Ancient China: Chapter 5

Mesopotamia
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Terms in this set (36)
Mesopotamia
the land between the Tigris and Euphrates
Ancient Egypt
One of the first civilizations. Located near the Nile and known for pyramids, the Great Sphinx, and hieroglyphics
North China Plain
The fertile region between the Huang He and Yangzi Rivers
Loess
fine, light silt deposited by wind and water. It constitutes the fertile soil of the Yellow River Valley in northern China.
China's Sorrow
The Huang He earned this nickname due to the fact that that floods could be so destructive that people could lose their farms and/or life
Middle Kingdom
Name that the ancient Chinese used to describe themselves due to the fact that they did not know that other civilizations existed. They literally felt that they were at the center of the geographical world.
extended family
closely related people of several generations such as brothers, sisters, parents, uncles, aunts, grandparents, and great grandparents
last name first, first name last
How do the Chinese write their family name? (This is different from the United States
Confucius
Known to the Chinese as the First Teacher (551-479 B.C.) whose interest in philosophy was political and ethical, not spiritual
Golden Rule
"Do unto others as you would have them do unto you"
civil servicegroup of people who carry out the work of governmentShi HuangdiHe ruled the Qin dynasty - he reunified china, he changed China's legal system, he introduced the standard units of money, he began the great wall, he was buried with 7000 terracotta soldiers, he hated confucianism, he ruled by "iron fist"Shangthe imperial dynasty ruling China from circa 18th to the 12th centuries BC; first Chinese dynastyQin Dynastythe Chinese dynasty (from 246 BC to 206 BC) that established the first centralized imperial government and built much of the Great Wall led by Shi Huang DiTerra Cotta Warriorsstatues that represented Shi Huangdi's real army, protected him in the after lifeEmperor Shi HuangdiThis quotation describes him - "Cracking his long whip, he drove the universe before him...his Might shook the Four Seas."Great WallChinese defensive fortification built to keep out northern nomadic invaders; began during the reign of Shi Huangdi.Han Dynastyimperial dynasty that ruled China circa 206 BC to 221 and expanded its boundaries and overthrew the Qin dynasty. Led by Confucius principles and by Emperor Liu Bangwarlorda local leader of an armed group sometimes referred to as banditsChinese dragonslegendary creatures in Chinese mythology and folklore often seen during the celebration of Chinese New Year; the Chinese believed them to be caring creatures; the Chinese believed them to represent the rivers; the Chinese often believed they had five toesThe Silk RoadOne of the first trade routes in the world, an ancient trade route between China and the Mediterranean Sea extending some 6,440 km (4,000 mi) and linking China with the Roman Empire.Gobi Desertlocated in north central China. 2nd largest desert in the world, extremely dry and infertile.silka fabric made from the fine threads produced by certain insect larvae in China; Chinese legacyChinese Legacies (inventions)crossbow, wheelbarrow, rudder, paper from wood, acupuncture, kite, and The Great WallGreat SphinxMythological Egyptian creature meant to protect the Great Pyramid; head of a pharaoh, body of a lionzigguratsSumerian religious temples; Sumerians believed the higher these structures reached, the closer they were to the Godsmonotheismbelief in one Godpolytheismbelief in many godscuneiformwedge-shaped writing on clay tablets developed by the Sumerianspapyruspaper by the Ancient Egyptians with reeds harvested from the NileTerracessteplike ledges cut into hillsides/mountains to make land suitable for farmingCircaA Latin word, often abbreviated "c." that means "approximately" or "about"B.C.Before ChristA.D.stands for Anno Domini, which is Latin for "year of our Lord," and it means the number of years since the time of Jesus Christ. That was 2010 years ago, so the date 510 A.D. means 1500 years agoSima QianChinese scholar, astronomer, and historian; wrote the most important history of ancient China called "Historical Records"CivilizationA society is considered to be a __________ if it has a surplus of food, cities, government, and specialized jobs.