Global History Lecture Notes

Vocabulary and key concept flashcards covering ancient Americas, Asian trade networks, Islamic history, and medieval European developments based on lecture transcripts.

Anasazi Agricultural Labor

Responsibility of women and girls because men were engaged in hunting and trade.

Andean Civilizations

Societies characterized by their ability to link resources from the coast to the interior.

Andean Famine Prevention

The discovery of how to freeze dry vegetables and meat products when crops failed.

Moche Power Concentration

Wealth and political control were held by an elite of Priests and military leaders.

Tiwanaku Power Elite

A class that rose to power due to intensive cultivation and trade.

Cahokia

The most important center of Mississippian culture because it linked rural populations with obligations of tribute.

Mayan Cosmic Tree

A central belief that connected the three layers of the cosmos: the heavens, the human world, and the underworld.

Decline of Teotihuacan

Attributed by scholars to competing factions that stimulated class conflict.

Chavín Symbols of Authority

Decorative motifs in sculpture and pottery showing religious authority that indicate increasing class distinctions.

Reciprocal Labor Obligations

Important trade network components in the Americas that permitted the construction of roads, bridges, and infrastructure.

Olmec Cultural Influence

Astronomical observation used for the construction of calendars passed to later Mesoamerican societies.

Stirrups

Technology providing advantageous weapon stability for mounted warriors.

Female Steppe Nomads

Responsible for overseeing the breeding and birthing of livestock and the preparation of skins.

Dhows

Smaller Arabian cargo ships used in the Indian Ocean Maritime System.

Junks

The largest and most technologically advanced vessels featuring watertight compartments and up to $12\,\text{sails}$, capable of carrying cargo up to $1000\,\text{tons}$.

Lateen Sails

Triangular sails used on Indian ships.

Astrolabe

An aran or greek invention that enabled sailors to determine location at sea by measuring the position of the sun by day and stars at night.

Compass

Navigation tool improved by the Song dynasty to be suitable for seafaring.

Bantu Migrations

The movement of people that diffused iron metallurgy, agriculture techniques, and language throughout Africa.

Bodhisattva

A person who stays behind to help others achieve enlightenment.

Mahayana Buddhism

A branch of Buddhism focusing on revenge and bodhisattvas.

Theravada Buddhism

Practiced in Sri Lanka, focusing on the exact teachings of Buddha with the goal to achieve Nirvana.

Sunni Islam

Belief that the Muslim community selects its leader.

Shi’ites

Believe the leader of Islam must be related to Ali.

Quran

The revelation of Allah and most important basis of Islam law, viewed as the unalterable word of God.

Shari’a

The law of Islam.

Hadith

A tradition relating the words or deeds of the prophet Muhammad.

Umma

The Muslim community.

Ulama

The primary interpreters of Islamic law.

Sufi Brotherhood

Mystic fraternities whose members sought union with God through rituals and training; the first geographically extensive Islamic religious organization.

Byzantine Empire

The name for the Eastern half of the Roman empire with its capital at Constantinople.

Fief

Land granted in exchange for military service during the Middle Ages.

Manor

Self-sufficient farming estates that served as the primary economic unit and centers of agricultural production.

Charles Martel

Leader who stopped the Islamic/Ummayad advance into Frankish territory.

Grand Canal

Built by the Sui dynasty to facilitate communication and trade between northern and southern China.

Filal Piety

Respect for parents, emphasized in Tang Law Codes and Confucianism.

Sage

A person who preserved mental stability and serenity.

Song Civil Service Examinations

System that granted government positions based strictly on exam scores, though it favored the elite who had more money and time to study.

Song Ironworking

The most important and advanced industry during the Song dynasty.

Flying Money

A form of intercity and interregional credit used during the Song dynasty.

Ögödei's Tax System

A system of tax farming that replaced the fixed rate used by previous Chinese rulers.

Nasir al-Din Tusi

Scholar whose math techniques and geometry models led to a more accurate model of planetary movement.

Batu

The founder of the Golden Horde.

Alexander Nevskii

Prince who persuaded other Russian princes to submit to the Mongols, leading the Mongols to favor Novgorod and Moscow.

Three-field System

Agricultural method where two fields are grown and one is left fallow, resulting in higher yields.

Hanseatic League

An economic alliance in Germany.

Great Western Schism

A period where the papacy was divided between Rome and Avignon.

Joan of Arc

Peasant woman who rallied French troops to defeat the English in $1429$, claiming she acted on God's behalf.

Johan Guttenberg

Inventor of the printing press.

Mansa Kankan Musa

Ruler of Mali who made a pilgrimage to Mecca and displayed exceptional wealth.

