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AP World History Period 2 Flashcards

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7733895483Ahura MazdaIn Zoroastrianism, the good god who rules the world.0
7733895484Alexander the GreatAlexander III of Macedon (356-323 B.C.E.), conqueror of the Persian Empire and part of northwest India.1
7733895485AryansIndo-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
7733895486AshokaThe 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
7733895487Caesar 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
7733895488Cyrus (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
7733895489Darius 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
7733895490Greco-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
7733895491Gupta EmpireAn empire of India (320-550 C.E.).8
7733895492Han dynastyChinese dynasty that restored unity in China softened legalist policies. Begun in 202 B.C. by Liu Bang, the Han ruled China for more than 400 years.9
7733895493Hellenistic 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
7733895494HerodotusGreek 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
7733895495hopliteA 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
7733895496IoniaThe territory of Greek settlements on the coast of Anatolia; the main bone of contention between the Greeks and the Persian Empire.13
7733895497Mandate 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
7733895498Battle of MarathonAthenian victory over a Persian invasion in 490 B.C.E.15
7733895499Mauryan EmpireA major empire (322-185 B.C.E.) that encompassed most of India.16
7733895500PatriciansWealthy, privileged Romans who dominated early Roman society.17
7733895501Pax 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
7733895502Peloponnesian 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
7733895503PersepolisThe capital and greatest palace-city of the Persian Empire, destroyed by Alexander the Great.20
7733895504Persian 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
7733895505PlebiansPoorer, less privileged Romans who gradually won a role in Roman politics.22
7733895506Punic 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
7733895507Qin 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
7733895508Qin ShihuangdiLiterally "first emperor" (r. 221-210 B.C.E.) forcibly reunited China and established a strong and repressive state.25
7733895509SolonAthenian statesman and lawmaker (fl. 594-560 B.C.E.) whose reforms led the Athenians toward democracy.26
7733895510WudiHan emperor (r. 141-86 B.C.E.) who began the Chinese civil service system by establishing an academy to train imperial bureaucrats.27
7733895511XiongnuNomadic peoples to the north of the Great Wall of China who were a frequent threat to the stability of the Chinese state.28
7733895512AristotleA Greek polymath philosopher (384-322 B.C.E.); student of Plato and teacher of Alexander the Great.29
7733895513AtmanThe human soul, which in classic Hindu belief seeks union with Brahman.30
7733895514Bhagavad 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
7733895515BrahmanThe "World Soul" or final reality in upanishadic Hindu belief.32
7733895516BrahminsThe priestly caste of India.33
7733895517BuddhismThe cultural/religious tradition first enunciated by Siddhartha Gautama34
7733895518ConfucianismThe Chinese philosophy first enunciated by Confucius, advocating the moral example of superiors as the key element of social order.35
7733895519ConfuciusThe 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.36
7733895520ConstantineRoman emperor (r. 306-337 C.E.) whose conversion to Christianity paved the way for the triumph of Christianity in Europe.37
7733895521DaodejingThe central text of Daoism; translated as The Way and Its Power.38
7733895522DaoismA Chinese philosophy/popular religion that advocates simplicity and understanding of the world of nature, founded by the legendary figure Laozi.39
7733895523Filial pietyThe honoring of one's ancestors and parents, a key element of Confucianism.40
7733895524Greek 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.41
7733895525HinduismA word derived from outsiders to describe the vast diversity of indigenous Indian religious traditions.42
7733895526HippocratesA very influential Greek medical theorist (ca. 460-ca. 370 B.C.E.); regarded as the father of medicine.43
7733895527Jesus of NazarethThe prophet/god of Christianity(ca. 4 B.C.E.-ca. 30 C.E.).44
7733895528YahwehA 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.45
7733895529KarmaIn 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.46
7733895530LaoziA legendary Chinese philosopher of the sixth century B.C.E.; regarded as the founder of Daoism.47
7733895531LegalismA Chinese philosophy distinguished by an adherence to clear laws with vigorous punishments.48
7733895532Mahayana"Great Vehicle," the popular development of Buddhism in the early centuries of the Common Era, which gives a much greater role to supernatural beings and proved to be more popular than original (Theravada) Buddhism.49
7733895533MokshaIn Hindu belief, liberation from separate existence and union with Brahman.50
7733895534NirvanaThe end goal of Buddhism, in which individual identity is "extinguished" into a state of serenity and great compassion.51
7733895535PlatoA 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.52
7733895536PythagorasA major Greek philosopher (ca. 560-ca. 480 B.C.E.) who believed that an unchanging mathematical order underlies the apparent chaos of the world.53
7733895537Siddhartha Gautama (the Buddha)The Indian prince turned ascetic (ca. 566-ca. 486 B.C.E.) who founded Buddhism.54
7733895538SocratesThe first great Greek philosopher to turn rationalism toward questions of human existence (469-399 B.C.E.).55
7733895539Theravada"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 practices rather than beliefs.56
7733895540UpanishadsIndian mystical and philosophical works, written between 800 and 400 B.C.E.57
7733895541VedasThe 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.58
7733895542Warring States PeriodPeriod in China from 403 to 221 B.C.E. that was typified by disorder and political chaos.59
7733895543Yin and YangExpression of the Chinese belief in the unity of opposites.60
7733895544ZarathustraA Persian prophet, traditionally dated to the sixth or seventh century B.C.E. (but perhaps much older), who founded Zoroastrianism.61
7733895545ZoroastrianismPersian monotheistic religion founded by the prophet Zarathustra.62
7733895546caste 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.63
7733895547dharmaIn Indian belief, performance of the duties appropriate to an individual's caste; good performance will lead to rebirth in a higher caste.64
7733895548helotsThe dependent, semi-enslaved class of ancient Sparta whose social discontent prompted the militarization of Spartan society.65
7733895549KshatriyaThe Indian social class of warriors and rulers.66
7733895550latifundiaHuge estates operated by slave labor that flourished in parts of the Roman Empire67
7733895551PericlesA prominent and influential statesman of ancient Athens (ca. 495-429 B.C.E.); presided over Athens's Golden Age.68
7733895552scholar-gentry classA term used to describe members of China's landowning families, reflecting their wealth from the land and the privilege that they derived as government officials.69
7733895553SudraThe lowest Indian social class of varna; regarded as servants of their social betters; eventually included peasant farmers70
7733895554the "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.71
7733895555UntouchablesAn Indian social class that emerged below the Sudras and whose members performed the most unclean and polluting work.72
7733895556VaisyaThe Indian social class that was originally defined as farmers but eventually comprised merchants.73
7733895557AxumClassical-era kingdom of East Africa, in present-day Eritrea and northern Ethiopia; flourished from 100 to 600 C.E. and adopted Christianity.74
7733895558Bantu expansionGradual migration of peoples from their homeland in what is now southern Nigeria and the Cameroons into most of eastern and southern Africa, a process that began around 3000 B.C.E. and continued for several millennia. The agricultural techniques and ironworking technology of these farmers gave them an advantage over the gathering and hunting peoples they encountered.75
7733895559Coptic ChristianityThe Egyptian variety of Christianity, distinctive in its belief that Christ has only a single, divine nature.76
7733895560Silk RoadTrade route stretching from China into Europe.77
7763593306syncretisma blending of beliefs and practices from different religions into one faith78
7763611720monasticismThe lifestyle of a monk or nun, characterized by prayer and solitude79

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