Key Terms from Classical to Early Modern Era

These flashcards cover significant terms and concepts from the Classical Era to the Early Modern Era, encapsulating key figures, empires, and cultural movements.

Darius the Great

Third king of the Persian Empire; standardized the government into satraps and built the Royal Road.

Alexander the Great

Greek king who conquered Egypt and Persia; his greatest legacy was Hellenism, the spread of Greek culture.

Qin Dynasty

Short-lived Chinese dynasty that replaced the Zhou; used Legalism to unify China.

Emperor Shihuangdi

The 'First Emperor' of China (Qin); ordered the building of the Great Wall and standardized weights and writing.

Han Dynasty

The 'Golden Age' of China; established the Silk Road and used Confucianism for the government.

Xiongnu

Powerful nomadic confederation north of China; the Han's primary rivals.

Han Wudi

The 'Martial Emperor'; expanded Han territory and started the Civil Service Exam system.

Chandragupta Maurya

Founder of the first unified Indian empire (Mauryan).

Ashoka

Mauryan ruler who converted to Buddhism and promoted non-violence through Rock Pillar Edicts.

Gupta Empire

India's second empire; a period of high achievement in math (Zero) and science.

Rock Pillar Edicts

Stone pillars inscribed with Buddhist laws placed throughout India by Ashoka.

Hellenistic Empire

The culture resulting from Alexander's conquests; a blend of Greek, Persian, and Indian influences.

Constantine

Roman Emperor who legalized Christianity (Edict of Milan) and moved the capital to Byzantium (Constantinople).

Vikings

Scandinavian raiders/traders who used longships to navigate rivers and open seas.

Mongols

Central Asian nomads who created the largest land empire in history; promoted Pax Mongolica.

Marco Polo

Venetian merchant whose travels to Yuan China (Mongols) sparked European interest in Asian goods.

Zheng He

Ming Dynasty admiral who led a massive fleet of 'treasure ships' across the Indian Ocean.

Margery Kempe

Christian mystic who wrote one of the first autobiographies; provides insight into middle-class female life in the 1400s.

Neo-Confucianism

A blend of Confucianism, Buddhism, and Daoism; became the official ideology of later Chinese dynasties.

Sui Dynasty

Reunited China after the fall of the Han; built the Grand Canal.

Tang Dynasty

Expanded China's borders; known for the 'tribute system' and the spread of Buddhism.

Song Dynasty

Period of massive innovation (compass, gunpowder, paper money) and the rise of Champa Rice.

Uighurs

Turkic group that provided military support to the Tang Dynasty.

Sufis

Islamic missionaries who focused on a mystical, personal connection to God; helped spread Islam.

Justinian

Byzantine Emperor who codified Roman law (Justinian’s Code) and built the Hagia Sophia.

Seljuk Turks

Central Asian Muslims who took control of the Abbasid Caliphate and fought in the Crusades.

Tamerlane

Turkic-Mongol conqueror who tried to restore the Mongol Empire; known for extreme violence.

Mali Empire

West African kingdom that controlled the Gold-Salt trade.

Mansa Musa

Mali ruler who became the richest man in history; his Hajj put Mali on the map.

Swahili

A syncretic language and culture (Bantu + Arabic) found on the East African coast.

Kingdom of Axum

A Christian kingdom in Ethiopia; a major center of trade.

William the Conqueror

Norman duke who invaded England in 1066, bringing feudalism to Britain.

St. Thomas Aquinas

Catholic scholar who blended Aristotle's logic with Christian faith (Scholasticism).

The Crusades

A series of 'holy wars' between Christians and Muslims for control of the Levant.

Reconquista

The 700-year effort by Spanish Christians to take back Spain from Muslim rule.

John of Montecorvino

Catholic missionary who attempted to convert the Mongols in China.

Ming Dynasty

Overthrew the Mongols; focused on restoring Chinese tradition and isolationism.

Renaissance

'Rebirth' of Classical (Greek/Roman) learning and art in Europe.

Ferdinand & Isabella

Spanish monarchs who unified Spain, funded Columbus, and led the Inquisition.

Vasco da Gama

First European to reach India by sailing around Africa.

Hernan Cortez

Spanish conquistador who led the conquest of the Aztecs.

Christopher Columbus

Italian explorer who 'discovered' the Americas while looking for a route to Asia.

Inca Empire

South American empire (Andes) known for its road systems and mita labor.

Aztec Empire

Central Mexican empire known for its tribute system and capital, Tenochtitlan.

Atlantic System

The web of trade (Triangle Trade) connecting Europe, Africa, and the Americas.

Joint-stock companies

Private companies that funded exploration through shared investment.

Casta system

A racial hierarchy in the Spanish Americas (Peninsulares, Creoles, Mestizos, etc.).

Encomienda system

A Spanish labor system that granted settlers the right to native labor.

Mita system

An Incan labor tax adopted by the Spanish to force natives to work in silver mines.

Vodun

A syncretic religion (West African + Christian) developed by enslaved people in Haiti.

Little Ice Age

A period of global cooling (1300–1800) that caused crop failures and famine.

Chattel slavery

A system where enslaved people are treated as legal property that can be bought and sold.

Indentured servitude

A labor system where a person works for a set number of years in exchange for passage to the Americas.