Unit 1 the Beginnings of Human Society
agrarian
having to do with agriculture; a descriptive word for societies built around agriculture
anthropology
the study of humans
archaeology
the study of the lives of early human communities through the examination of their physical remains
artifacts
objects made by humans and unearthed by archaeologists
bias
personal judgment based on unfounded evidence or belief
chronological order
an arrangement of events in the order in which the events took place
civilization
a highly developed society
collective Learning
the ability to learn and transfer knowledge to others
communication
the process by which we exchange ideas and information
contemporary
concerning the present time
culture
all the knowledge and values shared by society
cuneiform
a language that used symbols to represent objects
domestication
the process of humans taming and controlling the breeding of animals that had been wild
font
a type design or setting
geology
the study of the earth, especially its rock formations
headline
a title or heading at the top of an article or page
hieroglyphs
symbols used to represent sounds
hominid
belonging to the family Hominidae, which includes modern humans and their extinct ancestors
hunter-gatherer
early society where people hunted and gathered food
linguist
a person who studies language
linguistics
the study of language
Mesolithic Age
the middle period in the development of technology between the Paleolithic and Neolithic periods
Neolithic Age
an era of human history beginning about 12,000 years ago, marking the emergence of agricultural societies; often called the New Stone Age
pattern
observable tendencies of a person or group
petroglyphs
pictures carved into stone
primary source
an original source of information created at the time an event occurred
ratify
to sign or give formal consent to a document making it valid
salient
most important or noticeable
scientific method
the processes and procedures by which we acquire information
secondary source
an authoritative source of information that interprets and/or analyzes a primary source
sedentary
the process of settling down in one location
seriation
the procedure of developing a chronology of arranging remains at a site that produces a consistent pattern of development
society
a group of people with common practices, activities, and interests
stratigraphy
the branch of geology that studies the various layers of rock and soil
subsistent
describes the condition of managing to stay alive when there is little food
Unit 2 Early River Valley Civilizations
agrarian
a society based on agriculture
aristocratic
a type of government ruled by members of noble or wealthy families
civilization
a society that has a high level of culture and social organization
clan
a tribe or band of people, usually related
co-dependent
mutually dependendent on someone else
divination
method or practice of attempting to foretell the future
domesticate
to tame an animal or change a plant
Eurasia
region between Europe and Asia
epic
a long narrative poem in elevated language celebrating the life of heroes
hieratic
describes a kind of hieroglyphic script using symbols rather than pictures
henotheism
a religion that gives preference to one god over all others
ideographic
symbols used in some writing systems that directly represent a thing or concept
indigenous
people groups that are native to a region
Indo-European
one of several language families; includes English, French, etc.
linguists
people who study languages
monotheistic
a belief in one god controlling the universe
militarization
a policy of promoting long-term military action
mercantilism
an economic system where colonies supply goods to the mother country
moldboard
the curved metal blade of a plow that turns over the soil
migration
moving from one place to another for any number of reasons
monotheism
a religion that worships one god
mythology
stories which are not necessarily true about ancestors, heroes, and gods
nomadic
a lifestyle of wandering from place to place in search of pasture or water
Neolithic
the latest period of the Stone Age, between 8000-5000 B.C.
