AP World History: Modern - Unit 1 & 2

Vocabulary flashcards for the first two units of AP World History.

Song Dynasty

A time of great diversity and innovation in China, experiencing immense wealth, political stability, and remarkable artistic and intellectual achievements.

Neo-Confucianism

Teachings that emphasized moral values and social harmony, supporting the government and shaping society during the Song Dynasty.

Imperial Bureaucracy

A system where appointed officials carried out policies used during the Qin dynasty and expanded during the Song dynasty.

Meritocracy

A system based on civil service exams that allowed for upward mobility, though the poor were underrepresented.

Champa Rice

A fast-ripening and drought-resistant rice from Vietnam that increased agricultural production in China.

Grand Canal

Supported vibrant internal trade during the Song Dynasty.

Scholar-Gentry

The most influential class in China during the Song Dynasty, educated in Confucian philosophy.

Foot Binding

A practice among aristocratic families that symbolized women's subservience.

Woodblock Printing

An invention that made literature more accessible.

Chan Buddhism

A form of Buddhism that emerged by combining Buddhist doctrines with Daoist principles, emphasizing direct experience and meditation.

Daimyo

Powerful land controlling lords in Feudal Japan, unlike the centralized Chinese bureaucracy.

Abbasid Empire

A key center for learning in Baghdad, known as the House of Wisdom.

Mamluks

Originally enslaved people, mostly ethnic Turks, who became soldiers and bureaucrats in Egypt.

Mamluk Sultanate

Established in Egypt (1250–1517), facilitated trade in cotton and sugar.

Seljuk Turks

Muslims from Central Asia who conquered parts of the Middle East in the 11th century.

Sultan

The title given to the Seljuk Turk leader reducing the Abbasid caliph to a religious role.

House of Wisdom

A key center for learning located in Baghdad in the Abbasid Empire.

Ibn Khaldun

Known for his historical works and contributions to historiography and sociology.

Sufi Poets

Focused on introspection and played a key role in spreading Islam.

Battle of Tours

Islamic expansion into Western Europe was halted by Frankish forces in 732.

Ibn Rushd

Influential philosopher and scholar in law and science.

Chola Dynasty

Stable and powerful empire in Southern India (850-1267 CE), extending control to Ceylon (Sri Lanka).

Vijayanagara Empire

Empire in Southern India (1336-1646 CE), founded by two brothers, Harihara and Bukka, who reverted from Islam to Hinduism.

Rajput Kingdoms

Formed after the Gupta Empire's fall, these Hindu kingdoms prevented centralization due to frequent conflict.

Delhi Sultanate

Established in the 13th century, imposing a tax (jizya) on non-Muslims for 300 years.

Jizya

Tax imposed by the Delhi Sultanate on non-Muslims

Bhakti Movement

Began in the 12th century, focusing on emotional devotion to deities rather than rituals; appealed to women and lower castes.

Srivijaya Empire

A Hindu kingdom on Sumatra (670-1025 CE), prospered by controlling sea routes.

Majapahit Kingdom

A Buddhist kingdom on Java (1293-1520 CE), also thrived on maritime trade.

Khmer Empire

Flourished near the Mekong River (802-1431 CE) with sophisticated irrigation; notable temples.

Mississippian Culture

Known for large earthen mounds, particularly in the Mississippi River Valley.

Great Sun

The chief of the Mississippian culture

Matrilineal Society

Social status was inherited through the mother’s side.

Maya City-States

Ruled by kings, who were considered descendants of gods. Frequent wars between city-states.

Aztecs

Migrated to central Mexico in the 1200s and founded Tenochtitlan in 1325.

Chinampas

Floating gardens used for agriculture built by the Aztecs.

Inca Empire

Divided into four provinces, each with its own governor and a mandatory labor service for men.

Mit'a System

Mandatory labor system used by the Inca for men aged 15-50

Quipu

Knotted strings used by the Inca for record-keeping.

Bantu Migrations

Spread agriculture and complex political structures across Sub-Saharan Africa.

Kin-Based Networks

Families governed themselves, with a chief mediating conflicts.

Hausa Kingdoms

States in present-day Nigeria connected by kinship lacking central authority. Participated in the trans-Saharan trade.

Griots and Griottes

Oral historians and musicians who preserved community history and advised on political matters.

Feudalism

A system in medieval Europe where land was exchanged for loyalty and service.

Manors

Large, self-sufficient estates that included villages, churches, blacksmiths, mills, and peasants' homes

Serfs

Peasants bound to the land who could not leave or marry without the lord's permission.

Magna Carta

Signed in Norman England (1215), it limited royal power.

Black Death

Pandemic that reduced the population in Europe, but gave surfs more bargaining power.

Humanism

Focused on individual potential and secular literature; during the Renaissance.

Kievan Rus

A trading center in Eastern Europe that adopted Orthodox Christianity.