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AP World History - Period 2 Flashcards

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11237781823Ahura MazdaIn Zoroastrianism, the good god who rules the world.0
11237781824Alexander the GreatAlexander III of Macedon (356-323 B.C.E.), conqueror of the Persian Empire and part of northwest India.1
11237781825AryansIndo-European pastoralists who moved into India about the time of the collapse of the Indus Valley civilization; their role in causing this collapse is still debated by historians.2
11237781826AshokaThe most famous ruler of the Mauryan Empire (r. 268-232 B.C.E.), who converted to Buddhism and tried to rule peacefully and with tolerance.3
11237781827Caesar AugustusThe great-nephew and adopted son of Julius Caesar who emerged as sole ruler of the Roman state at the end of an extended period of civil war (r. 31 B.C.E.-14 C.E.).4
11237781828Cyrus (the Great)Founder of the Persian Empire (r. 557-530 B.C.E.); a ruler noted for his conquests, religious tolerance, and political moderation.5
11237781829Darius IGreat king of Persia (r. 522-486 B.C.E.) following the upheavals after Cyrus's death; completed the establishment of the Persian Empire.6
11237781830Greco-Persian WarsTwo major Persian invasions of Greece, in 490 B.C.E. and 480 B.C.E., in which the Persians were defeated on both land and sea.7
11237781831Gupta EmpireAn empire of India (320-550 C.E.).8
11237781832Han dynastyChinese dynasty that restored unity in China softened legalist policies. Begun in 202 B.C. by Liu Bang, the dynasty ruled China for more than 400 years.9
11237781833Hellenistic eraThe period from 323 to 30 B.C.E. in which Greek culture spread widely in Eurasia in the kingdoms ruled by Alexander's political successors.10
11237781834HerodotusGreek historian known as the "father of history" (ca. 484-ca. 425 B.C.E.). His Histories enunciated the Greek view of a fundamental divide between East and West, culminating in the Greco-Persian Wars of 490-480 B.C.E.11
11237781835hopliteA heavily armed Greek infantryman. Over time, the ability to afford a military wares and to fight for the city came to define Greek citizenship.12
11237781836IoniaThe territory of Greek settlements on the coast of Anatolia; the main bone of contention between the Greeks and the Persian Empire.13
11237781837Mandate of HeavenThe ideological underpinning of Chinese emperors, this was the belief that a ruler held authority by command of divine force as long as he ruled morally and benevolently.14
11237781838Battle of MarathonAthenian victory over a Persian invasion in 490 B.C.E.15
11237781839Mauryan EmpireA major empire (322-185 B.C.E.) that encompassed most of India.16
11237781840PatriciansWealthy, privileged Romans who dominated early Roman society.17
11237781841Pax RomanaThe "Roman peace," a term typically used to denote the stability and prosperity of the early Roman Empire, especially in the first and second centuries C.E.18
11237781842Peloponnesian WarGreat war between Athens (and allies) and Sparta (and allies), lasting from 431 to 404 B.C.E. The conflict ended in the defeat of Athens and the closing of Athens's Golden Age.19
11237781843PersepolisThe capital and greatest palace-city of the Persian Empire, destroyed by Alexander the Great.20
11237781844Persian EmpireA major empire that expanded from the Iranian plateau to incorporate the Middle East from Egypt to India; flourished from around 550 to 330 B.C.E.21
11237781845PlebiansPoorer, less privileged Romans who gradually won a role in Roman politics.22
11237781846Punic WarsThree major wars between Rome and Carthage in North Africa, fought between 264 and 146 B.C.E., that culminated in Roman victory and control of the western Mediterranean.23
11237781847Qin DynastyA short-lived (221-206 B.C.E.) but highly influential Chinese dynasty that succeeded in reuniting China at the end of the Warring States period.24
11237781848Qin ShihuangdiLiterally "first emperor" (r. 221-210 B.C.E.) forcibly reunited China and established a strong and repressive state.25
11237781849SolonAthenian statesman and lawmaker (fl. 594-560 B.C.E.) whose reforms led the Athenians toward democracy.26
11237781850WudiHan emperor (r. 141-86 B.C.E.) who began the Chinese civil service system by establishing an academy to train imperial bureaucrats.27
11237781851XiongnuNomadic peoples to the north of the Great Wall of China who were a frequent threat to the stability of the Chinese state.28
11237781852AristotleA Greek polymath philosopher (384-322 B.C.E.); student of Plato and teacher of Alexander the Great.29
11237781853Bhagavad GitaA great Hindu epic text, part of the much larger Mahabharata, which affirms the performance of caste duties as a path to religious liberation.30
11237781854BrahmanThe "World Soul" or final reality in upanishadic Hindu belief.31
11237781855BrahminsThe priestly caste of India.32
11237781856BuddhismThe cultural/religious tradition first enunciated by Siddhartha Gautama33
