VOCAB LIST: UNIT 1 THE GLOBAL TAPESTRY

Vocabulary flashcards covering key terms from Unit 1: The Global Tapestry.

A'ishah al-Ba’uniyyah

The most prolific female Muslim writer and poet before the 20th century.

Abbasid Caliphate

Dynasty of the Muslim empire that followed the Umayyad Caliphate; destroyed by the Mongol invasion in 1258.

The Analects

Compilation of Confucius' teachings after his death.

Ancestor Veneration

Confucian practice of venerating and praying to ancestors.

Artisans

Skilled manual workers who craft by hand.

Ashoka

Third Mauryan king who promoted Buddhism.

Bantu Migrations

Migration of Bantu-speaking peoples from present-day Nigeria to much of Africa.

Bhakti Movement

Hindu devotional movement emphasizing personal devotion through music, dance, poetry, and rituals to unite with the divine.

Brahman

The ultimate universal spirit in Hinduism; the energy that connects all; also the name of the priestly caste.

Caste System

Rigid Indian social hierarchy defining birth-based social positions.

Champa Rice

Champa rice: fast-maturing, drought-resistant rice enabling two harvests per season.

Chan Buddhism

Chinese Mahayana Buddhist school prominent in Tang and Song dynasties.

Chang'an

Ancient Chinese capital of several dynasties; today known as Xi'an.

Civil Service Exam

Imperial Chinese examination system to recruit bureaucrats.

Chola Dynasty

Tamil maritime empire in southern India; among the longest-ruling dynasties.

Confucianism

Ethics and political philosophy stressing benevolence, filial piety, ancestor worship, and social harmony.

Corvee Labor

Forced unpaid labor demanded by the state, often intermittently.

Crusades

Series of Christian holy wars against nonbelievers.

Daoism

Chinese philosophy favoring harmony with nature and withdrawal from worldly concerns; a spiritual alternative to Confucianism.

Delhi Sultanate

Muslim-ruled kingdom in parts of India from the 13th to 16th centuries; outside the Abbasid Caliphate system.

Dharma

Duties or path determined by birth within the caste system.

Diaspora

Movement of a population away from its homeland, often spreading to new regions.

Eightfold Path

Buddha's path to nirvana.

Ethiopia

Christian-led African kingdom (12th century) known for rock-hewn churches.

Feudalism

Land-for-loyalty system with kings, nobles, vassals, and serfs.

Filial Piety

Confucian virtue of respect and care for parents and elders.

Forbidden City

Walled Beijing palace complex built in the Ming Dynasty where emperors lived between 1121 and 1911.

Four Noble Truths

Buddha's guiding principles regarding suffering.

Grand Canal

Over 1,000 mile-long waterway that boosted Song China's trade.

Great Wall

Defensive fortification built under Shi Huangdi to keep out northern invaders.

Great Zimbabwe

Powerful African state that grew from gold trade in inland Africa.

Gupta Empire

Empire that followed the Maurya and united much of India.

Han Dynasty

China's longest-running dynasty.

Hausa Kingdoms

Group of small independent city-states in northern Central Africa.

Hebrew Bible

Sacred Jewish scriptures with origins, beliefs, and practices of the Israelites.

Heian Period

Japanese period (794–1185) closely tied to Chinese cultural influence.

House of Wisdom

Baghdad center for learning and translation established by al-Mamun.

Imperial Bureaucracy

Large Chinese administration of appointed officials carrying out imperial policies.

Inca Empire

Largest imperial state in the Americas in the 15th–16th centuries; vast Andean domain.

Indian Ocean Maritime System

Trade network across the Indian Ocean and the South China Sea.

Jati

Sub-caste within the Indian caste system.

Judaism

Oldest known monotheistic religion.

Karma

Effects of actions that determine destiny in the next incarnation.

Kowtow

Act of deep respect: kneeling and bowing until the head touches the ground.

Lao Zi

Chinese philosopher who taught retreat into nature and harmony with Dao.

Legalism

Chinese political philosophy stressing strict laws and centralized control.

Mahayana Buddhism

Buddhism focusing on service and compassion; popular in China and Korea.

