Unit 3 Vocabulary Ap World

Akbar

The most famous Mughal emperor of India (r. 1556–1605), known for religious tolerance and efforts to include both Hindus and Muslims in government.

Aurangzeb

Mughal emperor of India (r. 1658–1707) who expanded the empire to its greatest territorial extent.

Aztec Tribute / Human Sacrifice

The Aztec practice of sacrificing captives or slaves as part of religious rituals, including offerings intended to nourish the sun god.

Boyars

The highest-ranking Russian nobles who owned land, possessed wealth, and held political influence under the tsars.

Cossacks

Semi-independent warrior communities living mainly along Russia's southern and eastern frontiers who became important to Russian expansion.

Council of Trent

Catholic council (1545–1563) that clarified Catholic doctrine, addressed corruption and abuses, and emphasized education and accountability during the Counter-Reformation.

Devshirme

Ottoman practice of taking young Christian boys from conquered territories and training them for government service or the elite Janissary corps.

Henry VIII / Church of England

— English king (1509–1547) who broke with the Roman Catholic Church and established the Church of England.

Incan Sun Temple at Cuzco / Coricancha

Major Inca religious temple in Cuzco dedicated especially to the sun and an important center of Inca religion

Jesuit

Catholic religious order founded during the Counter-Reformation, known for education, missionary work, discipline, and loyalty to the pope.

Jizya

— Special tax paid by non-Muslim protected subjects (dhimmis) in some Muslim-ruled states in exchange for protection and permission to practice their religion.

John Calvin

French Protestant theologian who developed Calvinism and emphasized salvation through faith and God's sovereignty.

Martin Luther / Lutheranism

German Priest who challenged Catholic Church practices and helped begin the Protestant Reformation.

Ninety-Five Theses (1517)

Issued by Martin Luther King

A). Theological Basis- believed that salvation came through faith alone

B). Not good works of sinner or sacraments had effect on eternal destiny 

C). Challenged authority of the church

Mehmed II

Ottoman sultan known as “the Conqueror” who captured Constantinople in 1453, ending the Byzantine Empire.

Neo-Confucianism

— Revival of Confucian philosophy that combined traditional Confucian ethics with metaphysical ideas influenced by Buddhism and Daoism.

Qianlong

Qing emperor who ruled from 1735–1796 and oversaw major territorial expansion and prosperity.

Qing Imperial Portraits

Official paintings of Qing emperors used to display imperial authority, identity, and legitimacy.

Salaried Samurai

— Japanese warriors who became paid government officials and administrators under the Tokugawa shogunate.

Shi'a Islam

— Branch of Islam whose followers believe Ali, Muhammad's cousin and son-in-law, and his descendants were the rightful leaders of the Muslim community.

Sikhism —

— Monotheistic religion founded by Guru Nanak in Punjab around the late 15th century and developed by subsequent Sikh Gurus.

Sunni Islam

— Largest branch of Islam, traditionally emphasizing the authority of the broader Muslim community and established traditions in determining legitimate leadership.

Taj Mahal

— Famous Mughal mausoleum built by Shah Jahan; represents the combination of Muslim, Persian, Turkic, and Indian architectural traditions.

Tax Farming

System in which the government sold the right to collect taxes to private individuals, who kept part of the revenue as profit.

Tercio

Spanish military formation combining pikemen, swordsmen, and firearms; an example of the Military Revolution and the development of stronger early modern armies.

General Crisis of the Seventeenth Century

Period during the 1600s characterized by widespread political, economic, social, and military instability in many parts of the world.

Versailles

Grand French royal palace expanded by Louis XIV that symbolized absolute monarchy and royal power.

Wahhabi Islam

Islamic reform movement associated with Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab (1703–1792) that called for strict adherence to Islamic teachings and law.

Wang Yangming

Ming philosopher who argued that people could achieve virtue through introspection and understanding their innate moral knowledge rather than relying solely on traditional education.

Yasak

Tribute, usually paid in furs, demanded by Russian rulers from Indigenous peoples of Siberia.

Zamindar

Elite landholders in the Mughal Empire who collected taxes from peasants and transferred revenue to the imperial government.

Counter-Reformation — 1545–1648

Catholic response to the Protestant Reformation that included reforming the Church, clarifying Catholic doctrine, and strengthening education and discipline.

Fall of Constantinople — 1453

Ottoman Sultan Mehmed II conquered Constantinople on May 29, ending the Byzantine Empire and making the city an important Ottoman capital.

Manchu/Qing Dynasty — 1644–1911/12

China's last imperial dynasty, founded by the Manchus after they conquered China and overthrew the Ming Dynasty.

Maratha Confederacy — c. 1721–1818

Powerful political and military alliance in India that became a major force after Mughal decline and eventually lost its independence to the British.

Ming Dynasty — 1368–1644

Chinese dynasty that replaced Mongol Yuan rule and restored traditional Chinese political and cultural institutions.

Mughal Empire — 1526–1857

Powerful Muslim empire in South Asia founded by Babur that controlled much of India and produced major cultural achievements.

Ottoman Empire — c. 1299–1922

Major Islamic empire founded in Anatolia that expanded across southeastern Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa before ending after World War I.

Peace of Westphalia — 1648

Treaties that ended the Thirty Years' War and strengthened the principle of state sovereignty in European international relations.

Printing Press Spreads to Europe — c. 1450

Gutenberg's movable-type printing press made books faster and cheaper to produce, accelerating the spread of literacy and ideas.

Protestant Reformation — 1517–1648

Religious movement beginning with Martin Luther's challenge to the Catholic Church that led to the creation and spread of Protestant churches.

Safavid Empire — 1501–1722

Major Turkic empire established in Persia in the early sixteenth century and notable for its efforts to convert its people to Shia Islam. 

Safavid–Ottoman Conflict — 1505–1639

Series of wars between the Safavid and Ottoman Empires over territory, trade, political influence, and Sunni–Shi'a religious differences.

Thirty Years' War — 1618–1648

Major European war involving religious, political, and territorial conflicts; ended with the Peace of Westphalia.

Moscow

Center of the emerging Russian state and later the Russian Empire; grew in importance after centuries of Mongol domination.

Siberia

— Resource-rich region of northern Asia inhabited by many Indigenous peoples; Russia expanded into Siberia largely for its valuable fur resources

Ottoman Empire

— Major Islamic empire centered in Anatolia that expanded into the Balkans, Middle East, and North Africa.

Constantinople / Istanbul

— Strategically located city connecting Europe and Asia; Byzantine capital until the Ottoman conquest in 1453, after which it became a major Ottoman capital.

Qing Empire

— China's last imperial dynasty, founded by the Manchus in 1644 after the fall of the Ming Dynasty.

Mughal Empire

— Muslim empire founded in India in 1526 that brought much of the Indian subcontinent under centralized rule and produced major cultural achievements.

Safavid Empire

— Persian empire centered in Iran that established Shi'a Islam as the state religion.

Russian Empire

— Christian empire centered initially on Moscow that expanded across northern Asia and into Eastern Europe and the Baltics.

Songhai Empire

— Major Islamic West African empire that rose in the 15th century and controlled important trans-Saharan trade routes