Units 1 and 2 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.

Qur'an (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 if financially able.

Caliphate

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

Orthodox Christianity

Separate branch of Christianity influenced by Eastern culture and originating from the Byzantine Empire.

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; destroyed traditional social structures, facilitating the shift toward a commercial economy.

Magna Carta

A document that reinstated feudal rights of the nobles, but also extended the rule of law to other people in the country, namely the growing class of Burghers; laid the foundation for the Parliament.

Tribute system

A system utilized by the T’ang dynasty in which independent countries acknowledged the supremacy of the Chinese emperor and sent ambassadors to the city with gifts.

Bureaucracy

A system of government where decisions are made by state officials rather than elected representatives; utilized by Chinese dynasties through civil service examinations.

Civil service

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

Foot binding

A practice born out of Confucianism that forced women to bind their feet in order to make them seem more beautiful.

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 in a state governed by Islamic law.

Sikhism

A monotheistic religion originating in the Punjab region that is comprised of values from both Islam and Hinduism, but disavows the caste system.

Chinampas

A type of agriculture utilized by the Aztecs that consisted of small rectangular areas of fertile land cut into the hills to grow crops.

Quipu

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

Animism

The idea that all things—animate and inanimate—possess a spirit or an essence; prevalent in ancient indigenous tribal cultures.

Daoism

A 6th century Chinese philosophy based on the writings of Lao-tzu, who taught that humans must follow the Cosmic Dao.

Mecca

The city where Muhammad grew up and gave him exposure to many different beliefs due to its position on trade routes.

Baghdad

Capital city of the Abbasid Dynasty, an Islamic empire that oversaw a Golden Age for the arts and sciences.

Sufis

Islamic mystics that were very effective missionaries due to their emphasis on personal relationship with Allah.

Hagia Sophia

An enormous cathedral built in the Christian empire of Constantinople; evidence of the flourishing of the arts and sciences.

Vikings

Raiders from Scandinavia who used highly maneuverable boats to raid beyond their borders.

Hundred Years’ War

The war between England and France that lasted from 1337-1453.

Mansa Musa

One of the greatest rulers of the Islamic Mali empire; made a pilgrimage to Mecca with an entourage of gold-carrying servants.

Tenochtitlan

The capital city of the Aztecs, known for their expansionism and professional army.

Maya

A civilization comprised of several city-states ruled by a single king, known for architecture and mathematics.

Teotihuacán

A powerful city-state that operated as a religious hub and a wealthy trade metropolis.

Jesus Christ

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

The Buddha

The title given to Siddhartha Gautama, who founded Buddhism after attaining Enlightenment.

Indian Ocean trade

Safe routes connecting ports in western India to ports in the Persian Gulf and eastern Africa.

Silk Road

An ancient network of trade routes that connected the East and the West.

Pax Mongolica

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

Oasis towns

Bustling towns that served as hand-off points for passing commodities during merchant trips.

Monsoon season

A seasonal change that brought reliable winds used by merchants on the Indian Ocean trade.

Lateen sail

A triangle-shaped sail that allowed merchants to harness seasonal monsoon winds.

Qanat system

A Persian system of irrigation that utilized gravity to divert groundwater to needed fields.

Diaspora

A large group of people with a similar heritage that have been scattered around the world.

Dhow

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

Camel caravan

Groups that used camels to travel across the African desert for trading goods and carrying religion.

Caravanserai

Inns located across desert routes that provided accommodation for traveling caravans.

Silk

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

Mongols

Militaristic nomads originating from Northern Eurasia who formed a massive empire through conquest.

Genghis Khan

A military and organizational genius who unified the Mongol tribes.

Mongol Empire

The empire of the Mongols under Genghis Khan that spanned from the Pacific Ocean to Eastern Europe.

Khanate

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

Golden Horde

A Turkic Khanate that conquered a large chunk of Russia, leaving the Russian Orthodoxy intact.

Kublai Khan

The successor to Genghis Khan who ruled over the Yuan dynasty in China.

Tamerlane

Founder of the Timurid Empire who conquered Western and Central Asia.

Marco Polo

A Venetian merchant who recorded his travels in China during the Mongol Empire.

Ibn Battuta

A Muslim legal scholar who wrote accounts of his travels across the Islamic world.

Mali Empire

Islamic Empire that played an influential role in the gold and salt trade within Africa.

Swahili City-States

Economically powerful Islamic urban trade centers interconnected by trade routes.

Tang/Song China

Known as the Golden Ages of China due to trade routes and technological innovations.

Yuan Dynasty

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

The Crusades

Military expeditions organized by Western European Christians in response to Muslim expansion.

Timbuktu

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