FINALS THEME 1 Flashcards
(14 cards)
What was the Neolithic Revolution?
The shift from food gathering to food producing
What was happening before the Neolithic Revolution and what happened after?
Before = people were nomadic hunter-gatherers that moved from place to place hunting and gathering their food
After = people are sedentary, staying in one place and farming and killing domestic crops and animals for food
What did the Neolithic Revolution lead to?
Humans were able to set up permanent residence, allowing for the formation of the first civilizations
What are the 5 characteristics of civilization?
Specialization
Advanced cities
Record keeping
Complex institutions
Advanced technology
What does it mean to have specialization?
A civilization has a food surplus that allows for divisions of labor to be formed because they don’t need more farmers raising food
What does it mean to have advanced cities?
A civilization includes a large urban population and centers that are engaged in trade
What does it mean to have record keeping?
A civilization has physical, though not necessarily written, records of things that occur in the civilization, such as religious and political events, laws, and/or transactions
What does it mean to have complex institutions?
A civilization has administrative and organizational entities that provide rule and order, such as governments, religions, economies, and/or social hierarchies
What does it mean to have advanced technology?
A civilization has innovation, engineering, and infrastructure that improve life in some way, whether that means computers, couches, or plows for farming
What is a barter economy?
An economical system in which people directly trade goods and services for other goods or services without using money
What is a scribe?
A professional record keeper
What was cuneiform?
Wedge-shaped writing on baked clay tablets used
Where is cuneiform from?
Mesopotamia
What was cuneiform’s used for?
Tracking business transactions, taxation data, astronomical events, and calendar dates
