Early Western Europe to Renaissance

Flashcards for review of lecture notes on Western Europe, the Roman Empire, Ancient Wars, Medieval Russia, Christianity, Islam, Early Civilizations, Empires, Asian Cultures, Medieval & Renaissance Europe.

Charlemagne

King of Franks and "Holy Roman Emperor" who united much of Europe.

Chivalry

Code of conduct for knights emphasizing loyalty, honor, and courtesy.

Manorialism

Economic system based on self-sufficient manors with a strict hierarchy of lord over peasants.

Punic Wars

Series of three wars between Rome and Carthage resulting in Roman dominance of the Mediterranean.

Julius Caesar

Roman leader who expanded Rome, initiated civil war, and brought an end to the Roman Republic.

Augustus Caesar

First Roman emperor who initiated the Pax Romana.

Pax Romana

A period of Roman peace, prosperity, expansion, and imperialism.

Justinian’s Code

A basis for legal systems that preserved Roman law.

Great Schism

The split between the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches.

Sunni

A branch of Islam where the leader is considered a successor to Muhammad.

Shia

A branch of Islam where the leader must be a descendant of Muhammad.

Islamic Golden Age

A period marked by significant advancements in medicine, math, science, and architecture.

Al-Khwarizmi

The inventor of algebra.

Inca

An early civilization located in the Andes (present-day Peru).

Maya

An early civilization located in Central America.

Aztec

An early civilization located in present-day Mexico.

Mansa Musa

A Mali king known for spreading Islam, wealth, and building Timbuktu.

Timbuktu

An Islamic learning and trade center.

Chinampas

Aztec floating gardens used for agriculture.

Syncretism

The blending of Shinto and Buddhism in Japan.

Norman Conquest

The 1066 invasion of England led by William, Duke of Normandy.

Crusades

Religious wars initiated by Pope Urban II to reclaim the Holy Land.

Monasteries

Centers of learning, economy, and religion during the Medieval period.

Machiavelli

A philosopher known for his political realism.

Humanism

A Renaissance movement emphasizing human potential, reason, and ethics.

Gutenberg’s Printing Press

A device that enabled mass book production and the spread of ideas.