Unit 1 Vocab

A'ishah al-Ba'uniyyah

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

The compilation of Confucius' teachings after his death.

Ancestor Veneration

A Confucian practice of praying to one's ancestors.

Artisans

Skilled manual workers in a particular craft who often work by hand.

Ashoka

The third king of the Mauryan Empire who promoted Buddhism.

Bantu Migrations

The spread of Bantu-speaking peoples from their homeland in what is now southern Nigeria to most of Africa.

Bhakti Movement

Hindu devotional movement emphasizing music, dance, poetry, and rituals to achieve direct union with the divine.

Brahman

Hindu spirit that connects everything; a priest class.

Caste System

A rigid social system in India giving every Indian a particular place in the social hierarchy from birth.

Champa Rice

An Indian quick-maturing, very resistant rice harvested twice a season.

Chan Buddhism

A Chinese school of Mahāyāna Buddhism popular during the Tang and Song Dynasties.

Chang'an

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

Civil Service Exam

A system of testing to select the most studious candidates for bureaucratic appointment in China.

Chola Dynasty

A Tamil maritime empire of southern India and one of the longest-ruling dynasties in world history.

Confucianism

System of ethics and statesmanship taught by Confucius, stressing love for humanity and harmony.

Corvee Labor

Forced, unpaid labor that was often intermittent.

Crusades

A series of Christian holy wars conducted against nonbelievers.

Daoism

Chinese philosophy based on the teachings of Lao Zi, emphasizing nature over worldly concerns.

Delhi Sultanate

A Muslim kingdom that ruled parts of India from the 13th to 16th centuries.

Dharma

A position and career determined by birth within the caste system.

Diaspora

Movement of citizens sharing the same ethnic descent.

Eightfold Path

One of Buddha's teachings outlining the path to nirvana.

Ethiopia

Christian-led African kingdom known for rock-hewn churches, emerged in the 12th century.

Feudalism

A land system where a king granted land to nobles in exchange for military loyalty.

Filial piety

A Confucian virtue of respect and care for one's parents and elders.

Forbidden City

Walled section of Beijing built in the Ming Dynasty where emperors lived from 1121 to 1911.

Four Noble Truths

Buddha's guiding principles regarding suffering.

Grand Canal

An over 1,000 mile-long waterway that facilitated trade in the Song Dynasty.

Great Wall

Chinese defensive fortification built to protect against northern nomadic invaders.

Great Zimbabwe

A powerful state in Africa that emerged from trade in gold.

Gupta Empire

Empire that later united India following the Mauryan Empire.

Han Dynasty

China's longest running dynasty.

Hausa Kingdoms

A group of small independent city-states in northern central Africa.

Hebrew Bible

Collection of sacred texts concerning the origins and beliefs of the Israelites.

Heian Period

Period when Japan was influenced by Chinese culture, lasted from 794 to 1185 CE.

House of Wisdom

Academic center in Baghdad for research and translation established by Abbasid caliph al-Mamun.

Imperial Bureaucracy

Organization in China where appointed officials carried out the policies of the empire.

Inca Empire

Largest imperial state in the Americas during the 15th and 16th centuries.

Indian Ocean Maritime System

A trade route across the Indian Ocean and the South China Sea.

Jati

Classification within the Indian caste system.

Judaism

Oldest known monotheistic religion.

Karma

Effects of a person's actions that determine his destiny in the next incarnation.

Kowtow

An act of deep respect shown by kneeling and bowing so low that one's head touches the ground.

Lao Zi

Chinese philosopher who taught retreat into nature.

Legalism

Political philosophy in China emphasizing control due to human nature.

Mahayana Buddhism

Focuses on service and became popular in China and Korea.

Majapahit Kingdom

Buddhist Kingdom from 1293-1520 based on Java controlling trade routes.

Mali

Trading empire in western Africa known for its wealth, flourishing from the 13th to 16th century.

Mamluks

Enslaved soldiers from the Abbasid era.

Mauryan Empire

Unified most of India into a peaceful empire, enhancing trade.

Mayans

Established independent states and city-states in Mesoamerica.

Meritocracy

Exam system that granted Chinese officials their positions.

Mesa Verde

Largest complex of Anasazi cliff-dwellings in the United States Southwest.

Moche

Civilization in Peru known for irrigation networks and urban centers.

Moksha

Goal for Hindus to reunite with Brahman and escape reincarnation.

Monarchies

Governments where supreme power is held by a hereditary monarch.

Monastic Living

Renouncing worldly pursuits to dedicate oneself to spiritual work.

Monsoons

Seasonal winds affecting trade routes in southern Asia.

Mudras

Hand gestures in Indian classical sculpture and dance with specific meanings.

Nasir al-Din al-Tusi

Persian mathematician and celebrated Islamic scholar.

Nirvana

State of liberation from suffering in Buddhism.

Neo-Confucianism

Revival of Confucian teachings combining aspects of Buddhism and Daoism.

Oligarchy

Form of government in which a small group of elites make decisions.

Olmec

Earliest known Mexican civilizations.

Parthians

Persian dynasty that extended into Mesopotamia.

Pataliputra

Chief political and commercial center of northern India.

Patriarchy

Society in which men hold power in family and governance.

Polygyny

Form of polygamy where a man has multiple wives simultaneously.

Proto-industrialization

Rural production of more goods than can be sold.

Qin Dynasty

Chinese dynasty that established the first centralized government.

Rajput Kingdoms

Hindu kingdoms that arose after the fall of the Gupta Empire.

Reciprocity

People pay tribute to the state in exchange for resources.

Reincarnation

Hindu principle where souls transition to other beings after death.

Sanskrit

Sacred language of the Vedas in India.

Scholar Gentry

Confucian educated social class, most influential in China.

Shinto

Indigenous religion of Japan believing in kami (spirits) in nature.

Shiva

Hindu deity known as the Destroyer in the trinity of gods.

Sinhala Dynasties

Sri Lankan dynasties largely influenced by Buddhism.

Silk Road

Network of trading routes connecting the East and the West.

Song Dynasty

Chinese imperial dynasty ruling from 960 to 1279, known for cultural achievements.

Srivijaya Empire

Indonesian Hindu sea-based empire important for trade.

Sufis

Mystical Muslim group focusing on becoming closer to God through devotion.

Sukhothai Kingdom

Kingdom in north central Thailand from 1238 until 1438.

Swahili

Blended language combining Bantu and Arabic, still spoken today.

Syncretism

Blending of elements from multiple religions into a distinct system.

Tang Dynasty

Chinese imperial dynasty known for peace and prosperity.

Teotihuacan

Major Mesoamerican city center for cultural and religious activities.

Theater State

State that gains prestige through cultural forms and public ceremonies.

Theravada Buddhism

Focus on meditation found in Southeast Asia.

Tibetan Buddhism

Form of Buddhism in Tibet centered on chanting.

Trans-Saharan Trade Routes

Networks transforming West Africa by connecting it to the world.

Universalizing Religion

Religion seeking to convert others, such as Islam.

Urdu

Language developed among Muslims in South Asia, combining Hindi, Arabic, and Farsi.

Varnas

Warriors within the Indian caste system.

Vedas

Oldest collection of Hindu scriptures in ancient Sanskrit.

Vijayanagara Empire

Empire in southern India established to protect regions from Muslim states.

Vishnu

Hindu god known as the preserver of the world.

Woodblock Printing

Technique for printing text and images widely used in East Asia.

Xiongnu

Chinese name for the confederacy of nomadic Turkish-speaking peoples who were nomadic herders in central Asia