AP World History 2 Flashcards
Medici family
powerful banking family who ruled Florence in the 1400s; patrons of the arts
Mercator Projection
a map projection of the earth onto a cylinder
Baron de Montesqieu
created the idea of seperation of power
Nasir al-Din
Islamic 13th century scholar who wrote mathematical tables
Isaac Newton
defined the laws of motion and gravity. Tried to explain motion of the universe.
patrons
a person who supports artists; especially financially
putting-out system
system of merchant-capitalists delivering raw materials to cottage workers for processing and payment
Raphael
(1483-1520) Italian Renaissance painter; he painted frescos; his most famous being The School of Athens.
Renaissance Man
a scholar during the Renaissance who (because knowledge was limited) could know almost everything about many topics
Jacques Rousseau
French philosopher that believed the right to rule should be from the people; not a king.
rule of law
principle that the law applies to everyone; even those who govern
William Shakespeare
English dramatist and poet; considered one of the greatest writers in the English Language
Adam Smith
Scottish economist who advocated private enterprise and free trade (1723-1790)
Voltaire
believed in religious tolerance and freedom of speech
Atahualpa
last ruling Inca emperor of Peru. He was executed by the Spanish.
caravel
a small; highly maneuverable three-masted ship used by the Portuguese and Spanish in the exploration of the Atlantic.
castas
middle-level status between Europeans and pure minorities (made up of mezitos and mulattoes)
Christopher Columbus
Italian navigator who discovered the New World in the service of Spain while looking for a route to China (1451-1506)
conquistadors
Spanish soldiers and explorers who led military expeditions in the Americas and captured land for Spain
Hernan Cortes
Spanish conquistador who defeated the Aztecs and conquered Mexico (1485-1547)
creoles
descendents of Spanish-born but born in Latin America; resented inferior social; political; economic status
Vasco Da Gama
Portuguese explorer. In 1497-1498 he led the first naval expedition from Europe to sail to India
Bartholomew Dias
Portuguese navigator that discovered the Cape of Good Hope
encomenderos
Spanish settlers who were in charge of the natives working on the encomiendas
Atlantic Circuit
the network of trade routes connecting Europe; Africa; and the Americas
Henry the Navigator
Portuguese prince who promoted the study of navigation and directed voyages of exploration down the western coast of Africa.
indentured servant
person who agreed to work for a colonial employer for a specified time in exchange for passage to America.
Bartholome de Las Casas
a Spanish priest who settled in the New World and was against the torture and genocide of Native Americans.
Ferdinand Magellan
Portuguese navigator who led the Spanish expedition of 1519-1522 that was the first to sail around the world.
Manila galleons
Heavily armed; fast ships that brought luxury goods from China to Mexico and carried silver from Mexico to China.
mestizos
people of Native American and European descent
Middle Passage
a voyage that brought enslaved Africans across the Atlantic Ocean to North America and the West Indies
Moctezuma
Aztec emperor defeated and killed by the Spanish conquistador Hernando Cortes.
mulattos
people of mixed African and European ancestry
peninsulares
Spanish-born; came to Latin America; ruled; highest social class
Francisco Pizarro
Spanish explorer who conquered the Incas in what is now Peru and founded the city of Lima (1475-1541)
Protestant work ethic
way of life based on Biblical teaching that God expects all men to work and all work is a noble duty to be performed toward God
Treaty of Tordesillas
set the boundary established in 1493 to define Spanish and Portuguese possessions in the Americas.
viceroyalties
provinces ruled by viceroys; direct representatives of the monarch.
viceroys
representatives of the Spanish monarch in Spain’s colonial empire
Yongle
Chinese Ming emperor who pushed foreign exploration and promoted cultural achievements such as the Yongle Encyclopedia.
African Diaspora
the forced removal of Africans from their homeland to serve as slaves in the Americas
Asante
African kingdom on the Gold Coast that expanded rapidly after 1680. participated in the Atlantic economy; trading gold; slaves; and ivory
Benin
a kingdom that arose near the Niger River delta in the 1300s and became a major West African state in the 1400s
Cape Colony
a former province of southern South Africa that was settled by the Dutch in 1652 and ceded to Great Britain in 1814
Dahomey
West African kingdom that became strong through its rulers’ exploitation of the slave trade.
Olaudah Equiano
sold into slavery at age 11; after gaining freedom; he spoke out against slavery and published his autobiography
Kongo
kingdom based on agriculture; formed on lower Kongo River; capital at Mbanza Kongo; ruled by hereditary monarchy
army of the pure
Sikh army that challenged the Mughals
Babur
founder of Mughal dynasty in India; descended from Turkic warriors; first led invasion of India in 1526; died in 1530.
devshirme
Ottoman policy of taking boys from Christian peoples to be trained as Muslim soldiers
Divine Faith
one of Akbar’s attempts to reconcile Muslim and Hindu people; a combination of Muslim; Hindu; Zoroastrian; Christian and Sikh
Fatehepur Sikri
pre-mughal Indian; Persian; and central Asian architecture. Seen in forts; palaces; gardens; mosques; tombs; cenotaphs.
guru
each of the first ten leaders of the Sikh religion
Hidden Imam
12th descendant of Ali who disappeared as a child
imam
a leader of prayer in a mosque
Ismail
this man was a ruthless leader of the Safavid Empire who executed all Sunni Muslims in his empire
Mughal Empire
Muslim state (1526-1857) exercising dominion over most of India in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries.
