Midterm Review Vocab

Question 1

Monsoon

Answer 1

Seasonal wind in India, the winter monsoon brings hot and dry weather and the winter monsoon brings rain.

Question 2

Bubonic Plague

Answer 2

Known as the Black Death the Bubonic Plague killed over 1/3 of Europe’s population

Question 3

Hinduism

Answer 3

a major religious and cultural tradition of South Asia, developed from Vedic religion.

Question 4

Buddhism

Answer 4

a religion represented by the many groups (especially in Asia) that profess various forms of the Buddhist doctrine and that venerate Buddha

Question 5

Reincarnation

Answer 5

In Hinduism, belief in the rebirth of the soul in another bodily form.

Question 6

Moksha

Answer 6

In Hindu belief, the ultimate goal of existence, achieving union with Brahman.

Question 7

Nirvana

Answer 7

In Buddhism, union with the universe and release from the cycle of rebirth

Question 8

Eightfold path

Answer 8

the path to nirvana, comprising eight aspects in which an aspirant must become practiced: right views, intention, speech, action, livelihood, effort, mindfulness, and concentration.

Question 9

Sanskrit

Answer 9

an ancient Indic language of India, in which the Hindu scriptures and classical Indian epic poems are written and from which many northern Indian languages are derived.

Question 10

Caste System

Answer 10

In traditional Indian society, unchangeable class group into which a person is born

Question 11

Cultural Diffusion

Answer 11

Spread of ideas, customs, and technologies from one people to another

Question 12

Judaism

Answer 12

the monotheistic religion of the Jews.

Question 13

Christianity

Answer 13

the religion based on the person and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth, or its beliefs and practices.

Question 14

Islam

Answer 14

the religion of the Muslims, a monotheistic faith regarded as revealed through Muhammad as the Prophet of Allah.

Question 15

Ten Commandments

Answer 15

the biblical commandments of Moses

Question 16

Five Pillars

Answer 16

The Five Pillars of Islam are five basic acts in Islam, considered mandatory by believers and are the foundation of Muslim life. They are summarized in the famous hadith of Gabriel. They make up Muslim life, prayer, concern for the needy, self purification and the pilgrimage

Question 17

Torah

Answer 17

(in Judaism) the law of God as revealed to Moses and recorded in the first five books of the Hebrew scriptures (the Pentateuch).

Question 18

Animism

Answer 18

belief that spirits and forces may live in animals, objects or dreams

Question 19

Shintoism

Answer 19

the ancient indigenous religion of Japan lacking formal dogma; characterized by a veneration of nature spirits and of ancestors

Question 20

Four Noble Truths

Answer 20

the four central beliefs containing the essence of Buddhist teaching.

Question 21

Polytheism

Answer 21

belief in more than one God

Question 22

Monotheism

Answer 22

belief in only one God

Question 23

Code of Hammurabi

Answer 23

The Code of Hammurabi is a well-preserved Babylonian law code

Question 24

Brahman

Answer 24

according to Aryan belief, the single spiritual power that resides in all things.

Question 25

Dharma

Answer 25

in Hindu belief, an individual’s religious and mortal duties.

Question 26

Silk Road

Answer 26

an ancient trade route between China and the Mediterranean (4,000 miles)

Question 27

Middle Kingdom

Answer 27

In China, common names for China include Zhongguo and Zhonghua, while Han and Tang are common names given for the Chinese ethnicity.

Question 28

Confucianism

Answer 28

a system of philosophical and ethical teachings founded by Confucius and developed by Mencius.

Question 29

Pax Romana

Answer 29

Roman peace

Question 30

Guilds

Answer 30

in the Middle ages, association of merchants or artisans who cooperated to protect their economic interests

Question 31

Democracy

Answer 31

government in which people hold ruling power

Question 32

Hieroglyphics

Answer 32

form of picture writing developed by the ancient Egyptians

Question 33

Cuneiform

Answer 33

denoting or relating to the wedge-shaped characters used in the ancient writing systems of Mesopotamia, Persia, and Ugarit, surviving mainly impressed on clay tablets.

Question 34

Fertile Crescent

Answer 34

a geographical area of fertile land in the Middle East stretching in a broad semicircle from the Nile to the Tigris and Euphrates

Question 35

Hagia Sophia

Answer 35

a 6th century masterpiece of Byzantine architecture in Istanbul; built as a Christian church, converted to a mosque in 1453

Question 36

Justinian’s Code

Answer 36

Roman law: the legal code of ancient Rome; codified under Justinian; the basis for many modern systems of civil law

Question 37

Terrace Farming

Answer 37

In agriculture, a terrace is a piece of sloped plane that has been cut into a series of successively receding flat surfaces or platforms, which resemble steps, for the purposes of more effective farming.

Question 38

Commercial Revolution

Answer 38

The Commercial Revolution was a period of European economic expansion, colonialism, and mercantilism which lasted from approximately the 16th century until the early 18th century.

Question 39

Chivalry

Answer 39

code of conduct for knights during the Middle Ages

Question 40

One Hundred Year War

Answer 40

the series of wars fought intermittently between France and England; 1337-1453

Question 41

Manorlism

Answer 41

Manorialism, an essential element of feudal society,[1] was the organizing principle of rural economy that originated in the villa system of the Late Roman Empire,[2] was widely practiced in medieval western and parts of central Europe, and was slowly replaced by the advent of a money-based market economy and new forms of agrarian contract.