Liam Smith - Periods One and Two Terms 

 
*Words may have been out of place on the terms list, so they may be out of order on my list. 
 
Chapter One: 
- Civilization: 
- A civilization is an advanced form of human society. Several markers can be used 
to determine if a settlement falls into this category, such as the existence of 
record-keeping and writing, social stratification (typically by wealth), 
specialization of labor, and long-distance trade. 
- This term is significant to the time period because groups, as a result of the 
agricultural revolution, could settle down and form civilizations that included 
many of the key traits, unlike their Paleolithic predecessors. 
- Ziggurat 
- A ziggurat was a mud-brick building in the shape of a pyramid that had stairs 
and ramps going up the sides, found in Mesopotamia. 
- Ziggurats were important to the time period because they were likely centers of 
Mesopotamian religion, possibly housing shrines to Mesopotamian deities. 
- Mandate of Heaven 
- The Mandate of Heaven was an Zhou Chinese doctrine that outlined the 
connection between their religion and ruling. It named a chief god “Heaven” and 
the current monarch the “son of Heaven”. In addition, it said that, as long as the 
monarch was ruling fairly and taking into account the welfare of his people, he 
could stay. 
- The Mandate of Heaven was significant because it was used to justify the power 
of the ruler of China. By linking religion and government, it was used to create a 
strong government on the principle that if a person went against the ruler, then 
he/she also went against the religion. 
- Culture 
- Culture describes a civilization’s action and expression, such as the way a culture 
typically dresses. An area’s culture also describes its beliefs, knowledge, and 
technological advancements. 
- Culture was significant to civilizations in this time period because culture 
distinguished civilizations from one another and also showed the spread of ideas 
from one group to another. 
- Cuneiform 
- Cuneiform is a style of writing invented by the Sumerians of Mesopotamia. It 
involved putting wedge-shaped imprints onto a clay tablet. 
- Cuneiform is a significant because its invention and use represents the divide 
between prehistory and history. It was the first written language in history. 
- Legalism 
 - Legalism was a governmental concept that was influential in Zhou China. 
Legalists generally had a negative view of humanity and thought that they could 
only be made productive through harsh rules and punishments. 
- Legalism was significant in this time period because it was a prominent 
governmental ideology during the Warring States Period. 
- History 
- History is the period that deals with written records from the past. It typically 
starts in Mesopotamia with the invention of cuneiform. 
- History is significant in this time period because it was during this period that the 
divide between prehistory (no written records) and history happened. 
- Pharaoh 
- The pharaoh of Egypt was the chief ruler of the civilization. He was thought of as 
the son of the sun god, Ra. The pharaoh controlled all of the state’s happenings 
and resided in the capital. 
- The pharaoh was significant to this period of history because he was an 
important figure in both Egyptian state and religion. 
- Confucius 
- Confucius was a Chinese philosopher that lived during the reign of the Zhou. 
Confucius’s teachings formed a basis of service, duty, and benevolence, which 
he termed “ren”. 
- Confucius was significant to this time period because his teachings were in stark 
contrast with the legalist views of the time, though they did later form much of 
the basis of Chinese culture when Mencius made them better known. 
- Hieroglyphics 
- Hieroglyphics was the pictogram system of writing used in Egypt. Pictures and 
symbols formed the basis of the system, with each standing for a sound. 
- Hieroglyphics were important in this time period because the system provided a 
written means of communication and record keeping. 
- Daoism 
- Daoism was the belief (by the early Chinese) that everything revolves around a 
“path” of the world, and that, since the world is always changing, there is no 
absolute morality or meaning of life. 
- Daoism was important in this time period because, by making people that find 
their own “path” the ideal, it provided an alternative to Confucius’s teachings as 
well as to legalist policy. 
- Neolithic 
- The Neolithic Period was a period in human development that was marked by 
the widespread changeover from nomadic foraging to agricultural settlements. 
