Chapters 1-22 Parts I-III Key Terms Glossaryteachers.sduhsd.net/kjones/documents/KeyTermsCh1to22.doc · Web viewVarna: Hindu word for caste. Varuna: Aryan god who watched over the

Chapters 1-22 Parts I-III Key Terms Glossary

Compiled by Sarah ScullChapter 1 Key TermsAustralopithecus Catal Huyuk Chinook Cro-Magnon HominidsHomo erectus Homo sapiens Homo sapiens sapiens Jericho JomonNatufians Neanderthal Paleolithic Prehistory Venus figurines

Australopithecus: "Southern ape," oldest known ancestor of humans; it lived from around four million down to around one million years ago, and it could walk on hind legs, freeing up hands for use of simple tools.

Catal Huyuk: Important Neolithic settlement in Anatolia (7250--6150 B.C.E.).

Chinook: Permanent Paleolithic settlement in the Pacific Northwest region of North America.

Cro-Magnon: Homo sapiens sapiens who appeared forty thousand years ago during the Paleolithic age and were the first human beings of the modern type.

Hominids: A creature belonging to the family Hominidae, which includes human and humanlike species.

Homo erectus: "Upright-walking human," which existed from 1.5 million to two hundred thousand years ago; Homo erectus used cleavers and hand axes and learned how to control fire.

Homo sapiens: "Consciously thinking human," which first appeared around two hundred fifty thousand years ago and used sophisticated tools.

Homo sapiens sapiens: First human being of the modern type, which appeared roughly one hundred thousand years ago; Cro-Magnon falls into this category.

Jericho: Earliest known Neolithic village.

Jomon: Paleolithic settlement located in central Japan.

Natufians: Permanent Paleolithic settlement in the eastern Mediterranean.

Neanderthal: Early humans (100,000 to 35,000 years ago) who were prevalent during the Paleolithic period.

Paleolithic: Old Stone Age, a long period of human development before the development of agriculture.

Prehistory: The period before the invention of writing.

Venus figurines: Small Paleolithic statues of women with exaggerated sexual features.

Chapter 2 Key TermsAncestor Worship Aryans Assyrians BabylonBronze City-state Cuneiform GilgameshHammurabi's Code Hanging Gardens Hittites Indo-EuropeansIron Lex talionis Mesopotamia MonotheismPatriarchy Phoenicians Sumerians Ten CommandmentsTorah Urdu Yahweh Ziggurats

Ancestor Worship: Belief that dead ancestors can influence one's fortunes in life. Those who practice often conduct rituals and ceremonies to the memory or remains of their ancestors.

Aryans: European tribes who settled in India after 1500 B.C.E.; their union with indigenous Dravidians formed the basis of Hinduism.

Assyrians: Southwest Asian people who built an empire that reached its height during the eighth and seventh centuries B.C.E.; it was known for a powerful army and a well-structured state.

Babylon: Mesopotamian empire with a centralized bureaucracy and Law Code centered around its capital, Babylon.

Bronze: Material made from copper and tin used for weapons and agricultural tools.

City-state: Urban areas that controlled surrounding agricultural regions and that were often loosely connected in a broader political structure with other city-states.

Cuneiform: Written language of the Sumerians, probably the first written script in the world.

Gilgamesh: Legendary king of the Mesopotamian city-state of Uruk (ca. 3000 B.C.E.), subject of the Epic of Gilgamesh, world's oldest complete epic literary masterpiece.

Hammurabi’s Code: Sophisticated law code associated with the Babylonian king Hammurabi (r. 1792-1750 B.C.E.).

Hanging Gardens: Gardens at the palace of the New Babylonian empire (600-550 B.C.E.) that showed off its great wealth and luxury.

Hittites: Group that settles in central Anatolia around 2000 B.C.E., establishes powerful kingdoms, conquers the Babylonian empire in 1595 B.C.E., and dissolves about 1200 B.C.E. Technological feats include iron metallurgy and light horse-drawn chariots.

Indo-Europeans: Series of tribes from southern Russia who, over a period of millennia, embarked on a series of migrations from India through western Europe; their greatest legacy was the broad distribution of Indo-European languages throughout Eurasia.

Iron: Material used for weapons and tools that became cheap and more widely available around 1000 B.C.E.Lex talkionis: "Law of retaliation," laws in which offenders suffered punishments similar to their crimes; the most famous example is Hammurabi's Laws.

Mesopotamia: Term meaning "between the rivers," in this case the Tigris and Euphrates; Sumer and Akkad are two of the earliest societies.

Monotheism: Belief in only one god, a rare concept in the ancient world.

Patriarchy: System of social organization in which males dominate the family and where public institutions, descent, and succession are traced through the male line.

Phoenicians: A maritime civilization of the Mediterranean that developed extensive trade and communication networks as well as an early alphabetical script (1500 B.C.E).

Sumerians: Earliest Mesopotamian society.

Ten Commandments: Moral and ethical standards for followers of Moses.

Torah: Compilation of teachings that guide Judaism.

Urdu: A language that is predominant in Pakistan.

Yahweh: God of the monotheistic religion of Judaism that influenced later Christianity and Islam.

Ziggurats: Mesopotamian temples.

Chapter 3 Key TermsAmosis Amon-Re Ancestor Worship Aten BantuBronze Cult of Osiris Hieroglyphics Hykos IronKush Nubia Osiris Patriarchy Pharaohs

Amosis: Egyptian pharaoh (c. 1500 B.C.E.), founder of the New Kingdom.

Amon-Re: Egyptian god, combination of the sun god Re and the air god Amon.


Aten: Monotheistic god of Egyptian pharaoh Akhenaton (r. 1353-1335 B.C.E.) and arguably the world's first example of monotheism.

Bantu: African peoples who originally lived in the area of present-day Nigeria; around 2000 B.C.E. they began a centuries-long migration that took them to most of sub-Saharan Africa; the Bantu were very influential, especially linguistically.


Cult of Osiris: Osiris becomes associated with the Nile, crops, mortality, and immortality after his wife, Isis, gathers his fallen body and allows the gods to restore him to life in the underworld.

Hieroglyphics: Ancient Egyptian written language.

Hykos: Invaders who seized the Nile delta and helped bring an end to the Egyptian Middle Kingdom.

Iron: Material used for weapons and tools that became cheap and more widely available around 1000 B.C.E.

