Identifications (Pre-Modern World History FINAL).

Bedouin

Nomadic Arab peoples who lived in the deserts of the Arabian Peninsula during ancient and medieval times. They moved with camels and herds.

Vikings

Vikings were Scandinavian seafarers from Norway, Denmark, and Sweden active between the 8th and 11th centuries. They raided, traded, and settled across Europe, influencing political structures, commerce, and cultural exchange.

Han Dynasty

The Han Dynasty ruled China from 206 BCE to 220 CE. It is significant for consolidating imperial rule, expanding the Silk Road, promoting Confucianism, and advancing technologies such as paper and steel production.

Christopher Columbus

Christopher Columbus was an Italian explorer sponsored by Spain who, in 1492, crossed the Atlantic and reached the Americas. His voyages initiated the Columbian Exchange, permanently linking the Eastern and Western Hemispheres.

Charlemagne

Charlemagne was the king of the Franks who ruled much of Western Europe from 768 to 814 CE. He is significant for uniting large parts of Europe, promoting Christianity and learning, and laying foundations for the Holy Roman Empire.

Hadith

The Hadith is a collection of sayings and actions of the Prophet Muhammad compiled in the 7th–9th centuries CE in the Middle East. It is significant because it provides guidance for Muslims on law, ethics, and daily life alongside the Quran.

Heian Period

The Heian period lasted from 794 to 1185 CE in Japan. It is known for the flowering of Japanese culture, literature, and art, including the development of distinctive court culture and aesthetics.

Tale of Genji

Written by Murasaki Shikibu during the Heian period (11th century) in Japan, the Tale of Genji is considered the world’s first novel. It is significant for its portrayal of court life, romance, and Japanese culture.

Abbasid Dynasty

The Abbasid Dynasty ruled much of the Islamic world from 750 to 1258 CE, with its capital in Baghdad. It is significant for fostering the Islamic Golden Age, including advances in science, mathematics, medicine, and trade.

Chinggis Khan

Chinggis Khan was the founder and ruler of the Mongol Empire from 1206 to 1227 CE. He is significant for uniting Mongol tribes, conquering vast territories across Asia and Europe, and promoting trade and communication along the Silk Road.

Mesoamerican Ball Game

Mesoamerican Ball Game – The Mesoamerican ball game was a ritual sport played in Mesoamerica by civilizations like the Olmecs, Maya, and Aztecs, dating back to around 1400 BCE. It was significant for its religious, political, and social functions, sometimes even involving human sacrifice.

Zheng He

Zheng He was a Chinese admiral during the early 15th century Ming Dynasty who commanded large fleets across the Indian Ocean. He is significant for expanding Chinese influence, trade, and diplomatic relationships across Asia and Africa.

Quran (Koran)

The Quran is the holy book of Islam, revealed to Prophet Muhammad in the 7th century CE in Arabia. It is significant as the foundational religious, moral, and legal guide for Muslims worldwide.

Islamic Golden Age

The Islamic Golden Age was a period from 8th to 14th century CE centered in the Abbasid Empire, particularly Baghdad. It is significant for major advances in science, mathematics, medicine, philosophy, and trade, influencing global knowledge.

Quipu

Quipu was a system of knotted strings used for record-keeping by the Inca Empire in South Americabefore the Spanish conquest. It is significant for demonstrating how non-literate societies maintained administrative and economic data.

Khubilai Khan

Khubilai Khan, grandson of Chinggis Khan, ruled the Yuan Dynasty in China from 1271 to 1294 CE. He is significant for unifying China under Mongol rule, expanding trade along the Silk Road, and encouraging cultural exchange.

Xiongnu

The Xiongnu were nomadic people of Central Asia active from around 3rd century BCE to 1st century CE. They are significant for pressuring the Han Dynasty, influencing Chinese military strategy, and fostering trade and diplomatic relationships.

The Olmecs

The Olmecs were an early Mesoamerican civilization flourishing from 1200–400 BCE in present-day Mexico. They are significant for developing writing, monumental architecture, and the Mesoamerican ball game, influencing later civilizations.

Black Plague

The Black Plague was a pandemic caused by Yersinia pestis, spreading across Eurasia in the 14th century CE. It is significant for killing millions, disrupting economies, and reshaping social structures in Europe and Asia.

Reconquista

The Reconquista was the campaign by Christian kingdoms to reclaim the Iberian Peninsula from Muslim rule, lasting from 718 to 1492 CE. It is significant for ending centuries of Islamic presence in Spain and leading to exploration and expansion.

Songhay Empire

The Songhay Empire was a West African state that flourished from 15th to 16th century CE, centered in Gao. It is significant for controlling trans-Saharan trade, wealth from gold and salt, and its contributions to Islamic scholarship.

Big History

Big History is an approach to studying history from the Big Bang to the present, connecting cosmic, geological, biological, and human events. It is significant for showing patterns and interconnectedness across disciplines and time periods.

Silk Road

The Silk Road was a network of trade routes connecting China, Central Asia, the Middle East, and Europe from around 200 BCE to 1400 CE. It is significant for spreading goods, religion, culture, technology, and ideas, profoundly shaping Eurasian civilizations.

Pax Mongolica

The Pax Mongolica was the period of peace and stability under the Mongol Empire during the 13th and 14th centuries CE. It is significant for facilitating trade, cultural exchange, and the safe movement of merchants across Eurasia.

Mansa Musa

Mansa Musa was the ruler of the Mali Empire from 1312 to 1337 CE. He is significant for his pilgrimage to Mecca, displaying Mali’s wealth, promoting Islam, and connecting West Africa to global trade networks.

Hernán Cortés

Hernán Cortés was a Spanish conquistador who led the conquest of the Aztec Empire in 1519–1521 CE in Mexico. He is significant for opening the Americas to European colonization and initiating vast social, political, and cultural changes.