Chapter 1

Front 1

Paleolithic Age

Back 1

a prehistoric period that lasted from about 2,500,000 to 8,000 B.C., during which people made use of crude stone tools and weapons - also called the Old Stone Age

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Neolithic Age

Back 2

n. a prehistoric period that began at about 8,000 B.C. and in some areas ended as early as 3,000 B.C., during which people learned to polish stone tools, make pottery, grow crops, and raise animals - also called the New Stone Age

Front 3

Neolithic Revolution

Back 3

n, the major change in human life caused by the beginnimgs of farming - that is, by people's shift from food gathering to food producing.

Front 4

archeologist

Back 4

an anthropologist who studies prehistoric people and their culture

Front 5

artifact

Back 5

n. a human-made object, such as a tool, wepon, or piece of jewelry

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nomad

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n. a member of a group that has no permanent home, wandering from place to place in search of food and water

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domestication

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n. the taming of animals for human use

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civilization

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n. a form of culture characterized by cities, specialized workers, complex institutions, record keeping, and advanced technology.

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artisan

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n. a skilled worker, such as a weaver or a potter, who makes goods by hand

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institution

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n. a long-lasting pattern of organization in a community

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scribe

Back 11

n. one of the professional record keepers in early civilizations

Front 12

cuneiform

Back 12

n. a system of writing with wedge-shaped symbols, invented by the Sumerians around 3,000 B.C.

Front 13

Bronze Age

Back 13

n. a period in human history, beginning around 3,000 B.C. in some areas, during which people began using bronze, rather than copper or stone, to fashion tools and weapons

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ziggurat

Back 14

n. a tiered, pyramid-shaped structure that formed part of a Sumerian temple