- The Neolithic Period was important in this time period because the Agricultural 
Revolution allowed mankind to build civilizations and develop written language 
because they now had a reliable food supply. 
- Harappa 
 - Harappa was a city in the Indus River Valley that was one mile in diameter and 
likely housed tens of thousands of people.  
- Harappa was significant in this time period because it was likely a center for 
trade coming in from the west, as no other settlements have been found west of 
it. 
- Yin/Yang 
- The yin and yang were symbols for the complementary nature of male and 
female roles in early Chinese civilizations. The yang’s (male) qualities were 
equated to the sun, while the yin’s (female) qualities were equated to the moon. 
- The yin and yang were significant to early Chinese culture because they 
provided a way to explain male and female roles in civilization. 
- Foragers 
- Foragers were people, typically during the Paleolithic period, that hunted and 
gathered to gain nourishment. 
- Foragers were important to this time period because they (in small groups) 
formed the basis of the Paleolithic period.  
- Mohenjo-Daro 
- Mohenjo-Daro was a large city in the Indus River Valley that likely housed 
100,000 people.  
- Mohenjo-Daro was significant in its time period because it was the largest city in 
the Indus River Valley civilization (that we know of) and it was likely a part of a 
centralized government because many aspects of the city were the same as 
Harappa. 
- Olmec 
- The Olmec were a people that lived in Central America from 1200-400 BCE that 
discovered agriculture earlier than some other cultures. They were able to build 
raised platforms for structures such as temples. 
- The Olmec were significant to the time period because they were able to develop 
advanced technology to mine ores. 
- Agricultural Revolution 
- The Agricultural Revolution was the mass changeover from foraging for food to 
agriculture and pastoralism. Because of the nature of growing plants, it provided 
humans with a more reliable food supply. 
- The Agricultural Revolution was significant because it provided a more reliable 
supply of food through agriculture, thereby allowing settled civilizations to show 
up because labor did not all have to be spent foraging for food and could be 
used for building larger settlements. 
 
Chapter Two: 
- Chavin 
- The Chavin were a group that lived in the Andes Mountains in modern-day Peru. 
Because of its location in the middle of trade routes from the coast to the 
foothills, it was successful. 
 - The Chavin was significant to the time period because it was able to provide a 
link in trade between the coast and the foothills. In addition, they domesticated 
the llama, providing a more efficient means to transport goods. 
- Sumerians 
- The Sumerians were a group that lived in Mesopotamia that created a basis of 
civilization in the area. The Semitics, who showed up later, eventually became 
dominant. 
- The Sumerians were important both because they set the foundation in 
Mesopotamia as well as creating cuneiform, the first known writing system. 
- Loess 
- Loess is a yellowish-brown dust that settles in the Yellow River, giving it the 
color and name. 
- Loess was important to this time period because, when the Yellow River flooded, 
it gave fertility to the soil in China, allowing the Chinese to farm. 
- Llama 
- The llama is a beast of burden, first domesticated by the Chavin in South 
America. 
- The llama was important to the Chavin because it provided them an efficient 
means of transporting goods and people, supporting their trading economy. 
- City-State 
- A city state is a small self-governing state that typically consisted of a small city 
and the land around it. City-states were common in Mesopotamia and included 
sites such as Ur, Babylon, and Uruk. 
- City-States were important to this time period because they founded the basis of 
Mesopotamian government. 
- Shang 
- The Shang Dynasty in China was the first (that we know of) to rule. Their 
territory extended north to Mongolia and south to the Yangzi River Valley. They 
eventually gave way to the Zhou dynasty. 
- The Shang were important to their time period because they invented the basis 
of Chinese writing, a style that would be used for centuries to come. 
- Hammurabi 
- Hammurabi was a Mesopotamian king of Babylon. He started aggressive military 
campaigns, and made Babylon the capital of a the “Old Babylonian” civilization. 
In addition, he wrote the world’s first law code, the Code of Hammurabi. 
