1. Early Civilizations
10 WEEK REVIEW
Chapters 1-3

2. 1. Describe what each of these people would study:
Anthropologist- Studies culture through people.
Archaeologist- Studies culture through artifacts
Geographer- Study of people, environment and resources How humans adapt to their environment
Historian- Uses written evidence to study the past.

3. 2. What are primary sources?
First hand accounts of information.
Examples: journal or diary entries.

4. 3. Where is the Great Rift Valley? Why is it an important location?
Located in Africa.
Believed to be the area where humans first appeared in Africa.
Lucy discovered there.
Mary & Louis Leakey- anthropologists.

5. 4. What was the early belief of animism?
Belief that all objects, people and animals had a spirit.
Earliest spiritual beliefs, not a formal religion.
Cave paintings, buried dead with care- first clues.

6. 5. What is monotheism?
Belief in only one god
Ex: Judaism

7. 6. What is polytheism?
Belief in many gods.
Example: Hinduism

8. 7. What are the features/elements/characteristics of a civilization?
Cities
Centralized Government
Public works
System of writing
Organized religion
Job specialization
Art & Architecture
Social Classes

9. 8. What was the Neolithic Revolution?
Change from nomadic lifestyle to agricultural lifestyle.
People learn to grow crops and domesticate animals.

10. 9. Why was the Neolithic Revolution considered a turning point in history?
People growing their own foods, no longer have to live a nomadic lifestyle.
CIVILIZATIONS can get established.
Food surplus, population increases

11. 10. What is subsistence agriculture?
Growing just enough food for your own survival (your family), NOT a surplus.
Does not allow for population growth.

12. 11. What is surplus agriculture?
Growing more than enough food for your own needs, large amount of extra food.
Allows the population to grow.

13. 12. Why did civilizations begin in river valleys?
Fertile soil, transportation, water for irrigation and animals.

14. 13. What river provided transportation and resources for the early people of Africa (Egypt)?
Nile River

15. 14. Why were the ancient Egyptians successful in agriculture?
Fertile soil (silt) from the flooding of the Nile River twice every year.

16. 15. What was the main achievement of the Old Kingdom in Egypt?
Old Kingdom = Pyramid Building

17. 16. What was papyrus and why was it important to Egypt?
Plant that grew along the Nile River
Was used to make a type of paper Egyptians used

18. 17. What was the form of writing used by ancient Egyptians?
Hieroglyphics- form of picture writing

19. 18. What two rivers provided resources for the people of Mesopotamia?
Tigris and Euphrates Rivers.

20. 19. What was the form of writing used by ancient Mesopotamians called?
Cuneiform- wedge-shaped writing on clay tablets

21. 20. What was Hammurabi’s Code?
First organized set of laws.
Meant to unify empire.
Harsh punishments to promote law and order.

22. 21. How did Hammurabi’s Code create a more orderly society?
For the first time, laws were the same throughout the entire empire.
No question as to what the punishments should be.

23. 22. What was the Phoenician civilization know for?
Carriers of Civilization- trade and travel around the Mediterranean Sea.
Created alphabet, glass

24. 23. What rivers provided for India’s first civilization?
Indus River and Ganges River

25. 24. How did seasonal monsoons affect India?
Helped with agriculture.
Hurt if caused flooding.
Timing and amount mattered!

26. 25. What was unique about the Indus valley cities of Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro?
Well-planned out:
cities were formed in grid patterns
sewage systems

27. 26. What was the caste system in India?
Social class system-
Brahmins- priests
Kshatriays- warriors
Vaisyas- skilled workers
Sudras- unskilled workers
Can’t change your position in life until after reincarnation

28. 27. What were the major beliefs of Hinduism?
Dharma
Karma
Moksha
Reincarnation
Caste System
Polytheistic

29. 28. What were the major beliefs of Buddhism?
4 Noble Truths
8 Fold Path
Meditation
Peaceful
Reincarnation- Nirvana
More of a “non-theistic” religion

30. 29. What is a Golden Age?
Time of great cultural achievements in an area.
Peace and prosperity.

31. 30. What were some of the achievements of the Gupta Golden Age in India?
Decimal System
Concept of Zero
Vaccines
Surgery
Wrote Books
Architectural Achievements

32. 31. Where were the earliest Chinese civilizations located?
Huang He River (or Yellow River)

33. 32. What geographic barriers led to China being more isolated than other civilizations?
Isolated by:
Mountains
Ocean
Jungles
Desert

34. 33. What is ethnocentrism?
Belief that your culture is superior to all other culture.
Ex. Chinese were very isolated, believed for a long time that they were the only people on the earth.

35. 34. What were the major beliefs of Confucius?
5 Relationships
Son obeys father
Younger brother obeys older brother
Wife obeys her husband
Subject obeys ruler
Friend to friend
Filial Piety
Leaders must be well educated

36. 35. What were the basic beliefs of Taoism/Daoism?
Best government is no government
Government is not natural, causes more problems than it helps

37. 36. What were the basic beliefs of Legalism?
Strict laws and harsh punishments are the only way to govern
People are naturally evil, need to be governed

38. 37. What was the dynastic cycle in China?
Rise and fall of dynasties (ruling families)
Dynasty ages and loses mandate of heaven
New dynasty takes over

39. 38. How did Shi Huangdi create a strong empire?
Strict control of his empire
Burned books
Buried scholars alive
Built Great Wall
Standardized weights and measures, writing

40. 39. Why was the Silk Road important?
Served as a trade route between China and the West
Silk becomes a major export in China

41. 40. What were some of the achievements of the Han Golden Age?
Canals & road improved
Civil service exams
Seismograph
Paper from wood pulp
Rudder
Wheelbarrow
Accupuncture