World History Sem 2 Key Concepts

Sui Dynasty

Sui Dynasty

Sorry - Restored old political traditions, allowed religious freedom, and started public works projects.

Tang Dynasty

To - Helped father Gaozu found the Tang Dynasty, established fair leadership, and copied systems from the Sui Dynasty.

Song Dynasty

Say - Improved civil service exams, promoted trade and travel, and focused on practical subjects in education.

Yuan Dynasty

You’re - Established by Genghis Khan and Kublai Khan, controlled China, and opened up trade routes.

Ming Dynasty

My - Overthrew Mongol rule, encouraged Confucianism, and supported agriculture and trade growth.

Qing Dynasty

Queen - Founded by the Manchus, faced the Opium Wars, and led to the end of the Chinese monarchy.

Mao Zedong

Leader of the communist party in China during the Republic era, implemented various policies and reforms.

Geography of China

Includes multiple barriers like the Himalayas, Gobi Desert, and important rivers like the Huang He and Yangtze.

End of the Han Dynasty

Period marked by internal conflicts, nomadic invasions, and natural disasters leading to the fall of the Han Empire.

Confucianism

Philosophy focusing on proper conduct, respect, and government service to create a stable society, emphasizing harmonious relationships.

Peninsula in East Asia

A landmass bordered by China and Japan, featuring mountains, seas, and fertile coast plains.

Korean Culture

Includes ceramic art like celadon pottery, woodblock printing of Tripitaka Koreana, and movable type printing for Jikji.

Heating System

Ondol, a system where hot air from a fireplace circulates beneath floors and rooms in a house.

Cheomseongdae

The oldest surviving astronomical observatory in Asia, built in the 7th century for star-gazing.

Music from the Gayageum

Similar to Qin music from China, Guqin, and Koto from Japan.

Early Cultures

Jomon, Yayoi, and Tomb Culture periods in Japan, each with distinct characteristics and developments.

Taika Reforms & Prince Shotoku

Changes in land ownership and government policies in Japan, led by Prince Shotoku of the Soga Clan.

Japanese Influences

Chinese influences on religion, culture, and architecture in Japan, including Zen Buddhism and Confucianism.

Writing, Music, & Art

Development of writing systems like Kanji, Hiragana, and Katakana, along with traditional music and art forms.

Medieval Japan

Transition to a warrior government with the Shogun, Daimyo, and Samurai classes, leading to the Kamakura and Tokugawa Shogunates.

Social Status

Refers to the position or rank of individuals in society, often determined by factors like occupation, birth, or wealth.

Bushido

Known as "The way of the warrior," it is a code of conduct followed by samurai emphasizing principles like courage, loyalty, and honor.

Isolation

Involves setting apart or staying away from others, as seen in Japan's historical practice of isolating itself from the rest of the world.

Samurai

Armored warriors in Japan who held positions as administrators, officials, and warriors, following a strict code of conduct known as Bushido.

Shinto

The indigenous religion of Japan centered around nature and divine spirits called kami, influencing various aspects of Japanese culture and society.

Feudalism

A system of political organization where lords grant land to vassals in exchange for military service and loyalty, forming the basis of medieval European society.

Haiku

A form of Japanese poetry with three lines and 17 syllables, often used to evoke emotions or insights into human existence.

Kabuki Theater

A traditional Japanese theater form incorporating music, dance, and elaborate costumes, featuring plays ranging from samurai adventures to romantic stories.

Seppuku

Also known as Harakiri, it is a ritual suicide practiced by samurai to maintain honor or avoid capture, involving a specific method of self-disembowelment.

Yasuke

An African samurai brought to Japan by the Portuguese, serving under Oda Nobunaga during the Sengoku Jidai period and becoming the first foreign samurai.

Pope

The religious leader of the Roman Catholic Church with authority over kings and nobles, capable of excommunicating individuals.

Emperor

The political leader of the Eastern Orthodox Church, sometimes in conflict with the Pope, and unable to give orders to the patriarch.

Patriarch

The religious leader of the Eastern Orthodox Church, granting more freedom to kings and nobles compared to the Pope.

Manor

The estate where nobles lived, often with a central house, farmland worked by serfs, and self-sufficiency in resources.

Chivalry

The code of honor followed by knights, emphasizing religious faith, defense of the Church, protection of the weak, and courage.

Serfs

Peasants bound to the land, working for nobles, living in poor conditions, and giving up most of their crops to the lord.

Guilds

Associations of people in the same trade or occupation regulating trade and controlling membership through levels like apprentice and master.

Schism of 1054

The split between the Roman Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Church, leading to differences in beliefs and practices.