oracle bone
piece of bone used in divination
pastoral
a life of tending livestock in open pastureland
pastoralism
a life of tending livestock in open pasture land
pictographic
a language based on the use of pictures to represent words
polytheistic
worshipping many gods
protolanguage
a recorded language that is the ancestor to a family of languages
polytheism
a religion that worships many gods
polytheistic
a belief that many gods control the universe
pictographs
a kind of writing that used pictures of objects
scribe
a person who kept official records for a king or emperor
sedentary
the act of staying in one place for a long time (e.g., farming)
steppe
a vast, semi-arid, usually grassy plain
steppes
a vast, semi-arid, usually grassy plain
wanax
ancient Greek title given to persons of nobility
Unit 3 Classical Traditions, Major Religions, Giant Empires
acropolis
citadel or fortification usually built on the top of a hill in a Greek city-state
agora
a public square
anarchy
absence of any system of government in a society
anthropomorphic
human form and behavior attributed to deities in mythology
anvil
a piece of iron on which heated metal is beaten into shapes
aristocracy
people of the highest social class or nobility
cataract
a series of rapids and waterfalls on a river
collective learning
the ability to learn and transfer knowledge to others
confederacy
an alliance of people or states
consonant
a speech sound other than a vowel
cosmogony
a story of origins
covenant
a solemn agreement between two or more parties
crucifixion
a form of execution where the victim is bound or nailed to a cross
cynicism
a philosophy that doubts the attitude, beliefs, or character of others
democracy
form of government allowing every citizen to participate
despot
a tyrant or ruler with absolute powers
diaspora
the scattering of a people from their homeland
doctrine
ideas that are taught as truth in a religion
dynasty
a succession of rulers from the same family
gospel
the teachings of Jesus Christ and the story of his life
heretic
someone who has beliefs that contradict a religion's doctrine
hierarchical
describes the formally ranked order of a group
hubris
excessive arrogance or ambition that leads to the downfall of a hero
imperator
a victorious military commander during the Roman Republic
imperium
use power of the state to enforce the law
inductive reasoning
reaching conclusions based on observation
indigenous
people groups that are native to a region
logographic
a system of writing in which signs or characters represent meanings, such as modern Chinese
mercenaries
professional soldiers paid to fight for a country other than their own
Messiah
someone regarded as a savior or liberator of a people
metallurgy
the study of metals and the process for refining and making things from them
metaphysical
the philosophical study of the nature of being and beings
monasticism
way of life where a person withdraws from society to devote self to prayer and solitude
monotheistic
describes a belief in one god controlling the universe
mythology
stories which are not necessarily true about ancestors, heroes, and gods
mythology
the body of sacred stories of a particular culture that explain origins, mysteries and the afterlife
oligarchy
a small group of people who together governs a nation
patrician
a member of an aristocratic family in Rome
philosophy
a particular system of thought or doctrine
plebeian
one of the ordinary citizens of Rome
polis
a City that functioned as its own independent, governing state in Ancient Greece
polytheistic
the doctrine that there are many gods and goddesses; a belief that many gods control the universe
protectorate
a region controlled and defended by a more powerful state
ratify
to give formal approval to an agreement
religion
beliefs concerning the existence, nature, and worship of a deity or deities
republic
form of government in which power resides in elected representatives not with a monarch
revenue
money that comes into a business from the sale of goods or services
satrap
a Persian provincial governor
savannah
large, flat grassland located in a tropical or subtropical region
skepticism
philosophy that believes true knowledge is not possible
smelting
the process of melting ore in order to get metal from it
Socratic Method
a means of arriving at truth by questioning, obtaining answers, and criticizing the answers
sophistry
method of argumentation that seems clever but is flawed or dishonest
steppe
a vast, semi-arid, usually grassy plain
syncretism
philosophy that attempts to combine different systems of beliefs or practices
trinity
the union of three persons in Christianity, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit
triumvirate
a group of three people who jointly share authority or power
Torah
the primary holy book of Judaism
tyranny
exercising power with cruelty and injustice
tyrant
a person who exercises power with cruelty and injustice
utopia
an ideal or perfect place where everyone lives in harmony
vassal
someone who shows loyalty to another in return for being allowed to occupy land
virtue
the state of being moral, good, or righteous
Unit 4 Expanding Zones of Exchange and Encounter
