State Building and Cultural Developments (1200-1450 CE)

Song Dynasty

Chinese dynasty from 960 to 1276 CE.

State

Organized political community under one government.

Confucianism

Philosophy emphasizing moral integrity and social harmony.

Neo-Confucianism

Revival of Confucian thought during Song Dynasty.

Civil Service Exam

Test for bureaucratic eligibility based on Confucian classics.

Filial Piety

Respect and obedience towards one's parents and ancestors.

Bureaucracy

Administrative system governing a state or organization.

Footbinding

Cultural practice of tightly binding women's feet.

Champa Rice

Drought-resistant rice variety that matured early.

Tribute System

Method for countries to acknowledge China's superiority.

Silk Production

Artisanal labor creating textiles from silkworms.

Porcelain Production

Artisanal creation of fine ceramic ware.

Grand Canal

Major waterway facilitating trade in China.

Mahayana Buddhism

Buddhism form promoting broader participation and bodhisattvas.

Theravada Buddhism

Original form of Buddhism focused on monastic life.

Eurasia Trade

Exchange of goods across Europe and Asia.

Hierarchical Society

Social structure with defined superior and inferior roles.

Cultural Traditions

Practices and beliefs passed through generations.

Buddhism

Religion emphasizing suffering and the path to enlightenment.

Four Noble Truths

Core principles of Buddhism addressing suffering.

Eightfold Path

Buddhist guide to ethical and mental development.

Economic Flourishing

Growth due to increased production and trade.

Population Doubling

Significant increase in population between 8th-10th centuries.

Women's Subordination

Legal and social restrictions placed on women.

Cultural Influence

Impact of Chinese traditions on neighboring regions.

Agricultural Innovations

Advancements improving farming efficiency and yield.

Abbasid Caliphate

Islamic empire from 750 to 1258 CE.

Fragmentation

Breakup of the Abbasid Caliphate's power by 1200.

Baghdad

Capital of the Abbasid Caliphate, conquered in 1258.

Mongols

Conquerors who ended the Abbasid Caliphate.

Ethnic Turks

Dominant group in the declining Abbasid period.

Delhi Sultanate

Turkic Muslim state in South Asia.

Mamluk Sultanate

Egyptian state founded by slave soldiers.

Seljuk Empire

Turkic empire that rose from Abbasid support.

Sharia Law

Legal code based on the Quran.

House of Wisdom

Center for translating Greek works in Baghdad.

Intellectual Innovations

Advancements in knowledge during Islamic empires.

Dar al-Islam

Region where Islamic law and culture prevail.

Military Expansion

Method of spreading Islamic empires.

Sufis

Missionaries who spread Islam with local beliefs.

Bhakti Hinduism

Movement emphasizing devotion to one Hindu god.

Rajput Kingdoms

Hindu kingdoms opposing the Delhi Sultanate.

Vijayanagara Empire

Hindu kingdom formed by former Delhi Sultanate servants.

Majapahit Kingdom

Buddhist kingdom on Java controlling trade routes.

Khmer Empire

Hindu empire that later adopted Buddhism.

Angkor Wat

Temple reflecting Hindu and Buddhist architecture.

Diasporic Communities

Merchant groups spreading religions through trade.

Islamic World Expansion

Growth of Muslim rule and influence over time.

C. 1200 to C. 1450

Period of significant state formation changes.

Cultural Preservation

Muslim scholars saved ancient Greek texts.

Slave Soldiers

Key figures in establishing the Mamluk Sultanate.

Turkic Muslim States

Emerging powers in the Islamic world post-Abbasid.

Islamic Merchants

Traders who facilitated the spread of Islam.

Aztec Civilization

A civilization that created a huge empire, decentralized in how they ruled, where conquered people were forced to pay tribute in goods or labor, and sometimes sacrificed in religious rituals.

Inca Bureaucracy

An elaborate system throughout the Andean region to control conquered territories, characterized by a highly centralized rule.

Mit'a System

A labor system used by the Inca for state projects like farms, mining, military service, and construction projects.

Mississippian Culture

A culture located in North America around the Mississippi River Valley, known for agriculture and mound building, with larger towns controlling smaller ones.

Cahokia

A significant Mississippian site consisting of 80 burial mounds up to 100 feet tall.

Swahili City-States

Politically independent states in East Africa that grew powerful due to Indian Ocean Trade and were influenced by merchants from Dar al-Islam.

Swahili Language

A language that is a combination of Bantu and Arabic.

West African Empires

Empires such as Ghana, Mali, and Songhay that were decentralized city-states, demonstrating continuity, innovation, and diversity of state systems in Africa.

Hausa Kingdom

A decentralized kingdom in West Africa that grew powerful through trade and acted as brokers for trans-Saharan trade.

Great Zimbabwe

A state in Southern Africa that became wealthy due to trade, farming, and cattle herding, with a population of 18,000 and a capital built between 1250-1450.

Gold Trade

The main source of wealth for Great Zimbabwe.

Ethiopia

An East African state that grew due to trade with the Mediterranean and Arabian peninsula, characterized by a monarch and strict hierarchy, and was predominantly Christian.

Byzantine Empire

The most powerful state in the East that practiced Orthodox Christianity and shared it with Kievan Rus by 988.

Roman Catholic Church

The most powerful entity in the West following the fall of Rome, binding the region together culturally.

Feudalism

A political system in decentralized Europe where powerful lords gained allegiance from lesser lords, who became their vassals in exchange for land and military service.

Manorialism

An economic system in decentralized Europe where peasants were bound to the land in exchange for a lord's protection.

Serfs

Peasants tied to the land they lived on, who were not the property of the lords but could not leave the land without permission.

Decentralization in Europe

A political structure where power is distributed among various lords rather than centralized in a single authority.

Anti-Semitism

Persecution faced by Jews in Europe, forcing them to the outskirts of European life.

Islamic Influence

The impact of Islamic culture and trade on various African states, including the conversion of elites while most subjects retained indigenous beliefs.

Cultural Continuity

The persistence of cultural practices and beliefs across different civilizations and time periods.

Indigenous Beliefs

The traditional beliefs held by most subjects in West African empires, despite the conversion of elites to Islam.

Trade with Dar al-Islam

The economic interactions that contributed to the growth of various African states, including the Swahili city-states.

Mound Builders

A term referring to the Mississippian Culture known for constructing large burial mounds.

Political Independence

The status of the Swahili city-states as independent entities while being influenced by external trade.

Cultural Diversity

The variety of cultural practices and systems present within civilizations, such as those in Africa and the Americas.

State Systems

The organizational structures of governance and society that vary across different civilizations.