AP World History Study Guide Unit 1: The Global Tapestry (c. 1200 to c. 1450)

A compilation of key vocabulary terms and definitions from the study of developments in East Asia, Dar al-Islam, South and Southeast Asia, and state-building in the Americas from 1200 to 1450.

Song Dynasty

A dynasty in China (960-1279) known for its wealth, political stability, and artistic and intellectual innovations.

Grand Canal

An efficient waterway transportation system in China that enabled it to become the most populous trading area.

Gunpowder

A technology that spread from China to all parts of Eurasia via traders on the Silk Roads.

Meritocracy

An administrative system in China that allowed for greater social mobility based on ability and talent.

Feudalism (Japan)

A political system in Japan where landowning aristocrats, the daimyo, battled for control of land without a centralized government.

Tributary relationship (Korea)

Korea's connection to China, maintaining a government style similar to China's.

Neo-Confucianism

A philosophical system in China that combined rational thought with abstract ideas of Daoism and Buddhism.

Bhakti Movement

A spiritual movement in South Asia emphasizing emotional attachment to a particular deity rather than ritualism.

Silk Roads

Trade routes that connected various parts of Eurasia, facilitating cultural, economic, and technological exchanges.

House of Wisdom

A center in Abbasid Baghdad for scholarly and cultural transfers between the Islamic world and other cultures.

Mansa Musa

The king of the Mali Empire known for his wealth and pilgrimage to Mecca, significantly promoting Islam and trade.

Sundiata

The founder of the Mali Empire who built a strong trade network and is regarded as a legendary figure.

Agricultural innovations (China)

Techniques such as elaborate irrigation and the use of heavy plows to increase food productivity.

Foot binding

A practice in China that constrained women's mobility, reflecting the patriarchal social structures.

Zheng He

A Chinese explorer who led voyages to expand trade networks with India and Africa.

Columbian Exchange

The exchange of plants, animals, diseases, and culture between the Americas and the rest of the world after 1492.

Mercantilism

An economic policy that emphasizes government regulation of a nation's economy for augmenting state power.

Patriarchy

A social system where men hold primary power, affecting family structures and social mobility.

Anti-Semitism

Prejudice against Jews, resulting in widespread discrimination and exclusion from European societies.

Renaissance

A cultural revival in Europe that emphasized classical learning, art, and the humanities.