Exam II Study Guide: Chapters 5-9

Vocabulary practice flashcards based on the Exam II Study Guide for Chapters 5-9, covering world religions, classical empires, trade networks, and early civilizations.

Vedas

The sacred texts of Hinduism.

Brahmans

Hindu religious leaders who controlled rituals and the interpretation of the Vedas.

Vedanta

Mystical traditions in Hinduism based on Vedic teachings.

Siddhartha Gautama

The Buddha and founder of Buddhism, who left wealth and privilege seeking enlightenment and was critical of Brahminic traditions.

The 4 Noble Truths

Core Buddhist principles stating that life is suffering, suffering is caused by desire, ending desire ends suffering, and one should follow the eightfold path.

Nirvana

The ultimate ending goal in Buddhism.

Theravada

The traditional path of Buddhism.

Mahayana

The less restrictive, more relaxed, and popular path of Buddhism.

Filial Piety

The Confucian virtue of honoring and respecting parents and ancestors.

Dao

In Daoism, the natural flow or 'the way things are', which is considered impossible and unwise to resist.

Dao De Jing and Chuang Tzu

The main sacred texts associated with Daoism.

Legalism

A philosophy influenced by Xunzi asserting that the state comes before individual ideas, society is the state's most important resource, and governance requires strict laws, punishments, and coercive power.

Ahuramazda

The supreme deity in Zoroastrianism.

Zoroastrianism

A faith founded by Zoroaster centered on a cosmic struggle between good and evil, heaven and hell as reward and punishment, and likely the first monotheistic religion in its region.

Jesus of Nazareth

Identified by his followers as the Messiah in Roman-controlled Judea, who emphasized compassion and ethics over rituals, offered salvation through teachings, and was believed to have been resurrected.

Chandragupta Maurya

Founder of the Mauryan Empire in 322 BCE, establishing a highly centralized government at the capital of Patna.

Ashoka

Mauryan ruler from 269 to 232 BCE who converted to Buddhism, promoted peace, built hospitals, funded stupas and temples, and sent Buddhist missionaries abroad.

Gupta Empire

Empire that unified India in 320 CE through decentralized administration, marking a golden age of math and science advances.

Nalanda University

An educational institution during the Gupta Empire that housed thousands of scholars.

Shi Huangdi

Ruler who unified China in 221 BCE under the Qin Dynasty, ruled via Legalism, built parts of the Great Wall, and persecuted Confucians.

Wu Di

Han Dynasty emperor under whom territorial expansion occurred and Silk Road influence expanded.

Satraps

Governors who administered provinces within the Persian Empire.

Patricians

The wealthy class in the Roman Republic.

Plebians

The commoners in the Roman Republic.

Pax Romana

The Roman Golden Age that began under Augustus, the first Roman emperor.

Byzantine Empire

The Eastern Roman Empire that survived after 476 CE, featuring a strong centralized government based in Constantinople.

Sasanian Empire

Empire that defeated the Parthians in 224 CE, adopted Zoroastrianism as its state religion, controlled major trade routes, and engaged in frequent conflict with the Byzantines.

Samarkand

An important Silk Road trade center located in Central Asia.

Kush

A Nubian kingdom centered at Meroe that gained wealth from gold trade and iron production before being conquered by Aksum in 350 CE.

Aksum

An Ethiopian kingdom that controlled Red Sea trade, acquired wealth through trade, and adopted Christianity by the 300s CE.

Bantu

People who migrated into central, eastern, and southern Africa, spreading farming, herding, metalworking, and trade.

Popol Vuh

The sacred texts of the Maya civilization.

Teotihuacan

The largest city in the Americas by 600 CE, housing approximately 200,000 residents at its peak and maintaining strong trade ties with Maya cities.

Moche

A major Andean civilization characterized by monumental buildings and irrigation systems, which declined partly due to climate issues.

Nazca

Civilization known for creating patterns and geoglyphs and developing underground irrigation canals.

Anasazi

A civilization with settlements throughout Southwest North America and Mesoamerican trade networks, whose agriculture centered on maize, beans, and squash.

Polynesians

Descendants of Austronesian migration who settled Pacific islands including Fiji, Tonga, Hawaii, Tahiti, and New Zealand, trading and competing for resources.