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AP World History Period 2 Flashcards

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6712619152Ahura MazdaIn Zoroastrianism, the good god who rules the world.0
6712619153Alexander the GreatAlexander III of Macedon (356-323 B.C.E.), conqueror of the Persian Empire and part of northwest India.1
6712619154AryansIndo-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
6712619155AshokaThe 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
6712619156Athenian democracyA radical form of direct democracy in which much of the free male population of Athens had the franchise and officeholders were chosen by lot.4
6712619157Caesar 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.).5
6712619158Cyrus (the Great)Founder of the Persian Empire (r. 557-530 B.C.E.); a ruler noted for his conquests, religious tolerance, and political moderation.6
6712619159Darius IGreat king of Persia (r. 522-486 B.C.E.) following the upheavals after Cyrus's death; completed the establishment of the Persian Empire.7
6712619160Greco-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.8
6712619161Gupta EmpireAn empire of India (320-550 C.E.).9
6712619162Han dynastyDynasty that ruled China from 206 B.C.E. to 220 C.E., creating a durable state based on Shihuangdi's state-building achievement.10
6712619163Hellenistic 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.11
6712619165Mandate 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
6712619166Battle of MarathonAthenian victory over a Persian invasion in 490 B.C.E.13
6712619167Mauryan EmpireA major empire (322-185 B.C.E.) that encompassed most of India.14
6712619168Olympic GamesGreek religious festival and athletic competition in honor of Zeus; founded in 776B.C.E. and celebrated every four years.15
6712619169PatriciansWealthy, privileged Romans who dominated early Roman society.16
6712619170Pax 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.17
6712619171Peloponnesian 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.18
6712619172PersepolisThe capital and greatest palace-city of the Persian Empire, destroyed by Alexander the Great.19
6712619173Persian 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.20
6712619174PlebiansPoorer, less privileged Romans who gradually won a role in Roman politics.21
6712619175Punic 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.22
6712619176Qin 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.23
6712619177Qin ShihuangdiLiterally "first emperor" (r. 221-210 B.C.E.) forcibly reunited China and established a strong and repressive state.24
6712619178WudiHan emperor (r. 141-86 B.C.E.) who began the Chinese civil service system by establishing an academy to train imperial bureaucrats.25
6712619179Yellow Turban RebellionA major Chinese peasant revolt that began in 184 C.E. and helped cause the fall of the Han dynasty.26
6712619181AristotleA Greek polymath philosopher (384-322 B.C.E.); student of Plato and teacher of Alexander the Great.27
6712619182Ban ZhaoA major female Confucian author of Han dynasty China (45-116 C.E.) whose works give insight into the implication of Confucian thinking for women.28
6712619183Bhagavad GitaA great Hindu epic text, part of the much larger Mahabharata, which affirms the performance of caste duties as a path to religious liberation.29
6712619185BrahminsThe priestly caste of India.30
6712619186BuddhismThe cultural/religious tradition first enunciated by Siddhartha Gautama31
6712619187ConfucianismThe Chinese philosophy first enunciated by Confucius, advocating the moral example of superiors as the key element of social order.32
6712619188ConfuciusThe 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.33
6712619189ConstantineRoman emperor (r. 306-337 C.E.) whose conversion to Christianity paved the way for the triumph of Christianity in Europe.34
6712619190DaoismA Chinese philosophy/popular religion that advocates simplicity and understanding of the world of nature, founded by the legendary figure Laozi.35
6712619191Filial pietyThe honoring of one's ancestors and parents, a key element of Confucianism.36
6712619192HinduismA word derived from outsiders to describe the vast diversity of indigenous Indian religious traditions.37
6712619193Jesus of NazarethThe prophet/god of Christianity(ca. 4 B.C.E.-ca. 30 C.E.).38
6712619194YahwehThe monotheistic religion developed by the Hebrews, emphasizing a sole personal god (Yahweh) with concerns for social justice.39
6712619195KarmaIn 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.40
6712619196LaoziA legendary Chinese philosopher of the sixth century B.C.E.; regarded as the founder of Daoism.41
6712619197LegalismA Chinese philosophy distinguished by an adherence to clear laws with vigorous punishments.42
6712619198NirvanaThe end goal of Buddhism, in which individual identity is "extinguished" into a state of serenity and great compassion.43
6712619199PlatoA 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.44
6712619201Siddhartha Gautama (the Buddha)The Indian prince turned ascetic (ca. 566-ca. 486 B.C.E.) who founded Buddhism.45
6712619202SocratesThe first great Greek philosopher to turn rationalism toward questions of human existence (469-399 B.C.E.).46
6712619203TheodosiusRoman emperor (r. 379-395 C.E.) who made Christianity the official religion of the Roman state, banning all polytheistic rituals.47
6712619204UpanishadsIndian mystical and philosophical works, written between 800 and 400 B.C.E.48
6712619205VedasThe 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
6712619206Warring States PeriodPeriod in China from 403 to 221 B.C.E. that was typified by disorder and political chaos.50
6712619207Yin and YangExpression of the Chinese belief in the unity of opposites.51
6712619208ZarathustraA Persian prophet, traditionally dated to the sixth or seventh century B.C.E. (but perhaps much older), who founded Zoroastrianism.52
6712619209ZoroastrianismPersian monotheistic religion founded by the prophet Zarathustra.53
6712619210dharmaIn Indian belief, performance of the duties appropriate to an individual's caste; good performance will lead to rebirth in a higher caste.54
6712619211helotsThe dependent, semi-enslaved class of ancient Sparta whose social discontent prompted the militarization of Spartan society.55
6712619212karmaIn Indian belief, the force generated by one's behavior in a previous life that decides the level at which an individual will be reborn.56
6712619213PericlesA prominent and influential statesman of ancient Athens (ca. 495-429 B.C.E.); presided over Athens's Golden Age.57
6712619214scholar-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.58
6712619215UntouchablesAn Indian social class that emerged below the Sudras and whose members performed the most unclean and polluting work.59
6712619216Empress WuThe only female "emperor" in Chinese history (r. 690-705 C.E.); patronized scholarship, worked to elevate the position of women, and provoked a backlash of Confucian misogynist invective.60
6712619217AxumClassical-era kingdom of East Africa, in present-day Eritrea and northern Ethiopia; flourished from 100 to 600 C.E.61

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