Term
| How long ago is the Big Bang theorized to have been |
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Definition
| 12 to 15 billion years ago |
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Term
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Definition
-The earliest human species
-had the largest brain and used tools
-had a complex social organization with a division of labor based on sex.
-were hunter-gatherers
-existed 2million years ago |
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Term
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Definition
-Human beings from which we descended and evolved 250,000 years ago.
-All people on earth today belong to homo sapiens, who developed in Africa, eventually spreading to the middle east. |
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Term
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Definition
| Something that happens quickly to groups of people due to religion, peer training, education, fashion, and mores of the group. |
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Term
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Definition
| the process where species change due to climate or breeding variety. |
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Term
| The two groups of pre-history |
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Definition
-Pre-literate society. With oral tradition as record keeping.
-Literate society. With written records. |
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Term
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Definition
The "old stone age" began 2.5 million years ago.
-the first stone tools were found from this age.
-The ice age came and went
-people were hunter-gatherers. |
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Term
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Definition
The "middle stone age"
-Humans began to learn how to domesticate animals and grow food.
-The agricultural revolution started but did not reach its height until the Neolithic period.
-The age of agriculture is one of the most important turning points in all of human history. |
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Term
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Definition
The "new stone age"
-Is identical to the age of agriculture which took thousands of years to develop.
-During this time people deliberately grew seeds by; harvesting wild grasses with flint-edged tools, and burning vegetation and throwing seeds on the ground hoping they would grow. |
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Term
| The first agricultural villages |
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Definition
Sprang up during the Neolithic period.
-Domestication of plants and animals began.
-Agriculture began to impact human society and culture. |
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Term
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Definition
-Replaced hunter-gatherers during the Neolithic period.
-did not have a better lifestyle just a steady supply of food. Instead of living by feast or famine like hunter-gatherers did. |
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Term
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Definition
-3,000-1,200 BC (1800yrs)
-Bronze was discovered and was the most important part of this portion of history.
-Was stronger than copper and tin.
-Skilled artisans from the middle-east generally crafted bronze tools. |
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Term
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Definition
-Began in 1400 BC
-The first to develop iron tools were the Hittites. |
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Term
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Definition
| Human society Human societies who have reach a level of qualitative complexity different from agricultural villages and hunter-gatherer societies. |
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Term
| 10 Characteristics of civilizations |
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Definition
-Irrigation agriculture.
-Development of city-states, kingdoms, empires.
-organized temple worship.
-Writing systems.
-Bureaucratic kingship.
-Organized warfare.
-social stratification/Hierarchy.
-Extensive system of commerce/Trade.
-Metallurgy.
-Colossal architecture. |
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Term
| Mesopotamian Civilization |
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Definition
The sumerians were the earliest civilization.
-Settled between Tigris and Euphrates rive.
-Irrigation agriculture caused this area to be known as the "Fertile crescent"
-Labeled the "Cradle of civilization" as the sumerians were the first true civilization. |
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Term
| Early dynastic period of Sumer(ia)lasted from |
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Definition
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Term
| The 6 Sumerian city states |
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Definition
-Eridu
-Ur
-Lagah
-Uruk
-Nippur
-Shuruppak |
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Term
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Definition
-was dominated by a priest who developed cuniform for extensive record keeping.
-belonged to a dominant god(dess) whose name the city-state functioned.
-Had a temple devoted to their god(dess) built on top of a ziggurat.
-Believed in polytheism. |
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Term
| The sumerians were ruled by |
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Definition
| A king who was part of a dynasty. |
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Term
| Proto Imperial Period of sumeria |
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Definition
Lasting from 2500-2350BC was the period in which warring Sumerian city-states tried to rule eachother
-Sargon I of Akkad conquered Sumeria. |
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Term
| Who was the first Great Empire builder in history |
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Definition
2,350-2,200 BC.
-Sargon I of Akkad was known as the first great empire-builder in history. His Akkadian City-State was upriver from Sumeria which gave them an advantage. |
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Term
| Which Kingdom conquered Sumeria and Akkad |
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Definition
| 1900-1550BC The Aorite Kingdom of babylonia conquered the two City-states, forming the largest empire at that time. |
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Term
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Definition
| 1792-1750BC. Hammurabi was the greatest Babylonian king who founded "The code of Hammurabi," laws based on earlier ones found as far back as Sumerian time period. |
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Term
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Definition
Hammurabis system of civil and criminal law.
-Was biased against those in the lower class.
