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World History Unit 1
Paleolithic Era - River Valley Civilizations
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Neolithic Revolution | The major change in human life caused by the beginnings of farming - that is, by people's shift from food gathering to food producing. |
| Domestication | The taming of animals for human use. |
| Civilization | A form of culture characterized by cities, specialized workers, complex institutions, record keeping, and advanced technology. |
| Fertile Crescent | An arch of rich farmland in Southwest Asia, between the Persian Gulf and Mediterranean Sea. |
| Polytheism | A belief in many gods. |
| Monotheism | A belief in a single god. |
| Cuneiform | A system of writing with wedge-shaped symbols, invented by the Sumerians around 3000 B.C.E. |
| Hieroglyphics | An ancient Egyptian writing system in which pictures were used to represent ideas and sounds. |
| Scribe | One of the professional record keepers in early civilizations. |
| Monsoon | A wind that shifts in direction at certain times of each year. |
| Mandate of Heaven | In Chinese history, the divine approval thought to be the basis of royal authority. |
| Ziggurat | a tiered, pyramid -shaped structure that formed part of the Sumerian temple. |
| Reincarnation | the process by which a soul is reborn continuously until it achieves perfect understanding. |