Nanuk
(1469-1539) stressed meditation and drew upon Islam and Hinduism; first guru
Ottoman Empire
major Islamic state centered on Anatolia that came to include the Balkans; the Near East; and much of North Africa
purdah
the traditional Middle Eastern custom of seclusion for women
qizilbash
swordsmen calvary of the Safavid
Safavid Empire
Shi’ite Muslim dynasty that ruled Persia between 16th and 18th centuries
sati
Hindu custom that called for a wife to join her husband in death by throwing herself on his funeral pyre
Shah Abbas I
the fifth and most renowned ruler of the Safavid dynasty in Iran (r. 1587-1629); moved the royal capital to Isfahan in 1598.
sikhism
the doctrines of a monotheistic religion founded in northern India in the 16th century by Guru Nanak and combining elements of Hinduism and Islam
Taj Mahal
beautiful mausoleum at Agra built by the Mogul emperor Shah Jahan (completed in 1649) in memory of his favorite wife
Twelver Shi’ism
a religion based on Muslim beliefs; as well as the ‘hidden Imam’
alternate attendance
practice of shoguns requiring samuari to spend extended periods of time at the court in Edo
boyars
Russian landholding aristocrats; possessed less political power than their western European counterparts
cossaks
undertook their own campaigns of expansion and vastly extended the range of Russian influence.
daimyos
powerful warlord that controlled big estates; the best person from this class would become the shogun
floating worlds
term for centers of urban culture in Japan under the Tokugawa shogunate.
Toyotomi Hideyoshi
general under Nobunaga; leading military power in central Japan; broke power of the diamyos; became military master in 1590
Tokugawa Ieyasu
this man established a shogunate that would dominate Japan for hundreds of years
Ivan III
Ivan the Great; ruled as great prince and first ruler of the independent state called Russia
Ivan IV
the Terrible; beat the Mongols; Tartars; and the Poles; forced nobles into service; first ruler to take the title tsar
Kangxi
Qing emperor (r. 1662-1722). He oversaw the greatest expansion of the Qing Empire.
Qianlong
ruler that helped to secure Qing borders but ended up causing the downfall of the Qing Dynasty
queue
the braided pigtail that was traditionally worn by Chinese males in Qing Dynasty
Matteo Ricci
Italian Jesuit who wanted to convert China to Christianity during the Ming dynasty
Romanov Family
royal family that ruled Russia for over 300 years that was overthrown and killed by Lenin
Table of Ranks
created by Peter; it creates opportunities for nonnobles to serve the state and join the nobility … nobility based on merit
Window on the West
St. Petersburg on newly acquired lands on the Baltic Sea
caliph
a supreme political and religious leader in a Muslim government
chivalry
a code that knights adopted in the late Middle Ages; requiring them to be brave; loyal and true to their word; they had to fight fairly in battle
civil service
the group of people who carry out the work of the government; selected by an exam in China
credit
arrangement for deferred payment for goods and services
decentralized
governmental power is spread among more than one person or group
dowry
money or property brought by a woman to her husband at marriage
Eastern Orthodox
this Christian religion broke away from the Roman church when it would not accept the authority of the Pope as the head of the church
fiefs
pieces of land given to vassals by their lord
Garrisons
military bases on the Silk Road to protect travelers on their journey
Gothic
relating to a style of church architecture that developed in medieval Europe; featuring ribbed vaults; stained glass windows; flying buttresses; pointed arches; and tall spires
Hajj
the fifth pillar of Islam is a pilgrimage to Mecca during the month of Dhu al-Qadah
heresy
a belief that rejects the orthodox tenets of a religion
heretic
a person who holds religious beliefs in conflict with the dogma of the Roman Catholic Church
hijab
a headscarf worn by Muslim women
illegitimate
contrary to or forbidden by law
infrastructure
the stock of basic facilities and capital equipment needed for the functioning of a country or area
interaction
the effect of one factor (such as environment) depends on another factor (such as heredity)
Inquisition
a former tribunal of the Roman Catholic Church (1232-1820) created to discover and suppress heresy
interrogation
formal questioning by persons in authority; especially in the church
Islam
the monotheistic religion of Muslims founded in Arabia in the 7th century and based on the teachings of Muhammad as laid down in the Koran
literate
able to read and write
matriarch
a female head of a family or tribe
medieval
relating to or belonging to the Middle Ages
meritocracy
the belief that rulers should be chosen for their superior abilities and not because of their wealth or birth
Middle Ages
the period of history between classical antiquity and the Italian Renaissance
migration
the movement of persons from one country or locality to another
monetary system
system of coins and bills to create a standard value of wealth
mosque
a Muslim house of worship
Muslim
a believer or follower of Islam
nation-state
a country whose population possesses a substantial degree of cultural homogeneity and unity
orthodox
adhering to the traditional and established; especially in religion
patriarch
the male head of family or tribe
patriarchal
male led society and household
persecution
the abuse of a person or group because of their beliefs or appearance
pilgrims
people on a religious journey
pilgrimage
a journey to a sacred place
primogeniture
right of inheritance belongs exclusively to the eldest son
Roman Catholic
the Christian Church based in the Vatican and presided over by a pope and an episcopal hierarchy
schism
division of a group into opposing factions
secluded
hidden from general view or use
serfs
men of women who were the poorest members of society; peasants who worked the lord’s land in exchange for protection
submissive
willing to submit without resistance to authority
subordinate
rank or order as less important or consider of less value
trans-continental
spanning or crossing a continent
tribute systems
allowed reciprocal trade under both imperial protection and imperial regulation and barred entry into this trade by those who did not participate
Baghdad
capital city of Iraq; as heart of the Arab Empire; it was second only to Constantinople in terms of size and grandeur in 1000 C.E.
Black Death
the epidemic form of bubonic plague experienced during the Middle Ages when it killed nearly half the people of western Europe
Bubonic Plague
disease brought to Europe from the Mongols during the Middle Ages. It killed 1/3 of the population and helps end Feudalism. Rats; fleas.
Chang-an
capital of Tang dynasty; population of 2 million; larger than any other city in the world at that time.
Constantinople
previously known as Byzantium; Constantine changed the name of the city and moved the capitol of the Roman Empire here from Rome.
