Ap world Terms

Wang Mang

"the Socialist Emperor", 9-23 CE, attempts to redistribute land to peasants and farmers, foreshadows communism in China and highlights the land problem

Shihuangdi

Qin dynasty, China's first emperor, a centralized bureaucracy and the tradition of, common Chinese script, conscription into army leads to rebellion, tyrannical and authoritarian, beginning of Great Wall, terra cotta army

Neolithic/Agricultural Revolution (effects of)

emergence of towns (jericho), specialization of labor, beginnings of social and gender distinctions, become settled and form communities, cultivation of agriculture leads to population growth and development of complex society

Peloponnesian War

fought between Athens and Sparta (and allies), determine which city state would lead rest of Greece, resulted in defeat for Athens and an end of her empire, but symbolized beginning of general decline of Greek city states

Bhagavad Gita

message of this epic is that salvation is attained by adhering to ones caste responsibilities

Indo-Europeans

migrate from somewhere near the Ukraine, domesticate horses and spread language which becomes the basis of many others

Homo-sapiens-Sapiens (Cro-Magnon)

modern humans c. 40,000 BCE, Venus figurines and cave paintings, beginnings of polytheism

Hittites

most influential of the Indo-Europeans, invented the war chariot, conquer Babylon c. 1600 BCE

Buddhism and the silk roads

most popular religion in east Asia in post classical period due to spread on silk roads

religions of salvation (Isis, Cybele,Mithras)

mystery cults that spread throughout the Roman empire, important bc help to pave the way for the acceptance of Christianity on a mass scale

Zoroastrianism

quasi monotheism religion of ancient Persia, judgement of souls and division of absolute good and evil, influenced by Christianity and Islam

Sargon of Akkad

ruled the first regional empire in history c 2300 BCE

Greek philosophy and drama

1st people to approach world in purely philosophical and rational way, Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, invented drama, festivals, comedies and tragedies

democracy vs oligarchy

2 forms of government in Greek city states; "power of the people", by a citizen assembly and direct participation, Athens vs. "rule by the few", limited participation, a dominance by wealthy or nobility

spread of Christianity, Jesus, Peter, Paul

3 seminal figures in early spread of Christianity, Jesus- a message of peace and forgiveness epitomized in the Sermon on the Mount, Perter- 1st bishop of Rome, died a martyr under the emperor Nero, Paul- epistles and teachings most important element in early spread

Period of the Warring States

403-221 BCE, intense chaos and military rivalry in China, ends with rise of the Qin dynasty, thought of Confucius

Abraham to Moses (monotheism)

Abraham's migrations from Ur to Palestine c. 1800 BCE, the Israelites are the first monotheists in history, Ten Commandments and the Torah

Hindu terms

Brahman, samsara, karma, moksha

St. Augustine of Hippo

Christian bishop who wrote The City of God, put an intellectual stamp and viability on Christianity

goods of the Roman empire

glassware, jewelry, art, perfume, pottery, iron, silver bullion, gold

Aristotle

Greek philosopher, very influential on Middle Ages (Christian scholarship- scholasticism), and Islamic scholarship

polis

Greek word for city state, Greece was divided politically into many poleis, two most prominent being Athens and Sparta,

philosophy (stoics and epicureans)

Hellenistic philosophies which spread throughout the Mediterranean world, Stoics believed in a rigid devotion to duty, an active political life, idea that all men are brothers (cf in Christianity the idea that we are all God's children), Epicureans believed that happiness consisted in pleasure (absence of pain), politics was a destructive practice, Stoicism:Epicureanism::Confucianism:Daoism

Upanishads

Hindu teachings set apart from Vedas, commentaries on spiritual matters, including reincarnation, cycle of life, death, rebirth, unification with the universal soul (Brahman)

Aryans

Indo Europeans who migrate to the Indus valley c. 1500 BCE

lex talionis

Latin for the law of retribution, an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, prevalent in Hammurabi's code

Alexander the Great

Macedonian king who engaged in swift conquest of Persian empire, as far as Hindu Kush, founded Alexandria in Egypt, spread Greek culture throughout Asia, dream- build a community of Greeks and Persians and rule a universal empire, death in 323 marks beginning of Hellenistic period where Greek culture is spread throughout Mediterranean and Asia

ziggurats

Mesopotamian temples built to commune with gods

Achaemenid Empire

Persian empire of classical period, Darius I, Xerxes, Darius III, from Asia Minor to Indus valley

Hindu epics

Ramayana and Mahabharata

Pax Romana

Roman Peace, period of prosperity and stability at the height of the Roman empire and Roman civilization, produced great literature, art, philosophy, architecture, attained its territorial apex

