AP World History Unit 1- Amsco vocab

Imperial Bureaucracy

Imperial Bureaucracy

A system where appointed officials carried out the emperor’s orders.

Civil Service Exam

Exams based on Confucian texts which were taken to get highly desirable jobs.

Grand Canal

Waterway transportation in China that allowed for long-distance trade

Proto-industrialization

A set of economic changes in which people in rural areas made more goods than they could sell

Scholarly gentry

A new and influential social class comprised of educated men studying Confucian philosophy

Syncretism

The fusion of multiple different religions, cultures, or traditions

Neo-Confucianism

Religion in China that blended Daoist and Buddhist ideals and placed an emphasis on ethics and values

Foot-binding

The practice of binding feet extremely tight to prevent bone growth

Nuclear families

Families only consisting of the mother, father, and children.

Polygamy

The practice of having more than one wife at the same time

Hijab

The term that can refer either to the practice of dressing modestly or to a specific type of covering

Mamluks

Enslaved people who were frequently ethnic Turks from Central Asia, to serve as soldiers and later as bureaucrats.

‘A’ishah al-Ba’uniyyah

She is regarded as the most prolific female Muslim writer before the 20th century

Nasir al-Din al-Tusi

A renowned scholar contributing to astronomy, law, logic, ethics, mathematics, philosophy, and medicine. His observatory produced advanced astronomical charts.

Ibn Khaldun

A founder of historiography and sociology, known for historical accounts.

Seljuk Turks

Central Asians who began conquering the Middle East in the 11th century and extended their power to Western China.

Crusaders

Groups of European Christian soldiers who fought for access to and from the holy sites in Jerusalem.

Mongols

Central Asians who conquered Abbasid Empire in 1258 and ended the Seljuk rule. They were eventually stopped in Egypt by the Mamluks.

Vijaynagara Empire

Southern Indian kingdom (1336-1646), significant regional power, later overthrown by Muslim kingdoms.

Rajput Kingdoms

Hindu kingdoms in northern India, marked by decentralization and conflicts, influenced by Muslim invasions.

Delhi Sultanate

Muslim kingdom (13th-16th centuries) in northern India, complex interactions with Hinduism, shaping political dynamics.

Srivijaya Empire

Hindu maritime empire (670-1025) based on Sumatra, controlled sea routes, influenced economic and cultural dynamics in Southeast Asia

Majahapit Kingdom

Buddhist maritime kingdom (1293-1520) based on Java, controlled sea routes, had 98 tributaries, shaping regional power structures

Sinhala Dynasties

Dynasties in Sri Lanka influenced by Indian immigrants, Buddhists from the 3rd century B.C.E., contributing to the spread of Buddhism.

Khmer Empire

Angkor Kingdom (802-1431) near the Mekong River, showcased Hindu and Buddhist influences, reflecting cultural interactions in Southeast Asia.

Sukhothai Kingdom

Thai kingdom that invaded Angkor in 1431, contributing to the decline of the Khmer Empire, emphasizing regional geopolitical significance.

Proselytize

Actively seeking converts, often associated with religious missions.

Bhakti Movement

12th-century Hindu movement emphasizing emotional attachment to deities, appealed to women and lower social status, contributing to Hinduism's spread

Qutub Minar

Islamic tower in Delhi, exemplifying fusion of Hindu art and Islamic patterns, symbolizing Islamic influence in northern India.

Urdu

Language developed in South Asia, blending Hindi grammatical patterns with Arabic and Persian vocabulary, now the official language of Pakistan.

Mississippian

Emerged in 700s/800s, known for mound-building, e.g., Cahokia.

Matrilineal Society

Social structure where status is determined by the woman's family side, notable in Mississippian culture.

Mound-Building

Construction of large earthen mounds, a characteristic feature of the Mississippian culture, e.g., Cahokia.

Cahokia

The largest mound site in southern Illinois, central to Mississippian culture.

Mayan

Civilisation in Mesoamerica, city-states, innovative thinking, complex writing, astronomy.

Aztec

Originally hunter-gatherers, founded Tenochtitlan, created an empire, theocratic government, human sacrifices.

Theocracy

A form of government where religious leaders hold political power.

Human Sacrifice

Ritualistic killing of individuals as an offering to deities, central in Aztec religious practices.

Incan Empire

Vast South American empire, governed by a centralized bureaucracy, featured the mit’a system.

Pachacuti

Incan leader who played a crucial role in the expansion of the Incan Empire.

Mit’a System

Incan mandatory public service, men provided labor for agricultural and construction tasks for the state.

Temple of the Sun

Central religious structure in Cuzco, the capital of the Incan Empire, dedicated to the sun god Inti.

Animism

Belief in the supernatural powers of elements in the physical world.

Kin-based networks

Decentralized social structures in Sub-Saharan Africa organized around family ties and led by a chief.

Swahili

Language formed by blending Bantu and Arabic in the East African coastal region.

Zanj rebellion

Successful slave revolt (869-883) by enslaved East Africans against Arab rulers in Basra.

Trans-Saharan Trade

Network of trading routes across the Sahara, facilitating trade between North and West Africa.

Indian Ocean Trade

Maritime trade connecting East Africa, the Middle East, South Asia, and East Asia.

Indian Ocean Slave Trade

Slave trade route between East Africa and the Middle East, persisting into the 20th century.

Great Zimbabwe

Powerful East African kingdom (12th-15th centuries) known for its stone architecture and wealth from gold trade.

Chief

Leader of a kin-based network in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Hausa Kingdoms

Ethnic group in West Africa that formed seven states known as the Hausa Kingdoms.

Ghana

West African kingdom known for selling gold and ivory to Muslim traders during the 8th to 11th centuries.

Mali

Successor to the Ghanaian state, Mali became a powerful trading society in West Africa during the 12th century.

Zimbabwe

East African kingdom that built its prosperity on agriculture, grazing, trade, and gold, with a powerful capital.

Ethiopia

Christian-led kingdom in Ethiopia that developed independently, blending traditional faith with Christianity.

Magna Carta

Limits on the king's power, signed in 1215.

Manors

Large feudal estates with villages and farmland.

Three-field System

Crop rotation method in three fields for agriculture.

Feudalism

Political and social system based on land exchanges.

Serfs

Peasants tied to the land, providing labor for protection.

Bourgeoisie

Middle class, including merchants and professionals.

Estates-General

Representative assembly in France during the Middle Ages.

Otto I

King crowned Holy Roman Emperor in 962 AD

Crusades

Series of religious wars fought between Christians and Muslims

Marco Polo

Venetian explorer known for travels to Asia.

Renaissance

Cultural and intellectual revival in Europe.

Great Schism

Split in the Christian Church in 1054.