Semester 1 Final Review AP World History

Geography:

• Causeways: Raised roadways built over wetland or water, used by the Aztec civilization to connect Tenochtitlan to the mainland, facilitating trade and transportation.

• Chinampas: A form of raised-field agriculture used by the Aztecs; these "floating gardens" allowed for intensive farming on shallow lake beds, significantly increasing productivity.

• Himalayas: The world’s highest mountain range, forming a natural barrier between India and Tibet, significantly influencing climate and human settlement patterns in South Asia.

• Lake Texcoco: The central lake where the Aztec capital of Tenochtitlan was built, pivotal for trade and agriculture within the civilization.

• Locations of empires: Understanding the geographic spread and territorial boundaries of empires like the Aztec, Inca, and Roman empires reveals crucial socio-political dynamics.

• Tenochtitlan: The capital of the Aztec Empire, renowned for its complex architecture, including temples, palaces, and its water-based agriculture.

• Trade Routes: Networks that facilitated interaction, commerce, and cultural exchange among different empires, including the Silk Road and maritime routes utilized during the Age of Exploration.

Religion:

• Buddhism: Founded by Siddhartha Gautama, emphasizing the Eightfold Path and the pursuit of enlightenment through practices such as meditation.

• Calvinism: A branch of Protestantism based on the theological teachings of John Calvin, emphasizing predestination and the absolute sovereignty of God.

• Caste: A hereditary social classification system, particularly prominent in India, influencing social dynamics and occupational roles.

• Catholicism: The largest Christian denomination, characterized by the authority of the Pope and traditions such as the sacraments.

• Confucianism: A philosophical and ethical system based on the teachings of Confucius, focusing on morality, family relationships, and societal harmony.

• Council of Trent: An ecumenical council held in response to the Protestant Reformation, addressing issues of church reform and doctrinal clarification.

• Eightfold Path: A key component of Buddhism, outlining the path to enlightenment through ethical and mindful living.

• Hinduism: One of the oldest religions with a diverse range of beliefs and practices, emphasizing concepts such as karma, dharma, and reincarnation.

• Huguenots: French Protestants influenced by Calvinism who faced persecution and sought refuge in other countries.

• Jerusalem: A city of significant historical and religious importance, sacred to Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.

• Jesuits: Members of the Society of Jesus, known for their educational, missionary, and charitable works.

• Martin Luther: A seminal figure in the Protestant Reformation, known for his Ninety-Five Theses that criticized church practices.

• Noble Truths: Foundational principles of Buddhism that explain the nature of suffering and the path to its cessation.

• Pillars of Islam: The five foundational acts of worship and practice that are central to a Muslim's faith and practice.

• Polytheist: Belief in multiple gods, common in many ancient religions.

• Protestant Reformation: A movement in the 16th century that led to significant religious and political upheaval, fracturing the Catholic Church's monopoly.

• Reincarnation: The belief in the rebirth of the soul in a new body, a central tenet in Hinduism and Buddhism.

• Renaissance: A cultural movement that marked a period of revival in art, literature, and learning in Europe, promoting humanism and individualism.

• Shi’a: One of the two main branches of Islam, which holds that Ali, the cousin of Muhammad, was his rightful successor.

• Sikhism: A monotheistic religion founded in the Punjab region of India, emphasizing equality, service, and devotion to one God.

• Sunni: The largest denomination of Islam, which accepts the first four caliphs as rightful successors to Muhammad.

• Syncretic: Referring to the blending of different religious and cultural practices.

• Tao Te Ching: A fundamental text of Taoism attributed to Laozi, focusing on the nature of balance in the universe.

• Taoism: A philosophical and religious tradition from China emphasizing living in harmony with the Tao, or the fundamental nature of the universe.

• Vedas: The oldest sacred texts of Hinduism, comprising four collections of hymns, philosophy, and rituals.

Achievements:

• “Renaissance Man”: A term describing individuals who excel in multiple disciplines, epitomized by figures like Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo.

• Bartolomeu Dias: A Portuguese explorer known for being the first to round the Cape of Good Hope in 1488, opening the sea route to Asia.

• Christopher Columbus: An Italian explorer whose 1492 voyage opened the Americas to European colonization.

• Filippo Brunelleschi: An architect known for designing the Dome of Santa Maria del Fiore in Florence, a masterpiece of Renaissance architecture.

• Great Zimbabwe: A medieval city in Africa recognized for its stone constructions and significant role in trade.

• Gutenberg printing press: Invented by Johannes Gutenberg, revolutionizing the production of books and literacy rates in Europe.

• Humanism: An intellectual movement focusing on human potential and achievements, central to Renaissance thought.

