WHAP Final Vocab

Mongols

pastoral nomads in Central Asia; ruler: Genghis Khan; consolidated them into a fearsome fighting force that tore apart everything they came across

Champa rice

a quick-maturing, drought resistant rice that can allow two harvests, of sixty days each in one growing season (sent to China from Vietnam)

Grand Canal

(created by Sui dynasty; 5th century --\> Tang --\> Song) linked the Northern Capital (Beijing) to southern China, enabling rice grown in southern China to supply the wheat-growing regions of the north. (Marked 1st "Golden Age of Achievement")

House of Wisdom

(AKA. Baghdad); Library/learning center on the Souther Silk Road; created cultural diffusion; belonging to the Abbasid caliphs during the Islamic Golden Age.

Trans-Saharan trade

(land route) linked the Mediterranean economies that demanded gold—and could supply salt—to the sub-Saharan economies, where gold was abundant = economic expansion across Northern and Western Africa

Terrace farming

The cutting out of flat areas (terraces) into near vertical slopes to allow farming; appears as steps cut into a mountainside

Portuguese Empire

established from the 15th century and eventually stretched from the Americas to Japan; very often a string of coastal trading centers with defensive fortifications, there were larger territorial colonies like Brazil, Angola, and Mozambique; (Monopoly over spice trade)

Filial piety

Respect of elders (in Confucianism)

Bubonic plague

(AKA. The Black plague); epidemic disease that spread along trade routes infected rats that came off ships when they docked (14th - 15th cent.); devastated Europe

Tribute system

a series of practices in which non-Chinese authorities honored Chinese authorities by giving kowtows and acknowledging their subordination

Delhi Sultanate

(13th - 16th cents) (north-central India); never organized official burreaucracy; run by sultans; imposed jizya tax on all non-muslims in emp.; Qutab Minar (symbol of Muslim Influence from N India), built on top of Hindu mosque

Indian Ocean trade

dominate network of trade in the era 1200 to 1450; interaction of various cultures ~ connected Southeast Asia, India, Arabia, and East Africa

Japanese Serfdom

centered around wealthy landowners (instead of warlords like in Euro.); the rise of the shogunate established feudalism in Japan and created serfdom as an official institution; grew millet (and hemp) as well as barley, wheat, and buckwheat

Chinampas

(AKA. floating garden) small, stationary, artificial island built on a freshwater lake for agricultural purposes - used/invented by Aztec

Neo-Confucianism

a revival of Confucian teachings during the Tang Dynasty and Song Dynasty and a subsequent synthesis of Confucianism with aspects of Buddhism and Taoism

Incan Empire

largest empire in Americas, impressive agricultural techniques, art and architecture combined geometrical stonework with the natural landscape; (the Andes region/ West coast of South America); amazing system of roads

Small pox

epidemic disease Europeans brought to the new world --\> infected & killed Native Americans and indigenous peoples

Feudalism

a political, economic, and social hierarchy which helped organize land, work, and people's roles; (top is the monarch/king --\> "owned" all of the land, and would grant land (aka fiefs) to elites called lords --\> they granted some of their own land to other individuals) --\> kept peasants (serfs) safe in return for labor

Mansa Musa

ruler of the kingdom of Mali (along TH trade route) from 1312 C.E. to 1337 C.E.; (extremely rich in gold) pilgrimage to Mecca

Caravanserai

roadside inns along major trade routes like the ancient Silk Road, that doubled as hubs for the exchange of goods, ideas, and culture

European Serfdom

condition in medieval Europe in which a tenant farmer was bound to a hereditary plot of land and to the will of his landlord; serfs obtained their subsistence by cultivating a plot of land that was owned by a lord

Mexica

(AKA. indegenous peeps of Aztec) occupied territory in Mesoamerica; capital of Tenochtitlán (now Mexico city); militant warrior tradition characterized their culture; developed a system of feudalism; innovations in mathematics, the canoe, Aztec calendar, medicine

Manor system

system of agricultural estates in the Middle Ages, owned by a Lord and run by serfs or peasants; Lords provided safety and protection from outside threats and the serfs or peasants provided labor to run the manor