Diocletian

Roman emperor who established the Tetrarchy (rule of four), divided the empire into 4 zones with 2 senior and 2 junior emperors, solution provided a temporary fix

Constantine

Rome's first Christian emperor, death bed conversion in 337 CE marked a great transition point in the Roman Empire, Christianity spread substantially fast after his conversion, founded city of Constantinople (Byzantium) in 330 CE

Gupta Dynasty

decentralized empire of late classical period, brief stability and prosperous economic times, ended by the invasion of White Huns

Athens

democracy, open society

Spartacus

Thracian slave and former gladiator who launched a 3 year slave rebellion in Italy (73-71 BCE), defeated multiple Roman armies, ex of resistance to slavery in classical period

Karma

action or deed

Augustus

adopted son of Caesar who became Rome's first emperor, inaugurated the Pax Romana which lasted until 180 BCE, found Rome a city of brick and left it a city of marble

Roman expansion

after the Punic Wars with Carthage set out to conquer the Mediterranean basin, including Spain, north Africa, Greece, Egypt, Asia Minor

Sparta

austere, militaristic life, women enjoyed most freedom in Greek society

Indian Ocean trade

becomes great mercantile link in the classical period, connected North Africa, Mediterranean, Arabian peninsula, East Asia in trade networks

Han Dynasty

c. 200 BCE - 200 CE, state control of monopolies (iron, salt, liquor), military expansion and conquest, imperial university based on Confucianism, extensive bureaucracy, economic prosperity of iron, silk, paper

Maya

civilization which developed in Mexico (c. 300-900), maize, ritual bloodletting and mythic traditions (Popul Vuh), temple complexes astronomical observations, pictographic writing, large peasant class, nobility and merchant class hereditary

metallurgy from bronze to iron

common feature of early complex societies is this transition

complex society (development of)

common features, Bronze to iron metallurgy, development of religion, irrigation, specialization of labor, writing (except in Andean cultures- South America), trade networks, patriarchal social order, epic/mythological traditions

mandate of heaven

concept that emperor was given the right to rule by the gods, a right which was forfeit if the ruler did not perform his duties correctly

specialization of labor

creation of first jobs, leads to social distinctions based on wealth and eventually gender, Catal Huyuk evidence

four aims of life (Hinduism)

dharma(righteousness), artha(prosperity), kama(pleasure), moksha(salvation), based on active living through the caste system unlike Buddhism which is based on reflection

Julius Caesar

dictator of Rome who was assassinated in 44 BCE by a group of senators led by Marcus Brutus, brought Gaul(France) into the Roman Empire, an attempt to free Rome of autocratic rule and preserve the Republic

Zhou literary culture

earliest forms of literature in China, Books of Changes, History, Etiquette, Songs

oracle bones

evidence of writing early in China's history, writing is used to keep records and serve the interests of the state

Roman monarchy to republic

expel their kings and create a representative form of government in 510 CE, aristocratic revolt began after the son of the last king raped a noble woman, Lucretia, who committed suicide

Greek colonization

extensive colonization of Mediterranean world, Asia Minor, Sicily, southern Italy, led to extensive trade and interaction with Egypt, Phoenicians, Persians

early Greece- Minoans & Mycenaeans

first 2 civilizations of ancient Greece, on island of Crete and Linear A & mainland, epic tradition of Homer

Menes

first Pharaoh of Egypt c. 3100 BCE, united lower and upper Egypt, the region of the Nile and its delta

cuneiform

first system of writing, developed by the Mesopotamians, wedge shaped letters

Hammurbi (law code of)

first written code of laws, made distinctions based on social class and gender, favored the classes

Zhou dynasty

followed by the Shang 1122-256 BCE, decentralized politically, its rulers were the first to claim the mandate of heaven

tyranny

form of government in which one seized power illegally, tyrants were not generally considered evil, paved way to democracy or oligarchy in Greek city states

Chandragupta Maurya

founder of the Mauryan dynasty of India

Lucius Brutus

founder of the Roman Republic and first consul, led the aristocratic revolt against the last of the kings (Tarquin the proud)

Division of caste system

four, priests (Brahmins) nobles (Kshatriyas) merchants (Vaishyas) peasants (Shudras)

Pharaoh

god king on earth of the ancient Egyptians, claimed an absolute author that was sanctioned by divine power, establishes a centralized rule

Ashoka

grandson of Chandragupta Maurya, "emperor of emperors", military conquests led him toward Buddhism, Rock and Pillar edicts, then Mauryan empire falls apart due to taxation and over expansion