- Hammurabi was important in his time period because he was the first to codify 
law and clearly identify classes and punishments. 
- Zhou 
- The Zhou Dynasty in China was the second dynasty to rule. After gaining power 
from the Shang, they became the longest lasting dynasty of China. In addition, 
they invented the Mandate of Heaven, a way to justify the dynastic cycle. 
- The Zhou were important in their time because they invented the Mandate of 
Heaven, a way for them to justify the dynastic cycle. 
Chapter Four: 
- Satrap 
- A satrap was the ruler of a province in Persia. Most satraps were related to or 
connected by marriage to the royal family. They performed many of the duties, 
including the collection of tribune to be paid to the king. 
- Satraps were significant to their time period because they represented a part of 
a sophisticated Persian government, similar to some we see today. 
- Zoroastrianism 
- Zoroastrianism was a monotheistic religion believed by the Persians. It was the 
first monotheistic religion in the world, created by Zoroaster. 
- Zoroastrianism was significant to its time period because it was the world’s first 
monotheistic religion, uniting what would have been made up by many other 
deities into one all-powerful being, setting the framework for religions such as 
Judaism and Christianity. 
- Polis 
- A polis was a self-ruled Greek city-state, consisting of a city center and all of the 
rural land around and controlled by it. Two prominent Greek poleis were Athens 
and Sparta. 
- The polis was significant to the ancient world because it formed the basis of 
Greek government in early times. 
- Hoplite 
- Hoplite warfare was a style of battle used by the ancient Greeks that involved a 
line of people shielding themselves and the person next to them while sticking a 
spear out to attack the other line. It was useful in Greece because it could end 
battles quickly, enabling farmer-soldiers to get back to their homes quickly 
without a great amount of casualties. 
- Hoplite warfare was significant because it was a major battle style of the ancient 
Greeks, built to support their needs of a style that had little training and sped up 
war. 
- Tyrant 
- A tyrant was the singular ruler of a Greek city-state during the mid-seventh and 
sixth centuries B.C.E. They were typically member of the upper class that were 
backed by the middle class in exchange for the tyrant granting them rights. 
- Tyrants were significant in the early world because problems with their rule 
eventually led, in most cases, to the advent of democracy. 
Chapter Five: 
- Roman Republic 
- The Roman Republic was the second stage of Roman rule, after the monarchy. It 
was not a democracy, even though there were assemblies, and patrician votes 
counted for more than plebeian votes.  
- The Roman Republic was significant to the time period because the structure of 
one-year consulships forced Roman expansion due to the relatively small time 
periods for each leader to gain military glory. 
- Roman Senate 
- The Roman Senate was the assembly of male citizens in the Roman Monarchy 
and Republic. Originally developed as an “advisory” board to the seven kings of 
Rome, it developed into a place where people who had served Rome in office 
came after their terms. Places in the Senate were passed down through 
generations of men. The Senate eventually lost much of its power when the 
ruling style shifted from republic to empire. 
- The Roman Senate was significant to the Roman world because it founded the 
basis of Roman government for a long period of time and had a lot of power 
during its time period. 
- Augustus 
- Augustus was a Roman political leader, who called himself a “princeps” (first 
among equals). He reworked the Roman government structure after the fall of 
the republic, and ruled for 45 years, adding some of the Middle East and Egypt to 
Roman holdings. 
- Augustus was significant to this time period because he brought the Romans out 
of the fragmentation caused in the last century B.C.E. and changed the state 
over from a republic to an empire. 
- Romanization 
- Romanization was the spread of Roman ways, beliefs, and culture to the lands 
and people groups that they took over. Romanization also included the promise 
of citizenship to those who completed a 26 year military term, and it was one of 
the most significant consequences of the Roman empire. 
- Romanization was significant to this time period because it spread Roman 
culture to the far reaches of their empire, allowing the Latin language to become 
a commonly spoken language that groups could use to communicate effectively. 
