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World Civ Exam 1 Terms
Chapters 1-5
99
History
Undergraduate 1
09/29/2009

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Term
Culture
Definition
The ways of living built up by a group and passed from generation to generation. Tools, clothing, shelter, beliefs, ideas, institution. Language helps us pass culture on.
Term
Paleolithic Age
Definition
Old Stone Age – Hunters and Gatherers – 10,000 B.C.E. - 8,000 B.C.E.
Term
Jericho
Definition
Oasis near the dead sea – First neolithic area with fortifications
Term
Neolithic Revolution
Definition
New Stone Age – 8,000 – 3,000
Term
Mesopotamia
Definition
Between Tigris and Euphrates – Modern Iraq
Term
Civilization
Definition
A form of human culture marked by urbanism, technological adaptation, long distance trade, symbolic communication and social complexity.
Term
Bronze Age
Definition
Earliest civilized era – 3100-1200 B.C.E. - Dawn of weapons and tools
Term
Sargon
Definition
First empirical king - First great conqueror of history - in Mesopotamia - King of the Akkadians
Term
Ur
Definition
Rose in 2125 BCE - Where Sumerian culture and literature flourished
Term
Cuneiform
Definition
Writing system written in wet clay tablets. Written with a pointed tool/wedge. Baked or dried. Several thousand characters.
Term
Code of Hammurabi
Definition
The laws written by Hammurabi - Governed human behavior - was detailed and relevant
Term
Pharaoh
Definition
The god-kings of ancient Egypt. Means 'great house'. All powerful in ancient Egypt
Term
Hieroglyphs
Definition
Complicated writing script of ancient Egypt. Symbols and pictures that made up the written Egyptian language
Term
Book of the Dead
Definition
A book of Egyptian spells and instructions to help a person make it through the dangers of the afterlife
Term
Hittites
Definition
A northern militaristic state - had Iron weapons and horses - mid 2nd century BCE
Term
Assyrians
Definition
Capital is Nineva. Cruel people. Largest Empire to 700-600 BCE. Conquered Israel
Term
Nebuchadnezzar
Definition
King of the Chaldeans (New Babylonians) - Captured Jerusalem and rebuilt Babylon
Term
Babylon
Definition
Rebuilt by Nebuchadnezzar - Was Located in Babylonia
Term
Harappa
Definition
The first civilization of the Indus valley - Mid 3rd century BCE
Term
Mohenjo-Daro
Definition
The largest city of the Indus valley - City was a representation of prosperity, order and discipline - little is known about them
Term
Aryan
Definition
"Nobles" - Invaders of the indus valley - 1500 BCE - Lighter skinned people
Term
Vedas
Definition
The main source of information on Aryan culture - description of ritual practices performed
Term
Indo-European
Definition
A widely distributed language group - most European, Persian and Sanskirt languages
Term
Upanishads
Definition
Some of the latest Vedic texts - "Secret and sacred knowledge" - early source of Hindu
Term
Shang
Definition
Chinese civilization/dynasty - 1000's BCE - Had walled cities - Conquered by the Zhou dynasty
Term
Oracle bones
Definition
Used for prophecy - made certain inscriptions on an ox shoulder (or turtle shell) and would heat it to cracking - they then interpreted the cracks.
Term
Zhou
Definition
Conquered the Shang dynasty - said it was a 'mandate from heaven' - 1000 BCE - 20 million, the largest population at that time.
Term
Mandate from Heaven
Definition
This is how the Zhou dynasty was able to rule after invading the Shang dynasty. They said their rule was a...
