World history vocabulary Unit 1

Rome

Italy's capital

Roman Empire

an empire established by Augustus that divided into the Western Roman Empire and the Eastern/Byzantine Empire

Germanic Tribes: Visigoths and Ostrogoths

barbaric tribes who attacked Rome

Republic

a form of government in which citizens choose their leaders by voting

Panon et circuncum (Bread and Circuses)

a policy kept intact to prevent the people from revolting by supplying them with free food and entertainment such as gladiator matches

Divine Right of Kings

the belief that the authority of kings comes directly from God

Legitimacy

how political leaders prove their authority and why they should rule

Byzantine Empire

eastern half of the Roman Empire

Hagia Sofia

a church built by Emperor Justinian

Constantinople

the capital of the Byzantine Empire and a wealthy trading hub that connected Europe and Asia

Dome

a rounded vault forming the roof of a building or structure, typically with a circular base

Arch

a curved structure

Bureaucracy

a system of government in which most of the important decisions are made by state officials

Monarchy

a government ruled by a king or queen

Laity

religious people who are not members of its clergy

Monotheistic

believing in one god

Polytheistic

believing in multiple gods

Arabian Peninsula

a peninsula between the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf

Bedouin Tribes

arab traders who used camels

Anamistic

believing inanimate objects and animals have feelings and intentions

Black Stone

meteorite placed in a shrine in Mecca which Muslims pay homage to

Kaaba

sacred shrine in Mecca holding the Black Stone

Mecca

holy city of Islam and Muhammad's birthplace

Islam

a monotheistic religion believing in Allah based on Muhammad's teachings

Muslim

someone who follows Islam

Quran

holy book of Islam

Jihad

internal struggle to stay true to religion / holy war

Abrahamic Religions

Christianity, Judaism, Islam

Jesus

founder of Christianity

Moses

the Hebrew prophet who led the Israelites from Egypt across the Red sea on a journey known as the Exodus

Abraham

Hebrew patriarch of the Abrahamic religions

Adam

first man created by God

Angel Gabriel

the angel who came to Muhammad and recited messages from Allah

Hijra

Muhammad's journey from Mecca to Yathrib/Medina

Medina

city of the prophet

Caliph

a political and religious leader in a Muslim government

Caliphate

area ruled by a caliph

Uthman

massively unliked caliph from the Umayyad family who was assassinated

Ali

caliph who gained followers due to being related to Muhammad

Umayyad Family

caliphs who expanded the Islamic Empire and pursued power rather than religion

Damascus

capital of the Umayyad empire

Sunni

followers of Islam who believe the ruler should be the person best for the job

Shia

followers of Islam who believe the ruler should be a blood relative of Muhammad

Umayyad Dynasty

period when the Umayyad family ruled and when the election was ended

Iberian Peninsula

Spain and Portugal

Al Andalus

Islamic Spain

Cordoba

capital of Al Andalus

Battle of Tours

battle between the Franks and Muslims that stopped the spread of Islam into Europe

Charles Martel

Frankish leader who defeated the Muslims at the Battle of Tours

Franks

Germanic people who lived in Gaul

Abbasid Dynasty

dynasty after the Ummayad

House of Wisdom

a public academy which allowed for debate, expanding wisdom

it also held many ancient texts translated to arabic

Turks

a tribally divided nomadic group from central Asia

Theocracy

a government created by religious leaders

Power Vacuum

a time period where power is to be had, but nobody takes control of it

Dynasty

a series of rulers from the same family

Mamluks

Turkish slave warriors enslaved by the Abbasids

Sultanate

land ruled by a sultan

Sultan

political leaders who weren't religious

Umma

the community of all Muslims

Five Pillars of Islam

five acts of worship required of all Muslims

Sharia Laws

legal systems based on traditional Islamic laws

Patriarchy

a form of social organization in which males dominate females

Harem

living quarters reserved for wives and concubines and female relatives in a Muslim household

Hijab/Burka

a headscarf worn by Muslim women

Mosques

Islamic houses of worship

Minaret

tower attached to a mosque that calls the faithful to prayer five times a day

Eucharist

a Christian ritual commemorating the Last Supper by consecrating bread and wine

Communion

refers to receiving the body and blood of Christ

Confession

acknowledging and telling one's sins to a priest

Indulgence

a pardon releasing a person from punishments due for a sin

Iconoclasm Controversy

debate over the use of icons in the Byzantine Empire

Iconoclast

person who destroys/opposes icons

Icons

religious images and items

Idols

images or objects that people worship

Pagans

people who are not Christians, Muslims or Jews

Leavened and Unleaved Bread

bread with or without yeast

The Last Supper

a Passover meal taken by Christ with his apostles where he offered himself as a sacrifice for humanity's sins

The Crucification of Jesus

when Jesus was hung over a cross and murdered

Apostles

the 12 chosen disciples of Jesus who spread his teachings

St. Peter

the first of Jesus's disciples and the first leader of the church

Pope

leader of the Roman Catholic Church

Cardinals

catholic officials ranking next below the pope

Patriarch

male head of family

Roman Catholic Church

half of the main faction of Christianity

the Christian church headed by the pope in Rome

Eastern Orthodox Church

half of the main faction of Christianity

Christian church that grew out of Christianity

Celibate

abstaining from intercourse

unmarried

Divorce

a legal end to a marriage contract

Pope Gregory VII

Pope who pushed to make the church more powerful

Excommunicated

to declare that a person or group no longer belongs to a church

Feudalism

a political system in which nobles are granted the use of lands that legally belong to their king, in exchange for their loyalty, military service, and protection of the people who live on the land

Centralized vs. Decentralized

authority can either be focused at the top levels or it can be delegated to lower level staff

Fief

land granted by a lord to a vassal in exchange for loyalty and service

Vassel

a knight who promised to support a lord in exchange for land

Knight

a person who received honor and land in exchange for serving a lord as a soldier

Serf

a person who is bound to a land and does labor