6th Grade Vocabulary
On this page you will find updated vocabulary for much of the entire school year. It is divided according to chapter, thus making it easier to fill in your vocabulary folders. You can find all of these definitions in the glossary of your text book. Feel free to move ahead and copy down as much as you wish, HOWEVER, remember that you will be responsible for knowing each chapter's vocabulary as we are covering that chapter. If you do not have your vocabulary done and in class the day it is due, you will receive a zero (0 out of 10 possible points) for that chapter's vocabulary grade.
clan: a group of families that shares a common ancestor
cultural diffusion: the process by which cultures interact and ideas spread from one area to another
cultural hearth: a place from which new ideas, practices, and technology spread
maize: a type of corn first domesticated by early Mesoamericans
matrilineal: relating to descendants traced through the mother
metallurgy: the science of obtaining metals in their natural form and preparing them for use
staple: a main crop produced in a specific place
surplus: more than is required or necessary; extra
city: a political, economic, and cultural center with a large population
civilization: a society with a highly developed culture and technology
government: an organization set up to make and enforce rules in a society
record keeping: the practice of organizing and storing information
religion: the belief in and worship of one or more gods and goddesses
scribe: a professional writer who recorded official information
specialized worker: a person who performs a job other than farming, such as metalworking or tool making
temple: a place of worship
trade: the exchange of goods
artisan: a person skilled at making things by hand
city-state: a self-governing unit made up of a city and its surrounding lands and settlements; a city that controls the surrounding villages and towns
cuneiform: the earliest form of writing, invented by the Sumerians
empire: a group of different lands and people governed by one ruler
famine: an extreme lack of crops or food causing widespread hunger
irrigation: the supply of water to fields using human-made systems
polytheism: a belief in many gods
ritual: a formal series of acts always performed in the same way; a religious ceremony
silt: an especially fine and fertile soil
social class: a category of people based on wealth or status in a society
tribute: a tax paid or goods and services rendered in return for protection
ziggurat: a pyramid-shaped temple in Sumerian city-states
alliance: an agreement between nations to fight each other's enemies; a partnership
colony: a group of people that settles in a new land but keeps ties to its native country
legacy: the things both cultural and technological, left to us from past cultures
province: an administrative district of a larger empire or country
raw material: a substance from which other things are made
satrap: a governor of a province in the Persian Empire
tolerance: the sympathy for the beliefs and practices of others
cataract: a rock formation that creates churning rapids; also. a large waterfall
delta: an area where a river fans out into various branches as it flows into a body of water
dynasty: a series of rulers from the same family
pharaoh: an ancient Egyptian ruler
vizier: a chief official in ancient Egypt who carried out much of the day-to-day work of governing
hierarchy: a system in which people belong to social classes of different ranks
mummy: the preserved body of a pharaoh or other powerful person in ancient Egypt
pyramid: a massive, monumental tomb for a pharaoh
barter: to exchange goods
hieroglyph: a picture representing an object, sound, or idea that was part of the ancient Egyptian writing system
papyrus: a paper like material made from reeds
scribe: a professional writer who recorded official information
caste system: a rigid social hierarchy in India that divides people into hereditary classes
dharma: the Buddha's teachings; divine law
epic poem: a long story in the form of a narrative poem
karma: in Hinduism, a state of being influenced by a person's actions and conduct; determines the kind of life into which a person will be reborn
monsoon: a strong seasonal wind in South and Southeast Asia
nirvana: in Buddhism, a state of bliss or the end of suffering caused by the cycle of rebirth
planned city: a city built with a specific layout in mind
reincarnation: in Hinduism, the rebirth of a person's soul into another body after death
subcontinent: a large, distinct landmass that is part of a continent
yoga: a series of postures and breathing exercises
golden age: a period of great cultural achievement
inoculation: a vaccine containing a mild form of a disease to prevent the development of that disease
dynastic cycle: the pattern of the rise and fall of dynasties in ancient and early China
dynasty: a series of rulers from the same family
filial piety: the belief that children owe their parents and ancestors respect
isolate: to cut off from the rest of the world
oracle bone: an animal bone used to consult with the many gods worshipped by the Shang people
bureaucracy: a system of government in which appointed officials in specialized departments run the various offices
emperor: the supreme ruler of an empire
peasant: a poor farmer
silk: a textile made from the cocoons of silkworms
terra cotta: a fire-baked clay
barter: to exchange goods
caravan: a group of people that travels together
cultural diffusion: the process by which cultures interact and ideas spread from one area to another
maritime: relating to the sea
acropolis: the highest point in an ancient Greek city
agora: an open space in an ancient Greek city that served as a marketplace and social center
aristocracy: an upper class that is richer and more powerful than the rest of society
epic poem: a long story in the form of a narrative poem
hero: a character who faces a challenge that demands courage, strength, and intelligence
labyrinth: a maze
monarchy: a government ruled by a single person, such as a king
myth: an old story told to explain an event or justify a belief or action
oligarchy: a government ruled by a few powerful citizens
polis: a Greek city-state
raw material: a substance from which other things are made
tyrant: in ancient Greek city-states, a ruler who took power illegally
alliance: an agreement between nations to fight each other's enemies; a partnership
democracy: a form of government in which citizens have a direct role in governing themselves or elect representatives to lead them
helot: a state-owned slave who was part of the lowest class of ancient Greek society
trireme: an ancient Greek warship
direct democracy: a form of democracy in which citizens gather together to vote on laws and policies
golden age: a period of great cultural achievement
immortal: able to live forever
mythology: a collection of stories that explains events, beliefs, or actions
plague: a disease that causes many deaths
siege: a military tactic in which troops surround a city with soldiers in an attempt to take control of it
truce: an agreement to stop fighting
catapult: a weapon that hurls large stones
cosmopolitan: worldly
Hellenistic: relating to Greek history or culture
phalanx: in ancient Greece and Rome, a battle formation in which soldiers stood close together to protect themselves from enemy attack
comedy: a humorous form of Greek drama that often mocked famous people
jury: a group of people chosen to make a decision based on evidence presented in a trial
philosophy: the study of the universe and our place in it
representative democracy: a form of democracy in which people are elected to vote on the citizens' behalf
tragedy: a serious form of Greek drama in which characters endure suffering before an unhappy ending
aqueduct: a long stone channel that carries clean water
arch: a curved structure over an opening
emperor: the supreme ruler of an empire
fresco: a picture painted directly onto a wall
gladiator: a man in ancient Rome who fought others for entertainment
mosaic: a grouping of tiny colored stone cubes set in mortar to create a picture or design
catacomb: a hidden underground chamber where people are buried
epistle: a letter
missionary: a person who goes to another country to do religious work; a person who tries to spread Christianity to others
parable: in the Bible, a simple story to illustrate a moral or spiritual lesson
pope: the leader of the Roman Catholic Church
barbarian: in this context, a person who lived outside the Roman Empire
tetrarchy: a system of rule by four emperors
bas-relief: a realistic sculpture with figures raised against a flat background
oratory: the art of public speaking