- Jesus 
- Jesus was a carpenter from Galilee that taught about personal faith. When the 
Romans heard about his teachings, they sentenced him to death by crucifixion 
for not believing in the Romans’ polytheistic gods. 
- Jesus was significant to this time period because his disciples (people that 
converted to his message) spread his teachings, leading to modern-day 
Christianity. 
- Shi Huangdi 
- Shi Huangdi was the ruler of the Qin dynasty in China. He united all of China 
under a common ruler and created a totalitarian and legalistic structure that 
made all people submit to the state’s wishes. In addition, he eliminated any rival 
powers by abolishing primogeniture. 
- Shi Huangdi was significant to this time period because he united all of China 
under one ruler, thereby setting the way for the Imperial Period in China.

 
 - Han 
- The Han was the fourth dynasty of China, and the second of the imperial period. 
(after the Qin). At first, the Han ruled from Chang’an during the Western/Early 
period, and they later ruled from Luoyang during the Eastern/Late periods of 
their rule. 
- The Han were significant to the time period because they developed a strong 
central government as well as creating and fostering a new gentry class. 
- Chang’an 
- Chang’an was the center of China during the Qin Dynasty and the Han 
Dynasty’s Western/Early period. It was surrounded by a wall and had 
administrative buildings and marketplaces, with a population likely around 
250,000. 
- Chang’an was significant to this time period because its well-planned streets 
and locations of facilities came to be reproduced in other Chinese sites in its 
time. 
- Gentry 
- The Gentry were the social class below the aristocracy in Han China. They were 
often chosen to serve in government positions, and most in the gentry were 
educated and over time became exempt from some military service. 
- The Gentry were significant to Han China because their service in administrative 
positions allowed China to operate an efficient governmental structure. 
Chapter Six: 
- Monsoon 
- Monsoons were great rain storms that took rain from the Indian Ocean and 
deposited it in India. They were caused by temperature differences, and allowed 
an extra season of crops to be planted. 
- Monsoons were significant to their time period because they allowed more crops 
to be planted (another growing season), thereby allowing Indian civilizations to 
grow faster and better sustain themselves. 
- Vedas 
- The Vedas were a series of religious texts that illustrate the foundations of India 
during the Vedic Age (roughly 1500 to 500 B.C.E.). 
- The Vedas were significant to their time period because they show 
advancements in writing and social stratification. 
- Varna 
- Varna (literally meaning “color”) was a word used to describe the class system in 
India. Lighter skinned people came to be above darker skinned people, and it 
later developed into a system of five classes. 
- Varna was significant to its time period because it was the basis of Indian social 
classes. 
- Karma 
- Karma was the Indian ideology that a person’s good deeds determined where 
they would end up (in terms of social classes) when they were reincarnated. 
 They believed that if a person did good deeds in his/her current life, then they 
would be reincarnated into a higher social classes. On the contrary, if a person 
only did bad, they would move down or be reincarnated as an animal. 
- Karma was significant to the Indians because it provided a way to justify their 
strict social stratification into jati and their treatment of other (typically lower) 
social groups. 
- Moksha 
- Moksha was the state that occurred, in Indian thought, when an individual no 
longer went through the cycles of reincarnation. 
- Moksha was significant to the time period because it was thought to be the goal 
of all people and (hopefully) their final state. 
- Democracy 
- Democracy is rule by the people. In a true democracy (direct democracy), people 
(or those eligible to vote) have a vote in each matter of the state. However, in 
most/all democracies today, people vote representatives (i.e. Congress). This 
type is called a representative democracy. 
- Democracy is significant to this time period because it was the foundational 
government style used in Athens. (post-tyrant) 
- Persian Wars 
- The Persian Wars were a set of two Persian attacks on Greece, first in 490 
B.C.E. and later in 480-479 B.C.E. By the end of the Persian Wars, the Persians 
had been driven out of Greece. 
- The Persian Wars were significant in this time period because they drove the 
Persians out of Greece. 
