a long-lasting pattern of organization in a community
institution
a member of a group that has no permanent home, wandering from place to place in search of food and water
nomad
a period in human history, beginning around 3000 B.C. in some areas, during which people began using bronze, rather then copper or stone, to fashion tools and weapons
Bronze Age
a farming method in which people clear fields by cutting and burning trees and grasses, the ashes of which serve to fertilize soil
slash-and-burn farming
a member of a nomadic group whose food supply depends on hunting animals and collecting plant foods
hunter-gatherer
the development of skills in a particular kind of work, such as trading or record keeping
specialization
a human-made object, such as a tool, weapon, or piece of jewelry
artifact
a member of a biological group including human beings and related species that walk upright
hominid
the way in which people apply knowledge, tools, and inventions to meet their needs
technology
a system of writing with wedge-shaped symbols, invented by the Sumerians
cuneiform
a form of culture characterized by cities, specialized workers, complex institutions, record keeping, and advanced technology
civilization
a skilled worker, such as a weaver or potter, who makes goods by hand
artisan
a prehistoric period that began about 8000 B.C. and in some areas ended as early as 3000 B.C., during which people learned to polish stone tools, make pottery, grow crops, and raise animals - also called the New Stone Age
Neolithic Age
a people’s unique way of life, as shown by its tools, customs, arts, and ideas
culture
one of the professional record keepers in early civilization
scribe
a prehistoric period that lasted from about 2,500,000 to 8000 B.C., during which people made use of crude stone tools and weapons - also called the Old Stone Age
Paleolithic Age
the taming of animals for human use
domestication
a form of trade in which people exchange goods and services without the use of money
barter
a tiered, pyramid-shaped structure that formed part of a Sumerian temple
ziggurat
the biological species to which modern human beings belong
homo sapiens
How did the Cro-Magnon’s new tools make survival easier?
The new tools increased their food supply.
What factors played a role in the origins of agriculture?
The factors were tools, farming, and domestication.
What were the first crops grown in the Americas?
corn, beans, and squash
an arc of rich farmland in Southwest Asia, between the Persian Gulf and Mediterranean Sea
Fertile Crescent
rivers of the Fertile Crescent that frame the Mesopotamian civilization
Tigris and Euphrates Rivers
region of the Fertile Crescent where the first civilization arose and the first empire arose
Mesopotamia
a city and its surrounding lands functioning as an independent political unit
city-state
a series of rulers from a single family
dynasty
the spreading of ideas or products from one culture to another
cultural diffusion
a belief in many gods
polytheism
a political unit in which a number of people or countries are controlled by a single ruler
empire
Babylonian emperor who created the first written set of laws
Hammurabi
city in Mesopotamia that became an important capital
Babylon
a marshy region formed by deposits of silt at the mouth of a river
delta
pharaoh given credit for uniting Upper and Lower Egypt
Narmer (Menes)
a king of ancient Egypt, considered a god as well as a political and military leader
pharaoh
a government in which the ruler is views as a divine figure
theocracy
a massive structure with a rectangular base and four triangular sides, like those that were built in Egypt as burial places for Old Kingdom pharaohs
pyramid
a process of embalming and drying corpses to prevent them from decaying
mummification
an ancient Egyptian writing system in which pictures were used to represent ideas and sound
hieroglyphics
a tall reed that grows in the Nile delta, used by the ancient Egyptians to make a paper-like-material for writing on
papyrus
river whose regular flood cycles helped Egyptian civilization
Nile River
Which of the problems required the most complex solution?
The problem was the flooding and the solution was irrigation ditches.
What were the three environmental challenges to Sumerians?
flooding, no natural barriers, and little to no natural resources
How did the Sumerians view the gods?
the Sumerians were polytheistic and they believed that their gods could control anything
What areas of life did Hammurabi’s Code cover?
rules, judgements, and laws
Which of the Egyptian achievements do you consider the most important?
The unification of Upper and Lower Egypt was most important because they could share resources.
How did being surrounded by deserts benefit Egypt?
it allowed natural barriers
How did the Egyptians view the pharaoh?
The pharaoh was believed to be as powerful as a god.
Why did Egyptians mummify bodies?
to preserve them