APWH 1200-1450 Vocabulary

Al-Andalus

the name given to the Muslim-ruled regions of the Iberian Peninsula during the Middle Ages

Relevance: it represented a major center of Islamic culture, learning, and trade in medieval Europe

Arab/Berber camels

vital part of Berber culture and economy for centuries, and Berbers are known for their exceptional camel riding skills.

Relevance: they played a crucial role in facilitating the Trans-Saharan trade, enabling the movement of goods like gold, salt, and ivory across the Sahara Desert

Arabian Peninsula

The Arabian Peninsula, the largest peninsula in the world, and the Gulf region comprise the countries of Bahrain, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE, and Yemen.

Relevance: it is the birthplace of Islam, with the cities of Mecca and Medina located there, making it a central point for the spread of the religion across the world

Arabic language

a Semitic language spoken by hundreds of millions of people in the Middle East, North Africa, and the Arabian Peninsula.

Relevance: it served as the primary language of the Islamic civilization, facilitating the spread of knowledge, culture, and trade across vast regions during the Middle Ages

Astrolabe

an instrument formerly used to make astronomical measurements, typically of the altitudes of celestial bodies, and in navigation for calculating latitude

Relevance: it was a crucial navigational tool used by explorers during the Age of Exploration, allowing them to determine their latitude by observing the position of stars

Baghdad

the capital of Iraq and the second-largest city in the Arab world after Cairo

Relevance: an important area for trade and exchanges of ideas.

Bantu migration

a large population movement over time from southern West Africa to Central, Eastern, and Southern Africa

Relevance: The Bantu people introduced crops, including bananas and yams, in new areas

Bills of exchange

a written document used in international trade, essentially a written order for one party to pay a fixed sum of money to another party at a specified time

Relevance: They were often used to finance trade and facilitate the exchange of goods and services between merchants and buyers in different countries

Black Death

a bubonic plague pandemic occurring in Europe from 1346 to 1353. It was one of the most fatal pandemics in human history; as many as 50 million people perished, perhaps 50% of Europe's 14th century population.

Relevance: it was a devastating pandemic that significantly impacted European society, causing major economic, social, and cultural disruptions during the mid-14th century

Byzantine Empire

the continuation of the Roman Empire in the eastern part of the Mediterranean, centered on the city of Constantinople (modern-day Istanbul)

Relevance: one of the most powerful economic, cultural, and military forces in Europe

Cahokia

the site of a large pre-Columbian Native American city, located near present-day St. Louis, Missouri

Relevance: they were the center of trade and communication in the area. it represents the largest pre-Columbian city in North America

Central Asian steppe horses

the horses that were first domesticated on the Eurasian steppes

Relevance: The domestication of the horse had a profound impact on the nature of human development - particularly in terms of agriculture, transportation, and warfare.

Calicut

a major port city on the Malabar Coast of India

Relevance: was a place where foreign merchants could meet and exchange goods from the East and the West.

Caliphates

state ruled by a caliph, a Muslim ruler who is both the ruler of a state and the leader of the entire ummah (an Arabic word referring to the entire Muslim community)

Relevance: they represent a crucial period of Islamic political and cultural expansion, significantly impacting the spread of Islam, trade routes, intellectual advancements, and the development of a unified "Dar al-Islam" across vast regions of Afro-Eurasia

Camel saddles

An invention which gives camel riders more stability on the animal

Relevance: contributed to the expansion of trade networks, connecting North Africa with sub-Saharan regions and fostering economic exchanges

Caravanserai

roadside inns along major trade routes like the ancient Silk Road, that doubled as hubs for the exchange of goods, ideas, and culture.

Relevance: hubs for the exchange of goods, ideas, and culture.

Checks

A system that allows each branch of government to limit the powers of the other branches in order to prevent abuse of power.

Relevance: they made it easier for merchants to purchase goods and facilitate trade

Citrus

originated in Southeast Asia, similar to bananas, and through the Indian Ocean and Silk Road trade networks to the Mediterranean.

Relevance: their spread across the globe through trade routes demonstrates the interconnectedness of civilizations

West Africa

the westernmost region of the African continent, encompassing countries like Ghana, Nigeria, Senegal, and others

Relevance: its significant role in the trans-Saharan trade network, particularly for gold and salt, which led to the rise of powerful empires like Mali and Songhai

Compass

a navigation instrument used for determining direction

Relevance: allowed for much more reliable navigation and greatly aided European exploration from the fifteenth century onwards.

Cotton

the soft, fluffy fiber produced by the cotton plant

Relevance: it was a catalyst for British textile Industry to industrialize.