-Was not primitive even if based on retribution, for it regulated weights and measures, contracts, and other types of domestic regulations. |
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Term
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Definition
| Polytheistic, based on nature, in human forms. The god of Babylonia named Marduk was appeased by success in war. They were tolerant of others beliefs. |
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Term
| Mesopotamian religious literature |
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Definition
-Epic of Gilgamesh; Told the story of "The Great Flood."
-The Epic of Creation; Told the story of the birth of gods and goddesses, and how human societies relate to divine order. |
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Term
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Definition
1380-1200 BC. Began their Empire in 1460BC and later conquered the Mitanni, who originally conquered the Assyrians.
-The Hittites were the 1st to use iron. |
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Term
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Definition
2000-612BC. The assyrians regained their independence from the Mitanni Kingdom in 1365BC.
-Prided themselves in military prowess, and using rumors of cruelty as scare tactics to conquer other people.
-The epire and power declined in 612BC when their conquered people rose up and destroyed Nineveh, their capital city. This happened inder the reign of King Ashurbanipal. |
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Term
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Definition
626-539BC. The "Neo-Babylonian" empire.
-King Nebuchadnezzar became their greatest king (605-562BC). He made Babylon the capital city, creating a lavish showplace with city walls, gates, ziggurats, and the famous Hanging Gardens. |
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Term
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Definition
| the ruler of Persia who conquered Babylonia, and freed the Hebrews. He made Babylonia and Mesopotamia part of his Empire in 539, expanding his control to the Mediterranean area. |
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Term
| During prehistoric times these people lived in the Nile River Valley |
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Definition
| Paleolithic Hunter/Gatherers |
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Term
| Most of ancient Egypts history was calm due to |
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Definition
-The deserts which surrounded the Nile River.
-The only areas that could be easily invaded were the Nile Delta, and the southern frontier with Nubia. |
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Term
| Characteristics of the Nile River that gave Egypt life |
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Definition
-The banks overflowed once a year leaving rich silt.
-Rich metals and gems would wash up on the banks as well.
-Trade by sea. |
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Term
| The two geographical divisions within Egypt |
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Definition
-Upper(southern) Egypt with cataracts that didn't allow waterborne navigation.
-Lower(northern) Egypt with the Nile delta that branches into the Mediterranean sea. |
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Term
| The late pre-dynastic period of Egypt |
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Definition
3300-2900BC, The earliest period in Egyptian history.
-Large villages and/or tribal kingdoms developed.
-Cultural patterns involved with preoccupation in death and afterlife formed.
-Hieroglyphs, a pictorial writing system was developed. |
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Term
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Definition
| An Egyptian historian who organized Egyptian history into 30 Dynasties. |
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Term
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Definition
| The balance over nature a pharaoh was believed to keep through order, justice, and truth. |
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Term
| Early Dynastic period of Egypt |
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Definition
2900-2686BC (214 yrs)
-Pharaohs became absolute monarchs.
-King Menes united Upper and lower Egypt. |
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Term
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Definition
2686-2181BC (505yrs)
-Egypt's greatest period in which there was peace, stability, and prosperity for over 500 years.
-Pharaohs ruled from Memphis.
-The old kingdoms powerful nature was exemplified by the pyramids. |
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Term
| Some Characteristics of the Pyramids |
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Definition
-Built as pharonic tombs.
-Showed great religious significance.
-Showed the Pharaohs great wealth.
- Showed the royal power of the pharaoh. |
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Term
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Definition
| The Pharaoh who commissioned the building of the Great Pyramids of Giza, site of the largest pyramid ever built. |
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Term
| How did the Old Kingdom of Egypt end? |
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Definition
| It is an unknown historical mystery. |
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Term
| The first intermediate period of Egypt |
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Definition
2181-2040BC (141yrs)
-The 7th to 10th Dynasties saw change.
-The pharaoh divided the country into 42 nomes. 20 in Lower Egypt and 22 in Southern Egypt.
-Nomes were governed by Nomarch who were appointed by the Pharaoh and came from the nobility/aristocracy.
-The vizier was the highest office under the Pharaoh and aided in running the government. |
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Term
| The Middle Kingdom of Egypt |
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Definition
2040-1786BC (254yrs) was started by Pharaoh Mentuhotep II, founder of the 11th dynasty.
-Marked by Mentuhotep II re-uniting Lower Egypt, and the restoration of centralized authority. |
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Term
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Definition
1991BC founder of the 12th dynasty.
-Re-united upper and lower Egypt.
-Turned his attention to 3 important changes.
-Moved his capitol to Amarna, south of Memphis signaling a fresh start.
- Reorganized the nomarch by more clearly defining their duties and allowing some local autonomy.