Kush: Nubian African kingdom that conquered and controlled Egypt from 750 to 664 B.C.E.

Nubia: Area south of Egypt; the kingdom of Kush in Nubia invaded and dominated Egypt from 750 to 664 B.C.E.

Osiris: Ancient Egyptian god that represented the forces of nature.


Pharaohs: Egyptian kings considered to be gods on earth.

Chapter 4 Key TermsAryans Brahmins Dravidians Harappan Indra Jati KarmaKshatriyas Lawbook of Manu Moksha Neolithic Prakit Samsara SanskritSati Shudras Upanishads Vaishyas Varna Varuna Vedas

Aryans: European tribes who settled in India after 1500 B.C.E.; their union with indigenous Dravidians formed the basis of Hinduism.

Brahmins: Hindu caste of priests.

Dravidians: Peoples who produced the brilliant Harappan society in India, 3000-1500 B.C.E.

Harappan: Early brilliant Indian society centered around Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro.

Indra: Early Indian god associated with the Aryans; Indra was the king of the gods and was associated with warfare and thunderbolts.

Jati: Indian word for a Hindu subcaste.

Karma: Hindu concept that the sum of good and bad in a person's life will determine his or her status in the next life.

Kshatriyas: Hindu caste of warriors and aristocrats.

Lawbook of Manu: A moral code prepared in the first century B.C.E. in India dictating the role of women in Indian society.

Moksha: Hindu concept of the salvation of the soul.

Neolithic: New Stone Age (10,000-4000 B.C.E.), which was marked by the discovery and mastery of agriculture.

Prakit: Daily-use language of the early Aryans.

Samsara: Hindu term for the concept of transmigration, that is, the soul passing into a new incarnation.

Sanskrit: Sacred language of the early Aryans.

Sati: Also known as suttee, Indian practice of a widow throwing herself on the funeral pyre of her husband.

Shudras: Hindu caste of landless peasants and serfs.

Upanishads: Indian reflections and dialogues (800-400 B.C.E.) that reflected basic Hindu concepts.Vaishyas: Hindu caste of cultivators, artisans, and merchants.

Varna: Hindu word for caste.

Varuna: Aryan god who watched over the behavior of mortals and preserved the cosmic order.

Vedas: "Wisdom," early collections of prayers and hymns that provide information about the Indo-European Aryans who migrated into India around 1500 B.C.E.; Rig Veda is most important collection.

Chapter 5 Key TermsAncestor Worship Book of Changes Book of History Book of Rites Book of SongsBronze Indo-Europeans Mandate of Heaven Oracle Bones PatriarchyShang dynasty Tian Xia Xinjiang YangshaoYangzi Yellow River Yu Zhou


Book of Changes: Example of Zhou literature, this book serves as a manual of diviners.

Book of History: A book detailing the history of the Zhou dynasty.

Book of Rites: Zhou book explaining the rules of etiquette and rituals required of aristocrats in China under the Zhou dynasty.

Book of Songs: The most notable example of Zhou literature, this work is a collection of verses.



Mandate of Heaven: Chinese belief that the emperors ruled through the mandate, or approval, of heaven contingent on their ability to look after the welfare of the population.

Oracle Bones: Chinese Shang dynasty (1766-1122 B.C.E.) means of foretelling the future.


Shang dynasty: Chinese kingdom (1766-1122 B.C.E.) in which agricultural surpluses supported large armies and a large network of walled towns.

Tian: Chinese term for heaven.

Xia: Chinese dynasty (2200-1766 B.C.E.) that is known mainly from legend.

Xinjiang: Western Chinese province.

Yangshao: Early Chinese society (2500-2200 B.C.E.).

Yangzi: River in central China.

Yellow River: Important river in ancient China named for the loess soil carried by the river. While "China's Sorrow" has flooded extensively, the loess provided rich soil to work.

Yu: Legendary founder of the Xia dynasty (ca. 2200 B.C.E.).

Zhou: Chinese dynasty (1122-256 B.C.E.) that was the foundation of Chinese thought formed during this period: Confucianism, Daoism, Zhou Classics.

Chapter 6 Key TermsAncestor Worship Austronesians Chavín cult LapitaMaya Mochica Olmecs Popol VuhTeotihuacan Tikal Venta, La Yucatan


Austronesians: People who, by as early as 2000 B.C.E., began to explore and settle islands of the Pacific Ocean basin.

Chavín cult: Mysterious but very popular South American religion (1000--300 B.C.E.).

Lapita: Society from New Guinea to Tonga (1500-500 B.C.E.) with agricultural villages, networks of trade and communication, and hierarchical chiefdoms.

Maya: Brilliant Central American society (300-1100) known for math, astronomy, and a sophisticated written language.

Mochica: Pre-Incan South American society (300-700) known for their brilliant ceramics.

Olmecs: Early Central American society (1200-100 B.C.E.) that centered around sites at San Lorenzo, La Venta, and Tres Zapotes and that influenced later Maya.

Popol Vuh: Mayan creation epic.

Teotihuacan: Central American society (200 B.C.E.-750 C.E.); its Pyramid of the Sun was the largest structure in Mesoamerica.

Tikal: Maya political center from the fourth through the ninth centuries.

Venta, La: Early Olmec center (800-400 B.C.E.).

Yuctan: Peninsula in Central America, home of the Maya.

Chapter 7 Key TermsAchaemenid empire Ahura Mazda Ancestor WorshipAvesta Gathas Indo-EuropeansMacedon Magi MedesParsis Parthians PerseopolisQanat Sasanids SatrapsSeleucids Zarathustra Zoroastrianism

Achaemenid empire: First great Persian empire (558-330 B.C.E.), which began under Cyrus and reached its peak under Darius.

Ahura Mazda: Main god of Zoroastrianism who represented truth and goodness and was perceived to be in an eternal struggle with the malign spirit Angra Mainyu.


Avesta: Book that contains the holy writings of Zoroastrianism.

Gathas: Zoroastrian works believed to be compositions by Zarathustra.


Macedon: A frontier state north of the Greek peninsula.

Magi: Those who preserved the teachings of Zarathustra in writing.

Medes: Indo-European branch that settled in northern Persia and eventually fell to another branch, the Persians, in the sixth century.

Parsis: Indian Zoroastrians.

