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ICS 3B Flashcards
Midterm Flashcards
86
History
Undergraduate 2
11/26/2012

Additional History Flashcards

 


 

Cards

Term

Alexander the Great 

Definition

Macedonian ruler who established Greek Empire over whole of Middle East from Indus to Nile.

Term

Aristotle

Definition

Ancient Greek philosopher and scientist. Disciple of Plato but developed very different philosophy dominant in Europe in late Middle Ages.

Term

Ashoka 

Definition

Ruler of Mauryan Empire at its peak in 4th century BC. Converted to Buddhism.

Term

Augustine of Hippo 

Definition

Christian bishop of around AD 400, ritings influenced mainstream Christian theology for next 1,000 years.

Term

Augustus

Definition

First Roman emperor, 27 BC to AD 14.

Term
Brutus 
Definition
Best known assassin of Julius Caesar.
Term

Caesar, Julius 

Definition

Former supporter of Marius who conquered Gaul and then got support of poor when he seized dictatorial power in 49 BC, assassinated 44 BC.

Term

Constantine

Definition

Roman emperor of early 4th century AD who moved capital of empire to Byzantium and made Christianity official religion.

Term

Gracchus, Caius 

Definition

Reformer who became hero of Roman peasantry in 120s BC. Like his brother, murdered by rich.

Term

Gracchus, Tiberius 

Definition

Reformer who became hero of Roman peasantry in 130s BC, murdered by rich.

Term

Josephus

Definition

Jewish leader of revolt against Rome who switched sides and then wrote famous history.

Term

Justinian

Definition

Emperor of Byzantium mid-6 th century AD. Tried to reconquer Italy and north Africa. Oversaw completion of Saint Sophia cathedral.

Term

Marius

Definition

General who used support of poor to push for power in Rome around 100 BC.

Term

Octavian

Definition

Later Roman emperor Augustus, nephew of Julius Caesar.

Term

Paul, Saint

Definition

Saul of Tarsus, Jew with Roman citizenship, converted to Christianity. Responsible for spread of Christianity across Greek and Roman worlds and for most of its doctrines.

Term

Plato

Definition

Ancient Greek philosopher, disciple of Socrates. His views influenced Christian theology from 5th to 14th centuries.

Term

Sargon

Definition

First ruler to establish empire over all of Fertile Crescent, around 2300 BC.

Term

Spartacus

Definition

Leader of best known slave revolt in ancient Rome.

Term

Sulla

Definition

Roman general of 1st century BC, used vicious repression to break opponents and poor.

Term

Aegean

Definition

Sea and islands to east and south east of Greece. Also sometimes used for Bronze Age civilisation of mainland Greece.

Term

Assyria

Definition

Area in what is today southern Turkey centre of great Middle Eastern empire in 7th century BC.

Term

Byzantium

Definition

its on stretch of water connecting Mediterranean to Black Sea. From 4th century on called Constantinople and, from late 15th century Istanbul. Also name given to Greek speaking remnant of Roman Empire from 5th to 15th centuries.

Term

Fertile Crescent 

Definition

Region of Middle East including Palestine, Lebanon, northern Syria and most of Iraq.

Term

Harappa

Definition

Third millennium BC city on Indus.

Term

Indus Valley 

Definition

Today eastern part of Pakistan, close to Indian border.

Term

Knossos

Definition

Site of palace of Crete civilisation of 2000 to 1500 BC.

Term

Lagash

Definition

City state in third millennium BC Mesopotamia

Term

Mahagda 

Definition

State in 6th century BC northern India that led to Mauryan Empire.

Term

Meso-America 

Definition

Region including Mexico and Guatemala.

Term

Mesopotamia

Definition

Old name for what is now Iraq. Literally means ‘between two rivers’ – i.e. valley of Euphrates and Tigris.

Term

Mohenjo-dero 

Definition

Third millennium BC city on Indus.

Term

Nubia

Definition

Region of southern Egypt and northern Sudan.

Term

Phoenicia

Definition

Name for coast of Lebanon in ancient world.

Term

Saqqara 

Definition

Few miles south east of modern Cairo, where first pyramids and tombs built.

Term

Sparta

Definition

City state on southern mainland of ancient Greece, historic rival of Athens.

 

Term

Sumer

Definition

Name for Mesopotamian civilisation of third century BC.

Term

Teotihuacan

Definition

City and name of civilisation built in first centuries AD close to present day Mexico City.

Term

Thebes 

Definition

Ancient Egyptian city capital in Middle and New Kingdoms, close to present day Luxor (also, confusingly name of an ancient Greek city state).

Term

Uruk 

Definition

City state in 3rd millennium BC Mesopotamia.

Term

Yangtze 

Definition

Great river running west to east across middle of China. Enters sea near Shanghai.

Term

Yellow River 

Definition

Great river running southwards then west to east across northern China. Centre of first Chinese civilisations. Has changed course with catastrophic results historically.

Term

Acropolis

Definition

Hill overlooking Athens on which stands the Parthenon, a temple built in 6th century BC.

