Chapter 3: Mesopotamia

city-state --Made up of the city and the farmland that surrounds it. Each city-state was considered a state within itself, with its own god and government

artisans--Skilled workers.They made pottery, jewelry, tools, weapons, sculptures, etc

ziggurat--A temple at the center of a Sumerian city. **the word literally means "mountain of god" or "hill of heaven"

cuneiform--Sumerian writing made up of wedge shaped signs. It was made up of hundreds of markings.

scribe--Sumerian writer. They worked for the temple, palace, government, or the army

priest-kings--Sumerian priests who were also kings of city-states

empire--a group of states under one ruler

culture--a way of life-beliefs and customs of a particular society **shared the same language, religion, etc

reform--change that leads to improvement

reign--a period of power

Chapter 4: Egypt

shadoof--a machine that lifted water out of the Nile and into basins

pharaoh--Egyptian ruler--to Egyptians the Pharoah was a ruler, priest , and god**word literally means "Great House"

pyramids--Large Egyptian tombs Known as "houses of eternity"

embalming--preserving the bodies of the dead

mummy--wrapped body of a preserved dead person

planned communities--cities built to a definite plan

citadel--a fortress

dynasty--series of rulers from the same family; a ruling family

Chapter 5: Eastern River Valleys

hieroglyphic--Egyptian writing system based on pictures

papyrus--Egyptian paper

ancestors--those from whom one is descended or family members from past generations

oracle bones--bones used by the Shang to receive messages from ancestors

nobles--people having a high rank in a kingdom