-Establishe a Co-regency system with his successor allowing a smoother transition between pharaohs. |
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Term
| Significant Changes of the Middle Kingdoms middle class |
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Definition
-The middle class was able to afford being embalmed, thus being granted an afterlife.
-Wealthier individuals were able to lear to read and write allowing literature to go beyond religious means.
-Sunuhet the Egyptian, was the first book written for pleasure reading. |
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Term
| The Second Intermediate period of Egypt |
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Definition
1786-1567BC (219 years)
-Hyksos (foreigners) took over Egypt, ruling the 15th and 16th dynasties after the Middle kingdom fell apart due to the irregular flooding of the Nile River which undermined royal power. |
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Term
| The New Kingdom/Empire of Egypt |
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Definition
1567-1085BC (482 years)
-The new kingdom became more forceful and imperialistic when
-A group of Egyptian leaders known as the Princes of Thebes, led a national uprising, expelling the Hyksos, and founding the 18th dynasty.
-During this dynasty Egypt pursued foreign expansion.
-These warrior Pharaohs sought security through warfare and expansion.
-Imperialism and aggression doinated this time period. |
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Term
| Religious beliefs in Egypts new kingdom/Empire |
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Definition
The death of Pharaoh Amenhotep III in the 14th century BC threatened the stability of Egypt due to his sons actions.
-Pharaoh AmenhotepIV, Amenhotep IIIs son changed his name to Ikhnaton, something pharaohs never did, and started to reform the old religion of Egypt.
-Ikhnaton made the cult of Aton(shining disk of the sun) the centerpiece of royal worship.
-He closed the temples to other deities including the dominant god Amon-Re, and their priests and supporters.
-Ikhnaton did not start monotheism because he still had himself and his wife Nefertiti "the perfect one" as gods in his cult along with Anon.
-He moved Akhetaten, his new capital city, into the desert away from the influence of the Nomarchs. |
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Term
| The 19th Dynasty and Egypts New Kingdom |
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Definition
Seized power in 1350 BC after Tutankhamen's death, making fighting the Hittites their main priority.
-Pharaoh Ramses II The Great (1304-1237BC) ruler of the 19th dynasty, is best remembered for resisting the Hittites.
-1274BC Egypt lost to the Hittites at the battle of Kadesh in Syria.
-Finally King Hattusilis of the Hittites signed a peace treaty with Ramses II. |
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Term
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Definition
| During the 19th dynasty under Ramses II Moses lead the Hebrews out of Egypt. |
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Term
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Definition
The people of the Bible
-Were important for they were the first people to develop a true monotheism. |
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Term
| Hebrew pre-historic period of the Patriarchs. |
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Definition
2000-1300BC (700 years)
-From their formation under Abraham to the Kingdom of David in 1000BC.
-During this time stories were passed down orally, as they were pre-literate.
-The Hebrews had a well-developed religion before King David, as their belief in one god extended back to Abraham, first known as Abram, who migrated from Ur, in Sumeria, to Canaan.
-The Bible, the main source of Jewish history, confirms this story, as do ther sources. |
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Term
| Moses and the conquest of Canaan |
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Definition
1300-1025BC (275 years)
-Moses led the Hebrews out of the New Kingdom of Egypt during the Exodus in 1300BC, when Egypt was under the control of pharaoh Ramses II.
-Moses received the ten commandments on Mount Sinai, when the Hebrews wandered the desert for 40 years.
-Thus making the Torah(laws) the basis for their Monotheistic religion. |
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Term
| The Period of the Three kings |
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Definition
1025-586BC(439years)
-The three kings were Saul, David, ad Solomon.
-They formed two kingdoms.
-The northern kingdom of Israel made up of 10 tribes, with Samaria as their capital.
-The Southern Kingdom of Judah, the weaker of the two with only two tribes retained Jerusalem as their capital. |
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Term
| The Northern kingdom of Israel |
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Definition
722BC the Assyrians destroyed the Northern Kingdom of Israel scattering the Hebrews.
-These Jews became known as the "10 Lost Tribes of Israel." |
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Term
| The Southern Kingdom of Judah |
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Definition
-Was conquered by the Chaldeans/Neo-Babylonians in 586BC, when they destroyed the temple in Jerusalem, forcing the Jews into exile in Babylonia.
-Hebrew political independence ended.
-This period was known as the Babylonian exile or Babylonian Captivity. |
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Term
| The Babylonian Exile/Captivity |
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Definition
586-583BC(48years)
-While exiled in Babylon(is) the prophets Jeremiah and Ezekiel predicted Israel's ultimate restoration, believing it would happen when.
