World History 1113 Fall 2026 | Exam #3

Republican Rome

that first major era of ancient Roman ascendancy when it was ruled by elected consuls who were advised by a representative body called the Senate

Etruscans

ruled the Romans, brought the Greek alphabet

Patricians

Powerful landowners who controlled Roman government and society

Plebeians

All non-land owning, free men in ancient Rome

Struggle of the Orders

Class struggle for rights, patricians vs. plebians

Consuls

The two most powerful officials in Rome

Senate

(patricians) A group of 300 men elected to govern Rome in the Roman Republic.

assembly

a group of citizens, in an ancient Greek democracy, with the power to pass laws

Tribunes

An officer of ancient Rome elected by the plebeians to protect their rights from arbitrary acts of the patrician magistrates.

Twelve Tables

Rome's first code of laws

Res Publica

the state, republic, or commonwealth.

Jupiter

King of the gods

Juno

Queen of the gods

spirits

Roman Baths

the Romans regularly used these to help fight germs and bacteria.

Aqueducts

Bridge-like structure that carry water into Roman cities

Carthage

An ancient city on the north coast of Africa

Punic Wars

Wars between the Romans and Carthaginians that marked Rome as the preeminent power in the eastern as well as the western Mediterranean.

Latifundia

huge estates bought up by newly wealthy Roman citizens

Gracchi Brothers

the brothers who tried to pass reforms in the Roman senate; they were killed instead

Caesar

Roman ruler, wanted land reform, generally well liked

Ides of March

Caesar asked people to name him dictator for life, The Senate feared Caesar too powerful, Caesar than assassinated

Cleopatra

last pharaoh of Egypt; had relationships with Caesar and Marc Antony; Octavian's enemy

Roman Empire

an empire that, at its height, spanned the Mediterranean world and most of Europe

Octavian/Augustus

Caesar's adopted son who defeated Mark Anthony for title of ruler of Rome after Caesar's death

Circuses

the site of chariot races in ancient Rome

Gladiator Games

fights between armed men in the Roman Colosseum that were deemed vital by the government

Chariot Races

Races on a two wheeled vehicle pulled by a horse

Colosseum

A large stadium in ancient Rome where athletic events took place

Jesus Movement

the name given to the first followers of Jesus, not called Christians for some time. The movement was continually changing and developing. They don't have to become Jewish before becoming Christian

Nero

A good emperor, became insane, First Roman emperor to persecute Christians

Five Good Emperors

Five consecutive Roman emperors (Nerva, Trajan, Hadrian, Antonius Pius, and Marcus Aurelius) distinguished by their benevolence and moderation.

Diocletian

Roman emperor who divided the empire into a West and an East section.

Constantine

Emperor of Rome who adopted the Christian faith and stopped the persecution of Christians

Edict of Milan

Legalized Christianity, Said Christians should "have liberty" to follow their religion

Constantinople

City founded as the second capital of the Roman Empire; later became the capital of the Byzantine Empire

Barbarians (Germanic Tribes)

Anyone who lived along the frontiers of the Roman Empire. They were not citizens and fought against Rome's expansion into their lands.

Emperor Valens

Allied with Visigoths BUT then could not pay up, So Visigoths rebelled and kill Valens

Sack of Rome

Visigoths surround Rome and cut off food supply

Odoacer

Crowned himself Romulus Agustus, was the first non-Roman to rule the empire

China

People in this country invented the compass, and gun powder, among other things.

Warring States

No emperor or dynasty. Famine, constantly fighting against each other

Confucius

Founder of Confucianism -Taught RULES - everything had to be done a certain way, followed a strict moral code

Filial Piety

In Confucian thought, one of the virtues to be cultivated, a love and respect for one's parents and ancestors.

Li

rituals and norms

Ren

humanness, love, kindness

Li and Ren

Tradition and humanness/ respect, Without Li, you can't have Ren

Daoism

A religion in China which emphasizes the removal from society and to become one with nature.

Laozi

Chinese Daoist philosopher; taught that governments were of secondary importance and recommended retreat from society into nature.

Wuwei

Daoist concept of a disengagement from the affairs of the world.

Yin and Yang

two forces in the universe, according to Chinese Theory: Yin is the passive, negative force, and Yang the active, positive force

Legalism

A Chinese philosophy that was devoted to strengthen and expand the state through increased agricultural work and military service.

Han Fe Zi

Founder of legalism, believed people are evil by nature and only harsh laws imposed by a strong ruler would ensure order in society

Qin Empire

a dynasty that replaced the Zhou dynasty, the king used legalist ideas to unite his country. They defeated invaders, doubled the size of China, murdered Confucius followers/burned books. They bult and improves canals and irrigation and extended the great walls

Emperor Qin

Unified the warring states into one empire; used slave labor to construct Terra Cotta Army and the first Great Wall.

