World History: Post-Classical Era

Vocabulary flashcards covering key terms, historical figures, empires, and concepts from the Post-Classical Era, including the Byzantine Empire, Islamic civilizations, Medieval Europe, East Asian dynasties, and the Crusades.

Byzantine Empire

The eastern Roman Empire, centered in Constantinople.

Constantinople

The Byzantine capital, located between Europe and Asia; a major trade location.

Missionary

A person who travels to teach and spread a religion. Missionaries helped spread Christianity.

Holy Roman Empire

A Christian empire in western/central Europe, connected to the pope and the Roman tradition; it was separate from the Byzantine Empire.

Justinian

A Byzantine emperor who tried to restore Roman power and ordered Roman laws to be collected.

Body of Civil Law

Justinian's organized collection of Roman laws. It preserved Roman legal ideas and influenced later European law.

Islam

A monotheistic religion: belief in one God.

Muslim

A person who follows Islam; the word means one who submits to God.

Allah

The Arabic word for God.

Muhammad

The prophet of Islam, who Muslims believe received God's revelations.

Quran

The holy book of Islam.

Mecca

A city in Arabia; Islam's holiest city and the birthplace of Muhammad.

Medina

The city Muhammad moved to in 622; the Muslim community grew there.

Kaaba

A sacred structure in Mecca; Muslims face its direction when praying.

Hajj

The pilgrimage to Mecca that Muslims are expected to make once if physically and financially able.

Five Pillars

The five basic duties: declaration of faith, prayer, charity, fasting during Ramadan, and pilgrimage.

Caliph

A leader of the Muslim community after Muhammad.

Jihad

Striving or struggle in the way of God; meanings depend on context.

Trans-Saharan trade

Trade routes crossing the Sahara, connecting West Africa with North Africa.

Ghana

An early West African trading empire; gained wealth by taxing trade, including gold and salt.

Mali

A powerful West African empire that grew wealthy from trade, especially gold and salt.

Mansa Musa

A famous Mali ruler whose pilgrimage to Mecca showed Mali's wealth and increased awareness of it.

Feudalism

A system where land was given in exchange for loyalty and service, often military help.

Lord

A powerful landowner who gave land or protection to people below him.

Vassal

A person who promised loyalty and service to a lord in return for land or protection.

Knight

A trained, armored soldier who usually fought on horseback and served a lord.

Manor

A large estate or farming area controlled by a lord.

Serf

A farm worker tied to the land; had limited freedom and owed work or payments to the lord.

Sui Dynasty

Reunited China after a period of division; known for major building projects, especially the Grand Canal.

Grand Canal

A huge waterway linking northern and southern China; moved grain, goods, and people.

Tang Dynasty

A powerful dynasty known for expansion, strong government, culture, and trade.

Song Dynasty

A dynasty known for economic growth, cities, trade, printing, and technological advances.

Gunpowder

An invention developed in China; first used for fireworks and later adapted for military use.

Mongols

A people from the Central Asian steppes who built a vast empire using skilled cavalry and organized armies.

Yuan Dynasty

The Mongol-led dynasty that ruled China, founded by Kublai Khan.

Foot binding

A practice in which girls' feet were tightly bound to keep them small; it caused pain and restricted movement.

Crusades

A series of religious wars, mainly between Christian forces from Europe and Muslim powers, over control of the Holy Land.

Holy Land

The region around Jerusalem that is sacred to Jews, Christians, and Muslims.

Pope Urban II

The pope who called for the First Crusade in 1095.

First Crusade

The Crusade that captured Jerusalem in 1099.

Saladin

A Muslim ruler who recaptured Jerusalem in 1187.

Fourth Crusade

A Crusade that attacked and looted Constantinople in 1204 instead of reaching the Holy Land.

Black Plague

A major plague outbreak in the 1300s that killed millions and caused major social and economic change.