-Someone would conquer Babylonia, allowing the Jews to return to Jerusalem.
-This was the story the prophets preached saying it would only happen in God's time.
-Cyrus the Great, founder of the Persian Empire, and his army, conquered Babylonia, releasing the Jews in 539BC. |
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Term
| The Persian period of Jewish history. |
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Definition
538-332BC(206years)
-The Persians, under Cyrus the great did not allow the Jews to create an independent state, but they did let them have a vassal province, with Judaism as their official religion.
-This province was what is known as a Theocracy, in which religion governs the state. |
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Term
| The Hellenistic Period of Jewish History |
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Definition
332-160BC(172years)
-King Antiochus Epiphanes(175-163BC) of Syria did not follow the ways of his predecessors. He tried to force the Jews to adopt Hellenistic culture, by forbidding Jews all ritual in their Temple.
-Judah Maccabee, a Jewish rebel leader, along with his followers, defeated their Syrian oppressors.
-After the Jewish rebels re-captured Jerusalem on 25 Kislev in 164BC, the first Chanukah was celebrated. |
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Term
| Diaspora, Holocaust, and Return |
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Definition
70-1948AD(1875years)
-The Diaspora, the period where there was no Jewish state,
-Began after the second temple in Jerusalem was destroyed in 70AD.
-Ended in 1948 with the creation of Israel.
-Jewish history reached a crescendo with the Holocaust when six million Jews were murdered in World War II by the Nazis in concentration camps. |
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Term
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Definition
The Near Easts last and greatest empire.
-Cyrus the Great(559-530BC) founded the Persian Empire when he overthrew Median rule in Persia (now Iran)
-Cyrus conquered Babylon(ia) in 539BC, freeing the Jews, who have been held captive there. |
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Term
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Definition
| The prophet Zoroaster or Zarathusa(628-551BC) a Persian, developed a Dualistic religion known as Zoroastrianism. |
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Term
| Important geographic characteristic of Ancient Greece. |
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Definition
| Ancient Greece was a mountainous area, surrounded by water. This contributed to their successes in trade. |
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Term
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Definition
2000-1450BC(550yrs) The Minoans were inhabitants of the island of Crete.
-Known for housing entire community in large palace complexes. |
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Term
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Definition
| The largest of the Minoan palace Complexes, having more than 1500 rooms built around a central courtyard. |
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Term
| Who destroyed the Knossos |
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Definition
| 1450BC Knossos, the largest of the Minoan palaces was destroyed by the Mycenaean. |
|
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Term
| The Mycenean civilization |
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Definition
| 1450-1100BC(350yrs) Copied then conquered the Minoans. |
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Term
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Definition
| King of Mycenae whos name was mentioned in Homers poem 'The Illiad.' |
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Term
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Definition
| King of a Mycenaean city-state. |
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Term
| When and why did the Mycenaean civilization end? |
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Definition
| The Mycenaean perios nded in 1100BC for no apparent reason. |
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Term
| When was the formative period of Classical Greece |
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Definition
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Term
| What was and when were the Polis first formed |
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Definition
The Polis were a new political organization, a Greek city-state.
-The first Polis was formed on Ionia, on the Greek Mainland |
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Term
| Features that were included in the Polis |
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Definition
-An agricultural territory controlled from a walled city.
-An urban center which included a citadel, shrines, temples, an agora(marketplace) and a residential quarter within the walls.
-each polis was economically and politically independent of other poleis.
-All poleis had a common bond of language, culture, and religion.
-Place of peace, order, prosperity and honor, leading the Greeks to never seek world domination. |
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Term
| Population growth and its problems within the Greek Poleis. |
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Definition
-Each Polie was meant to be self-sufficient due to farming, but population increase, social complexity and economic problems arose.
-There were 3 solutions to the polis' problems
-Colonization: the community could split up and find new places to live.
-Warfare: They could go to war, conquering other poleis for their land.
-Transformation of their social and economic system so that the same land could feed everyone. |
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Term
| Period when Greek Poleis were colonizing |
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Definition
750-500BC
-Mainly a result of population increase.
-Population increase led to insufficient agricultural production. |
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Term
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Definition
735-715BC Sparta conquered the polis of Messenia, taking war captives, which they called Helots (Slaves.)
-The Messenians revolted, starting the 2nd Messenian war (650-630BC,) which Sparta barely won.
-Due to how close they were to losing Sparta reorganized their Polis, becoming a military state. |
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Term
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Definition
The Spartan law-giver and leader under whom the Spartan Garrison was organized.
