Developments in South/Southeast Asia and the Americas

Vocabulary flashcards covering state structures, religion, society, and technology in South/Southeast Asia and the Americas based on AP World History Topics 1.3 and 1.4.

Lal Ded

A 14th-century Hindu poet from Kashmir, also known as Mother Lalla, whose emphasis on personal experience influenced religious interaction and appealed to Sufi Muslims.

Chola Dynasty

A kingdom that ruled southern India for over 400 years (850–1267) and extended its rule to Ceylon (Sri Lanka) during the 11th century.

Vijayanagara Empire

A Hindu kingdom in southern India (1336–1646) founded by brothers Harihara and Bukka, who reverted from Islam back to Hinduism after leaving the Delhi Sultanate.

Rajput kingdoms

Decentralized Hindu kingdoms in northern India and present-day Pakistan led by competing clan leaders, leaving the region vulnerable to Muslim invasions.

Delhi Sultanate

An Islamic empire that ruled northern South Asia for 300 years (13th to 16th centuries) without developing a Chinese-style bureaucracy before being overthrown by the Mughals in 1526.

jizya

A tax imposed by the Delhi Sultanate on all non-Muslim subjects within the empire.

proselytize

To actively seek converts to a religious faith.

Qutub Minar

A gigantic leaning tower built in Delhi during the Delhi Sultanate, representing a symbol of Islamic influence and combining Hindu temple structure with Islamic architectural domes.

Urdu

A language developed among South Asian Muslims that melded the grammatical patterns of Hindi with vocabulary from Arabic and Farsi.

Bhakti Movement

A Hindu mystical movement beginning in 12th-century southern India that focused on developing a strong emotional attachment to a particular deity without discriminating against women or low-caste individuals.

Mira Bai

A 16th-century female poet who became one of the most famous figures of the Bhakti Movement.

Srivijaya Empire

A maritime Hindu kingdom (670–1025) based on Sumatra that built a strong navy and prospered by charging fees for ships traveling between India and China.

Majapahit Kingdom

A maritime Buddhist kingdom (1293–1520) based on Java that sustained power by controlling sea routes and had 98 tributaries at its height.

Sinhala dynasties

Land-based Buddhist dynasties in Sri Lanka that became centers of Buddhist study and created advanced island irrigation networks of reservoirs and canals.

Khmer Empire

A land-based kingdom (802–1431) near the Mekong River, also known as the Angkor Kingdom, featuring complex irrigation and drainage systems and capital at Angkor Thom.

Angkor Wat

An ornate Buddhist temple complex built one-half mile from Angkor Thom that displays architectural syncretism between Hinduism and Buddhism.

Sukhothai Kingdom

A kingdom of Thais that invaded the Khmer Empire in 1431, forcing the Khmers out of the Angkor Thom region.

Mississippian culture

The first large-scale North American civilization (emerged 700s/800s) located in the Mississippi River Valley, known for constructing massive earthen mounds.

Cahokia

The largest earthen mound constructed by the Mississippian culture, located in southern Illinois.

matrilineal society

A social structure in which social standing and titles pass through the woman's side of the family.

Chaco

An ancient culture in the southwestern United States that built large housing structures with hundreds of rooms using stone and clay.

Mesa Verde

A southwestern United States culture known for building multi-story sandstone brick homes directly into cliff sides.

Maya city-states

The main Mayan governance structure (250–900 C.E.) where independent regional city-states ruled by kings fought primarily for tribute and war captives rather than land.

Mexicas

Another name for the Aztecs, who migrated to central Mexico in the 1200s and established Tenochtitlán in 1325.

Tenochtitlán

The Aztec capital city built on an island in Lake Texcoco, featuring aqueducts, stone pyramids, and a population of almost 200,000.

chinampas

Floating gardens constructed on Lake Texcoco by the Aztecs to expand agricultural space.

theocracy

A government ruled by religious leaders, as exemplified by the Aztec Empire under the Great Speaker.

pochteca

A specialized class of luxury goods merchants in Aztec society.

Pachacuti

An Incan tribal leader, whose name means 'transformer' or 'shaker' of the earth, who began conquering surrounding tribes near Cuzco in 1438 to create the Incan Empire.

mit'a system

Mandatory public service labor required by the Incan government for men ages 15 to 50 instead of cash or crop tribute.

Temple of the Sun

The central religious complex in Cuzco dedicated to Inti (the sun god) and royal ancestor veneration.

huaca

Sacred elements of the physical world—ranging from mountain peaks to small stones—believed to hold supernatural powers in Incan animism.

quipu

A system of knotted strings developed by the Inca to record numerical data for trade, engineering, and administrative messages.

waru waru

An Incan agricultural technique of raised beds surrounded by water channels to limit flood erosion and store water for dry seasons.

Carpa Nan

A massive Incan roadway system spanning approximately 25,000 miles, constructed using captive labor.