wh finals

Hinduism

A religion and philosophy developed in ancient India, characterized by a belief in reincarnation and a supreme being who takes many forms

Aryans

nomads from Europe and Asia who migrated to India and finally settled; vedas from this time suggest beginning of caste system

Brahman

A single spiritual power that Hindus believe lives in everything

Dharma

In Hindu belief, a person's religious and moral duties

Vedas

Ancient Sanskrit writings that are the earliest sacred texts of Hinduism.

Moksha

The Hindu concept of the spirit's 'liberation' from the endless cycle of rebirths.

yoga

a system of exercises practiced as part of the Hindu discipline to promote control of the body and mind

Castes

social groups into which people are born and cannot change

Atman

in Hindu belief, a person's essential self

Ganges River

Located in India, this river is considered sacred to Hindus and is used for spiritual cleansing, funeral rites, and other Hindu rituals.

Reincarnation

In Hinduism and Buddhism, the process by which a soul is reborn continuously until it achieves perfect understanding

Karma

(Hinduism and Buddhism) the effects of a person's actions that determine his destiny in his next incarnation

Buddhism

A religion based on the teachings of the Buddha.

Buddha

Means "Enlightened One." He is said to have found a path for overcoming suffering.

Nirvana

a condition of great peace or happiness

Siddharta Gautama (Buddhism)

Founder of Buddhism; achieved elightenment

Meditation

the focusing of attention to clear one's mind and produce relaxation

Four Noble Truths

1) All life is full of suffering, pain, and sorrow. 2) The cause of suffering is nonvirtue, or negative deeds and mindsets such as hated and desire. 3) The only cure for suffering is to overcome nonvirture. 4) The way to overcome nonvirtue is to follow the Eightfold Path

Middle Way (Buddhism)

Nothing to excess, not too little or too much

Eightfold Path

In Buddhism, the basic rules of behavior and belief leading to an end of suffering

Judaism

the monotheistic religion of the Jews.

Torah

A Hebrew word meaning "law," referring to the first five books of the Old Testament.

abraham

Founder of Judaism who, according to the Bible, led his family from Ur to Canaan in obedience to God's command.

Covenant

A solemn agreement between human beings or between God and a human being in which mutual commitments are made.

Temple or Synagogue

The building in which Jewish people worship

Monotheism

belief in only one god

Ten Commandments

A set of laws for responsible behavior, which, according to the Bible, were given to Moses by God.

Rabbi

A highly respected teacher of Jewish law or theology

Israelites

Descendants of Abraham who left Mesopotamia and settled in Canaan

Ethical Monotheism

the emphasis on right conduct and the worship of one god

Christianity

A monotheistic system of beliefs and practices based on the Old Testament and the teachings of Jesus as embodied in the New Testament and emphasizing the role of Jesus as savior.

Communion

Refers to receiving the body and blood of Christ

Messiah

Savior sent by God

Pope

the bishop of Rome, head of the Roman Catholic Church

Crucifixion

A type of execution in which a person was nailed to a cross

The Bible (Old and New Testament)

- holiest book of Christianity

- split up in two: the Old Testament and the New Testament

Disciples

Followers of Jesus

Ressurection

The rising of Jesus from the dead on the third day after his Death on the cross. Jesus was able to conquer death because he is God.

priest

a person who performs religious ceremonies

Paul

Follower of Jesus who helped spread Christianity throughout the Roman world.

Islam

A religion based on the teachings of the prophet Mohammed which stresses belief in one god (Allah), Paradise and Hell, and a body of law written in the Quran. Followers are called Muslims.

Muhammad

Arab prophet; founder of religion of Islam.

Five Pillars of Islam

Declaration of faith, prayer, alms, fasting, and pilgrimage

Kaaba

The most sacred temple of Islam, located at Mecca

Muslim

a follower of the religion of Islam

Sunni and Shia

two main branches within Islam (85-90% in the first; 10-15% in the second)

Hajj (Pilgrimage)

The fifth pillar of the Muslim faith: visit Mecca at least once in your lifetime

Ramadan

the ninth month of the Muslim year, during which strict fasting is observed from sunrise to sunset.

