APWH: ALL the AP World History Units (500)

Song Dynasty

Chinese dynasty known for technological innovation and Neo-Confucianism.

Neo-Confucianism

Revival blending Confucianism with Buddhism and Daoism.

Mandate of Heaven

Chinese belief that dynasties are chosen by the gods.

Civil Service Exam

Test for government jobs based on Confucian texts.

Grand Canal

Major Chinese infrastructure project facilitating trade.

Dar al-Islam

"House of Islam"; lands under Islamic rule.

Abbasid Caliphate

Islamic empire noted for its cultural achievements.

Mamluk Sultanate

Slave soldiers who ruled Egypt and protected Islam.

Delhi Sultanate

Muslim rulers in India who faced resistance from Hindus.

Sufism

Islamic mysticism emphasizing personal connection to God.

Bhakti Movement

Hindu devotional movement promoting equality.

Vijayanagara Empire

Hindu kingdom in Southern India resisting Islamic expansion.

Srivijaya Empire

Maritime Buddhist kingdom controlling Indian Ocean trade.

Majapahit Empire

Hindu-Buddhist empire in Java, focused on sea trade.

Khmer Empire

Southeast Asian kingdom known for Angkor Wat.

Feudalism

Decentralized political system based on loyalty and land.

Manorialism

Economic system of self-sufficient estates.

Three-Field System

Agricultural innovation increasing productivity.

Crusades

Christian military campaigns to reclaim the Holy Land.

Magna Carta

English charter limiting royal power.

Serfdom

Peasants bound to land under feudal lords.

Guilds

Associations of artisans regulating quality and prices.

Byzantine Empire

Eastern Roman Empire preserving Greco-Roman legacy.

Eastern Orthodox Christianity

Split from Roman Catholicism in 1054.

Kievan Rus

Early Russian state influenced by Byzantium.

House of Wisdom

Baghdad center of learning and translation.

Islamic Golden Age

Period of intellectual and cultural flourishing.

Swahili Coast

East African trade cities blending African and Islamic cultures.

Zanj Rebellion

Slave revolt against Abbasid rule in Mesopotamia.

Axum

Christian African kingdom engaged in Red Sea trade.

Ethiopia

Long-standing Christian kingdom in East Africa.

Great Zimbabwe

African kingdom known for stone ruins and trade.

Hausa Kingdoms

West African city-states engaged in trans-Saharan trade.

Bantu Migrations

Spread of language, ironworking, and farming across Africa.

Mississippian Culture

North American mound builders with complex society.

Cahokia

Largest Mississippian urban center.

Inca Empire

Andean empire using mit'a labor and road systems.

Quipu

Inca record-keeping with knotted strings.

Maya Civilization

Mesoamerican civilization with advanced astronomy and writing.

Aztec Empire

Mesoamerican empire using tribute and human sacrifice.

Chinampas

Aztec floating gardens for agriculture.

Mexica

The people who founded the Aztec Empire.

Tenochtitlán

Aztec capital city on a lake.

Tribute System

Form of payment from one ruler to another as submission.

Confucianism

Philosophy emphasizing order, respect, and education.

Buddhism

Religion emphasizing suffering and the Eightfold Path.

Theravāda Buddhism

Traditional form focused on individual meditation.

Mahayana Buddhism

More inclusive, devotional form of Buddhism.

Tibetan Buddhism

Form emphasizing rituals and monasteries.

Syncretism

Blending of different religious and cultural traditions.

Filial Piety

Confucian respect for elders and ancestors.

Shintoism

Indigenous religion of Japan focusing on kami spirits.

Zoroastrianism

Persian monotheistic religion focusing on good vs. evil.

Judaism

Monotheistic religion of Hebrews.

Christianity

Religion based on the teachings of Jesus.

Islam

Monotheistic religion revealed to Muhammad.

Animism

Belief in spirits inhabiting natural objects.

Matriarchy

Society led by women; rare but present in some African cultures.

Cultural Diffusion

Spread of ideas, beliefs, and technologies across regions.

Silk Roads

Land-based trade routes connecting East Asia to the Mediterranean.

Luxury Goods

Items like silk, porcelain, spices, gold traded along Silk Roads.

Caravanserai

Roadside inns for travelers and merchants on Silk Roads.

Paper Money

Tang and Song innovation facilitating trade.

Bills of Exchange

Early credit system used by merchants.

Banking Houses

Institutions offering credit and finance to merchants.

Yuan Dynasty

Mongol-ruled China promoting trade and foreign contact.

Pax Mongolica

Period of peace and stability under Mongol rule.

Mongol Empire

Largest land empire, facilitating trade and cultural exchange.

Genghis Khan

Founder of the Mongol Empire.

Kublai Khan

Grandson of Genghis; ruler of Yuan Dynasty in China.

Ilkhanate

Mongol rule in Persia.

Golden Horde

Mongol khanate in Russia.

Chagatai Khanate

Central Asian Mongol territory.

Marco Polo

Venetian merchant who visited Yuan China.

Ibn Battuta

Muslim traveler who documented Dar al-Islam.

Margery Kempe

English Christian mystic and pilgrim.

Indian Ocean Trade Network

Sea routes linking East Africa, Arabia, India, and Southeast Asia.

Monsoon Winds

Seasonal winds used for Indian Ocean navigation.

Lateen Sail

Triangular sail allowing better navigation.

Dhow Ships

Arab sailing vessels with lateen sails.

Junks

Large Chinese trading ships.

Diasporic Communities

Merchant communities settled far from home.

Swahili City-States

East African trade cities blending Bantu and Islamic culture.

Zheng He

Ming admiral who led Indian Ocean voyages.

Calicut

Major Indian trade city on the Malabar Coast.

Gujarat

Wealthy trade region in western India.

Malacca

Southeast Asian port city controlling straits trade.

Trans-Saharan Trade Routes

Connect West Africa to Mediterranean via camel caravans.

Caravans

Groups of merchants/travelers across deserts.

Camels & Saddles

Enabled desert trade efficiency.

Salt-Gold Trade

Trans-Saharan exchange between West Africa and North Africa.

Timbuktu

Major West African trade and Islamic learning center.

Mansa Musa

Mali emperor famous for hajj and wealth.

Songhai Empire

Successor to Mali; expanded trans-Saharan trade.

Cultural Diffusion via Trade

Spread of religion, ideas, and technologies.

Spread of Islam

Expanded through trade and missionary work.

Buddhism and Trade

Spread to East and Southeast Asia via Silk Roads.

Diaspora

Dispersion of people and culture (e.g., Jews, Muslims, Chinese merchants).

Black Death

Bubonic plague spreading via Silk Roads and trade ships.

Effects of Black Death

Massive population decline and social change.