History 130 A midterm updated

Kublai Khan

Kublai Khan, the grandson of Genghis Khan, was a Mongol ruler who founded the Yuan Dynasty in China. He is known for his role in expanding the Mongol Empire and his establishment of the Yuan Dynasty as the first non-Chinese ruler of a united China in the 13th century.

Abbas ibn Firnas

Abbas ibn Firnas was an Andalusian polymath who lived in the 9th century. He is known for his pioneering contributions to various fields, including flight, optics, and engineering. He conducted early experiments with flight technology by creating a rudimentary hang glider.

Adam Smith

Adam Smith was an 18th-century Scottish economist and philosopher. He is known as the "father of modern economics" for his influential work, "The Wealth of Nations." Smith's ideas laid the foundation for classical economics and emphasized the role of free markets, self-interest, and the "invisible hand" in promoting economic growth and prosperity.

Akbar

Akbar the Great was a Mughal emperor who ruled India in the 16th century. He is known for his efforts to promote religious tolerance, administrative reforms, and cultural achievements. Akbar is often regarded as one of the most influential emperors in Indian history.

Al-Andalus

Al-Andalus refers to the Iberian Peninsula under Muslim rule, particularly during the period of the Umayyad Caliphate in the 8th to the 15th centuries. It was a center of learning, culture, and a unique blend of Islamic, Christian, and Jewish influences.

Jizya

Jizya is a tax historically imposed on non-Muslims living in Islamic states. It was one of the sources of revenue for Islamic rulers. Non-Muslims paid jizya in exchange for protection and the right to practice their faith. Jizya played a role in the interactions between Muslim and non-Muslim communities during various historical periods.

Isfahan

Isfahan, located in modern-day Iran, was a prominent city during various historical periods, including the Safavid dynasty in the 17th century. It was celebrated for its architecture, Persian art, and the creation of the Safavid capital, which included stunning monuments and squares.

James Cook

James Cook was an 18th-century British explorer and navigator known for his voyages of exploration and discovery. He charted the coastlines of Australia and New Zealand, made significant contributions to understanding the Pacific, and played a pivotal role in British exploration and colonization.

Mansa Musa

Mansa Musa was a 14th-century ruler of the Mali Empire in West Africa. He is renowned for being one of the wealthiest individuals in history. His famous pilgrimage to Mecca in 1324-1325 brought a great deal of gold, which was spent generously along the way. This pilgrimage and his wealth contributed to the recognition of Mali and its cities as centers of learning and culture during the Middle Ages.

Mercantilism:

Mercantilism was an economic theory and policy that dominated European economic thought from the 16th to the 18th century. It emphasized that a country's wealth and power were determined by its accumulation of precious metals, especially gold and silver. Mercantilist policies included export promotion, import restrictions, and the establishment of colonies to secure raw materials. European colonial powers used mercantilism to build vast overseas empires.

Safavid Empire

The Safavid Empire, which existed from the early 16th to the early 18th century, was one of the great Persian empires in Iran. It was founded by Shah Ismail I and became known for its Twelver Shia Islam state religion. The Safavids engaged in cultural and political rivalries with the Ottoman Empire, leaving a significant impact on the history and culture of the region.

Atlantic System

The Atlantic System refers to the complex network of trade and migration that connected Europe, Africa, and the Americas during the Age of Exploration and the Atlantic slave trade. It involved the exchange of goods, culture, and people across the Atlantic Ocean, with significant economic, social, and political consequences.

Black Death

The Black Death, occurring in the 14th century, was one of the deadliest pandemics in human history. It was caused by the bubonic plague bacterium. The disease spread across Europe, Asia, and Africa, leading to the death of an estimated 75-200 million people. The Black Death had far-reaching social, economic, and political consequences, including labor shortages, religious and cultural changes, and shifts in power dynamics.

The Cape of Good Hope

The Cape of Good Hope is a prominent headland in South Africa. It became a crucial point on maritime routes during the Age of Exploration. Portuguese explorer Bartolomeu Dias first rounded the Cape in 1488, opening a sea route to the Indian Ocean. It played a pivotal role in global trade and exploration.

The Columbian Exchange

The Columbian Exchange was a transformative period in the late 15th and early 16th centuries following Christopher Columbus's voyages to the Americas. It refers to the exchange of plants, animals, ideas, technology, and diseases between the Old World (Europe, Africa, and Asia) and the New World (the Americas). The Columbian Exchange had profound effects on both hemispheres, including the introduction of new crops, animals, and diseases.

The Crusades

The Crusades were a series of military campaigns in the Middle Ages, launched by European Christians to regain control of the Holy Land (Jerusalem and surrounding areas) from Muslim forces. They spanned from the 11th to the 13th centuries and had profound effects on religious, political, and cultural interactions between Europe and the Middle East.

