AP world unit 3

Gunpowder Empires

The Ottoman, Safavid, and Mughal Empires. They used gunpowder weapons, cannons, and firearms to expand and maintain power.

Gutenberg Printing Press

Invented by Johannes Gutenberg around 1440. Made books cheaper and spread knowledge and ideas more quickly.

Ivan IV (Ivan the Terrible)

First Russian ruler crowned tsar. Expanded Russia and strengthened centralized power through violence and terror.

The Tudors

English royal dynasty (1485–1603) that included Henry VIII and Elizabeth I.

The Valois

French royal dynasty that ruled from 1328 to 1589 and fought in the Hundred Years' War and Italian Wars.

Isabella and Ferdinand

Spanish monarchs who united Spain through their marriage, completed the Reconquista in 1492, and sponsored Columbus's voyage.

Siberia

Vast region of northern Asia conquered and colonized by Russia for its land, fur, and natural resources.

Ming Dynasty

Chinese dynasty (1368–1644) that restored native Chinese rule, strengthened the Great Wall, and sponsored Zheng He's voyages.

Manchu

Ethnic group from Manchuria that conquered China and established the Qing Dynasty.

Qing Dynasty

China's last imperial dynasty (1644–1912), established by the Manchus.

Emperor Kangxi

Qing emperor who expanded China's territory, promoted stability, and supported Confucianism.

Emperor Qianlong

Qing emperor during China's height of power and territorial expansion.

Guangzhou/Canton

Major Chinese trading port where European merchants conducted much of their trade with China under the Canton System.

Tamerlane

Central Asian conqueror who built a massive empire through military campaigns and brutality.

Ghazi Ideal

Belief that Muslim warriors should fight to defend and spread Islam.

Ottoman Empire

Powerful Muslim empire based in modern-day Turkey that controlled parts of Europe, Asia, and Africa.

Safavid Empire

Persian empire that made Shia Islam the official religion.

Mughal Empire

Muslim dynasty that ruled much of India and blended Persian, Islamic, and Indian cultural traditions.

Mehmed II

Ottoman sultan who conquered Constantinople in 1453.

Suleiman I (Suleiman the Magnificent)

Ottoman ruler who expanded the empire and improved its laws and government.

Shah Abbas

Safavid ruler who strengthened Persia, promoted trade, and made Isfahan a major cultural center.

Akbar

Mughal emperor known for religious tolerance, administrative reforms, and expanding the empire.

Battle of Lepanto (1571)

Naval battle in which a Christian alliance defeated the Ottoman navy, slowing Ottoman expansion in the Mediterranean.

Shah Jahan

Mughal emperor who built the Taj Mahal in memory of his wife.

Aurangzeb

Mughal emperor who expanded the empire but imposed stricter Islamic policies, contributing to religious tensions.

Sikhism

Religion founded in India by Guru Nanak that combines elements of Hindu and Islamic traditions while maintaining its own distinct beliefs.

Divine Right Theory of Monarchy

Belief that kings receive their authority directly from God and are accountable only to God.

English Bill of Rights (1689)

Limited the power of the English monarch and strengthened Parliament.

Absolutism

Political system in which a monarch holds nearly unlimited power.

Intendants

French royal officials who collected taxes, enforced laws, and strengthened the king's authority.

Henry IV (France)

First Bourbon king of France who issued the Edict of Nantes to grant religious toleration to Huguenots.

Tax Farmers

Private individuals who paid the government for the right to collect taxes and kept some of the money they collected.

Versailles

Magnificent French palace built up by Louis XIV to demonstrate royal power and control nobles.

Louis XIV

French Sun King who represented absolute monarchy and famously said, "I am the state."

Boyars

Russian nobles who traditionally held land and political influence.

Serfdom

System in which peasants were legally tied to the land and controlled by landowners.

Romanov Dynasty

Russian ruling family that came to power in 1613 and ruled until 1917.

Peter the Great

Russian tsar who westernized Russia, modernized its military, and built St. Petersburg.

Eastern Orthodox Church

Branch of Christianity dominant in Russia and much of Eastern Europe.

Beard Tax

Tax introduced by Peter the Great to encourage Russian men to adopt Western European customs.

Devshirme

Ottoman practice of taking Christian boys from conquered territories, converting them to Islam, and training them for government or military service.

Janissaries

Elite Ottoman infantry soldiers originally recruited through the devshirme system.

Daimyo

Powerful Japanese feudal lords who controlled land and samurai warriors.

Period of Great Peace

Period of relative peace and stability in Japan under the Tokugawa Shogunate (1603–1868).

Tokugawa Shogunate

Japanese military government that unified Japan, restricted foreign influence, and ruled for over 250 years.

Zamindars

Indian landholders or tax collectors who collected taxes from peasants for the Mughal government.

St. Petersburg

Russian city founded by Peter the Great as a new capital and a symbol of Russia's westernization.

Askia the Great

Ruler of the Songhai Empire who expanded trade, strengthened government, and promoted Islam.

Taj Mahal

White marble mausoleum built by Shah Jahan for his wife Mumtaz Mahal.

Topkapi Palace

Ottoman palace in Istanbul that served as the sultan's residence and center of government.

Suleymaniye Mosque

Major mosque in Istanbul built under Suleiman the Magnificent.