World History Review Flashcards

Flashcards of key vocabulary terms and definitions from lecture notes spanning from the Song Dynasty to the Present (Units 1-9).

Song Dynasty

A Chinese dynasty known for economic prosperity, technological innovation, and neo-Confucian revival.

Confucianism

Common philosophy of China, emphasized respecting your elders or Filial Piety

Abbasid Caliphate

A major Islamic empire that led a Golden Age of learning before fracturing into regional powers.

Delhi Sultanate

A Muslim state that ruled parts of northern India, spreading Islam and Persian culture.

Feudalism

A decentralized political system based on reciprocal relationships between lords and vassals.

Manorialism

An economic system where peasants worked land owned by nobles in exchange for protection.

Crusades

A series of Christian military campaigns to reclaim the Holy Land from Muslim control.

Mali Empire

A wealthy West African empire that controlled trans-Saharan trade, especially in gold and salt.

Mansa Musa

A Muslim king of Mali famous for his lavish pilgrimage to Mecca and promotion of Islamic education.

Trans-Saharan Trade

A network linking West Africa to North Africa and the Mediterranean via camel caravans.

Indian Ocean Trade Network

A maritime trading system connecting East Africa, the Middle East, South Asia, and Southeast Asia.

Silk Roads

Overland trade routes connecting China to the Mediterranean, facilitating exchange of goods and ideas.

Caravanserai

Roadside inns along trade routes where travelers and merchants could rest and trade.

Paper Money

Currency introduced in China under the Tang and Song dynasties to facilitate trade.

Mongol Empire

A vast Eurasian empire founded by Genghis Khan that revitalized trade and cultural exchange.

Gunpowder Empires

Muslim empires (Ottoman, Safavid, Mughal) that used gunpowder weapons to expand and control territory.

Ottoman Empire

A powerful Islamic empire that controlled Southeast Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East.

Devshirme System

The Ottoman policy of recruiting Christian boys for military and administrative service.

Janissaries

Elite Ottoman soldiers taken from the devshirme system, loyal directly to the sultan.

Sikhism

A monotheistic religion founded in South Asia combining elements of Hinduism and Islam.

Protestant Reformation

A religious movement started by Martin Luther challenging Catholic authority and doctrine.

Catholic Counter-Reformation

The Catholic Church’s response to the Reformation, reaffirming doctrine and reforming practices.

Absolutism

A political system in which monarchs held total centralized power, often justified by divine right.

Scientific Revolution

A period of major scientific discoveries that challenged traditional views of the universe.

Columbian Exchange

The global transfer of crops, animals, people, and disease between the Old and New Worlds.

Encomienda System

A labor system in which Spanish colonists forced Indigenous Americans to work in exchange for protection.

Atlantic Slave Trade

The forced transport of Africans to the Americas as part of the triangular trade system.

Middle Passage

The brutal sea voyage across the Atlantic in which millions of Africans were transported to slavery.

Joint-Stock Companies

Businesses that allowed investors to pool capital and share risks in overseas ventures.

Creoles / Castas System

A rigid social hierarchy in the Americas based on racial mixing and birthplace.

Enlightenment

An intellectual movement emphasizing reason, individual rights, and the social contract.

Natural Rights / Social Contract

Enlightenment ideas that governments must protect life, liberty, and property.

American Revolution

A colonial revolt against British rule inspired by Enlightenment ideals and taxation grievances.

French Revolution

A radical revolution that overthrew the monarchy and promoted liberty, equality, and fraternity.

Haitian Revolution

The only successful slave revolt in history, leading to Haiti’s independence from France.

Nationalism

A strong identification with and pride in one’s nation, often leading to independence movements.

Industrial Revolution

A transformation in production using machines and factories, starting in Britain.

Factory System

A method of manufacturing using machines and a centralized location, replacing handcrafting.

Steam Engine

An invention that powered factories, ships, and trains and fueled industrialization.

Urbanization

The growth of cities due to the movement of people from rural areas to industrial centers.

Capitalism

An economic system based on private ownership and free markets.

Karl Marx / Communism

A critique of capitalism advocating for a classless society and collective ownership.

Labor Unions

Organizations formed by workers to fight for better wages and working conditions.

Abolition of Slavery

The legal end of slavery in various countries during the 19th century.

Feminism (Mary Wollstonecraft)

The movement for women’s equality in rights and education.

Scramble for Africa

The rapid colonization of Africa by European powers during the late 19th century.

Social Darwinism

A belief that justified imperialism by applying “survival of the fittest” to societies.

World War I

A global conflict caused by militarism, alliances, imperialism, and nationalism (MAIN), sparked by the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand.

MAIN Causes

Militarism, Alliances, Imperialism, and Nationalism—key factors leading to WWI.

Treaty of Versailles

The post-WWI treaty that punished Germany and helped sow resentment.

Russian Revolution

The 1917 overthrow of the czar leading to communist rule under Lenin.

Stalin / Soviet Communism

Totalitarian rule under Stalin, marked by state control and purges.

Great Depression

A global economic crisis that began with the 1929 U.S. stock market crash.

Fascism

An authoritarian political ideology emphasizing nationalism, militarism, and anti-communism.

Adolf Hitler / Nazi Party

Fascist leader of Germany responsible for WWII and the Holocaust.

Total War

A war that mobilizes all of a society’s resources for the war effort.

Holocaust

The Nazi genocide of six million Jews and other targeted groups during WWII.

World War II

A global conflict between Axis and Allied powers from 1939–1945.

Atomic Bomb / Hiroshima & Nagasaki

The U.S. dropped nuclear bombs on Japan, ending WWII.

United Nations

An international organization founded after WWII to promote peace and cooperation.

Cold War

A geopolitical and ideological rivalry between the U.S. and the Soviet Union.

Truman Doctrine / Marshall Plan

U.S. policies to contain communism and rebuild Europe after WWII.

NATO vs. Warsaw Pact

Competing military alliances formed by the U.S. and USSR during the Cold War.

Korean War

A Cold War conflict that divided Korea into communist North and capitalist South.

Vietnam War

A Cold War conflict in which the U.S. tried to stop the spread of communism in Vietnam.

Non-Aligned Movement

Countries that remained neutral during the Cold War.

Decolonization

The process by which colonies gained independence after WWII.

Indian Independence / Partition

India gained independence from Britain in 1947, splitting into India and Pakistan.

Nelson Mandela / End of Apartheid

South African leader who helped dismantle racial segregation and became president.

Green Revolution

The spread of high-yield crops and modern farming techniques to developing nations.

Globalization

The increasing interconnectedness of the world’s economies, cultures, and populations.

Neoliberalism

An economic philosophy promoting free markets, privatization, and reduced government spending.

Multinational Corporations

Companies that operate in multiple countries, influencing global trade and labor.

Internet / Cell Phones

Digital technologies that transformed communication and information exchange.

Air Travel / Container Shipping

Innovations that revolutionized global trade and mobility.

Vaccines

Medical breakthroughs that drastically reduced global infectious disease.

Antibiotics

Drugs that treat bacterial infections and transformed modern medicine.

Climate Change

A major global issue driven by industrial emissions and deforestation.

Feminist Movements (Second Wave)

Movements in the 20th century demanding gender equality in law, work, and society.

International Organizations (IMF, WTO, UN)

Institutions that coordinate economic policy, development, and diplomacy.