Term
Mesoamerica
Definition
Part of North America from central Mexico to Central America
Term
Olmecs
Definition
The earliest Mesoamerican civilization - 1500 BCE
Term
Andes
Definition
Worlds longest mountain range - rivers that flowed from them made agriculture possible
Term
Confucius
Definition
Born 551 BC China, teacher and a scholar. His sayings were in the analects
Term
Analects
Definition
The compilations of Confucius' sayings and wisdom - put together after his death
Term
Cunfucianism
Definition
Official philosophy of China under the Han Dynasty - Confucius' sayings in the analects
Term
Daoism
Definition
A Chinese belief that wisdom lies in becoming one with Dao (creative principal of the universe)
Term
Legalism
Definition
Chinese school of thought - believed that a strong state made a good society
Term
Brahmanas
Definition
Text dealing with the ritual applications of the Vedas. 1000-800 BC
Term
Upanishads
Definition
Around in 500 BC. Believed in a relationship between self and Brahman. By doing good things you can lift yourself from the cycle of life.
Term
Atman-Brahman
Definition
The piece of ultimate reality in oneself
Term
Samsara
Definition
The endless cycle of existence - birth, death, rebirth
Term
Karma
Definition
Good deeds bring good results, bad deeds bring bad results (Indian Belief)
Term
Dharma
Definition
Moral action that would lead to a better birth
Term
Jains
Definition
Indian religious community that teaches compassion for all beings
Term
Siddhartha Gautama
Definition
Original name of Buddha, 566 BC - Achieved status from yogic meditation
Term
Buddhist teaching
Definition
The middle path (compassion with the elimination of selfish desires), practical guild of ethical conduct
Term
Monotheism
Definition
belief in One God - this belief came about first with Abraham
Term
Covenant
Definition
Solemn and formal pledge between two or more parties usually to perform specific actions
Term
Messiah
Definition
The redeemer who is coming to establish the Kingdom of God on earth
Term
Thales
Definition
First Greek philosopher in 624 BC
Term
Sophists
Definition
Professional Greek teachers in 5th century who were paid to teach rhetoric, dialect and argumentation
Term
Polis
Definition
Political community created for philosophical conduct - Greek city-state, all citizens from a common ancestor
Term
Socrates
Definition
Committed to the search of truth and for the knowledge about human affairs - Cross examined fellow Grecians. Distrusted Democracy
Term
Plato
Definition
A disciple of Socrates who wrote down what he had said (without his documentation we would have very little of Socrates' teachings) Wanted to reform the Polis
Term
Aristotle
Definition
A pupil of Plato. Balanced idealism and practicality. Taught Alexander the Great. Studies the sciences as well as theology.
Term
Minoans
Definition
Bronze age civilization in Crete - third and second millennium - precursor to Greece
Term
Mycanaeans
Definition
Bronze Age civilization on mainland Greece centered at Mycenae
Term
Homer
Definition
Epic Poet - Orator of the Iliad and the Odyssey
Term
Hoplite
Definition
Basic unit of Greek warfare - 8 ranks deep, shield to shield - very effective.
Term
Tyrant
Definition
A monarch who gained power in an unorthodox way - one man ruled (sometimes he was loved by the people, sometimes he was not)
Term
Zeus
Definition
Father of the gods - God of sky and thunder
Term
Sparta
Definition
Greek city-state that was focused on war. Training began at the age of 7 and you were in the army until the age of 60
Term
Athens
Definition
First democratic Greek city-state. Citizenship was very selective, but life was good if you were a citizen. Focused on theology, architecture, arts, etc.
Term
Persian Wars
Definition
Greeks fought Persia - They won a decisive battle at the Battle of Marathon - c. 500 BCE
Term
Delian League
Definition
Alliance of Greek states under leadership of Athens. Meant to defend against the Persians.
Term
Peloponnesian Wars
Definition
Sparta (and their allies) against Athens (and their allies) - War to dominate Greece - 465 to 404 - Athens lost (all of Greece was weakened)
Term
Herodotus
Definition
"Father of History" - Greek Historian
Term
Thucydides
Definition
Greek Historian - Wrote 'The Peloponnesian Wars'.
Term
Hellenistic
Definition
300-100. Spreading the Greek culture to Egypt and Asia (this was done by the conqueror - Alexander the Great)
Term
Alexander the Great
Definition
A Macedonian - The Son of Phillip - A great conqueror who died at a young age.
