Unit 1 Revision: East Asia, South/Southeast Asia, and Dar al-Islam

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering the political, economic, and cultural themes of Unit 1, including East Asia, South Asia, Southeast Asia, and the Islamic world.

Song Dynasty

A Chinese dynasty that ruled through bureaucracy and meritocracy, characterized by major innovations like gunpowder, steel, and the compass.

Bureaucracy

A system of government in which most of the important decisions are made by state officials rather than by elected representatives.

Meritocracy

A government system where officials are selected based on their ability and performance, facilitated in China by the civil service exam.

Civil Service Exam

Exams that even peasants could take to enter the bureaucracy, leading to social mobility in Song China.

Champa Rice

A fast-ripening, drought-resistant crop from Vietnam that significantly increased food production and population in China.

Grand Canal

An internal waterway in China used for trade and connecting different regions to foster economic growth.

Proto-Industrialization

A phase of development in China where people made more goods than they could consume, increasing internal trade.

Tributary System

A system where China charged taxes to other states to build routes and control trade.

Scholar Gentry

A social class in China composed of well-educated individuals who often served as government officials.

Foot Binding

A practice for upper-class women in Song China as a sign of beauty and status, which ended in $1912$.

Filial Piety

The Confucian practice of respect for one's parents, elders, and ancestors.

Heian Period

A period in Japan ($794$-$1185$) where the court copied Chinese traditions in politics, art, and literature.

Shinto

A traditional Japanese religion that continued to be practiced alongside Buddhism and Confucianism.

Tale of Genji

Written during the Heian Period, this work is considered the world's first novel.

Daimyo

Landowning aristocrats in the Japanese feudal system who battled for control of land.

Shogun

A military ruler in Japan who installed power after the Heian court, weakening the emperor's authority.

Chola Dynasty

A dynasty in Southern India that was considered more stable than the northern kingdoms.

Vijayanagara Empire

Another stable empire located in Southern India.

Delhi Sultanate

An Islamic kingdom in Northern India that was often at war and faced attacks from Islamic forces.

Rajput Kingdoms

Hindus kingdoms in Northern India that were less stable and frequently in conflict.

Qutub Minar

A tower over a mosque in India that exemplifies architecture with geometric designs.

Urdu

A new language developed in South Asia that combined elements of Persian, Arabic, and Hindi.

Bhakti Movement

A movement that spread Hinduism through emotional attachment and devotion to specific deities.

Caste System

An extremely strict and rigid social hierarchy in India where individuals cannot change their status.

Srivijaya Kingdom

A Hindu, sea-based kingdom in Southeast Asia with a strong navy.

Majapahit Kingdom

A Buddhist, sea-based kingdom that controlled sea routes in Southeast Asia.

Angkor Kingdom

A land-based kingdom also known as the Khmer Empire, famous for its irrigation, drainage systems, and the capital Angkor Thom.

Abbasid Caliphate

A major Islamic caliphate that oversaw the Golden Age of Islam before political fragmentation.

House of Wisdom

A renowned center of learning in Baghdad where scholars from different cultures collaborated during the Islamic Golden Age.

Nasir al-Din al-Tusi

An Islamic scholar who made significant contributions to astronomy, law, logic, ethics, mathematics, and medicine.

Al-Andalus

The Islamic state in Spain which became a center of learning with Cordoba as its capital.

'A'ishah al-Ba'uniyyah

A female Muslim poet and writer whose work contributed significantly to Islamic literature.

Sufis

A mystical branch of Islam that focused on a personal and emotional connection to God.