11237781857ConfucianismThe Chinese philosophy first enunciated by Confucius, advocating the moral example of superiors as the key element of social order.34
11237781858ConfuciusThe founder of Confucianism (551-479 B.C.E.); an aristocrat of northern China who proved to be the greatest influence on Chinese culture in its history.35
11237781859ConstantineRoman emperor (r. 306-337 C.E.) whose conversion to Christianity paved the way for the triumph of Christianity in Europe.36
11237781860DaoismA Chinese philosophy/popular religion that advocates simplicity and understanding of the world of nature, founded by the legendary figure Laozi.37
11237781861Filial pietyThe honoring of one's ancestors and parents, a key element of Confucianism.38
11237781862Greek rationalismA secularizing system of scientific and philosophic thought that developed in classical Greece in the period 600 to 300 B.C.E.; it emphasized the power of education and human reason to understand the world in nonreligious terms.39
11237781863HinduismA word derived from outsiders to describe the vast diversity of indigenous Indian religious traditions.40
11237781864HippocratesA very influential Greek medical theorist (ca. 460-ca. 370 B.C.E.); regarded as the father of medicine.41
11237781865Jesus of NazarethThe prophet/god of Christianity(ca. 4 B.C.E.-ca. 30 C.E.).42
11237781866YahwehA form of the Hebrew name of God used in the Bible. The monotheistic religion developed by the Hebrews, emphasizing a sole personal god with concerns for social justice.43
11237781867KarmaIn Hinduism, the determining factor of the level at which the individual is reincarnated, based on purity of action and fulfillment of duty in the prior existence.44
11237781868LaoziA legendary Chinese philosopher of the sixth century B.C.E.; regarded as the founder of Daoism.45
11237781869LegalismA Chinese philosophy distinguished by an adherence to clear laws with vigorous punishments.46
11237781870MokshaIn Hindu belief, liberation from separate existence and union with Brahman.47
11237781871NirvanaThe end goal of Buddhism, in which individual identity is "extinguished" into a state of serenity and great compassion.48
11237781872PlatoA disciple of Socrates whose Dialogues convey the teachings of his master while going beyond them to express Plato's own philosophy; lived from 429 to 348 B.C.E.49
11237781873PythagorasA major Greek philosopher (ca. 560-ca. 480 B.C.E.) who believed that an unchanging mathematical order underlies the apparent chaos of the world.50
11237781874Siddhartha Gautama (the Buddha)The Indian prince (ca. 566-ca. 486 B.C.E.) who founded Buddhism.51
11237781875SocratesThe first great Greek philosopher to turn rationalism toward questions of human existence (469-399 B.C.E.).52
11237781876UpanishadsIndian mystical and philosophical works, written between 800 and 400 B.C.E.53
11237781877VedasThe earliest religious texts of India, a collection of ancient poems, hymns, and rituals that were transmitted orally before being written down ca. 600 B.C.E.54
11237781878Warring States PeriodPeriod in China from 403 to 221 B.C.E. that was typified by disorder and political chaos.55
11237781879Yin and YangExpression of the Chinese belief in the unity of opposites.56
11237781880ZoroastrianismPersian monotheistic religion founded by the prophet Zarathustra.57
11237781881caste as varna and jatiThe system of social organization in India that has evolved over millennia; it is based on an original division of the populace into four inherited classes, with the addition of thousands of social distinctions based on occupation, which became the main cell of social life in India.58
11237781882dharmaIn Indian belief, performance of the duties appropriate to an individual's caste; good performance will lead to rebirth in a higher caste.59
11237781883helotsThe dependent, semi-enslaved class of ancient Sparta whose social discontent prompted the militarization of Spartan society.60
11237781884KshatriyaThe Indian social class of warriors and rulers.61
11237781885latifundiaHuge estates operated by slave labor that flourished in parts of the Roman Empire62
11237781886PericlesA prominent and influential statesman of ancient Athens (ca. 495-429 B.C.E.); presided over Athens's Golden Age.63
11237781887SudraThe lowest Indian social class of varna; regarded as servants of their social betters; eventually included peasant farmers64
11237781888the "three submissions"In Chinese Confucian thought, the notion that a woman is permanently subordinate to male control: first that of her father, then of her husband, and finally of her son.65
11237781889UntouchablesAn Indian social class that emerged below the Sudras and whose members performed the most unclean and polluting work.66
11237781890VaisyaThe Indian social class that was originally defined as farmers but eventually comprised merchants.67
11237781891Silk RoadTrade route stretching from China into Europe.68

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