Confucianism: Five Key Relationships
Ruler-subject, father-son, husband-wife, elder-younger, friend-friend.
Basic Concepts of Confucianism
Filial piety, social harmony, and respect for authority.
Main Beliefs of Daoism
Emphasizes harmony with nature, simple living, and following the Dao ("the Way").
Champa Rice
Quick-maturing, drought-resistant rice from Vietnam that boosted agricultural productivity in Song China.
The Grand Canal
An inland waterway built to connect northern and southern China, promoting economic integration and trade.
Gunpowder
Innovated in China during the Song dynasty, eventually used in weaponry and military tactics.
Mandate of Heaven
Belief that Chinese emperors were granted the right to rule by heaven, which justified the rise and fall of dynasties.
Shared Characteristics of Abrahamic Religions
Monotheistic, belief in prophets, sacred texts, and ethical guidelines.
Islamic Contributions to Science
Advancements in medicine, algebra, astronomy, and the preservation of Greek and Roman knowledge.
Main Beliefs of Buddhism
Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path aimed at achieving enlightenment (Nirvana).
Buddhist Challenge to Social Hierarchy
Rejected the rigid caste system in India by emphasizing individual spiritual progress.
Main Beliefs of Hinduism
Belief in karma, dharma (duty), samsara (rebirth), and moksha (liberation from the cycle of rebirth).
Merchants' Role in Spreading Islam to South Asia
Trade networks facilitated cultural exchanges and the spread of Islam through merchant communities.
Swahili Coast City-States
Independent city-states on the East African coast, thriving through Indian Ocean trade.
Great Zimbabwe
A powerful trade-based kingdom in Southern Africa known for its stone architecture and trade links to the Indian Ocean.
Mali Empire
West African empire, rich from controlling gold-salt trade, and known for Mansa Musa's pilgrimage to Mecca.
Feudalism
A decentralized political system where land is exchanged for military service and protection.
Manorialism
An economic system centered around self-sufficient estates run by lords and worked by serfs.
Serfdom
A system where peasants were bound to the land and provided labor in exchange for protection.
Impact of the Crusades
Exposure to Middle Eastern trade and knowledge, weakening of the feudal system in Europe.
Status of Women in the Middle Ages
Limited rights and roles, though European women had slightly more autonomy than women in Song China.
Geography of the Silk Road
Trade routes connecting East Asia, Central Asia, the Middle East, and Europe.
Paper Money on the Silk Roads
Facilitated trade by making transactions easier and promoting economic growth.
Geographic Location of the Mongol Empire
Stretched across Central Asia, China, the Middle East, and parts of Europe.
Development of the Mongol Empire
Unified under Genghis Khan, expanded through conquest, later split into khanates.
Mongol Contributions to Global Trade
Protected and expanded the Silk Road, promoting trade and cultural exchange.
Mongol Rule Methods
Varied by region; tolerant in Persia and China, harsher in Russia.
Major Goods Traded Along the Indian Ocean
Spices, textiles, ivory, gold, and precious stones.
Religious Connections to Indian Ocean Trade: Buddhism
Spread through maritime trade routes from India to Southeast Asia.
Religious Connections to Indian Ocean Trade: Islam
Spread through merchant interactions and trade across the Indian Ocean.
Role of Monsoon Winds in Indian Ocean Trade
Seasonal winds that enabled more efficient travel between East Africa, India, and Southeast Asia.
People Who Traded Along the Indian Ocean
Arabs, Indians, Chinese, Southeast Asians, and East Africans.
Trans-Saharan Trade Network and Islam
Islam spread through trade and cultural exchange in North and West Africa.
Role of Caravanserai in Trans-Saharan Trade
Roadside inns that provided safety and rest for traders, boosting long-distance trade.
Major Goods Traded Along Trans-Saharan Routes
Gold, salt, ivory, and slaves.
Mali Empire and the Trans-Saharan Trade
Mali gained wealth by controlling the gold-salt trade, helping the empire to flourish.
Marco Polo and Ibn Battuta
Both traveled widely and documented their journeys, but had different focuses: Marco Polo on trade and Ibn Battuta on Islamic culture.
Causes and Effects of the Black Death
Spread along trade routes, caused massive population loss, weakened economies, and shifted power structures.