World Civilization Exam 3

Islam and its teachings

A religion created by a man named Muhammad, in which he had visions that he wa sa prophet of God and the main teachings were the five pillars (Pray 5 times a day, fasting, monotheism, care for community and visit Mecca before death)

Quran

Followers of Muhammad would write his visions down, and this would be the staple for this islamic book.(the question is about the name of the book )

Mamluks

the protectors of Baghdad (enslaved young boys forced to be soldiers)

Dhimmis

protected legal people who didn’t follow Islam (had to pay taxes because they didn’t)

Mecca

The place where Muhammad started many different Umma’s that helped to influence the growth of Islam (headquarters of Muslims)

Merchants (status/roles)

Well-respected because they are the main reasons for the traveling of religion, goods, and other items that help benefit the economy,

Sufism

mythological version of Islam (rejected pleasure of life -asthecism) and committed to the edges of religion.

Joint Stock Companies

a business entity in which shares of the company's stock can be bought and sold by shareholders

Umma

The followers of Muhammad who were sent to spread the message of Islam and live in a large group.

Al-Andalus

The name refers to the different Muslim states that controlled these territories at various times between 711 and 1492.

Shi’as

During the Reign of Ali (and the split of Islam), a group rose believed in his teachings and was named after the new successor who led the takeover on Baghdad

Sunni

Disagreed with the Shi’a group and believed that their new successors should come from Muhammad immediate family.

Caliph

The chief Muslim civil and religious ruler, regarded as the successor of Muhammad. Ruled in Baghdad and Egypt.

Islamic Slavery

Freedom could be bought, not hereditary, (children were born free) Many male slaves were used to be in blue collar fields. They were turned into units (No peen) to create a family to be locked in and not geeked. Women were slaves too but yk with they nasty tails did.

Baghdad

The capital of trade and where Ulama gathered

Madrasas

any type of educational institution, secular or religious, whether for elementary education or higher learning.

• What are the Five Pillars of Islam?

pray 5 times a day, visit Mecca at least once, Fasting, Care for community, and Monotheism

• What was the status of slaves in Islamic Society?

They were not free, but they had the power to buy their way out or ultimately work their way into a higher status like a unit.

• How did the expansion of Islam benefit from competition between other empires?

The more islam spread, there was more trade in those areas and it began to go hand and hand with each other creating large trading centers.

Sahel

It is the transition zone between the more humid Sudanian savannas to its south and the drier Sahara to the north.

Animism

a belief system where natural elements, including plants, animals, rocks, and weather, are considered to possess a soul or spirit, and can influence human events. 

Bantu Migrations

A group/tribe in Northern Africa who was very versatile in languages and would translate many different ideas and art styles.

Berbers

a diverse grouping of distinct ethnic groups indigenous to North Africa who predate the arrival of Arabs in the Maghreb.

Camels

An animal used to help with trade across the desert and carried heavier loads

Great Zimbabwe

Hunter/Gatherers, Pastorialism, Clans (polyamorous*men*), Metal working, and an unexplained decline.

African Slave Trade

involved the forced migration of millions of Africans across the Atlantic to the Americas for enslavement, primarily for labor on plantations, from the 16th to the 19th centurie

Ethiopia : The Christian Kingdom of Aksum

First Studied African place with written document. Thrived on trade, a lot of competition and deforestation. Was one of the only places with Christianity

Swahili

a Bantu language widely used as a lingua franca in East Africa and having official status in several countries.

Mansa Musa

most famous African ruler, expanded Mali a great deal and controlled trade. He also appointed family members to help govern different areas of Mali. Eventually he converted to Islam and visited Mecca, he brought back architects to build mosque and even transformed Timbuktu into a thriving city.

Kebra Negast

A story based on the uprising of a man fooling a woman to sleep with him and them having a son and that son gets revenge on his father by overthrowing him. (intertwining of religion and politics).

Timbuktu

gained fame as a major center for trade, Islamic learning, and culture during the Mali Empire, attracting scholars and merchants from across the Islamic world. 

Trans-Saharan Trade

a crucial network of trade routes connecting North Africa to sub-Saharan Africa, facilitating the exchange of goods like gold, salt, and slaves, and playing a vital role in shaping the cultures and economies of both regions, particularly during the Middle Ages. 

Bananas

are not native to Africa, archaeological evidence suggests they were cultivated there as early as 4500 years ago, with the possibility of even earlier presence, and became a vital food crop, especially in the wet tropics. 

Ghana

The root of the Tran-saharan trade (wealth, salt, gold) they had no centralized power (no government). women had freedom and kingdoms also shared power with them. They followed islam. Their most important imports were salt and gold (created monopolies).

• How did the growth of Trans-Saharan trade influence West African societies?

Trade through the Sahara had many impacts. It increased wealth in North Africa, West Africa, and beyond. It resulted in the spread of Islam to West Africa. A negative impact was that it also resulted in millions of people being enslaved.

• What goods were imported/exported from East African city States?

raw materials like gold, ivory, and animal skins, while importing finished goods such as silk, cotton, and porcelain from Asia. 

• Why did some West African rulers convert to Islam?

due to the economic and political benefits derived from the religion's influence on trade and administration, as well as the prestige and unity it provided, rather than solely for religious reasons. 

Khipu

Writing systems (records) - were knots on rope

Maize

was the basis of food sources, domesticated corn in order to fit different meals etc.

Mesoamerica

The most dense in people and development and agriculture (with technology), made the most accurate calendars, different societies, migrated while their lower sea levels and became isolated when they rose again.

