AP World History Unit 2 Vocab - Networks of Exchange

The Vocabulary for Unit 2 of Mr. Sharp's class, test on 9/22

Bubonic Plague

Also called the Black Death was a deadly disease that spread through Europe and killed one out of every three people

camel saddle

An invention which gives camel riders more stability on the animal and its invention and basic idea traveled along the Trans-Saharan Caravan Trade Route. Invented somewhere between 500 and 100 BCE by Bedouin tribes.

caravan

group of traveling merchants and animals

caravanserai

an inn with a central courtyard for travelers in the desert regions of Asia or North Africa; allowed caravans and their camels to rest in a protected environment, encouraging trade

dhow ships

Arab sailing vessels with triangular or lateen sails; strongly influenced European ship design

diaspora

A dispersion of people from their homeland; Muslim merchant communities spread Islam throughout Southeast Asia

Golden Horde

Mongol khanate founded by Genghis Khan's grandson Batu. It was based in southern Russia and quickly adopted both the Turkic language and Islam. Also known as the Kipchak Horde.

gunpowder

Invented within China during the 9th century, this substance was became the dominate military technology used to expand European and Asian empires by the 15th century.

Hanseatic League

an organization of north German and Scandinavian cities for the purpose of establishing a commercial alliance.

Ibn Battuta

(1304-1369) Morrocan Muslim scholar, the most widely traveled individual of his time. He wrote a detailed account of his visits to Islamic lands from China to Spain and the western Sudan. His writings gave a glimpse into the world of that time period.

Il-Khanate

Mongol empire that ruled over Iran (Persia) & the Middle East

Indian Ocean Trade

connected to Europe, Africa, and China.; worlds richest maritime trading network and an area of rapid Muslim expansion.

junk ship

A very large flat-bottom sailing ship produced in the Tang, Ming, and Song Empires, specially designed for long-distance commercial travel.

Kashgar

a central trading point where the Eastern and Western Silk Roads met.

khan

Title given to Mongol leaders, meaning "supreme ruler"

Khanates

Four regional Mongol kingdoms that arose following the death of Ghengis Khan.

magnetic compass

Chinese invention that aided navigation by showing which direction was north

Mansa Musa

Ruler of Mali (r. 1312-1337). His extravagant pilgrimage through Egypt to Mecca in 1324-1325 established the empire's reputation for wealth in the Mediterranean world.

Marco Polo

(1254-1324) Italian explorer and author. He made numerous trips to China and returned to Europe to write of his journeys. He is responsible for much of the knowledge exchanged between Europe and China during this time period.

Margery Kempe

Wrote the Book of Margery Kempe - considered the 1st autobiography in the Eng. language. Chronicles her pilgrimages to holy sites in Europe and Asia. Claimed to have vision that called her to leave the vanities of the world (saw vision of Christ). Acts as best insight that points to a mid. class female experience in the Middle Ages. Records the tension in late medieval England between orthodoxy and religious dissent.

monsoon winds

seasonal wind in India, the winter monsoon brings hot, dry weather and the summer monsoon brings rain

paper money

legal currency issued on paper; it developed in China as a convenient alternative to metal coins

Pax Mongolica

The period of approximately 150 years of relative peace and stability created by the Mongol Empire.

porcelain

a thin, beautiful pottery invented in China

rudder

Steering device, usually a vertical blade attached to a post at, or near, the stern of the boat

Samarkand

During the rule of Timur Lane was the most influential capitol city, a wealthy trading center known for decorated mosques and tombs.

SIlk Roads

A system of ancient caravan routes across Central Asia, along which traders carried silk and other trade goods.

Spice Islands

Europeans' name for the Moluccas, islands rich in cloves and nutmeg

Sundiata

the founder of Mali empire. He crushed his enemies and won control of the gold trade routes

Swahili city-states

city-states that actively participated in Indian Ocean trade along the East coast of the African continent

Timbuktu

Port city of Mali; located just off the flood plain on the great bend in the Niger River; population of 50,000; contained a library and university.

Trans-Saharan trade

route across the Sahara desert. Major trade route that traded for gold and salt, created caravan routes, economic benefit for controlling dessert, camels played a huge role in the trading

Yuan Dynasty

(1279-1368 CE) The dynasty with Mongol rule in China; centralized with bureaucracy but structure is different: Mongols on top->Persian bureaucrats->Chinese bureaucrats.

Zheng He

(1371-1433?) Chinese naval explorer who sailed along most of the coast of Asia, Japan, and half way down the east coast of Africa before his death.