acropolis
a fortified citadel that was the religious focus of a city
adze
a tool similar to an ax, used for trimming and shaping wood
archipelago
a group or chain of islands
autocratic
describes a form of government where one person has absolute rule
caliph
a title taken by Muslim rulers that assert religious authority
caliphate
the territory a caliph rules over
caste
the Hindu system of organizing society into hereditary classes
clan
a tribe or band of people, usually related
codex
a collection of ancient manuscripts in book form
conversion
adoption of new religious opinions or beliefs
cosmopolitan
a city containing people from many different countries
enlightenment
a state attained when desire and suffering are transcended
ethnic
a group sharing distinctive cultural traits
eunuch
a castrated human male used as an advisor or servant of a king
fresco
the method of painting on fresh plaster
grotto
a cave with many interesting natural features
hierarchy
an organized ranking of members in a society
infidel
someone who has no belief in one particular religion
imperial
an adjective describing an empire or its ruler that holds supreme power
inflation
an increase in supply of currency or credit relative to the availability of goods, resulting in higher prices
karma
the quality of a person's current and future life as determined by his behavior in this and previous lives
lintel
a horizontal beam that supports the weight of the wall above a door or window
liturgy
form and arrangement of public worship laid down by a church
manorialism
the system where land was rented to tenants by a lord
mantra
a word or sound that is repeated during meditation
maritime
a kind of shipping or trade related to the sea
marsupial
a mammal with a pouch, like a kangaroo or opossum
mercantile
a word relating to trade, merchants, and their characteristics
metaphysics
the philosophical study of the nature of being and beings
migration
moving from one place to another for any number of reasons
monastery
a place where monks live together
monsoon
a large-scale wind system that blows seasonally in opposite directions
mosque
a Muslim house of worship
nirvana
the attainment of enlightenment and freeing of the spiritual self from attachment to worldly things
orthodox
following the established or traditional rules of faith
pagan
someone who does not follow one of the world's main religions
persecution
subjecting a group of people to cruel treatment because of their religious beliefs
pharmaceutics
the science of the preparation and dispensing of drugs prescribed by doctors
polity
a particular form of government that exists within a state
schism
the division of a group into antagonistic factions
stele
an upright ancient stone slab that is engraved, inscribed, or painted
stucco
plaster used for surfacing walls
taboo
anything that is forbidden to be used, mentioned, or approached
tetrarch
the ruler of a quarter of a country or empire
vigesimal
a number system based on the number twenty
Unit 5 Intensified Hemispheric Interactions, A.D. 1000-1500
aristocracy
people of the highest social class or nobility
artisan
a craftsperson
autonomous
having the right of self-government
bakufu
the Japanese military government in Kamakura established by the Minamoto clan
bourgeoisie
the middle class
caliphate
the territory a caliph rules over
calpulli
an Aztec kinship group that practiced a specific trade or skill
causeway
a raised roadway across a body of water
chinampa
an artificial island built on a lake that is used for agriculture
commission
to assign a person a task
confederacy
an alliance of people or states
cosmopolitan
describes a city containing people from many different countries
curtsey
an act of respect in which women slightly bow down
daimyo
the warrior lords of Japan’s feudal age
dhikr
meditation
doge
chief magistrate
duchy
a duke or duchess’s territory
emirate
the territory of an emir, or ruler of an Islamic state
dowry
money, goods, and property that a woman brings to her husband in marriage
feudalism
the system of rights and obligations between lords and vassals
gentry
a social class in China comprised of Confucian scholars, government officials, landlords, and rich merchants
guilds
professional organizations of merchants or artisans
inflation
an increase in supply of currency or credit relative to the availability of goods resulting in higher prices
isolation
the action of separating oneself from others
khanate
the territory of a khan
manorialism
the system where land was rented to tenants by a lord
mercantile
a word relating to trade, merchants, and their characteristics
mystical
having direct communion with God
Norman
relating to the natives or inhabitants of Normandy, a region in France
patronize
to act as a patron, or supporter of the arts
pilli
Aztec nobility
samurai
the lesser warriors of Japan’s feudal age
shogun
a Japanese military commander
subordinate
being lower in rank or status to another person
sultan
a common title for a Muslim ruler
Tariqa
a Sufi order
tariff
a tax on imported goods
tlacatecuhth
the "chief of men" at the top of the Aztec religious hierarchy
vizier
a high-ranking officer in an Islamic state