Key Terms 1200-1450

Neo-confucianism

Revival of Confucian philosophy integrating Buddhist and Daoist elements in China

scholar-gentry

Educated elite in China who obtained government positions through civil service exams

champa rice

Fast-ripening rice from Vietnam that increased agricultural output in China

tributary system

Method of indirect rule where weaker states paid tribute to a dominant empire

shogunate

Military government in Japan where a shogun held real power while the emperor was symbolic

Samurai

Warrior class in Japan who followed the Bushido code of honor and loyalty

heian japan

Period of cultural and artistic flourishing in Japan (794-1185), known for courtly life

Caliphate

Islamic state ruled by a caliph, considered a religious and political successor to Muhammad

dar a islam

Regions under Islamic rule, facilitating trade, culture, and intellectual exchange

Sunni vs. Shia

Major sects of Islam differing on leadership succession after Muhammad's death

sufism

Mystical branch of Islam emphasizing spiritual connection and missionary work

Delhi Sultanate

Muslim kingdom in India that ruled from 1206-1526, blending Islamic and Hindu traditions

Mamluks

Slave soldiers who held power in Egypt and formed a powerful ruling class

indian ocean trade

Major trade network connecting Africa, the Middle East, South Asia, and Southeast Asia

monsoon winds

Seasonal winds that facilitated Indian Ocean trade by carrying ships in different directions

Chinampas

Floating gardens used by the Aztecs to maximize agricultural production

Mit’a system

Incan labor system where citizens provided service to the state in exchange for resources

swahili city states

Trade-based city-states on the East African coast influenced by Islamic culture

Great Zimbabwe

Powerful East African kingdom known for its stone architecture and trade networks

Feudalism

Powerful East African kingdom known for its stone architecture and trade networks

manorialism

Economic system where peasants lived on and worked a lord's land in exchange for protection

serfdom

A form of coerced labor where peasants were tied to the land and under the control of a lord

Crusades

Religious wars between Christians and Muslims over control of the Holy Land

Guilds

Associations of artisans and merchants that regulated trade and production in medieval Europe

banking houses

Associations of artisans and merchants that regulated trade and production in medieval Europe

Hanseatic league

Commercial alliance of Northern European cities that controlled trade in the Baltic and North Seas

syncretism

The blending of religious, cultural, and artistic traditions, common in major trade centers

cultural diffusion

Spread of ideas, technologies, and practices through trade, migration, and conquest

silk roads

Overland trade routes linking China to the Middle East and Europe, flourishing under Mongol rule

Caravanserai

Roadside inns along trade routes where merchants rested and exchanged goods

flying cash

Early form of credit in China allowing merchants to deposit money in one location and withdraw it elsewhere

Paper money

Currency innovation in China that replaced metal coins and facilitated trade

Pax mongolia

Period of stability and trade expansion across Eurasia under Mongol rule

Yuan dynasty

Mongol-ruled dynasty in China that embraced trade and religious tolerance

Astrolabe

Navigation tool that helped sailors determine latitude by measuring the position of celestial bodies

Lateen sail

Triangular sail that allowed ships to maneuver more effectively in the wind

Junks

Large Chinese ships designed for long-distance trade, used in the Indian Ocean

Diasporic communities

Merchant communities of immigrants who introduced their own cultural traditions into new locations (e.g., Muslim traders in Southeast Asia)

Trans saharan trade

Trade route linking West Africa to the Mediterranean, known for gold and salt trade

camel saddles

Technological innovation that improved long-distance desert trade efficiency

gold salt trade

Exchange of gold from West Africa for salt from North Africa, a key component of the trans-Saharan economy

swahili language

Bantu-Arabic language that emerged in East African coastal trading cities

buddhism in east asia

Spread via trade and missionary efforts, blending with Confucian and Daoist traditions

hindu-buddhist states

Kingdoms such as Srivijaya that blended Indian religious traditions with local culture

islam in west africa

Spread through trade and rulers like Mansa Musa, influencing governance and education

black death

Devastating plague that killed millions in Eurasia and led to labor shortages and social upheaval

luxury goods

High-value items such as silk, porcelain, and spices that were highly sought after in Afro-Eurasian trade networks