Unit 3 Vocabulary
Unit 3 Vocabulary
Unit 3 Vocabulary
Unit 3: Early Civilizations and the Emergence of Pastoral Peoples (4000 - 1000 B.C.E.)
1 civilization /
complex society
Word Cards
2
specialization
in a civilization when
people adopt different jobs like artisan or
priest that dont involve growing or
gathering food
Example: Priests and chiefs are evidence of
increased specialization during Era II.
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3
social hierarchy
4
river valley civilizations
geographic luck
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domestication
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7
intensification
8
Mesopotamia/Sumer
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Nile River
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Indus River
the longest
river in the
world located
in Northeastern Africa.
a large river
surrounded by
fertile land in modern India/Pakistan.
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11
Yellow River
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Fertile Crescent
a large river in
northern China,
where Chinese civilization developed
the crescent-shaped
area of arable land, that
is considered the cradle
of civilization
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13
historical account
14
evidence
a representation of an
event from the past
that is put together
using evidence from multiple sources
Example: The textbooks account of
Mesopotamia did not mention Hammurabis
code.
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facts or
information that
can be used to test whether a belief or
proposition is true or valid
Example: Sumerian seals in ancient Egypt
are evidence of trade between the two
civilizations.
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15
scribe
16
laborer
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polytheistic
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elite
worshipping or
believing in more
than one god
a group of people
considered to be the best in
a particular society or
category because of their power, talent,
wealth, or other characteristic
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19
cuneiform
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hieroglyphics
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centralized authority
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laws
an organizing structure
where the main unit
has the power, right,
and ability to control
smaller units
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(SS070304)
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23
nomadic
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pastoralism
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25
pastoral nomads
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herds
large groups of
domesticated animals
like sheep or goats
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Great Arid Zone
28
steppes
a vast grassland
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cultural diffusion
30
chariot
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31
metallurgy
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technology
33
bronze
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textile
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Bronze Age
a period after
the Stone Age characterized by the
manufacture and use of bronze tools
and weapons made by heating and
combining copper and tin
Example: During the Bronze Age, some
humans created more durable tools than
during the Stone Age.
(SS070306)
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36
kingdom
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dynasty
A country, state, or
territory ruled by a
king or queen or
other monarch
a series of rulers
in a particular
place
considered
members of the same family
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38
population
growth
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39
conquest
taking control of a
people or place
through military
force
increase in the
number of
people in a particular place
Example: During periods of population growth, Example: The Egyptians gained control of
there is a need for more food and resources. different areas through conquest.
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40
tribute
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nobles
a gift or payment to
one who has power
over another to
show respect and obedience
a group of people
with high rank and
privilege,
generally gained through birth or
connection to a ruler
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42
world zones
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sedentism
when people
began living
permanently in one
place instead of moving around to find
food
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Sub-Saharan Africa
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The Americas
Example: Agriculture
developed later in the Americas than it did in
Afroeurasia.
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Oceania
the region of
the world
centered on
the islands
of the
tropical Pacific Ocean
Example: People had to travel by boat to
settle in Oceania.
(SS070308)
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