Units 1-6 key terms

Islam

Major world religion based on the belief that Allah (God) transmitted his words to the faithful through the prophet Muhammad.

Shiite

Sect of Islam that believes Muhammad’s son-in-law, Ali, was the rightful heir to the Ummayad empire; does not believe in drawing the leader from the people.

Sunni

Sect of Islam that believes the leaders of the Ummayad empire should be drawn from a broad base of people.

Qu’ran (Koran)

The Holy Book revered by Muslims to be the exact words of Allah (God).

Five Pillars of Islam

Five commands that Muslims must follow: confession of faith, prayer five times a day, charity to the needy, fasting during the holy month of Ramadan, pilgrimage to Mecca at least once during one’s lifetime.

Caliphate

An Islamic theocracy that is ruled by a central authoritative figure called a caliph.

Feudalism

The strict, hierarchical European social, economic, and political system of the Middle Ages.

Serfs (peasants)

The people belonging to the lowest level of the feudal hierarchy who had to work on and were usually 'tied' to the land.

Code of chivalry

An honor system that strongly condemned betrayal and promoted mutual respect.

Bubonic plague

A deadly epidemic transmitted through new forms of commerce and trade that destroyed traditional social structures.

Magna Carta

A document that reinstated feudal rights of the nobles and extended the rule of law to the growing class of Burghers.

Tribute system

A system utilized by the T’ang dynasty in which independent countries acknowledged the supremacy of the Chinese emperor.

Bureaucracy

A system of government where decisions are made by state officials rather than elected representatives.

Civil service

The administrative system founded by the Han dynasty in which government officials were selected through competitive examination.

Foot binding

A practice that forced women to bind their feet for beauty, originating from Confucianism.

Code of Bushido

A strict code of conduct in Feudal Japan that stressed loyalty, courage, and honor.

Delhi Sultanate

The kingdom established in northern India by Islamic invaders under a central leader, the sultan.

Jizya tax

A tax paid by non-Muslims who refuse to convert to Islam while living under Islamic law.

Sikhism

A monotheistic religion originating in the Punjab region that disavows the caste system.

Chinampas

A type of agriculture utilized by the Aztecs consisting of small rectangular areas of fertile land cut into the hills.

Quipu

An ancient Inca device for recording information, consisting of variously colored threads knotted in different ways.

Animism

The belief that all things possess a spirit or essence; prevalent in ancient indigenous tribal cultures.

Daoism

A 6th century Chinese philosophy based on the writings of Lao-tzu emphasizing harmony with the Cosmic Dao.

Muhammad

The central prophet of Islam, who Muslims believe transmitted the words of Allah (God).

Mecca

The city where Muhammad grew up, exposed to many different beliefs due to its trade route position.

Baghdad

The capital city of the Abbasid Dynasty, an Islamic empire overseeing a Golden Age for the arts and sciences.

Sufis

Islamic mystics effective in missionary work due to their emphasis on a personal relationship with Allah.

Hagia Sophia

An enormous cathedral built in the Christian empire of Constantinople, showcasing the flourishing of the arts.

Vikings

Raiders from Scandinavia who used multi-oared boats to raid far beyond their borders.

Hundred Years’ War

The war between England and France from 1337-1453 that liberated France from English control.

Mansa Musa

One of the greatest rulers of the Islamic Mali empire known for his grand pilgrimage to Mecca.

Tenochtitlan

The capital city of the Aztecs, known for its expansionism and tribute trading system with conquered civilizations.

Maya

A civilization of city-states known for architecture, mathematics, and a fully developed written language.

Teotihuacán

A powerful city-state acting as a religious hub and wealthy trade metropolis that collapsed and was later found by the Aztecs.

Jesus Christ

The religious leader and teacher Christians believe is the Son of God.

The Buddha

The title given to Siddhartha Gautama, the founder of Buddhism after attaining Enlightenment.

Indian Ocean trade

Safe routes connecting ports in western India to eastern Africa, requiring technology resilient to monsoon seasons.

Silk Road

An ancient network of trade routes connecting East and West, facilitating cultural and religious exchange.

Pax Mongolica

The period of economic and social stabilization throughout Eurasia during the 13th and 14th century.

Oasis towns

Bustling towns serving as 'hand-off' points for commodities during merchant trips.

Monsoon season

A seasonal change bringing dependable winds used by merchants on Indian Ocean trade routes.

Lateen sail

A highly maneuverable triangle-shaped sail used by merchants on the Indian Ocean trade routes.

Qanat system

A Persian irrigation system using gravity to divert groundwater across long distances.

Diaspora

A large group of people with a similar heritage scattered away from their homeland.

Dhow

A sailing vessel rigged with lateen sails used by merchants on Indian Ocean trade routes.

