Midterm

Question 1

Guanyin (def)

Answer 1

most famous of bodhisattvas venerated by East Asian Buddhists; bodhisattva of compassion; mostly depicted as a woman, but sometimes as a man; no caste system in Buddhism

Question 2

Guanyin (date)

Answer 2

venerated as early as 1st century CE

Question 3

Hinduism (def)

Answer 3

created social unity for South Asian cultures starting in India; doctrines of samsara (rebirth), karma, dharma, moksha (release), and the caste (varna) system; a flexible religion that was tolerant of other religions; some of the religious texts are the Upanishads (sayings of wise men) and the Vedas (songs and poems).

Question 4

Hinduism (date)

Answer 4

1700-1100 BCE (17th century BCE- 11th century BCE)

Question 5

4 Noble Truths

Answer 5

important principle in Buddhism taught by Buddha; 1) life is suffering 2) desire/attachments cause suffering 3) end desire will end suffering 4) Eightfold Path

Question 6

Dar al Islam

Answer 6

House of Islam: countries where Muslims can practice their religion freely and they usually represent the majority and are protected by the government. Physical means such as Jihad can be used to absorb a territory into Dar al Islam.

Question 7

5 Pillars of Islam

Answer 7

1) (Creed) Accept Allah as God and Mohammed as prophet 2) Pray 5 times a day facing Mecca 3) Ramadan fasting (fast in day party at night) 4) Alms or charitable giving 5) Hajj, the pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in a lifetime (Shia and Sunni agree on these) Salvation religion- spirit lives on and belief in Day of Judgment

Question 8

Taoism

Answer 8

naturalness, vitality, peace, “non-action” or wu wei, emptiness (refinement), detachment, flexibility, receptiveness, spontaneity, etc. Tao means “the way.” Hakuna Matata; 2nd century BCE, reverence for ancestor spirits

Question 9

Mansa Musa (def)

Answer 9

King of Mali; went on hajj w/ his kingdom, flooded Alexandria with gold (inflation), brought scholars back (translations), and stirred Asian interest in Mali

Question 10

Mansa Musa (date)

Answer 10

1312-1337 CE (14th Century)

Question 11

Saladin (def)

Answer 11

Kurdish Muslim Ayyubid sultan of Egypt and Syria, led Islamic opposition to the Franks and other European Crusaders in the Levant. Eventually recaptured Palestine from the Crusader kingdom of Jerusalem; Sunni/ Sufi

Question 12

Saladin (date)

Answer 12

1138- 1193 CE 12th Century CE

Question 13

Outremer (def)

Answer 13

French for “overseas” general name given to the Crusader states established after the First Crusade

Question 14

Outremer (date)

Answer 14

11th-12th Century CE

Question 15

Shia (632 death of Muhammad)

Answer 15

“followers of Ali” 2nd largest denomination of Islam after Sunni. Followers are called Shi’ites or Shias. Based on the teaching of the Koran and the prophet Mohammed. Believe Mohammed’s family and certain individuals among his descendants are Imams, who has special spiritual and political authority over the community. 7th century CE

Question 16

Sunni “habits” (632 death of Muhammad)

Answer 16

largest branch of Islam. Orthodox. Accept the first four caliphs as rightful successors of Muhammad and accept hadiths narrated by Muhammad’s companions 7th century CE

Question 17

Sufi, also Dervish

Answer 17

inner mystical dimension of Islam; characterized by repeating name of God, asceticism, arose against the worldliness of the early Umayyad Caliphate (661- 750 CE)

Question 18

Abbasid Empire (def)

Answer 18

Overthrew the Umayyad caliphs and attacked their moral character; built by descendants of Muhammad’s youngest uncle. Appealed to the lower class Mawali, who remained outside the kinship-based society. Caliph Harun al-Rashid (800s) became pen pals with Charlemagne and eventually sent him an elephant. Harun al-Rashid was an enlightened ruler, who bought books to be translated into Arabic and later Latin, which eventually led to the Renaissance. Walked the streets as a commoner, and purchased an educated slave woman.

