AP World Unit 1

State

A territory that is politically organized under a single government.

Song Dynasty

Chinese dynasty that lasted from 960 to 1279, known for its cultural and economic achievements.

Confucianism

A philosophy that emphasizes hierarchical relationships and social order, established by Confucius.

Neo-Confucianism

A revival of Confucian thought that attempts to rid Confucianism of the influence of Buddhism.

Hierarchical Society

A social structure in which citizens submit to the state, and there are defined roles for women, juniors, and children.

Filial Piety

The necessity and virtue of children obeying and honoring their parents, grandparents, and deceased ancestors.

Bureaucracy

A government entity arranged in a hierarchical fashion that carries out the will of the emperor.

Civil Service Examination

A test used to select candidates for the bureaucracy, heavily based on Confucian classics.

Commercialization

The process of producing more goods than consumed and selling the excess in markets.

Champa Rice

A type of rice from the Champa Kingdom that matures early and can be harvested multiple times a year.

Grand Canal

A vast network of waterways in China used for transportation and trade.

Dar al-Islam

Refers to regions where Islamic faith is the organizing principle of civilization.

Abbasid Caliphate

A significant Muslim empire centered in Baghdad before 1200 with declining power by that time.

Seljuk Empire

Established in the 11th century by Turkic pastoralists, it became a dominant Islamic entity.

Mahayana Buddhism

A branch of Buddhism that encourages broader participation in practices and emphasizes the role of bodhisattvas.

Theravada Buddhism

A conservative form of Buddhism practiced mainly by monks and confined to monasteries.

Nirvana

The ultimate goal in Buddhism, achieving a state of enlightenment and liberation from suffering.

Aztec Empire

Founded by the Meshika people, it was known for its capital Tenochtitlan and aggressive expansion.

Inca Empire

An empire that arose in the early 1400s across the Andean Mountain Range with a complex administration.

Mita System

A labor system in the Inca Empire requiring citizens to work on state projects.

Mississippian Culture

The first large-scale civilization in North America centered around the Mississippi River Valley.

Swahili Civilization

A series of independent city-states along the East African coast, heavily influenced by Islamic traders.

Rajput Kingdoms

A collection of rival Hindu kingdoms in Northern India that resisted Muslim rule.

Vijayanagara Empire

A Hindu empire established in Southern India in 1336 by former emissaries of the Delhi Sultanate.

Hausa Kingdoms

A series of city-states in West Africa involved in trans-Saharan trade.

Great Zimbabwe

An African state that grew due to trade and became wealthy through gold exports.

Kingdom of Ethiopia

A Christian state in Africa that flourished through trade with Mediterranean and Arabian states.

Manorialism

An economic system centered on a manor where land was rented to peasants (serfs).

Feudalism

A political and social system where lords gain allegiance from vassals in exchange for land.

Serfs

Peasants bound to the land who worked for their lords in exchange for protection.

Foot Binding

A practice among elite women in Song China that involved binding feet for status.

Buddhism

A religion originating in India that emphasizes the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path.

Polytheistic

Worshipping many gods.

Bhakti Movement

A devotional movement in Hinduism emphasizing personal devotion to a single god.

Filial Piety

The virtue of respect for one's parents and ancestors.

House of Wisdom

A library in Baghdad where Muslim scholars preserved and translated Greek philosophical works.

Tribute States

States conquered by the Aztecs that provided goods and labor as tribute.

Silk and Porcelain

Major trade goods produced and exported by the Song Dynasty.

Neo-Confucianism

A revival and adaptation of Confucian thought influenced by Buddhism.

Ghana, Mali, Songhai

Powerful West African civilizations that thrived on trade and governance.

Mamluk Sultanate

A political entity in Egypt formed by former slaves who established rule after the Abbasids.

Delhi Sultanate

A Muslim state established in India that struggled against a majority Hindu population.