Mali

trading empire that flourished in western Africa from the 13th to the 16th century; prolific trade networks, development in education, wealth in gold and salt, and the establishment and spread of Islam in West Africa

Timbuktu

center of Islamic learning under several African empires; many books created and sold here

Animism

religion based on the belief that things in the natural world have souls (practiced in Hinduism, Buddhism, and Sikhism)

White Lotus Society

A secret society organized to overthrow the Yuan Dynasty in the 1350's; lead by Zhu Yuanzhang (bhuddist monk/peasant) --\> founded Ming Dynasty

Camel saddles

traders (along Trans-Saharan) ride camels = carrying goods more efficient & faster

East Asia

China, Japan, Korea, Vietnam

Southeast Asia

Brunei, Burma (Myanmar), Cambodia, Timor-Leste, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam

Song China

Mandate of Heaven

the idea that there could be only one legitimate ruler of China at a time, and that this ruler had the blessing of the gods (used to justify their overthrow of the Shang, and their subsequent rule)

Mahayana Buddhism

A later form of Buddhism that claimed the Buddha was a god and could help people achieve Nirvana

Sufism

mystical Islamic belief and practice in which Muslims seek to find the truth of divine love and knowledge through direct personal experience of God

South Asia

Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Pakistan, Nepal, and Sri Lanka; Afghanistan and the Maldives

Bureaucracy

A system of government in which most important decisions are made by state officials rather then by elected officials

Theravada Buddhism

(AKA. "Traditions of the Elders") The sacred texts of Buddhism, called the Tripitaka, and the monastic rules, known as the Ten Precepts were established by the Theravada (oldest)

Renaissance

(Europe) A period of intense artistic and intellectual activity, said to be "rebirth" of Greco-Roman culture

Seljuk Turks

(Muslims - originated from Central Asia); siezed parts of MidEst. including Baghdad; leaders = Sultans

Dar al-Islam

(AKA. 'House of Islam'/"House of Peace") dominion of Islam, namely, any structure (be it a home, community, or state) that allows the free practice of Islam

'Aiishah al-Ba'uniyyah

Sufi master and poet; only medieval female Islamic mystic to have recorded her own views in writing

Crusades

a series of military expeditions in the 11th - 13th centuries by Western European Christians to reclaim control of the "Holy Land" from the Muslims

Sultanate of Malacca

Malay dynasty that ruled the great entrepôt of Malacca (Melaka); Malay history with its golden age; establish the first free trade market in the world, making it a trade destination for both the neighboring and the distant regions

Mamluk Sultanate

(1250-1517) (originated from Egypt, turkic group - were formerly military slaves); took control of Egypt and estab. emp. across N Africa;

Abbasid Caliphate

(SW Asia & N Africa) became one of most powerful emps. at time; (overthrew the Umayyad caliphate in 750 ce --\> destroyed by the Mongol invasion in 1258); established the city (Capital) of Baghdad!!!***; merchants traded on Silk Road;

Nasir al-Din al-Tusi

Islamic astronomer and mathematician who joined the Mongols who conquered Baghdad; contributions to astronomy and wrote many commentaries on Greek texts

Bhakti movement

Hindu devotional movement that flourished in the early modern era, emphasizing music, dance, poetry, and rituals as means by which to achieve direct union with the divine.

Vijayanagara Emire

(in southern India between 1336 and 1646); capital city Vijayanagar; fostered the reconstruction of Hindu life and administration after the disorders and disunities; protect the people in the southern region from the Muslim states, or sultanates, found in the north

Rajput kingdoms

emerged in northern India; they competed with each other, allowing for Islamic armies to start to expand into Afghanistan and Pakistan

Majapahit

one of the last major Hindu empires of the SE Asia/Indonesia region; traded extensively with Southeast Asia and China, fueling the growing European demand for Indonesian spices

Mesa Verde

cliff dwellings and the mesa top sites of pithouses, pueblos, masonry towers, and farming structures

Great Zimbabwe

(East african coast) center for trading, with a trade network linked to Kilwa Kisiwani and extending as far as China; international trade was mainly in gold and ivory; known for its large circular wall and tower

