Unit 2 Vocab

Confucius

A Chinese philosopher and teacher who's students created a belief system off of his teachings

Daoism

A Chinese philosophy that believed in a simple life where government and education were irrelevant

Confucianism

A Chinese philosophy that believes in a strong government and honor of family members

Socrates

A Classical Greek philosopher who once said that an oracle of the gods had pronounced him the wisest of all people

Aristotle

A Greek philosopher who wrote books on politics and physics and was the tutor of Alexander the Great

Bhagavad Gita

A Hindu scripture written in Sanskrit that is part of the Hindu epic Mahabharta

Polis (poleis)

A city state in Ancient Greece, especially as considered in its ideal form for philosophical purposes

Caste System

A class structure that is determined by birth

Dao De Jing

A classic Chinese text with Chinese philosophies

Rock and Pillar Edicts

A collection of 33 inscriptions on the pillars of Ashoka and boulders or cave walls

Terracotta Warriors

A collection of clay warriors made to protect Shihuangdi in the afterlife

Vedas Upanishads

A collection of texts which contain Hinduism beliefs, and some Buddhism and Jainism

Silk Roads

A collection of trade routes that run across Eurasia and allowed religions to spread

Plebeians

A commoner in Ancient Rome

Tyrants

A cruel and oppressive ruler

Direct Democracy

A form of democracy is a form of democracy in which people decide policy initiatives directly

Parthenon

A former temple built in Athens, Greece to honor the goddess Athena

Qanat

A gently sloping underground tunnel used for irrigation purposes

Mauryan Dynasty

A geographically extensive Iron Age historical power in ancient India

Satraps

A governor of a province under the ancient Persian monarchy

Mother Civilization

A great widespread influence

Dharma

A key concept with multiple meanings in Indian religions, the principle of comic orders

Chandragupta

A king of the Mauryan Dynasty

Latifundia

A large estate or ranch in Ancient Rome, typically worked by slaves

Common Currency

A money system used in more than one state or country

White Huns

A nomadic confederation in Central Asia who expanded their domain westward in the 5th century

Jainism

A non-theistic religion founded in India, salvation by perfect successive lives

Buddhism

A non-theistic religion that bases it's life on the teachings of Buddha

Yellow Turban Rebellion

A peasant revolt in China against the Han Dynasty during the reign of Emperor Ling

Plato

A philosopher and mathematician in Greece, was a student of Socrates and became the teacher of Aristotle, founded a school in Athens called the Academy

Kushan Empire

A powerful empire in the north-west between the 1st and 3rd centuries ad

Avestas

A primary collection of sacred texts of Zoroastrianism

Provinces

A principal administrative division of certain countries or empire

Mesoamerica

A region and cultural area in the Americas extending from Central Mexico to northern Costa Rica

City state

A region of land that although part of a larger country, has it's own independent government

Persian Wars

A series of conflicts between the Persian Empire and Greek city-states

Oligarchy

A small group of people having control of a country, organization, or institution

Republic

A state in which the supreme power is held by the people and their elected representatives

Democracy

A system of government in which power is vested in the people

Checks and Balances

A system used to make sure no one branch of government is too powerful

Representing Democracy

A variety of democracy founded on the principle of elec

Ashoka Maurya

An Indian emperor of the Mauryan Dynasty

Delian League

An alliance of Ancient Greek states formed in 478-477 BCE to fight Persia

Gupta Dynasty

An ancient Indian empire founded by Maharaja Sri Gupta that covered much of the Indian subcontinent

Teotihuacan

An ancient city located in Mesoamerica in the sub valley of the Valley of Mexico

Royal Road

An ancient highway rebuilt by Darius I (Persian King) in the 5th century BCE

Patricians

An aristocrat or nobleman

Caravansary

An inn with a central courtyard for caravan travelers in the desert

Civil Service Examination

An intense exam given by Chinese educators to determine rulers for smaller states

Consuls

An official appointed by a government to live in a foreign city and protect and promote the government's citizens and interests there

Tribunes

An official in Ancient Rome chosen by the plebeians to protect their interests

Xiongnu

Ancient nomadic people who formed a state north of the Han Dynasty

Monasteries

Buildings occupied by monks living under religious vows

Shihuangdi

Conquered all warring states in China and had an impressive tomb

Secular government

Denoting attitudes, activities, or other things that have no religious or spiritual basis

Zarathustra

Founder of Zoroastrianism

Alexander the Great

King of Macedon, who conquered Greece, Egypt, the Persian Empire, and founded Alexandria

Darius I

King of Persia 521-486 BCE, extended the Persian Empire and crushed the revolt of the Ionian States

Cyrus the Great

King of Persia and founder of the Persian Empire

Zoroastrianism

Old monotheistic religion that was founded by the prophet Zoroaster in ancient Iran

Hellenistic Period

Relating to Greek history, language, and culture from the death of Alexander the Great to the defeat of Cleopatra and Mark Antony

Brahma

The God of Hinduism

Dao

The absolute principle that represents the harmony and order of the ying yang

Karma

The idea that someone's actions will later effect their future

Laws of the Twelve Tables

The modern legislation that stood at the foundation of Roman Law

Siddhartha Guatama

The prince who left his life to become the founder of Buddhism and later became known as Buddha

Ahimsa

The principle of non-violence to all living things

Han Dynasty

The second imperial dynasty that lasted for four centuries and is considered the Golden Age of China

Maya

The supernatural power wielded by gods and demons to produce illusions

Enlightenment

To give intellectual or spiritual light

Senate

Various legislative or governing bodies, in particular

Four Noble Truths

The four central beliefs containing the essence of Buddhist teaching

Stirrup

Each of a pair of devices attached to each side of a horse's saddle, in the form of a loop with a flat base to support the rider's foot

Aristocracy

The highest class in certain societies, especially those holding hereditary titles or offices

Indian Ocean Sea Lanes

Lanes throughout the Indian Ocean that connect Africa, Middle East, India, and Asia (trade depending on demands)

Achaemenid Empire

The first Persian Empire based in Western Asia and founded by Cyrus the Great

Qin Dynasty

The first unified dynasty that lasted 15 years but influenced Chinese culture greatly

Homer

The author of the Iliad and the Odyssey (the Iliad was

Reincarnation

The belief that when a soul dies it is brought back but in a different form

Syncretic

The combination of different forms of belief systems or practices

Slash-and-Burn Agriculture

The cutting and burning of plants in forests or woodlands to create fields

Nirvana

The final goal of Buddhism, to be released from subjects of karma and the cycle of death and rebirth