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
