people prayed to their god their ancestors.	28
2812902440	Harappa and Mohenjo-Dario	These cities had city walls, a fortified citadel, and a large granary. There was a lot of investment in human labor and other resources. Also Mohenjo-daro had a large pool with private dressing rooms for bathers.	29
2812904471	Specialized Labor and Trade	Harappa depended on a successful agricultural economy, but also engaged in trade. They traded pottery, tools, and decorative items for gold,silver, copper, lead, gems, and semiprecious stones.	30
2812905029	Social Distinctions	The Harappan encouraged the formation of social distinctions. They didn't build pyramids, palaces, or magnificent tombs, but rulers wielded great authority. The dwellings that rich and poor lived in very different styles. Almost all houses had private bathrooms with showers and toilets.	31
2812905811	Fertility Cults	Harappan religion reflected a strong concern for fertility. They ventured gods and goddesses whom associated with creation and procreation. They recognized a mother goddess and a horned fertility god. These same values are found in the later religion of Hinduism.	32
2812906392	Harappan Decline	It declined because of different reasons. Harappans could have been deforested to obtain firewood. This would lead to erosion of topsoil and reduced rainfall. It is also possible that that flooding or earthquakes might have weakened the Harappan society.	33
2812907048	The Vedas	The Aryans composed poems and songs. They passed them down orally in their less formal tongue of Prakrit. One of the first works passed was the Vedas. It was a collection of hymns, songs,prayers, and rituals honoring the gods of the Aryans.	34
2812908458	Changing Political Organization	The Aryans gradually lost their tribal political organization and evolved more formal political institutions. In the hilly and mountainous regions of Northern India, councils of elders won recognition as the principal sources of political authorities.	35
2812910456	Caste and Social Mobility	The caste system never worked absolutely strict or inflexible, but worked to accommodate social change. Individual vaishyas or shudras turned to new lines of work and prospered on the basis of their own initiative. Brahmins and Kshatriyas sometimes fell on hard times. Social mobility came from individual efforts.	36
2812911418	Subcastes and Jati	The four varnas described the Vedic society well, but because they did not live in cities, and did not yet pursue specialized occupations, the Aryans had little need for a more complicated social order. As the Vedic society became more complex and generated increasingly specialized occupations, the caste system severed as an umbrella for a complicated hierarchy.	37
2812913469	The Lawbook of Manu	The patriarchal spokesmen of Vedic society sought to place women explicitly under the authority of men. An anonymous sage prepared the Lawbook of Manu. It dealt with proper moral behavior and social relationships. It reflected the society constructed under the Aryan influence.	38
2812913470	Sati	Vedic India constructed and maintained a deeply patriarchal society order. A custom demonstrated in the practice of sati. This is where a widow voluntarily threw herself on the funeral pyre of her decreased husband to join him in death.	39
2812914607	Ritual Sacrifices	It was important to properly perform ritual sacrifices by which the Aryans hoped to win the favor of the gods. Some rituals included slaughtering prepared animals as priests spoke the sacred chants. They believed that daring's sacrificial events the gods visited earth.	40
2812916126	Spirituality	The Aryan became dissatisfied with sacrificial cults of the Vedas, so many individuals left and retreated to the forests of the Ganges valley. There the mystics drew considerable inspiration from religious beliefs of Dravidian people, who worshiped nature spirits.	41
2812916962	The Upanishads	The Vedas achieved its fullest development in the body of works known as the Upanishads. The word upanishad means "a sitting in front of". It refers to the practice of disciples gathering before a sage for discussing religious issues.	42
2812918073	Brahman, the Universal Soul	The Upanishads said that appearances are deceiving and that human beings are not separate and autonomous creatures. Each person is actually part of a larger cosmic order and forms a small part of a universal soul, Brahman.	43
2812919931	Yangshao Society and Banpo Village	In the Yangshao society, its political, social, and cultural traditions is especially known for its discovery of Neolithic village at Banpo.	44
2812921894	The Shang Capital at Ao	Shang named one of his earliest capitals Ao. Many remains can be found near modern day Zhengzhou. There are city walls made from soil that is firmly packed between wooden forms.	45
2812922883	Beyond the Yellow River Valley	The Shang and Xia dynasties were paid special attention to because of their location in the Yellow River. Because tombs full of bronze, jade, stone, etc. show that societies are near the Yangzi and the Yellow River.	46
2812923785	The Rise of Zhou	The last Shang king was a criminal fool who gave himself over to wine women, tyranny, and greed. As a result, people transferred loyalty to the Zhou.	47
2812924668	The Mandate of Heaven	The Zhou theory of politics rested on the assumption that earthly events were closely related to heavenly affairs. Heavenly powers granted the right to govern with the mandate of heaven. It is given to a deserving individual called the son of heaven. The ruler is seen as a link between heaven and earth.	48
2812925517	Weakening of the Zhou	Subordinates gradually established their own bases of power that they ruled their territories as long established and traditional governors. They enforced them and as they became more secure in their rule, they also became more independent of the Zhou dynasty itself.	49
