AP World Unit 0: Before 1200

Neolithic Revolution

1st Agricultural revolution, humans figured out how to farm

civilization

society w/ cities

hierarchy

breaking up society into groups by class

polytheistic

believing in multiple gods

monotheistic

believing in one god

pastoralists

nomadic people, relief on domesticated animals

bhakti movement

made Hinduism more accessible, devotion to 1+ Hindu god, more people could be religious

Caste system

social hierarchy, base of Indian society

theravada buddhism

traditional, practiced like Buddha did, monks in monasteries

mahayana buddhism

modern, lower class, easier to practice

Siddhartha Gautama

founded Buddhism, prince from Nepal/India, first Buddha

8-fold path

Buddhist, path to stop desire

confucianism

Chinese ideology, emphasized unequal relationships, everybody must play their part/role, base of Chinese society

daoism

Chinese ideology, look to nature

animism

worship of natural world-, religion based on power nature

mandate of heaven

legalism

chiefdom

group of people governed by a chief

Hinduism

A very diverse Indian religion with many traditions. No one founder, but associated with India. Started in India. Created to give a meaning and purpose to human life. Evolved from many different ideas and traditions across India. The first major religion.

Judaism

Middle Eastern, monotheistic, Abrahamic religion. Began in Israel/Palestine. Created by Hebrews. People came up with the radical idea of there being only one God. First monotheistic religion, created the idea of a universal religion, and led to the creation of Christianity and Islam

Jesus of Nazareth

A Jewish carpenter. Accidentally founded Christianity. Lived in Judea, a part of the Roman Empire. Wanted to revitalize Judaism and challenged conventional thinking. Ideas threatened authorities, so he was crucified.

Muhammad Ibn Abdullah

A trader from Mecca, considered himself the last of the prophets. Founder of Islam. Had a powerful religious experience while meditating that sparked his new religious ideas. Began spreading his revolutionary ideas. Ideas were recorded in the Quran. Threatened the authorities of Mecca with teachings and left. Eventually gathered an army and joined Arabia under the banner of Islam

Quran

sacred book of Islam

Sufism

A mystical and spiritual form of Islam. Believed in a purer spirituality from Muhammad’s time. Renounced material world. Lots of meditation, chanting, song, and dance. Worshiped Muhammad and other saints. Goal was to achieve spiritual union with Allah