Mosque

A Muslim place of worship

Allah

Arabic word for God

Mecca

City in western Arabia; birthplace of the Prophet Muhammad, and ritual center of the Islamic religion.

Quran

the sacred writings of Islam revealed by God to the prophet Muhammad during his life at Mecca and Medina

Imam

a leader of prayer in a mosque

spice

Social

Political

Interaction with environment

Cultural

Economic

civilization

A society with cities, a central government, job specialization, and social classes

Advanced Cities

Areas with a large population where trade occurs

Specialized Workers

People who have 1 job to do and they get really good/efficient at that job

Complex Institutions

law codes, religion, and an economy - they organized, united, and helped civilizations to prosper

Record Keeping

Maintaining accurate and complete records of all financial activities in your business.

Improved Technology

inventions that helped the civilization thrive

Sahara Desert

the world's largest desert (3,500,000 square miles) in northern Africa

nomadic lifestyle

moving from place to place following herds and depending on the environmental conditions

Animism

Belief that objects, such as plants and stones, or natural events, like thunderstorms and earthquakes, have a discrete spirit and conscious life.

Griots

Professional oral historians who served as keepers of traditions and advisors to kings within the Mali Empire

Migration Push Pull Factors

Push

1.Climate weather

2. Unemployment

3. War

Pull

1. Abundant Land

2. Employment

3. Political/religious freedom

Bantu-speaking peoples

the speakers of a related group of languages who, beginning about 2,000 years ago, migrated from West Africa into most of the southern half of Africa

Mesopotamia

in ancient times, the geographic area located between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers

Cuneiform

A form of writing developed by the Sumerians using a wedge shaped stylus and clay tablets.

Ziggurat

massive pyramidal stepped tower made of mudbricks. It is associated with religious complexes in ancient Mesopotamian cities, but its function is unknown.

Fertile Crescent

A geographical area of fertile land in the Middle East stretching in a broad semicircle from the Nile to the Tigris and Euphrates

city-state

a city that with its surrounding territory forms an independent state.

Sumerians

The people who dominated southern Mesopotamia through the end of the third millennium B.C.E. They were responsible for the creation of many fundamental elements of Mesopotamian culture-such as irrigation technology, cuneiform, and religious conceptions.

Persian Empire

A major empire that expanded from the Iranian plateau to incorporate the Middle East from Egypt to India; flourished from around 550 to 330 B.C.E.

Cyrus

Created the Persian Empire by defeating the Medes, Lydians, and Babylonians; was known for his allowance of existing governments to continue governing under his name

Darius

The third king of the Persian Achaemenid Empire. He ruled the empire at its peak. He organized the empire by dividing it into provinces and placing satraps to govern it. He organized a new uniform money system, along with making Aramaic the official language of the empire. He also worked on construction projects throughout the empire.

Royal Road

A road for the government use built by the ancient Persian ruler Darius which helped unite the empire

Satraps

governors of provinces in the Persian Empire

cultural diffusion

The spread of ideas, customs, and technologies from one people to another

Polytheism

the belief in or worship of more than one god.

Indus Valley Civilization

an early civilization, known for its advanced culture, that developed in the Indus River valley in India

Subcontinent

A large landmass that is smaller than a continent

Monsoon

Major winds in the Indian Ocean that blew into India for half the year, and blew away from India for the other half. Helped facilitate trade in the Indian Ocean.

Harappan Civilization

Another name for the indus valley civilization that arose along the indus river, possibly as early as 7000 BC; characterized by sophisticated city planning

Mohenjo-Daro

Largest city of the Indus Valley civilization. It was centrally located in the extensive floodplain of the Indus River. Little is known about the political institutions of Indus Valley communities, but the large-scale implies central planning.

Mauryan India

550 to 256 BCE. Expands the Indian empire and unifies it through military, trade and communication. Centralized under Chandragupta and Ashoka

Gupta India

An empire that rose to power in the AD 300's, that united most of northern India. Trade and culture thrived. Scholars developed new math advances and created "zero".

Asoka

Third ruler of the Mauryan Empire in India (r. 270-232 B.C.E.). He converted to Buddhism and broadcast his precepts on inscribed stones and pillars, the earliest surviving Indian writing.

Patriarchal/Matriarchal

Society in which Males/Females rule (respectively)