The Ultimate AP World History Set exam
Mesopotamia - A region between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers that developed
the first urban societies. In the Bronze Age this area included Sumer and the
Akkadian, Babylonian and Assyrian empires, In the Iron Age, it was ruled by the
Neo-Assyrian and Neo-Babylonian empires.
Fertile Crescent - The Tigris and Euphrates Rivers gave life to the first known
agricultural villages in this area about 10,000 years ago and the first known cities
about 5,000 years ago.
ziggurat - A temple tower of ancient Mesopotamia, constructed of square or
rectangular terraces of diminishing size, usually with a shrine made of blue
enamel bricks on the top
pictograms - A pictorial symbol or sign representing an object or concept
cuneiform - The earliest known form of writing, which was used by the Sumerians.
The name derives from the wedge shaped marks made with a stylus into soft clay.
Used from the 3000s BCE to the 100s BCE.
ideograms - A character or figure in a writing system in which the idea of a thing is
represented rather than it's name (example: Chinese)
,The Ultimate AP World History Set exam
Sumer - The world's first civilization, founded in Mesopotamia, which existed for
over 3,000 years.
Xia - A legendary Chinese dynasty that was not believed to exist until relatively
recently. Walled towns ruled by area-specific kings assembled armies, built cities,
and worked bronze. Created pictograms which would evolve in to the first Chinese
script.
Shang Dynasty - An early Chinese dynasty. Not a unified Chinese state. Instead
rulers and their relatives gave orders through a network of cities. Earliest evidence
of Chinese writing comes from this period.
Zhou Dynasty - Succeeded the Shang dynasty. Similar to the Shang And Xia
dynastic periods in that China was fragmented politically. Yet, despite the lack of
true centralization, this was one of the longest Chinese dynasties, lasting about
600 years. It left substantial written records, unlike the preceding dynasties.
Yellow River - Also known as the Huang-He. The second longest river in China. The
majority of ancient Chinese civilizations originated in its valley.
,The Ultimate AP World History Set exam
Oracle Bones - The earliest known Chinese writing is found on these from ritual
activity of the Shang period.
Teotihuacan - A large central city in the Mesoamerican region. Located about 25
miles Northeast of present day Mexico City. Exhibited city planning and
unprecedented size for its time. Reached its peak around the year 450.
Jenne-Jeno - One of the first urbanized centers in western Africa. A walled
community home to approximately 50,000 people at its height. Evidence suggests
domestication of agriculture and trade with nearby regions.
Great Zimbabwe - A stone-walled enclosure found in Southeast Africa. Have been
associated with trade, farming, and mining.
Hammurabi - The first king of the Babylonian Empire. Best known for his legal
code.
Code of Hammurabi - A collection of 282 laws. One of the first (but not THE first)
examples of written law in the ancient world.
, The Ultimate AP World History Set exam
Hittites - An ancient Anatolian group whose empire at largest extent consisted of
most of the Middle East. Some of the first two-wheeled chariots and iron.
Zoroastrianism - One of the first monotheistic religions, particularly one with a
wide following. It was central to the political and religious culture of ancient
Persia.
Zoroaster - The founder of Persia's classical pre-Islamic religion.
Hellenistic - Of or influenced by the Greek Empire. A type of culture typically
referred to after the conquests of Alexander the Great.
Trireme - Greek ships built specifically for ramming enemy ships.
Minoans - One of the early proto-Greek peoples from 2600 BCE to 1500 BCE.
Inhabitants of the island of Crete. Their site of Knossos is pictured above.
Acropolis - Greek for "high city". The chief temples of the city were located here.
Plato - Socrates' most well known pupil. Founded an academy in Athens.
Mesopotamia - A region between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers that developed
the first urban societies. In the Bronze Age this area included Sumer and the
Akkadian, Babylonian and Assyrian empires, In the Iron Age, it was ruled by the
Neo-Assyrian and Neo-Babylonian empires.
Fertile Crescent - The Tigris and Euphrates Rivers gave life to the first known
agricultural villages in this area about 10,000 years ago and the first known cities
about 5,000 years ago.
ziggurat - A temple tower of ancient Mesopotamia, constructed of square or
rectangular terraces of diminishing size, usually with a shrine made of blue
enamel bricks on the top
pictograms - A pictorial symbol or sign representing an object or concept
cuneiform - The earliest known form of writing, which was used by the Sumerians.
The name derives from the wedge shaped marks made with a stylus into soft clay.
Used from the 3000s BCE to the 100s BCE.
ideograms - A character or figure in a writing system in which the idea of a thing is
represented rather than it's name (example: Chinese)
,The Ultimate AP World History Set exam
Sumer - The world's first civilization, founded in Mesopotamia, which existed for
over 3,000 years.
Xia - A legendary Chinese dynasty that was not believed to exist until relatively
recently. Walled towns ruled by area-specific kings assembled armies, built cities,
and worked bronze. Created pictograms which would evolve in to the first Chinese
script.
Shang Dynasty - An early Chinese dynasty. Not a unified Chinese state. Instead
rulers and their relatives gave orders through a network of cities. Earliest evidence
of Chinese writing comes from this period.
Zhou Dynasty - Succeeded the Shang dynasty. Similar to the Shang And Xia
dynastic periods in that China was fragmented politically. Yet, despite the lack of
true centralization, this was one of the longest Chinese dynasties, lasting about
600 years. It left substantial written records, unlike the preceding dynasties.
Yellow River - Also known as the Huang-He. The second longest river in China. The
majority of ancient Chinese civilizations originated in its valley.
,The Ultimate AP World History Set exam
Oracle Bones - The earliest known Chinese writing is found on these from ritual
activity of the Shang period.
Teotihuacan - A large central city in the Mesoamerican region. Located about 25
miles Northeast of present day Mexico City. Exhibited city planning and
unprecedented size for its time. Reached its peak around the year 450.
Jenne-Jeno - One of the first urbanized centers in western Africa. A walled
community home to approximately 50,000 people at its height. Evidence suggests
domestication of agriculture and trade with nearby regions.
Great Zimbabwe - A stone-walled enclosure found in Southeast Africa. Have been
associated with trade, farming, and mining.
Hammurabi - The first king of the Babylonian Empire. Best known for his legal
code.
Code of Hammurabi - A collection of 282 laws. One of the first (but not THE first)
examples of written law in the ancient world.
, The Ultimate AP World History Set exam
Hittites - An ancient Anatolian group whose empire at largest extent consisted of
most of the Middle East. Some of the first two-wheeled chariots and iron.
Zoroastrianism - One of the first monotheistic religions, particularly one with a
wide following. It was central to the political and religious culture of ancient
Persia.
Zoroaster - The founder of Persia's classical pre-Islamic religion.
Hellenistic - Of or influenced by the Greek Empire. A type of culture typically
referred to after the conquests of Alexander the Great.
Trireme - Greek ships built specifically for ramming enemy ships.
Minoans - One of the early proto-Greek peoples from 2600 BCE to 1500 BCE.
Inhabitants of the island of Crete. Their site of Knossos is pictured above.
Acropolis - Greek for "high city". The chief temples of the city were located here.
Plato - Socrates' most well known pupil. Founded an academy in Athens.