• Medici family: A powerful Italian family known for their patronage of the arts and significant influence in Florence and beyond during the Renaissance.

• Michelangelo: Renowned for his sculptures like David and the Sistine Chapel's ceiling frescoes, showcasing the high point of Renaissance art.

• Navigation technology: Advancements such as the astrolabe and caravel ships that made long sea voyages possible.

• Raphael: A master painter and architect of the High Renaissance, famous for his works like the School of Athens.

• Vasco de Gama: A Portuguese explorer who sailed directly to India, establishing a sea route that expanded Portuguese influence in the East.

Political:

• Akbar the Great: The Mughal emperor known for his policy of religious tolerance and administrative reforms that unified and strengthened his empire.

• Ana Nzinga of Ndongo: A 17th-century queen of Ndongo and Matamba who resisted Portuguese colonization and promoted anti-colonial resistance.

• Crusades: A series of religious wars sanctioned by the Catholic Church aimed at reclaiming the Holy Land from Muslim rule.

• Devshirme: A system used by the Ottoman Empire wherein Christian boys were recruited through tax and trained to serve in the military or administrative positions.

• Henry VIII: King of England known for his role in the separation of the Church of England from the Pope in Rome.

• Janissary: Elite infantry units that formed the Ottoman Sultan's household troops and the backbone of the military.

• King Afonso of Kongo: Influential 16th-century king who sought to Christianize and modernize his kingdom while resisting the slave trade.

• Mansa Musa: The wealthy Malian emperor famed for his pilgrimage to Mecca and contributions to the spread of Islam in Africa.

• Ming Dynasty policy: Including trade monopolies and a focus on agriculture, leading to economic growth and cultural flourishing in China.

• Montezuma: The ninth ruler of the Aztec Empire noted for his encounter with Spanish conquistadors, which heralded the fall of Tenochtitlan.

• Motives for imperialism: Economic, political, and cultural urges behind the expansion of European nations into foreign territories during the Age of Exploration.

• Mughal religious policy: The Mughal Empire under Akbar promoted tolerance and syncretism, balancing Islamic and Hindu beliefs.

• Mughals: A dynasty in India known for its significant cultural contributions and architectural achievements.

• Ottomans: A dynasty that controlled vast territories in Southeast Europe, Western Asia, and North Africa, known for its effective administrative system.

• Peace of Augsburg: A significant treaty that allowed for the coexistence of Catholicism and Lutheranism in Germany.

• Qing Dynasty policy: Emphasized isolationist trade practices along with a focus on maintaining traditional Confucian values.

• Reconquista: The centuries-long process of reclaiming the Iberian Peninsula from Islamic rule, culminating in 1492.

• Safavids: An influential Persian dynasty known for establishing Shia Islam as the state religion in Iran.

• Shah Abbas I: A prominent ruler of the Safavid Empire who expanded territory and strengthened trade and cultural exchanges.

• Suleiman the Magnificent: The longest-reigning Sultan of the Ottoman Empire, noted for extensive territorial expansion and significant legal reform.

• Tokugawa Ieyasu: The founder of the Tokugawa Shogunate in Japan, known for establishing a period of peace and stability (Edo period).

• Tokugawa Shogunate: A feudal regime concerning Japan, with a strict social order that limited foreign influence.

• Policy to outsiders: Tokugawa's isolationalist policies led to closed borders, restricting foreign contact and trade.

• Tribute: A system of payment made by one state to another as a sign of dependence, often seen in the relationships between empires and vassal states.

Economic:

• Encomienda: A system Spanish colonists used to compel Indigenous peoples to work for them under the guise of protection and conversion.

• Mit’a: An Incan labor system requiring tribute through labor used mainly for public projects like roads and agricultural works.

• Silver from Americas: Silver mines in places like Potosí (modern-day Bolivia) that fueled European economies and contributed to global trade networks.

• Zamindar system: A land revenue system in India during Mughal rule where local landlords collected taxes and managed agricultural lands.

Social:

• Bantu languages: A group of over 500 closely related languages spoken in Africa, reflecting the migration patterns of Bantu-speaking peoples.

• Casta system (Spanish America): A hierarchical system of social classification that was established in colonial Spanish America, heavily influencing social relations.

• Caste system (India): A rigid social stratification that organized individuals by occupation and family lineage.

• Effects of slave trade on Africa: The Transatlantic Slave Trade led to widespread demographic changes, economic shifts, and political disruptions within African societies.

• Spanish colonial management: Included viceroys and audiencias, which established a system of governance in the Spanish territories in the Americas.

• Syncretism: The merging of different religious and cultural traditions, particularly prominent in regions where multiple cultures interact.