AP Art History Flashcards: Cultural Influences on Prehistoric Art
Written by AP Content Team, Verified for 2026 AP Exams, Last updated: May 2026
Review key ideas with interactive flashcards. This set includes 10 cards to help you master important concepts.
What were the shared features of very early art found worldwide?
Very early art found worldwide shared a concern with the natural world and humans' place within it.
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What were the shared features of very early art found worldwide?
Very early art found worldwide shared a concern with the natural world and humans' place within it.
What is the relationship between the physical setting and prehistoric human expression?
The physical setting, including major shifts in climate and environment, directly influenced the behavior and artistic expression of prehistoric peoples.
How did the changing environment impact early humans' artistic expression?
Human behavior and artistic expression were directly influenced by the changing environments in which early peoples lived.
What fundamental characteristic of human expression predates written records?
Human expression, in the form of art, existed across the globe long before the development of the written record.
Describe the social structure and primary concern of the earliest peoples.
The earliest peoples were small groups of hunter-gatherers whose paramount concern was survival.
How are prehistoric periods, which lack a written record, typically defined?
Periods before the written record are often defined in terms of geological eras or major shifts in climate and environment.
What four key aspects of life was early art making associated with?
Art making was associated with food production (hunting, gathering, agriculture), settlement, status, and burial.
What three main factors influenced prehistoric art and art making?
Prehistoric art and art making were affected by cultural practices, belief systems, and the physical setting.
Hunter-gatherers
Small groups of the earliest peoples whose primary concern was survival and whose art was linked to practical aspects of life like food production and burial.
Why would a hunter-gatherer society's art be closely linked to food production?
Since the paramount concern for hunter-gatherers was survival, their art making was naturally associated with essential activities like hunting and gathering food.