Benchmark 2 Vocab Flashcards
(55 cards)
Animism
the belief that spiritual beings or souls can exist without a body to house them or in plants, animals, and other objects
Assimilate
to absorb and incorporate (an ethnically distinct group) into the dominant culture of an area
Belief system
a set of principles or tenets which together form the basis of a religion, philosophy, or moral code
Caste system
a social structure in which one’s class in society is determined by heredity
Centralized Government
a type of government in which decisions are made by one executive power
City
a large and significant town, usually a locally governed commercial and population center
City-State
a self-governing state made up of a city and its surrounding territory
Coercive
of or using coercion (power to persuade someone using threats or intimidation)
Convert
to change or influence change in someone else’s or one’s own faith or beliefs
Culture
the sum of the language, customs, beliefs, and art considered characteristic of a particular group of people
Cuneiform
of, concerning, or written in wedge-shaped characters, as were many languages of the ancient Near East, such as Sumerian and Babylonian
Diaspora
a scattering of any people with a common culture
Divisions of labor
the breakdown of labor into its components and their distribution among different persons, groups, or machines to increase productive efficiency
Doctrine
a belief or system of beliefs held and promoted by a religious, governmental, academic, or other group; dogma
Dynasty
a succession, lasting several generations, of rulers from the same family or group
Elite
those having the greatest authority or privilege or highest status
Empire
territory controlled by a central government, with one supreme ruler, who governs a diverse population
Enslaved
to cause to be a slave or to be in a condition of bondage
Government
the direction and control exercised politically over people living in a community, state, or nation
Inequality
the condition of being unequal, especially in natural talents or social or economic status
Infrastructure
the basic structures and facilities, such as roads and bridges, that are necessary for a system or state to function
Iron Age
the stage or level of development of human culture that followed the Bronze Age and that was characterized by the use
of iron tools and weapons, beginning about 1000 BCE
Irrigation System
the supplying of water to land by man-made means to aid in growing crops
Kinship
the state or fact of being a relative or relatives, especially by birth
