Glossary of Important Terms

Agriculture: The process of producing food and other intentional products by the cultivation of crops—basically, farming.

Civilization: Social organization among humans

Domestication: The taming of wild plants and animals by humans

Dynasty: A series of rulers who belong to the same family

Human Time: The time period that humans have been living on the Earth (as opposed to “Earth Time”, the “lifespan” of the Earth)

Hunter-Gatherers: People who supported themselves by hunting, fishing, and gathering wild plants

Monotheism: The worship of one god

Polytheism: The worship of multiple deities

Prehistory: The story of human kind before written history

Surplus: Excess, more than is needed