AP World History - Unit 0 (600 BCE–600 CE) Flashcards

Definition-based vocabulary flashcards covering the religions, social structures, political empires, technologies, and trade networks of the period 600 BCE to 600 CE.

Vedas

The oldest major religious texts of Hinduism, which also includes the Upanishads, Mahabharata, and Ramayana.

Samsara

The cycle of rebirth in Hinduism and Buddhism.

Moksha

The state of liberation from the cycle of rebirth in Hinduism.

Siddhartha Gautama

The founder of Buddhism whose goal was to end human suffering.

Four Noble Truths

The core teachings of Buddhism regarding the nature of suffering and the Eightfold Path to end it.

Mahayana Buddhism

A branch of Buddhism that is more accessible and spread throughout China, Korea, and Japan.

Filial Piety

A core Confucian value emphasizing respect for parents, elders, and ancestors.

Tao Te Ching

The main text of Daoism, attributed to the founder Laozi.

Wu Wei

A Daoist concept meaning 'inaction' or 'effortless action' in harmony with nature.

Legalism

A Chinese political philosophy emphasizing strict laws and harsh punishments, notably used by the Qin Dynasty.

Diaspora

The scattering of Jewish communities, specifically codified after the Babylonian exile.

Zoroastrianism

A Persian religion supported by Persian kings that focuses on the struggle between good and evil.

Coptic Christianity

A branch of Christianity that developed in Egypt, centered in the intellectual hub of Alexandria.

Caste System (Varna + Jati)

A rigid social hierarchy in South Asia consisting of Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, and Shudras.

Satrapies

Administrative provinces in the Persian Achaemenid Empire ruled by local governors.

Ashoka

A Maurya emperor who used Buddhist edicts to establish moral authority and rule.

Gupta Empire

An empire in South Asia known as a Golden Age for its advancements in math, science, and literature, and for its Hindu revival.

Civil Service Exams

A bureaucratic system established during the Han Dynasty to select government officials based on Confucian knowledge.

Kush/Meroe

An African kingdom known for its iron production, writing system, and resources like gold.

Qanats

Underground irrigation channels developed in the Middle East by the Persians.

Cai Lun

The individual credited with the invention of paper in $105\,CE$ in China.

Lateen Sails

Triangular sails that enabled ships like dhows to navigate against the wind in the Indian Ocean.

Silk Roads

Trade networks connecting China to Europe that facilitated the exchange of silk, horses, spices, and Buddhism.

Trans-Saharan Trade

A trade network enabled by camels connecting West Africa and North Africa, primarily trading gold and salt.

Syncretism

The merging or mixing of different religious and local traditions, seen prominently in Southeast Asia.