Unit 1: 1200 CE - 1450 CE Review Guide

A collection of key terms and definitions focused on state-building, economic systems, and religious practices during the period of 1200-1450 CE.

State

An organized political community under one government (like a country, empire, nation, etc.).

Filial piety

The emphasis on children obeying and honoring their parents, grandparents, and deceased ancestors as a key principle in Confucianism.

Neo-Confucianism

A revival of Confucianism that helped legitimize the rule of the Song Dynasty.

Civil Service Exam

An examination based on Confucian classics that eligible men had to pass to be part of the imperial bureaucracy.

Champa Rice

A drought-resistant crop that matures early, significantly increasing food availability and supporting population growth in the Song Dynasty.

Mahayana Buddhism

A form of Buddhism that encourages broader participation and offers a way to achieve nirvana with help from bodhisattvas.

Thervada Buddhism

The original form of Buddhism focused on personal enlightenment and monastic life.

Sharia law

A legal code based on the Quran guiding many Islamic societies.

Vassals

Lesser lords in the feudal system who pledged loyalty to a lord in exchange for land.

Serfdom

An economic system where peasants are bound to the land they work in exchange for protection from a lord.

Manorialism

The economic structure that defined rural life in medieval Europe in which a lord's estate served as the basic unit of rural organization.