Unit Two - The Classical Era Flashcards
impacts of city-building and agriculture
deforestation, desertification, soil erosion, silted rivers
aqueduct
an artificial channel used to convey water
qanat
an underground tunnel used to carry water from a hill to a nearby village
“floating islands”
floating masses of aquatic plants and mud
early epidemics
smallpox, measles, bubonic plague
Mediterranean architecture
columns, domes, Parthenon, Pantheon
Confucianism
- Chinese philosophy
- founded by Kong Fuzi
- filial piety
- 5 key relationships
Legalism
- harsh system of the Qin dynasty
- Han Fei (scholar)
- promoted by Qin Shihuangdi
Daosim
- Chinese philosophy founded by Laozi
- promoted “returning to nature”
- universe is governed by dao (the “way” or “path”)
Chinese architecture
Great Wall, grid layout, pagodas
Great Wall of China
- protected from northern nomads
* world’s largest grave
Hindusim
- emerged from Vedism
- no known founder
- Upanishads/Vedas
- caste system
- karma, dharma, reincarnation
Christianity
- monotheistic
- based on teachings of Jesus
- holy text = The Bible
Buddhism
- founded by Siddhartha Gautama
- philosophy
- focus on achieving enlightenment
- Four Noble Truths, Eightfold Path, Five Moral Rules
dhow
an Arabic sailing vessel with lateen sails
syncreticism
mixing elements of multiple religions
Greco-Roman philosophy
- famous philosophers - Socrates, Pericles, Aristotle
* some polytheism (Greek and Roman gods)
Hellenistic Empire
empire of Alexander the Great’s conquered lands
Roman Empire
large empire that came to include all of the Mediterranean at its height
democracy
a system of government in which power is given to the people
republic
a system of government in which power is given to individuals of the general population
Persian Empire
Middle-Eastern empire
Darius the Great
ruler of the Persian Empire at its peak
Cyrus the Great
founder of the Persian Empire
Alexander the Great
Greek king who came to conquer many lands and form the Hellenistic Empire
Xiongnu
frontier nomads outside of China
satraps
provisional governors of the Persian Empire
Qin dynasty
- third Chinese dynasty
- imperial conquest
- Legalism
- Great Wall
Han dynasty
- fourth Chinese dynasty
- Confucianism
- Han Wudi
Period of Warring States
Chinese era of political disunity following the fall of the Zhou dynasty
civil service examinations
Chinese system of choosing members of its bureaucracy
China’s tributary system
system for managing foreign relations
Mauryan Empire
- Indian empire
* Ashoka - converted to Buddhism and so did many others
Gupta Empire
decentralized imperial experiment in India following the collapse of the Mauryan Empire
Silk Road
popular trade network that connected Eurasia
trans-Saharan trade
caravan routes through the Sahara Desert
Indian Ocean trade
trade across the Indian Ocean
Mediterranean trade
trade throughout the Mediterranean Sea
new economic systems
standard currencies, weights, measures
mit’a
mandatory public service in the Inca Empire
corvée
unpaid labor imposed on the lower classes
plebians vs. patricians
- plebians = lower class of Ancient Rome
* patricians = upper class of Ancient Rome
diaspora communities
large group of people with a similar heritage or homeland who have since moved out to places all over the world
sati
Indian practice of a wife jumping onto her husband’s funeral pyre
serfdom
the status of peasants under feudalism
Shintoism
ancient religion of Japan
Law of Manu
Hindu text justifying the caste system
Theravada Buddhism
older branch; emphasizes simplicity and Buddha’s actual teachings
Mahayana Buddhism
newer branch; involves more ritual and symbology
The Analects
teachings of Confucius; compiled by his followers after his death
Constantine
legalized Christianity in the Roman Empire and ended persecution of Christians
Pillars of Ashoka
walls and towers in Pataliputra inscribed with Buddhist teachings
Punic Wars
wars between Rome and Carthage
Peloponnesian War
war between Athens and Sparta
pax Romana
Roman peace
Moche
Andean civilization
llama
principle pack animal of the Andes
galley
oared ship used in the Mediterranean
monsoon winds
seasonal winds that influenced Indian Ocean trade
Ghana
one of the first organized states in sub-Saharan Africa
Chang’an
China’s chief economic city in the Classical Era
junk
Chinese cargo ship
Caesar Augustus
first emperor of the Roman Empire
Qin Shihuangdi
first Chinese emperor
Ban Zhao
author of Lessons for Women
Vedas
large body of ancient texts from India
Upanishads
Hindu texts containing basic principles of the religion
Bhagavad Gita
700-verse Hindu scripture that is part of the Hindu epic Mahabharata
yin and yang
- yin = female (darkness)
* yang = male (brightness)
Wang Mang
Chinese official who attempted unsuccessful land reforms
scholar-gentry
Chinese class of wealthy, educated officials
Yellow Turban Rebellion
Chinese peasant uprising
varna
four broad ranks of Hindu society (excluding untouchables)
jati
sub-castes or groups in the Indian caste system that are based on occupation
Spartacus
Roman gladiator who led a massive slave uprising
three obidiences
a Confucian set of moral principles for women
Empress Wu
only woman to rule China in her own name; expanded the empire and supported Buddhism
Aspasia
concubine to Pericles; had influence over his decisions
helots
serfs in ancient Sparta
Meroe
wealthy Nile Valley civilization
Axum
Christian kingdom in Ethiopia
Niger Valley civilization
a stateless civilization in the Niger Valley
Maya civilization
classical civilization of Mesoamerica
Cahokia
center of the mound-building peoples of North America
hoplite
a Greek citizen-soldier
