AP World Unit I Vocab

Ayllu

A traditional kinship-based community in the Andean region (Inca society), responsible for cooperative labor and resource distribution.

Feudalism

A decentralized political and social system in medieval Europe and Japan, where lords granted land (fiefs) to vassals in exchange for loyalty and military service.

Fief

A piece of land granted by a lord to a vassal in exchange for military service and loyalty in the feudal system.

Manorialism

The economic system of feudal Europe where peasants (serfs) lived on self-sufficient estates (manors), working the land for protection.

Serfdom

A system where peasants (serfs) were tied to the land and worked for a lord in exchange for protection, common in medieval Europe and Russia.

Vassal

A noble who pledged loyalty and military service to a lord in exchange for land (fief) in the feudal system.

Shogunate

The military government of Japan during the feudal period, where a shogun (military leader) held power over the emperor.

Bodhisattva

In Mahayana Buddhism, a person who has achieved enlightenment but delays nirvana to help others reach salvation.

Filial piety

A core Confucian value emphasizing respect and obedience toward one's parents and ancestors, reinforcing social hierarchy.

Monasticism

A religious lifestyle of renouncing worldly pursuits to live in a monastery, common in Christianity and Buddhism (monks and nuns).

Neo-Confucianism

A revival of Confucianism during the Tang and Song dynasties, blending Daoist and Buddhist influences while reinforcing traditional Chinese social structure.

Papacy

The office of the pope, the spiritual leader of the Roman Catholic Church, with significant political influence in medieval Europe.

Schism

A formal split in a religious organization; refers to the Great Schism (1054) dividing the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches.

Sufism

A mystical form of Islam emphasizing personal experience with God through rituals, poetry, and devotion, spreading Islam beyond the Middle East.

Caliphate

An Islamic state ruled by a caliph, considered the successor to Muhammad and the leader of the Muslim community (e.g., Abbasid Caliphate).

Dar al-Islam

Arabic for “House of Islam”, referring to lands under Muslim rule where Islamic law and culture flourished.

Dhimmi

Non-Muslims (e.g., Christians, Jews) living in Islamic states who were granted protection and religious freedom in exchange for a tax (jizya).

Jizya

A tax imposed on non-Muslims (dhimmis) in Islamic empires, allowing them to practice their religion under Muslim rule.

Shari’a

Islamic law derived from the Qur’an and Hadith, governing moral, social, and legal aspects of life in Islamic societies.

Sultan

A Muslim political and military ruler, often governing without claiming religious authority (e.g., Ottoman sultans).

‘Ulema

Islamic scholars and jurists who interpreted Shari’a law and served as religious advisors in Muslim states.

‘Umma

The global Muslim community, united by faith rather than ethnicity, a central concept in Islamic governance and identity.

Chinampas

"Floating gardens" used by the Aztecs for intensive agriculture in Lake Texcoco, increasing food production.

Junk

A large Chinese sailing ship developed during the Tang and Song dynasties, used for maritime trade in the Indian Ocean.

Madrasas

Islamic schools that taught religion, law, philosophy, and sciences, playing a key role in spreading Islamic knowledge.

Mit’a

A system of mandatory labor tribute in the Inca Empire, requiring citizens to work for the state on projects like roads and temples.

Crusades

A series of religious wars (1095–1291) launched by European Christians to reclaim the Holy Land (Jerusalem) from Muslim control; they increased trade and cultural exchanges.

Griot

A West African storyteller, historian, and musician, responsible for preserving oral traditions and genealogies.

Hajj

The pilgrimage to Mecca, required once in a lifetime for all Muslims who are able, as one of the Five Pillars of Islam.

Magna Carta

A document signed in 1215 by King John of England, limiting royal power and establishing the principle that the king is subject to law.

Reconquista

The Christian campaign to retake Spain from Muslim rule (711–1492), culminating in the fall of Granada and the expulsion of Muslims and Jews.

Samurai

Warrior class of feudal Japan who served daimyo (lords) and followed the Bushido (code of honor and loyalty).

Stupa

A Buddhist shrine, often dome-shaped, used for meditation and housing relics of the Buddha.

Bhakti

A Hindu devotional movement that emphasized personal connection to a deity, which spread during the medieval period, influencing Sikhism.