Study Guide Time Period 1 Exam 1200-1450

Vocabulary flashcards covering key states, religions, terms, and concepts for the 1200-1450 exam.

Maya

Mesoamerican civilization with autonomous city-states centered around ceremonial centers; politics built on city-state rulers and priests; economy based on agriculture, trade networks, and craft production; social structure with nobles, priests, artisans, peasants, and slaves; technology includes advanced calendars and hieroglyphic writing; AP region: Americas (Mesoamerica).

Aztec

Mesoamerican empire formed by the Triple Alliance centered at Tenochtitlan; political system was a tributary empire with strong military; economy based on agriculture and tribute trade; social classes: nobles, commoners, slaves; technology includes chinampas and calendrical systems; AP region: Mesoamerica.

Inca

Andean empire with centralized bureaucratic rule over a vast territory; economy based on state redistribution and mita labor; strong road system and quipu for record-keeping; social structure centered on the emperor (Sapa Inca), nobility, and commoners; AP region: Andes (South America).

Umayyad in Spain

Umayyad Caliphate governing the Iberian Peninsula from Córdoba; centralized Muslim governance with a diverse society of Muslims, Christians, and Jews; economy anchored in agriculture, trade, and urban markets; technology in irrigation, architecture, and scholarship; AP region: Iberian Peninsula (Europe and Islamicate world).

Abbasid

Abbasid Caliphate based in Baghdad; Golden Age of science, culture, and commerce; bureaucratic governance with a cosmopolitan society; economy via Silk Road trade and regional markets; technology and learning (House of Wisdom); AP region: Middle East, North Africa, parts of Asia.

Mali

West African empire built on centralized kingship under Mansa Musa; economy dominated by gold-salt trade and regional commerce; cities like Timbuktu and Gao as commercial/cultural centers; social structure with a ruling elite, clerics, traders, and farmers; Islam’s influence grew; AP region: Africa (West Africa).

Tang

Chinese dynasty known for strong centralized bureaucracy, equal-field system, and civil service exams; economy boosted by canal networks and trade along the Silk Road; technology includes woodblock printing and gunpowder later; AP region: East Asia.

Song

Chinese dynasty continuing bureaucratic governance, rapid urbanization, and commercial growth; economy featured monetary and credit systems, iron, and gunpowder; tech advances in compass, printing, and agriculture (fast-ripening rice); AP region: East Asia.

Medieval Europe

European societies from roughly 5th to 15th centuries; political structure dominated by feudalism and manorialism; economy agrarian with manors and local markets; social hierarchy: nobles, clergy, peasants/serfs; tech includes heavy plow, three-field system; AP region: Europe.

Aztec Religion

Polytheistic belief system with major gods like Huitzilopochtli; ritual practices including human sacrifice; priesthood and temples (e.g., Templo Mayor); calendar-based ceremonies; leaders included rulers and high priests; AP region: Mesoamerica.

Maya Religion

Polytheistic beliefs with numerous gods tied to nature and calendar cycles; rituals led by priests, with temples and ballgames; ancestor reverence and calendar-driven ceremonies; AP region: Mesoamerica.

Inca Religion

State-centered religion focused on Inti, the sun god; ancestor worship and mummified rulers; state priests and ritual offerings; AP region: Andes (South America).

Islam

Monotheistic faith revealed to Muhammad; core beliefs include the Five Pillars, Qur’an as holy text, and submission to Allah; practices include prayer, fasting, charity, pilgrimage; leaders include prophets, imams, and caliphs; AP region(s): Middle East, North Africa, Iberia, parts of Asia.

Buddhism

Religion based on the teachings of the Buddha; core beliefs include Four Noble Truths and Eightfold Path; goal of enlightenment and Nirvana; monastic communities; AP region: Asia (origin in India, widespread across East and Southeast Asia).

Confucianism

Philosophical and ethical system emphasizing social harmony, filial piety, and proper conduct; influence on education and governance; emphasis on relationships and rites; AP region: East Asia (China and beyond).

Christianity

Monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus; sacred texts include the Bible; practices include sacraments and worship; leadership includes the pope (Catholic tradition) and church authorities; spread across Europe and beyond; AP region: Europe and parts of the world.

Jesus

Central figure of Christianity, believed by Christians to be the Son of God and the savior; his teachings form the basis of Christian belief. AP region: Global (primarily Europe, Middle East).

caliph

Islamic political-religious leader regarded as successor to the Prophet Muhammad; title used by caliphates to lead the Muslim community. AP region: Islamic world.

reincarnation

Belief in the rebirth of a soul into a new body after death; common in Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism (varies by tradition). AP region: Asia and beyond.

pope

Head of the Roman Catholic Church; spiritual leader of Catholics; plays key role in church doctrine and governance. AP region: Europe and global Catholic communities.

caliphate

Islamic political-religious state led by a caliph; represents the empire or governance system under the caliph. AP region: Islamic world.

enlightenment/Nirvana

In Buddhism, the ultimate goal—the end of suffering and cycle of rebirth; realization of true nature and release from samsara. AP region: Asia.

city-state

Sovereign political unit consisting of a city and its surrounding countryside; common in various civilizations including Maya and medieval Europe; governance focused on city-based authority. AP region: Global (historically multiple regions).