- Trireme 
- The trireme was a fighting boat used by the Greeks. It consisted of a long hull 
rowed by 170 people during battle. The Greeks’ ingenuity propelled them to 
differentiate the oar lengths for best results. 
- The trireme was significant to this time period because its use gave Athens 
wealth and power. 
- Socrates 
- Socrates was a Greek philosopher that questioned moral and ethical knowledge. 
He was charged by Greek authorities with impiety and corrupting youth, thereby 
sentencing him to death. 
- Socrates was significant to the time period because his intellectual 
developments in philosophy formed teachings for centuries to come. 
- Hellenistic Age 
- The Hellenistic Age was the age where, through the conquests of Alexander the 
Great, lands in Africa and Asia were influenced by Greek culture. 
- The Hellenistic Age was significant because it spread Greek language, literature, 
athletics, and other parts of the culture to the rest of the world through a process 
known as the Hellenistic Synthesis.
 
- Buddha 
- Buddha (born Siddhartha Gautama) was the founder of the Buddhist religion. He 
preached about his “Four Noble Truths”, and that one could suppress desire if 
they followed the “Eightfold Path”. 
- Buddha was significant to the time period because he created the religion of 
Buddhism, which eventually spread across India through, at first, Theravada 
Buddhism and later Mahayana Buddhism. 
- Mahayana Buddhism 
- Mahayana Buddhism was the branch of Buddhism that, after the religion split 
into Mahayana and Theravada halves, was distinguished by its newer features, 
such as the reverence of bodhisattvas, people that, instead of going into a state 
of nirvana, chose to help others reach the same point. 
- Mahayana Buddhism was significant in this time period because it represented 
an evolving religion, unlike Theravada buddhism, which only used the original 
teachings of Buddha. 
- Theravada Buddhism 
- Theravada Buddhism was the branch of Buddhism that, after the religion split 
into Mahayana and Theravada halves, was distinguished by its usage of mainly 
texts from Buddha, the founder. 
- Theravada Buddhism was significant in this time period because it remained 
stagnant over time, unlike Mahayana Buddhism, which changed over time with 
new teachings. 
- Hinduism 
- Hinduism is a religion that evolved from Buddhism and other religions over time. 
Hinduism was practiced by the Gupta Empire’s leaders, and involved devoting 
time and energy to the gods, knowing sacred truths, and mental/physical 
discipline. 
- Hinduism was significant to the time period because it was a major religion in 
India during the early centuries and even through today. 
- Mauryan Empire 
- The Mauryan Empire was the first empire in India. Located with a capital at 
Pataliputra, it created a strong administrative center and ruled over India for 140 
years. (from 324 to 184 B.C.E.) 
- The Mauryan Empire was significant to the time period in that it was the first 
time that India had been united under a central government, and that it 
encompassed almost the entirety of the Indian subcontinent. 
- Ashoka 
- Ashoka was the third Mauryan emperor and Chandragupta’s grandson. In his 
early career, he led a strong military campaign. Later, after realizing the cruelty of 
his work, he converted to a nonviolent Buddhism and preached equality of all 
people. 
- Ashoka was significant to the time period because he created an environment of 
nonviolence in India during his rule, in stark contrast with many early rulers. 
- Gupta Empire 
- The Gupta Empire was an empire in India that lasted from 320-550 C.E. It was 
founded by Chandra Gupta, who emulated the founder of the Mauryan Empire 
even in name. The Gupta Empire is considered a theater-state that controlled its 
people via rituals and ceremonies, as it never had as strong of a central 
administrative base as its predecessor. 
- The Gupta Empire was significant to its time because it supported 
advancements in mathematics and science, such as the creation of the Arabic 
numeral system. 
- Theater-State 
- A theater-state is a state that controls its people via lavish rituals and 
ceremonies, unlike a state that has a strong central government to control its 
people. 
- Theater-states were important to this time period because it was largely how 
the Gupta Empire controlled its people. 