Term

Ahimsa

Definition

Non-violence in Buddhism and some versions of Hinduism

Term

Arianism

Definition

Version of Christianity very influential in 5th century AD which disagreed with Catholicism on interpretation of trinity.

Term

Aryans

Definition

People who invaded north India around 1500 BC. Spoke an Indo-European language. Not be confused with ‘Arian’ heresy prevalent in 5th century AD Christianity.

Term

Bantu 

Definition

Family of languages spoken in west, central and southern Africa

Term

Bronze Age 

Definition

Term sometimes used to describe period of urban revolution in Eurasia and Africa.

Term
Caste
Definition

Form of social organisation in which people are born into a specific social category from which they cannot (in theory) escape. Associated with Hinduism. Hierarchy of castes often, in practice, cuts across hierarchy based on class power, so that today not all upper-caste Hindus are rich, although the great majority of the members of the lowest castes are poor.

Term

Ch’in

Definition

Empire that united northern China in 221 BC.

Term

Chieftainship

Definition

Anthropologists’ term for society in which some people have higher standing than others but there is no clear division into class and no separate state.

Term

Chou 

Definition

Dynasty that ran a loose ‘feudal’ empire in China after about 1100 BC.

Term

Confucianism 

Definition

Ideology dominant among bureaucratic and landowning class in China through most of last 2,000 years.

Term

Han 

Definition

Dynasty that ruled China from 206 BC to AD 220. Also term sometimes used to refer to ethnic Chinese as opposed to other inhabitants of the country

Term

Helots

Definition

Serfs working land in ancient Sparta.

Term

Hyksos 

Definition

People who attacked Egypt around 1700 to 1600 BC, usually considered to be from Palestine.

Term

Latifundia

Definition

Term for large landed estates in both ancient Rome and modern Latin America.

Term

Lineage 

Definition

Form of social organisation which links people on basis of blood relationships – also called ‘clan’ or ‘gens’.

Term

Manicheism 

Definition

Religion founded by Mani in 3rd century AD which combined Christian, Buddhist and Zoroastrian notions

Term

Materialism 

Definition

View which denies that spirit or thought can exist independently of material existence.

Term

Maurya 

Definition

Empire that united most of present day India in 4th century BC.

Term

Mayas

Definition

Inhabitants of southern Mexico and Guatemala who established civilisation from about AD 700.

Term

Middle Kingdom 

Definition

Egypt from about 2000 to 1780 BC.

Term

Mycenae 

Definition

Civilisation on southern mainland of Greece about 1500 BC.

Term

Neolithic 

Definition

Literally ‘new Stone Age’, involves use of sophisticated stone and wooden tools, and pottery.

Term

Neolithic revolution 

Definition

Introduction of new way of life based on these tools, involving living in large villages and simple agriculture

Term

New Kingdom 

Definition

Egypt from 1550 to 1075 BC.

Term

Old Kingdom 

Definition

First civilisation in Egypt from 3000 to about 2100 BC.

Term

Oligarchy

Definition

Ancient Greek term meaning ‘rule by a few’.

Term

Olmec

Definition

First civilisation to arise in Mexico and Guatemala, in last millennium BC.

Term

Pastoralists

Definition

Societies based on herding of cattle, sheep, camels or llamas.

Term

Patriarchy

Definition

Term for society structured around households under the domination of the most senior males, who tell other males, women and servants what to do. Misused by many feminists to apply to all societies with women’s oppression.

Term

Patricians

Definition

Hereditary ruling elite in early period of Roman republic.

Term

Plebeians 

Definition

Ordinary citizens of early Roman Republic, owning small amounts of land. Used in later times to describe poorer section of urban population, or simply those of lower class upbringing.

Term

Semitic

Definition

Name for a family of languages originating in the Middle East, including Hebrew, Arabic and Aramaic. Often applied to peoples originating in the region, especially Jews. Hence also ‘anti-Semitic’.

Term

Serfs

Definition

Peasants who are half free, working some of the land on their own behalf but compelled to provide either unpaid labour, goods-in-kind or money payments to a lord whose land they are not allowed to leave.

Term

Shang 

Definition

Earliest dynasty to rule an empire in China, around 1600 BC.

Term

Sudras

Definition

Indian caste associated with toiling on the land. In ancient four-caste system below priests, warriors and cultivators, but above ‘out-castes’.

Term

Taoism 

Definition

Popular religious ideology in China through much of last 2,500 years. Associated with various magical beliefs, but also could encourage practical experimentation.

Term

Tribute

Definition

Sum of money levied from people of a conquered country.

Term

Urban revolution 

Definition

Term for transformation of society that involved rise of classes, state, towns, and often metallurgy and literacy.

Term

Vedic

Definition

Ancestor of present day Hindu religion, involved sacrifice of cattle.    

Term

 

Zapotecs  

Definition

People in southern Mexico who established Monte Alban civilisation after AD 500.

Term

Zoroastrianism

Definition

Religion of Iran before rise of Islam. Involves belief in eternal struggle between good and evil. Survives today among small Parsee communities in Indian subcontinent.

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