Inca Roads

These roads were essential for maintaining control over the vast empire, facilitating military movement, administrative efficiency, and trade.

El Niño

a climate pattern causing significant changes in weather and ocean conditions

Chinampas

ancient Mesoamerican artificial cultivation systems, often referred to as "floating gardens," built on shallow lake beds.

Teotihuacán

Established different religion (center of the city) was one of the largest cities in Mesoamerica that contributes to the growth of trade. The separation of the city created the Aztecs.(obsidian was important resource traded)

Mayan Collapse

attributed to a complex interplay of factors, including severe droughts, overpopulation, environmental degradation, and warfare. 

Zero

Mayans

Aztecs Politics/Empire

Aztecs relied on Conquest in order to survive. There were social levels and even slavery (not racism), their government was not strong because the city-states ruled themselves which caused a lot of tension. (war heroes were praised and very important.

Potatoes

Another domesticated plant in Mesoamerica known for its preserving methods(placing in water and standing on it), and the starch

Allyu

Kinship basic unit of their society. A big clan that survives off each other. Any labor done, you share with others and they share with you (equality = flourishing)

Human Sacrifice

When creating religion there was a new sun god (and other deities) that was created, in which human sacrifices were used. During conquest, they would capture people and uses them as sacrifices .

Tenochtitlán

the Aztec capital, was destroyed in 1521 by the Spanish conquistadors led by Hernán Cortés, due to a combination of factors including a 93-day siege, superior Spanish weaponry, smallpox outbreaks, and the support of indigenous allies against the Aztecs. 

Nixtamlization

a traditional Mesoamerican technique for preparing maize (corn) by cooking and steeping it in an alkaline solution, typically water and lime, to enhance its nutritional value and digestibility, making it easier to process into foods like tortillas. 

• What was the significance of Calendars to the Olmec and the Maya?

serving as tools for understanding time, predicting seasons, and organizing religious and agricultural practices.

• Why did the Aztec Empire fall so quickly to the Spanish?

the introduction of deadly diseases like smallpox, superior Spanish weaponry and tactics, and internal divisions within the Aztec Empire

• Why did the major mound building cultures of N. America disappear?

catch-all for various cultures, several factors contributed to their decline and eventual dispersal, including environmental changes, social unrest, and eventually, the arrival of Europeans. 

Paper Money

Was first invented by the Chinese in the 7th century A.D. as a way of simplifying larger monetary transactions.While Japan initially used coins, paper money gradually emerged as a supplement, particularly during the Edo period (1603-1868) when regional domains started issuing their own forms of paper currency. 

Zhu Xi

productive scholar who made lasting contributions to classicism, historiography, literary criticism and philosophy. He was also a master of elegant prose and poetry. As a renowned teacher, Zhu taught the classics and Neo-Confucianism to hundreds, if not thousands, of students.

Yangtzi River

played a crucial role in the development of ancient Chinese civilization, serving as a vital waterway for transportation, agriculture, and a natural boundary, and supporting the growth of early settlements and dynasties. 

Shogun

It refers to the military leader and de facto ruler of Japan, "general who quells barbarians," was originally used in Japan for military commanders, particularly those leading campaigns against the native tribes of northern Japan. 

Khitans

a nomadic, proto-Mongolic people who dominated much of northern China, Manchuria, and the Mongolian Plateau

Samurai

he warrior class of premodern Japan, evolving from provincial warriors to a ruling military caste, eventually becoming the highest ranking social caste during the Edo Period (1603-1867)

Tale of Genji

a classic work of Japanese literature written by the noblewoman, poet, and lady-in-waiting Murasaki Shikibuaround the peak of the Heian period, in the early 11th century.

Gunpowder

introduced to Japan by the Portuguese in 1543. These weapons, primarily matchlocks, were quickly adopted by Japanese warlords. Japanese gunsmiths also made their own improvements and modifications to these firearms. 

Flooding

A recurring problem in ancient Japan, impacting settlements and agricultural lands, especially in lowland areas along major rivers and coastal regions.

Marriage/Children

Girls often married young, typically between 12 and 16, while boys married a bit later, usually between 16 and 20. Samurai families had specific traditions, with marriages often arranged to strengthen political alliances. Children were seen as vital for ensuring family continuity and societal stability

Scholar/Offical

were individuals who held government positions based on their intellectual abilities and Confucian education. Before standardized examinations, these positions were often filled by members of influential clans

Jurchens

established the Jin dynasty in China, their focus remained on the Chinese mainland and surrounding areas, and they had limited interaction with Japan. 

Goryeo Slavery

became hereditary, with a child inheriting the slave status of their mother, and later the father as well.

Phonetic Script

developed from Chinese characters used for writing. Initially, Man'yōgana, a system where Chinese characters were used for their phonetic values, emerged

Horses

They were likely introduced from the mainland in the 4th century and became important for military and agricultural purposes, particularly for the samurai class.

• Describe the theory of the dynastic cycle described by Chinese historians.

According to this theory, each dynasty of China rises to a political, cultural, and economic peak and then, because of moral corruption, declines, loses the Mandate of Heaven, and falls, only to be replaced by a new dynasty. The cycle then repeats under a surface pattern of repetitive motifs.

• How did women’s lives change during the later Song period?

increased restrictions and declining status, particularly among elite women, despite some advancements in literacy and economic roles. Practices like foot binding and widow chastity became more common,

• How were samurai and lords connected in Japan?

the samurai backed up the authority of the shogun and gave him power over the mikado (emperor)