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

AP World History Period 2 Flashcards

Terms : Hide Images
12349206931Alexander the GreatLeader of Macedon (356-323 B.C.E.), who conquered Persia and Egypt, creating an empire that merged several cultures.0
12349206932AshokaThe most famous ruler of the Mauryan Empire (r. 268-232 B.C.E.), who promoted Buddhism and practiced religious tolerance.1
12349206933Chandragupta MauyraFounder of the Mauryan dynasty. Began centralization of power in S. Asia.2
12349206934Caesar 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.).3
12349206935ConstantineRoman emperor of the 4th century CE who legalized Christianity.4
12349206936Cyrus (the Great)Founder of the Achaemenid Empire (r. 557-530 B.C.E.); a ruler noted for his conquests, religious tolerance, and political moderation.5
12349206937Darius IAchaemenid king (r. 522-486 B.C.E.) who expanded the Persian empire through military conquest and undertook building campaigns in Susa and Parsargaade.6
12349206938GuptaEmpire that promoted Hinduism and under which India entered a "golden age" of culture.7
12349207020Mauryan Empire8
12349206939Han dynastyChinese dynasty that restored unity in China, pacified the xiongnu, and set up the civil service exams to create competent bureaucrats to administer the empire.9
12349206940HellenisticThe spread of Greek culture throughout Afro-Eurasia from 323 to 30 B.C.E by Alexander the Great and hsi political successors.10
12349206941Ptolemaic EmpireDynasty of Egypt founded by descendants of Macedonian generals. They promoted science, greek learning, and trade.11
12349206942Mandate 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.12
12349206943PatriciansWealthy, privileged Romans who dominated early Roman society.13
12349206944plebiansMembers of the general citizenry of ancient Rome. It included all citizens not connected to one of Rome's privileged families. They had little real power.14
12349206945Pax 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.15
12349206946Peloponnesian 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.16
12349206947PersepolisThe capital and greatest palace-city of the Persian Empire, destroyed by Alexander the Great.17
12349206948PataliputraLocated at the confluence of the Ganges and Son Rivers in northeastern India. It was the capital city of the Mauryan and Gupta empires.18
12349206949AlexandriaAn important center of the Hellenistic civilization best known for the Lighthouse and largest library in the ancient world19
12349206950Appian Way (Via Appia)One of the earliest and strategically most important Roman roads of the ancient republic20
12349206951SamarkandImportant trading city that benefited from it's position along the silk roads.21
12349206952Qin 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. used Legalism as its base of belief.22
12349206953Qin ShihuangdiLiterally "first emperor" (r. 221-210 B.C.E.) forcibly united China and established a strong and repressive state.23
12349206954WudiHan emperor (r. 141-86 B.C.E.) who began the Chinese civil service system by establishing an academy to train imperial bureaucrats.24
12349206955Han FeiFounder of legalism, a system justifying rule by a strong authority25
12349206956Kong FuziChinese philosopher who promoted a system of social and political ethics emphasizing order, moderation, and reciprocity between superiors and subordinates. The Analects contains a collection of his sayings and dialogues compiled by disciples after his death.26
12349206957SocratesThe first great Greek philosopher to turn rationalism toward questions of human existence (469-399 B.C.E.).27
12349206958AristotleA Greek philosopher (384-322 B.C.E.) who stressed the importance of using empirical evidence to explain the natural world28
12349206959SolonAthenian statesman and lawmaker (fl. 594-560 B.C.E.) whose reforms led the Athenians toward democracy.29
12349206960PlatoPhilosopher who believed the wisest men should rule. He introduced the idea that human misery due to their not engaging properly with a class of entities he called forms, chief examples of which were Justice, Beauty, and Equality.30
12349206961Bhagavad GitaA great Hindu epic text, part of the much larger Mahabharata, which affirms the performance of caste duties as a path to religious liberation.31
12349206962BrahminsThe priestly caste of India.32
12349206963BuddhismThe cultural/religious tradition first enunciated by Siddhartha Gautama33
12349206964DaoismA Chinese philosophy/popular religion that advocates simplicity and understanding of the world of nature, founded by the legendary figure Laozi.34
12349206965Filial pietyThe honoring of one's ancestors and parents, a key element of Confucianism.35
12349206966HinduismA word derived from outsiders to describe the vast diversity of indigenous Indian religious traditions.36
12349206967HippocratesA very influential Greek medical theorist (ca. 460-ca. 370 B.C.E.); regarded as the father of medicine.37
12349206968Jesus of NazarethThe prophet/god of Christianity(ca. 4 B.C.E.-ca. 30 C.E.).38
12349206969PaulFollower of Jesus who helped spread Christianity by preaching to both Jews and non-Jews and speaking to large audiences throughout the Roman Empire.39
12349206970PeterOne of the 12 Apostles who made Rome the center of Christianity and is known as the first pope.40
12349206971KarmaIn 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.41
12349206972LaoziA legendary Chinese philosopher of the sixth century B.C.E.; regarded as the founder of Daoism.42
12349206973LegalismA Chinese philosophy distinguished by an adherence to clear laws with vigorous punishments.43
12349206974NirvanaThe end goal of Buddhism, in which individual identity is "extinguished" into a state of serenity and great compassion.44
12349206975Siddhartha Gautama (the Buddha)The Indian prince turned ascetic (ca. 566-ca. 486 B.C.E.) who founded Buddhism.45
12349206976Theravada"The Teaching of the Elders," the early form of Buddhism according to which the Buddha as a wise teacher but not divine and which emphasizes withdrawal from earthly pleasures in order to achieve nirvana46
12349206977MahayanaA form of Buddhism popular in East Asia that47
12349206978UpanishadsIndian mystical and philosophical works, written between 800 and 400 B.C.E.48
