AP World History

Rome

a classical civilization located in the central part of the mediterranean. This central location allowed them to easily conquer their neighbors in the mediterranean.

barbarians

A word that Romans used to refer to anyone outside the empire who did not share in the Greek or Roman cultures. Some barbarian tribes were the Vandals, the Visogoths, the Ostrogoths, the Huns.

caesar

The title given to a Roman ruler.

Consuls

The two officials (people) that were elected by the Senate. One manages the government, while the other one commands the army.

dictator

A ruler with total control over the people. Example: Julius Caesar.

emperor

The ruler of an empire.

gladiator

A prisoner, criminal, or slave who served as a professional fighter in Rome. The most famous place they fought at, was the Colosseum.

Julius Caesar

He was made dictator (absolute ruler) in 45 BC. He realized Rome needed reforms, so he gave land to the poor and increased the Senate to 900 members. By increasing the Senate, he weakened the power of it. He was assassinated by some senators 44 BC.

Mediterranean Sea

Large body of water that touches borders of northern Africa, Europe, & Asia Minor.

Patrician

A wealthy, land-holding, upper-class, group of powerful Romans, that made up the Senate in Rome.

Pax Romana

200 year period of peace in Rome. Roman Peace. There were 5 important rulers during this time (Nerva, Trajan, Hadrian, Antoninus Pius, and Marcus Aurelius).

peninsula

Land surrounded by water on three sides.

Plebeian

The common, regular people of Rome. They were the farmers, artisans, and merchants who had little wealth or power. They elected tribunes to represent them in government.

polytheism

The belief in or worship of many gods and goddesses.

Republic

A government where some or all citizens have the right to vote.

Senate

The governing "body" of Rome. Made up of 300 members from the upper-class Patricians. They interpreted the laws and were the most powerful.

The Alps

The mountain range in northern Italy. They run E to W and W to E.

Tiber River

The river where Rome was founded.

Tribunes

The people who represented the Plebians (common people) in government. They had "veto" power.

Twelve Tables

The earliest written collection of Roman laws, drawn up by patricians. These twelve codes became the foundation of Roman law. The laws talked about property, crime, family, theft, marriage and inheritance. They were engraved on tablets of metal and put on display at the Forum in the city of Rome, so that everyone could see them.

veto

The power to stop a law from passing.

Golden Age

A time in a culture of high achievement in arts, literature, and science. Generally occurs in times of peace.

Classical Architecture

ancient Greek and Roman architecture, which had an emphasis on form, simplicity, and proportion

Arches

Strong Architectural feature created by the Romans that became a key part of Classical Architecture. Could support great weight.

Domes

a rounded vault forming the roof of a building or structure, typically with a circular base invented by the Romans

Coliseum

An elliptical amphitheater in the center of the city of Rome, Italy; the largest ever built in the Roman Empire

Cement

building material invented by the Romans that is strong and can be used to make many shapes

Augustus

(63 BCE - 14 CE) First emperor of Rome (27 BCE - 14 CE) He restored order and prosperity to the Empire after nearly a century of turmoil. Grandnephew to Julius Caesar.

476 CE

Fall of Rome

Roads

extensive network of transportation throughout Roman Empire, helped trading When were the Vedic Ages?

What was the first written language in India?

Sanskrit.

What did minorities create among societies?

Diversity.

What was another name for the caste system?

Varnas.

Was the peasant class small or large?

Large.

What was the highest class in Indian social hierarchy?

The Brahmin Priests.

What type of society did India have in terms of gender roles?

Patriarchal (male-dominated).

What kind of villages did India have, spaced out or close-knit?

Close-knit.

What were the smaller, less significant classes in Indian social hierarchy called?

Jati

What kind of political organization did the Mauryan empire have?

Large Regional States.

Who ruled the Mauryan system of government?

Divine Kings.

Who founded the Mauryan dynasty?

Chandragupta.

What did the Jati do for social classes?

They enabled more movement between castes.

Who was Ashoka?

Chandragupta's grandson who made a major decision to convert to Buddhism.

How were Indian armies ruled?

Autocratically (one ruler).

Who controlled the taxes on the peasants?

Landowners.

What kind of political organization did the Gupta dynasty have?

Smaller Regional States ruled by divine kings.

What did the Gupta empire spread in terms of law?

A uniform law code

True or False: The Gupta empire was not tolerant of its conquered peoples.

False. The Gupta empire was known for being very tolerant of its conquered people, allowing religion and other influences to spread easier.

Like Confucianism, Hinduism enforced what?

Order.

Who founded Buddhism?

The Buddha.

What was another name for farmers and traders in Indian society?

Vaisyas.

Who were the three main gods of Hinduism?

Shiva, Vishnu, and Devi.

What was another name for the warrior class of India?

Kshatriyas.

What was another name for Buddhist shrines?

Stupas.

The Epic Age played a major role in what aspect of Indian society?

Religious.

What was another name for commoners in Indian society?

Sudras.

The first universities came about in India. Name three things that were taught there.

