1200-1450 - AP World Units 1+2

Han Dynasty

Centralized Chinese government with taxation, strong military, Great Wall of China, and the Mandate of Heaven

Mandate of Heaven

Belief that the right to rule was granted by divine powers and natural disasters indicated a loss of this right by the gods

Confucianism

Philosophy emphasizing morality, education, and family, with patriarchal traditions like foot binding

Filial piety

Core value in Confucianism, upholding family honor and respect for elders

Buddhism

Religion founded in India focusing on spiritual connection and achieving nirvana

Tang Dynasty

Known for technological advancements, expanded civil service exams, equal field system, and standardized laws

Civil service exam

Meritocratic test under the Tang Dynasty to assign government positions based on Confucian knowledge

Meritocracy

Government system based on ability and merit

Equal field system

Tang policy redistributing land to prevent concentration among the wealthy

Paper Money

Invented during the Song Dynasty, widely spread during the Tang Dynasty, facilitating trade

Song Dynasty

Commercial dynasty known for expanding the merchant class, silk and porcelain trade

Champa rice

High-yield rice strain leading to population growth during the Song Dynasty

Woodblock printing

Printing method popularized under the Song Dynasty, boosting literacy rates

Neo-Confucianism

Blend of Buddhism and Confucianism, focusing on morality and self-study, popular during the Song Dynasty

Caravanserai

Roadside inns along the Silk Road facilitating trade and exchange

Compass

Navigational tool aiding sea trade by showing direction accurately

Banking houses

Establishments along the Silk Road for money exchange and safekeeping

Grand Canal

Waterway connecting North and South China, facilitating transportation of goods

Zheng He

Ming Dynasty maritime explorer spreading Chinese inventions like the compass

Gunpowder

Chinese invention spread by the Mongols, shaping empire building

Samarkand

City on the Silk Road between India and China

Korea

Tributary state of China adopting Confucian education system

Heian

Period in Japan adopting Chinese education system and literature

Delhi Sultanate

Islamic Turkish empire in North India, imposing Jizya on non-Muslims

Lateen Sail

Sail facilitating navigation and trade in the Indian Ocean

Monsoon

Wind patterns in the Indian Ocean enabling trade with the Swahili coast

Junk ship

Ship carrying merchandise in the Indian Ocean

Genghis Khan

Mongol ruler unifying Mongols and shaping empire building

Agricultural pamphlets

Mongol practice spreading agricultural techniques

Black Death

Plague in Europe spread by the Mongols

Yuan Dynasty

Mongol dynasty in China with separate laws from the Han people, reviving the Silk Road

pezza

Mongol passport on the Silk Road ensuring protected trade

Golden Horde

Mongol Russian empire collecting tribute from princes

Ilkhanate

Mongol empire in Persia assimilating with Islam, ended by the plague

Srivijaya Empire

Indonesian empire controlling the Strait of Malacca

Khmer Empire

Cambodian empire influenced by Hinduism

Angkor Wat

Hindu temple in the Khmer Empire showing Indian influence

Abbasid Empire

Islamic dynasty in the Middle East known for the golden age of Islam

House of Wisdom

Cultural exchange center in Baghdad under the Abbasids

Abbasid innovations

Hospitals, germ theory, gunpowder, printing, Arabic numerals, algebra, and trigonometry

Dar al-Islam

Spread of Islam as the majority religion, associated with the Abbasid Empire

Seljuk Empire

Islamic Turkish empire in Anatolia during the Crusades

Mamluk Sultanate

Islamic empire in Egypt known for religious tolerance

Ibn Battuta

Traveler sharing information about the world with Muslims

Judaism

Oldest Abrahamic religion with the Torah as the primary text

Christianity

Abrahamic religion centered around Jesus with the Bible as the primary text

Feudalism

Monarchical system based on vassal relationships between lords and serfs

Manorial system

Labor force system contracting serfs to the land

Inquisition

12th-century movement targeting French Catholics opposing the church

Crusades

European kings' armies sent to reclaim lands in Israel by the Pope

Hanseatic League

German alliance dominating European trade with standardized taxes

Maya

Central American state system with a focus on warfare culture

Aksum

Christian African empire in modern day Ethiopia

camel saddle

invention that aided trans saharan travel as it made camel transport easier

caravans

vehicles on the trans saharan that carried large quantities on the trans saharan

arabic

language diffused along the trans saharan which was also known as the language of academics