2812925970	Ruling Elites	The royal family and allied noble families occupied the most honored positions in Chinese society. Ruling elites possessed much of bronze weaponry because it was very expensive.	50
2812926972	Merchants and Trade	Archaeological discoveries show that long distance trade routes reached China during the Shang dynasties. Jade came from central Asia, and military technology came from through central Asia from Mesopotamia.	51
2812927296	Slaves	In China there was a sizable class of slaves that were enemy warriors captured during battles. Slaves performed hard labor.	52
2812928555	Veneration of Ancestors	The veneration of ancestors is a reason for influence in the Chinese family. They believed that spirits of their ancestors passed into another realm of existence from which they had the power to support and protect their surviving families if proper displays were put up for respect.	53
2812928987	Oracle Bones	Oracle bones were a principal instrument used for fortune tellers in ancient China. Diviners used specially prepared broad bones. They inscribe a question, and then subject it to heat. When it is heated, the cracks and splits answer the question.	54
2821470667	The Book of Songs	It is known as the Book of Poetry and the Book of Odes. This collection of verses on themes both light and serious. Many of the poems date back to the early Zhou dynasty.	55
2821471301	Steppe Nomads	Chinese cultivators encountered nomadic people who had built pastoral societies in the grassy steppe lands of central Asia. It was too dry to support agriculture, but it did support herds of animals.	56
2821472661	The Yangzi Valley	The valley of the Yangzi River supports even more intense agriculture than is possible in the Yellow River basin. The water from the lofty Qinghai mountains of Tibet to its mouth near the modern Chinese city of Shanghai.	57
2821474083	The State of Chu	Agricultural surplus and growing populations led to the emergence of cities, states, and complex societies. The powerful State of Chu challenged the Zhou for supremacy. They were in regular communication with their counterparts in the Yellow River valley.	58
2821475462	Early Agriculture in Mesoamerica	The people of Mesoamerica experimented with the cultivation of beans, chili peppers, avocados, squashes, and gourds. Maize soon became a staple food in the region. Soon agriculture spread throughout Mesoamerica.	59
2821477388	Ceremonial Centers	Permanent residents of the ceremonial centers included members of the ruling elite, priests, and craftsman. The ceremonial centers observed rituals or on market days to exchange goods.	60
2821478784	Olmecs: The Rubber People	On the coast of the Gulf of Mexico, they served as the nerve center of the first complex society of the Americas. Their name derives from the rubber trees that flourish in the region they inhabited. Olmec traditions influenced all complex societies of Mesoamerica until the arrival of Europeans.	61
2821479164	Trade in Jade and Obsidian	The Olmecs spread their influence by trade . It was a link between the Olmec heartland and other regions in Mesoamerica. Like jade, obsidian came from the Gulf coast from distant regions. In exchange, Olmecs traded small works of art fashioned from jade , basalt, or ceramics.	62
2821479165	The Maya	The earliest heirs of the Olmecs were the Maya. They created a remarkable society in the region now occupied by southern Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, Honduras, and El Salvador. One capital was Kaminalijuyu and served as the religious ceremonial center of Mayan civilization.	63
2821480028	Tikal	The Maya built more than eighty large in the lowlands . Some of the larger centers attracted dense populations. Tikal was the most important Maya political center. It was a wealthy and bustling city.The Temple of the Jaguar represented Tikal's control over the surrounding region.	64
2821480029	Maya Warfare	Mayan kingdoms fought constantly with each other. The victors usually took over the ceremonial centers. Warriors won prestige when they brought back important captives.	65
2821481175	Chicken Itza	The state of Chicken Itza wanted to dampen hostile instincts and established a larger political framework for the Mayan society.	66
2821481176	Maya Decline	When the Mayan populations began to desert their cities , it was because of different theories. There could have been an invasion by foreigners from Mexico, internal dissension, failure of the system of water control, or an ecological problem.	67
2821481785	The Mayan Calendar	Mayan priests constructed the most elaborate calendar of the ancient Americas. It shows a powerful urge to identity meaningful cycles of time to understand human events. It had 365 days which is a solar year.	68
2821481786	Maya Writing	Mayans expanded upon their predecessors' tradition of written inscriptions. It contained both ideographic elements and symbols for syllables. The writing was used for history, poetry, and myth.	69
2821482425	Maya Religious Thought	The Popol Vuh is the Mayan creation myth. It says that the gods created humans from maize and water. This shows the role of agriculture in their society.	70
2821483085	The City of Teotihuacan	Teotihuacan was a large agricultural village. Its two monuments were the colossal pyramids of the sun and the moon and dominated the skyline. The Pyramid of the Sun is the largest single structure in Mesoamerica.	71
2821483615	Cultural Traditions	The residents of Teotihuacan built on cultural foundations established by the Olmecs. Thy borrowed Olmec's calendar, ball game, and graphic symbols.	72
