AP World History: Post-Classical (c. 1200–1450) Flashcards

Vocabulary flashcards covering key concepts, trade networks, social structures, and historical patterns from AP World History Post-Classical period (c. 1200–1450).

Post-Classical Afro-Eurasia (c. 1200–1450)

An era marked by expanding empires and trade networks that connected Afro-Eurasia, moving people, goods, technologies, religions, and cultural traditions, while also spreading disease and conflict.

Mongol Expansion

The growth of a huge empire connecting large parts of Eurasia using military mobility, organization, leadership, and adaptation, while combining steppe traditions with sedentary political systems.

Nomadic Pastoralism

An economic and social lifestyle characterized by mobility, herding, and flexible labor.

Sedentary Agriculture

An economic and social system based on permanent settlement, farming, and specialized labor.

Caliphate

An Islamic political institution that provided symbolic legitimacy even when political unity broke down while religious and cultural unity remained.

Islamic Scholarship

A tradition where scholars preserved, translated, studied, commented on, developed earlier knowledge, and transmitted Greek intellectual traditions.

Silk Roads

A network of trade routes connecting East Asia, Central Asia, the Middle East, and Europe.

Indian Ocean Trade Network

A trade network connecting East Africa, the Middle East, South Asia, Southeast Asia, and China, which depended on monsoon knowledge, ships, navigation, and ports.

Trans-Saharan Trade Network

A network of trade routes connecting West Africa with North Africa and the Mediterranean.

Black Death

An epidemic disease spread by increased connectivity that caused mass mortality, population decline, economic disruption, urban decline, and labor shortages that increased workers' bargaining power.

Feudalism

Decentralized systems of authority involving land, agricultural production, warrior elites, loyalty, protection, and hierarchy, with comparable features in Europe and Japan.

Confucianism

A system that emphasizes duty, hierarchy, education, proper relationships, filial piety, and social order (DUTY + HIERARCHY + ORDER).

The Master Formula

Networks create connections -> connections create exchange -> connections create change. Networks can also create vulnerability -> vulnerability creates disruption.