AP Notes, Outlines, Study Guides, Vocabulary, Practice Exams and more!

AP World History - Period 2 Flashcards

Terms : Hide Images
11021471675Ahura MazdaIn Zoroastrianism, the good god who rules the world.0
11021471676Alexander the GreatAlexander III of Macedon (356-323 B.C.E.), conqueror of the Persian Empire and part of northwest India.1
11021471677AryansIndo-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
11021471678AshokaThe 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
11021471679Caesar 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
11021471680Cyrus (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
11021471681Darius 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
11021471682Greco-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
11021471683Gupta EmpireAn empire of India (320-550 C.E.).8
11021471684Han 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
11021471685Hellenistic 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
11021471686HerodotusGreek 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
11021471687hopliteA 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
11021471688IoniaThe territory of Greek settlements on the coast of Anatolia; the main bone of contention between the Greeks and the Persian Empire.13
11021471689Mandate 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
11021471690Battle of MarathonAthenian victory over a Persian invasion in 490 B.C.E.15
11021471691Mauryan EmpireA major empire (322-185 B.C.E.) that encompassed most of India.16
11021471692PatriciansWealthy, privileged Romans who dominated early Roman society.17
11021471693Pax 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
11021471694Peloponnesian 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
11021471695PersepolisThe capital and greatest palace-city of the Persian Empire, destroyed by Alexander the Great.20
11021471696Persian 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
11021471697PlebiansPoorer, less privileged Romans who gradually won a role in Roman politics.22
11021471698Punic 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
11021471699Qin 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
11021471700Qin ShihuangdiLiterally "first emperor" (r. 221-210 B.C.E.) forcibly reunited China and established a strong and repressive state.25
11021471701SolonAthenian statesman and lawmaker (fl. 594-560 B.C.E.) whose reforms led the Athenians toward democracy.26
11021471702WudiHan emperor (r. 141-86 B.C.E.) who began the Chinese civil service system by establishing an academy to train imperial bureaucrats.27
11021471703XiongnuNomadic peoples to the north of the Great Wall of China who were a frequent threat to the stability of the Chinese state.28
11021471704AristotleA Greek polymath philosopher (384-322 B.C.E.); student of Plato and teacher of Alexander the Great.29
11021471705Bhagavad 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
11021471706BrahmanThe "World Soul" or final reality in upanishadic Hindu belief.31
11021471707BrahminsThe priestly caste of India.32
11021471708BuddhismThe cultural/religious tradition first enunciated by Siddhartha Gautama33
11021471709ConfucianismThe Chinese philosophy first enunciated by Confucius, advocating the moral example of superiors as the key element of social order.34
11021471710ConfuciusThe 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
11021471711ConstantineRoman emperor (r. 306-337 C.E.) whose conversion to Christianity paved the way for the triumph of Christianity in Europe.36
11021471712DaoismA Chinese philosophy/popular religion that advocates simplicity and understanding of the world of nature, founded by the legendary figure Laozi.37
11021471713Filial pietyThe honoring of one's ancestors and parents, a key element of Confucianism.38
11021471714Greek 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
11021471715HinduismA word derived from outsiders to describe the vast diversity of indigenous Indian religious traditions.40
11021471716HippocratesA very influential Greek medical theorist (ca. 460-ca. 370 B.C.E.); regarded as the father of medicine.41
11021471717Jesus of NazarethThe prophet/god of Christianity(ca. 4 B.C.E.-ca. 30 C.E.).42
11021471718YahwehA 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
11021471719KarmaIn 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
11021471720LaoziA legendary Chinese philosopher of the sixth century B.C.E.; regarded as the founder of Daoism.45
11021471721LegalismA Chinese philosophy distinguished by an adherence to clear laws with vigorous punishments.46
11021471722MokshaIn Hindu belief, liberation from separate existence and union with Brahman.47
11021471723NirvanaThe end goal of Buddhism, in which individual identity is "extinguished" into a state of serenity and great compassion.48
11021471724PlatoA 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
11021471725PythagorasA 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
11021471726Siddhartha Gautama (the Buddha)The Indian prince (ca. 566-ca. 486 B.C.E.) who founded Buddhism.51
11021471727SocratesThe first great Greek philosopher to turn rationalism toward questions of human existence (469-399 B.C.E.).52
11021471728UpanishadsIndian mystical and philosophical works, written between 800 and 400 B.C.E.53
11021471729VedasThe 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
11021471730Warring States PeriodPeriod in China from 403 to 221 B.C.E. that was typified by disorder and political chaos.55
11021471731Yin and YangExpression of the Chinese belief in the unity of opposites.56
11021471732ZoroastrianismPersian monotheistic religion founded by the prophet Zarathustra.57
11021471733caste 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
11021471734dharmaIn Indian belief, performance of the duties appropriate to an individual's caste; good performance will lead to rebirth in a higher caste.59
11021471735helotsThe dependent, semi-enslaved class of ancient Sparta whose social discontent prompted the militarization of Spartan society.60
11021471736KshatriyaThe Indian social class of warriors and rulers.61
11021471737latifundiaHuge estates operated by slave labor that flourished in parts of the Roman Empire62
11021471738PericlesA prominent and influential statesman of ancient Athens (ca. 495-429 B.C.E.); presided over Athens's Golden Age.63
11021471739SudraThe lowest Indian social class of varna; regarded as servants of their social betters; eventually included peasant farmers64
11021471740the "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
11021471741UntouchablesAn Indian social class that emerged below the Sudras and whose members performed the most unclean and polluting work.66
11021471742VaisyaThe Indian social class that was originally defined as farmers but eventually comprised merchants.67
11021471743Silk RoadTrade route stretching from China into Europe.68

Need Help?

We hope your visit has been a productive one. If you're having any problems, or would like to give some feedback, we'd love to hear from you.

For general help, questions, and suggestions, try our dedicated support forums.

If you need to contact the Course-Notes.Org web experience team, please use our contact form.

Need Notes?

While we strive to provide the most comprehensive notes for as many high school textbooks as possible, there are certainly going to be some that we miss. Drop us a note and let us know which textbooks you need. Be sure to include which edition of the textbook you are using! If we see enough demand, we'll do whatever we can to get those notes up on the site for you!