Crusades

Series of religious wars, including the First Crusade to reclaim Jerusalem, Crusader States, and subsequent Crusades led by European kings.

Gothic Architecture

Architectural style characterized by large cathedrals, ribbed arches, flying buttresses, and stained glass windows, aiming to represent the power of God.

Sack of Constantinople

Crusaders seized Constantinople, pillaged it, burned libraries, destroyed churches, and stole valuable items.

Positive effects of the Crusades

The Crusades led to the expansion of trade, introduction of gunpowder, advanced weapons, and tactics, and the growth of European poetry and music.

Reconquista

The reconquest of the Iberian Peninsula by Christians, completed in 1492, reunified Spain after defeating Muslim rulers.

The Plague

The Black Death wiped out a significant portion of the population, leading to labor shortages, higher wages, and scapegoating of Jews.

Rise of Central Governments

Power shifted from nobles to kings, who established strong central governments, collected taxes, and formed large armies.

The Hundred Years War

A series of wars between England and France, leading to the strengthening of monarchies and the favoring of stability by towns.

Renaissance

A cultural movement from the 1300s-1600s in Italy, leading to advances in art, writing, and humanism, and questioning the Church's teachings.

House of Medici

A wealthy ruling family in Florence, patrons of the arts, and owners of the largest bank in the 1400s.

Machiavelli

A Florentine writer who founded modern political science, known for his work "The Prince" advocating for strong leadership.

Social Classes in the Renaissance

Divided into patricians or nobles, the commercial class, and the lower class, with Jews living in ghettos and women's roles varying.

Horizon line

Line indicating where the vanishing point is typically located, where the sky meets the land or ocean.

Vanishing point

Point where convergence lines meet, showing depth and distance in images.

Atmospheric Perspective

Technique to depict depth by contrasting detailed foreground with blurry background.

Chiaroscuro

Italian for "light-dark," using contrast between light and dark to show volume and draw attention.

Realism

Artistic style focusing on detailed human anatomy, measured proportions, and emotions.

Fresco

Painting technique on wet plaster, used for murals like those by Michelangelo in the Sistine Chapel.

Printing Press

Invention by Johann Gutenberg, revolutionizing book production and spreading ideas efficiently.

Vernacular

Native language, promoted by the printing press for wider access to literature and religious texts.

Reformation

Movement against Church corruption, led by figures like Martin Luther, aiming for religious reform.

Denominations of Protestantism

Branches like Lutheranism, Calvinism, Anabaptism, and Anglicanism emerging from the Reformation.

Slash-and-Burn Technique

Clearing land by cutting down trees, burning them to fertilize the soil, and using it for farming.

Olmec Civilization

Competed with neighboring tribes for resources, had elite and commoner classes, and practiced rituals and sacrifices.

Mayan Calendar

Developed a calendar for growing seasons, used temples to represent it, and used shadows to determine planting and harvesting times.

Aztec Triple Alliance

Formed an alliance between strong tribes, led by rulers like Ahuitzotl and Moctezuma, to become a powerful empire.

Incan Empire

Controlled land through diplomacy or force, divided society into nobility and commoners, and had a vertical economy based on altitude for farming.

European Explorers

Explored the Americas, treated natives poorly, and achieved discoveries like circumnavigating the globe and finding new lands.

Age of Exploration

Participating countries like Portugal and Spain sought new trade routes, leading to colonization and increased tensions between nations.

Treaty of Tordesillas

Agreement between Spain and Portugal to honor the Line of Demarcation

Dutch East India Company

Chartered company from the Netherlands that directed trade in Asia and controlled territories like Indonesia

Triangular Trade

Three-way trade system between Europe, Africa, and the Americas involving the transportation of African slaves to the Americas

Columbian Exchange

Movement of living things between the Americas and Europe, leading to the exchange of goods and the spread of diseases

Mercantilism

Economic policy where a nation's power depends on its wealth, focusing on exports, imports, and the accumulation of gold and silver

Three Gs (Gold, God, Glory)

Motivations for exploration including wealth, spreading Christianity, and achieving fame for explorers and their countries

Technological Advancements for Long Distance Voyaging

Tools like the caravel, astrolabe, and magnetic compass that aided in navigation during long sea voyages

Hernan Cortes & the Aztec

Spanish conquistador who conquered the Aztec Empire with the help of native allies and advanced weaponry

Francisco Pizzaro & the Inca

Spanish conquistador who defeated the Inca Empire through deception, military force, and taking advantage of internal conflicts

Spanish Invasion of American Empires

Spanish conquest of the Aztec and Inca Empires facilitated by factors like disease, native alliances, and advanced weaponry.