Chapter 14 Flashcards
nomadic group from central Asia; dominant group by 1100s; became expert cavalry, skilled with bows and arrows; conquered Asia including Persia through China
Mongols
group of ppl based on family ties
clan
“universal ruler” – great leader of Mongols who organized nomadic clans into one government. Cavalry became the most skilled fighting force of the time
Genghis Khan
Turkish Mongol chief in 1390s; Muslim who wanted to spread Islam; extended rule over much of the Middle East
Timur Lenk ( Tamerlane )
most influential city in central Asia during late 1300’s; known for elaborate mosques. Associated with the idea of far away, romantic places
Samarkand
a system in which ppl are chosen and promoted for their talents and performances; used in early Chinese governments
Meritocracy
wealthy elite group who passed civil service exams in China
Mandarins
method of printing used by Chinese; text carved into block of wood which was then inked; paper was passed onto the wood
Block printing
emperor of China; moved capital of China to Beijing; visited by Marco Polo.
Kublai Khan
Venetian sailor whose tales of a visit to China fascinated and astounded Europeans
Marco Polo
5 technological advances made by the Chinese:
1- block printing 2- gunpowder 3- porcelain 4- compass 5- bamboo-tube rocket launchers
Chain of islands, such as the Philippines and Indonesia
Archipelagos
intricately patterned cloth made in Southeast Asia ( uses wax to trace design )
Batik
religious belief of Southeast Asia that spirits inhabit living and nonliving things
Animism
temple complex in Cambodia covering nearly a square mile; carvings depict Hindu gods; also used as an astronomical observatory
Angkor Wat
belief that good and evil spirit inhabit both living and nonliving things. Shamans are priest who interceded btwn the spirit world and humans; popular in Korea
Shamanism
form of animism meaning “the way of the gods” – became a religion in Japan
Shinto
Japanese landowner-warriors; owed feudal allegiances to an overlord; fought on horseback with bows, arrows, steel swords; followed a strict code of honor that stressed bravery, self-discipline, and loyalty; required suicide if defeated or dishonored
Samurai
general; title given by an emperor; had most of real political and military power in the area he ruled
Shogun
“divine wind” – a typhoon had saved Japan from Mongol invasion in 1281; the term later used for suicide pilots in WWII
Kamikaze
most powerful samurai
Daimyo
form of Buddhism followed by the samurai; taught the individual had to live in harmony with nature; harmony achieved through a deep religious understanding called enlightenment. Rejected book of learning; taught bodily discipline and meditation; taught warrior to act instinctively; perfected art forms and rituals such as the teas ceremony and Japanese gardens
Zen
