Unit 5: Dynastic Empires Flashcards
Silk Road Definition
an ancient network of trade routes that connected China to the Mediterranean Sea and allowed for widespread cultural interaction
Tobchi’an Definition
the Mongolian name for the book The Secret History of the Mongols
Uyghurs Definition
an ethnic minority group from Northwest China
Xi Xia Kingdom Definition
a Chinese kingdom that lasted from 1038 to 1227
Human Geography Definition
the study of how humans use geographic resources and how human activities can be examined based on their physical location
Steppes Definition
vast, treeless plains in Central Asia
Thematic Maps Definition
a map that shows the geographic patterns about a particular topic
Golden Horde Definition
the name given to Ögedei Khan’s army that conquered much of Eastern Europe from 1237 to 1241 CE
Historical Inquiry Definition
the process of locating and analyzing multiple sources to answer questions about history
Siege Warfare Definition
a type of warfare in which an army surrounds an area in the hope of breaking its defenses or cutting off supplies to force a surrender
Autocratic Government Definition
a government in which the leaders have absolute power
Jāmiʿ al-tawārīkh Definition
the first book of world history, written during the Mongol occupation of Iran
Totalitarian Government Definition
a form of government in which the central government has absolute power and existence in the society requires subservience to the state
Viches Definition
the name for the Russian town assemblies that were common before the Mongol conquest
Yam (Mongol) Definition
the name of the messenger service used by the Mongols to help connect troops who were separated in battle or at a distance
Abbasid Caliphate Definition
the Islamic Caliphate centered in the city of Baghdad, known as the birthplace of the Islamic golden age
Bureaucracy Definition
government administrative departments, may make policy
Chagatai Khanate Definition
the Central Asian khanate of the Mongol Empire
Golden Horde Definition
the Russian name for the western khanate, or western part of the Mongol Empire, from the mid-1200s to the late 1300s
Historical Narrative Definition
the complex story of history
Ilkhanate Definition
the Persian khanate of the Mongol Empire
Khanate Definition
the four semi-independent Mongol regions in Eurasia ruled by the sons and grandsons of Genghis Khan
Mamluk Definition
the enslaved soldiers from the Eurasian steppe that came to create their own Sultanate in Egypt
Mandate of Heaven Definition
the Chinese belief that emperors and dynasties are able to rule as long as they have the blessing of the gods
Yuan Dynasty Definition
the Mongol dynasty established in China by Kublai Khan that reunited China after several hundred years of fragmentation
Bubonic Plague Definition
a deadly contagion that originated in China and was transmitted to humans by lice and fleas
Ming Dynasty Definition
the dynastic period (1368–1644 CE) in which the Han ethnic group took back control from the Mongols, best known for its cultural achievements and trade expansion
Red Turban Rebellion Definition
a series of Chinese revolts against the Yuan Dynasty
Timurid Dynasty Definition
the ruling dynasty begun by the Turkic-Mongol leader Tamerlane during the fifteenth century
Pax Mongolica Definition
Latin for “Mongol Peace;” this term describes the era of stability in Eurasia controlled by the Mongols during the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries
Yersinia pestis Definition
the flea that carried the bubonic plague
Civil Service Examination Definition
the imperial system of exams given by various Chinese dynasties to select bureaucrats for governmental service
Sufism Definition
a mystical sect of Islam that emphasizes a direct personal experience with God
Tsar Definition
the title of Russian rulers from the sixteenth century until the Russian Revolution in 1917
Porcelain Definition
a ceramic material used for making tableware and other decorative art
Inscription Definition
A carving on a hard surface
Ming Dynasty Definition
the dynastic period (1368–1644 CE) in which the Han ethnic group took back control from the Mongols and which is best known for cultural achievements and trade expansion
Shogun Definition
a military leader that controlled Japan
Stockade Definition
a structure built for military protection
Tribute Definition
an offering of money or goods, given by one country to another, to show that the giver sees the other country as more powerful; giving tributes can also be a way to gain protection from the more powerful country
Artisan Definition
a skilled worker in a trade; a craftsperson who is an expert in a certain trade
Lucrative Definition
very beneficial or profitable
Maritime Trade Definition
the trade that happens in a way that involves seas or oceans, such as using boats to transport goods from one location to another
Replicate Definition
to make a copy of something
Sanction Definition
to approve; official permission for something
Civil Service Definition
the professional branches of a government’s administration
Famine Definition
a period of time when food is very scarce, usually resulting in starvation and other impacts on affected people
Inflation Definition
the increase in cost of goods due to declining purchasing power of money
Little Ice Age Definition
the period of climate change between the 14th and 19th centuries that saw a decrease in global temperature linked to an increased occurrence of environmental disasters and famine
Manchus Definition
the ethnic minority from northern China that established the Qing Dynasty
Mandate of Heaven Definition
the Chinese belief that emperors and dynasties are able to rule as long as they have the blessing of the gods
Qing Dynasty Definition
the Manchu-led dynasty of China (1644–1912 CE) that also marks the last imperial dynasty in Chinese history
Typhoon Definition
a type of tropical storm specific to the Indian and Pacific Ocean areas; these storms include cyclones
British East Asia Company Definition
the organization formed by British merchants around 1600 to control and expand trade in South Asia
Canton System Definition
a system developed by the Qing Dynasty to control trade with Western nations; focused on only allowing trade based in Guangzhou (Canton) and included a number of regulations to limit Western traders
Opium Definition
