State Building and Cultural Developments (1200-1450 CE)

State-Building

An organized political community under one government (like a country, empire, nation, etc.)

Song Dynasty

Demonstrated continuity and innovation to maintain and justify its rule from 960 to 1276 CE.

Confucianism

The state philosophy that helped legitimize Song Dynasty rule due to its ancient history in China.

Civil Service Exam

An exam based on Confucian classics that eligible men had to pass to be part of the imperial bureaucracy.

Neo-Confucianism

A revival of Confucianism that showed innovation in Chinese history.

Qin Dynasty

The dynasty during which the use of a large bureaucracy began (221-206 BCE).

Filial piety

Emphasizes the need for children to obey and honor their parents, grandparents, and deceased ancestors.

Women in Song China

Women were always in a subordinate position, stripped of legal rights, could not own property, and had limited access to education.

Footbinding

A practice that became popular in elite social circles in Song China.

Korea's Bureaucracy

Used a civil service exam in order to join the bureaucracy, influenced by Chinese traditions.

Buddhism

Starts with the Four Noble Truths acknowledging suffering and desire/craving as the cause.

Four Noble Truths

Buddhist teachings that acknowledge suffering in the world and the desire/craving as the cause.

Eightfold Path

The way to stop suffering according to Buddhism.

Reincarnation

The belief in being reborn into a new life, a core belief in Buddhism.

Nirvana

The ultimate goal in Buddhism, achieved through enlightenment, stopping the cycle of reincarnation.

Theravada Buddhism

The original form of Buddhism where many monks lived in monasteries to focus on attaining enlightenment.

Mahayana Buddhism

A new form of Buddhism that traveled to East Asia, encouraging broader participation and offering help from bodhisattvas.

Economic Growth of Song China

Flourished as a result of increased productive capacity and innovations.

Hierarchy in Society

Society is structured with superiors and inferiors, where the state was superior to citizens.

Cultural Influence of China

Chinese cultural traditions influenced neighboring regions in East and Southeast Asia.

Legal Rights of Women

Women in Song China were stripped of legal rights and could not own property or remarry.

Education Access for Women

Women had limited access to education in Song China.

Influence of Buddhism

Buddhism and its core beliefs continued to shape societies in Asia.

Song Dynasty

A Chinese dynasty that ruled from 960 to 1276 CE, known for its economic prosperity and cultural achievements.

Champa Rice

A drought-resistant crop that matured early, increasing the food supply and population in the Song Dynasty.

Chinese Tribute System

A system where countries acknowledged China's superiority to gain access to trade rights, facilitating cultural exchange.

Abbasid Caliphate

A major Islamic caliphate that ruled from 750 to 1258 CE, known for its cultural and scientific achievements.

Dar al-Islam

The term referring to the Islamic world where Islam is the dominant religion.

Mongols

A nomadic group that conquered Baghdad in 1258, marking the end of the Abbasid Caliphate.

Delhi Sultanate

A series of Muslim dynasties that ruled in South Asia, established after the decline of the Abbasid Caliphate.

Mamluk Sultanate

An Islamic state in Egypt established by slave soldiers, which emerged after the decline of the Abbasid Caliphate.

Seljuk Empire

A medieval Turko-Persian empire that rose to power in the Middle East, initially supported by the Abbasids.

Filial Piety

A Confucian value emphasizing respect for one's parents and ancestors, adopted by countries through the Tribute System.

Mahayana Buddhism

A major branch of Buddhism that spread from China to other East Asian countries through cultural exchange.

Iron and Steel Production

An industry that flourished in Song China, contributing to its economic growth.

Silk Production

The process of creating silk, which was a significant export product for Song China.

Porcelain Production

The craft of making porcelain, which became a major trade good for Song China.

Trade Networks

Systems of trade that expanded during the Song Dynasty, facilitating the exchange of goods across Eurasia.

Grand Canal

A major waterway in China that facilitated trade and transportation during the Song Dynasty.

Cultural Traditions

Practices and beliefs that were influenced by Chinese culture and adopted by neighboring countries.

Population Doubling

The phenomenon where the population of Song China increased significantly between the 8th and 10th centuries.

Economic Commercialization

The process by which the economy of Song China became increasingly focused on trade and market activities.

Artisanal Labor

Skilled work done by artisans, such as creating textiles and ceramics, which supported the economy of Song China.

Ethnic Turks

Groups of Turkic origin who played a significant role in the political landscape of the declining Abbasid Caliphate.

State Formation

The process through which political entities develop and establish governance, observed in the transition from the Abbasid Caliphate.

Delhi Sultanate

A Turkic Muslim state located in South Asia.

Mamluk Sultanate

A Turkic Muslim state in Egypt that was started by slave soldiers.

Sharia law

A legal code based on the Quran.

Nasir al-Din al-Tusi

An inventor of trigonometry.

House of Wisdom

A place in Baghdad where Muslim scholars preserved works of Greek philosophers.

Dar al-Islam

A term referring to the Islamic world where Islamic law prevails.

Seljuks

A group that expanded through military conquest during the rise of Islamic states.