Question 19

Abbasid Empire (date)

Answer 19

750- 1258 CE (ended by Mongols)

Question 20

Confucianism

Answer 20

Chinese ethical and philosophical system developed from teaching of Confucius (551-478 BCE). Family was the basis of society. Humans are inherently good, but they are not all equal. Humanity (Ren), Righteousness (Yi), Ritual (Li), Knowledge (Zhi), filial piety, and many more. Loyalty on the basis of the “Mandate of Heaven” Meritocracy: seek knowledge, study, and become a better person (mobility existed)

Question 21

Confucianism (date)

Answer 21

After Confucius 5th Century CE

Question 22

Charlemagne (date)

Answer 22

742- 814 CE; 8th century

Question 23

Charlemagne

Answer 23

Protected Europe’s western side from the invasion of the Umayyad Empire. He created a viable empire during the Dark Ages (476- 1400) no large empires really. His system of rule was feudal, he was charismatic.

Question 24

Shogun

Answer 24

Military rank and usually hereditary title for the military dictator of Japan. “Shogunate” or bakufu (established after Heian Period by Kamakura period/ Minamoto) in Japanese, which means “tent office”. General who controlled the political and judicial realms of politics, while the emperor was in charge of the religious aspects. Shogunate maintained control by having his feudal lords or daimyo spend half of their time in Tokyo.

Question 25

Heian Period (dates)

Answer 25

794- 1185

Question 26

Heian Period

Answer 26

Last division of classical Japanese history. Period in Japanese history when Buddhism, Taoism, and other Chinese influences were at their height. Considered the high period of Japanese culture. Noted for the rise of the samurai class, which would eventually take power and start the feudal period of Japan. Fujiwara family. Ended by Kamakura period in 1185 when Minamoto established a bakufu, the Kamakura shogunate, in Kamakura.

Question 27

Safavid Empire

Answer 27

One of most significant ruling dynasties of Iran. Origins in the Sufi Order. Often considered the beginning of the modern Persian history. Ruled one of the greatest Persian empires after the Muslim conquest of Persia.

Question 28

Safavid Empire (dates)

Answer 28

1501- 1736

Question 29

Mandate of Heaven

Answer 29

Basis of legitimate power in China. Would bless the authority of a just ruler, but would be displeased with a despotic ruler and withdraw its mandate. Being overthrown symbolized a loss of the mandate.

Question 30

Ibn Battuta (date)

Answer 30

14th century

Question 31

Ibn Battuta (def)

Answer 31

Moroccan and Berber explorer. Known for his extensive travels, which he published in the Rihla “Journey”. Over a period of 30 years he visited most of the Islamic world, and many non-Muslim lands. His travels were enabled due to the safety of Dar al-Islam.

Question 32

Sharia

Answer 32

The moral code and religious laws of Islam.

Question 33

Mohammed (dates)

Answer 33

570- 632

Question 34

Mohammed (def)

Answer 34

Religious, political, and military leader from Mecca who unified Arabia into a single religious polity under Islam. He is believed by Muslims to be a messenger and a prophet of God. Also, considered the last prophet. He was from a poor family, but married a rich merchant. This enabled him to go into the mountains to pray, where he was visited by the angel Gabriel. His teachings were collected into the Quran.

Question 35

Mecca

Answer 35

birthplace of Muhammad and a site of the Muhammad’s first revelation of the Quran. Home of the Kaaba, “sacred house”. Destination of the hajj.

Question 36

Samurai

Answer 36

Military nobility of medieval and early-modern Japan. Followed a set of rules known as bushido. Loyal only to daimyo, not the shogun or emperor.

Question 37

47 Ronin

Answer 37

The revenge of the 47 Ronin took place at the start of the 18th century. The most famous example of the samurai code of honor, bushido.

Question 38

Tokugawa Bakufu (dates)

Answer 38

1600- 1868

Question 39

Tokugawa Bakufu (def)

Answer 39

Established strict hieracrchy with daimyo at the top, then samurai, peasant farmers, artisans, and merchants at the bottom.Taxes on peasants were fixed and did not change with inflation (which caused them to be worth less and less over time). Longest period of peace and stability in its history, which lasted well over 200 years. Ended by Meiji Restoration. Closed Japan to foreign interaction (except with Dutch) because Japan was exporting too much silver. Dutch brought books: Rangaku (Dutch learning). Japan can see west is modernizing.