Crusades
a series of military expeditions in the 11th; 12th; and 13th centuries by Westrn European Christians to reclain control of the Holy Lands from the Muslims
Empress Wu
the only woman to rule China in her own name; expanded the empire and supported Buddhism during the Tang Dynasty.
European feudalism
was made up of a king; the next level was church officials and nobles; then knights; peasants; finally merchants
Japanese feudalism
emperor (has no real power) -> shogun (has the real power) - hereditary -> daimyo (the lower nobles under the shogun) -> samurai (knights)
foot-binding
practice in Chinese society to mutilate women’s feet in order to make them smaller; produced pain and restricted women’s movement; made it easier to confine women to the household
Franks
a Germanic tribe that conquered present-day France and neighboring lands in the 400s
Charlemagne
king of the Franks who conquered much of Western Europe; great patron of leterature and learning
Ghengis Khan
Mongol leader who led their conquest westward and who is renowned for his ability and his ruthlessness.
Hanseatic League
an organization of north German and Scandinavian cities for the purpose of establishing a commercial alliance.
Hundred Years War
the series of wars between England and France; 1337-1453; in which England lost all its possessions in France except Calais.
Code of Justinian
compilation of the complex system of Roman laws; became the system of laws for the Byzantine Empire
Magna Carta
the royal charter of political rights given to rebellious English barons by King John in 1215
Mansa Musa
this Mali king brought Mali to its peak of power and wealth from 1312 the 1337; he was the most powerful king in west Africa
neo-Confucianism
a philosophy that emerged in Song-dynasty China; it revived Confucian thinking while adding in Buddhist and Daoist elements
sacking of Constantinople
1453; sacked becuse it was the most logical place to rule. Mehmet the conqueror; Solidly Christian; considered a huge blow to western Christianity
St. Cyril
a missionary in the 9th century who invented an alphabet for the Slavic language
cyrillic alphabet
an alphabet drived from the Greek alphabet and used for writing Slavic languages
Schism in Christianity
the medieval division between Eastern Orthodox and the Roman Catholic Church
schism in Islam
the Shia / Sunni split which occurred in the decades immediately following the death of the Prophet Mohammed in 632
Shintoism
the ancient indigenous religion of Japan lacking formal dogma
Timbuktu
Mali trading city that became a center of wealth and learning
Tenochitlan
Aztec capital city (now the site of Mexico City)
William the Conqueror
duke of Normandy who led the Norman invasion of England and became the first Norman to be King of England
Abu Bakr
first caliph after death of Muhammad
animism
the doctrine that all natural objects and the universe itself have souls
Bedouins
small groups of nomadic people in Arabia
Black Stone
meteorite placed in shrine (Ka’ba) in Mecca; Muslims pay homage to it
caliphate
the territorial jurisdiction of a caliph
Five Pillars of Faith
five steps to take to become less evil; part of the Islam religion; affirmation; prayer; almsgiving; fasting; and pilgrimage
golden age
period of great cultural achievement
hadith
(Islam) a tradition based on reports of the sayings and activities of Muhammad and his companions
harem
living quarters reserved for wives and concubines and female relatives in a Muslim household
jihad
Islamic holy war
jinns
desert spirits (associated w/ demonic shaitans)
Ka’ba
the stone cubical structure in the courtyard of the Great Mosque of Mecca; believed to have been built by Abraham and regarded by Muslims as the sacred center of the earth
madrasas
Islamic institutions of higher education that originated in the tenth century.
minaret
the tower attached to a mosque from which the muezzin; or crier; calls the faithful to prayer five times a day
Muhammad
the Arab prophet who founded Islam (570-632)
The Night Journey
Muhammad’s supreme mystical experience; woken by Gabriel; went to heaven and saw prophets; told by Allah to pray five times a day
People of the Book
what Muslims called Christians and Jews which means that they too only believe in one god
Qur’an
the sacred writings of Islam revealed by God to the prophet Muhammad during his life at Mecca and Medina
Seal of the Prophets
Muhammad’s name for himself; signifying that he was the final prophet of Allah.
Seljuk Turks
nomadic Turks from Asia who conquered Baghdad in 1055 and allowed the caliph to remain only as a religious leader
shari’a
the code of law derived from the Koran and from the teachings and example of Mohammed
Shi’ites
Muslims belonging to the branch of Islam believing that God vests leadership of the community in a descendant of Muhammad’s son-in-law Ali
Sunni
a member of the branch of Islam that accepts the first four caliphs as rightful successors to Muhammad
Sufis
a mystical Muslim group that believed they could draw closer to God through prayer; fasting; and a simple life
sultan
the ruler of a Muslim country (especially of the former Ottoman Empire)
The Thousand and One Nights
a popular Muslim literature that included collection of fairy tales; parables; and legends
ulama
Muslim religious scholars. From the ninth century onward; the primary interpreters of Islamic law and the social core of Muslim urban societies.
Umayyad Dynasty
established by Muawiya; moved capital from Medina to Damascus; that action split Islam (Shi’ites & Sunnites)
umma
the Muslim community or people; considered to extend from Mauritania to Pakistan
vizier
a high government official in ancient Egypt or in Muslim countries
barter
exchange goods without involving money
Benedictine Rule
a collection of rules or guidelines for monks and monasteries; named for Benedict of Nursia; widely used in Europe in the Middle Ages
Byzantine Empire
empire that grew from the eastern part of the former Roman Empire; lasted until around 1400
caesaropapism
the dual role of the state and leader of the church in which a temporal ruler extends his own powers to theological and ecclesiastical matters
canon law
the Church’s own body of laws; this law applied to religious teachings; the behavior of the clergy; and even marriages and morals
Carolingian family
a group of Frankish nobles that took control of the Frankish empire
Clovis
king of the Franks who unified Gaul and established his capital at Paris and founded the Frankish monarchy
excommunication
the act of banishing a member of the Church from the communion of believers and the privileges of the Church
interdict
an ecclesiastical censure by the Roman Catholic Church withdrawing certain sacraments and Christian burial from a person or all persons in a particular district
ghettos
sections of towns and cities in which Jews were forced to live.
guilds
an association of persons of the same trade or pursuits; formed to protect mutual interests and maintain standards
Hagia Sophia
the Cathedral of Holy Wisdom in Constantinople; built by order of the Byzantine emperor Justinian
Holy Roman Empire
loose federation of mostly German states and principalities; headed by an emperor elected by the princes. It lasted from 962 to 1806.