Devshirme System

The Devshirme system was a practice in the Ottoman Empire in which Christian boys were conscripted, converted to Islam, and trained to become soldiers and bureaucrats. This system contributed to the growth of the Ottoman ruling class and its military power

The Dutch East India Company (VOC)

The Dutch East India Company, known as the Vereenigde Oost-Indische Compagnie (VOC) in Dutch, was a major trading and colonial power during the 17th and 18th centuries. It played a vital role in the Dutch Golden Age and was one of the first multinational corporations. The VOC was involved in trade and colonization in Asia, including present-day Indonesia.

Enlightenment

The Enlightenment was an intellectual and cultural movement that swept across Europe during the 17th and 18th centuries. It emphasized reason, science, individual rights, and the pursuit of knowledge. Enlightenment thinkers like Voltaire, Rousseau, and Locke played a crucial role in shaping modern political and philosophical thought. The Enlightenment contributed to the development of democratic ideals and the spread of education.

The Little Ice Age:

The Little Ice Age was a period of cooler temperatures that occurred from the late Middle Ages to the 19th century. It brought about colder winters, glacier advances, and crop failures in various parts of the world. This climatic period had significant impacts on agriculture, economies, and societies.

Ming China

The Ming Dynasty was a Chinese dynasty that ruled from the 14th to the 17th century. It followed the collapse of the Mongol Yuan Dynasty and is known for restoring Chinese rule, promoting culture and the arts, and constructing the Great Wall of China.

Mughal Empire

The Mughal Empire was a powerful and culturally rich empire that existed in the Indian subcontinent from the early 16th century to the mid-19th century. It was founded by Babur and is known for its significant contributions to art, architecture, and culture, including the construction of the Taj Mahal. The Mughal Empire was a major player in the history of India and had a lasting impact on the region.

The Qing Dynasty

The Qing Dynasty was the last imperial dynasty of China, ruling from the mid-17th century to the early 20th century. It was founded by the Manchu people. The Qing Dynasty is known for its expansion, consolidation of power, and efforts to preserve traditional Chinese culture.

The Reformation

The Reformation was a religious and cultural movement that began in the early 16th century, primarily in Europe. Led by figures like Martin Luther and John Calvin, it challenged the authority of the Roman Catholic Church and resulted in the formation of Protestant Christian denominations. The Reformation had profound effects on religion, politics, and society, leading to religious wars and the establishment of new Christian traditions.

Spanish Reconquista

The Spanish Reconquista was a centuries-long campaign by Christian kingdoms in the Iberian Peninsula to recapture territory from Muslim rulers. It began in the 8th century and concluded in 1492 when the Catholic Monarchs, Ferdinand and Isabella, captured Granada, marking the end of Muslim rule in Spain.

Taj Mahal

The Taj Mahal is a world-famous white marble mausoleum built in the 17th century by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan in Agra, India. It was constructed in memory of his wife Mumtaz Mahal and is celebrated for its stunning architecture and as a symbol of love.

The Thirty Years War

The Thirty Years War, which occurred from 1618 to 1648, was one of the most devastating conflicts in European history. It started as a religious war between Catholic and Protestant states but evolved into a series of conflicts involving major European powers. The war had widespread political, religious, and social consequences, reshaping the map of Europe and leading to significant loss of life and destruction.

Tokugawa Japan

The Tokugawa Shogunate, also known as the Edo period, was a time of relative peace and isolation in Japan that lasted from the early 17th century to the mid-19th century. It was characterized by a strict social hierarchy, urbanization, and the centralization of power under the Tokugawa shoguns. The period ended with the Meiji Restoration, which led to the modernization of Japan.

Yuan Dynasty

The Yuan Dynasty was a Chinese dynasty established by Kublai Khan in the 13th century, following the Mongol conquest of China. It marked a significant period in Chinese history, characterized by Mongol rule, cultural exchanges, and the Pax Mongolica, a time of relative peace and stability.

Topkapi Palace

Topkapi Palace, located in Istanbul, Turkey, was the primary residence of the Ottoman sultans for nearly 400 years. It served as the administrative and ceremonial center of the Ottoman Empire and is renowned for its exquisite architecture and rich history.

The Voyages of Zheng He

Zheng He was a Chinese explorer who lived during the Ming Dynasty in the 15th century. He is known for leading seven major naval expeditions that explored parts of Southeast Asia, South Asia, the Indian Ocean, and East Africa. Zheng He's voyages were significant in the context of early maritime exploration, diplomacy, and trade. They demonstrated China's naval power and facilitated cultural exchange.