Unit 1 Vocab AP Modern World

Bhakti

A movement in Hinduism that made the religion more accessible to average people by emphasizing personal devotion to the divine.

Sufis

Islamic mystics who emphasize personal experience and spiritual closeness with God.

Abbasid Dynasty

A dynasty from 750 to 1258 known for its Golden Age in science and arts, ultimately defeated by the Mongols.

Baghdad

The capital of the Abbasid Dynasty, which housed the House of Wisdom where scholars preserved and retransmitted classical knowledge to Europe.

House of Wisdom

A major intellectual center during the Islamic Golden Age located in Baghdad.

Mamluks

A group that preserved Islam by establishing a sultanate in Egypt after the fall of the Abbasid Dynasty to the Mongols.

Fiefs

Estates granted to vassals in feudal society.

Three-field system

An agricultural system involving the rotation of three fields to improve crop yields.

Magna Carta

A document that reinstated the feudal rights of nobles, extended the rule of law, and limited the king's power.

Joan of Arc

A French heroine who claimed to hear divine voices urging her to liberate France from the English.

Hundred Years War

A series of conflicts between England and France from 1337 to 1453.

Tatars

A group of Mongols led by Genghis Khan who ruled a significant portion of Russia for two centuries.

Ivan III

A ruler who expanded Muscovy territory and declared himself czar as Mongol power declined.

Song Dynasty

A dynasty from 960 to 1279 recognized for its Golden Age and advancements, including bureaucracy and movable type.

Ming Dynasty

A dynasty from 1368 to 1644, established after the Mongols were expelled.

Neo-Confucianism

An adaptation of Confucianism that integrated Buddhist concepts and expanded its religious scope.

Shogun

The real power holder in feudal Japan, while the emperor served as a figurehead.

Daimyo

Feudal lords in Japan who owned large tracts of land.

Code of Bushido

The ethical code followed by samurai in feudal Japan, similar to the Code of Chivalry.

Delhi Sultanate

A Muslim sultanate established in India, known for its theoretical tolerance but reliant on the Sultan’s attitudes.

Tenochtitlan

The capital of the Aztec Empire located in present-day Mexico City.

Cuzco

The capital of the Inca Empire, situated in present-day Peru.

Burghers

Middle-class merchants who gained influence during the height of the Middle Ages.

Hanseatic League

An alliance of traders established in 1358 that controlled trade in northern Europe.

The Crusades

Military expeditions aimed at reclaiming the Holy Land, which unintentionally spurred new ideas.

Heresies

Religious practices or beliefs that deviate from official church doctrine.

Pope Innocent III

A pope known for strict enforcement of church doctrine and persecution of heretics.

Pope Gregory IX

A pope who initiated the Inquisition and emphasized the Church's militant role.

Thomas Aquinas

A philosopher who argued that faith and reason complement each other, authoring Summa Theologica.

Bubonic Plague

A devastating epidemic that spread through Pax Mongolica and led to significant societal changes.

Genghis Khan

The founder and unifier of the Mongol tribes.

Golden Horde

The Mongol empire that conquered Russia, named after the division of Genghis Khan's descendants.

Kublai Khan

A Mongol ruler known for his conquest of China and establishing the Yuan Dynasty.

Timur Lang/Tamerlane

A Mongol leader who conquered parts of India, causing destruction and chaos.

Mali

A West African empire known for its wealth derived from gold and its famous leader Mansa Musa.

Songhai Empire

An empire that succeeded Mali, known for its cultural center in Timbuktu.

Indian Ocean Trade

A trading network dominated by Persians and Arabs, connecting different coastal regions and enhancing trade.