Global Tapestry Vocabulary (Pages 1-2)

Vocabulary flashcards covering key terms from the lecture notes on world history.

Song Dynasty

Chinese dynasty (960–1279 CE) noted for economic growth, centralized bureaucracy, and cultural flourishing.

Terrace farming

Cultivation on stepped hillsides to reduce erosion and conserve water.

Foot binding

Practice of binding young girls' feet to keep them small, reflecting beauty ideals in China.

Filial piety

Confucian value of respect and obedience to parents and ancestors.

Confucianism

Philosophical system emphasizing social harmony, hierarchy, and moral duties.

Proto-industrialization

Preindustrial phase with increased craft production and cottage industries.

Woodblock printing

Printing method using carved wooden blocks to transfer text and images.

Heian Period (Japan)

Japanese era (794–1185) known for court culture and literature.

Buddhism

Religion and philosophy from India influencing many Asian regions.

Nuclear family

Household consisting of parents and their children.

Meritocracy

System where advancement depends on merit and ability.

Artisans

Skilled craft workers who produce handmade goods.

Imperial bureaucracy

Government system staffed by trained officials under the emperor.

Tribute

Payment or gifts to a ruling power as acknowledgment or submission.

Grand Canal

Waterway linking northern and southern China to facilitate trade.

Kowtow

Ritual bowing to show respect to the emperor or authorities.

Taoism

Chinese philosophy/religion emphasizing harmony with the Tao.

Polygyny

Marriage system where a man has multiple wives.

Champa rice

Fast ripening rice from Vietnam that boosted Chinese agricultural yields.

Scholar gentry

Elite class of educated landowners and officials in China.

Abbasid Caliphate

Islamic caliphate centered in Baghdad that fostered learning and culture.

Baghdad

Capital of the Abbasid Caliphate, famous for the House of Wisdom.

House of Wisdom

Abbasid research center in Baghdad for science, astronomy, and philosophy.

Mamluk Sultanate

Muslim sultanate in Egypt and Syria known for strong military and trade.

Seljuk Turks

Turkish dynasty that controlled land between the 10th and 12th centuries.

Seljuk Empire

Medieval empire in the Middle East that facilitated trade and culture.

Sultan

Muslim ruler title in many Islamic states.

Mongols

Central Asian nomads who conquered vast territories, connecting Eurasia.

Crusades

Religious wars in the medieval period to control holy lands.

Zen Buddhism

School of Buddhism emphasizing meditation and direct experience.

Sinification

Cultural assimilation of non-Chinese societies to Chinese norms.

Neo-Confucianism

Philosophical movement blending Confucian thought with Buddhist and Daoist ideas.

Silk Road

Trade routes linking East and West for goods, ideas, and culture.

Sufism

Islamic mysticism focusing on personal experience of God.

Dhow

Arab sailing vessel used in Indian Ocean trade.

Umayyads

Early Islamic caliphate preceding the Abbasids.

Nasir al-Din al-Tusi

Persian scholar and philosopher who advanced astronomy and philosophy.

Aisha al-Ba’uniyyah

Prominent Sufi poet and religious teacher in the Islamic world.

Ibn Khaldun

Arab scholar known for early sociology and history writing.

Cordoba

Major city in Islamic Iberia and center of learning.

People of the Book

Islamic term for Jews, Christians, and Muslims as recipients of revelation.

Vijayanagar Empire

Hindu empire in southern India renowned for defense and culture.

Chola Dynasty

Southern Indian dynasty noted for naval power and trade.

Rajput kingdoms

Hindu warrior states in northwestern India.

Delhi Sultanate

Muslim-ruled sultanate in northern India from the 13th to 16th centuries.

Jizya

Tax levied on non-Muslims in some Islamic states.

Gupta Empire

Classical Indian empire known for its science, art, and trade.

Hinduism

Major world religion originating in South Asia.

Proselytize

To attempt to convert others to a belief or faith.

Caste system

Societal hierarchy based on birth and lineage in Hindu society.

Arabic numerals

Hindu-Arabic numeral system introduced to the Western world.

Qutub Minar

Tall minaret in Delhi built by the early Delhi sultanate.

Urdu

Language formed from Hindustani with Persian and Arabic influences.

Bhakti Movement

Hindu devotional movement emphasizing personal devotion to a deity.

Srivijaya Empire

Maritime empire based in Sumatra that controlled trade in the Indian Ocean.

Majapahit kingdom

Southeast Asian empire in Java that dominated maritime trade.

Sinhala dynasties

Lineages in Sri Lanka known for Buddhist kingdoms.

Khmer Empire (Angkor)

Cambodian empire that built Angkor Wat and dominated Southeast Asia.

Sukhothai Kingdom

Early Thai kingdom known for spreading Theravada Buddhism.

Syncretism

Blending of religious and cultural traditions.

Moche

Andean civilization in northern Peru known for pottery and irrigation.

Olmecs

Early Mesoamerican civilization in the Gulf Coast region.

Mississippian

Pre-Columbian culture in North America known for mound building.

Mound builders

Indigenous peoples constructing large earthwork mounds in North America.

Cahokia

Major Mississippian city near modern St. Louis.

Matrilineal society

Societies tracing descent through the mother’s line.

Chaco

Ancestral Puebloan center in Chaco Canyon, New Mexico.

Mesa Verde

Ancestral Puebloan site in Colorado with cliff dwellings.

Maya city-states

Independent Maya polities with shared culture and religion.

City-state

Independent political unit consisting of a city and its surrounding territory.

Human sacrifice

Ritual killing of humans as offerings to gods.

Mexicas/Aztecs

Mesoamerican empire in central Mexico known for urban centers and chinampas.

Chinampas

Floating gardens used for agriculture by the Aztecs.

Great Pyramid

Largest pyramid; commonly refers to the Great Pyramid of Giza in Egypt.

Lake Texcoco

Saline lake near Tenochtitlan in the Aztec heartland.

Theocracy

Goverment ruled by religious leaders claiming divine authority.

Pochteca

Aztec merchant class involved in long-distance trade.

Pachacuti

Inca emperor who expanded the Inca Empire.

Mit’a system

Inca labor tribute required from communities for state projects.

Cuzco

Capital of the Inca Empire located in present-day Peru.

Temple of the Sun

Inca temple in Cuzco dedicated to the sun god Inti.

Animism

Belief that objects, places, and creatures possess spirits.

Quipu

Inca knotted cords used for record keeping.

Carpa Nan

Inca road system linking imperial centers across the Andes.

Huayna Capac

Inca emperor known for expanding the empire.

Mesoamerica

Region of pre-Columbian cultures stretching from central Mexico to Nicaragua.

Archaeology

Study of human history through material remains.

Ibn Battuta

Moroccan traveler who documented Islamic lands and cultures.

Mali

West African empire known for wealth and trade routes.

Timbuktu

City in Mali famed for learning and scholarship.

Gao

Important West African city along trade routes.

Kin-based networks

Social ties formed through family and kinship in African and Afro-Islamic networks.

Trans-Saharan trade

Exchange of goods across the Sahara desert linking West Africa with North Africa and the Mediterranean.

Ghana

West African kingdom known for wealth from gold trade.

Mansa Musa

Mali emperor famed for pilgrimage to Mecca and wealth.

Songhai / Songhay

West African empire that rose after Ghana and Mali.

Great Zimbabwe

Central African kingdom known for stone architecture and trade.

Indian Ocean trade

Maritime commerce connecting East Africa, the Middle East, India, and Southeast Asia.

Gold

Valuable metal central to African trade networks.

Salt

Vital commodity traded across the desert.