key vocabulary

Aristocrats/Aristocracy

• Wealthy and powerful upper class.

• applies to what we learned because patricians in Rome and nobles in feudal Europe held most of the power.

Autocracy

A government ruled by one person. This connects to figures like Shi Huangdi and Roman emperors, who ruled with strong centralized authority.

Bureaucracy

A system of government officials who carry out policies. In China, officials were chosen through civil service exams to run the government.

Commercialization

The growth of trade and business. This expanded greatly during the Tang and Song Dynasties.

Cosmopolitan

Made up of many different cultures. Cities like Timbuktu, Baghdad, and those along the Swahili Coast were cosmopolitan.

Golden Age

A period of great achievement. Examples include Gupta India, the Islamic Empires, and Tang/Song China.

Hard Power

Influence through military force. The Mongols used hard power to build their empire through conquest.

Infrastructure

Systems like roads and canals. Roman roads and Chinese canals improved trade and communication.

Legitimacy

The accepted right to rule. Rulers gained legitimacy through ideas like the Mandate of Heaven or religion.

Merchants

People who buy and sell goods. They traveled along the Silk Roads and other major trade routes.

Monotheism

Belief in one God. Judaism, Christianity, and Islam are examples.

Natural Resources

Materials found in nature. Gold and salt were especially valuable in Africa.

Pagan

A follower of a polytheistic religion, meaning non-monotheistic. Early Romans practiced pagan religions.

Peasant

A poor farmer. Most medieval Europeans were peasants living and working on manors.

Pluralism

Different groups living together with tolerance. This was seen in many Islamic cities and in the Mongol Empire.

Polytheism

Belief in many gods. This was practiced by Romans and in Hindu traditions.

Secular

Not related to religion. Renaissance thinkers focused more on secular ideas.

Soft Power

Influence through culture and ideas rather than force. Religions like Buddhism, Christianity, and Islam, as well as Chinese inventions, spread through soft power.

Urbanization

The growth of cities. Trade led to major urban growth during the Tang and Song Dynasties.