Camel caravan

Groups of people traveling across the African desert to trade goods.

Caravanserai

Inns along desert routes providing accommodation for traveling caravans.

Silk

A valuable good originating from China, traded along the Silk Road.

Mongols

Militaristic nomads forming a massive empire through conquest under Genghis Khan.

Genghis Khan

A military genius who unified Mongol tribes and formed the largest empire in history.

Mongol Empire

The empire formed under Genghis Khan spanning from the Pacific Ocean to Eastern Europe.

Khanate

Different hordes of Mongols that split from central leadership following Genghis Khan's death.

Golden Horde

A Turkic Khanate that ruled Russia for over two centuries while leaving the Russian Orthodoxy intact.

Kublai Khan

Genghis Khan's successor who established the Yuan dynasty in China.

Tamerlane

Founder of the Timurid Empire who aimed to revive the Mongol Empire.

Marco Polo

A Venetian merchant who recorded his travels in China, enhancing cultural diffusion.

Ibn Battuta

A Muslim legal scholar who documented his travels across the Islamic world.

Mali Empire

An Islamic Empire influential in the gold and salt trade within Africa.

Swahili City-States

Economically powerful Islamic urban centers connected to Eurasian trade routes.

Tang/Song China

Golden Ages of China involved in lucrative trade and technological innovations.

Yuan Dynasty

First foreign-led dynasty of China established by Kublai Khan.

The Crusades

Military expeditions aimed at reclaiming the Holy Land and checking Muslim expansion.

Timbuktu

City in the Mali Empire acting as a trading post on the Trans-Saharan trade routes.

Indulgences

A piece of paper sold by the Catholic Church allowing Christians to reduce time in purgatory.

Jesuits

An order of Roman Catholic priests who supported the Church and countered the Protestant Reformation.

Sultan

Term describing the Sunni Muslim leader of the Ottoman Empire.

Shah

Term describing the Shi’a Muslim leader of the Safavid Empire.

Mughal Empire

A religiously tolerant Islamic empire ruling over the Indian subcontinent.

Manchus

People in Northern China who took control after the fall of the Ming dynasty.

Qing Dynasty

The last imperial dynasty of China established by the Manchu people.

Safavid Empire

A Shi’a Muslim empire that conquered Persia and oversaw its Golden Era.

Ottoman Empire

A religiously tolerant Sunni Muslim empire that conquered the Christian Byzantine Empire.

Devshirme

A system where conquered Christians gave up children for conversion to Islam.

Gunpowder Empire

Empires including Mughal, Safavid, and Ottoman characterized by monopoly on gun manufacture.

Protestant Reformation

A movement challenging Church practices and the Pope's authority.

Martin Luther

A German monk who critiqued Church practices, sparking the Protestant Reformation.

Counter-Reformation

Reforms by the Catholic Church to address criticisms during the Protestant Reformation.

King Henry VIII

King who renounced the Catholic Church, leading to the Anglican Church's formation.

Ignatius Loyola

Founder of the Jesuits aiming to restore faith in the Catholic Church.

Akbar the Great

Mughal Emperor known for tax reforms and religious tolerance.

Suleiman the Great

Ottoman Emperor who expanded the empire and ushered in a Golden Age.

Peter the Great

Russian tsar who modernized Russia and established a powerful navy.

Printing Press

A device for transferring ink to paper, crucial during the Protestant Reformation.

Divine Right

The belief that a ruler's authority comes directly from God.

Encomienda System

A system granting settlers rights to tax Native Americans for their protection.

Middle Passage

The journey across the Atlantic Ocean bringing enslaved Africans to the Americas.

Tokugawa Shogunate

A semi-feudal government in Japan unified under a shogun.

Joint Stock Company

An international trade company made up of shareholders sharing profits.

Dutch East India Company

A government-chartered joint-stock company controlling spice trade in the East Indies.

British East India Company

A joint stock company controlling life in India for over 200 years.

Mercantilism

An economic policy aimed at increasing wealth through trade and resources.

Viceroys

Representatives of the Spanish monarch in its colonial empire.

Peninsulares

Spanish-born people ruling in Latin America, holding the highest social class.

Haiku

A Japanese poetry form with three lines of five, seven, and five syllables.

Humanism

A Renaissance movement focusing on classical texts and human achievements.

Enlightenment

A 17th and 18th century movement advocating reason in reappraising accepted ideas.

Elizabethan Era

The period of Queen Elizabeth I's rule in Renaissance England.

Spanish Inquisition

An organization of priests punishing those suspected of secretly practicing other religions.

Thirty Years’ War

A war beginning due to religious tensions, marking the end of violence from the Reformation.

Leonardo Da Vinci

A Renaissance figure known for his artistry and inventions.