First Civilizations
An early Mesoamerican civilization known especially for monumental stone heads.
Olmec Civilization
Corn; an important crop first domesticated in Mesoamerica.
Maize
The belief that heaven gave rulers the right to govern but could take that authority away from unjust rulers.
Mandate of Heaven
Macedonian ruler who conquered a huge empire. Aristotle also tutored him when he was young.
Alexander the Great
First Roman emperor and founder of the Roman imperial system in 27 BCE.
Augustus
An early Mesopotamian civilization that developed cities and cuneiform writing.
Sumer
The Old Stone Age; humans primarily lived as hunter-gatherers.
Paleolithic Era
Philosopher who emphasized education, respect, social relationships, and proper behavior.
Confucius
Direct democracy in which eligible male citizens participated in government.
Athenian Democracy
The hierarchy of Roman society.
Roman Social Structure
A civilization south of Egypt that developed its own kingdoms and traded with Egypt.
Nubia
Religious specialists believed to communicate with the spirit world.
Shamans
Early Chinese dynasty known for bronze technology, writing, and ancestor worship.
Shang Dynasty
Conflicts between the Persian Empire and Greek city-states.
Persian Wars
Wealthy members of Rome's traditional elite families.
Patricians
An ancient Mesopotamian literary work about Gilgamesh and his search for immortality.
Epic of Gilgamesh
An early North American culture known for distinctive stone tools.
Clovis Culture
Dynasty that unified China under a centralized government. Started the Great Wall
Qin Dynasty
The spread and blending of Greek culture with the cultures of conquered peoples.
Hellenism
Ordinary Roman citizens who fought for greater political rights.
Plebians
A major city of the Indus Valley Civilization known for urban planning and drainage systems.
Harappa
A fertile region of the Middle East where some of the earliest agriculture and civilizations developed.
Fertile Crescent
Long-lasting dynasty that expanded China, strengthened government, and promoted Confucianism.
Han Dynasty
The movie is a dramatization of the Battle of Thermopylae in which 300 Spartans (aided by thousands of other Greeks) fought the Persian Empire.
300
Wealthy Romans involved in business, finance, and administration.
Equestrians