Philosophy, Medicine, Architecture.

What were some mathematical achievements of India?

Value of Pi, Arabic Number System, Concept of Zero, Decimal System.

What were the books for rules and guidelines to love called?

Kamasutras

What made the Gupta empire more significant historically than the Mauryan dynasty?

The Gupta dynasty was considered a golden age for India, and lasted considerably longer.

What astronomical discovery did India make?

The Discovery of the Seven Planets.

Political alliances in Indian society were made through what?

Arranged Marriages.

What were three scientific advancements made in India?

Bone setting, plastic surgery, and vaccines.

What was one's Jati class determined by?

Occupation.

Who did India trade with, and what key items did they trade?

The Middle East, Southeast Asia, and China. They traded cotton, ivory, silks, gold, drugs, salt, metal, wine, and pottery.

True or False: Merchants were viewed more highly in India than in China.

True. Merchants were a major part of trade and therefore used their high wealth to become more respected in society.

How did the Vedas come to be?

The Vedas are collections of sacred texts from the previous texts, the Upanishads, that were collected and written as historical record.

In order to reincarnate, one had to have good what?

Karma and Dharma.

What is the difference between Karma and Dharma?

Karma is the idea that if one does good, you will receive good; and if one does bad, you will receive bad. Dharma is the sum of one's life actions as a whole.

Why was there a general breakdown in political order between 8th and 3rd century B.C.E.?

The general breakdown in political order occurred because certain internal conflicts left China vulnerable. Nomadic people would often raid the north farm lands of China. Many of the nomads settled down and eventually understood the culture that had been developing.

What are the positive and negative things about China's location?

Negative: China was so close to Mongolia, it was subjugated by the Mongols for long periods of its history.

Positive: Hard to invade

Describe the general world view of the Chinese.

From them, the Chinese emerged with an unusually well-integrated system in which government, philosophy, economic incentives, the family, and the individual were intended to blend into a harmonious whole.

What kind of things would cause a dynasty to decline?

Internal rebellions and invasions from the outside

How did the Zhou Dynasty rule?

Through alliances with regional princes and noble families

Why did they use this method?

Because they were displaced by their predecessor

What were some positive contributions of the Zhou?

They extended the territory of China and they heightened the focus of the central government

What was the Mandate of Heaven?

Where The Chou told the nobles that the gods had decided that the Chou had the right to rule

What is the significance of Confucius?

He wrote about political ethics which later reemerged as a set of central beliefs throughout the Middle Kingdom

What is the era of the fall of Zhou referred to?

Era of the Warring States

Who gained control of China and formed the Qin Dynasty?

Qin Shi Huangdi

How did he handle the problems of feudalism?

He ordered nobles to leave their region

What did Qin Shi Huangdi do to prevent northern invasions (instead of relying on alliances)?

He built the Great Wall of China

What did Shi Huangdi do to promote a strong central government and economy?

He ordered nobles to leave their regions and appear at his court, assuming control in their feudal states. He also only picked non aristocratic groups, so that he would owe their power to him and not dare to develop their own independent bases.

Though Qin Shi Huangdi did things to improve upon the Zhou, what caused this to be a short lived dynasty?

Thinking disrupted his role

What dynasty arose that kept the strong central government of the Qin?

the Han

What changed and what continued under the Han ?

Changed- sought to reduce the brutal repression of that period Continued- China's basic political and intellectual structure

What were the key characteristics of classical Chinese politics?

Distinctive and successful government

What steps did Shi Huangdi take to try and centralize China?

He appointed governors to each district of his domain, who exercised military and legal powers in the name of the emperor.

How did Wu Ti make sure he had the best government bureaucrats?

He trained them by the government. He also created a school

What similarities existed between Chinese families and the gov't?

Individual families also emphasized this strong principle of authority, and respected in authority.

How did they regulate the economy?

They relied heavily on tightly knit families that had a strong head (man). The economy featured extensive internal trade and important technological innovations.

How did the Chinese get things done? Did they have slaves?

Prior to the Zhou dynasty, slave holding may have been common in China. But other than that, the people of the cities and towns would follow the Chinese social structure.

Describe the extent and legacy of the Chinese bureaucracy.

They had a school made to train men with exceptional talent and ability for the national examinations. Most bureaucrats were drawn from the upper class there was some that were recruited from the lower ranks. Trained and experienced bureaucrats could often control the whims of a single ruler.

Describe upper-class cultural values.

good life on earth

virtues of obedience to the state, more than speculations about god and the mysteries of heaven

What did Chinese leaders stress?

The importance of an harmonious earthly life, which would maintain proper balance between earth and heaven.

Understand the tenets of Confucianism.

taste for ritual, self-control, and polite manners, If people could be taught to emphasize personal virtue, which included a reverence for tradition, a solid political life would naturally result.

What was the alternative to Confucianism? What did it advocate?

"Legalism" which sprang up from China and advocated distained Confucian virtues in favor of an authoritarian state ruled by force. The legalist was evil and required discipline by which the army would control and people would labor.