Justinian
Byzantine emperor who held the eastern frontier of his empire against the Persians
manorialism
economic system during the Middle Ages that revolved around self-sufficient farming estates where lords and peasants shared the land.
missi dominici
agents of Emperor Charlemagne who traveled throughout the empire to check the condition of the roads; listen to grievances; and see that justice was done
pogroms
organized violence against Jews
Renaissance
the period of European history at the close of the Middle Ages and the rise of the modern world
Saladin
(1137-1193) powerful Muslim ruler during Third Crusade; defeated Christians at Hattin took Jerusalem
Sassanid Empire
the name of the last pre-Islamic Iranian empire. It was one of the two main powers in Western Asia for a period of more than 400 years.
scholasticism
a philosophical and theological system; associated with Thomas Aquinas; devised to reconcile Aristotelian philosophy and Roman Catholic theology in the thirteenth century.
Theodora
the wife of Justinian; she helped to improve the status of women in the Byzantinian Empire and encouraged her husband to stay in Constntinople and fight the Nike Revolt.
usury
the act of lending money at an exorbitant rate of interest
vernacular languages
everyday speech that varies from place to place
Vikings
one of a seafaring Scandinavian people who raided the coasts of northern and western Europe from the eighth through the tenth century.
ayllus
in Incan society; a clan or community that worked together on projects required by the ruler
Aztecs
also known as Mexica; they created a powerful empire in central Mexico (1325-1521 C.E.). They forced defeated peoples to provide goods and labor as a tax.
Cahokia
an ancient settlement of southern Indians; located near present day St. Louis; it served as a trading center for 40;000 at its peak in A.D. 1200.
chinampas
floating farming islands made by the Aztec
classical Mesoamerica
period of the Mayan and the Teotihuacan; low population; simple government.
Inca
a member of the small group of Quechuan people living in the Cuzco valley in Peru who established hegemony over their neighbors to create the great Inca empire that lasted from about 1100 until the Spanish conquest in the early 1530s
khipus
recording devices used in the incan empire and its predecessor societies in the Andean region
Maya
extensive Mesoamerican culture that made great advances in astronomy in areas such as their famous calendar
mit’a
Andean labor system based on shared obligations to help kinsmen and work on behalf of the ruler and religious organizations.
Moche
civilization of north coast of Peru (200-700 C.E.). An important Andean civilization that built extensive irrigation networks as well as impressive urban centers dominated by brick temples.
Quechua
Andean society also known as the Inca
Quetzalcoatl
an Aztec deity represented as a plumed serpent
slash and burn agriculture
a farming technique in which trees are cut down and burned to clear and fertilize the land
stelae
large memorial pillars to commemorate triumphs and events in the lives of Maya rulers.
Teotihuacan
first major metropolis in Mesoamerica; collapsed around 800 CE. It is most remembered for the gigantic “pyramid of the sun”.
Toltecs
powerful postclassic empire in central Mexico (900-1168 C.E.). It influenced much of Mesoamerica.
Topiltzin
most influential Toltec leader; dedicated to the god Quetzalcoatl
bakufu
military-style government of the Japanese shogun
Du Fu
a famous chinese poet who wrote “spring landscape” and his poems were base on the suffering of his own life
equal fields system
equal land distribution; certain amt. of land after death of family member re distributed (for $); allowed for more revenue (want peasants to invest in civil service exam)
Fujiwara family
Japanese aristocratic family in mid-9th century; exercised exceptional influence over imperial affairs; aided in decline of imperial power
hegemony
the domination of one state over its allies
Heian Era
high level of culture and learning; court structure and court intrigue; Imperial families and their courts; women and male roles in Japan
Il-Khan
a khanate expanding through Armenia; Azerbaijan; Mesopotamia; and Iran;
Jagadai
khanate situated between all other 3 khanates; most famous ruler was Timur; who expanded this khanate by conquering India and attempting to capture China as well
Khanate of the Golden Horde
the Mongol empire; that; after the fall of Kiev; ruled all of southern Russia for 200 years
Khanate of the Great Khan
also known as the Yuan dynasty; included Mongolia and China
Koryo Dynasty
ruled Korea from the late 9th century to 1892
kowtow
a Chinese custom of touching the ground with the forehead as a sign of respect or submission
Kubilai Khan
grandson of Chinggis Khan; commander of Mongol forces responsible for conquest of China; became khagan in 1260; established Sinicized Mongol Yuan dynasty in China in 1271
Li Bo
most famous poet of the Tang era; blended images of the mundane world with philosophical musings.
Liao Empire
916-1121. Mongolia and Northern China. Ceramics; painting; armies (cavalry and seize craft). 1110- Song made alliance with Jurchens (neighbors). Song took over.
Mencius
major follower of Confucius; stressed that humans were essentially good and that governments required the consent of their subjects.
The Middle Kingdom
Chinese belief that they were the center of the world
Ming Dynasty
succeeded Mongol Yuan dynasty in China in 1368; lasted until 1644; initially mounted huge trade expeditions to southern Asia and elsewhere; but later concentrated efforts on internal development within China.
Alexander Nevskii
prince of Novgorod; submitted to the invading Mongols in 1240
Osman
most successful warrior and “founder” of Ottomans
Ottoman Turks
Turkish group ruled by the Ottoman dynasty; formed an empire that lasted from about 1300 to 1922. The group that proved to be the greatest threat to the Byzantine Empire in the 15th century.