Parthians: Parthians Persian dynasty (247 B.C.E.-224 C.E.) that reached its peak under Mithradates I.

Perseopolis: New capital of the Persian Empire established under the reign of Darius in 520 B.C.E.

Qanat: Persian underground canal.

Sasanids: Later powerful Persian dynasty (224-651) that would reach its peak under Shapur I and later fall to Arabic expansion.

Satraps: Persian administrators, usually members of the royal family, who governed a satrapy.

Seleucids: Persian empire (323-83 B.C.E.) founded by Seleucus after the death of Alexander the Great.

Zarathustra: Persian prophet (ca. 628-551 B.C.E.) who founded Zoroastrianism.

Zoroastrianism: Persian religion based on the teaching of the sixth-century-B.C.E. prophet Zarathustra; its emphasis on the duality of good and evil and on the role of individuals in determining their own fate would influence later religions.

Chapter 8 Key TermsAnalects Confucianism Dao Daoism Han DynastyLegalism Li Patriarchy Qin RenWuwei Xianyang Xiao Yellow Turban Uprising Zhuangzi

Analects: The teachings of Confucius (551-479 B.C.E.) compiled by his disciples.

Confucianism: Philosophy, based on the teachings of the Chinese philosopher Kong Fuzi (551-479 B.C.E.), or Confucius, that emphasizes order, the role of the gentleman, obligation to society, and reciprocity.Dao: Key element in Chinese philosophy that means the "way of nature" or the "way of the cosmos."

Daoism: Chinese philosophy with origins in the Zhou dynasty; it is associated with legendary philosopher Laozi, and it called for a policy of inaction.

Han Dynasty: Chinese dynasty that ruled an expanding empire with a large bureaucracy based upon Legalist and Confucian values. The empire taxed agriculture and trade and raised large armies to colonize Vietnam, Korea, and the Xiongnu territory.

Legalism: Chinese philosophy from the Zhou dynasty that called for harsh suppression of the common people.

Li: Confucian concept, a sense of propriety.


Qin: Chinese dynasty (221-207 B.C.E.) that was founded by Qin Shihuangdi and was marked by the first unification of China and the early construction of defensive walls.

Ren: The Confucian value of propriety, courtesy, respect, and deference to elders.

Wuwei: Daoist concept of a disengagement from the affairs of the world.

Xianyang: Capital city of Qin empire.

Xiao: Confucian concept of respect for one's parents and ancestors.

Yellow Turban Uprising: A revolt against the land distribution policies of the Han dynasty (25-220 C.E.).

Zhuangzi: A compendium of Daoist philosophy.

Chapter 9 Key TermsAhimsa Artha Arthashastra BactriaBhagavad-Gita Bodhisattvas Buddha BuddhismCaste Four Noble Truths Gupta HinayanaHinduism Jainism Jati MahabharataMahayana Mauryan empire Noble Eightfold Path RamayanaSanskrit Shudras Siddhartha Gautama Silk roadsStupas Upanishads Vaishyas White Huns

Ahimsa: Jain term for the principle of nonviolence to other living things or their souls.

Artha: Hindu concept for the pursuit of economic well-being and honest prosperity.

Arthanshastra: Ancient Indian political treatise from the time of Chandragupta Maurya; its authorship was traditionally ascribed to Kautalya, and it stressed that war was inevitable.

Bactria: The ancient region stretching from the Hindu Kush mountain range to the ancient Ganhara region of the Indian subcontinent.

Bhagavad-Gita: "Song of the lord," an Indian short poetic work drawn from the lengthy Mahabharata that was finished around 400 C.E. and that expressed basic Hindu concepts such as karma and dharma.

Bodhisattvas: Buddhist concept regarding individuals who had reached enlightenment but who stayed in this world to help people.

Buddha: The "enlightened one," the term applied to Siddhartha Gautama after his discoveries that would form the foundation of Buddhism.

Buddhism: Religion, based on Four Noble Truths, associated with Siddhartha Gautama (563--483 B.C.E.), or the Buddha; its adherents desired to eliminate all distracting passion and reach nirvana.

Caste: Social class system in which distinctions and restrictions on marriage, occupation, handling of food, and other matters are transferred through generations or through class. The term usually refers to the social system of India.

Four Noble Truths: The foundation of Buddhist thought: (1) life is pain, (2) pain is caused by desire, (3) elimination of desire will bring an end to pain, (4) living a life based on the Noble Eightfold Path will eliminate desire.

Gupta: Indian dynasty (320-550 C.E.) that briefly reunited India after the collapse of the earlier Mauryan dynasty.

Hinayana: Branch of Buddhism known as the "lesser vehicle," also known as Theravada Buddhism; its beliefs include strict, individual path to enlightenment, and it is popular in south and southeast Asia.

Hinduism: Main religion of India, a combination of Dravidian and Aryan concepts; Hinduism's goal is to reach spiritual purity and union with the great world spirit; its important concepts include dharma, karma, and samsara.

Jainism: Indian religion associated with the teacher Vardhamana Mahavira (ca. 540-468 B.C.E.) in which every physical object possessed a soul; Jains believe in complete nonviolence to all living beings.


Mahabharata: Indian epic that tells of war between two family branches.

Mahayana: The "greater vehicle," a more metaphysical and more popular northern branch of Buddhism.

Mauryan empire: Indian dynasty (321-185 B.C.E.) founded by Chandragupta Maurya and reaching its peak under Ashoka.

Noble Eightfold Path: Final truth of the Buddhist Four Noble Truths that called for leading a life of balance and constant contemplation.

Ramayana: Ancient Indian masterpiece about the hero Rama that symbolized the victory of dharma (order) over adharma (chaos).

Sanskrit: Sacred language of the early Aryans.

Shudras: Hindu caste of landless peasants and serfs.

Siddhartha Gautama: Indian kshatriya who achieved enlightenment and became known as the Buddha, the founder of Buddhism.

Silk roads: Ancient trade routes that extended from the Roman empire in the west to China in the east.

Stupas: Buddhist shrines.

Upanishads: Indian reflections and dialogues (800-400 B.C.E.) that reflected basic Hindu concepts.

Vaishyas: Hindu caste of cultivators, artisans, and merchants.

White Huns: Invaders who weakened the empire of the Guptas.