Allah

Arabic name for God in Islam; the one and only deity worshipped by Muslims. AP region: Islamic world.

Islam

Monotheistic religion revealed to Muhammad; central beliefs include the Five Pillars and Qur’an; practice includes prayer and community worship. AP region: Islamic world.

sultan

Muslim ruler or sovereign, often governing a non-caliphal state; title used in various Islamic dynasties (e.g., Seljuks, Ottomans). AP region: Middle East, North Africa, parts of Asia.

Sacraments

Ritual acts considered sacred in Christianity, such as baptism and communion; essential religious practices for believers. AP region: Christian communities worldwide.

sunni

Largest branch of Islam emphasizing following the Sunnah and community consensus for leadership after Muhammad; shares core beliefs with other Muslim groups. AP region: Islamic world.

4 Noble Truths

Buddhist core teachings: life involves suffering, suffering arises from desire, ending desire ends suffering, and the path to end desire is the Eightfold Path. AP region: Asia.

gold-salt trade

Historically important trans-Saharan trade exchanging West African gold for North African salt; essential to wealth and power of empires like Mali. AP region: Africa (West Africa) and North Africa.

Mansa Musa

Mali emperor famous for wealth and a grand pilgrimage to Mecca; expansion of Timbuktu as a center of learning and trade. AP region: Africa.

shi’ite

Shia branch of Islam, emphasizing leadership within the Prophet Muhammad’s family lineage; distinct religious practices and beliefs from Sunnis. AP region: Islamic world.

Eightfold Path

Buddhist path of right views, intentions, speech, action, livelihood, effort, mindfulness, and concentration leading to enlightenment. AP region: Asia.

Bedouin

Nomadic Arab groups of the desert regions; early Islamic expansion and caravan trade; pastoral lifestyle. AP region: Middle East.

Animism

Belief that natural objects, places, and creatures possess spirits; common in many indigenous religions. AP region: Global (various regions).

Muhammad

Prophet and founder of Islam; received divine revelations later compiled as the Qur’an. AP region: Arabian Peninsula and Islamic world.

emperor

Ruler of an empire or vast monarchy; exercise sovereignty and often claim divine sanction; e.g., Chinese emperors with the Mandate of Heaven. AP region: Global.

Berbers

Indigenous North African and Saharan peoples traditional traders and settlers in the Islamic world; engaged in commerce and cultural exchange. AP region: Africa and Iberia.

Hajj

Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca required once in a lifetime if able; one of the Five Pillars of Islam. AP region: Islamic world.

Qur’an

Islamic holy book believed to be the literal word of God as revealed to Muhammad. AP region: Islamic world.

gentry

Chinese scholar-official class responsible for civil administration and governance; often powerful in Song and later periods. AP region: East Asia.

polytheism

Belief in many gods; common in many premodern and some contemporary religious systems. AP region: Global.

Bible

Christian sacred scriptures comprising the Old and New Testaments; central to Christian belief and practice. AP region: Global.

Mosque

Muslim house of worship where communal prayers are held; community centers for Muslims. AP region: Islamic world.

civil service exam

Examinations used to recruit government officials, notably in Imperial China; based on Confucian classics. AP region: East Asia.

mit’a

Incan labor tribute system requiring communities to provide labor for state projects in lieu of taxes. AP region: Andes (South America).

Kaaba

Sacred cubic shrine in Mecca that Muslims face during prayer and travel to during the Hajj. AP region: Islamic world.

Five Pillars of Faith

Core Islam practices: declaration of faith, daily prayer, almsgiving, fasting during Ramadan, and pilgrimage to Mecca. AP region: Islamic world.

bureaucracy

Administrative system governing state functions through specialized officials and departments. AP region: Global (various empires).

quipu

Incan knotted cords used for recording information and keeping records; an early form of accounting. AP region: Andes.

chinampas

Aztec engineered floating gardens used to increase agricultural productivity; supported large urban populations. AP region: Mesoamerica.

Buddha

Founder of Buddhism; Siddhartha Gautama attained enlightenment and taught the path to liberation from suffering. AP region: Asia.

mandate of heaven

Chinese political doctrine justifying the ruler's authority as divinely granted, contingent on effective governance. AP region: East Asia.