Great Wall

a barrier that linked earlier walls across China's northern frontier, built by Emperor Qin

Book Burning

Legalism was the official idealology of the Qin dynasty. To prevent criticism, Shi Huangdi and his prime minister, the Legalist philosopher Li Su, murdered hundreds of Confucian scholars and ordered the burning of "useless books"

Terracotta Army

Soldiers and horses of the first Chinese emperor Qin. Their purpose was to help rule another empire with Shi Huang Di in the after life.

Han China

Long lasting Chinese Dynasty coming after Qin; Buddhism spread through silk routes in this period; Civil Service Exams

Liu Bang

Founder and First emperor of the Han dynasty; Minor official who fought against Qin supporters, Used Confucian principles

Chang'an

Capital of Tang dynasty; 6 million people, had a rise in art

Inventions of the Han Dynasty

Paper (process), Compass, Cast iron (better tools), Loom for silk weaving, Water clock, sun dial, Seismographs

Great Silk Road

trade route between China and the Roman Empire, built up trade

Christianity

A religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus

Hebrews/Jews

The most influential of the smaller Middle Eastern groups that gave the world the first clearly developed monotheistic religion that would also serve as a key basis for the development of both Christianity and Islam as major world religions.

Covenant

A solemn agreement between human beings or between God and a human being in which mutual commitments are made.

Jesus of Nazareth

a teacher and prophet born in bethlehem and active in nazareth; his life and sermons form the basis for Christianity

Paul of Tarsus

Saul on road to Damascus to arrest Christians. Had a vision, with light

Judea revolt

Jews and Christians in Judaea riot to protest taxation, Roman soldiers attack and destroy Second Temple (to Solomon)

Constantine's Conversion

In battle he had vison if he painted a cross on shield he would win

Council of Nicaea

A council called by Constantine to agree upon correct Christian doctrine and settle some disputes of the time.

Theodosius

Emperor of the Roman Empire who made Christianity the official religion of the empire.

Eastern Orthodoxy

Church established in the Byzantine Empire after the split from the Roman Catholic Church; Greek & Russian Orthodox Churches descend from this

Byzantine Empire

Eastern half of the Roman Empire that survived the fall of the Western half.

Justinian and Theodora

Eastern Roman Empire partners and rulers that attempted to reunite the empire by waging war against barbarians in the west. Made Christianity legal

Nika Riots

Took place over the course of a week in Constantinople. It was the most violent riot that Constantinople had ever seen to that point, with nearly half the city being burned or destroyed and tens of thousands of people killed.

Hagia Sophia

Cathedral in Constantinople, built by order of the Byzantine emperor Justinian

Patriarch

Male head of family

Roman Catholicism

A branch of Christianity that developed in the western Roman Empire and that recognized the Pope as its supreme head

St. Peter

First among the Apostles, upon whom Christ founded the Church

Bishop of Rome (Pope)

leader of the Roman Catholic Church

King Clovis

King of the Franks, Used Romans ways of government (Laws, hierarchies), Became the greatest Christian power in the west, had a dramatic "battlefield" conversion. United empire, Saw God as determining power

Monasticism

A way of life in which men and women withdraw from the rest of the world in order to devote themselves to their faith

Benedictines

Religious men who sought to lead a life of strict observance of the rule of Benedict

Civil Law

A legal system based on a written code of laws

Canon Law

Church law by the Pope

East

West Schism

Mongols

People from Central Asia when united ended up creating the largest single land empire in history.

Contiguous Empire

one without borders, where the motherland country is connected by land to the other countries

Yurts

Tents in which the pastoral nomads lived; they could be quickly dismantled and loaded onto animals or carts.

Temujin

Genghis Khan's real name

Genghis Khan

United the Mongol tribes into an unstoppable fighting force; created largest single land empire in history.

borte

was the first wife of Temüjin, who became Genghis Khan

Tengrism

Set of spiritual practices that reflected a blend of animism and ancestor worship

superstitions

Rare or odd behaviors may be repeated if they are accidentally reinforced, which may lead to mistaken beliefs regarding causal relationships

Yassa

System by Genghis Khan, Unified legal code, Stopped local feuds, Punished theft

Yam System

Mongol trade/communication system, rider rides to different stations, gets what they need and continue on to the next station with more messages

Ovoos

a sacred ceremonial mound used as a shrine, landmark, or border marker in Mongolian folk religion, shamanism, and Tibetan Buddhism

Tangut

Rulers of the Xi Xia kingdom of northwest China; one of the regional kingdoms during the period of Southern Song; conquered by Mongols.

Kublai Khan

Grandson of Genghis Khan, Conquered China, Founded Yuan dynasty, Shifted from nomadic to settled life