Chichen Itza

great Mayan temple on Yucatan peninsula

Persepolis

great administrative center of Achaemenid Empire

Barracks Emperors

group of emperors during the third century CE in the Roman empire, over 30 of them in a 50 yr period, period of tumult for Rome and the beginning of her decline as an empire

caste system

hierarchical social system of Hindu belief, with 4 divisions

Paleolithic society

humans forage for food, hunting and gathering economies prohibit the accumulation of wealth and probably create social and gender equality, beginning of permanent societies (Jomon, Nautafian, Chinook)

Persian Wars

invade Greece twice in 490 and 480 BCE, defeat leads to rise of Athens

Nubia/Kush

kingdom located to the south of Egypt, is conquered early in Egyptian history, history of trade (expeditions of Harkhuf), warfare, and intermarriage as forces of interaction with Egypt, Candace (female rulers), conquer Egypt c 700 BCE

Yellow Turban Rebellion

led by Daoist rebels, military event, along with invasions of nomadic Xiongnu led to downfall of Han

Moksha

liberation from reincarnation (samsara)

barbarians

massive incursions from the Asiatic steppe place pressure on Rome's borders, begin to settle within the Roman empire, Rome is sacked twice in 5th century (Visigoths, Vandals), and almost a third time (Huns), finally captured in 476 CE and move into provinces of Roman Empire, creating the future ancestors of modern Europeans

lack of organized religion in China

no formal religious figures, but a heavy emphasis is placed on the worship of one's ancestors

Early Andean South America

no writing!, Chauvin

civil wars: Marius vs. Sulla, Caesar vs. Pompey

occur bc the armies of the late Republic became dependent upon, and loyal to, their generals instead of to the senate and people of Rome

Pyramid at Giza

oldest of the pyramid structures c. 2500, pyramids were burial shrines for the Pharaoh in his attempt to be one with god

satraps

persian governors and administrators, emperor oversaw them yet granted local autonomy

Pan-Hellenism

phenomenon of cultural unity among ancient Greeks, form of polytheistic mythology, Olympic games, military unity against Persians

Confucianism

philosophy developed by Chinese sage Confucius, cultivating Junzi "scholarly gentlemen", good government arise when good people in positions

Daoism

philosophy of Lao Tzu, on wuwei disengagement, ambition and desire create conflict so avoid public life

Jainism

philosophy rejects caste system, based on ahimsa (non violence), Gandhi influenced by it

Samsara

reincarnation

Vedas

religious hymns to the Aryan gods written in Sanskrit, spiritual texts form the foundation for Hinduism, Rig Veda, "wisdom" or "knowledge"

Roman government during the Republic

representative government that was dominated by the aristocracy (patricians), two consuls, a senate, tribunes with veto power (plebeians), censors etc, division of the social orders: Patrician vs Plebeians, basis for the future idea of separation of powers

Hyksos

semitic people who conquer Egypt by using war chariots c. 1700 BCE, then Egyptians adopt the chariot and drive them out c. 1550

Mesopotamia

settlement around the Tigris and Euphrates and name show importance of water in early complex society, city states founded by Sumerians c. 4000 BCE, emergence of monarchy and warrior class, language (cuneiform), government sponsored buildings projects (ziggurats, irrigation), polytheistic religion and hero cults- Epic of Gilgamesh

goods from China and India

silk and ginger; cinnamon, pepper, and other spices, cotton textiles

terminus cities of the silk roads- Tyre and Antioch

silk roads began as fast east as Chiang'an (capital of ancient China) and ended at Tyre (once great Phoenician city on coast of Mediterranean) and Antioch in Anatolia (Asia Minor)

patriarchal society

society dominated by men in almost all aspects, women possess limited control over the house and home, but fathers and husbands dictate the behavior of women

monsoon system

storm and wind patterns of the Indian Ocean, vast exchange of maritime commerce develops after learn the pattern

jati

subcastes, further division of caste members into more specific jobs based on familial inheritance

hieroglyphics

system of pictographic writing developed by the ancient Egyptians, deciphered through Rosetta Stone

Yellow and Yangzi Rivers

two bodies of water around which Chinese civilization develops, flooding of Yellow river "China's Sorrow"

Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro

two earliest cities of the Indus valley, evidence of a distinction between wealth and poor based on the archeological record

Brahman

universal soul, foundation of existence

Legalism

what is in best interests of state, whether moral or not, is the right thing to do, harsh efficient ruthless form of rule, harsh punishment and collective responsibility helped end Period of Warring States

goods of the Hellenistic world

wine, olive oil, pottery, art, jewelry, slaves flow out

Egyptian customs (deities, religions, etc)

worship of the Pharaoh as a god king, mummification (Anubis), Amon-Re the sun god, Isis, Osiris, polytheistic religion, patriarchal society, but women could own property, regency of queen Hatshepsut, right to divorce