AP World History Prologue Vocabulary Flashcards

A set of vocabulary flashcards covering major terms, concepts, and historical definitions from the AP World History Prologue transcript.

Animism

A system of religious beliefs featuring a reverence for deities associated with features of nature, such as animals, specific mountains, or rivers.

Patriarchy

A social system characterized by domination by males.

Agricultural Revolution

A major developmental shift around 10,000 years ago (c. 8000 B.C.E.) in which humans began planting crops and raising animals, leading to food surpluses and population growth.

City-state

An independent state made up of a city and its surrounding territory.

Ziggurats

Monumental religious temples built in the city-states of ancient Mesopotamia.

Cuneiform

The first written language in history, invented by the Sumerians to record trade, taxes, and laws.

Pharaoh

A ruler in ancient Egypt who headed a highly centralized government.

Hieroglyphics

The ancient Egyptian writing system developed in the Nile River valley.

Vedas

Sacred scriptures brought to South Asia by Aryans that taught reincarnation and the organization of society into classes.

Castes

Sharply defined social classes in ancient India taught by the Vedas that prohibited social mobility.

Zoroastrianism

An early monotheistic belief system developed in Persia that focuses on human free will and the eternal battle between good and evil.

Judaism

An influential monotheistic religion tracing its history to Abraham, based on a covenant between the Jewish people and Yahweh.

Mandate of Heaven

The Chinese concept that a universal force provides justification for an emperor and his family to rule.

Confucianism

A philosophy based on the teachings of Confucius that emphasizes education, benevolence, virtue, respect for authority, and filial piety.

Filial Piety

The duty of people to honor their ancestors in Confucian teaching.

Daoism

A Chinese philosophical system focusing on living in harmony with nature through internal reflection.

Silk Roads

Eurasian land routes that facilitated trade, economic security, and cultural exchange between East Asia and the Mediterranean world.

Hellenistic World

The region encompassing Egypt, Persia, and northern India where Greek culture spread following the conquests of Alexander the Great.

Diaspora

The spreading of a population from its original homeland, such as the dispersal of Jewish people throughout northern Africa and Europe.

Entrepôt

A coastal trading center, such as postclassical Constantinople, where goods from multiple regions are imported and exported.

Five Pillars of Islam

The core principles of the Qur'an: belief in Allah, ritual prayer, almsgiving, fasting, and making a pilgrimage to Mecca.

Sharia

An Islamic legal code based on the Qur'an that regulates religious and civic behavior without distinguishing between the two.

Abbasid Caliphate

An influential Islamic empire (750-1258) centered in Baghdad under which Islamic culture experienced a golden age.

Jizya

An additional tax required of non-Muslims in Dar al-Islam in order to keep their faith.

Grand Canal

A waterway stretching over 1,000 miles built during the Sui Dynasty to connect southern agricultural regions to northern population centers in China.

Tributary System

A Chinese policy requiring surrounding kingdoms to pay tribute and submit to Chinese rule in exchange for trading privileges.

Neo-Confucianism

A philosophy melding Confucian, Buddhist, and Daoist principles that developed during the Tang Dynasty and flourished during the Song Dynasty.

Shogun

A military general at the top of the political and social hierarchy in postclassical Japan.

Daimyo

Powerful land-owning nobles in postclassical Japan who commanded samurai warriors.

Shinto

The official religion of Japan, centered on the veneration of ancestors and nature spirits.