Term
Epicureans
Definition
Believed the highest good was happiness. They find this through reason - there is no afterlife
Term
Stoics
Definition
Philosophical school under Zeno. Humans can be happy only when in harmony with nature.
Term
Alexandria
Definition
A city in Egypt. Part of Alexander's conquest.
Term
Iran
Definition
The vast expanse of southwest Asia - boundaries; Caspian Sea, Indus valley, Arabian Sea, Tigris-Euphrates basin
Term
Medes
Definition
Contrlled western Iran 600 BCE - Predecessors to the Kurds
Term
Zoroastrianism
Definition
quasi-monotheistic Iranian religion. Preached moral reform and only worshiped Ahura Mazda - the Wise Lord
Term
Ahura Mazda
Definition
The Wise Lord - Worshiped by the Zoroastrianism
Term
Achaemenids
Definition
A people under Cyrus the Great who joined Mesopotamia and the Iranian plateau in 539 BCE - Was stable for over 2 centuries
Term
Cyrus the Great
Definition
Leader of Achaemenids. Grandson of Cyrus I. Defeated Babylonians, Medians, etc. - Joined Mesopotamia and the Iranian Plateau
Term
Satraps
Definition
Governors of provinces in the Persian Empire
Term
Mauryan Empire
Definition
The first true Indian empire under Chandragupta Maurya. Centralized, standardized and efficient government. 321-185 BCE
Term
Ashoka
Definition
Third Mauryan Leader - Considered a model ruler - Converted to Buddhism after Kalinga war - His rock inscriptions are the oldest deciphered Indian writings
Term
Hinduism
Definition
Religion in India - Consolidation of the caste system - dominance of theistic devotionalism
Term
Seleucids
Definition
After Alexander the Great died - Seleucus (one of the generals) ruled most of the former Achaemenid realm - 312-246 BCE
Term
Steppe peoples
Definition
Nomadic tribespeople who lived in Eurasian plains - traded and invaded more settled cultures
Term
Parthians
Definition
Settled area south of the Aral Sea and Oxus - Empire stretched across the Iranian plateau from Mesopotamia to Arachosia
Term
Savanna
Definition
An area of open woodlands and grassy plains
Term
Sahel
Definition
An area of steppe (extensive plain without trees) and semi-desert that borders the Sahara
Term
Sahara
Definition
The world's largest desert. Extends across Africa from the Atlantic to eastern Sudan. Historically, the Sahara has hindered contact between the Mediterranean and sub-Saharan Africa
Term
Sudan
Definition
The broad band of sahel and savanna that crosses the African continent south of the Sahara
Term
Nok
Definition
A west African, Iron Age culture renowned for its artistry
Term
Kush
Definition
An ancient Nubian kingdom that in some periods dominated, and in others was dominated by pharaonic Egypt.
Term
Meroe
Definition
The capital city of the ancient Napatan empire, which at one time rivaled Aksum
Term
Aksum
Definition
A powerful Christianized trading state in the Ethiopian highlands
Term
Monophysite
Definition
Adhering to the belief in the unitary nature of Christ (Christ is God not man) - this is opposing the orthodox view that Christ has two natures: human and divine)
Term
Trypanosomiasis
Definition
Sleeping sickness, a parasitic disease that is transmitted by the tsetse fly. If untreated, it is fatal both to humans and animals
Term
Ghana
Definition
Located between the north bends of the Senegal and Niger. Depended on gold for Saharan trade. Famous for control of gold - 400-600 CE
Term
Bantu
Definition
There are 400 different languages that are in the Bantu language group. How the Bantu people imposed their language on the people around them is unexplained. The original Bantu speakers were fishermen, hunters, goat herders and cereal cultivators.
Term
Khoisan
Definition
A minor language in southern Africa. The two main groups that speak this language are the Khoikhoi and the San. These peoples flourished until they encountered the Dutch colonists in the mid-seventeenth century
Term
Maasai
Definition
Were and are cattle pastoralists who are proud of their separate language, way of life and cultural traditions.
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