Great Zimbabwe

Trading center and capital of a large state in Southern Africa, currently characterized by stone structure ruins.

Inka Mit’a System

A system of forced labor in the Inka empire used for constructing roads and other infrastructure.

Anasazi Agricultural Responsibility

Typically handled by women and girls because men were engaged in hunting and trade.

Andean Civilizations Common Feature

High ability to link resources from the coast to the interior regions.

Andean Famine Prevention

The discovery of how to freeze dry vegetables and meat products to preserve them when crops failed.

Moche Society Power Structure

Wealth and political control were concentrated in an elite of Priests and military leaders.

Tiwanaku Power Elite

A social class that rose to power due to intensive cultivation and trade.

Cahokia

The most important center of the Mississippian culture which linked rural populations through obligations of tribute.

Mayan Cosmos Connection

A tree believed to connect the three layers of the universe: the heavens, the human world, and the underworld.

Teotihuacan Decline Factors

Theories by scholars suggesting that competing factions stimulated class conflict.

Chavín Class Distinctions

Scholars believe these increased during the height of the state as decorative motifs in sculpture and pottery showed symbols of religious authority.

Reciprocal Labor Obligations

An important part of trade network development in the Americas because they permitted the construction of roads, bridges, and other infrastructure.

Olmec Cultural Influence

The practice of astronomical observation for the construction of calendars passed on to later Mesoamerican societies.

Stirrups

Military technology that provided advantageous weapon stability.

Female Steppe Nomads

Women who oversaw the breeding and birthing of livestock and the preparation of skins.

Indian Ocean Maritime System Impact

Increased strong economic ties between the coastal lands of East Africa, the Gulf of India, and southern China.

Dhows

Smaller Arabian cargo ships.

Junks

The largest and most technologically advanced vessels featuring watertight compartments, up to twelve sails, and the capacity to carry cargo of up to $1000\,\text{tons}$.

Lateen Sails

Triangular sails found on Indian ships.

Astrolabe

An aran or greek invention that enabled marines or sailers to determine their location at sea by measuring the position of the sun during the day and stars at night.

Compass

A navigation tool improved by the song to be suitable for seafaring.

Bantu Migrations Impact

The diffusion of iron metallurgy, agriculture techniques, and language across Africa.

Bodhisattva

A person who stays behind to help others.

Sunni belief

The belief that the islam community selects its leader.

Shi’ites belief

The belief that the leader of Islam must be related to Ali.

Quran

The unalterable word of God, revelation of Allah, and the most important basis of Islam law.

Shari’a

The law of Islam.

Hadith

A tradition relating the words of deeds of the prophet Muhammad.

Umma

The Muslim community.

Ulama

The primary interpreters of Islamic law.

The Sufi Brotherhood

Mystic fraternities whose members sought union with God through rituals and training; the first geographically extensive Islamic religious organization.

Byzantine Empire

The name for the Eastern half of the Roman empire with its capital at Constantinople, dating to the $4\text{th century}$.

Schism of $1054$

The split between the Latin and Orthodox Churches due to disagreements over Latin church practices and papal jurisdiction.

Fief

Land given in exchange for military service in the Middle Ages.

Justinian’s Plague

A bubonic plague that caused a demographic crisis in the $\text{sixth-century}$ Byzantine Empire.

Vladimir I

The individual who brought Orthodox Christianity to Russia.

Concordat of Worms

An agreement where the holy roman emperors renounced the right to choose bishops and Abbots.

Manor

Self sufficient farming estates that served as the primary economic unit and centers of Agricultural production.

Charles Martel

Leader who stopped the Islamic/ Ummayad advance into Frankish territory.

Grand Canal

Built by the Sui dynasty to facilitate communication and trade between northern and southern China.

Tang Law Codes and Confucianism

Emphasized social relationships and Filal Piety (respect for parents).

Uigurs and Tibetans

Groups that were rivals to the Tang empire.

Sage

A person who preserved mental stability and serenity.

Song Civil Service Examination

A system where government positions were given strictly according to exam scores, though it continued to favor the elite because they had more money and time to study.

Ironworking

The most important and advanced industry of the Song period.

Flying Money

A form of intercity and interregional credit.

Southern Song Industrial Revolution

The experience of the Southern Song in terms of production.

Nasir al-Din Tusi

Scientist whose Math techniques and geometry models led to a more accurate model of the movement of planets.

Batu

The founder of the golden Horde (Mongol).

Tax Farming

A system used by the Great Khan gdei that replaced the fixed rate previously used by Chinese rulers.