Majapahit Kingdom

Buddhist Java-based empire (1293–1520) controlling sea routes.

Mali

West African trading empire famed for wealth (gold and trade).

Mamluks

Enslaved soldiers who ruled in parts of the Islamic world.

Mauryan Empire

Unified most of India into a peaceful, prosperous empire and expanded trade.

Mayans

Mesoamerican civilization of independent city-states.

Meritocracy

Exam system that granted Chinese officials their positions.

Mesa Verde

Largest complex of Anasazi cliff-dwellings in the U.S. Southwest.

Moche

Peruvian civilization with irrigation networks and brick temples.

Moksha

Hindu goal: release from the cycle of rebirth and union with Brahman.

Monarchies

Governments ruled by a monarch.

Monastic Living

Religious life of renouncing worldly pursuits for spiritual work.

Monsoons

Seasonal winds that shaped Indian Ocean trade routes.

Mudras

Hand gestures with symbolic meanings in Indian art and dance.

Nasir al-Din al-Tusi

Persian mathematician and celebrated Islamic scholar.

Nirvana

State of liberation from suffering in Buddhism achieved via the Eightfold Path.

Neo-Confucianism

Revival and synthesis of Confucianism with Buddhism/Daoism during Tang & Song.

Oligarchy

Rule by a small group of elites.

Olmec

Earliest known Mexican civilization.

Parthians

Persian dynasty in Iran extending into Mesopotamia.

Pataliputra

Chief political and commercial center of northern India.

Patriarchy

Society in which men hold power in family, governance, and economics.

Polygyny

Polygamy where a man has two or more wives.

Proto-industrialization

Rural households producing more goods than they can sell.

Qin Dynasty

First centralized imperial Chinese state; built much of the Great Wall; used Legalism to unify China.

Rajput Kingdoms

Hindu kingdoms after the fall of the Gupta Empire.

Reciprocity

Mutual exchange of favors or tribute for access to resources.

Reincarnation

Hindu belief that souls pass to other beings after death.

Sanskrit

Classical sacred language of the Vedas in India.

Scholar Gentry

Confucian-educated elite who became China’s influential class.

Shinto

Indigenous Japanese religion worshiping kami in nature.

Shiva

Hindu god; the Destroyer in the Trimurti.

Sinhala Dynasties

Sri Lankan dynasties that were largely Buddhist.

Silk Road

Vast network of trade routes connecting East and West from China to Europe.

Song Dynasty

Chinese dynasty (960–1279) noted for prosperity and cultural achievements.

Srivijaya Empire

Indonesian Hindu sea-based empire based on Sumatra; major trading hub.

Sufis

Mystical Muslims who pursued closeness to God through prayer, fasting, and a simple life.

Sukhothai Kingdom

Thai kingdom that thrived from 1238 to 1438.

Swahili

Bantu-Arabic blended language still spoken today.

Syncretism

Blending elements from more than one religion into a new system.

Tang Dynasty

Chinese dynasty preceding the Song; noted for peace, prosperity, and centralized government.

Teotihuacan

Major Mesoamerican city and cultural center.

Theater State

State gains prestige through attractive cultural forms and public ceremonies.

Theravada Buddhism

Buddhism focused on meditation; common in Southeast Asia.

Tibetan Buddhism

Buddhist tradition in Tibet centered on chanting and ritual.

Trans-Saharan Trade Routes

Trade networks across the Sahara linking West Africa with the broader world.

Universalizing Religion

Religions that seek to convert others; Islam is an example.

Urdu

Language blending elements of Hindi, Arabic, and Persian developed among Muslims in South Asia.

Varnas

Warriors within the Indian caste system.

Vedas

Oldest Hindu scriptures written in Sanskrit.

Vijayanagara Empire

South Indian empire (1336–1646) founded to protect the south from northern sultanates.

Vishnu

Hindu god preserved of the world; one of the principal deities.

Woodblock Printing

Printing method using carved wooden blocks; originated in China.

Xiongnu

Confederation of nomadic Turkish-speaking peoples in Central Asia.