Pax Mongolica
era of relative peace and stability created by the Mongol Empire
samurai
a Japanese warrior who was a member of the feudal military aristocracy
shogun
the head of the military government of Japan in the era of the samurai
Silla Dynasty
the dynasty in Korea that rallied to prevent Chinese domination in the seventh century CE.
Song Dynasty
the imperial dynasty of China from 960 to 1279; noted for art and literature and philosophy
Sui Dynasty
the short dynasty between the Han and the Tang; built the Grand Canal; strengthened the government; and introduced Buddhism to China
The Tale of Genji
written by Lady Murasaki; first novel in any languange; relates life history of prominent and amorous son of the Japanese emperor’s son; evidence for mannered style of the Japanese society.
Tang Dynasty
dynasty often referred to as China’s Golden age that reigned during 618 - 907 AD; China expands from Vietnam to Manchuria
Temujin
birth name of the Mongol leader better known as Chinggis Khan (1162-1227)
Uighurs
Turkic empire of the steppes; flourished in eighth century CE
Xi Xia Empire
kingdom of the Tangut people that was north of Song kingdom in mid-11th century that collected tribute that drained Song resources and burdened Chinese peasantry
Yuan Dynasty
dynasty in China set up by the Mongols under the leadership of Kublai Khan; replaced the Song (1279-1368)
Africanity
perceived unity of the sub-Saharan cultures.
Delhi Sultanate
centralized Indian empire of varying extent; created by Muslim invaders.
Ghana
the first West African kingdom based on the gold and salt trade
Great Zimbabwe
in southeastern Africa the Shona people established this city which grew into an empire built on the gold trade. By 1450; this city was mysteriously abandoned.
griots
a west African storyteller
Hausa
a group of people named after the language they spoke. They first emerged in what is today northern Nigeria between 1000 and 1200.
Ibn Battuta
Moroccan Muslim scholar; the most widely traveled individual of his time. He wrote a detailed account of his visits to Islamic lands from China to Spain and the western Sudan.
Mali
empire created by indigenous Muslims in western Sudan of West Africa from the thirteenth to fifteenth century. It was famous for its role in the trans-Saharan gold trade.
Marco Polo
Venetian traveler who explored Asia in the 13th century and served Kublai Khan (1254-1324)
Songhai
a West African empire that conquered Mali and controlled trade from the 1400s to 1591
stateless society
a group of independent villages organized into clans and led by a local ruler or clan head without any central government
Sundiata
the founder of Mali empire. He crushed his enemies and won control of the gold trade routes
Swahili Coast
East African shores of the Indian Ocean between the Horn of Africa and the Zambezi River; from the Arabic sawahil; meaning ‘shores.’
postclassical Mesoamerica
era of Aztecs
agriculture
the deliberate tending of crops and livestock in order to produce food and fiber
agrarian
a society that depends on agriculture is…
bands/clans
basic unit of social organization among foragers; includes fewer than 100 people in a nomadic; small; mobile; kin-based groups with little differential power.
barbarian
a person belonging to a tribe or group that is considered uncivilized
bureaucracy
a government organized by department
civilization
a society with reliable food surplus; specialized occupations; social class distinctions; cities; complex governments; trade; and an organized writing system
city-states
large towns that conquered the surrounding countryside; often competed with each other
classical
the period from approximately 600 BCE to 600 CE
domestication
the taming of animals for human use; such as work or as food
economy
the way civilizations manage money and resources for the production of goods and services
egalitarian
a society in which all people are relatively equal
emperor
the ruler of an empire
empire
a group of states or territories controlled by one ruler
feudalism
loosely organized system of government in which local lords governed their own lands but owed military service and other support to a greater lord
foraging
a food-getting strategy that does not involve food production or domestication of animals
hierarchy
the organization of people at different ranks in an administrative body
hierarchical
arranging things one above the other by rank
hunter-gatherer
a member of a nomadic group whose food supply depends on hunting animals and collecting plant foods.
irrigation
a way of supplying water to an area of land
monarchy
a government ruled by a king or queen
monotheism
belief in one god
neolithic
The period of the Stone Age associated with the ancient Agricultural Revolution. It follows the Paleolithic period.
nomadic
(of groups of people) tending to travel and change settlements frequently
pastoral
societies that were characterized by the domestication of animals but usually did not settle down and farm or build towns.
paleolithic
The period of the Stone Age associated with the evolution of humans. It predates the Neolithic Period.
philosophy
a basic viewpoint of the system of values of an individual or society
polytheism
the worship of many gods
river valley
the fertile land surrounding a river
sedentary
not migratory; settled
settlement
a community of people smaller than a town
substistence
condition in which people produce only enough to survive
surplus
more than is needed; desired; or required
sustenance
the act of sustaining life by food or providing a means of subsistence
theocracy
government by divine power or priests
traditional
pertaining to time-honored orthodox doctrines
urbanization
the growth of cities
vassals
person granted land by a feudal lord in return for services
Alexander the Great
356-323 b.c.; king of Macedonia 336-323: conqueror of Greek city-states and of the Persian empire from Asia Minor and Egypt to India.
