| A | B |
|---|
| prehistory | the long period of time before people invented writing |
| historians | scholars who study and write about the historical past |
| artifact | object made by humans |
| anthropology | the field of study related to the origins and development of people and their societies |
| culture | the way of life of a society; its beliefs, values, and practices |
| archaeology | the study of past people and cultures through their material remains |
| technology | the skills and tools people use to meet their basic needs and wants |
| nomad | person who moves from place to place to find food |
| animism | the belief that the world was full of spirits and forces that might reside in animals, objects, or dreams |
| domesticate | to raise in a controlled way |
| surplus | more than is necessary |
| steppe | dry grassland |
| traditional economy | an economy that relies on habit, custom, or ritual, and tends to not change over time |
| civilization | a complex, highly organized social order |
| polytheistic | the belief in many gods |
| artisan | skilled craftperson |
| pictograph | simple drawing that looks like the objects it represents |
| scribe | specially trained person who could read and write |
| cultural diffusion | the spread of ideas, customs, and technologies |
| city-state | a political unit that included a city and its surrounding lands and villages |
| empire | a group of states or territories controlled by one ruler |