Chapter 10 Key TermsAeschylus Alexandria Antigonid Empire Battle of Marathon Cult of DionysusDelian League Dionysus Epicureans Hellenic Era Linear ALinear B Macedon Marathon Minoan MycenaeanPatriarchy Peloponnesian War Perseopolis Persian War PhoeniciansPolis Ptolemaic Seleucids Skeptics Stoics

Aeschylus: Greek tragedian, author of the Oresteia.

Alexandria: Capital of the Ptolemaic empire, situated at the mouth of the Nile river and home of the famous Alexandria Museum and Alexandria Library.

Antigonid Empire: The portion of Alexander's realm that that included Greece and Macedon.

Battle of Marathon: Victory for Athens (490 B.C.E.) over Persia during the Persian War (500-479 B.C.E.).

Cult of Dionysus: The most popular of Ancient Greek religious cults.

Delian League: The military and economic alliance between Greek poleis against the threat presented by the Persian Empire.

Dionysus: Greek god of wine, also known as Bacchus; Greek plays were performed in his honor.

Epicureans: Philosophers who taught that pleasure- as in quiet satisfaction- was the greatest good.

Hellenic Era: First phase in Greek history (ca. 2000-328 B.C.E.), which was highlighted by the Golden Age of Athens in the fifth century B.C.E.

Linear A: Minoan written script.

Linear B: Mycenaean written script, adapted from the Minoan Linear A.

Macedon: A frontier state north of the Greek peninsula.

Marathon: Battlefield scene of the Athenian victory over the Persians in 490 B.C.E.

Minoan: Society located on the island of Crete (ca. 2000-1100 B.C.E.) that influenced the early Mycenaeans.

Mycenaean: Early Greek society on the Peloponese (1600-1100 B.C.E.) that was influenced by the Minoans; the Mycenaeans' conflict with Troy is immortalized in Homer's Odyssey.

Patriarchy: System of social organization in which males dominate the family and where public institutions, descent, and succession are traced through the male line.Peloponnesian War: A war between camps led by Athens and Sparta the ended in 404 B.C.E. with the unconditional surrender of Athens.

Perseoplois: New capital of the Persian Empire established under the reign of Darius in 520 B.C.E.

Persian War: War (500-479 B.C.E.) sparked by the revolt of Greek cities on the Ionian coast against Persia. After Persia fails to take Athens, the Persian army is forced to retreat back to Anatolia.

Phoenicians: A maritime civilization of the Mediterranean that developed extensive trade and communication networks as well as an early alphabetical script (1500 B.C.E).

Polis: Greek term for the city-state.

Ptolemaic: Term used to signify both the Egyptian kingdom founded by Alexander the Great's general Ptolemy and the thought of the philosopher Ptolemy of Alexandria (second century C.E.), who used mathematical formulas in an attempt to prove Aristotle's geocentric theory of the universe.

Seleucids: Persian empire (323-83 B.C.E.) founded by Seleucus after the death of Alexander the Great.

Skeptics: Hellenistic philosophers who sought equanimity, doubting the certainty of knowledge.

Stoics: Hellenistic philosophers who encouraged their followers to lead active, virtuous lives and to aid others.

Chapter 11 Key TermsCarthage Cult of Isis Essenes EtruscansLatifundia Mithraism Pater familias PatriarchyPatricians Pax Romana Plebians StoicsStrabo

Carthage: Northern African kingdom, main rival to early Roman expansion, that was defeated by Rome in the Punic Wars.

Cult of Isis: A popular Roman religion of salvation in which an afterlife was promised to followers.

Essenes: Jewish sect that looked for the arrival of a savior; they were similar in some of their core beliefs to the early Christians.

Etruscans: Northern Italian society that initially dominated the Romans; the Etruscans helped convey Greek concepts to the expanding Romans.

Latifundia: Huge state-run and slave-worked farms in ancient Rome.

Mithraism: Mystery religion based on worship of the sun god Mithras; it became popular among the Romans because of its promise of salvation.

Pater familias: Roman term for the "father of the family," a theoretical implication that gave the male head of the family almost unlimited authority.


Patricians: Roman aristocrats and wealthy classes.

Pax Romana: Roman Peace, a term that relates to the period of political stability, cultural brilliance, and economic prosperity beginning with unification under Augustus and lasting through the first two centuries C.E.

Plebians: Roman common people.

Stoics: Hellenistic philosophers who encouraged their followers to lead active, virtuous lives and to aid others.

Strabo: Greek geographer (first century C.E.).

Chapter 12 Key TermsBactria Barracks Emperors Bubonic Plague Buddhism ByzantineChristianity Confucianism Edict of Milan Han Dynasty Hellenistic EraHinduism Karakorum Manichaeism Mesopotamia MonotheismNestorian Ptolemaic Sasanids Silk roads Zen BuddhismZoroastrianism

Bactria: The ancient region stretching from the Hindu Kush mountain range to the ancient Ganhara region of the Indian subcontinent.

Carracks Emperors: Series of Roman generals who seized the throne between 235 and 284 C.E.

Bubonic Plague: Epidemic that swept Eurasia, causing devastating population loss and disruption. Known as the Black Death in Europe after 1350 C.E.

Buddhism: Religion, based on Four Noble Truths, associated with Siddhartha Gautama (563--483 B.C.E.), or the Buddha; its adherents desired to eliminate all distracting passion and reach nirvana.Byzantine: Long-lasting empire centered at Constantinople; it grew out of the end of the Roman empire and carried legacy of Roman greatness and was the only classical society to survive into the early modern age; it reached its early peak during the reign of Justinian (483--565).

Christianity: Religion emerging from Middle East in the first century C.E. holding Jesus to be the son of God who sacrificed himself on behalf of mankind.

Confucianism: Philosophy, based on the teachings of the Chinese philosopher Kong Fuzi (551-479 B.C.E.), or Confucius, that emphasizes order, the role of the gentleman, obligation to society, and reciprocity.

Edict of Milan: Emperor Constantine's 313 C.E. that Christianity was a legitimate religion.

Han Dynasty: Chinese dynasty that ruled an expanding empire with a large bureaucracy based upon Legalist and Confucian values. The empire taxed agriculture and trade and raised large armies to colonize Vietnam, Korea, and the Xiongnu territory.