Analects
the collection of Confucius’s thoughts and sayings
Bronze Age
the latter part of the Neolithic Era; characterized by the use of a new; stronger metal
Byzantium
the eastern portion of the Roman empire; lasted 1000 years after the fall of Western Rome
calendar
a system of timekeeping that defines the beginning and length and divisions of the year
Code of Hammurabi
credited as the first written law code; written by a Babylonian king and established the basis for law codes
cuneiform
the form of writing developed by the Sumerians
democracy
a political system in which the supreme power lies in a body of citizens who can elect people to represent them
Eight Fold Path
eight guides to thought and conduct in the Buddhism religion
Four Noble Truths
as taught by the Buddha; the four basic beliefs that form the foundation of Buddhism
Gothic Migrations
were the migrations of the visigoths into the buffer states of Rome then into Rome itself
Great Wall
a fortification 1;500 miles long built across northern China in the 3rd century BC
Han Dynasty
imperial dynasty that ruled China (most of the time) from 206 BC to 221 and expanded its boundaries and developed its bureaucracy
Hellenism
the principles and ideals associated with classical Greek civilization
The Huns
source of raids on Rome; fierce warriors from Central Asia. First invaded southeastern Europe and then launched raids on nearby kingdoms
Indian Ocean Trade
world’s richest maritime trading network that was essential for the prosperity of East Africa
Iron Age
the period following the Bronze Age; characterized by rapid spread of another metal in tools and weapons
Jewish Diaspora
the scattering of the Jewish people outside their homeland beginning about 586 BCE
legalism
Chinese philosophy developed by Hanfeizi; taught that humans are naturally evil and therefore need to be ruled by harsh laws
Pax Romana
a period of peace and prosperity throughout the Roman Empire; lasting from 27 B.C. to A.D. 180.
pyramids
monumental architecture typical of Old Kingdom Egypt; used as burial sites for pharaohs.
Roman Republic
the period from 507 to 31 B.C.E.; during which Rome was largely governed by the aristocratic Roman Senate
Roman Senate
a council of wealthy and powerful Romans that advised the city’s leaders
Shang Civilization
early civilization centered on the Huang Ho of northern China; dating from c. 1766 to 1122 BC.
Shi Huang Di
harsh ruler who united China for the first time and used legalism in ruling (Qin China)
Siddhartha Gautama
founder of Buddhism; born a prince; left his father’s wealth to find the cause of human suffering; also know as Buddha
Silk Road
the trade route that linked the Eurasian land mass
The Torah
the most sacred text of Judaism
The Vedas of Hinduism
one of the sources of prayers; verses; and descriptions of the origins of the universe; guide Hindus
Xiongnu
nomadic raiders from the grasslands north of China during the reign of Han dynasty; emperor Wudi fought against them in the mid-100s BC
Ziggurats
temples built by Sumerians to honor the gods and goddesses they worshipped
bipedalism
the ability to walk upright on two legs
Catal Hayuk
a large neolithic city in modern Turkey; used stone and bone for tools but died out before metal was used; from 6500BCE-5700BCE.
cultural diffusion
the spread of ideas; customs; and technologies from one people to another
division of labor
characteristic of civilizations in which different people perform different jobs
horticulture
cultivation of crops carried out with simple hand tools such as digging sticks or hoes
independent invention
development of the same culture trait or pattern in separate cultures as a result of comparable needs and circumstances
Jericho
oldest Neolithic community in the West Bank between Israel and Jordan
Lucy
the first human who left remains of her bones; she lived around 3.5 million years ago.
marker events of pre-history
the Neolithic Revolution is the first one of these
Neolithic craft industries
pottery; metallurgy; and textiles were…
Neolithic (Agricultural) Revolution
change from food gathering to food producing (around 8000 BCE)
primary sources
eyewitness accounts of history. They include letters; diaries; speeches; and interviews.
specialization
development of different kinds of jobs
Akkadian Empire
began in 2350 BCE when Sargon - King of Akkad - began conquering Sumerian cities. The empire was the first to unite city-states under a single ruler and ruled for 200 years.
Amon-Re
the ancient Egyptian god of the sun
amulets
good luck charms used by ancient Egyptians to keep away evil spirits and prevent injury.
Aryans
nomads from Europe and Asia who migrated to India and finally settled; vedas from this time suggest beginning of caste system
Assyrians
very harsh people who exploited the use of iron weapons to build their Mesopotamian empire; which lasted less than 100 years. they had a king with absolute power
Babylonians
extended their empire and helped bring civilization to other parts of the Middle East; famous for Hammurabi’s Law Code
Book of the Dead
scrolls that served as a guide for the afterlife in ancient Egypt
Book of Songs
the earliest collection of Chinese poetry; it provides glimpses of what life was like in the early Zhou Dynasty
cataracts
rapids along a river; such as those along the Nile in Egypt
Chavin
the first major South American civilization; which flourished in the highlands of what is now Peru from about 900 to 200 B.C.
Confucianism
ideas of Confucius; emphasizing such values as family; tradition; and mutual respect
cosmopolitanism
the ideology that all human ethnic groups belong to a single community based on a shared morality.
cultural hearths
the areas where civilizations first began that radiated the customs; innovations; and ideologies that culturally transformed the world
Dravidian
a member of one of the aboriginal races of India (pushed south by Caucasians and now mixed with them)
dynasty
a powerful family or group of rulers that maintains its position or power for some time
Epic of Gilgamesh
an epic poem from Mesopotamia; and among the earliest known works of literary writing.
Fertile Crescent
a geographical area of fertile land in the Middle East stretching in a broad semicircle from the Nile to the Tigris and Euphrates
Hammurabi
Babylonian king who codified the laws of Sumer and Mesopotamia (died 1750 BC)
Harappa
a large ancient city of the Indus civilization; created in present-day Pakistan
Hittites
created an empire in western Asian and threatened the power of the Egyptians; were the first Indo-Europeans to use iron
Horus
Egyptian falcon-headed solar god
Hyksos
a group of nomadic invaders from southwest Asia who ruled Egypt from 1640 to 1570 B.C.
Isis
Egyptian goddess of fertility
labor systems
system of labor in which people do specialized jobs
Late Bronze Age
1600-1200 B.C.; also called the Mycenaean Age.
law code
written set of laws
loess
fine; light silt deposited by wind and water. It constitutes the fertile soil of the Yellow River Valley in northern China.
ma’at
the Egyptian concept of truth; justice; and cosmic order; represented by a goddess; often portrayed with a feather upon her head
Mandate of Heaven
the Chinese (Zhou) theory that Heaven gives the king a mandate to rule only as long as he rules in the interests of the people
matrilineal
relating to a social system in which family descent and inheritance rights are traced through the mother
Menes
united the kingdoms of lower and upper Egypt and created first Egyptian dynasty
Mesopotamia
the land between the Tigris and Euphrates
Minoans
earliest Greek civilization that had developed on the island of Crete by 2000 B.C.
