Period 2 Vocabulary (Islam - Venice)

Question 1

Islam

(Religion)

Answer 1

The religious faith of Muslims, including belief in Allah as the soledeity and in Muhammad as his prophet. Islam is a monotheistic religion centered primarily around the Quran, a religious text considered by Muslims to be the direct word of Allah. Muslims believe in the Five Pillars of Islam which include Shahada (profession of faith), Salat (daily prayers), Zakat (giving), Saum (fasting during Ramadan), and Hajj (pilgrimage to Mecca). Islam spread very quickly as a result of global trade routes to and from Mecca, military conquests of territories, and fair treatment of people. Islam split into two different types, Sunni and Shia, as a result of the conflict between empires and the death of Muhammad. The Sunni believed that the leader of Islam should be selected by the Islamic community, while the Shia believed that the leader of Islam should derive from the bloodline of Muhammad.

Question 2

Luxury Goods

(Economics)

Answer 2

An item or good not necessary to live, but is deemed highly desirable within a culture or society. Luxury goods tend to be sensitive to a person’s income or wealth, meaning that as wealth rises, so do purchases of luxury items. These items were usually reserved for the elite and people of high status or wealth. As merchants traveled further away from the place where the item was made, the price increased. These luxury goods such as gold, silk, and ivory were traded via trade routes throughout Afro-Eurasia.

Question 3

Marco Polo

(Intellectual)
(Socio-cultural)

Answer 3

Merchant, explorer and writer who travelled through Asia along the Silk Road. He worked closely with the Chinese emperor and had knowledge of 4 Asian languages. His travels are recorded in the Travels of Marco Polo, which is a book that described to Europeans the mysterious culture and the inner workings of the Eastern world, including the wealth and great size of the Mongol Empire and China in the Yuan Dynasty. The book talked little about himself and more about the social and economic practices of the people he meets. Polo was also considered an outsider due to him being Christian and not Muslim.

Question 4

Melaka
(Economics)
(Political)
(Geography)

Answer 4

State in Malaysia located in the southern region of the Malay Peninsula, next to the Strait of Malacca. Due to its location, it was a very strategic position for international trade routes. In fact, it developed into the most important trading port in Southeast Asia. Many different cultures and ethnicities traded here, including Indian, Arab, and European merchants, leading to lots of diversity and a rich cultural heritage.

Question 5

Mexican

(Economics)
(Political)
(Geography)

Answer 5

The people who occupied territory in Mesoamerica, and the capital city, Tenochtitlan (located in what today is Mexico City). They developed a system of feudalism, which had similarities to that of Japan and Europe and were ruled by a single monarch, who exerted power over local rulers. The people had an agricultural economy, where farmers cultivated crops in rectangular plots of land on lake beds. Society was mainly patriarchal, however, women were able to own property and agree to business contracts.

Question 6

Minting of Coins

(Economics)
(Technology)

Answer 6

The process of manufacturing coins using a kind of stamping. Ghana’s gold gained in value and became a major supplier of gold to the worked economy as a result of Europe minting coins. Minting coins facilitated trade by creating trade organizations like the Hanseatic League, and the creation of commercial infrastructure like the Grand Canal in China contributed to commercial growth. Helped the process of monetization.

Question 7

Monetization

(Economics)
(Technology)

Answer 7

The action or process of earning revenue from an asset, business, etc. As the Mongols began to take control of Asia and the Silk Roads, more and more caravans and inns were used. Paper money from China began to use farther west, and modern market economies developed. China used this as a way to convert their monopoly on silk and porcelain into money.

Question 8

Mongols

(Political)
(Geography)
(Economics)
(Socio-cultural)

Answer 8

Members of a Central Asian ethnographic group of closely related tribal peoples who live mainly on the Mongolian Plateau and share a common language and nomadic tradition. They were known for their brutality and laws, but they also had positive impacts on the territories which they conquered. They were strong leaders who aided in the growth of the economy as well as diffusion across the empire. The Mongols made travel safe for travelers and merchants on the Silk Road.

