AP World Time Period 1: 1200-1450

Key Vocab Terms

Pastoralists

nomadic lifestyle to raise livestock in favorable conditions.

Patriarchy

social system where men are dominant.

Social Stratification

Categorization of people based on class, gender, wealth, education, ethnicity, etc.

Metallurgy

monotheism

Belief in one God.

polytheism

Belief in multiple Gods.

Shamanism

The practice of interacting with the spiritual world through rituals.

Animism

Belief that every object, place, or event has a soul.

Judaism

Monotheistic religion of Jewish people.

Vedas

Large body of Hindu religious texts.

Hinduism

Religion derived from Vedic religions in Southeast Asia.

Monasticism

Monks, nuns, or others that live under religious vows or strict practices.

Commodity

Economic good that can be bought/sold.

Caste System

Example of social stratification.

Mandate of heaven

Divine source of authority from a higher power (Chinese Emperors used this to stay in rule).

Reincarnation

The belief that all living things will pass away and be reborn into a different physical form.

Eightfold path

Summary of Buddhists practices to end samsara (cycle of death and rebirth) and to reach enlightenment.

Confucianism

Philosophy and teachings of Confucius commonly used in Chinese culture.

Buddhism

Asian religion/philosophy that follows the teaching of the Buddha.

Christianity

Religion based on the teachings of Jesus of Nazareth.

Siddhartha Gautama (The Buddha)

Hindu prince who humbled himself to reach spiritual enlightenment, followed Buddhism.

Filial Piety

Confucian virtue that assigned dominant and submissive roles in society.

Ancestor veneration

Worship of the dead. Shows love and respect to those who have become deceased.

Syncretic religion

The fusion of different religions/beliefs.

Silk Road

Network of land-based trade routes across Europe and Asia.

Mediterranean Sea Lanes

Trade network that spanned across the Mediterranean Sea.

Tribute System

Loose international relations that involved ritualistic exchanges towards Chinese emperors and other Asian leaders (Han and Qing Dynasty).

State

Group of people that have a defined boundary and a sovereign government that is recognized by other states.

Commercial Exchange

Trade routes and transactions between people/countries.

Epidemic

Influence occurring widely in a community (can be a disease).

Monsoon Winds

Seasonal winds in SE Asia that blow different directions based on different seasons (fostered trade in the Indian Ocean).

Black Death

Largest pandemic in history. Occurred primarily in Europe and Asia (also known as the plague).

Indian Ocean Trade Network

Trade between East Africa, South Asia, and Middle East. Used newer maritime technologies and monsoon winds.

Srivijaya

Buddhist empire on islands of SE Asia.

Angkor Wat

Buddhist temple in Cambodia, largest religious temple in the world

Swahili Coast

Great Zimbabwe

Trans-Saharan Trade

System of trade routes that connected North and Sub-Sahara Africa. Traded rich goods and slaves.

Mali Empire

West African empire that flourished during the Trans-Saharan Trade period. Ruled famously by Mansa Musa.

Song Dynasty

Chinese dynasty (960-1279).

Hangzhou

Major trade city in China. Southern most point on Grand Canal. Capital of Southern Song dynasty (1127-1279).

Foot binding

Chinese custom that altered the foot shape of women. Was a symbol of high status and wealth.

Quran

Holy text of Islam.

Pillars of Islam

The religious duties that provide a structure for living a Muslim life.

Jizya

A tax payed by non-Muslim people to their Muslim rulers (created during Delhi Sultanate).

Ibn Battuta

Timbuktu

Prominent city in the Mali empire. Powerhouse of Trans-Saharan trade.

Mansa Musa

Ruler of Mali empire, also the richest man in the world.

House of Wisdom

Grand library/academy in the Abbasid Caliphate.

Roman Catholic Church

Serfdom

Crusades

A series of medieval military expeditions made by Europeans to the Holy Land.

Mongols

Pastoral nomads that took control over most of Asia.

Delhi Sultanate

Muslim- Turkic empire that took over much of India.

Inca

Ancient empire that spanned the Andes mountains.

syncretism

The merging of different cultures, religions, or ideas.

Mita System

System of labor in the Incan empire. Mandatory public service for 2 months of the year.

Grand Canal

Main source of trade from North to South China.