Mali Empire

An example of a Muslim state in West Africa.

Sufis

Missionaries who helped spread Islam by allowing for some local beliefs.

Bhakti Hinduism

A movement in Southern India emphasizing devotion to one Hindu god.

Hinduism

One of the three main religions in South and Southeast Asia.

Islam

A religion that became the religion of the elite with the establishment of the Delhi Sultanate.

Buddhism

A religion that was mostly reduced to monastic communities in South Asia by c. 1200.

Rajput Kingdoms

Rival warring Hindu kingdoms in Northern India that held back the Delhi Sultanate.

Population demographics of Delhi Sultanate

Muslims were the rulers, but the majority population was Hindu.

Religious practices in Southeast Asia

Islam was widely practiced, but Buddhism was established in states like Thailand and Cambodia.

Intellectual innovations

Significant advancements made by Muslim states and empires through the preservation and translation of Greek works.

Military expansion

A method through which empires like the Seljuks and Mamluks spread their influence.

Cultural exchanges

The transfer of knowledge and practices between Islamic states and Europe.

State formation processes

Similarities and differences in how states developed from c. 1200 to c. 1450.

Vijayanagara Empire

A Hindu kingdom formed by brothers who had previously converted to Islam to serve the Delhi Sultanate.

Majapahit Kingdom

A Buddhist Kingdom on Java that maintained influence by controlling sea routes for trade but declined when China supported its rival, the Sultanate of Malacca.

Diasporic Communities

Communities formed by merchants from South Asia in Southeast Asia that brought Hinduism, Buddhism, and Islam with them.

Khmer Empire

An empire that began as a Hindu Empire but eventually adopted Buddhism, with art and architecture reflecting both faiths.

Aztec Civilization

Founded in Mesoamerica in 1345 by the Mexica, with its capital at Tenochtitlan, and began a program of expansion in 1428.

Inca Bureaucracy

An elaborate system throughout the Andean region to control conquered territories.

Mit'a System

A labor system used by the Inca for state projects like farms, mining, military service, and construction projects.

Mississippian Culture

Located in North America around the Mississippi River Valley, known for agriculture and mound building, with one of the largest mounds built by the Cahokia people.

Swahili City-States

Political entities that grew powerful due to Indian Ocean Trade, influenced by merchants from Dar al-Islam.

Swahili Language

A combination of Bantu and Arabic languages.

Empires of West Africa

Powerful and highly centralized empires, including Ghana, Mali, and Songhay, that grew due to trade with Dar al-Islam.

Islamic Influence in Africa

Elites of society converted to Islam, but most subjects held onto indigenous beliefs.

Cahokia

A Mississippian culture site known for its large burial mounds, one of which consisted of 80 mounds up to 100 feet tall.

State Formation Processes

Demonstrated similarities in state formation from c.1200 to c. 1450 in South and Southeast Asia.

Trade Routes

Sea routes controlled by the Majapahit Kingdom for trade.

Religious Adoption

Governments in Southeast Asia adopted Hinduism, Buddhism, and Islam to build relationships with trade partners.

Decentralized Rule

A method of governance used by the Aztecs where conquered people were forced to pay tribute in goods or labor.

Centralized Rule

A method of governance used by the Inca to maintain control over their empire.

Cultural Reflection

Art and architecture in the Khmer Empire reflect both Hinduism and Buddhism.

Expansion Program

Initiated by the Aztecs in 1428 to create a huge empire.

Tribute System

A system where conquered people were forced to pay tribute in goods or labor, and sometimes sacrificed in religious rituals.

Hausa Kingdom

A decentralized city-state in West Africa that shared a common culture and grew powerful through trade.

Great Zimbabwe

A wealthy state in Southern Africa that thrived due to trade, farming, and cattle herding, with its main source of wealth being the gold trade.

Ethiopia

An East African state that grew due to trade with the Mediterranean and Arabian peninsula, characterized by a monarch and strict hierarchy, and was notable for being Christian.

Christianity in Europe

Dominated Europe, with the Byzantine Empire practicing Orthodox Christianity and sharing it with Kievan Rus by 988.

Roman Catholic Church

The most powerful entity in Western Europe following the fall of Rome, binding the region together culturally.

Feudalism

A political system in decentralized Europe where powerful lords gained allegiance from lesser lords, who became their vassals.

Vassals

Lesser lords who received land in exchange for military service under the feudal system.

Manorialism

The economic system of decentralized Europe where peasants were bound to the land in exchange for protection from a lord.

Serfs

Peasants tied to the land under manorialism who could not leave without permission, but were not the property of the lords.

Decentralization in Europe

The political system where power was distributed among various lords and kings, leading to a lack of centralized authority.

Anti-Semitism

Persecution faced by Jews in Europe, forcing them to the outskirts of European life.

Trans-Saharan Trade

Trade route that the Hausa Kingdom acted as brokers for, facilitating commerce across the Sahara.

Cultural Continuity in Africa

The ongoing traditions and practices that persisted across different African states despite changes over time.

Cultural Innovation in Africa

The introduction of new ideas and practices within African states that contributed to their development.