Hellenistic Era: Second phase in Greek history (328-146 B.C.E.), from the conquest of Greece by Philip of Macedon until Greece's fall to the Romans; this era was a more cosmopolitan age facilitated by the conquests of Alexander the Great.


Karakorum: Capital of the Mongol empire.

Manichaeism: Religion founded by the prophet Mani in the third century C.E., a syncretic version of Zoroastrian, Christian, and Buddhist elements.

Mesopotamia: Term meaning "between the rivers," in this case the Tigris and Euphrates; Sumer and Akkad are two of the earliest societies.


Nestorian: Early branch of Christianity, named after the fifth-century Greek theologian Nestorius, which emphasized the human nature of Jesus Christ.

Ptolemaic: Term used to signify both the Egyptian kingdom founded by Alexander the Great's general Ptolemy and the thought of the philosopher Ptolemy of Alexandria (second century C.E.), who used mathematical formulas in an attempt to prove Aristotle's geocentric theory of the universe.


Silk roads: Ancient trade routes that extended from the Roman empire in the west to China in the east.

Zen Buddhism: Japanese version of Chinese Chan Buddhism, with an emphasis on intuition and sudden flashes of insight instead of textual study.

Zoroastrianism: Persian religion based on the teaching of the sixth-century-B.C.E. prophet Zarathustra; its emphasis on the duality of good and evil and on the role of individuals in determining their own fate would influence later religions.

Chapter 13 Key TermsArianism Byzantine Caesaropapism Christianity ConstantinopleCorpus iuris civilis

Council of Nicaea

Crusades Eastern Orthodox Christianity

Greek Fire

Hagia Sophia Iconoclasts Mt. Athos Muslim PatriarchSaljuqs Sasanids Theme Third Rome

Arianism: Early Christian heresy that centered around teaching of Arius (250-336 C.E.) and contained the belief that Jesus was a mortal human being and not coeternal with God; Arianism was the focus of Council of Nicaea.

Byzantine: Long-lasting empire centered at Constantinople; it grew out of the end of the Roman empire and carried legacy of Roman greatness and was the only classical society to survive into the early modern age; it reached its early peak during the reign of Justinian (483--565).

Caesaropapism: Concept relating to the mixing of political and religious authority, as with the Roman emperors, that was central to the church versus state controversy in medieval Europe.


Constantinople: Capital of the Byzantine empire and a cultural and economic center.

Corpusiuris: Capital of the Byzantine empire and a cultural and economic center.

Council of Nicaea: Meeting of the Byzantine church (325 C.E.) at which Arianism was declared heresy.

Crusades: Campaigns by Christian knights to seize the holy lands that led to trade with Muslims and the importation of Muslim ideas regarding science and mathematics.

Eatern Orthodox Christianity: Eastern branch of Christianity that evolved following the division of the Roman Empire and the subsequent development of the Byzantine Empire in the east and the medieval European society in the west. The church recognized the primacy of the patriarch of Constantinople.

Greek Fire: Flammable substance used by Byzantine empire to repel Muslim attacks.

Hagia Sophia: Greek orthodox temple constructed by the Byzantine emperor Justinian and later converted into a mosque.

Iconoclasts: Supporters of the movement, begun by the Byzantine Emperor Leo III (r. 717-741), to destroy religious icons because their veneration was considered sinful.

Mt. Athos: Monastery in northern Greece that has existed from the ninth century to the present.Muslim: A follower of Islam.

Patriarch: Leader of the Greek Orthodox Church, which in 1054 officially split with the Pope and the Roman Catholic Church.

Saljuqs: Turkish tribe that gained control over the Abbasid empire and fought with the Byzantine empire.


Theme: Byzantine province under the control of generals.

Third Rome: Concept that a new power would rise up to carry the legacy of Roman greatness after the decline of the Second Rome, Constantinople; Moscow was referred to as the Third Rome during the fifteenth century.

Chapter 14 Key TermsAbbasid Al-Andalus Bedouins Caliph Dar al-IslamHadith Hajj Hijra Islam JizyaKa'ba Madrasas Mecca Muhammad MuslimQadis Qu'ran Rubaiyat Sakk Seal of the

ProphetsShari'a Five Pillars of

IslamShia Sufis Sunni

Ulama Umayyad Umma

Abbasid: Cosmopolitan Arabic dynasty (750-1258) that replaced the Umayyads; founded by Abu al-Abbas and reaching its peak under Harun al-Rashid.

Al-Andalus: Islamic Spain.

Bedouins: Nomadic Arabic tribespeople.

Caliph: "Deputy," Islamic leader after the death of Muhammad.

Dar al-Islam: The "house of Islam," a term for the Islamic world.

Five Pillars of Islam: The foundation of Islam; (1) profession of faith, (2) prayer, (3) fasting during Ramadan, (4) alms, and (5) pilgrimage, or hajj.

Hadith: The sayings and deeds of Muhammad.

Hajj: Pilgrimage to Mecca.

Hijra: Muhammad's migration from Mecca to Medina in 622, which is the beginning point of the Islamic calendar and is considered to mark the beginning of the Islamic faith.

Islam: Monotheistic religion of the prophet Muhammad (570-632); influenced by Judaism and Christianity, Muhammad was considered the final prophet because the earlier religions had not seen the entire picture; the Qu'ran is the holy book of Islam.

Jizya: Tax in Islamic empires that was imposed on non-Muslims.

Ka’ba: Main shrine in Mecca, goal of Muslims embarking on the hajj.

Madrasas: Islamic institutions of higher education that originated in the tenth century.

Mecca: City conquered by Muhammed in 630. He destroyed pagan shrines and erected mosques.

Muhammad: Prophet of Islam (570-632).

Muslim: A follower of Islam.

Qadis: Islamic judges.

Qu’ran: Islamic holy book that is believed to contain the divine revelations of Allah as presented to Muhammad.

Rubaiyat: "Quatrains," famous poetry of Omar Khayyam that was later translated and transformed by Edward Fitzgerald.

Sakk: Letters of credit that were common in the medieval Islamic banking world.

Seal of the Prophets: Muhammad's name for himself, signifying that he was the final prophet of Allah.

Shari’a: The Islamic holy law, drawn up by theologians from the Qu'ran, and accounts of Muhammad's life.

Shia: Islamic minority in opposition to the Sunni majority; their belief is that leadership should reside in the line descended from Ali.