-The Spartans were always involved in war, they kept a constant standing army to control the Helot uprisings. |
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Term
| At what age did Spartan boys become soldiers? |
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Definition
| The boys began their life as soldiers at age seven. From that point on they would live their entire lives in the barracks, until about the age of thirty. |
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Term
| The Peloponnesian league. |
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Definition
| A group of city-states headed by Sparta that banded together for a common cause. Included all of the Peloponnesian city-states except for Argos, who would not join. |
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Term
| The transformation of the aristocratic Government in Greece. |
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Definition
-The transformation was initiated by the small farmers.
-The Hoplite infantry, and their Phalanx created a new farmer-soldier which could stand up to the wealthy cavalry. This led to a transformation of Greek warfare. |
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Term
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Definition
| Greek word for a person who takes power in an unorthodox way. Regardless of how favorable or not they are to the citizens. |
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Term
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Definition
621BC Ruler of Athens who took the first steps towards Democracy.
-Codified and wrote down the laws.
-This forced the Athenian people to become literate so as to prevent aristocrats from taking advantage of them. |
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Term
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Definition
639-559BC An aristocrat who was appointed sole archon (Chief magistrate) of the Athenian polis.
-Reorganized Athenian society, significantly changing Athens' constitution.
-Transformed farms to growing olives and grapes, getting the farmers out of debt-slavery as these were great cash crops.
-Crop conversion took time which made the farmers angry for they were still hungry and poor for the time being. |
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Term
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Definition
605-527BC The commanding general wh oled the Athenian Navy at the battle of Salamis, during the Persian war. Became Athens new leader after Solon died.
-His Tyranny is what stabilized Athens. |
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Term
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Definition
| 570-508BC Athens leaderwho was known as the "father of Athenian democracy. |
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Term
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Definition
| An invention of Cleisthenes, each tribe chose 50 people who served by 1 year terms. The council prepared legislation to be proposed by the Assembly, which was a purely Athenian take on Democracy. |
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Term
| The Golden Age of Classical Greece |
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Definition
499-400BC(99yrs) The Golden Age in the fifth century began with the Persian wars, Greece's finest hour.
-Ended with the Peloponnesian wars between Sparta and Athens, leading to Greece's decline as a civilization. |
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Term
| The Persian wars beginning |
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Definition
| 499BC The Ionian Greeks rebelled against Persia with Athens' and Eretria's help. |
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Term
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Definition
Persian ruler and son of Darius who invaded Greece in 480 to avenge his fathers loss.
-Had his army build a bridge of ships across Hellespont so as to walk across the sea to Athens.
-Sparta's army fought Persia's armyat the battle of Thermopylae in 480BC.
-Sparta was winning until a Greek traitor alerted Xerxes of a roundabout to the other side of the narrow pass, surrounding the Spartan army. |
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Term
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Definition
-Sparta refused to help Athens liberate Ionia due to wanting to return home to stomp out the yearly Helot.
-Athens and other Greek poleis formed the Delian league.
-Demistocles a heavy weight in Athenian politics was ostracized. |
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Term
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Definition
Formed in 477BC by Greek Poleis without Sparta as a member.
-Initially formed to free Ionian Greeks of Persian control. .
-The league was supposed to disband in the events following the purging of the Persians from the Mediterranean.
-Athens refused to allow the league to disband as they became rich and powerful from this.
-Athens forced its other members to keep contributing, forcing them to be a part of the Athenian empire. |
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Term
|
Definition
467-431BC
-Pericles became the greates democratic leader during Greece's golden age.
-The first Peloponnesian war which lasted 15 years 460-445BC, took place between Athens and Sparta.
-After the war ended in 445BC Athens and Sparta signed a thirty year peace treaty. This only lasted 14 years until the Great Peloponnesian war began. |
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Term
| The Great Peloponnesian war |
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Definition
431-404BC(27yrs)
The war started between two Poleis who were part of Sparta and Athens' alliances.
-Ultimately Athens and Sparta fought the war without any help from their allies.
-Sparta with the greatest army and Athens with the greatest navy were evenly matched, so neither side was expected to win the war. |
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Term
| Aftermath of the Great Peloponnesian war |
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Definition
| -Athens lost the war and their empire, but continued on as a Polis. |
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Term
| The twilight of Greek City-States |
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Definition
| Civil wars sapped the strength of the Greek Poleis, leaving them to be conquered by King Phillip II of Macedonia. |
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Term
| King Phillip II of Macedonia's successor |
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Definition
Alexander III of Macedonia, King Phillip II's 20 year old son, became king after his fathers assassination.
-Known as Alexander the Great, he was the man who would conquer Persia and most of the known empire at the time. |
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