Question 9

Waru Waru

(Intellectual)
(Technology)
(Economics)

Answer 9

An Aymara term for the agricultural technique developed by pre-Hispanic people in the Andes region of South America from Ecuador to Bolivia. It consists of raised beds and irrigation to prevent soil erosion from doing damage during floods. It also helps to collect water, but at the same time drain it so that it will not be affected by brutal floods. This led to an extended growing season and for a larger food supply.

Question 10

Muhammad

(Religion)

Answer 10

The Arab prophet who was the last messenger of Allah and through whom the Qua’ran was revealed, and the religion of Islam established. He was born around 570 AD in Mecca and was raised by his grandfather and then his uncle. Later on in his life (610) he had his first revelation given to him by the angel Gabriel. In 632, he had his last revelation revealed that God has sent mercy for the people of the world. Muhammad died in June of 632.

Question 11

Muslim

(Socio-cultural)
(Religion)

Answer 11

Followers of Islam. Muslims are monotheistic and worship one, all-knowing God, who in Arabic is known as Allah. They aim to live a life of complete submission to Allah. Followers of Islam believe that nothing can happen without Allah’s permission, but humans have free will. A key component of their beliefs in the Five Pillars of Islam which include Shahada (profession of faith), Salat (daily prayers), Zakat (giving), Saum (fasting during Ramadan), and Hajj (pilgrimage to Mecca).

Question 12

Neo-Confucianism

(Religion)

Answer 12

A revival of Confucian teachings during the Tan Dynasty and Song Dynasty and a subsequent synthesis of Confucianism with aspects of Buddhism and Taoism. It reached the height of it’s cultural significance during the Northern Song Dynasty. It can be characterized as humanistic and rationalistic. It was built on the beliefs that the universe could be understood through human reason, and that it was up to humanity to create a harmonious relationship between the universe and tine individual.

Question 13

Novgorod

(Economics)
(Political)
(Geography)

Answer 13

A city in Russia on the Volkhov River. It was the main Russian port for many centuries and was important for Baltic sea trade. The city participated in the Hansa Union (the Union of the richest Baltic ports). One of the main routes for medieval Europe lead through Novgorod, and it was on the way from Northern Europe to Rome Empire and Constantinople.

Question 14

Urbanization

(Political)
(Geography)
(Religion)
(Economics)
(Socio-cultural)

Answer 14

Rapid population growth, leading to a process of equally rapid building of houses and cities. This led to a major growth of inhabitants in Europe, which in turn lead to commercial and industrial centers. An example of this is the Bantu Migration where people migrated from Western Africa southward and eastward, spreading out across the southern half of the African continent to get away from natural diseases and diseases. Another example is the Polynesian migration where Polynesians go eastward to Hawaii in boats to spread their culture, bring the caste system, military leadership, and religious beliefs.

Question 15

Paper Money

(Economics)
(Technology)
(Socio-cultural)

Answer 15

Money in the form of banknotes. It was an invention of the Song Dynasty in China. It was used to convert their monopoly on silk and porcelain into money through monetization along the trade routes. It also began to be used farther west, and modern market economies developed as a result. A small problem with paper money is counterfeiting and inflation.

Question 16

Pathogens

(Socio-cultural)
(Economics)
(Political)
(Geographical)

Answer 16

Any disease-producing agent. An example of this is the black death. Which is an outbreak of the bubonic plague that spread across Asia, North Africa, and Europe. It spread by flea-ridden rats on boats and fleas on the bodies and clothes of travelers. This was caused by a bacterium Yersinia (Y) pestis.

Question 17

Polynesian Migration

(Political)
(Geographical)
(Economics)
(Socio-cultural)

Answer 17

The Polynesian people came from present day China and Taiwan. The migration took place in waves, and the first place the Polynesians reached was the Philippines. They migrated due to overpopulation. The effects of this migration was spread of agriculture and influence on language.

Question 18

Precious Metals

(Economics)
(Socio-cultural)
(Political)
(Religion)
(Art)

Answer 18

Metals that are rare and have a high economic value due to various factors, including their scarcity, use in industrial processes, hedge against currency inflation, and role throughout history as a stored value. The most popular precious metals are gold, platinum, and silver. These metals were traded via the Saraha trade routes, the Silk Road, and maritime routes. They were also preserved mainly for the wealthy and elite.