12349206979VedasThe 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.49
12349206980Yin and YangExpression of the Chinese belief in the unity of opposites.50
12349206981ZarathustraA Persian prophet, traditionally dated to the sixth or seventh century B.C.E. (but perhaps much older), who founded Zoroastrianism.51
12349206982Manichaeisma syncretic religious system founded by a Persian claiming to be a prophet. It combined Gnostic Christianity, Buddhism, Zoroastrianism, and various other elements, which included doctrines of light and darkness:; the need for an ascetic life to purify the soul; and the need for personal salvation from the divine force of goodness.52
12349206983jatisocial distinctions based on occupation, which became the main cell of social life in India.53
12349206984ZoroastrianismPersian monotheistic religion founded by the prophet Zarathustra.54
12349206985helotsThe dependent, semi-enslaved class of ancient Sparta whose social discontent prompted the militarization of Spartan society.55
12349206986PericlesA prominent and influential statesman of ancient Athens (ca. 495-429 B.C.E.); presided over Athens's Golden Age.56
12349206987SudraOriginally the lowest Indian social class of varna; regarded as servants of their social betters; eventually included peasant farmers57
12349206988UntouchablesAn Indian social class that emerged below the Sudras and whose members performed the most unclean and polluting work.58
12349206989VaisyaThe Indian social class that was originally defined as farmers but eventually comprised merchants.59
12349206990Silk RoadTrade route stretching from China into Europe.60
12349206991Yellow Turban uprisingChinese peasant uprising that weakened the Han Empire. Led by Zhang Jue, a Daoist faith healer who had gained numerous adherents during a widespread plague, the rebellion was directed against the tyrannical eunuchs who dominated the emperor. The rebels wore yellow headdresses to signify their association with the "earth" element, which they believed would succeed the red "fire" element that represented Han rule.61
12349206992Spartacus RebellionOne of the largest slave revolts in history. It was led by a Roman slave who was backed by thousands of other slaves. It demonstrates the weakness of having a labor system increasingly dependent on slavery.62
12349206993ParthianEmpire in modern Iraq, Iran, and Afghanistan. originally made of nomadic peoples from Central Asia . They were able to defend the region from the Romans.63
12349206994VisigothsTribe who sacked Rome in the 5th century CE64
12349206995XiongnuCentral Asian tribe who harassed the early Chinese empires until they were occupied and pacified by the Han.65
12349206996Diasporathe dispersion of the Jews outside Israel66
12349206997ReincarnationIn Hinduism and Buddhism, the process by which a soul is reborn continuously until it achieves perfect understanding67
12349206998Caste System (Varnas)a set of rigid social categories that determined not only a person's occupation and economic potential, but also his or her position in society68
12349206999Monotheismbelief in only one god69
12349207000Polytheismbelief in more than one god70
12349207001Filial PietyIn Confucian thought, one of the virtues to be cultivated, a love and respect for one's parents and ancestors.71
12349207002Universal truths (dealing with belief systems)truths common to all people and at the heart of the identity of all people72
12349207003MonasticismLiving in a religious community apart from secular society and adhering to a rule stipulating chastity, obedience, and poverty.73
12349207004ShamanismThe practice of identifying special individuals (shamans) who will interact with spirits for the benefit of the community. Characteristic of the Korean kingdoms of the early medieval period and of early societies of Central Asia. (p. 292)74
12349207005AnimismBelief that objects, such as plants and stones, or natural events, like thunderstorms and earthquakes, have a discrete spirit and conscious life.75
12349207006Ancestor VenerationThe practice of praying to your ancestors. Found especially in China.76
12349207007Han Dynastyimperial dynasty that ruled China (most of the time) from 206 BC to 221 and expanded its boundaries and developed its bureaucracy77
12349207008Zhou Dynastythe longest lasting Chinese dynasty, during which the use of iron was introduced.78
12349207009Hellenistic Erathe age of Alexander the Great; period when the Greek language and ideas were carried to the non-Greek world79
12349207010Roman EmpireExisted from 27 BCE to about 400 CE. Conquiered entire Mediterranean coast and most of Europe. Ruled by an emperor. Eventually oversaw the rise and spread of Christianity.80
12349207011Syncretisma blending of beliefs and practices from different religions into one faith81
12349207012societythe aggregate of people living together in a more or less ordered community.82
12349207013StoicismAn ancient Greek philosophy that became popular among many notable Romans. Emphasis on ethics. They considered destructive emotions to be the result of errors in judgment, and that a wise person would repress emotions, especially negative ones and that "virtue is sufficient for happiness." They were also concerned with the conflict between free will and determinism. They were also non-dualists and naturalists.83
12349207014CiceroRome's greatest public speaker; he argued against dictators and called for a representative government with limited powers84
12349207015doctrine(n.) a belief, principle, or teaching; a system of such beliefs or principles; a formulation of such beliefs or principles85
12349207016Salvationdeliverance from ruin, acceptance into heaven, fulfillment of the principles of a religion86
12349207017Asceticismsevere self-discipline and avoidance of all forms of indulgence, typically for religious reasons.87
12349207018Oracle Bonesone of the animal bones or tortoise shells used by ancient Chinese priests to communicate with the gods, Shang dynasty88
12349207019Diasporic communitiesWidely dispersed community as a result of natural disaster, politics or other reasons. Many communities have become diasporic throughout time starting with the Jews of Babylon in ancient history89

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!