Hausa kingdoms

a group of small independent city-states in northern central Africa between the Niger River and Lake Chad; in the Middle Ages they formed a powerful and important alliance of African kingdoms with great influence over the sub-Saharan trade routes

Judaism

the monotheistic religion of the Jews having its spiritual and ethical principles embodied chiefly in the Torah and in the Talmud

Khmer Empire

the land-based empire, powerful state in South East Asia; constructed large temples, many dedicated to the Hindu gods (including Angkor Wat!!**)

Sukhothai kingdom

area around the city Sukhothai (north central Thailand; 1238 until 1438); significant trade junction because of its " duty-free " tax policy and permission for people to trade freely; Sukhothai became the center of civilization in many aspects such as religion, art, culture, and tradition (cultural diffusion)

Chaco

(desert region of New Mexico: Pueblo) great trading center as well as a major religious center; (9th -12th cent)

Cahokia

(built by the Mississippians; largest city north of Mexico before Columbus); flat-topped pyramids

Ethiopia

A Christian kingdom in the highlands of eastern Africa (syncretism - christianity w/ traditional faith ~ ancestor veneration & beliefs in spirits); carved rock structures (religious architecture)

Christianity

(monotheistic) centers on the figure of Jesus, who was born to Jewish parents; Christians understand that the pain and suffering of human existence is all part of a divine purpose; religion for women, peasants, slaves, and poor people of low class; originated in Middle East

Coerced labor

Slavery (forced labor sys.); used in Spanish America by Euros.

Confucianism

system of ethics, education, and statesmanship taught by Confucius and his disciples, stressing love for humanity, ancestor worship, reverence for parents, and harmony in thought and conduct; philosophy and belief system from ancient China (6th-5th century bce)

Silk Road

a vast trade network connecting Eurasia and North Africa via land; advances in technology and increased political stability caused an increase in trade (sparked "Golden age"); MAJOR SOURCE OF CULTURAL DIFFUSION (created by Han); eventually took over by Mongols

Samarkand

(Zerafshan River valley, in north-eastern Uzbekistan) along the Silk Road were good resting stops and transfer points of goods from one caravan to another; central point for trade across the region

Banking houses

A merchant would place his wealth in the safe keeping of a banking house which would in turn issue a bill of exchange that could be used to purchase goods "imported from outside the local economy (In Euro)

Mongol Empire

an empire founded in the 12th century by Genghis Khan, which reached its greatest territorial extent in the 13th century, eventually took over Silk Road;

Swahili city-states

(***Kilwa, Mombasa, Zanzibar***) City states that actively participated in Indian Ocean trade along the East coast of the African continent; taken over by Portuguese in the 16th and 17th centuries, Omani in the 18th and 19th centuries, and Europeans in the 20th century

Cottage Industry

putting out system where merchants provided raw cotton to women who spun it into finished cloth in their own homes

Hinduism

polytheistic religion that believes in Brahma, the creator god, and his various incarnations including Vishnu, Shiva, and Devi (originated in South Asia, aka.India)

Kashgar

(Located in the westernmost part of China) a central trading point where the Eastern and Western Silk Roads met

Bills of exchange

originated as a method of settling accounts in international trade;

Luxury goods

sugar, gold, porcelain, and silk; one of main reason for Silk roads

Pax Mongolica

a period (150 years) of relative stability in Eurasia under the Mongol Empire during the 13th and 14th centuries

Monasticism

A way of life characterized by prayer and self-denial lived in seclusion from the world under fixed rules with professed vows to attain a state of freedom from bondage

Compass

(magnetic compass) tool that allowed sailors to identify their location; invented by Chinese scientists

Akbar

third king in the Mughal Dynasty; policy of religious tolerance; extended the reach of the Mughal dynasty across the Indian subcontinent and consolidated the empire by centralizing its administration and incorporating non-Muslims (especially the Hindu Rajputs) into the empire's fabric (facilitated syncretism)

Zheng He

Chinese Admiral in the Indian Ocean; led the largest ships in the world on seven voyages (state sponsored) of exploration to the lands around the Indian Ocean, demonstrating Chinese excellence at shipbuilding and navigation (during Ming dynasty)

