Unit 1 (1200-1450): State Building Song China maintained its rule through Confucianism and an imperial bureaucracy. Buddhism continued to shape China’

Confucianism

A philosophical system that emphasizes moral integrity and the importance of social harmony, used by Song China to maintain rule.

Imperial Bureaucracy

A government system where officials are appointed based on merit to ensure the emperor's will is executed throughout the empire.

Civil Service Exam

An examination system expanded by the Song Dynasty to select government officials based on merit rather than birth status.

Buddhism

A religion that influenced Chinese society, with forms such as Theravada in Southeast Asia and Mahayana in China and Korea.

Zen Buddhism

A blend of Buddhism and Daoism that emphasizes meditation and direct experience of reality.

Filial Piety

A Confucian value emphasizing respect and obedience to one's parents and male head of the family.

Foot Binding

A practice in Song China that symbolized high social status by restricting women's foot growth, limiting their mobility.

Champa Rice

A fast-ripening rice variety from Vietnam that significantly boosted agricultural production in China.

Grand Canal

An internal waterway in China that facilitated trade and economic unity across the empire.

Tribute System

A system where surrounding states paid goods and money to honor the emperor, allowing them to trade with China.

Delhi Sultanate

An Islamic political entity in Northern India that emerged as the Abbasid Caliphate declined.

Mamluk Sultanate

An Islamic state in Egypt formed by Turkic Muslims, distinct from the earlier Arab and Persian empires.

Sufism

A mystical Islamic belief system that adapts to local cultures while maintaining the core tenets of Islam.

Bhakti Movement

A devotional trend in Hinduism emphasizing personal attachment to a deity, similar to Sufi practices in Islam.

Srivijaya Empire

A Hindu empire in Southeast Asia that taxed trade and played a significant role in regional commerce.

Khmer Empire

A Southeast Asian empire known for its complex irrigation systems and the construction of Angkor Wat, a temple blending Hindu and Buddhist influences.

Cahokia

The largest urban center of the Mississippian culture, known for its mound-building and complex societal structure.

Inca Empire

A South American empire characterized by a bureaucratic system and the Mit’a system for public service.

Great Zimbabwe

An African kingdom that prospered due to its strategic location on trade routes, known for its monumental architecture.

Swahili

A language that emerged from the mixing of Bantu and Arabic, developed through trade in the Indian Ocean.

Ethiopian Kingdom

A Christian kingdom in Africa known for its monumental stone churches and syncretic blend of Christian and traditional beliefs.

Feudalism

A decentralized political system in medieval Europe based on land ownership and loyalty among different social classes.

Manorial System

An economic system in feudal Europe where serfs were tied to the land and worked for the lords in exchange for protection.