AP World Midterm Key Terms

Paleolithic Era

The period before the agricultural revolution.

Neolithic Era

The era where societies formed.

Pastoral Society

A community that is on the move.

Agricultural revolution

The transition from pastoral societies to settled societies, resulting in many innovative outcomes.

Mesoamerica

Central and South America.

Hinduism

South Asian religion.

Upanishads

Considered the Bible for Hinduism.

Brahman

The highest member of the caste, representing the one soul.

Atman

The other/real soul.

Moksha

Release from the cycle of rebirth.

Samsara

Rebirth.

Karma

Cause and effect for life.

Buddhism

Originated in India, heavily practiced in Asia.

Theravada Buddhism

The original form of Buddhism.

Mahayana Buddhism

Belief that anyone can be a Buddha, emphasizing the concept of Bodhisattva.

Tibetan Buddhism

Introduced the concept of lamas (teachers/experts).

Siddhartha Gautama

The Buddha.

Nirvana

Peace to be found.

Vishnu -> Bhakti

More spiritual and mystical branches of Vishnu.

Vishnu

An individual god in Bhakti belief.

Confucianism

A way of life and peace in society, emphasizing education and filial piety.

Confucius

The leader of Confucianism.

Filial Piety

Respect for those older.

Daoism

Similar to Confucianism but with a focus on nature.

Yin and Yang

The belief that opposites work well together.

Judaism

An Abrahamic religion focused on one god.

Islam

The spread of Muslim religions, known as Dar al Islam.

Muhammad

The Islamic prophet.

Quran

The spiritual writing and book of laws in Islam.

Umma

The Islamic community.

Sunni

The majority branch of Islam, which believes that prophets do not need to be related to Muhammad.

Shia

The minority branch of Islam, which believes that prophets need to be related to Muhammad.

Ulama

Islamic professors and scholars.

Madrassa

Islamic places of study.

Sharia Law

Islamic Law.

Sufis

Missionaries of Islam.

5 pillars of Islam

Pray five times daily, almsgiving/charity, recognize Muhammad, travel to Mecca, fast.

Song Dynasty

A period of cultural and economic success, known for Champa rice from Vietnam and silk production.

Hangzhou

The first Chinese city where people specialized in metalwork and built the Grand Canal.

Foot-binding

The practice of women making their feet smaller.

Kowtowing

China establishing tributes for smaller countries like Korea, Japan, and Vietnam.

Hangul

The Korean language.

Samurai

The Japanese military.

Bushido

The code of conduct followed by samurai.

Kami

The mystical belief of Japan.

Chu nom

The Vietnamese language influenced by China.

Srivijaya

A kingdom that controlled major passageways between India and China.

Khmer

A kingdom that ruled over mainland Southeast Asia and was known for its skilled architects.

Angkor Wat

The urbanized capital city of Khmer, known for its cosmopolitan nature.

Majapahit

A kingdom that exerted suzerainty over smaller kingdoms and extracted trading rights, particularly in Bali.

Dar Al Islam

The House of Islam.

Abbasid Caliphate

The group that was the head of the Islamic empire and was later replaced by Turkic people.

Seljuk Turkic Empire

A new Turkic empire that emerged after the fall of the Abbasid Caliphate.

The Sultan

The leader or caliph of the Seljuk Turkic Empire.

Kaghan

Leaders like Genghis Khan and other Mongol leaders.

Ottoman Empire

The empire that replaced the Seljuks and spread from the Middle East to Africa.

Caliph

The leader of the Islamic empire.

Jizya

A tax imposed on non-Muslims.

Al-Andalus

The period when Muslims took over Spain.

Swahili Civilization

Coastal cities in the Indian Ocean Trading Network that grew prosperous and politically powerful due to merchants.

Empire of Mali

Known for its wealth in gold and architectural achievements → sand roads

Djenne

A religious city built by the Mali Empire.

Timbuktu

The intellectual and spiritual capital of the Mali Empire, known for its