Civilization A complex society in which people make advances in the arts, science, religion, and law.

Irrigation Using ditches and canals to bring water to a dry place.

Cuneiform Style of writing that used wedge shapes.

ancient Very old

Pharaoh A king of ancient Egypt.

pyramid A stone monument that served as a tomb in ancient Egypt.

mummy A body prepared in a special way for burial.

hieroglyphics A kind of writing based on pictures and signs.

subcontinent A large mass of land that is part of a continent.

caste A social class into which people are born.

Dynasty A family that rules for several generations in a row.

Compass A device with a magnetic needle that points north.

Silk Road The long route that linked China with the rest of Asia and Europe.

City-state A city or town and its surrounding lands.

Alphabet A set of symbols that stand for spoken sounds.

Republic Government in which people vote for leaders to represent them.

Empire A group of nations joined under one government.

Architecture The design of buildings

Aqueduct The system of pipes and waterways that carries water.

Manor Farmland owned by a lord or lady.

Peasant A poor farm worker.

Commerce The buying and selling of foods.

Guild A group of people who do the same work and are joined together for an economic reason.

Renaissance In Europe, a period of new interest in art, literature, science, and architecture.

Monarchy A nation ruled by one person.

Colonization The act of setting up colonies.

Dictatorship A government with a single leader.

Communism A system in which the government, not the people, owns the country’s land, resources, and means of production.