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Islam

A religion based on the teachings of the prophet Mohammed which stresses belief in one god (Allah), Paradise and Hell, and a body of law written in the Quran. Followers are called Muslims.

Allah

God of Islam

Haij

a Muslim who has been to Mecca as a pilgrim

Five Pillars

beliefs that all Muslims needed to carry out: Faith, Prayer, Alms, Fasting, and Pilgrimage

Qur'ran

holy text of Muhammad's words

Muslim

a follower of the religion of Islam

Sunna

An Islamic model for living, based on the life and teachings of Muhammad

Umma

The community of all Muslims. A major innovation against the background of seventh-century Arabia, where traditionally kinship rather than faith had determined membership in a community.

Mecca

City in western Arabia; birthplace of the Prophet Muhammad, and ritual center of the Islamic religion.

Yathrib (Medina)

final destination of Muhammad's hijra and the home of the first community of Muslims; later renamed Medina; located in the northwest of present-day Saudi Arabia

Bedouin

Nomadic pastoralists of the Arabian peninsula; culture based on camel and goat nomadism; early converts to Islam.

Hijrah

Muhammad's migration from Mecca to (Yathrib) Medina

Mosque

A Muslim place of worship

Shari'a

Body of Islamic law that includes interpretation of the Quran and applies Islamic principles to everyday life

Khadijah

Muhammad's wife

Muhammad

Arab prophet; founder of religion of Islam. Born in Mecca to a powerful Meccan Family

Caliph

successor to Muhammad as political and religious leader of the Muslims

Rightly Guided Caliph

The first four leaders of the Islamic community after the Prophet Muhammad's death in 632 C.E. were Abū Bakr, 'Umar, 'Uthmān, and 'Alī. They were close companions of the Prophet and succeeded him in administrative roles such as tax collection, leading armies, enforcing Islamic law, and appointing governors, but not in his spiritual role as the bringer of revelation.

Umayyad

the first dynasty of Arab caliphs whose capital was Damascus

Abbasid

Dynasty that succeeded the Umayyads as caliphs within Islam; came to power in 750 C.E. Capital is in Baghdad

Sunni

A branch of Islam whose members acknowledge the first four caliphs as the rightful successors of Muhammad

Shi'a

the branch of Islam whose members acknowledge Ali and his descendants as the rightful successors of Muhammad

Sufi

The branch of Islam that believes in a more mystical connection with Allah.

Al-Andalus

A Muslim-ruled region in what is now Spain, established by the Berbers in the eighth century A.D. The capital was Cordaba

Fatimid Caliphate

A caliphate that was formed by Shi'a Muslims who claimed descent from Muhammad's daughter Fatima. Was in Egypt

People's whose religions were protected by the Muslims

Christians, Jews, and Zoroastrians

House of Wisdom

Combination library, academy, and translation center in Baghdad established in the 800s.

Calligraphy

art of beautiful handwriting

Al-Khwarizmi

Muslim mathematician who pioneered the study of algebra

Social Classes in Muslim society

1. Upper Class- Muslim at Birth 2. Second Class- Converts to Islam 3. Third Class- Protected people (Jews, Christians, and Zoroastrians) 4. Lowest Class- Slaves (POW, non-Muslims, Pagans, and polytheistic religions.

Jesus' Teachings

Emphasized personal relationship with God and love.

Paul

Spread and interpreted Christ's teachings across the Empire.

Pax Romana

Period of peace facilitating travel and idea exchange.

Diaspora

Dispersal of Jews from their homeland into exile.

Christian Persecution

Intensified after Pax Romana; Christians faced execution.

Martyrs

Individuals sacrificing lives for their beliefs.

Constantine

Roman Emperor who legalized Christianity in 312 C.E.

Edict of Milan

Declared Christianity as an approved religion.

Church Hierarchy

Structure: priest, bishop, pope.

Heresy

Beliefs contradicting basic Church teachings.

Nicene Creed

Defined basic beliefs of the Christian Church.

Pax Romana End

Marked by Marcus Aurelius' reign; led to crisis.

Inflation

Drop in money value with rising prices.

Diocletian

Emperor who restored order and split the Empire.

Constantinople

New capital moved by Constantine in 330 C.E.