Mohenjo-Daro
Indus Valley city laid out in a grid pattern. Had a complex irrigation and sewer system.; One of the first settlements in India
monsoon rains
seasonal winds crossing the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia during the summertime that bring extreme rain and flooding
Myceneans
people from Greek mainland who conquered central Crete; warring people who grouped themselves into clans and tribes
Olmec
the earliest-known Mesoamerican civilization; which flourished around 1200 B.C. and influenced later societies throughout the region.
oracle bones
one of the animal bones or tortoise shells used by ancient Chinese priests to communicate with the gods
papyrus
tall sedge of the Nile valley yielding fiber that served many purposes in historic times; especially for paper making
patriarchy
a form of social organization in which a male is the family head and title is traced through the male line
pharoah
a king of ancient Egypt; considered a god as well as a political leader
pictographs
pictures that stand for words or ideas; picture writing
Rosetta Stone
a huge stone slab inscribed with hieroglyphics; Greek; and a later form of Egyptian that allowed historians to understand Egyptian writing.
Semetic
a major branch of the Afro-Asiatic language family including Hebrew; Arabic; Aramaic; and many more
shaman
an ancient doctor; healer; or priest; they were called upon for religious ceremonies
shi
educated bureaucrats who were one of the three main social groups of ancient China.
social mobility
a change in position within the social hierarchy
Sumerians
people who dominated Southern Mesopotamia through the end of the 3rd Millennium BCE. Responsible for the creation of irrigation technology; cunieform; and religious conceptions.
systems failure
a breakdown of the political; social; and economic systems supporting a civilization
Zhao Dynasty
the imperial dynasty of China from 1122 to 221 BC; notable for the rise of Confucianism and Taoism
3rd century crisis
Rome; barbarian invasions lead to financial stress; new taxes; debased coinage; and inflation created. financial crisis leads to political crisis; social problems also a problem
Actium
the battle where Octavian crushed Antony and Cleopatra and took over the Roman empire
Aristotle
Greek philosopher; teacher of Alexander the Great; knowledge based on observation of phenomena in material world
Ashoka
a ruler of the Mauryan Empire who converted to Buddhism
atman
in Hindu belief; a person’s essential self
Attila
leader of the Huns who put pressure on the Roman Empire’s borders during the 5th century
Augustus Caesar (Octavian)
the founder of the Roman Empire and its first Emperor; ruling from 27 BC until his death in 14 AD.
Buddhism
a world religion or philosophy based on the teaching of the Buddha and holding that a state of enlightenment can be attained by suppressing worldly desire
calligraphy
art of beautiful handwriting
castes
social groups into which people are born and cannot change
varna
a basic subdivision of humanity in the Hindu caste system
jati
sub castes; were groups of people within each caste that worked together for one economic function
classical civilizations
large civilizations with massive size and political strength; complex cultures; numerous and qualitative written records; complex long distance trade; increased contacts with other people; and more direct influence on modern civilization; in the Mediterranean; the Indian subcontinent; and East Asia.
Cleisthenes
made athenian assembly-law making body; granted some citizenship to some imms. and former slaves. set-up council of 500; introduced Ostracism
Cleopatra
last pharaoh of Egypt; had relationships with Julius Caesar and Marc Antony; Octavian’s enemy
Constantine
Roman Emperor (4th century A.D.) who promoted tolerance to all religions in the Roman Empire and legalized Christianity
consuls
chief executives elected to run the government in ancient Rome
Cyrus the Great
king of Persia and founder of the Persian empire (circa 600-529 BC)
Daoism
philosophical system developed by of Lao-tzu and Chuang-tzu advocating a simple honest life and noninterference with the course of natural events
Delian League
an alliance headed by Athens that says that all Greek city-states will come together and help fight the Persians
desertification
the gradual transformation of habitable land into desert
Diocletian
Roman emperor who divided the empire into a West and an East section.
equites
class of business people and landowners in ancient Rome who had wealth and power
Etruscans
the group of people who ruled Rome before Romans revolted
forbidden city
a walled section of Beijing that encloses the palace that was formerly the residence of the emperor of China
Gupta Empire
Golden Age of India; ruled through central government but allowed village power; restored Hinduism
Greek “Classical Age”
500-338 BC; also known as the golden age of Greece.
Han Wudi
extended the Chinese borders to its extent in Imperial China; Trained Civil Services; “Silk Road”
Hellenic culture
of; pertaining to; or characteristic of the ancient Greeks or their language; culture; thought; etc.; esp. before the time of Alexander the Great.
Hellenistic synthesis
the blending of Greek and local cultures on the territories conquered by Alexander the Great’s armies; as a result a distinct new culture emerged
helots
Spartan word for their slaves; who were the conquered Messenians
Hinduism
the major Indian religious system; which had its origins in the religious beliefs of the Aryans who settled India after 1500 B.C.
hoplites
heavily armed Greek infantrymen who marched and fought in close ranks; most of the recruits were middle-class citizens
Julius Caesar
the general during the Roman Republic who took over after the civil war and established Rome as an empire.
