Western Asia and Egypt, India and China, Africa, Asia Flashcards
state with political and economic control over the surrounding countryside
city-state
massive stepped tower on which was built a temple dedicated to chief god or goddess of a Sumerian city
ziggurat
government by divine authority
theocracy
a large political unit or state under control of a single leader that controls many people or territories
empire
many gods
polytheistic
most common of the various titles for ancient Egyptian monarchs; originally meant great house or palace
pharaoh
process of slowly drying a dead body to prevent it from decaying
mummification
one of the 20 provinces into which Darius divided the Persian Empire
satrapy
where was mesopotamia?
between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers; fertile crescent
what two empires took control of the Sumerian city states?
akkadian and babylonian
how did the Nile control life in ancient Egypt?
it was the fastest way to travel the lands and the floods created a feeling of security
first Indo Europeans to use iron
Hittites
how was the jewish religion different from other religions in western Asia and Egypt?
it was monotheistic
how did the Assyrians communicate throughout their empire?
a network of posts was established throughout the empire that used relays of horses to carry messages
what principle was the basis for many of the laws in Hammurabi’s Code?
an eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth
set of categories in ancient India that determined a person’s occupation and economic potential, as well as his or her position in society
caste system
the job people have, who they marry, and what groups they could socialize with
caste
belief that the individual soul is reborn in a different form after death
reincarnation
major Indian religious system, which had its origins in religious beliefs of the Aryans who settled India after 1500 BC
hinduism
in Hinduism, the force generated by a person’s actions that determines how the person will be reborn in the next life
Karma
in Hinduism, the divine law that rules Karma; it requires all people to do their duty based on their status in society
Dharma
in Buddhism, ultimate reality, the end of the self and a reunion with the Great World Soul
nirvana
a religious doctrine introduced in northern India in the sixth century BC by Siddhartha Guatama, known as Buddha or enlightened one
buddhism
route between the Roman Empire and China, named by silk being China’s most valuable produce
silk road
claim by Chinese kings of the Zhou dynasty that they had direct authority from heaven to rule and to keep order in the universe
mandate of heaven
“way” the key to proper behavior under Confucianism
dao
duty of family members to subordinate their needs and desires to those of the male head of the family; confucianism
filial piety
system of political and ethical ideas formulated by the Chinese philosopher Confucius toward the end of the Zhou dynasty
Confucianism
a system of ideas based on the teachings of Laozi
daoism
how were Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro well planned?
both cities were divided into large walled neighborhoods, with narrow lanes separating the rows of houses
describe the five castes in India
- Brahmins: priestly class who performed religious ceremonies
- Kshatriyas: warriors
- Vaisyas-commoners who were merchants and farmers
- Sudras: peasants or servants
what parts of Hinduism did Siddhartha accept, and what part did he reject?
he accepted reincarnation, but rejected the Hindu caste system and having multiple gods
why is Asoka considered to be the greatest ruler in Indian history?
he was a kind ruler; he set up hospitals and ordered that trees and shelters be placed along the road to provide shade for travelers
what are the similarities between the Zhou and Shang dynasties?
they both shared and interest in education, religion, and family structure
what were some of the religious beliefs during the Shang dynasty?
they believed in supernatural forces (oracle bones) and believed in life after death
holy scripture of the religion of Islam
Quran
monotheistic religion that emerged in the Arabian Peninsula during the seventh century AD
Islam
journey of Muhammad and his followers to Madinah in 622
hijrah
law code drawn up by Muslim scholars after Muhammad’s death
shari’ah
pilgrimage to Makah, one of the requirements of the five pillars of Islam
hajj
successor of Muhammad s spiritual and temporal leader of the Muslims
caliph
“struggle in the way of God”
jihad
Muslim group that accepts only the descendants of Muhammad’s son-in-law as the true rulers of Islam
Shia
Muslim group that accepts only the descendants of the Umayyads as the true rulers of Islam
Sunni
Muslim house of worship
mosque
who was the first caliph, or successor to Muhammad?
Abu Bakr
what is the difference between Shia and Sunni Muslims?
Shia Muslims accept only the descendants of Ali as the true rulers of Islam; Sunni Muslims did not all agree with Umayyad rule but accepted the Umayyads as rulers or caliph
what two groups were not considered equal in the Arab empire?
slaves and upper class
what were Islamic achievements in philosophy, math, astronomy, medicine, history, and architecture?
commentaries, Arabic system, algebra, astrolabe, developed medicine as field of study, mosques, arabesques.
how did Muslim scholars preserve the writings of Plato and Aristotle?
they translated the works
practice of growing just enough crops for personal use, not for sale
subsistence farming
mixed African-Arabic culture that developed along the east coast of Africa
Swahili
who was the founder of the kingdom of Mali?
Sundiata Keita
how did the Muslims affect the eastern coast of Africa?
they set up trading ports and spread Islam
gift of money or property paid at the time of marriage, either by the bride’s parents, to the husband or by a husband to his wife
dowry
“those who serve”, Japanese warriors similar to the nights of medieval Europe
samurai
“the way of the warrior”, the strict code by which Japanese samurai were supposed to live
bushido
“the sacred way” or “the way of the Gods”, the Japanese state religion
shinto
a sect of Buddhism that became popular with Japanese aristocrats and became part of the samurai’s code of behavior
Zen
“the teachings of the elders”, a school of Buddhism that developed in India
Theravada
a school of Buddhism that developed in northwest India, stressing the view that nirvana can be achieved through devotion to the Buddha
Mahayana
what were the achievements of the Sui, Tang, and Song Dynasties in China?
- Sui Dynasty: Grand Canal
- Tang Dynasty: created more stable economy, restored civil service examination, peace to northwestern China
- Song Dynasty: economic prosperity, cultural achievement
why did the Chinese people rebel against Sui Yangdi?
high taxes, extravagant and luxurious lifestyle, and military failures
in what ways were the Tang rulers reformers?
they tried to create a stable economy and restored the civil service examination
how were women treated in China during this time?
few Chinese women had power; female children were less desirable than any male children
timeline of Mongols brief time of empire.
- 1206: Genghis Khan became leader of the Mongols
- 1227: Genghis Khan dies; empire change
- 1231: Mongols attacked Persia
- 1258: Mongols defeated Abbasids at Baghdad
- 1260: Mongols attacked Song Dynasty
- 1279: Kublai Khan established new Chinese Dynasty
- 1294: Kublai Khan’s death
- 1368: Zhu Yuanzhang put together an army, ended the Mongol Dynasty, and set up the Ming Dynasty
what inventions did the Mongols learn about from the Chinese?
gunpowder and the fire-lance
why did many Chinese people respect the Mongols?
they respected the stability and economic prosperity the Mongols brought
instruments used by sailors to determine their location by observing the positions of stars
astrolabe
tower of a mosque from which the muezzin calls the faithful to prayer five times a day
minaret
how did the early Arabs make their living?
trade
produced goods for foreign markets, trade empire, colonies, and alphabet
Phoenicians
influenced Christianity and Islam, history and religious beliefs written in Hebrew bible
Israelites