Western Empire Collapse

Failed to defend against outside invasions.

Attila

Chieftain of Huns; attacked both empires.

Byzantine Empire

Eastern half of Roman Empire; flourished for 1,000 years.

Roman Temple Destruction

Romans destroyed the Jewish temple in 70 CE.

Military Turmoil

Discipline loss in soldiers; reliance on mercenaries.

Civil War

Broke out after Diocletian's retirement.

Roman Invasions

Germanic tribes invaded and plundered Rome.

Last Roman Emperor

Defeated in 476 C.E., marking empire's end.

Aegean, Ionian, and Black Seas

Vital for trade and transportation in Ancient Greece

Rugged Mountains

Covered three-fourths of Ancient Greece, leading to a lack of farmland

Mycenaeans

Settled on the Greek mainland around 2,000 BCE, influenced by Minoans

Trojan War

Conflict in the 1200s where Mycenaeans fought against Troy

Dorians

Took control after the collapse of Mycenaean culture, leading to the 'Greek Dark Age'

Homer

Blind storyteller who composed the Illiad and the Odyssey

Polis (City-state)

Fundamental political unit in Ancient Greece, comprising a city and surrounding countryside

Acropolis

Fortified hilltop where citizens gathered for city government discussions

Monarchy

Government ruled by a single person, such as a king

Aristocracy

Government ruled by a small group of noble, landowning families

Oligarchy

Government ruled by a few powerful individuals

Democracy

Government ruled by the citizens

Tyrant

Powerful individual who governed with the support of the common people

Draco

Nobleman who developed a legal code based on equality under the law in 621 BCE

Solon

Leader who outlawed debt slavery and created social classes for Athenian citizens

Cleisthenes

Introduced reforms organizing citizens by residence and allowing them to submit laws

Council of 500

Body proposing laws and counseling the assembly, with members chosen at random

Limited Democracy

Citizenship restricted to a small number of Athenians, excluding women, slaves, and foreigners

Sparta

City-state in southern Greece known for its military prowess and social structure

Helots

Peasants in Sparta forced to stay on the land they worked

Persian Wars

Conflicts between the Greek and Persian Empires, including the Battle of Marathon

Phalanx

Military formation of foot soldiers armed with spears and shields

Battle of Marathon

Conflict where the Persians encroached on the Greeks, leading to a significant Greek victory

Pheidippides

Ran from Marathon to Athens, a distance of about 26 miles

Thermopylae

Narrow pass where 7,000 Greeks blocked Xerxes' troops

Salamis

Location where Athenians burned Persia's boats and defeated them

Delian League

Alliance of city-states formed for protection against Persians

Golden Age

Period of intellectual and artistic growth in Athens from 477 to 431 BCE

Pericles

Athenian leader whose goals were to strengthen democracy, reinforce the Greek empire, and glorify Athens

Direct democracy

Form of government where citizens rule directly, not through representatives

Peloponnesian War

Conflict between Athens and Sparta resulted in Athens' surrender. Began when Sparta started to fear Athens growing power.

Plague

Deadly disease that wiped out a third of Athens' population

Socrates

Philosopher who believed in absolute standards for truth and justice

Plato

Philosopher who founded the Academy and wrote The Republic

Aristotle

Philosopher who taught Alexander the Great and questioned human knowledge

Hellenistic

Relating to the Greek world from Alexander the Great to the late second century

Alexandria

Foremost center of commerce and Hellenistic civilization

Astronomy

Study of celestial bodies; Aristarchus believed in heliocentrism

Euclid

Mathematician known for 'Elements,' a basis for geometry courses

Stoicism

Philosophy founded by Zeno advocating virtuous lives in harmony

Epicureanism

Philosophy founded by Epicurus focusing on pleasure and natural desires

Colossus of Rhodes

One of the seven wonders of the ancient world, a giant statue that greeted ships as they reached Alexandria.

Who is known as the father of scientific history?

Thucydides, who wrote about the Peloponnesian War. Considered the father of political realism.

What were the key characteristics of Athens?

Free, democratic government, focused on education

What were the key characteristics of Sparta?

Strict, warlike, focused on military

Carthage

Powerful North African city-state defeated by Rome.

King Philip V

Macedonian king allied with Hannibal against Rome.