Unit 1 AP World Vocab

Terrace Farming (Definition)

Agricultural method creating stepped fields on hillsides to increase farmland and reduce erosion.

Terrace Farming (Geographic Location)

Andes/East and Southeast Asia

Terrace Farming (Approximate Years)

Ancient era-present

Terrace Farming (Historical Significance)

Expanded farmland in mountainous regions, supporting larger populations and complex societies.

Vijayanagara Empire (Definition)

Powerful Hindu-led empire that ruled much of southern India from the 1300s to 1600s.

Vijayanagara Empire (Geographic Location)

Southern India

Vijayanagara Empire (Approximate Years)

1336-1646 CE

Vijayanagara Empire (Historical Significance)

Became a major political and commercial power while promoting Hindu culture in southern India.

Little Ice Age (Definition)

Period of cooler climate, especially in the Northern Hemisphere, from roughly the 1300s to 1800s.

Little Ice Age (Geographic Location)

Northern Hemisphere

Little Ice Age (Approximate Years)

c. 1300-1850 CE

Little Ice Age (Historical Significance)

Reduced agricultural output and contributed to famine, economic hardship, and social unrest.

Compass (Definition)

Navigational tool using magnetism to determine direction, improving long-distance maritime travel and trade.

Compass (Geographic Location)

China -> Eurasia -> Global

Compass (Approximate Years)

c. 1000s CE onward

Compass (Historical Significance)

Improved maritime navigation, expanding long-distance trade, exploration, and overseas empires.

Islam (Definition)

Monotheistic religion revealed to Muhammad, centered on the Quran and submission to one God, Allah.

Islam (Geographic Location)

Arabian Peninsula -> Africa/Asia/Europe

Islam (Approximate Years)

610 CE-present

Islam (Historical Significance)

Created a major global religious community that shaped politics, trade, culture, and law across Afro-Eurasia.

Judaism (Definition)

Ancient monotheistic religion of the Jewish people centered on belief in one God and the Hebrew scriptures.

Judaism (Geographic Location)

Southwest Asia, especially the Levant

Judaism (Approximate Years)

c. 1800 BCE-present

Judaism (Historical Significance)

Established an enduring monotheistic tradition that strongly influenced Christianity and Islam.

Mandate of Heaven (Definition)

Chinese belief that rulers governed with divine approval as long as they ruled effectively and justly.

Mandate of Heaven (Geographic Location)

China

Mandate of Heaven (Approximate Years)

c. 1046 BCE onward

Mandate of Heaven (Historical Significance)

Justified Chinese dynastic rule while allowing rulers to lose legitimacy through poor government.

Muslim Translation Movement (Definition)

Islamic Golden Age movement that translated and expanded Greek, Persian, and Indian knowledge into Arabic.

Muslim Translation Movement (Geographic Location)

Baghdad / Islamic world

Muslim Translation Movement (Approximate Years)

c. 750-1000 CE

Muslim Translation Movement (Historical Significance)

Preserved and expanded Greek, Persian, and Indian knowledge, advancing science and philosophy.

Maize (Definition)

Crop domesticated in Mesoamerica that became a major food staple throughout the Americas and beyond.

Maize (Geographic Location)

Mesoamerica -> Global

Maize (Approximate Years)

c. 7000 BCE-present

Maize (Historical Significance)

Supported large American civilizations and later became an important global food crop.

Neo-Confucianism (Definition)

Song-era revival of Confucianism that incorporated ideas influenced by Buddhism and Daoism.

Neo-Confucianism (Geographic Location)

China -> East Asia

Neo-Confucianism (Approximate Years)

c. 800s CE onward

Neo-Confucianism (Historical Significance)

Revitalized Confucian thought and strongly influenced East Asian education, government, and society.

Paper Money (Definition)

developed in China and widely used under the Song Dynasty to support expanding commerce.

Paper Money (Geographic Location)

China -> Eurasia

Paper Money (Approximate Years)

c. 1000s CE onward (not champa rice)

Paper Money (Historical Significance)

Made large-scale commerce easier and helped expand trade and financial systems.

Serfdom (Definition)

Labor system in which peasants were legally tied to land controlled by powerful landowners.

Serfdom (Geographic Location)

Europe, especially Eastern Europe/Russia

Serfdom (Approximate Years)

c. 800s-1500s CE

Serfdom (Historical Significance)

Provided agricultural labor for landowners while limiting the freedom and mobility of peasants.

