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WORLD HIST UNIT 1
Ancient Civilizations
Term | Definition |
---|---|
Fertile Crescent | An arc of rich farmland in Southwest Asia, between the Persian Gulf and the Mediterranean Sea (Mesopotamia) |
Cultural Diffusion | the spreading of ideas or products from one culture to another |
Monotheism | worshipping one god |
Polytheism | belief in many gods |
Pharaoh | Egyptian god-kings |
Dynasty | a succession of rulers from the same family |
Mandate of Heaven | The Chinese concept under which a ruler is given their power to rule |
Civilization | a form of culture with cities, specialized workers, complex institutions, record keeping, and advanced technology |
Social Classes | a division of a society based on social and economic status |
Caste System | a social structure in which classes are determined by heredity or family history |
Mummification | preserving the bodies of the dead; practiced in Egypt to preserve the body for enjoyment of the afterlife |
City-State | a city and its surrounding lands functioning as an independent political unit |
Hieroglyphics | an ancient Egyptian writing system in which pictures were used to represent ideas and sounds. |
Cuneiform | a system of writing with wedge-shaped symbols, invented by the Sumerians (Mesopotamia) |
Theocracy | A government controlled by religious leaders |