| Term | Definition |
|---|
| prehistory | time before written history |
| hominid | member of group; includes human beings and early human like creatures |
| artifact | historical object made/used by humans (tool ornament, pottery) |
| anthropologist | scientist who studies physical and cultural characteristics of humans and ancestors |
| paleontologist | scientist who studies fossil remains |
| archaeologist | scientist who studies earlier people and culture |
| nomad | member of group of people; no fixed home; travel constantly to find food and water |
| culture | way of life, given people at a given time, language behavior and beleifs |
| deity | a god or goddess |
| radiocarbon dating | modern scientific method for telling the age of one-living material by measuring the amount of radioactive carbon remaining in it |
| civilizations | highly organized society marked by adv knowledge of trace, gov, arts, science and written lang |
| economy | system of which goods and services are produced and distributed to meet ppls needs |
| myth | traditional story which explains natural events |
| cultural diffusion | exchange of goods, ideas and customs among diff cultures |
| artisan | person skilled in a craft |
| city-state | indep state consisting of a city and surrounding land/villages |
| cuneiform | sumerian system of writing using wedge shaped markings |
| ziggurat | temple made of mud-dried brick and decorated w. colored tile |
| eddubas | special school of which taught cuneiforms to those wishing to become scribes |
| monarchy | rule by a king or queen |
| theocracy | govt. headed by religious leaders or leader regarded as a god |
| dynasty | line of rulers who belong to same family |
| empire | group of territories or nation ruled by a single ruler or gov. |
| pharaoh | title of rulers for Ancient Egypt |
| polytheism | worship of many gods |
| hieroglyphics | Ancient Egyptian writing system; used pictures and symbols for ideas and thoughts |
| bureaucracy | group of gov. officials headed by administrator |
| cataracts | waterfalls |
| papyrus | a plant that grows alont the banks of the Nile used for rope, mats, sandals, baskets and paper |
| vizier | prime minister |
| mummy | dried, shrunken body (usually of king,queen, etc) wrapped in long strips of linen and put into a tomb |
| subcontinent | land mass that is part of a continent but distinct from it |
| monsoon | seasonal wind |
| rajah | aryan tribal chief in ancient india |
| varna | one of four main social classes in aryan society |
| dharma | duties of members of each class in hindu society |
| jati | groups based on occupation formed within larger social classes |
| epic | poem celebrating the deeds of a hero |
| karma | belief that ones actions in life determine their future |
| reincarnation | rebirth of the soul or spirit in a different body over time |
| moksha | state of perfect understanding or aim in life |
| nirvana | state of oneness within universe; end of cycle of rebirth |
| ahimsa | hindu doctrine of nonviolence toward all living things |
| classical | describes artistic style of ancient Greece and Rome, characterized by balance, elegance and simplicity |
| sanctuary | building used for worship |
| perspective | artistic technique for showing relation and space between objects |
| amphora | tall, two-handled vase |
| hygiene | science of good health |
| domain | territory held by a ruler |
| tragedy | story/play where central character struggles against destiny and beends and unhappy end |
| comedy | story/play that entertains and amuses usually with happy endings |
| philosophers | thinker or lover of wisdom |
| logic | science of reasoning and giving proof for arguements |
| republic | gov. in which citizens elect leaders |
| patrician | member of the wealthy aristocratic class of ancient rome |
| plebeian | citizen who wasn't an aristocrat |
| consul | one of two officials who headed the executive branch |
| dictator | leader given temporary absolute power during crisis |
| tribune | official who represented plebeians |
| triumviriate | 3 person ruling group |
| indemnity | payment for damages or losses |
| legionaries | well trained roman soldiers |
| colonaie | permanent military settlements |
| latifundia | large estates that provided crops for urban markets |
| veto | latin word for "i forbid"; to deny |
| Pax Romana | roman peace |
| jus civile | citizen law |
| just gentium | law that dealt with noncitizens |
| aqueduct | a channel built to carry water |
| martyr | person who suffers and dies for a belief |
| sect | a subgroup with distinct beliefs within a larger religious group |
| bishop | a regional leader of the early christian church, with order over a diocese or other clergy |
| pope | the bishop of rome, later the head of the roman catholic church |
| Pax Romana | roman peace |
| jus civile | citizen law |
| jus gentium | law that dealt with noncitizens |
| aqueduct | a channel built to carry water |
| martyr | person who suffers and dies for a belief |
| sect | a subgroup with distinct beliefs within a larger religious group |
| bishop | a regional leader of the early christian church, with order over a diocese or other clergy |
| pope | the bishop of rome, later the head of the roman catholic church |
| diocese | several parishes |
| patriarch | in the early christian church, one of the five powerful bishops in major cities |
| inflation | situation in which prices rise quickly, while the value of money decreases |
| Mayor of the Palace | frankish official who held real power in gov |
| count | noble who acted as a local official within the frankish empire |
| feudalism | political system where monarchs and lesser nobles made alliances based on exchanging land grants for loyalties |
| feif | feudalism, estate with beasant workers granted to a noble in exchange for loyalty and military help |
| vassal | feudalism, noble who held land from and served higher ranking lord |
| homage | formal ceremony established feudal ties between lord and vassal |
| tournament | mideival sport where knights competed to show fighting skills |
| chivalry | code of conduct for medieval knights, based on ideals of honor and courtesy |
| manorialism | economic system linking nobles and peasants on their land |
| serf | peasant laborer legally bound to the lands of a noble |
Combine with other sets
Share on Facebook
Share on MySpace