Baghdad House of Wisdom (Definition)

Major center of learning in Abbasid Baghdad where scholars studied, translated, and expanded knowledge.

Baghdad House of Wisdom (Geographic Location)

Baghdad, Abbasid Caliphate

Baghdad House of Wisdom (Approximate Years)

c. 800-1258 CE

Baghdad House of Wisdom (Historical Significance)

Preserved and expanded scientific, mathematical, and philosophical knowledge during the Islamic Golden Age.

Buddhism (Definition)

Religion founded by Siddhartha Gautama emphasizing the end of suffering through enlightenment and ethical living.

Buddhism (Geographic Location)

India -> East/Southeast Asia

Buddhism (Approximate Years)

c. 500 BCE-present

Buddhism (Historical Significance)

Shaped religious beliefs, philosophy, art, and culture across much of Asia.

Buddhist Monasticism (Definition)

Buddhist practice of living in religious communities devoted to meditation, study, and spiritual discipline.

Buddhist Monasticism (Geographic Location)

India -> East/Southeast Asia

Buddhist Monasticism (Approximate Years)

c. 500 BCE-present

Buddhist Monasticism (Historical Significance)

Preserved and spread Buddhist teachings through monasteries, education, and missionary activity.

Champa Rice (Definition)

Fast-ripening rice from Vietnam introduced to China, greatly increasing agricultural productivity.

Champa Rice (Geographic Location)

Vietnam -> China

Champa Rice (Approximate Years)

c. 1000s CE onward

Champa Rice (Historical Significance)

Increased food production in China, supporting population growth and urbanization.

Chinampas (Definition)

Fertile raised fields built in shallow lakes and used by the Aztecs for intensive agriculture.

Chinampas (Geographic Location)

Mesoamerica, especially Central Mexico

Chinampas (Approximate Years)

c. 1300s-1500s CE

Chinampas (Historical Significance)

Increased agricultural productivity, helping the Aztecs support large urban populations.

Civil Service Exam (Definition)

Chinese examination system used to select government officials based largely on Confucian learning.

Civil Service Exam (Geographic Location)

China

Civil Service Exam (Approximate Years)

605-1905 CE

Civil Service Exam (Historical Significance)

Strengthened China's bureaucracy by selecting officials based largely on education and merit.

Confucianism (Definition)

Chinese philosophy emphasizing social harmony, proper relationships, education, and respect for authority.

Confucianism (Geographic Location)

China -> East Asia

Confucianism (Approximate Years)

c. 500 BCE-present

Confucianism (Historical Significance)

Shaped government, education, family relationships, and social values across East Asia.

Delhi Sultanate (Definition)

Muslim-ruled states that controlled much of northern India from the 1200s to 1500s.

Delhi Sultanate (Geographic Location)

Northern India

Delhi Sultanate (Approximate Years)

1206-1526 CE

Delhi Sultanate (Historical Significance)

Expanded Islamic rule and culture in India while increasing interaction between Hindu and Muslim societies.

Feudalism (Definition)

Medieval European system based on landholding, military service, and obligations between lords and vassals.

Feudalism (Geographic Location)

Western Europe

Feudalism (Approximate Years)

c. 800s-1400s CE

Feudalism (Historical Significance)

Organized medieval European society around relationships between lords and vassals.

Filial Piety (Definition)

Confucian principle emphasizing respect, obedience, and responsibility toward parents and ancestors.

Filial Piety (Geographic Location)

China -> East Asia

Filial Piety (Approximate Years)

c. 500 BCE-present

Filial Piety (Historical Significance)

Reinforced family hierarchy, respect for elders, and social order in East Asian societies.

Grand Canal (Definition)

Chinese waterway linking northern and southern China, encouraging transportation, trade, and economic integration.

Grand Canal (Geographic Location)

China

Grand Canal (Approximate Years)

c. 500 BCE onward

Grand Canal (Historical Significance)

Connected northern and southern China, strengthening trade, food distribution, and political unity.

Hindu Caste System (Definition)

Hierarchical social system in South Asia based on hereditary social groups and occupations.

Hindu Caste System (Geographic Location)

South Asia, especially India

Hindu Caste System (Approximate Years)

c. 1500 BCE-present

Hindu Caste System (Historical Significance)

Organized Indian society into hereditary social groups, shaping occupations and social status.