2821484159	Decline of Teotihuacan	Teotihuacan experienced more military pressure, and even art showed animals fighting for military conquest. Invaders had sacked and burned the city.	73
2821484504	The Chavin Cult	The Chavin Cult arose when maize became an important crop and supported large populations. It promoted fertility and abundant harvests. Temples and carvings the Chavin Cult seized by imagination of agricultural people.	74
2821484505	The Mochina State	The Mochina State had paintings that survived on pottery vessels. It often detailed expressive depiction of early Andean society.	75
2821487386	The Early Agriculture in South America	The earliest cultivators of the region relied on beans, peanuts, and sweet potatoes. They also cultivated cotton which was used for fishnets and textiles. The Pacific Ocean provided agricultural harvests.	76
2821489169	Early Hunting and Gathering Societies in Australia	The aboriginal Australians lived in small, mobile communities that undertook migrations in search for food. Plant foods were the bulk of their diet. They also used axes, spears, etc. to bring down animals from rats to giant kangaroos.	77
2821489827	Austronesian Peoples	The earliest inhabitants of New Guiana forged for food. The Austronesian People possessed remarkable seafaring skills. They sailed in large canoes without triggers.	78
2821491577	Early Agriculture in New Guinea	Austronesian seafarers depended on the cultivation of root crops and the heading of animals. They introduced yams, taro,pigs, and chicken to the island. After changing the agriculture, specialization came in, and pottery and crafted tools came into play.	79
2821492412	Austronesian Migrants to Polynesia	Austronesian People had a sophisticated maritime technology and agricultural expertise. So, they could sail easily to Bismarck and Solomon islands for trade and stayed there.	80
2821493507	Austronesian Migrants to Micronesia and Madagascar	From the Philippians, some Austronesians ventured to Micronesia. Some even sailed to Madagascar. Even Malagasy, the dominant language in Madagascar is obviously an Austronesian tongue.	81
2821493508	The Lapita Peoples	Early Austronesian migrants sailed to the blue waters of Lapita. It maintained communications and exchange networks throughout a large region. They established agricultural villages and domesticated animals.	82
2821496495	Chiefly Political Organization	Lapita trade networks fell into disuse. Austronesian people and Lapita people established hierarchical chiefdoms the Pacific Islands. Leadership was passed the chief to his eldest son.	83
2821675447	Bloodletting Rituals	The Mayans believed shedding human blood would prompt the gods to send rain to water their crops of maize. It was usually centered around war captives.	84
2821681569	The Maya Ball Game	Maya inherited a distinctive ball game from the Olmecs. The object of the game was for players to propel a rubber ball through a ring or onto a marker without using their hands.	85
2821724934	Sumer	Sumerians constructed elaborate irrigation networks that helped them realize abundant agricultural harvests.	86
2821837413	Semitic Migrants	The wealth of Sumer attracted migrants from other regions. Most were Semitic migrants that were nomadic headers who intermarried the Sumerians.	87
2821839585	Sumerian Kings	Early governments were assemblies of prominent men who made decisions on behalf of the whole community. Later almost all Sumerian cities had kings who claimed absolute authority within their realms.	88
2821840161	Sargon of Akkad	The creator of empire in Mesopotamia was Sargon of Akkad. He conquered the cities one by one, destroyed city walls, and placed them under his own governors and administrators.	89
2821842054	Hammurabi's Laws	Hammurabi sought to maintain his empire by providing it with a code of law. He borrowed liberally from his predecessors in compiling the most extensive and most complete Mesopotamian law code.	90
2821845347	The Assyrian Empire	The Assyrian state was one among many jockeying for power and position in northern Mesopotamia. They made use of recently invented iron and weapons and strengthened their army.	91
2821846410	Bronze Metallurgy	Pure copper was too soft to use for weaponry, but they discovered that by adding copper with tin, it would make it stronger. Therefore, inventing bronze.	92
2821846809	Shipbuilding	Sumerians built watercrafts that allowed them to venture into the Persian Gulf. Then they even sailed all the way to the Harappan society.	93
2821848160	Trade Networks	Assyrian merchants traveled regularly by donkey caravan to Anatolia. Merchants and their families operated a well organized business.	94
2821848984	Temple Communities	Priests and priestesses were mostly younger relatives of the rulers. They were to intervene with the gods to ensure good fortune for their communities. For their service, they were able to stay in temple communities and receive offerings.	95
2821850372	Slaves	Slaves came from prisoners of war, convicted criminals, and heavily indebted people who sold themselves into slavery. Some slaves worked as agricultural laborers, but were mostly domestic servants.	96
2821850373	Patriarchal Society	Mesopotamia vested authority over public and private affairs in adult men. The men were the head of the household and dominated public life as well.	97
2821852565	Women's Roles	Women made their influence felt in Mesopotamia. They advised kings and their governments. They could become priestesses or obtain a formal education and work as scribes.	98
2821854288	Astronomy and Mathematics	Scholars studied mathematics and astronomy. It was important to their sciences for agricultural societies. Making calendars helped them come up with patterns during the year. They divided the year in 12 months and the hours into 60 minutes, a minute is 60 seconds.	99