Period 1200-1450

Pastoralists

semi-nomadic herders of domesticated animals

Song Dynasty

(960-1279 CE) Chinese dynasty emphasizing civil administration, industry, education, and arts over military

Patriarchy

system in which men hold power in society

Confucianism

ethical system stressing humanity, ancestor worship, respect for parents, and social harmony

Social Stratification

system by which society ranks categories of people in a hierarchy

Filial Piety (Confucianism)

respect for parents, elders, and ancestors

Metallurgy

science of working with metals

Imperial Bureaucracy

division of an empire into provinces to make governing easier

Monotheism

belief in one god

Neo-Confucianism

Song-era revival of Confucianism blended with Buddhist and Daoist elements

Polytheism

belief in many gods

Buddhism in China

spread via Silk Roads; Mahayana Buddhism blended with Daoism to form Chan (Zen) Buddhism

Champa Rice

quick-maturing, drought-resistant rice allowing two harvests per season

Shamanism

belief in special individuals who interact with spirits for the community

Animism

belief that natural objects have spirits

Grand Canal

major waterway linking northern and southern China; strengthened economic cohesion

Judaism

monotheistic religion originating with Abraham; developed scriptures and ethical codes

Textile Industry

industry focused on producing and distributing cloth and clothing

Vedas

earliest sacred texts of Hinduism, written in Sanskrit

Porcelain

thin, beautiful pottery invented in China; major export

Hinduism

Indian religion emphasizing reincarnation and a supreme being with many forms

Steel and Iron Production

key part of Song economic growth; enabled mass production

Monasticism

life devoted to faith through withdrawal from society (monks, nuns)

Islam

monotheistic religion based on teachings of Muhammad; holy book is the Quran

Commodity

valuable product

Judaism (alt.)

monotheistic faith of the Hebrew people; early history preserved in the Old Testament

Christianity

monotheistic religion based on teachings of Jesus; emphasizes salvation

Legitimacy

popular acceptance of a ruler's authority

Caste System

rigid social hierarchy in India determining occupation and status

Abbasid Caliphate

Islamic dynasty (750 CE-13th c.) centered in Baghdad; flourished then declined

Mandate of Heaven

Chinese belief that heaven grants rulers the right to rule based on virtue

Turks

Central Asian nomads; many converted to Islam; influential in Eurasian politics

Reincarnation

rebirth of a soul in a new body

Seljuk Empire

Turkish-Persian Sunni empire (1037-1194)

Eightfold Path

Buddhist path to nirvana through right conduct, mindfulness, and wisdom

Mamluks

Turkic military slaves who rose to rule Egypt and Syria (1250-1517)

Confucianism (alt.)

philosophy promoting moral conduct and orderly society

Delhi Sultanates

Islamic dynasties ruling northern India (1206-1526)

Buddhism

teaches that suffering is caused by desire; enlightenment ends rebirth cycle

Sufis

mystical Muslims seeking closeness to God through prayer and simple living

Christianity (alt.)

monotheistic religion based on teachings of Jesus

Dar al-Islam

lands under Islamic rule

State

organized political community under one government

Abbasid

dynasty ruling much of Muslim Empire (750-1250)

Siddhartha Gautama (Buddha)

"Enlightened One"; taught path to end suffering

Filial Piety (alt.)

Confucian virtue of respect for parents and ancestors

Bhakti Movement

Hindu devotional movement emphasizing personal devotion; increased women's status

Ancestor Veneration

belief that ancestors continue to influence the living

Syncretic Religion

blending of two religious traditions into a new system

Great Zimbabwe

powerful African state (1250-1350) built on gold trade

Silk Roads

trade routes linking China and the Mediterranean

Hausa Kingdoms

seven linked West African states benefiting from trans-Saharan trade

Mediterranean Sea Lanes

sea routes connecting Mediterranean civilizations

Decentralization

distribution of decision-making to lower levels

Tribute System

payments acknowledging submission to another state (notably China)

Feudalism

European system where nobles held land in exchange for military service

Bureaucracy

government managed by appointed officials

Manorial System

self-sufficient economic system between lords and serfs

Commercial Exchange

buying and selling of goods

Free Labor

wage-paying labor rather than slavery

Epidemic

widespread outbreak of disease

Coerced Labor

forced labor through threats or pressure

Monsoon Winds

seasonal winds enabling Indian Ocean trade

Serfdom

labor system binding peasants to land for protection

Missionaries

people spreading religious beliefs

Silk Roads (600-1450)

flourished under Mongol unity; declined after Mongol fall

Black Death

plague spreading across Eurasia in 14th century via trade routes

Indian Ocean Trading Network

largest pre-1500 sea-based trade system from China to East Africa

Srivijaya

Malay kingdom controlling Straits of Malacca (600-1075)

Angkor Wat

Hindu then Buddhist temple complex in Cambodia; world's largest religious monument

Swahili Coast

East African city-states blending Bantu, Islamic, and Indian Ocean cultures

Great Zimbabwe (alt.)

stone city and capital of major African state (1250-1450)

Trans-Saharan Trade

caravan trade across Sahara; spread Islam

Mali Empire

wealthy West African empire trading gold and salt; Islamic under Mansa Musa

Song Dynasty (alt.)

era of major inventions, urbanization, and Neo-Confucianism

Hangzhou

Song capital; major trading city with population over 1 million

Foot Binding

Song-era practice restricting women's movement and enforcing patriarchy

Tribute System (alt.)

foreign states paid tribute to Chinese emperor

Chinese Influence on Japan

centralized government, Confucianism, Buddhism, architecture

Quran

holy book of Islam

Pillars of Islam

five required practices: faith, prayer, charity, fasting, pilgrimage

Jizya

tax on non-Muslims in Islamic states

Ibn Battuta

Moroccan traveler documenting Islamic world (1304-1369)

Timbuktu

Mali city of wealth, learning, and Islam

Mansa Musa

Mali ruler whose pilgrimage displayed empire's wealth

House of Wisdom

Baghdad center for learning, translation, and scholarship

Roman Catholic Church

Western Christian church led by the Pope; split from Eastern Orthodoxy in 1054

Serfdom (alt.)

laborers bound to land in feudal Europe

Feudal Europe

decentralized system with lords, manors, and limited trade

Crusades

Christian military campaigns to reclaim Jerusalem; ended European isolation

Mongols

Eurasian conquerors whose empire spread technology, culture, and disease

Delhi Sultanate

first Islamic government in India; Muslim minority ruling Hindu majority

Malacca

Southeast Asian port city founded c. 1400; major trade center

Inca

Andean empire with road networks and mita labor system

Syncretism

blending of religious belief systems

Mita System

Incan labor tax system

Grand Canal (alt.)

1,100-mile waterway linking Yellow and Yangzi Rivers

Feudalism (alt.)

system of land exchange for service in Western Europe

Arabic

language of Islamic civilization; facilitated trade

Quipu

Incan knotted-string record-keeping system