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AP World History Chapter 2

Terms in this set (18)

Sumerians
People who migrated into Mesopotamia 4000 BCE created first civilization within region; organized area into city-states
City-state
a form of political organization typical of Mesopotamia civilizations; consisted of agricultural hinterlands ruled by an urban-based king
cuneiform
a form of writing developed by the Sumerians using a wedge-shaped stylus and clay tablets
epic of gilgamesh
the first literary epic in Western civilization; written down 2000 bce; included story of great flood
ziggurat
massive tower usually associated with Mesopotamian temple complexes
animism
a religious outlook that sees gods in many aspects of nature and propitiates them to help control and explain nature; typical of Mesopotamian religions
civilization
societies distinguished by reliance on sedentary agriculture, ability to produce food surpluses, and existance if nonfarming elites, as well as merchant and manufacturing groups
Sargon I
Ruler of city-state of Akkad; established the first empire in Mesopotamian civilization 2400
Babylonian Empire
unified all of mesopotamia in 1800 bce; collapse due to foreign invasion in 1600 bce
Hammurabi's Code of Law
created by King Hammurabi of the Babylonian Empire; first law system ever written; used to protect weak and unify the empire
pharaoh
egyptian kings
Narmer
first pharaoh of Old Kingdom Egypt
Akhenaton
Egyptian pharaoh of the New Kingdom; attempted to establish monotheistic religion but ultimately failed
Kush
an african state that developed along the upper reaches of the Nile 1000 bce; conquered Egypt and ruled it for several centuries
Meroe
ancient city on the east bank of the Nile in southern Sudan; served as southern capital of the Kushite kingdom from 800-350 bce
Axum
kingdom located in Ethiopian highlands; replaced Meroe in the first century ce; received strong influence from Arabian Peninsula; eventually converted to Christianity
Minoan
a civilization that developed on the island of Crete 1600 bce; capital at the palace complex of Knossos
Phoenicians
seafaring civilization located on the shores of the eastern Mediterranean; established colonies throughout the Mediterranean
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