Credit

the ability to buy goods or services now and pay for them later

Relevance: made it easier for merchants to purchase goods."

Dar al-Islam

refers to the parts of the world where Muslims are in the majority and the rulers practice Islam.

Relevance: it refers to the geographical area where Islam is the dominant religion, signifying a region that experienced significant cultural, scientific, and economic development

Epidemic

a widespread outbreak of a disease affecting a large number of people within a specific region or population over a relatively short period of time

Relevance: it represents a significant historical factor that has repeatedly shaped societies, economies, and political landscapes across different time periods by causing large-scale population declines, disrupting trade routes, influencing social structures, and sometimes even triggering major historical events

Exotic animal

a species of animal that is not native to a particular region or location, often brought in by humans through trade, exploration, or other means

Relevance: they serve as a key indicator of global trade routes and cultural exchange throughout history

Gems

valuable minerals that are prized for their rarity and beauty

Relevance: These items were traded along the Silk Road during this time period.

Grand Canal

The 1,100-mile (1,700-kilometer) waterway linking the Yellow and the Yangzi Rivers. It was begun in the Han period and completed during the Sui Empire.

Relevance: It connected the Southern and Northern parts of China for trade purposes during this time period.

Greek/Indian mathematics

styles of math found in different regions to understand new aspects of life like orbits of planets

Relevance: These types of math were spread to Europe and the Islamic world during this time period

Gunpowder

Invented within China during the 9th century, this substance was became the dominate military technology used to expand European and Asian empires by the 15th century.

Relevance: This allowed military conquest, spread, and control to be quicker and easier during this time period.

Hangzhou

Capital of later Song dynasty; located near East China Sea; permitted overseas trading; population exceeded 1 million.

Relevance: A major trade city in the Silk Road.

Hanseatic League

An economic and defensive alliance of the free towns in northern Germany, founded about 1241 and most powerful in the fourteenth century.

Relevance: This was part of the revival and expansion of European trade with one another

Iberia

the westernmost peninsula in Europe

Relevance: During this time period, Islamic power in Iberia becomes fragmented, allowing Christian powers to seep in to Iberia and establish control

Indigenous culture

a culture group that constitutes the original inhabitants of a territory, distinct from the dominant national culture, which is often derived from colonial occupation.

Relevance: With the spread of universalizing religions through the Silk Road, many indigenous cultures were impacted. Some indigenous cultures that thrived during this period were the Aztes, Incas, and Mayas.

Urcuchillay

A deity in Inca religion, represented as a multicolored llama, worshipped as a protector of animals.

Relevance: Shows how the Andean/Inca world (outside Afro-Eurasia) developed distinct religious traditions tied to their environment and pastoral economy. It illustrates regional belief systems and how religion reinforced social and economic life.

Al Razi

A Persian polymath and physician known for works on medicine, chemistry, and philosophy; author of Comprehensive Book of Medicine.

Relevance: Even though he lived earlier, his medical texts were widely studied in the Islamic world and translated into Latin, influencing European medicine well into 1250–1400. Shows intellectual transfer through the Islamic world to Europe.

Ibn Sina

A Persian physician and philosopher, author of The Canon of Medicine, a standard medical text for centuries.

Relevance: Like al-Razi, he predates 1250, but his works were hugely influential during this era, shaping Islamic and European science and medicine. He represents the continuity of classical and Islamic learning that spread along trade and scholarly networks

Minamoto Yoritomo

Founder and first shogun of the Kamakura Shogunate in Japan.

Relevance: Although he died before 1250, the system he established defined Japanese politics during this era (feudal shogunate rule rather than imperial rule). Important for understanding East Asian political structures in the 13th–14th centuries.

Genghis Khan

Founder of the Mongol Empire, the largest land empire in history.

Relevance: His empire continued to dominate 1250–1400 through his descendants. The Mongols reshaped trade (Pax Mongolica), facilitated exchange of ideas, goods, and disease (like the Black Death), and connected Afro-Eurasia more than ever before.

Nasir Al Din Tusi

Persian scholar, mathematician, astronomer, and philosopher. He worked under the Mongols and advanced astronomical models.

Relevance: His observatory at Maragha produced data that influenced later Islamic and European astronomy (eventually Copernicus). Shows Mongol patronage of science and the cross-cultural intellectual exchange of the period.

Rumi

Persian Sufi mystic and poet, known for spiritual poetry emphasizing divine love and unity.

Relevance: His works spread widely across the Islamic world, reflecting the importance of Sufism in uniting diverse peoples under Islam. Shows the cultural and religious dynamism of the Islamic world during this period.