Question 19

Unfree Labor

(Socio-cultural)

Answer 19

Generic or collective term for those work relations, in which people are employed against their will by the threat of destitution, detention, violence, lawful compulsion, or other extreme hardship to themselves or to members of their families. This includes all forms of slavery and penal labor. Slaves were traded by maritime routes, the Silk Road, and trade routes throughout Africa. People who were conquered by empires or dynasties such as the Mongols usually worked against their will and would be considered unfree labor.

Question 20

Printing

(Socio-cultural)
(Technology)

Answer 20

The production of books, newspapers, or other printed material. Scribes were responsible for creating much of the printed material. Some began experimenting with ways to make books easier to reproduce, and eliminate human errors made in the copying process. The innovation of the printing press enabled people to share knowledge more quickly and widely. The printing of books was used widely by the Timbuktu’s scholars and in the libraries.

Question 21

Silk

(Economics)
(Socio-cultural)
(Religion)

Answer 21

A fine, strong, soft lustrous fiber produced by silkworms in making cocoons and collected to make thread and fabric. Silk is also spun by some insect larvae and by most spiders. It was a major export and monopoly for China on the silk roads. It was considered a luxury good and could only be bought by the elite and upper class.

Question 22

Spices

(Economics)
(Socio-cultural)

Answer 22

An aromatic or pungent vegetable substance used to flavor food. Spices included sugar, salt, black pepper, cinnamon, ginger, saffron, nutmeg, mace and cloves. Many of the world’s most valuable spices came from China, India, and the Indonesian islands, including the Moluccas. They were considered luxury goods and could only be bought by the lite and upper class.

Question 23

Sogdians

(Political)
(Geography)
(Economics)
(Socio-cultural)

Answer 23

Iranian people whose homeland, Sogdiana, was comprised of oasis towns strategically located at the center of several Silk Road routes in present-day Uzbekistan and Tajikistan. They were conquered by Alexander the Great on his journey east across Asia. The Sogdians reached a peak of wealth and prominence during the 4th into the 8th centuries CE. Sogdiana was made up of a patchwork of oasis towns and rich agricultural land, uniquely placed between the great empires of the Asian continent.

Question 24

Terracing

(Geography)
(Technology)
(Economics)

Answer 24

Make or form into a number of level flat areas resembling a series of steps. The essential feature of terracing agriculture is excavating and moving topsoil to form farmed areas and ridges. The trick is that water flows down to lower platforms when the upper ones are full, therefore, distributing the water more easily and not just at the foot of the hill. Ancient civilizations in Peru often constructed terraces in very seep, mountainous areas allowing agriculture.

Question 25

Southeast Asia

(Geography)

Answer 25

Bordered to the north by East Asia, to the west by South Asia and the bay of Bengal, to the east by Oceania and the Pacific Ocean, and to the south by Australia and the Indian Ocean. It was home to the Khmer Empire which was a powerful state lasting from 802 CE to 1431 CE. At its peak, the land-based empire covered much of what today is Cambodia, Thailand, Laos, and southern Vietnam. The Srivijaya Empire was an Indonesian Hindu empire based on the island of Sumatra, Indonesia, which influenced much of Southeast Asia. It was an important center for trade between China and India. Lastly, the Majapahit Kingdom was a smaller Javan Buddhist kingdom that controlled the shipping lane leading to and from the Strait of Malacca.

Question 26

Sugar

(Economics)
(Socio-cultural)

Answer 26

A sweet crystalline substance obtained from various plants, especially sugar cane and sugar beet, consisting essentially of sucrose, and used as a sweetener in food and drink. Sugar was traded via the silk road and maritime routes. It was considered a luxury item and was a symbol of rank and status in society. It was very expensive and was considered a “fine spice”.