Sufis: Islamic mystics who placed more emphasis on emotion and devotion than on strict adherence to rules.

Sunni: "Traditionalists," the most popular branch of Islam; Sunnis believe in the legitimacy of the early caliphs, compared to the Shiite belief that only a descendent of Ali can lead.

Ulama: Islamic officials, scholars who shaped public policy in accordance with the Qu'ran and the sharia.

Umayyad: Arabic dynasty (661-750), with its capital at Damascus, which was marked by a tremendous period of expansion to Spain in the west and India in the east.

Umma: Islamic term for the "community of the faithful."

Chapter 15 Key TermsBuddhism Bushido Chan Buddhism Confucianism DaoDharma Dunhuang Equal-field system Grand Canal HeianNara era Neo-Confucianism Nirvana Samurai SeppukuShintoism Shogun Song Sui Tale of GenjiTang Taizong Uigher Turks Uighurs Xuanzang Zhu Xi


Bushido: The "way of the warrior," the code of conduct of the Japanese samurai that was based on loyalty and honor.

Chan Buddhism: Most popular branch of Buddhism in China, with an emphasis on intuition and sudden flashes of insight instead of textual study.


Dao: Key element in Chinese philosophy that means the "way of nature" or the "way of the cosmos."

Dharma: Hindu concept of obedience to religious and moral laws and order.

Dunhuang: Chinese city located on Silk Road that transmitted Mahayana Buddhism to China.

Equal-field system: Chinese system during the Han dynasty in which the goal was to ensure an equitable distribution of land.

Grand Canal: Project that integrated the economies of northern and southern China.

Heian: Japanese period (794-1185), a brilliant cultural era notable for the world's first novel, Murasaki Shikibu's The Tale of Genji.

Nara era: Japanese period (710-794), centered around city of Nara, that was the highest point of Chinese influence.

Neo-Confucianism: Philosophy that attempted to merge certain basic elements of Confucian and Buddhist thought; most important of the early Neo-Confucianists was the Chinese thinker Zhu Xi (1130-1200).

Nirvana: Buddhist concept of a state of spiritual perfection and enlightenment in which distracting passions are eliminated.

Samurai: A Japanese warrior who lived by the code of bushido.Seppuku: A Japanese term for ritual suicide committed by the samurai when he had been dishonored.

Shintoism: Indigenous Japanese religion that emphasizes purity, clan loyalty, and the divinity of the emperor.

Shogun: Japanese military leader who ruled in place of the emperor.

Song: Chinese dynasty (960-1279) that was marked by an increasingly urbanized and cosmopolitan society.

Sui: Dynasty (589-618) that constructed Grand Canal, reunified China, and allowed for the splendor of the Tang dynasty that followed.

Tale of Genji: Literary work of ancient Japan, written by Murasaki Shikibu.

Tang Taizong: Chinese emperor (r. 627-649) who founded the Tang dynasty (618-907).

Uigher Turks: Clerks, secretaries, and administrators for the Mongol Empire.

Uighurs: Turkish tribe.

Xuanzang: Seventh-century Chinese monk who made a famous trip to India to collect Buddhist texts.

Zhu Xi: Neo-Confucian Chinese philosopher (1130-1200).

Chapter 16 Key TermsAngkor Bhakti Buddhism CasteChola Dhow Funan HinduismJati Monotheism Shiva SrivijayaSufis Sultanate of Delhi Vijayanagar Vishnu

Angkor: Southeast Asian Khmer kingdom (889-1432) that was centered around the temple cities of Angkor Thom and Angkor Wat.

Bhakti: Indian movement that attempted to transcend the differences between Hinduism and Islam.


Caste: Social class system in which distinctions and restrictions on marriage, occupation, handling of food, and other matters are transferred through generations or through class. The term usually refers to the social system of India.

Chola: Southern Indian Hindu kingdom (850-1267), a tightly centralized state that dominated sea trade.

Dhow: Indian, Persian, and Arab ships, one hundred to four hundred tons, that sailed and traded throughout the Indian Ocean basin.

Funan: An empire spanning the first to the sixth century C.E. in present-day Cambodia and Vietnam that adopted Sanskrit as its official language.




Shiva: Hindu god associated with both fertility and destruction.

Srivijaya: Southeast Asian kingdom (670-1025), based on the island of Sumatra, that used a powerful navy to dominate trade.


Sultanate of Delhi: Islamic state in northern India established by Mahmud's successors in 1206 C.E. that began to establish the presence of Islam on the Indian subcontinent.

Vijauanagar: Southern Indian kingdom (1336-1565) that later fell to the Mughals.

Vishnu: Hindu god, preserver of the world, who was often incarnated as Krishna.

Chapter 17 Key TermsAachen Arianism Benefice Carolingian EmpireCarolingians Christianity Clovis FranksHeavy Plow Holy Roman Empire Magyars ManorMissi dominici Serfs

Aachen: The capital of the Carolingian Empire.

Arianism: Early Christian heresy that centered around teaching of Arius (250-336 C.E.) and contained the belief that Jesus was a mortal human being and not coeternal with God; Arianism was the focus of Council of Nicaea.

Benefice: Grant from a lord to a vassal, usually consisting of land, which supported the vassal and signified the relationship between the two.

Carolingian Empire: Royal clan established by Charlemagne, who expanded the Carolingian Empire into Spain, Bavaria, and Northern Italy.

Carolingians: Germanic dynasty that was named after its most famous member, Charlemagne.


Clovis: Leader of the Franks whose conversion to Roman Christianity resulted in the Frankish conversion to Christianity.

Franks: Germanic people who controlled Gaul following Roman decline and collapse.

Heavy Plow: Device of the sixth century permitting the turning of heavy northern soils, rotating crops, and increased agricultural production.

Holy Roman Empire: Central and western European kingdom created at the Treaty of Verdun in in 843 and lasting until 1806.

Magyars: Hungarian invaders who raided towns in Germany, Italy, and France in the ninth and tenth centuries.

Manor: Large estates of the nobles during the European middle ages, home for the majority of the peasants.

Missi dominici: "Envoys of the lord ruler," the noble and church emissaries sent out by Charlemagne.

Serfs: Peasants who, while not chattel slaves, were tied to the land and who owed obligation to the lords on whose land they worked.