Laozi
Chinese Daoist philosopher; taught that governments were of secondary importance and recommended retreat from society into nature.
lateen sail
triangular sail that made it possible to sail against the wind; used in the Indian Ocean trade
Law of the Twelve Tables
Roman code of law administered by Augustus Caesar
Marathon
a battle in 490 BC in which the Athenians and their allies defeated the Persians
Mark Antony
Caesar’s right-hand man; teamed with Octavian to punish Caesar’s murders; fell in love with Cleopatra; went into civil war; at Battle of Actium; he and Cleopatra fled and committed suicide
Mauryan Dynasty
first ruler was Chandragupta Maurya; unified much of the entire subcontinent; large armies with thousands of chariots and elephant borne troops; developed a substantial bureaucracy with a postal service; autocratic government
natural law
a rule or body of rules of conduct inherent in human nature and essential to or binding upon human society
aristocracy
a government in which power is in the hands of a hereditary ruling class or nobility
patricians
the wealthy class in Roman society; landowners
Mycenaeans
first Greek-speaking people; invaded Minoans; dominated Greek world 1400 B.C. to 1200 B.C.; sea traders; lived in separate city-states; invovled in Trojan War against Troy
plebians
members of the lower class of Ancient Rome including farmers; merchants; artisans and traders
patron-client relationship
Ancient Roman: a fundamental social relationship in which the patron-a wealthy and powerful individual-provided legal and economic protection and assistance to clients; men of lesser status and means; and in return the clients supported their patrons
Peloponnesian War
a war in which Athens and its allies were defeated by the league centered on Sparta
Pericles
Athenian leader noted for advancing democracy in Athens and for ordering the construction of the Parthenon.
Phoenicians
located on eastern Mediterranean coast; invented the alphabet which used sounds rather than symbols like cuneiform
phonetic alphabet
an alphabet that contains a different symbol for each individual sound in a language; in this alphabet there is a one to one relationship between sounds and symbols
Plato
(430-347 BCE) qas a disciple of Socrates whose cornerstone of thought was his theory of Forms; in which there was another world of perfection.
polis
a city-state in Ancient Greece
princeps
Latin for “first citizen.” Augustus and other Roman emperors gave themselves this title to distinguish themselves from Hellenistic monarchs
Qin Dynasty
the Chinese dynasty (from 246 BC to 206 BC) that established the first centralized imperial government and built much of the Great Wall
Punic Wars
the three wars waged by Rome against Carthage; 264-241; 218-201; and 149-146 b.c.; resulting in the destruction of Carthage and the annexation of its territory by Rome.
reincarnation
the Hindu or Buddhist doctrine that person may be reborn successively into one of five classes of living beings (god or human or animal or hungry ghost or denizen of hell) depending on the person’s own actions
satraps
governors of provinces in the Persian Empire
Roman Empire
an empire established by Augustus in 27 BC and divided in AD 395 into the Western Empire and the Eastern Empire
scholar-gentry
Chinese class created by the marital linkage of the local land-holding aristocracy with the office-holding shi; superseded shi as governors of China.
secularism
the view that the present well-being of mankind should predominate over religious considerations in civil or public affairs
Socrates
philosopher who believed in an absolute right or wrong; asked students pointed questions to make them use their reason; later became Socratic method
stirrup
device for securing a horseman’s feet; enabling him to wield weapons more effectively. First evidence of the use of stirrups was among the Kushan people of northern Afghanistan in approximately the first century C.E.
Terra Cotta Army
army to protect Shi Huangdi in the afterlife; 700;000 clay soldiers
tribunes
official who was elected by the Plebeians to protect their interests
Triumvirate
in ancient Rome; a group of three leaders sharing control of the government.
tyrants
in ancient Greece; rulers who seized power by force but who ruled with the people’s support; later came to refer to rulers who exercise brutal and oppressive power
Upishads
sacred Hindu texts dealing with metaphysics
Virgil
greatest poet of the Golden Age; called the “Homer of Rome” because the Iliad and the Odyssey served as models for his epic; the Aeneid; focus on Patriotism; it took 10 years to write
Warring States Period
time of warfare between regional lords following the decline of the Zhou dynasty in the 8th century B.C.E.
Xerxes
son of Darius; became Persian king. He vowed revenge on the Athenians. He invaded Greece with 180;000 troops in 480 B.C.
Abraham
the first of the Old Testament patriarchs and the father of Isaac
Bhagavad-Gita
(Hinduism) the sacred ‘song of God’ composed about 200 BC and incorporated into the Mahabharata (a Sanskrit epic)
boddhisatva
Buddhist worthy of nirvana who postpones it to help others
dharma
in Hinduism; the duties and obligations of each caste
diaspora
the dispersion or spreading of something that was originally localized (as a people or language or culture)
ethnic religions
focus on one ethnic group and generally have not spread into other cultures
Hebrew Bible
the name used by Jews for their scripture that is basically the same as Christians’ Old Testament.
Jesus of Nazareth
a teacher and prophet born in bethlehem and active in nazareth; his life and sermons form the basis for Christianity
Judaism
the monotheistic religion of the Jews having its spiritual and ethical principles embodied chiefly in the Torah and in the Talmud
karma
(Hinduism and Buddhism) the effects of a person’s actions that determine his destiny in his next incarnation
Mahabhrata
one of two Indian epics; also a religious text; provides information about the period of intermingling of cultures. The other epic is Ramayana.
moksha
the Hindu concept of the spirit’s ‘liberation’ from the endless cycle of rebirths.
mudras
choreographed hand movements used in the rituals of vajrayana buddhism
nirvana
the lasting peace that Buddhists seek by giving up selfish desires
Paul
(New Testament) a Christian missionary to the Gentiles
Ramayana
one of two classical Hindu epics telling of the banishment of Rama from his kingdom and the abduction of his wife by a demon and Rama’s restoration to the throne
reciprocity
the obligation to return in kind what another has done for us
Rig Veda
a collection of 1;017 Sanskrit hymns composed about 1500 BC or earlier; Hinduism’s oldest sacred text.
Shiva
an important Hindu deity who in the trinity of gods was the Destroyer
universalizing religions
a religion that attempts to appeal to all people; not just those living in a particular location.
Vishnu
a Hindu god considered the preserver of the world
xiao
filial piety; the virtue of reverence and respect for family (CONFUCIANISM)
ren
an attitude of kindness and benevolence or a sense of humanity for Confucianism.