- Paul 
- Paul was a Jew from Anatolia that converted to Jesus’s message. He spread the 
word across the eastern Mediterranean and converted many gentiles to 
Christianity. 
- Paul was significant to his time period because he was one of the driving forces 
behind the rise and spread of Christianity. 
- Aqueduct 
- Aqueducts were Roman structures, typically supported by arches, to carry water 
from a large freshwater body into Roman cities. By creating a reliable stream of 
fresh water, it allowed for Roman cities to have a higher population density. 
- Aqueducts were significant to Rome in this time period because they allowed 
Roman cities to have a reliable supply of fresh water on hand, enabling their 
cities to grow larger. 
- Constantine 
- Constantine was a Roman emperor that moved the capital of the empire to 
Byzantium, which he renamed Constantinople. He also signed the Edict of Milan, 
giving Roman citizens the freedom of religion. 
- Constantine was significant to the Romans because he allowed Romans (and 
more specifically Christians) to worship freely, unlike all prior Roman rulers, who 
forced subjects to subscribe to a polytheistic religion. 
- Byzantine Empire 
- The Byzantine Empire was the name given to the Eastern Roman Empire after it 
split and Rome fell. It would later fall as well in 1453 to the Ottomans. 
- The Byzantine Empire was significant to the time period because it grew to be a 
powerful force and was one of the last large empires. 
- Qin 
 - The Qin dynasty (of China) was the first dynasty of the Imperial period. They 
used totalitarian methods to control their people and attempted to cut out rivals 
to their power by eliminating the aristocracy. 
- The Qin were significant to their time period in that they united China under one 
true ruler for the first time since the Zhou. (before the Warring States Period) 
- Stirrup 
- The stirrup was a device used for horse riders to mount and stay stable on their 
horses. It was made of two foot-hooks to support the feet and give the rider an 
extra free hand. 
- The stirrup was significant to the time period because it gave riders a free hand 
to use a lance in battle, thereby aiding greatly their effectiveness in war. 
- Indian Ocean Trade System 
- The Indian Ocean Trade System was a network of trade routes that traded 
across the Indian Ocean from Africa and the Persian Gulf to India and Southeast 
Asia. 
- The Indian Ocean Trade System was significant to the time period because it 
spread both material goods and ideas from the East to Africa and up into the 
Mediterranean. 
- Trans-Saharan Routes 
- Trans-Saharan Routes were caravan trading routes through the Sahara Desert 
from the north to groups such as the Bantu in the Sub-Saharan region. 
- Trans-Saharan Routes were significant to the time period because they spread 
and merged cultures and forced interaction between people groups. 
- Steppes 
- Steppes are large areas of flat land with little trees and edible plants. They are 
found in Sub-Saharan Africa in the Sahel region. To the north is the Saharan 
desert and to the south are savannas. 
- Steppes were significant to Sub-Saharan trade because their flat terrain 
provided easy travel by camel. 
- Bantu 
- The Bantu were a part of a Niger-Congo family. They spoke many different 
languages and lived in villages near the rainforest, where they could farm and 
gather from the surrounding areas. 
- The Bantu were significant to the time period because their early forms helped 
spread the use of iron. Their culture, in addition to their metalworking methods, 
spread out from their territory through cultural diffusion. 
 
Chapter Seven: 
- Silk Road 
- The Silk Road was a trade route in Eurasia going from the near East in 
Mesopotamia to the Pacific Ocean in China. Silk and other pricy Chinese 
commodities such as spices were sent westward, while new plants such as wine 
grapes were sent eastward to China. 
 - The Silk Road was significant to the time period because it provided a route for 
cities to spring up and control trade in the area. It also led to cultural spreading 
and diffusion along the trails, such as the spreading of major religions eastward. 
 
 
 
 
 
WORKS CITED: 
Bulliet, Richard W. ​The Earth and Its Peoples: a Global History​. Houghton Mifflin, 2008