Chapter 18 Key TermsAbbasid Bubonic Plague Buddhism ByzantineChaghatai Confucianism Daoism GhaznavidsGolden Horde Ilkhanate Islam IstanbulLamaist Buddhism Muslim Nestorian Ottoman empirePatriarch Saljuqs Shamanism SongSultanate of Delhi Timur-i lang Uigher Turks UlaanbaatarYuan Yurts

Abbasid: Cosmopolitan Arabic dynasty (750-1258) that replaced the Umayyads; founded by Abu al-Abbas and reached its peak under Harun al-Rashid.

Bubonic Plague: Epidemic that swept Eurasia, causing devastating population loss and disruption. Known as the Black Death in Europe after 1350 C.E.


Byzantine: Long-lasting empire centered at Constantinople; it grew out of the end of the Roman empire and carried legacy of Roman greatness and was the only classical society to survive into the early modern age; it reached its early peak during the reign of Justinian (483--565).

Changhatai: One of Chinggis Khan's sons, whose descendants ruled central Asia through the Chaghatai khanate.


Daoism: Chinese philosophy with origins in the Zhou dynasty; it is associated with legendary philosopher Laozi, and it called for a policy of inaction.

Ghaznavids: Turkish tribe under Mahmud of Ghazni who moved into northern India in the eleventh century and began a period of greater Islamic influence in India.

Golden Horde: Mongol tribe that controlled Russia from the thirteenth to the fifteenth centuries.

Ilkhanate: Mongol state that ruled Persia after abolition of the Abbasid empire in the thirteenth century.


Istanbul: The new name of Constantinople after it is sacked by Sultan Mehmed II in 1453.Lamaist Buddhism: Branch of Buddhism that was similar to shamanism in its acceptance of magic and supernatural powers.


Nestorian: Early branch of Christianity, named after the fifth-century Greek theologian Nestorius, that emphasized the human nature of Jesus Christ.

Ottoman empire: Powerful Turkish empire that lasted from the conquest of Constantinople (Istanbul) in 1453 until 1918 and reached its peak during the reign of Süleyman the Magnificent (r. 1520-1566).

Patriarch: Leader of the Greek Orthodox church, which in 1054 officially split with the Pope and the Roman Catholic church.

Saljuqs: Turkish tribe that gained control over the Abbasid empire and fought with the Byzantine empire.

Shamanism: Belief in shamans or religious specialists who possessed supernatural powers and who communicated with the gods and the spirits of nature.

Song: Chinese dynasty (960-1279) that was marked by an increasingly urbanized and cosmopolitan society.

Sultanate of Delhi: Islamic state in northern India established by Mahmud's successors in 1206 C.E. that began to establish the presence of Islam on the Indian subcontinent.

Timur-i lang: "Timur the Lame," known in English as Tamerlane (ca. 1336-1405), who conquered an empire ranging from the Black Sea to Samarkand.

Uigher Turks: Clerks, secretaries, and administrators for the Mongol Empire.

Ulaanbaatar: Mongolian city.

Yuan: Chinese dynasty (1279-1368) that was founded by the Mongol ruler Khubilai Khan.

Yurts: Tents used by nomadic Turkish and Mongol tribes.

Chapter 19 Key TermsAge grades Christianity Diviners Ghana GriotIslam Kilwa Kingdom of Kongo Kongo Koumbi-SalehMali Mansa Musa Mecca Muslim NianiSolomonic Dynasty Songhay Stateless societies Sundiata SwahiliZimbabwe

Age grades: Bantu concept in which individuals of roughly the same age carried out communal tasks appropriate for that age.


Diviners: Mediators between humanity and supernatural beings.

Ghana: Kingdom in West Africa during the fifth through the thirteenth centuries whose rulers eventually converted to Islam; its power and wealth was based on dominating trans-Saharan trade.

Griot: An African musician-storyteller essential to oral storytelling tradition of sub-Saharan Africa.


Kilwa: City-state on the east coast of Africa that exported gold across the Indian Ocean.

Kingdom of Kongo: Kingdom dominating small states along the Congo River that maintained effective centralized government and a royal currency until the seventeenth century.

Kongo: Central African state that began trading with the Portuguese around 1500; although their kings, such as King Affonso I (r. 1506-1543), converted to Christianity, they nevertheless suffered from the slave trade.

Koumbi-Saleh: Important trading city along the trans-Saharan trade route from the eleventh to the thirteenth centuries.

Mali: African kingdom founded in the thirteenth century by Sundiata; it reached its peak during the reign of Mansa Musa.

Mansa Musa: The grandnephew of Sundiata who made a pilgrimage to Mecca in 1324. Upon his return, he built mosques and Islamic schools in Mali.

Mecca: City conquered by Muhammed in 630. He destroyed pagan shrines and erected mosques.Muslim: A follower of Islam.

Niani: The prosperous capital of the Malian Empire that was linked to north Africa by a system of caravan routes.

Solomonic Dynasty: Group in Ethiopia (1300s) claiming descent from Israelite kings.

Songhay: Empire that replaced Mali in the late fifteenth century.

Stateless societies: Term relating to societies such as those of sub-Saharan Africa after the Bantu migrations that featured decentralized rule through family and kinship groups instead of strongly centralized hierarchies.

Sundiata: Founder of the Mali empire (r. 1230-1255), also the inspiration for the Sundiata, an African literary and mythological work.

Swahili: African city-state society that dominated the coast from Mogadishu to Kilwa and was active in trade.

Zimbabwe: Former colony of Southern Rhodesia that gained independence in 1980.

Chapter 20 Key TermsAachen Al-Andalus Albigensian

CrusadeCapetian Carolingians

Cathars Cathedral Schools

Chivalry Christianity Crusades

Fief Guilds Hanseatic League

Heavy Plow Holy Roman Empire

Investiture Islam Muslim Oprichnina RelicsSacraments Schism Scholasticism St. Petersburg Table of RanksTeutonic Knights Three Estates Troubadours Vinland Waldensians

Aachen: The capital of the Carolingian Empire.

Al-Andalus: Islamic Spain.

Albigensian Crusade: The attack and systematic killing of Cathars.

Capetian: Early French dynasty that started with Hugh Capet.

Carolingians: Germanic dynasty that was named after its most famous member, Charlemagne.

Cathars: Medieval heretics, also known as the Albigensians, who considered the material world evil; their followers renounced wealth and marriage and promoted an ascetic existence.

