Final key terms

Islam

Major world religion based on the belief that Allah transmitted his words through the prophet Muhammad

Shiite

Sect of Islam believing Ali was the rightful successor to Muhammad

Sunni

Sect of Islam believing leaders should be chosen from the Muslim community

Qur’an

The holy book of Islam believed to be the word of Allah

Five Pillars of Islam

The five religious duties required of Muslims

Caliphate

Islamic state ruled by a caliph

Orthodox Christianity

Eastern branch of Christianity rooted in the Byzantine Empire

Feudalism

Medieval European system based on land ownership and hierarchy

Serfs

Peasants bound to the land under feudalism

Code of Chivalry

Knightly code emphasizing honor and loyalty

Bubonic Plague

Deadly disease spread through trade routes

Magna Carta

Document limiting the power of the English king

Tribute System

System where states paid tribute to China for protection

Bureaucracy

Government run by appointed officials

Civil Service

System of selecting officials through exams

Foot Binding

Confucian practice restricting women’s feet

Code of Bushido

Samurai code stressing honor and loyalty

Delhi Sultanate

Muslim kingdom in northern India

Jizya

Tax paid by non-Muslims in Islamic states

Sikhism

Religion combining elements of Islam and Hinduism

Chinampas

Aztec floating farm system

Quipu

Inca knot-based record system

Animism

Belief that objects have spirits

Daoism

Chinese philosophy focused on harmony with nature

Muhammad

Founder and prophet of Islam

Mecca

Holy city and birthplace of Muhammad

Baghdad

Abbasid capital and center of learning

Sufis

Islamic mystics who spread Islam

Hagia Sophia

Byzantine cathedral in Constantinople

Vikings

Scandinavian raiders and traders

Hundred Years’ War

Long conflict between England and France

Mansa Musa

Wealthy ruler of Mali known for pilgrimage

Tenochtitlan

Capital of the Aztec Empire

Maya

Mesoamerican civilization known for writing

Teotihuacan

Ancient religious and trade city

Jesus Christ

Central figure of Christianity

The Buddha

Founder of Buddhism

Indian Ocean Trade

Maritime trade network linking Africa and Asia

Silk Road

Overland Eurasian trade routes

Pax Mongolica

Period of stability under Mongol rule

Oasis Towns

Trade rest stops in deserts

Monsoon Season

Seasonal winds aiding Indian Ocean trade

Lateen Sail

Triangular sail improving navigation

Qanat System

Persian underground irrigation system

Diaspora

People dispersed from their homeland

Dhow

Indian Ocean trading ship

Camel Caravan

Merchant groups crossing deserts

Caravanserai

Inns for traveling merchants

Silk

Valuable Chinese trade good

Mongols

Nomadic warriors who built a vast empire

Genghis Khan

Founder of the Mongol Empire

Mongol Empire

Largest land empire in history

Khanate

Division of Mongol rule

Golden Horde

Mongol state ruling Russia

Kublai Khan

Ruler who founded the Yuan Dynasty

Tamerlane

Central Asian conqueror

Marco Polo

Venetian merchant traveler

Ibn Battuta

Muslim traveler and writer

Mali Empire

West African empire rich in gold

Swahili City-States

East African trade cities

Tang/Song China

Golden Ages of Chinese innovation

Yuan Dynasty

Mongol-ruled Chinese dynasty

Crusades

Christian military campaigns

Timbuktu

African trade and learning center

Indulgences

Papers sold by the Church to reduce punishment for sins

Jesuits

Catholic missionaries opposing Protestantism

Sultan

Sunni ruler of the Ottoman Empire

Shah

Shi’a ruler of the Safavid Empire

Mughal Empire

Islamic empire ruling India

Manchus

Ethnic group ruling Qing China

Qing Dynasty

Last imperial dynasty of China

Safavid Empire

Shi’a Gunpowder Empire in Persia

Ottoman Empire

Sunni empire that conquered Byzantium

Devshirme

Ottoman system recruiting Christian boys

Gunpowder Empire

Empires using firearms to rule

Protestant Reformation

Movement challenging Catholic authority

Martin Luther

German monk who began the Reformation

Counter-Reformation

Catholic reforms to regain power

Henry VIII

English king who formed Anglican Church

Ignatius Loyola

Founder of the Jesuits

Akbar the Great

Tolerant Mughal emperor

Suleiman the Great

Ottoman emperor during a Golden Age

Peter the Great

Russian tsar who westernized Russia

Printing Press

Invention allowing mass production of books

Divine Right

Belief monarchs ruled by God

Encomienda System

Spanish labor system exploiting natives

Middle Passage

Atlantic journey of enslaved Africans

Tokugawa Shogunate

Japanese feudal government

Joint-Stock Company

Business owned by investors

Dutch East India Company

Dutch spice trade monopoly

British East India Company

British company that ruled India

Mercantilism

Economic system focused on exports

Viceroys

Spanish colonial governors

Peninsulares

Spanish-born colonial elites