Yuan Dynasty

Rebuilt capital of Zhongdu (Dadu); religiously tolersnt; Kublai Khan; established by Mongol nomads that ruled portions and eventually all of China from the early 13th century to 1368; golden period of chinese arts and literature; technology advances; reunified China

Caravans

groups of traders traveling together, which often protected them from desert raiders (along trans-saharan route)

Gunpowder

(developed in 9th cent CE, China) led to weapons innovations, allowed for a trade connection between India and Europe; From, India, the spread continued into the Middle East

Protestant Reformation

A religious movement of the 16th century that began as an attempt to reform the Roman Catholic Church and resulted in the creation of Protestant churches

Shah Jahan

Mughal emperor of India during whose reign the finest monuments & architecture were built (including the **Taj Mahal** (ex. Cultural Diffusion)); his reign is called "Golden age" of Mughal emp.

Ming Dynasty

(ruled China from 1368 to 1644 A.D.) established Neo-Confucian schools, filial piety; revolutionizing the production of gunpowder, medicine, agricultural tools, and paper, and shipbuilding; known for its trade expansion to the outside world that established cultural ties with the West

Monsoon winds

alterating wind currents that blew eastward across the Indian Ocean in the summer and westward in the winter, Facilitating trade (trade followed wind currents)

West Africa

Region of trading Empires (including: Ghana (800-1050 CE), Mali (1235-1464 CE), and Songhai (1464-1591 CE)); controlled the gold and salt trade in West Africa. Their cities were located at the intersections of trade routes

Ibn Battuta

Arab Scholar, Merchant public official and traveler who discovered Arab Muslim societies in East Africa; wrote one of the world's most famous travel logs, the Riḥlah

Marco Polo

Venetian merchant and traveler. His accounts of his travels to China offered Europeans a firsthand view of Asian lands and stimulated interest in Asian trade.

Land-based empires

Manchus, Mughals, Ottomans, Safavids, Russians, Songhay, Inca, & Aztecs; expanded and conquered more people and land through many military methods, such as the use of gun-powder

Diffusion of crops

(The gradual spread of agricultural techniques without extensive population movement) Bananas in Africa, New rice varieties in East Asia, Spread of Cotton, sugar, and citrus throughout Dar-al-Islam and the Mediterranean basin

Shias

(AKA. Shiites) believed that Muslim leader should be a descendant of Muhammad; consider Ali the first true caliph; strongest in Iran & Iraq --\> community leader became Iman, (was caliph)

Mughal Empire

(gunpowder emp.) (India) Muslim dynasty who ruled over a majority Hindu population; political stability, strong economic activity, beautiful paintings, and monumental buildings (**Taj Muhal**) (1556-1605)

Ottoman tax farming

the use of private citizens to collect tax that was auctioned off for a fee

Songhai Empire

A powerful West African state that flourished between 1450 and 1591, when it fell to a Moroccan invasion; control of trading posts along the Trans-Saharan Trade Route, including Jenne and Timbuktu

Samurai

(warriors who served a specific noble; aided Japan Malitia) protect the authority of their Daimyo and Shogun

Sunnis

believed that blood relations shouldn't determine the umma's leader, but that it should be determined by competence and strength

Syncretic religions

the blending of elements from more than one religion into a distinct system of worship (Ex: blending of Confucianism, Taoism, and Legalism in China during and after the Warring States period)

Ottoman Empire

(1300 to 1923) became the center of the Islamic world following the retrenching of the Mongol Empire; Turkish empire that was reached its greatest territorial extent under Suleiman in the 16th century; (Capital: Constantinople); achievements in art, science and medicine

Gunpowder weapons

Guns, cannons, bombs

Devshirme

a system of forced labor, Christian boys, mostly from the Balkans, were taken from their homes to serve the Ottoman government.

Divine right

(largely used by Euro.) the idea that monarchs are God's representatives on earth and are therefore answerable only to God (used to legitimize power of Gov.); forbade rebellions, as it was a sin to oppose the king