AP World History Unit 2 Study Guide

AP World History

Silk Roads

A network of overland trade routes connecting East Asia, Central Asia, the Middle East, and Europe.

Caravanserai

Roadside inns where merchants rested, cared for animals, obtained supplies, and exchanged information during long

Samarkand

A Central Asian trading city that became an important stopping point because of its location along the Silk Roads.

Kashgar

A Central Asian oasis city that connected different branches of the Silk Roads.

The Crusades

A series of wars from 1096 to 1291 over control of religiously significant lands; Crusade routes intersected with trade routes and increased European exposure to goods from the East.

Mongol Empire

A large Eurasian empire whose expansion brought many Silk Road routes under shared political control and helped increase trade and travel.

Pax Mongolica

A period of relative peace and stability across much of Mongol

Luxury Goods

Expensive products such as silk, porcelain, spices, and fine textiles that were traded over long distances because wealthy consumers demanded them.

Paper Money (Flying Cash)

Currency that was lighter and easier to transport than large quantities of metal coins.

Banking Houses

Financial institutions that supported commercial activity by helping merchants manage and transfer money.

Bills of Exchange

Financial documents that allowed merchants to arrange payments without carrying large amounts of currency.

Commercialization

The increasing production and exchange of goods for sale in markets rather than only for local use.

Urbanization

The growth of cities, often supported by increased production, trade, and commercial activity.

Hangzhou

A major Chinese city associated with commercial growth and the production and export of goods such as silk and porcelain.

Chinese Iron and Steel Production

Manufacturing that expanded during this period, increasing the supply of goods available for trade and use.

Temüjin

The birth name of Genghis Khan, who united Mongol groups and began major Mongol expansion.

Genghis Khan

The Mongol leader who united Mongol tribes in 1206 and launched the expansion of the Mongol Empire.

Pastoral Nomadism

A way of life based on moving livestock between grazing areas as environmental conditions change.

Cyclical Nomadism

Seasonal movement between pastures to provide livestock with access to food and water.

Mongol Military Tactics

Strategies that included skilled horseback archery, mobility, intelligence gathering, and coordinated attacks.

Psychological Warfare

The use of fear and reputation to weaken an opponent's willingness to resist.

Mongol Khanates

Regional states formed when the Mongol Empire divided into separate political territories.

Yuan Dynasty

The dynasty established in China by Kublai Khan and the Mongols.

Golden Horde

A Mongol khanate that controlled parts of Russia and neighboring regions.

Ilkhanate

A Mongol khanate that ruled much of Persia and surrounding territories.

Chagatai Khanate

A Mongol khanate centered in parts of Central Asia.

Kublai Khan

A Mongol ruler who established the Yuan Dynasty in China and promoted religious tolerance.

Pax Mongolica and Cultural Exchange

Mongol rule helped increase movement of merchants, travelers, technologies, and ideas across Eurasia.

Uyghur Script

A writing system adapted for use in Mongol administration and communication.

Mongol Religious Tolerance

The practice of allowing different religious communities to exist under Mongol rule, although policies varied by ruler and region.

Mongol Succession and Fragmentation

Disputes and divisions after the death of Mongol rulers contributed to the separation of the empire into khanates.

Indian Ocean Trade Network

A maritime trading system linking East Africa, the Middle East, South Asia, Southeast Asia, and East Asia.

Monsoon Winds

Seasonal wind patterns that sailors used to plan voyages across the Indian Ocean.

Astrolabe

A navigational instrument used by sailors to estimate latitude by observing celestial bodies.

Magnetic Compass

A device that helped sailors determine direction during sea voyages.

Larger Ship Designs

Improvements in ship capacity and construction that helped merchants transport more goods across maritime routes.

Swahili City

States

Gujarat

A region of western India with favorable access to maritime trade and important commercial cities.

Sultanate of Malacca

A Southeast Asian trading state that prospered because it controlled a strategic position along the Strait of Malacca, a major maritime trade chokepoint.

Diasporic Communities

Groups of merchants living outside their place of origin who maintained cultural and commercial connections with their homelands.

Kilwa

A Swahili city

Zheng He

A Chinese admiral who led seven major maritime expeditions during the Ming dynasty to extend China's tributary system and demonstrate imperial power.

Zheng He's Treasure Ships

Large ships used in Ming maritime expeditions that carried people and goods across long distances.

Tributary System

A diplomatic system in which foreign states acknowledged the authority of a Chinese ruler and exchanged tribute for recognition and trade benefits.

Environmental Knowledge in Indian Ocean Trade

Knowledge of seasonal winds, currents, weather, and sailing conditions that helped merchants plan voyages.

Trans

Saharan Trade

Camel Saddle

Equipment that helped merchants transport goods across the desert on camels.

Ghana Empire

An early West African state whose power and wealth were connected to trans

Mali Empire

A powerful West African empire that gained wealth through control of important trade routes and gold

Mansa Musa

The ruler of Mali famous for his wealth and pilgrimage to Mecca, which demonstrated Mali's prosperity and connections to the wider Islamic world.

Gold

Salt Trade

Timbuktu

A West African city that became an important center of trade, Islamic scholarship, and learning.

Songhai Empire

A West African empire that expanded around the Niger River and grew as Mali weakened.

Islam in West Africa

Islam spread through trade, pilgrimage, scholars, and interactions between Muslim merchants and West African societies.

Cultural Diffusion

The spread of ideas, beliefs, customs, technologies, and cultural practices between societies.

Buddhism in East Asia

Buddhism spread from South Asia into Central and East Asia through trade routes, missionaries, and cultural contact.

Pure Land Buddhism

A branch of Mahayana Buddhism that emphasizes devotion to Amitabha Buddha and rebirth in the Pure Land.

Hinduism in Southeast Asia

Hindu beliefs and artistic traditions spread through trade and cultural interaction, influencing local rulers, temples, and sculpture.

Islam in Sub

Saharan Africa

Islam in Southeast Asia

Islam spread through Indian Ocean trade and merchant communities, influencing port cities and local societies.

Religious Syncretism

The blending of elements from different religious or cultural traditions into new practices or expressions.

Ibn Battuta

A Muslim traveler whose journeys provide information about societies and trade networks across Afro

Marco Polo

A Venetian traveler whose accounts described regions and societies connected by Eurasian trade.

Margery Kempe

An English Christian traveler and writer whose account offers evidence about travel and religious life in medieval Europe.

Champa Rice

A drought

Bananas in Sub

Saharan Africa

Citrus Fruits in Europe

Citrus varieties spread westward from Asia through trade and cultural contact.

Bubonic Plague

A disease that spread across Eurasia and reached Europe during the fourteenth century, causing massive population loss; it spread through connected trade networks.

Trade Routes and Disease Transmission

Increased movement of people, animals, and goods allowed diseases to spread between distant regions.

Labor Shortage After the Black Death

The decline in population reduced the available workforce, making labor scarcer in many parts of Europe.

Supply and Demand After the Black Death

A smaller workforce increased the relative value of labor, contributing to pressure for higher wages and changes in economic relationships.