UNIT 2 AP WORLD HISTORY

Nomadic Turks

Turkish settlement started with clans and tribes living off animals and eager to trade with settled societies.

Elites vs. Commoners

Leaders passed elite status to heirs, but commoners could rise to elite status through courageous conduct.

Role of Women

Women in nomadic societies had higher status and were involved in tending animals, horse riding, and archery.

Shaman

Religious specialists in nomadic Turk societies believed to possess supernatural powers.

Yurts

Large wool tents used by Turkish nomads as homes.

Conversion to Islam

The earliest Turkish converts to Islam were captured nomads integrated into the Abbasid army.

Reasons for Spread of Turkish Warriors

Outstanding cavalry forces with superior equestrian and archery skills.

Turkish Expansion Motivations

Driven by military tradition, plunder, Islam, and political power.

Khan

A Turkic title meaning 'ruler' or 'commander', originating from nomadic tribes.

Seljuk Turks

A nomadic Turkic tribe that established an empire in Central Asia and the Middle East.

Takeover of Abbasid Caliphate

Seljuk Turks overshadowed Abbasid leaders, becoming rulers while caliphs served as figureheads.

Battle of Manzikert

A decisive victory for Turks over the Byzantines leading to their migration into Anatolia.

Mahmud of Ghazni

Turkish ruler who founded the Ghaznavid Empire and extended his military campaigns in India.

Sultanate of Delhi

Established by Mahmud of Ghazni, it became a significant Muslim authority in northern India.

Mongols

A vast empire originally formed by nomadic tribes, known for military organization and horse skills.

Chinggis Khan

Founder of the Mongol Empire, unified Mongol tribes and titled 'universal ruler'.

Temujin

Original name of Chinggis Khan, who struggled in poverty and rose to unite Mongolian tribes.

Mongol Conquest of China

Invasion of northern China, leading to the capture of the Jurchen capital.

Golden Horde

A Mongol Khanate that controlled parts of Eastern Europe and Russia during the 13th and 14th centuries.

Kublai Khan

Grandson of Chinggis Khan who established the Yuan Dynasty and promoted cultural matters.

Yuan Dynasty

The dynasty established in China after the conquest of the Song dynasty by Mongol forces.

Kamikaze

Typhoons that thwarted Mongol plans to invade Japan, translating to 'divine wind'.

Persian Ilkhanate

A Mongol state that ruled over Persia established after Genghis Khan's conquests.

Sack of Baghdad

The looting of Baghdad by Mongols under Hulegu, resulting in massive destruction.

Mongols and Religion

Mongols tolerated religions, gradually converting many to Islam while ending privileges for Muslims.

Bubonic Plague

The spread of the plague expedited by Mongol trade routes affecting labor and economies.

Tamerlane

Self-made conqueror who built a Central Asian empire and was influenced by prior empires.

Osman

Founder of the Ottoman Empire, he established a state in Anatolia against the Byzantine Empire.

Capture of Constantinople

Mehmed II captured this city in 1453, ending Byzantine rule.

Mehmed II

Known as 'Mehmed the Conqueror', he expanded the Ottoman Empire by capturing Constantinople.

Social Hierarchy in Africa

Defined classes include ruling elites, military nobles, and common people.

Zanj Revolt

A major slave uprising against the Abbasid Caliphate from 869 to 883.

Gold Trade

The Trans-Saharan trade network exchanging West African gold for North African salt.

Bantu Peoples

Ethnic groups originating from West Central Africa known for the Bantu Migration.

Griots

West African storytellers and oral historians who preserve community history.

Great Zimbabwe

A medieval city known for wealth from trade in gold and ivory.

Kilwa

A significant Islamic city-state and trade center on the East African coast.

Trans-Saharan Trade

Trade routes connecting sub-Saharan Africa and North Africa primarily facilitating gold and salt exchange.

Mansa Musa

Wealthy ruler of the Mali Empire who famously pilgrimaged to Mecca.

Pilgrimage

A journey to a sacred place as an important religious act.

Scholasticism

A medieval philosophy involving critical analysis based on Aristotelian thought.

Reconquista

A series of military campaigns by Christian kingdoms against Muslim states in the Iberian Peninsula.

Troubadours

Medieval poet-musicians known for their secular songs in vernacular languages.

Investiture Contest

A conflict over the ability to appoint bishops and control church vs. state power.

Marco Polo

A Venetian explorer whose travels in Asia documented cultural exchanges along the Silk Road.