Vocab 1
The study of past people and cultures by examining objects and remains they left behind.
Archaeology
An object made or used by people in the past.
Artifact
The time before people developed written records
Prehistory
A human or early human ancestor.
Hominin
A person who survives by hunting animals and gathering wild plants.
Hunter-gatherer
A person or group that moves from place to place rather than living permanently in one location
Nomad
The process of adapting plants or animals for human use
Domestication
The major change from hunting and gathering to farming and permanent settlements.
Neolithic Revolution
The practice of farming crops and raising animals.
Agriculture
A complex society with organized government, cities, specialized jobs, culture, and other developed institutions
Civilization
An area surrounding a river where many early civilizations developed because of fertile land and water.
River valley
A system for bringing water to crops
Irrigation
An amount of something that is left over after needs have been met.
Surplus
The development of specific jobs or skills within a society
Specialization
A system that ranks people or groups according to status or power
Social hierarchy
An independent city and the surrounding territory it controls.
City-state
A group of territories or peoples ruled by one government or leader.
Empire
A series of rulers from the same family
Dynasty
A government ruled by a king or queen
Monarchy
A government in which religious leaders or religious beliefs play a major role in governing
Theocracy
Belief in many gods
Polytheism
Belief in one god
Monotheism
A person trained to read and write, often as a profession in ancient societies
Scribe
The ruler of ancient Egypt
Pharaoh
An ancient Egyptian writing system that used pictures and symbols
Hieroglyphics