Pre History Key Terms

Pangeae – The theory that plate tectonics are the what caused
the movement of one massive continent to drift apart and form
the world as we know it today

Eurasia – The description of both Europe of and Asia as one
continent since they are not divided by any geographical water
breaks

Siberia – Russian wasteland, neither desert or land, can be
considered northern Asia but rarely mentioned in significant
historical discussions

The Sahara – large desert in North Africa, largest desert in the
world, separates the cultures of North Africa and the
Mediterranean from Southern Africa

The Himalayas – Highest mountain chain in the world, located
between Asia and the Middle East

The Seven Continents – North America, South America,
Europe, Africa, Middle East, Asia, Antarctica

Four Main Oceans – Arctic (in the north), Atlantic (between the
Americas and Europe/West Africa, Indian (south of India and
east of Africa), Pacific located between Asia and the Americas

Mediterranean Sea and Caribbean Sea – Mediterranean Sea
is located south of Europe, west of the Middle East, and North of
Africa, the Caribbean Sea is located to the east of the Gulf of
Mexico and on the edge of Atlantic Ocean

Panama Isthmus and Suez Isthmus – Panama Isthmus is a
small isthmus that separates North and South America, the Suez
Isthmus separates Africa and the Middle East, both will
eventually have canals

The Nile River – main river in Egypt, flows from South to
North, is one of the only fertile parts of North Africa, this is
where civilization first developed in this region

Tigris and Euphrates Rivers – located in the Middles East,
they form a land area once known as the Fertile Crescent, this is
where civilization first developed in this region

Indus and Ganges Rivers – main rivers in India where
civilization first developed

Yangtze and Yellow (Huang Ho) Rivers – main rivers in
China where civilization first developed

Volga, Danube, and Rhine Rivers – main rivers in Europe
where civilization first developed

Mississippi-Missouri River System – located in North America
where civilization first developed in the region

Amazon River – located in South America, largest river system
in the world

Out of Africa vs. Multi Regional Theories – two opposing
theories about the history of the migrations of humans, both
follow the theory of evolution. Africa says, basically, that
humans evolved there first and then dispersed, and Multi
Regional says, basically, that humans evolved around the world
with different backgrounds