Period 1 – Post-Classical Interactions (600–1450 CE): Key Terms (VOCABULARY)

Vocabulary flashcards covering key terms, people, places, and concepts from the notes on Period 1 – Post-Classical Interactions (600–1450 CE).

Caliphate

Islamic political-religious state led by a caliph; theocratic governance expanding across vast regions.

Umayyad Caliphate

Early Islamic dynasty with capital at Damascus; extended Islamic empire rapidly outward.

Abbasid Caliphate

Islamic dynasty with capital at Baghdad; Golden Age of learning and trade; theocratic aspects.

Feudalism

Decentralized political system where lords grant land to vassals in exchange for service; peasants work the land.

Byzantine Empire

Continuation of the Eastern Roman Empire; Christian state centered in Constantinople; caesaropapism.

Sui Dynasty

Short-lived Chinese dynasty (581–618) that reunified China and built the Grand Canal.

Tang Dynasty

Chinese Golden Age; expanded empire, revived Silk Roads, strong bureaucracy.

Song Dynasty

Chinese dynasty known for commercial revolution, urbanization, and technological innovations; later paper money.

Silk Roads

Network of overland trade routes linking East Asia to Europe; revived under the Mongols.

Indian Ocean Trade

Maritime trade network connecting East Africa, the Middle East, South Asia, and Southeast Asia; monsoons crucial.

Trans-Saharan Trade

Caravan routes across the Sahara linking West Africa to North Africa and the Mediterranean; gold for salt.

Novgorod

Key Russian trading city and Hanseatic League hub in the Baltic region.

Hangzhou

Song capital; major center of commerce and gateway to extensive trade networks.

Calicut

Important Indian Ocean port on India's Malabar coast; spice trade hotspot.

Venice

Italian city-state dominant in Mediterranean trade and a key commercial hub.

Genoa

Italian maritime republic active in Mediterranean trade and finance.

Melaka

Strategic Spice Trade hub at the Strait of Malacca; gateway between Indian Ocean and China Sea.

Tenochtitlan

Aztec capital; center of a tribute empire in central Mexico.

Mali Empire

West African empire that thrived on gold-salt trade and Islam's spread throughout the region.

Swahili

East African coast culture and language blending Bantu with Arabic; linked to Indian Ocean trade.

Zheng He

Ming dynasty admiral whose seven voyages expanded Indian Ocean awareness and prestige.

Marco Polo

Venetian traveler whose accounts popularized East Asian wealth and trade in Europe.

Ibn Battuta

Moroccan Muslim traveler whose Rihla documented vast Muslim lands and cultures.

Xuanzang

Chinese Buddhist monk who traveled to India, studying and later inspiring Journey to the West.

Neo-Confucianism

Philosophical synthesis of Confucianism with Buddhist ideas, especially during Song era.

Filial Piety

Confucian virtue emphasizing respect for one’s elders and ancestors; social harmony cornerstone.

Tributary System

Conquered peoples paid tribute to a dominant power in exchange for recognition and protection.

Caesaropapism

System in which the emperor governs both state and church; Byzantine model.

Equal-field System

Tang policy distributing land to peasants to balance taxation and prevent land monopolies.

Theme System

Byzantine provincial military-territorial system linking land, military, and taxation.

Delhi Sultanates

Turkish-ruled Islamic states in Northern India; centralized authority with local Hindu incorporation.

Mongol Khanates

Four semi-autonomous divisions of the Mongol Empire (Golden Horde, Il-Khanate, Yuan, Chagatai).

Pax Mongolica

Mongol era of relative peace that facilitated safe cross-Eurasian trade and exchange.

Quipu

Inca recording system using knotted cords for accounting and administration.

Mit’a

Inca labor tax requiring communities to perform public works; corvée labor.

Chinampa

Aztec raised-field farming technique to boost agricultural productivity.

Waru Waru

Andean raised-bed farming method to reduce soil erosion and manage floods.

Champa Rice

Fast-rlooding rice from Vietnam; boosted agricultural output in southern China.

Hajj

Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca required at least once in a lifetime if able.

Ramadan

Islamic holy month of daytime fasting and spiritual reflection.

Diasporic Communities

Migrants who maintain cultural ties while settling in new regions; often commerce-focused.

Sogdian Merchants

Central Asian traders who facilitated Silk Road commerce.

Jizya

Tax on non-Muslims under Islamic rule in exchange for protection and allowed practice.

Islamic Banking

Financial system in the Islamic world featuring credit, currency exchange, and banking houses.

Bills of Exchange

Early credit instrument enabling transfer of funds across distances.

Flying Cash

Early Chinese paper money used in large-scale trade networks.

Porcelain

High-quality ceramic produced in China and traded across Eurasia.

Silk Textiles

China’s silk production and trade; central to interregional commerce.

Spices

Value-rich commodities (cinnamon, pepper, cloves, nutmeg) driving long-distance trade.

Gold and Gems

Precious metals and stones traded widely; linked to wealth and exchange networks.

Slaves

Enslaved people traded and laboring across Afro-Eurasia; pervasive across many networks.

Exotic Animals

Rare or non-native animals traded for status, prestige, and science.

Mansa Musa

Emperor of the Mali Empire; famed for his wealth and pilgrimage to Mecca.

Genghis Khan

Founder and Great Khan of the Mongol Empire; unified Mongol tribes.

Sufism

Mystical branch of Islam focusing on spiritual connection with God; influential in spreading Islam.

Hanseatic League

Commercial and defensive confederation of merchant guilds and market towns in Northwestern and Central Europe.

Grand Canal

Massive artificial waterway in China, built during the Sui Dynasty, connecting north and south.It served as a vital trade route, facilitating the movement of goods and people across the empire.

Swahili City-States

Independent trading cities along the East African coast; key nodes in Indian Ocean trade.

Scholar-Gentry

Educated civil servants in imperial China; played a crucial role in bureaucracy and society.