UNIT * ASIA AFRICA AMRICAS

Tang Dynasty

A golden age of Chinese culture, art, and government (618-907).

Song Dynasty

Time of economic and technological growth, known for inventions (960-1279).

Yuan Dynasty

Mongol-led dynasty in China, founded by Kublai Khan.

Ming Dynasty

Restored Chinese rule after Mongols; built the Forbidden City and turned to isolation.

Grand Canal

A massive waterway that connected northern and southern China.

Commerce

Trade and business; flourished in China, especially under the Song.

Silk Road

Trade routes connecting China with the Middle East and Europe.

Rice cultivation

Improved farming methods helped boost population.

Urbanization

Growth of cities due to trade and strong economy.

Compass

Navigational tool invented in China.

Porcelain

Fine Chinese pottery, widely traded.

Gunpowder

Explosive material invented in China, used in weapons and fireworks.

Moveable type

Early printing technology that made books easier to produce.

Voyages of Zheng He

Chinese explorer who sailed to India, Arabia, and Africa.

Ming isolationism

Policy of cutting off outside trade and influence after Zheng He.

Shintoism

Native religion of Japan focusing on nature spirits (kami).

Torii

A traditional gate marking a sacred Shinto site.

Kami

Spiritual beings in Shintoism, connected to nature and ancestors.

Influence of Buddhism

Buddhism came from China and blended with Shinto.

Yamato clan

Japan's first ruling dynasty.

Prince Shotoku

Japanese leader who promoted Buddhism and Chinese ideas.

Lady Murasaki

Wrote The Tale of Genji, one of the world's first novels.

The Tale of Genji

A classic Japanese story about court life.

Haiku

A short poem with three lines (5-7-5 syllables), often about nature.

Kabuki

A traditional Japanese drama with music, costumes, and action.

Feudalism

System where lords and vassals ruled the land.

Samurai

Japanese warriors who served daimyo.

Daimyo

Powerful lords who ruled provinces in Japan.

Shogun

Military ruler of Japan, more powerful than the emperor.

Bushido

"Way of the warrior," the samurai code of honor.

Shogunate

A military government ruled by a shogun.

Minamoto clan

First clan to take power as shoguns in Japan.

Trans-Saharan trade

Trade across the Sahara Desert, especially of gold and salt.

Caravans

Groups of traders traveling together, often with camels.

African slave trade

Enslavement and trading of Africans across the continent.

Atlantic slave trade

Large-scale slave trade between Africa and the Americas.

Ghana

Early West African kingdom rich in gold and trade.

Mali

Powerful empire led by Mansa Musa; known for wealth and Islam.

Songhai

West African empire that followed Mali, also based on trade.

Mansa Musa

Mali king known for wealth and pilgrimage to Mecca.

Timbuktu

A major trading and learning center in Mali.

Griots

West African storytellers and historians.

Oral tradition

Passing down stories, history, and values by word of mouth.

Kush/Aksum

Ancient kingdoms in Northeast Africa, known for trade and Christianity.

Nile River

Major African river that supported ancient civilizations

Indian Ocean trade

Sea trade linking Africa, the Middle East, India, and Southeast Asia.

Dhows

Sailboats used for trade on the Indian Ocean.

Swahili city-states

Coastal cities like Kilwa that were centers of trade and blended cultures.

Kilwa

Wealthy Swahili trade city on the East African coast.

Bantu migrations

Movement of Bantu-speaking people across Africa, spreading farming and ironworking.

Great Zimbabwe

Southern African kingdom known for stone structures and trade.

Mutapa Empire

A powerful kingdom that grew out of Great Zimbabwe.

Mesoamerica

Region including Mexico and Central America where advanced civilizations developed.

Maize, beans, chilis, cacao

Main Mayan crops; cacao was used as money.

City-states

Independent Mayan cities like Tikal, El Mirador, and Chichen Itza.

Polytheistic worship

Belief in many gods, including those of sun, rain, and war.

Pyramids

Step temples used for worship and ceremonies.

Ball courts

Used for ritual ball games, sometimes involving sacrifice.

Decline and fall

Possibly due to war, over-farming, and drought.

Math/astronomy

Mayans made calendars and tracked stars accurately.

Glyphs

Mayan writing made of symbols.

Codex

A book made of bark paper containing Mayan writing.

Tenochtitlan

Aztec capital built on an island in Lake Texcoco.

Chinampas

"Floating gardens" used for farming in swampy areas.

Templo Mayor

The main Aztec temple in Tenochtitlan.

Three Sisters

Maize, beans, and squash—main crops of the Aztecs.

Aztec agriculture

Advanced farming using chinampas and terracing.

Polytheistic worship

Worship of many gods; human sacrifice was common.

Moctezuma II

The last powerful Aztec emperor; met Hernán Cortés.

Conquistadores

Spanish conquerors of the Americas.

Hernán Cortés

Spanish leader who defeated the Aztecs.

Andes Mountains

The mountain range where the Inca Empire was located.

Terraced farming

Stepped fields on mountainsides to grow crops like potatoes.

Pachacuti

Inca ruler who expanded the empire greatly.

Cuzco

Capital city of the Inca Empire.

Machu Picchu

A well-preserved Inca city high in the Andes.

Atahualpa

Last Inca emperor, captured and killed by the Spanish.

Francisco Pizarro

Spanish conquistador who conquered the Incas.

Quipu

Knotted strings used for record keeping.

Llamas

Domesticated animals used for carrying goods and providing wool.