Question 40

Civil Service Exams/ Imperial Examination

Answer 40

In China, examinations designed to select the best potential candidates to serve as administrative officials. These also provided social mobility. Extensive exams that lasted 3 days, and even graded based on penmanship.

Question 41

Civil Service Exams (dates)

Answer 41

established in 605- 1905 CE

Question 42

Orientalism

Answer 42

Used to label individuals from Asia. Gives power, rallies people, and dehumanizes. Implies the person is “other”, different, inferior, and uncivilized as a justification for their exploitation.

Question 43

Feng Shui

Answer 43

An ancient Chinese system of aesthetics believed to use the laws of both Heaven (astronomy) and Earth (geography) to help improved life by receiving positive qi.

Question 44

Mauryan India (dates)

Answer 44

322- 185 BCE

Question 45

Mauryan India (def)

Answer 45

An extensive Iron Age historical power in ancient India. Acquired more land and adopted Buddhism. One of the world’s largest empires in its time, and the largest ever in the Indian subcontinent. Under Chandragupta, the Mauryan Empire conquered the trans-Indus region, which was under Macedonian rule. Ashoka, Chandragupta’s grandson was a brilliant commander. Reasserted Empire’s superiority in southern and western India. Kalinga is most pivotal event because of its devastation on his populace. It caused him to seek out Buddhism and establish peace.

Question 46

Swahili Coast

Answer 46

has been the site of cultural and commercial exchanges between East Africa and the outside world- particularly the Middle East, Asia, and Europe, since at least the 2nd century CE. Converted to sea-based trade between 500- 800 CE. They used the monsoon winds to go to the Middle East and the Mediterranean. This flourishing trade promoted the exchanged of cultural and religious ideas such as Islam. Towns along coast were built by Africans not Arabs. British gifted building to sultan of Zanzibar. Swahili people may have converted to Islam to avoid being sold into slavery.

Question 47

Zimbabwe

Answer 47

An ancient city built probably around 1200 AD that disproves the long-standing idea that whites arrived in Africa at roughly the same time as Africans. During its heyday in the 14th century it was a metropolis as big as London with a population of 18,000. Used psychological control instead of armies and believed in communion with spiritual or ancestral advisors. Great kingdom surrounded by a wall and had hundreds of cattle. It also provided Swahili Coast with ivory and gold.

Question 48

Pax Romana (def and dates)

Answer 48

“Roman Peace” long period of relative peace and minimal expansion by military foce experience by Roman Empire in 1st and 2nd centuries AD. It was established by Caesar Augustus and sometimes called Pax Augusta. Its span was about 207 years.

Question 49

Crusades (dates)

Answer 49

11th- 13th century religious military campaigns

Question 50

Crusades (def)

Answer 50

Conducted by Catholic Europe against Muslims, pagans, heretics, and people under the ban of excommunication. The Seljuk Turks had moved in to take over the holy lands and made it difficult to make pilgrimages. The Byzantine Empire was on verge of collapse. Unification of churches to send troops into the holy land. Pope Urban II sought to help Byzantine Empire for his acceptance. Marched to the sea, and then had to rely on the Venetians/ Genoese Merchants to get across the sea (had to pay). Became a window for Europe to see the world and realize how small they were on a global scale

Question 51

Qin Shi Huangdi (dates)

Answer 51

3rd century BCE; 259- 210 BCE

Question 52

Qin Shi Huangdi (def)

Answer 52

He became the first emperor of a unified China in 221 BCE. He ushered in nearly two millenia of imperial rule. He undertook gigantic projects including building and unifying various section of the Great Wall of China, the now famous city-sized mausoleum guarded by the life-sized Terracotta Army, and a massive national road system, all at the expense of numerous lives. To ensure stability, Qin Shi Huang outlawed and burned many books and buried some scholars alive.

Question 53

SPAM (social ranks)

Answer 53

in Japan, Samurai, Peasants/ farmers, Artisans, and bottom was Merchants.