Question 27

Swahili City-States

(Political)
(Geographical)
(Technology)
(Economics)
(Socio-cultural)

Answer 27

These city-states flourished along the Swahili Coast and adjacent islands. It included Kilwa, Malindi, Gedi, Pate, Comoros and Zanzibar. The early city-states were Muslim, cosmopolitan, and politically independent of one another. They traded across the Indian Ocean, gaining wealth from ivory, rhino horns, tortoise shells, and palm oil.

Question 28

Swahili Language

(Socio-cultural)

Answer 28

Kiswahili; Native language of the Waswahili (Swahili City-States) who are found along the East African coast and coastal Islands. Africa was largely tribal or clan-based, however, smaller communities led by a chief, work with and have conflict with other communities in the area. Islam, the Trans-Saharan Trade Network and the Indian Ocean Trade Network unified many of these clans. Because of this unification the Swahili language became a well used in trade in throughout this region.

Question 29

Serfdom

(Socio-cultural)
(Economics)
(Geographical)

Answer 29

The status of many peasants under feudalism, specifically relating to manorialism and similar systems. Each country had different ideas of serfdom. European serfdom was a form of unpaid labor that dominated Europe. Serfs had their own land, but had to work a plot of land for the lord. Japanese serfdom mirrored the European serfdom at that time. However, Japanese serfs owed their lords and would pay it back in the form of coerced labor and/or military service. The Incan Empire required all males to complete mandatory public service.

Question 30

Tenochtitlan

(Political)
(Geographical)
(Socio-cultural)

Answer 30

Capital of the Aztec empire and was founded by the Aztec or Mexica people. It was laid out symmetrically, with four sectors separated by four causeways or canals surrounding the central area that had temples for the gods and the ruler’s palaces. Each of the four sectors had its own services that included a religious precinct and was occupied by craftspeople like weavers, sculptors, and potters. Destroyed in the fighting, or was looted, burned, or destroyed after surrender to the Spanish.

Question 31

Timbuktu

(Political)
(Geographical)
(Religion)
(Economics)
(Socio-cultural)

Answer 31

City in Mali, situated 20km north of the Niger River. Timbuktu was the center of Islamic scholarship under several African empires, home to a 25,000-student university and other people that served as wellsprings for the spread of Islam throughout Africa. The city traded salt, gold, ivory, and slaves. It became an entrepot for the trans-Sahara salt trade and gold trade (later on slave trade) allowing North African merchants to settle there and eventually became a center of Islamic learning. Best known for its famous Djinguereber Mosque and prestigious Sankore University established under the ruler Mansa Musa.

Question 32

Toltec

(Political)
(Economics)
(Socio-cultural)

Answer 32

A member of the indigenous people that flourished in Mexico before the Aztecs. The birth of the Toltecs marked the rise of militarism in Mesoamerica. They also were noted as builders and craftsmen and have been credited with the creation of fine metalwork, monumental porticoes, serpent columns, gigantic statues, carved human and animal standard bearers, and peculiar reclining Chac Mool figures. This exerted a considerable influence over Mesoamerica through their trade empire.

Question 33

Turkic Language

(Socio-cultural)

Answer 33

A language family of at least 35 documented languages, spoken by the Turkic peoples of Eurasia from Eastern Europe and Southern Europe to Central Asia, East Asia, North Asia, and Western Asia. Became lingua franca of early medieval Eurasia. This language originated from Middle Aisa. Turkish is the most common of the Turkic language in the Altaic language family. It evolved from the ancient Altaic language as Japanese, Korean, Mongolian, and other Turkic languages.

Question 34

Porcelain

(Economics)
(Political)

Answer 34

A white vitrified translucent ceramic originally made in China. China had a monopoly on this product for many years. It was transported via trade routes such as the Silk Road and maritime routes. Porcelain was considered a luxury item that was meant only for the elite.

Question 35

Venice

(Political)
(Geographical)
(Economics)

Answer 35

City in northeastern Italy built on a group of 118 small islands that are separated by canals. It is situated at the north end of the Adriatic Sea and was for hundreds of years the richest and most powerful center of Europe due to its large-scale profits from the adjacent middle European markets. It was a major center of trade with the Arabs and indirectly the Indians during the Middle Ages. It also served as origin of the economic development and integration of the rest of Europe during the Middle Ages.