Honors World History Finals Review Semester 2

A comprehensive review of key vocabulary, people, religions, and concepts from Honors World History Semester 2, covering Chapters 17-21. Terms are included to cover all note topics.

The Mongols

Nomadic people living in the steppes of Central Asia.

Steppes

Grasslands in Central Asia where the Mongols lived.

Nomads

People who move from place to place, often following herds of animals.

Pastoralists

People who herd domesticated animals.

Horsemen/horseback/archery

Skilled riders and warriors who used bows and arrows while on horseback.

Stirrups

Foot supports that allowed for better stability and control while riding.

Yuan Dynasty

The Mongol dynasty established in China.

Yassa (Yasa)

A Mongol code of laws.

Kumiss

An alcoholic beverage made from fermented mare's milk.

Yurt

A portable, round tent used by nomads in Central Asia.

Shaman(s)

Religious specialists who communicate with spirits.

Manichaeism

Iranian prophet. Viewed as the last prophet in a succession of prophets

Abbasid Caliphate

An Islamic caliphate centered in Baghdad.

Khan

A Mongol ruler or leader.

Saljuq Turks (Seljuq Turks)

A Turkic group that controlled parts of Central Asia and the Middle East.

Sultan

A Muslim ruler.

Sultanate of Delhi

A Muslim kingdom established in northern India.

Tughril Beg

Seljuk Turk leader.

Manzikert

A battle in 1071 where the Seljuk Turks defeated the Byzantine Empire.

Mahmud of Ghazni

A Turkic ruler who invaded India in the 11th century.

Temujin

The birth name of Genghis Khan.

Kuriltai (Kurultai)

A Mongol assembly or council.

Chinggis Khan (Genghis Khan)

Founder of the Mongol Empire, meaning "universal ruler."

Karakorum

The capital of the Mongol Empire under Genghis Khan.

Jurchen people

A people conquered by the Mongols in northern China.

Khanbaliq

The "city of the khan," later known as Beijing.

Khwarazm shah

The ruler of Khwarazm, a region conquered by Genghis Khan.

Khanates

Mongol empires ruled by independent khans.

Khanate of the Great Khan

Also known as the Yuan dynasty.

Khanate of Chagatai (Chaghatai)

A Mongol khanate in Central Asia.

Ilkhans or The Ilkhanate of Persia

A Mongol khanate in Persia.

Khanate of the Golden Horde

A Mongol khanate in Russia.

Khubilai Khan (Kublai Khan)

Grandson of Genghis Khan, consolidated Mongol rule in China.

Lamaism Buddhism

A form of Buddhism popular among the Mongols.

Silk Roads

Trade routes connecting East and West, controlled by the Mongols.

Missionaries

People sent to spread a religious message.

Uighurs

A Turkic people employed by the Mongols as administrators and soldiers.

Kamikaze

The "divine wind" that protected Japan from Mongol invasions.

Bubonic Plague

A deadly disease spread along trade routes during the Mongol era.

Tamerlane the Conqueror

A Turkic conqueror who built a large empire in Persia and Central Asia.

Timur and the Timurid Empire

The empire founded by Timur (Tamerlane).

Samarkand

A major city on the Silk Road, capital of the Timurid Empire.

Mughal

An empire in India, founded by descendants of Timur.

Safavid

An empire in Persia, founded in the early 16th century.

Ottoman

A powerful empire in Anatolia (modern-day Turkey).

Sultan Mehmed II (“Mehmed the Conqueror”)

Ottoman sultan who conquered Constantinople in 1453.

Fall of Constantinople 1453

The year Constantinople fell to the Ottoman Turks, marking the end of the Byzantine Empire.

Sundiata Keita

Founder of the Mali Empire.

Kin-based societies

Societies based on family and clan connections.

Ife

A city in present-day Nigeria known for its bronze castings.

Benin and Benin Plagues

A kingdom in present-day Nigeria known for its art and plagues.

Griots

Storytellers in African societies who preserved history and traditions.

Bananas

A valuable crop introduced to Africa from Southeast Asia.

Bantu and Bantu migration

A group of people who migrated across Africa, spreading their language and culture.

Stateless societies

Segmented Society

Patrilineal society

A society in which descent is traced through the father's line.

Matrilineal society

A society in which descent is traced through the mother's line.

Age-sets system (age-grades)

A system in which individuals are grouped by age and share responsibilities.

Maghrib (Maghreb)

The region of North Africa.

Ghana

An early kingdom in West Africa known for its gold trade.

Koumbi-Saleh

The capital of the Ghana Empire.

Animism

The belief that spirits inhabit natural objects and phenomena.

Trans-Saharan trade

A major trade route across the Sahara Desert.

Caravans

Groups of merchants traveling together across the desert.

Mali Empire

A large empire in West Africa that succeeded the Ghana Empire.

Mansa

Title of the rulers of the Mali Empire.

Mansa Musa

A ruler of the Mali Empire who made a famous pilgrimage to Mecca.

Hajj

The pilgrimage to Mecca, an important religious duty for Muslims.

Songhai Empire

An empire in West Africa that succeeded the Mali Empire.

Sunni Ali (Ali the Great)

Emperor of Songhai who expanded the empire.

Askia Muhammad

A later ruler of the Songhai Empire.

Swahili and Swahili language

A language and culture that developed along the east coast of Africa.

Swahili city states

Cities along the east coast of Africa that engaged in trade.

Zimbabwe

A kingdom in southern Africa known for its stone architecture.

Qadi (qadis)

Muslim judges.

Diviners

Religious specialists who were believed to be able to communicate with the divine and to discover the cause of illness and misfortune

Zanj

Enslaved East Africans.

The Zanj Revolt

A major revolt of enslaved people in Mesopotamia.

The Christian Kingdom of Axum

A Christian kingdom in present-day Ethiopia.

Ethiopian Christianity

A distinctive form of Christianity practiced in Ethiopia.

Theme system

An administrative system in the Byzantine Empire that granted land to military officials in exchange for service.

Marco Polo

A Venetian merchant who traveled to China and wrote about his experiences.

Problems of the late Byzantine Empire

An Empire beset by political instability, economic problems, and military threats.

The Holy Roman Empire (HRE)

A multi-ethnic empire in central Europe.

Otto I of Saxony

A Saxon king crowned emperor of the Holy Roman Empire in 962.

The Investiture contest (investiture controversy)

A conflict between the papacy and the Holy Roman Emperors over the appointment of church officials.

Pope Gregory VII

A pope who challenged the authority of Emperor Henry IV.

Emperor Henry IV

A Holy Roman Emperor who clashed with Pope Gregory VII.

Concordat of Worms

A compromise in 1122 that settled the Investiture Controversy.

Hugh Capet

Ruler of Capetian France.

The Normans

Descendants of Vikings who conquered Normandy (France) and England.

Duke William of Normandy (William the Conqueror)

Duke of Normandy who conquered England in 1066.

Battle of Hastings 1066 C.E.

The year William the Conqueror defeated the English at the Battle of Hastings.

Harold Godwinson (Harold II)

The English king defeated by William the Conqueror.

Reconquista

The effort by Christian kingdoms to expel Muslims from Iberia (Spain and Portugal).

Granada

The last Muslim kingdom in Spain, conquered in 1492.

Crop rotation

Rotating the crops planted in a field to maintain soil fertility.

Guilds

Organizations of craftsmen and merchants that regulated production and trade.

Stages of guild membership (apprentice, journeyman, and master)

The stages of membership in a guild.

Cathedral schools

Centers of learning that developed into universities.