Global Civilizations and Mongol Empire Vocabulary

Vocabulary terms covering East Asian, South Asian, American, and Mongol historical concepts based on the lecture notes.

Neo-Confucianism

A revival of Confucianism during the Song dynasty that blended traditional philosophy with Buddhist and Daoist elements.

Censorate

An agency in China that monitored the government and reported on official corruption or incompetence

Hangzhou

Capital of the Song Dynasty; a massive, wealthy center of trade and culture

Foot binding

Chinese practice of tightly wrapping young girls' feet to keep them small; a sign of beauty and high social status that restricted women's mobility

"Middle kingdom"

Traditional Chinese view that China was the center of the world and superior to all other civilizations.

Kowtow

A ritual of extreme bowing performed by foreigners to show submission to the Chinese emperor.

Xiongnu

Nomadic people to the north of China who frequently raided the borders and pressured Chinese dynasties.

Sultanate of Delhi

Various Muslim dynasties that ruled Northern India, introducing Islam to the region

Sufis

Mystical Muslim missionaries who focused on a personal connection with God and helped spread Islam through their flexibility.

Kabir

A $15\operatorname{th}$ century Indian mystic and poet whose teachings focused on the unity of God across Hinduism and Islam

Sikhism

A religion founded in India by Guru Nanak that blends elements of Islam and Hinduism

Timbuktu

A major West African city in the Mali Empire known as a center for islamic scholarship and trans-Saharan trade

Triple Alliance

Triple Alliance was the formal political coalition between Tenochtitlan (the Mexica), Texcoco, and Tlacopan designed to pool military strength to conquer neighboring territories and collect tribute effectively turning the alliance into the "Aztec Empire" led by a Mexica ruler

Tenochtitlan

massive island built on lake texcoco capital of the Aztec Empire

Chinampas

"Floating gardens"—highly productive artificial islands used by the Aztecs for agriculture

Huitzilopochtli

Aztec sun and war God who required human sacrifices to keep the sun moving

Quechua

Official language of the inca Empire

Gender Parallelism

A social system where men and women operate in separate but equal and complementary spheres

Yuan Dynasty

Mongol-led dynasty in China established by Khubilai Khan

Khubilai Khan

Grandson of Chinggis Khan and founder of the Yuan Dynasty in China

Hulegu

Mongol ruler who conquered Baghdad and established the Ilkhanate in Persia

Khutulun

A famous Mongol princess and wrestler who refused to marry anyone she could beat in a match cousin of kublai khan

Kipchak Khanate/Golden Horde

Mongol territory in Russia where the Mongols ruled from afar via tribute

Monsoon winds

Seasonal wind patterns in the indian Ocean that facilitated maritime trade between Africa, India, and SE Asia

Swahili language

A Bantu-based language spoken in East Africa, incorporating numerous Arabic words due to historical trade relationships.

Great Zimbabwe

A prominent South African city-state famous for its impressive stone walls and significance in the gold trade

Jenne-Jeno

An ancient city in West Africa along the Niger River known as a vital commercial hub.

Camel caravans

Groups of camels utilized to transport goods across the Sahara Desert and along the Silk Roads.

mexica

ethnic group of semi-nomadic people who migrated into the Valley of Mexico founded island city of Tenochtitlan worship of the sun God huitzilopochtli