UNIT 3 Reading Guide/Text from the Book

Gunpowder Empires

Gunpowder Empires

Large, multiethnic states in Southwest, South, and Central Asia that relied on weapons powered by gunpowder.

Gutenberg Printing Press

A technological innovation that sparked the rise of literacy in France and England.

Ivan IV

Also known as Ivan the Terrible, he was the tsar of Russia from 1547-1584.

Volga River

A river that flows into the Caspian Sea, allowing Moscow to trade directly with Persia and the Ottoman Empire.

Ming Dynasty

Established in 1368, replacing the Yuan Dynasty, expanded to the size of China and included lands in Mongolia and Central Asia.

Qing Dynasty

Established by the Manchus in 1644, it tripled the amount of land they controlled by 1911.

Kangxi

A long-reigning emperor (1661-1772) of the Qing Dynasty known for stability and expansion.

Emperor Qianlong

Qing ruler (1736-1796) known for his knowledge in art and calligraphy.

Tamerlane

A Mongol-Turkic ruler of the late 14th century who set the stage for the rise of the Turkic empires.

Ghazi Ideal

A model for warrior life combining nomadic values with devotion to Islam.

Ottoman Empire

By far the largest and most enduring Islamic empire during this period.

Mehmed II

Known as the Conqueror, ruled the Ottoman Empire from 1451 to 1481, besieging Constantinople.

Suleiman I

Ruled from 1520 to 1566 during the peak of the Ottoman Empire.

Shah

Equivalent to king or emperor, particularly in 1501 in the context of Persia.

Safavid Empire

Originated in northern Azerbaijan (modern Iran), faced challenges like lack of navy and natural defenses.

Shah Abbas I

Ruler of the Safavid Empire from 1588 to 1629, presiding over its height.

Akbar

Meaning 'great' in Arabic, significant ruler of the Mughal Empire.

Mughal Empire

Notable for being one of the richest and best-governed states, leaving a legacy of impressive architecture.

Caste

Strict social groupings designated at birth, especially in India.

Divine Right of Kings

Claim that the right to rule was granted to a king by God.

English Bill of Rights

Document assuring individual civil liberties.

Absolutism

A political system where one leader has complete power over a country.

Tax Farmers

Local officials and private tax collectors acting separately from the central government.

Louis XIV

Also known as The Sun King, ruled France from 1643 to 1715.

Boyars

The noble landowning class in Russia.

Serfdom

A condition in medieval Europe where peasants were bound to their land.

Romanov Dynasty

Dynasty that took control of Russia in 1613 following Ivan IV's death.

Janissaries

Elite soldiers of the Ottoman Empire, often taken from Christian lands.

Daimyo

Landowning aristocrats in Japan.

Tokugawa Shogunate

Military government that ruled Japan from 1603 until 1868.

Askia the Great

Ruler of Songhai who established a centralized government.

Justices of the Peace

Officials in England responsible for maintaining peace and law.