G.E.P. Exam 2 Important Terms (Persia --> China)

Cyrus the Great

Founder of the Persian Empire.

Darius I

Persian ruler who organized the empire and its administration.

Xerxes I

Persian ruler who invaded Greece.

Satrapies

Provinces of the Persian Empire.

Satraps

Governors who administered Persian provinces.

Royal Road

A major Persian road used to connect parts of the empire.

Zoroastrianism

A Persian religion associated with the prophet Zoroaster.

Ahura Mazda

The supreme god in Zoroastrianism.

Chandragupta Maurya

Founder of the Mauryan Dynasty.

Mauryan Dynasty

Indian dynasty that existed from 320–185 BCE.

Ashoka

Mauryan ruler who converted to Buddhism after the bloody conquest of Kalinga and promoted Buddhist principles.

Kalinga

A kingdom near the Ganges that resisted Mauryan rule and was conquered by Ashoka.

Dhammashoka

Ashoka as a follower of dhamma.

Dhamma

Ashoka’s principles of moral conduct and proper behavior.

Ashoka’s Edicts

Inscriptions used to communicate his policies and moral principles.

Arthashastra

A work associated with political administration and statecraft.

Kautilya

Advisor to Chandragupta Maurya associated with the Arthashastra.

Bactria

A Hellenistic kingdom that emerged in Central Asia.

Kushan Empire

An empire associated with Central Asian trade and the spread of Buddhism.

Gupta Empire

Indian empire associated with advances in science, mathematics, and culture.

Chandragupta I

A ruler associated with the rise of the Gupta Empire.

Samudragupta

A major Gupta ruler associated with military expansion.

Chandragupta II

A Gupta ruler associated with the empire’s prosperity.

Caste System

A hereditary system of social divisions in India.

Varna

The major traditional social classes in the Indian caste system.

Brahmins

The priestly class in the Indian caste system.

Kshatriyas

The warrior and ruler class in the Indian caste system.

Vaishyas

The merchant and agricultural class in the Indian caste system.

Shudras

The laboring class in the Indian caste system.

Untouchables

A group historically placed outside the four major varnas.

Sati

The practice of a widow dying on her husband’s funeral pyre.

Kama Sutra

An Indian text concerning love and sexual relationships.

Zhou Dynasty

Chinese dynasty during which centralized royal authority weakened and regional states gained power.

Warring States Period

A period of conflict among competing Chinese states.

Confucianism

A Chinese philosophy emphasizing virtue, proper conduct, and social relationships.

Confucius

Chinese philosopher associated with Confucianism.

Daoism (Taoism)

Chinese philosophy associated with living in accordance with the Dao.

Laozi

Traditional founder or central figure associated with Daoism.

Legalism

A Chinese philosophy emphasizing strict laws and punishments to maintain order.

Shang Yang

A Legalist reformer associated with the state of Qin.

Han Fei

A major Legalist thinker.

Qin Dynasty

Chinese dynasty that unified China in 221 BCE.

Qin Shi Huangdi

The first emperor of unified China.

Great Wall

Defensive fortifications associated with the Qin dynasty and later Chinese rulers.

Han Dynasty

Chinese dynasty that followed the Qin and ruled during the Former and Later Han periods.

Han Wudi

A major Han emperor associated with expansion and strengthening imperial rule.

Xiongnu

Nomadic peoples who posed a military challenge to the Han Empire.

Imperial University

Institution established under the Han associated with Confucian learning.

Wang Mang

Usurper who established the Xin dynasty between the Former and Later Han.

Former Han

The earlier period of the Han dynasty.

Later Han

The later period of the Han dynasty.

Yellow Turbans

A rebel movement that contributed to the weakening of the Later Han dynasty.

Silk Roads

Trade routes connecting China with Central Asia and regions farther west.

Malthusianism

The idea that population growth can outpace available resources.

Paper

A material associated with an important Chinese invention.