a drug created from a specific type of poppy; known for being an addictive narcotic
Artillery Definition
very large weapons, usually gunpowder based, including cannons
Cossacks Definition
the people who lived along the Volga River in what is now Russia; known for their military capabilities and often used as soldiers by Russian rulers
Musketeer Definition
a type of soldier that carried an early style of gun called a musket
Streltsy Definition
the Russian army soldiers who carried guns
Tsar (czar) Definition
the title given to the ruler of Russia; equivalent to emperor or king
Boyars Definition
a title given by the tsar to very high-ranking members of the upper classes in the Russian Empire
Gentry Definition
upper or ruling class
Orthodox Christianity Definition
a branch of Christianity that developed in the Balkan region, separately from the Roman Catholic Church
Aristocrat Definition
someone who belongs to the wealthiest or highest class in a society
Patron Definition
a person of wealth and influence who offers aid to a client
Shrine Definition
a place believed to be holy, often marked by a building or structure
Warlords Definition
the local military rulers who generally controlled small areas
Bushido Definition
the samurai warrior code that stressed loyalty to one’s master, self-discipline, and respectful behavior
Daimyō Definition
the wealthy landowners of Japan
Emperor (Japan) Definition
the figurehead and religious leader of Japan
Feudalism Definition
a social system in which people would work or fight for nobles/landowners in return for protection and use of the land
Hierarchy Definition
a system of separating people by rank according to their status or authority
Samurai Definition
a warrior class that protected the daimyō
Caravel Definition
a relatively light, fast-moving ship designed by the Portuguese in the fifteenth century, which helped make distant global exploration possible
Cartaz Definition
a permit issued by the Portuguese necessary for trade in the Indian Ocean
Furl Definition
a sailing term that means rolling sails up, so they are out of the way and unable to catch the wind
Mast Definition
a tall pole that has sails attached to it on a ship
Capitalism Definition
an economic system in which businesses are privately owned and the business owner seeks to make a profit from the business
Caravan Definition
a large group of people who traveled through the deserts of North Africa and the Middle East
Colony Definition
a permanent settlement established away from a homeland
Favorable Balance of Trade Definition
an economic philosophy that values exports over imports
Mercantilism Definition
the idea that the government should control trade to benefit the state
Nation-state Definition
A self-governing region
Revenue Definition
income or money earned
Age of Exploration Definition
the period in history between the fifteenth century and the eighteenth century during which European explorers traveled throughout the world using new maritime technologies
Astrolabe Definition
a tool that measured the altitudes of celestial bodies that was useful in open seas navigation
Cartography Definition
the science and practice of representing a geographical area, such as on a two-dimensional surface like a map
Colonization Definition
the act of large-scale settling and establishing economic and political control over settled land
Devshirme System Definition
a process in which Ottomans took young Christian boys in the Balkans, converted them to Islam, and then trained them through a series of examinations
Empires Definition
systems of government where there is one authority (individual or group) who rules over a large territory
Henry the Navigator Definition
supporter of the early Portuguese explorations and maritime expansion in the fifteenth century
Janissaries Definition
Ottoman infantry divisions made up of forcibly conscripted Christian boys from the Balkans
Joint-stock Companies Definition
businesses in which multiple individuals invest and jointly own stock and therefore profits
Maritime Empires Definition
empires that rely on sea routes for economic or military expansion
Trading Post Empire Definition
empire created by focusing on monopolizing and controlling trade rather than controlling the people themselves
Vasco da Gama Definition
a Portuguese explorer in the late fifteenth century who explored the Indian Ocean
Armed Trade Definition
a form of trade encouraged and protected by the use of gunpower, such as cannons and firearms
Canton Definition
one of the two Chinese trading posts where Europeans were allowed to trade
Cape of Good Hope Definition
one of the southernmost parts of the African continent; ships traveling from the Atlantic Ocean to the Indian Ocean pass by this point of land
Columbian Exchange Definition
the transfer of commodities, resources, plants, populations, animals, and diseases between the New World and Eurasia
El Mina Definition
the location of one of the most important Portuguese factories in the forested zone of Africa
Factories (Trade) Definition
Portuguese compounds with forts, trading posts, and a community of merchants who ran the compound
Macao Definition
Portuguese colony and port in southern China
Nzinga Mbemba Definition
the ruler of the Kongo from 1507 to 1543; converted to Christianity and changed his name to Afonso I
Sati Definition
the historical Hindu practice in which a widow sacrificed herself by sitting on her dead husband’s funeral pyre
Batavia Definition
the Dutch trading port on the island of Java
British East India Company Definition
the organization formed by British merchants around 1600 to control and expand trade in South Asia
Dutch East India Company Definition
the organization formed by the Dutch in the sixteenth century to control and expand trade in South Asia
Dutch Golden Age Definition
a period of time, beginning in the seventeenth century and continuing into the eighteenth century, in Holland marked by remarkable prosperity and art
Battle of Lepanto Definition
the 1571 defeat of the Ottoman naval forces by the Holy League
Circumnavigation Definition
the act of traveling around an entire area
Ferdinand Magellan Definition
a Portuguese explorer well known for planning the 1519 circumnavigation of the globe by traveling west
Holy League Definition
an allegiance between Spain, Venice, the Holy Roman Empire, England, and the Swiss in the early sixteenth century