Cathedral Schools: Schools organized by bishops and archbishops in France and northern Italy whose liberal arts curricula often offered instruction in law, medicine, and theology.

Chivalry: European medieval concept, a code of conduct for the knights based on loyalty/honor.


Crusades: Campaigns by Christian knights to seize the holy lands that led to trade with Muslims and the importation of Muslim ideas regarding science and mathematics.

Fief: A grant of land from a lord to a vassal.

Guilds: Socially significant groups of craftspeople who regulated the production, sale, and quality of manufactured goods.

Hanseatic League: Association of trading cities in northern Europe linked by major rivers to the Mediterranean.

Heavy Plow: Device of the sixth century permitting the turning of heavy northern soils, rotating crops, and increased agricultural production.

Holy Roman Empire: Central and western European kingdom created at the Treaty of Verdun in in 843 and lasting until 1806.

Investiture: One aspect of the medieval European church versus state controversy, the granting of church offices by a lay leader.



Oprichnina: A Russian term meaning the "land apart," Muscovite territory that the Russian Tsar Ivan IV (r. 1533-1584) demanded to control; the tsar created a new class of nobles called the oprichniki for this territory.

Relics: Revered artifacts from saints that inspired pilgrimages to cities such as Rome, Compostela, and Jerusalem.

Sacraments: Christian rite mediating or symbolizing divine grace.

Schism: Divide that occurs between Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholic churches in 1054 as a result of political tensions and ritual and doctrinal differences.

Scholasticism: Medieval attempt of thinkers like St. Thomas Aquinas to merge the beliefs of Christianity with the logical rigor of Greek philosophy.

St. Petersburg: New capital built by Peter the Great in 1703. Known as the "window on the west," the city served as headquarters for the navy and government.

Table of Ranks: Bureaucratic reform enacted by Peter the Great allowing social mobility for civil servants by merit and service.

Teutonic Knights: Crusading European order that was active in the Baltic region.

Three Estates: Term for the social classes of the spiritual estate (clergy), the military estate (feudal nobles), and the estate of peasants and serfs.

Troubadours: Minstrels and storytellers, often patronized by aristocratic women, who drew inspiration from the love poetry of Muslim Spain.

Vinland: The area of modern Newfoundland colonized by Vikings led by Leif Ericsson.

Waldensians: Twelfth-century religious reformers who criticized the Roman Catholic church and who proposed that the laity had the right to preach and administer sacraments; they were declared heretics.

Chapter 21 Key TermsAliæi nui Aztec empire Cahokia Chimu ChinampasChucuito Huitzilopochtli Inca empire Iroquois MaraeMétis Oceania Quetzalcoatl Quipu TenochtitlanToltecs Yucatan

Aliæi nui: Hawaiian class of high chiefs.

Aztec empire: Central American empire constructed by the Mexica and expanded greatly during the fifteenth century during the reigns of Itzcoatl and Motecuzoma I.

Cahokia: Large structure in modern Illinois that was constructed by the mound-building peoples; it was the third largest structure in the Americas before the arrival of the Europeans.

Chimu: Pre-Incan South American society that fell to Incas in the fifteenth century.

Chinampas: Style of agriculture used by Mexica (Aztecs) in which fertile muck from lake bottoms was dredged and built up into small plots.

Chucuito: Pre-Incan South American society that rose in the twelfth century and fell to the Incas in the fifteenth century.

Huitzilopochtli: Sun god and patron deity of the Aztecs.

Inca empire: Powerful South American empire that would reach its peak in the fifteenth century during the reigns of Pachacuti Inca and Topa Inca.

Iroquois: Eastern American Indian confederation made up of the Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, Cayuga, and Seneca tribes.

Marae: Polynesian temple structure.

Métis: Canadian term for individuals of mixed European and indigenous ancestry.

Oceania: Term referring to the Pacific Ocean basin and its lands.

Quetzalcoatl: Aztec god, the "feathered serpent," who was borrowed originally from the Toltecs; Quetzalcoatl was believed to have been defeated by another god and exiled, and he promised to return.

Quipu: Incan mnemonic aid comprised of different colored strings and knots that served to record events in the absence of a written text.

Tenochtitlan: Capital of the Aztec empire, later Mexico City.

Toltecs: Central American society (950-1150) that was centered around the city of Tula.

Yucatan: Peninsula in Central America, home of the Maya.

Chapter 22 Key TermsBubonic Plague Christianity Confucianism Eunuchs HumanistsHundred Years War Ibn Battuta Islam Mali Mandate of HeavenMelaka Ming Muslim Qadis Spanish Inquisition

Sufis Yongle

Bubonic Plague: Epidemic that swept Eurasia, causing devastating population loss and disruption. The plague was known as the Black Death in Europe after 1350 C.E.



Eurnuchs: Castrated males, originally in charge of the harem, who grew to play major roles in government; eunuchs were common in China and other societies.

Humanists: Renaissance scholars interested in moral philosophy, history, and literature, drawing inspiration from classical texts.

Hundred Years War: Conflict between France and England (1337-1453) over control of lands in France.

Ibn Battuta: An Islamic Scholar (1304-1369) who served as qadi to the sultan of Delhi and offered counsel to Muslim rulers in west Africa.


Mali: African kingdom founded in the thirteenth century by Sundiata; it reached its peak during the reign of Mansa Musa.

Mandate of Heaven: Chinese belief that the emperors ruled through the mandate, or approval, of heaven contingent on their ability to look after the welfare of the population.

Melaka: Powerful Islamic state of the fifteenth century in southeast Asia.

Ming: Chinese dynasty (1368-1644) founded by Hongwu and known for its cultural brilliance.


Qadis: Islamic judges.

Spanish Inquistion: Institution organized in 1478 by Fernando and Isabel of Spain to hunt out heretical or contrary opinions; subjects of persecution included Protestants, Jews, Muslims, and witches.


Yongle: Chinese Ming emperor (r. 1403-1424) who pushed for foreign exploration and promoted cultural achievements such as the Yongle Encyclopedia.

Documents

Chapters 1-22 Parts I-III Key Terms Glossaryteachers.sduhsd.net/kjones/documents/KeyTermsCh1to22.doc · Web viewVarna: Hindu word for caste. Varuna: Aryan god who watched over the