AP World History: Modern - Unit 2: Networks of Exchange - VOCAB

Silk Road

Network of land-based trade routes connecting Afro-Eurasia

Kashgar

Chinese oasis city and trade hub along the Silk Road

Samarkand

Uzbek oasis city and trade hub along the Silk Road

Banking Houses

Institutions that handle currency transactions

Paper Money

Currency in the form of banknotes

Caravanserai

Roadside inn where merchants and their animals could rest, relax, and stay the night

Commercial Practices

Led to increased volume in trade between civilizations

Mongol Khanates

States ruled by a khan (Mongol leader)

Mongols

Nomadic people and pastoralists from the steppes of Central Asia

Afro-Eurasian Trade

Exchange of goods, ideas, and cultural practices between Africa, Asia, and Europe

Interregional Trade

Trade between regions

Intraregional Trade

Trade within regions

Uyghur Script

Adopted by the Mongols to aid in cultural unity and communication

Indian Ocean Trade

Maritime trade system connecting the Middle East, South Asia, East Asia, Southeast Asia, and Africa

Compass

Navigation tool used for determining direction

Astrolabe

Instrument used by sailors to determine their location by observing the position of the stars and planets

Swahili Coast

Region along the shores of East Africa where Arabs and Africans mixed to create a unique cultural identity

Gujarat

Indian state important in Indian Ocean trade due to its central location

Sultanate Of Malacca

Ruled the entrepôt of Malacca in Southeast Asia; brought Islam to the region

Diasporic Communities

Created when people are scattered from their native territory and settle in another geographic location, bringing their culture and customs

Ming Dynasty

First Chinese dynasty after the fall of the Mongol-ruled Yuan Dynasty; known for expanding trade with the outside world

Zheng He

Ming Admiral who spread Islam through his journeys throughout lands in/along the Indian Ocean

Malay Communities

Groups of people based in Southeast Asia and Ceylon (modern-day Sri Lanka) known for immense trade contributions

Monsoons

A seasonal reversing wind accompanied by corresponding changes in precipitation

Camel Saddle

An important tool for Berber nomads, as they use them to ride their camels and to carry supplies and other equipment

Caravans

Groups of people travelling together, typically on a long journey

Trans-Saharan Trade Network

A network of trade routes that crossed the Sahara Desert in Africa, connecting the Mediterranean coast to the West African savannah and the sub-Saharan region

Mali Kingdom

Richest & most powerful African state that every existed

Western Africa

Region of Africa consisting of sub-Saharan countries on the westernmost part of the continent, including Mali, Senegal, Guinea, etc.

Spread of Buddhism, Hinduism, & Islam

Facilitated by the trade networks and caused religious syncretism and secularism

Gunpowder

Invented in China during the 9th or 10th century for use in firearms

Paper

Invented by the Chinese using plants and other materials for use in writing, drawing, printing, etc.

Ibn Battuta

Muslim scholar born in Morocco who, starting at the age of 21, traveled around Dar al-Islam to explore his religion

Margery Kempe

Christian mystic from England who invented the autobiography (hers was about her religious travels throughout Europe) despite having 14 kids

Marco Polo

Venetian merchant whose written accounts of his travels sparked European interest in Cathay (China)

Pathogens

Microorganisms, such as viruses and bacteria, that can cause disease in living organisms

Bubonic Plague

A bacterial infection caused by Yersinia pestis, typically transmitted through fleas that lived on rats, and marked by swollen lymph nodes