Units 1-4

Political Structures in East Asia (c. 1200-1450)

Governance characterized by centralized bureaucracies, meritocracy, civil service exams, and social classes like scholar gentry.

Meritocracy

A system where individuals advance based on academic achievement and professional merit, particularly in the context of the Song Dynasty civil service exams.

Song Dynasty

Chinese dynasty established in 960, noted for advancements in government structure, economic prosperity, and cultural flourishing.

Economic Prosperity Factors in Song China

Advancements in agriculture, trade, and technology, including the Grand Canal and agricultural innovations like Champa rice.

Champa Rice

A fast-ripening hybrid rice introduced to China from Vietnam that facilitated increased agricultural production and population growth.

Scholar Gentry

Social class that emerged in China, comprised of educated individuals who surpassed traditional landowners in influence.

Buddhism's Spread in East Asia

Buddhism spread from India to China and Japan via the Silk Roads and experienced transformations into forms like Chan (Zen) Buddhism.

Neo-Confucianism

A philosophical movement in East Asia combining Confucian principles with Buddhist and Daoist elements, gained prominence between 770-840.

Military Influence of Mongols

Mongol conquests in the 13th century connected Eurasian trade routes and facilitated cultural exchanges despite initial devastation.

Factors of Islamic Expansion (c. 632-1200)

Islam expanded rapidly through military conquests and trade routes, demonstrating religious tolerance particularly towards Christians and Jews.

House of Wisdom

A cultural and intellectual hub established in Baghdad where scholars from diverse backgrounds gathered to share knowledge, particularly during the Abbasid Empire.

Trans-Saharan Trade Dynamics

Trade routes across the Sahara connecting North and West Africa, facilitating exchanges of goods such as gold, ivory, and salt.

Cultural and Technological Exchange on the Silk Roads

Increased contact through trade led to significant cultural exchanges and technological innovations, such as the compass and paper money.

Gunpowder Empires

Empires that rose during the period of 1450-1750 utilizing gunpowder technology for military control, including the Ottoman, Safavid, and Mughal empires.

Triangular Trade

A three-legged trade route connecting Europe, Africa, and the Americas, involved exchanging enslaved individuals, cash crops, and European goods.

Prices Revolution

Economic phenomenon during the 1500s involving inflation due to surplus precious metal circulation leading to increased prices.

Columbian Exchange

The widespread transfer of plants, animals, culture, human populations, technology, and ideas between the Americas and the rest of the world post-1492.

Syncretic Religions

Religions that emerged from merging elements of different beliefs, such as Vodun in Haiti and Santería in Cuba.

Social Hierarchy in Colonial Latin America

Defined by a caste system where social status depended on race and ancestry, with groups like Peninsulares and Creoles at the top.

Bubonic Plague

A devastating disease that spread along trade routes, causing significant population decline across Europe and impacting labor dynamics.

Impact of Enslaved Africans on the Americas

The forced migration led to the establishment of distinct cultural practices, blending African, European, and Indigenous traditions.