Mesoamerica and Mongols

Olmecs

(1200-400 BCE) - first influential Mesoamerican civilization

Nixtamalization

Process for the preparation of corn or other grain where the grain is soaked and cooked in an alkaline solution

Teotihucan

(0-500 CE) - City-state in the Valley of Mexico (near present-day Mexico City) that built elaborate structures and traded extensively with neighbors

Maya

(250-900 CE) - Influential civilization located on the Yucatan Peninsula that practiced extensive human sacrifice, created an accurate calendar, and built massive religious pyramids

Cenote Sagrado

Mayan site of an unknown number of human sacrifices

Yuri Knorozov

Credited with deciphering the Mayan language and reading the Popol Vuh, a sacred Mayan text

South American Civilizations

Developed along the west coast in the Andes mountains and more diversity than Mesopotamian civilizations

Chavin Culture

(900-200 BCE) - "mother culture" in modern Peru that worshipped maize and used hallucinogenic drugs in ceremonies

Mochica State

(100-700 CE) - wealthy civilization that built extensive irrigation systems, had no writing system, and is known for its ceramics

Nazca

(200-600 CE) - mysterious people of the southern region of Peru that had mummies and line carvings

Sui Dynasty

(581-618 CE) - a short lived dynasty that brought China back to centralized rule after 350 years and built the Grand Canal

Tang Dynasty

(618-907 CE) - 300 year Chinese Golden Age when China expanded into Manchuria, Korea, Vietnam, and Tibet and expanded the sale of textile and porcelain

Chang'an

Chinese city that became a major trading center and the largest city in the world during the Tang Dynasty

Song Dynasty

(960-1279 CE) - Dynasty that reestablished past cultural and social practices, doubled the population, and was conquered by the Mongols

Tang and Song Innovations

-Fast-growing rice (champa) from Vietnam

-Magnetic compass

-Paper money/flying cash

-Woodblock printing, moveable type

-Gunpowder

Buddhism in China

Took hold during the Tang and Song dynasties from the Silk Road; became criticized by Chinese because the foreign monks didn't pay taxes

Neo-Confucianism

A return to Confucianism values with obvious influences from Buddhism; pioneered by Zhou Dunyi

Kowtow

A ritual prostration (bow) before Chinese emperor to show he had control over your land

Japanese Social Classes

Emperor (ceremonial ruler), Shogun (military governor with actual power), Daimyo (warrior lords), Samurai (professional soldiers under the daimyo), Serfs (peasants)

Shinto

Ritualistic nature religion that competed with Buddhism

Mexica (Aztecs)

(1428-1521 CE) - the last great Mesoamerican civilization (located in Mexico) that practiced human sacrifice at an unsustainable rate (even more than Mayans) and demanded tribute from the groups they conquered

Tenochtitlan

Capital of the Aztec Empire that was located on Lake Texcoco (location was chosen from divine prophecy) and was highly defensible

Chinampas

"Floating gardens" built by Aztecs to supply their capital

Inca

(1230-1500 CE) - most populous of the pre-European American empires that was founded by Pachacuti and had a capital at Cusco

Incan Religion

Polytheistic and centered on the sun god (Inti) ---the emperor was believed to be a descendant of Inti

Quipu

Knotted cloths used to keep records (Incan)

Women in Pastoralist Societies

Could achieve status and power, could also fight in battle

Turks

Steppe nomads who found success in Peria, India, Mesopotamia, and Anatolia and later converted to Islam and settled down

Seljuk Turks

(1037-1194 CE) - derivative of Turks who converted to Islam and created a large empire

Sultan

Title given to Muslim Turk leaders

Delhi Sultanate

(1206-1526 CE) - Islamic kingdom set up by Turks in North India (India, Pakistan, Delhi) that demanded Hindu conversion to Islam

Ottoman Turks

Empire famous for toppling the Byzantine empire (in 1453) that lasted until 1922 and adopted gunpowder technology

Chinggis Khan

First unifying leader of the Mongols who created the Mongol Empire

Mongol Empire

Largest land-based empire in history that connected China, Europe, and the world of Islam and were famous for their brutal war tactics

Great Khan

Title given to the ruler of the Mongol Empire (most famously Chinggis/Genghis Khan)

Reasons for Mongol Military Success

Cavalry, mobility, discipline, psychological warfare, and adaptability

Subutai

One of Chinggis Khan's most talented generals who took 20k soldiers to scout Ukraine and Russia

Ogedei Khan

Son of Chinggis Khan who took over the Mongol Empire and continued Mongol expansion, following his father's wishes

Yuan Dynasty

(1279) - Dynasty established by Kublai Khan after toppling the Song Dynasty and convincing the Chinese he had the Mandate of Heaven

Kublai Khan

Grandson of Chinggis Khan who enjoyed living like a Chinese emperor, built a palace at Shangdu, and twice failed to conquer Japan

Kublai Khan's Government

Used "imported" Mongol administrators or foreigners (believed them to be trustworthy due to lack of local loyalties), but Chinese people were only given office at a local level

Ming Dynasty

Dynasty that succeeded the Mongol Yuan dynasty; led by Zhu Yuanzhang

Mongols in the Middle East

Defeated the Abbasid dynasty and destroyed Bangladesh, along with 4,000 year old irrigation systems

Mamluks

Islam slave soldiers who defeated the Mongols and stopped them from invading Egypt

Mongols in Russia

Moscow paid regular tribute to the Golden Horde and Mongol interference "stunted" Russian development

Mongols and the Plague

The Black Death spread across Europe in the 1300s (partially due to the trade routes established by the Mongols) and took out a large portion of the Mongol force

Eastern Steppe

Flat, grassy plains in Eurasia that were home to the Turks, Huns, and Mongols

Khanates

Four regional Mongol kingdoms that arose following the death of Chinggis Khan.

Golden Horde

Mongol kingdom located in Russia that fell in 1480 to Ivan the III

Chagatai Khanate

Mongol kingdom located in Central Asia that fell in the 1370s

Ilkhanate

Mongol kingdom located in Persia that fell in the 1330s

Great Khanate

Mongol kingdom located in Mongolia and China that fell in 1368 to Chinese rebels after the death of Kublai Khan in 1294

Pax Mongolica

(mid-1200s through mid-1300s) The era of "Mongol Peace" that imposed stability, law, and order across Eurasia and guaranteed safe passage for trade caravans, travellers, and missionaries from one end of the empire to the other.

Marco Polo

A Venetian trader who traveled the Silk Roads and served Khan for 17 years (1275-1292), who was later captured and imprisoned and had a book published about his travels