Land-Based Empires and Maritime Expansion (1450-1750)

Ottoman Empire

Longest-lasting empire in modern history (1299-1922).

Fall of Constantinople

1453 event ending Byzantine Empire, renamed Istanbul.

Mehmet II

Ottoman sultan who conquered Constantinople.

Safavid Empire

Shi'a Islamic empire founded in 1501.

Shah Ismail I

Founder of the Safavid Empire.

Mughal Empire

Unified Indian subcontinent under Muslim rule (1526-1857).

Sikhism

New religion emerging during Mughal rule.

Jainism

Ancient Indian religion coexisting with Mughal rule.

Manchu Dynasty

Qing Dynasty ruling China from 1644-1911.

Nurhaci

Leader who united Manchus and invaded Ming China.

Dyarchic Bureaucracy

Government structure with Han and Manchu officials.

Queue hairstyle

Mandatory hairstyle enforced by Qing Dynasty.

Emperor Kangxi

Longest-reigning Chinese emperor (61 years).

Sacred Edict

Kangxi's support for Confucianism (1670).

Kangxi Dictionary

Standardized written Chinese language (1710).

Russian Empire

Established in 1462, lasted until 1917.

Ivan III

Grand Prince of Moscow, expelled Mongols.

Tsar/Czar

Title meaning 'Caesar', adopted by Ivan III.

Ivan IV 'The Terrible'

Grandson of Ivan III, known for tyranny.

Oprichniki

Ivan IV's secret police, known for brutality.

Ivan IV's son

Killed by Ivan IV in a fit of rage.

Peter the Great

Russian Tsar who modernized the empire (1682-1725)

St. Petersburg

New capital city established by Peter the Great

Songhai Empire

West African empire known for military conquests (1375-1591)

Sakoku

Tokugawa policy of national seclusion in Japan

Triple Alliance

Aztec coalition of Tenochtitlan, Texcoco, Tlacopan

Devshirme

Ottoman practice of conscripting Christian boys

Janissary

Elite infantry of the Ottoman Empire

Mit'a system

Incan labor tax system for public works

Zamindars

Tax collectors in the Mughal Empire

Blue Mosque

Ottoman architectural masterpiece in Istanbul (1616)

Taj Mahal

Mughal mausoleum symbolizing wealth and power (1653)

Coricancha

Incan Sun Temple in Cusco, later converted

Bureaucratic Elites

Governance by educated officials in empires

Suleiman the Magnificent

Ottoman sultan known for military expansion

Kangxi Emperor

Qing ruler known for cultural patronage

Human Sacrifice

Aztec religious practice for appeasing gods

Shi'a Islam

Branch of Islam promoted by the Safavid Empire

Neo-Confucianism

Philosophical revival influencing Qing governance

Absolute Monarchy

Political system where monarch holds total power

Naboo

Fictional planet referenced for cultural context

Civil Service Exams

Qing method for selecting bureaucratic officials

Art as Legitimization

Using architecture to reinforce imperial authority

Safavid Empire

Unified by Shi'a Islam as a belief system.

Qing Dynasty

Governed by principles of Neo-Confucianism.

Russia's Third Rome

Claimed religious authority as the successor to Rome.

Songhai Empire

Combined Islam with local animistic beliefs.

Tokugawa Shogunate

Practiced isolationism to maintain control.

Shi'a vs. Sunni

Conflict between Safavid and Ottoman/Mughal empires.

Sikhism

Founded by Guru Nanak, emphasizing service and truth.

Protestant Reformation

Religious movement challenging Catholic Church authority.

Martin Luther

Criticized indulgences in the 95 Theses (1517).

John Calvin

Introduced the concept of predestination.

Divine Right

Monarchs justified rule as ordained by God.

Caravel

15th-century ship design for exploration.

Carrack

Ocean-going ship with multiple masts for trade.

Fluyt

Dutch ship that doubled cargo capacity and reduced crew.

Lateen Sail

Triangular sail enabling navigation against the wind.

Astrolabe

Instrument for measuring celestial bodies' positions.

Compass

Navigational tool indicating cardinal directions.

Zheng He

Chinese explorer known for maritime expeditions.

Prince Henry the Navigator

Supported exploration and navigation technology advancements.

Bartolomeu Dias

First European to round Africa's southern tip.

Vasco da Gama

First to reach India by sea around Africa.

Treaty of Tordesillas

Divided New World territories between Spain and Portugal.

Northwest Passage

Hypothetical sea route to Asia via North America.

John Cabot

Italian explorer who claimed North America for Britain.

Francis Drake

English sea captain known for raiding Spanish ships.

Walter Raleigh

English explorer who attempted to establish Roanoke.

Roanoke

First English settlement attempt in North America, 1585.

Jamestown

First permanent English settlement in America, 1607.

East India Company

Dutch trading company for Asian trade.

West India Company

Dutch trading company for American trade.

Henry Hudson

Explorer who founded New Amsterdam in 1609.

Jacques Cartier

French explorer who claimed Canada for France.

Samuel de Champlain

Founded Quebec in 1608, known as 'Father of New France'.

Columbian Exchange

Transfer of goods, diseases, and livestock between continents.

Miasma theory

Historical belief that diseases were caused by bad air.

Encomienda system

Labor system granting land and indigenous labor to settlers.

Indentured servitude

Labor system where individuals work for passage to America.

Chattel slavery

System where individuals are treated as property.

Portuguese Empire

First maritime empire, focused on trade and exploration.

Potosi

Major silver mining city in colonial Bolivia.

Inflation

Economic increase in prices due to excess silver.

Asante

West African kingdom that prospered from trade.

Kongo

Central African kingdom that engaged in trade with Europeans.

Inca

South American civilization that was conquered by Spain.

Aztec

Mesoamerican civilization that fell to Spanish conquest.

The Castas

Racial classification system in colonial Spanish America.

Peninsulares

Spanish-born individuals residing in the Americas.

Creole

Americans of Spanish descent born in the colonies.

Mestizo

Person of mixed European and Indigenous ancestry.

Mulatto

Person of mixed European and African ancestry.

Encomienda system

Labor system granting land and Natives to Spaniards.

Viceroyalty of New Spain

Spanish colonial administration in present-day Mexico.

Viceroyalty of New Granada

Spanish territories in Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador.

Viceroyalty of Peru

Spanish rule over Peru, Chile, Bolivia.

Viceroyalty of the Rio de la Plata

Spanish colonies in Argentina and surrounding areas.

Joint-stock company

Business model allowing shares to be bought and sold.

Dutch East India Company

Monopoly holder of Indian Ocean trade, founded 1602.