AP World History Term Definitions

AP World History flashcards for exam review.

Champa rice

Fast-ripening rice from Vietnam that allowed two harvests per season in China, boosting agricultural output.

Filial piety

Confucian virtue of respect for one's parents and ancestors; central to Chinese family structure.

Neo-Confucianism

A blend of Confucianism with Buddhist and Daoist elements; dominant in Song/Ming China.

Dar al-Islam

“House of Islam”; areas where Islam was dominant and Islamic law prevailed.

Delhi Sultanate

Muslim-ruled kingdom in northern India (1206–1526); introduced Islamic rule in South Asia.

Srivijaya Empire

A maritime Buddhist kingdom that controlled trade in Southeast Asia (Indonesia, 7th–13th c.).

Majapahit Empire

A Hindu-Buddhist maritime empire in Java (1293–1527), controlled major sea routes, particularly the Strait of Malacca, which allowed them to control trade and collect taxes

Angkor Wat

Capital city of Khmer Empire, initially built as a Hindu temple, later converted to a Buddhist temple. This reflects the shifting religious landscape of the Khmer Empire and its influence on art and architecture. 

Bhakti movement

Hindu devotional movement emphasizing personal relationship with a deity; similar to Sufism.

Sufism

Mystical Islamic belief system that emphasized introspection and spirituality; helped spread Islam.

Feudalism

Decentralized political system where lords grant land in exchange for loyalty and service.

Manorialism

Economic system of medieval Europe based on self-sufficient estates or manors.

Mita system

Incan labor tax requiring subjects to work on state projects (roads, terraces, etc.).

Great Zimbabwe

Powerful East African city-state built on trade (gold and cattle); known for its stone structures.

Ethiopia

Christian African kingdom maintaining its independence and religious traditions.

Zamindars

Local tax collectors or landowners in India under Mughal rule.

Caravanserai

Roadside inns along Silk Roads for travelers and caravans; boosted overland trade.

Flying cash

Early Chinese paper money system and credit used during the Tang and Song Dynasties.

Banking houses

Early banking institutions that issued bills of exchange, facilitating long-distance trade.

Bills of exchange

Written orders used in trade to promise payment; a precursor to modern checks.

Hanseatic League

Trade alliance of northern European cities along the Baltic and North Sea.

Pax Mongolica

"Mongol Peace"; a period of stability and safe trade across the Mongol Empire.

Swahili city-states

East African coastal cities (e.g., Kilwa, Mombasa) that thrived on Indian Ocean trade.

Timbuktu

West African trade and Islamic learning center in the Mali Empire.

Diasporic communities

Groups of people living outside their ancestral homeland, often maintaining culture (e.g., Jewish, Chinese merchants).

Lateen sail

Triangular sail that enabled sailing against the wind; revolutionized maritime navigation.

Astrolabe

Navigational instrument used to determine latitude by measuring stars.

Monsoon winds

Seasonal winds that helped guide trade ships in the Indian Ocean.

Gunpowder Empires

Large Islamic empires (Ottoman, Safavid, Mughal) that used gunpowder weapons to expand.

Ottoman Empire

Muslim empire centered in Turkey; conquered Constantinople in 1453.

Safavid Empire

Shia Islamic empire in Persia (Iran); rivals of the Sunni Ottomans.

Mughal Empire

Islamic empire in India; known for cultural blending and monumental architecture like the Taj Mahal.

Devshirme

Ottoman system of recruiting Christian boys for government and military service (Janissaries).

Janissaries

Elite Ottoman infantry trained from a young age through the devshirme system.

Mandate of Heaven

Chinese belief that a ruler’s right to govern came from divine approval.

Divine right of kings

European doctrine that monarchs derive authority from God, not from the people.

Absolutism

Political system where a monarch holds complete power, e.g., Louis XIV of France.

Zamindars

Mughal tax collectors who sometimes became powerful landowners.

Caravel

Small, fast Portuguese sailing ship used during the Age of Exploration.

Trading-post empire

Coastal fort systems established by Europeans to control trade (e.g., Portuguese in Africa & Asia).

Encomienda system

Spanish labor system granting colonists control over Indigenous labor.

Hacienda system

Land grants to Spanish settlers; similar to feudal estates.

Indentured servitude

Labor system where people worked for a set number of years in exchange for passage to the Americas.

Chattel slavery

System where enslaved people were treated as property.

Middle Passage

Brutal sea journey that enslaved Africans endured across the Atlantic.

Columbian Exchange

Exchange of goods, people, animals, and diseases between Old and New Worlds.

Creoles

People of European descent born in the Americas.

Mestizos

Mixed Indigenous and European ancestry.

Mulattoes

Mixed African and European ancestry.

Casta system

Racial hierarchy in Spanish colonies based on ancestry.

Enlightenment

Intellectual movement emphasizing reason, liberty, and individual rights.

John Locke

Enlightenment thinker; argued for natural rights (life, liberty, property).

Nationalism

Loyalty to a shared culture or nation; often inspired revolutions.

American Revolution

Colonial rebellion against British rule (1776); inspired by Enlightenment.

French Revolution

Overthrow of monarchy in France (1789); ended feudal privileges.

Haitian Revolution

Only successful slave revolt; led by Toussaint Louverture.

Latin American Revolutions

Independence movements led by creoles (e.g., Bolívar).

Industrialization

Shift from hand production to machine-based manufacturing.

Capitalism

Economic system based on private property and free markets.

Marxism

Ideology advocating for class struggle and abolition of capitalism.

Meiji Restoration

Modernization and industrialization of Japan under Emperor Meiji.

Social Darwinism

Misapplication of evolution to justify imperialism and racism.

White Man’s Burden

Idea that Europeans had a duty to civilize non-Europeans.

Berlin Conference

1884 meeting to divide Africa among European powers.

Opium Wars

Conflict between Britain and China over opium trade; led to unequal treaties.

Taiping Rebellion

Massive Chinese rebellion against Qing Dynasty led by Hong Xiuquan.

Boxer Rebellion

Anti-foreign uprising in China targeting Christian missionaries and foreigners.

Sepoy Rebellion

1857 Indian revolt against British East India Company.

Zulu Kingdom

Powerful South African kingdom led by Shaka Zulu.

Total War

Warfare involving all aspects of society; used in WWI and WWII.

Totalitarianism

Government with absolute control over every aspect of life (e.g., Stalin, Hitler).

Great Depression

Global economic collapse beginning in 1929.

Fascism

Authoritarian, nationalistic political system (Italy, Germany).

Decolonization

Process of former colonies gaining independence (India, Africa).

Cold War

Tense standoff between the US (capitalist) and USSR (communist).

Proxy wars

Conflicts backed by Cold War superpowers (Vietnam, Korea).

Non-Aligned Movement

Countries that didn't side with the US or USSR (e.g., India).

Globalization

Growing global economic, political, and cultural interdependence.

Neoliberalism

Free-market policies favoring deregulation and privatization.

Green Revolution

Agricultural innovations (e.g., GMOs, fertilizers) that increased food production.

Feminist movements

Global efforts for gender equality (education, voting rights, jobs).