Crash Course World History - The Dark Ages

Flashcards covering key vocabulary and concepts from the Crash Course World History video on the Dark Ages.

Middle Ages

The period between 600 and 1450 CE in Europe, between the Roman Empire and the beginning of the Modern Age.

Feudalism

A political system based on reciprocal relationships between lords and vassals.

Feudalism (Economic System)

A system where peasants work the land and give a portion of their production to the landowner in exchange for protection.

Dar al-Islam

The Islamic world.

Umayyad Dynasty

Dynasty that expanded the Islamic empire west to Spain and moved the capital to Damascus.

Abbasid Dynasty

Dynasty that replaced the Umayyads in 750 CE and moved the capital to Baghdad.

Abbasid Golden Age

A golden age of Islamic learning centered in Baghdad.

Canon of Medicine

Became the standard medical textbook for centuries in both Europe and the Middle East, written by Ibn Sina.

Islamic Cordoba

Islamic Cordoba became a center for the arts, especially architecture.

Tang Dynasty

Tang Dynasty made China’s government more of a meritocracy and ruled over 80 million people.

Battle of the Talas River

Ended up defining who had influence where, with the Abbasids dominating to the west of the river and China dominating to the east.