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

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

4. Cuneiform Style of writing that used wedge shapes.

5. ancient Very old

6. Pharaoh A king of ancient Egypt.

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

8. mummy A body prepared in a special way for burial.

9. hieroglyphics A kind of writing based on pictures and signs.

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

11. caste A social class into which people are born.

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

13. Compass A device with a magnetic needle that points north.

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

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

16. Alphabet A set of symbols that stand for spoken sounds.

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

18. Empire A group of nations joined under one government.

19. Architecture The design of buildings

20. Aqueduct The system of pipes and waterways that carries water.

21. Manor Farmland owned by a lord or lady.

22. Peasant A poor farm worker.

23. Commerce The buying and selling of foods.

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

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

26. Monarchy A nation ruled by one person.

27. Colonization The act of setting up colonies.

28. Dictatorship A government with a single leader.

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