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AP World History Period 2 Flashcards

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5134129691Ahura MazdaIn Zoroastrianism, the good god who rules the world.0
5134129692Alexander the GreatAlexander III of Macedon (356-323 B.C.E.), conqueror of the Persian Empire and part of northwest India.1
5134129693AryansIndo-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
5134129694AshokaThe 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
5134129695Athenian democracyA radical form of direct democracy in which much of the free male population of Athens had the franchise and officeholders were chosen by citizens.4
5134129696Caesar 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
5134129698Darius 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
5134129699Greco-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
5134129700Gupta EmpireThe final Classical Empire to fall; a centralized empire of India (320-550 C.E.).8
5134129701Han dynastyDynasty that ruled China from 206 B.C.E. to 220 C.E., creating a durable state based on Shihuangdi's state-building achievement of the Qin Dynasty.9
5134129702Hellenistic eraThe period from 323 to 30 B.C.E. in which Greek culture spread widely in Eurasia in the kingdoms ruled by Alexander the Great and his political successors.10
5134129703HerodotusGreek 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
5134129704hopliteA heavily armed Greek infantryman. Over time, the ability to afford a hoplite panoply and to fight for the city came to define Greek citizenship.12
5134129706Mandate 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.13
5134129708Mauryan EmpireA major, centralized empire (322-185 B.C.E.) that encompassed most of India. It's most impactful leader was Ashoka. No other leader will ever unify India to the extent that Ashoka did.14
5134129709Olympic GamesGreek religious festival and athletic competition in honor of Zeus; founded in 776B.C.E. and celebrated every four years.15
5134129710PatriciansWealthy, privileged Romans who dominated early Roman society.16
5134129711Pax 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
5134129712Peloponnesian 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
5134129714Persian 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.19
5134129715PlebiansPoorer, less privileged Romans who gradually won a role in Roman politics.20
5134129716Punic 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. These wars illustrate Rome as an empire.21
5134129717Qin 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. Adopted legalism and a merit based bureaucracy.22
5134129718Qin ShihuangdiLiterally "first emperor" (r. 221-210 B.C.E.) forcibly reunited China and established a strong and repressive state.23
5134129720WudiHan emperor (r. 141-86 B.C.E.) who began the Chinese civil service system by establishing an academy to train imperial bureaucrats.24
5134129721XiongnuNomadic peoples to the north of the Great Wall of China who were a frequent threat to the stability of the Chinese state.25
5134129722Yellow Turban RebellionA major Chinese peasant revolt that began in 184 C.E. and helped cause the fall of the Han dynasty.26
5134129724AristotleA Greek polymath philosopher (384-322 B.C.E.); student of Plato and teacher of Alexander the Great.27
5134129726Ban 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
5134129727Bhagavad 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
5134129730BrahminsThe priestly caste of India.30
5134129731BuddhismThe cultural/religious tradition first enunciated by Siddhartha Gautama. Aided in its spread by Ashoka and was very popular among lower classes. It rejected the Caste System and spread easily to East Asia.31
5134129732ConfucianismThe Chinese philosophy first enunciated by Confucius, advocating relationships as a moral example of superiors being the key element of social order.32
5134129733ConfuciusThe 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
5134129734ConstantineRoman emperor (r. 306-337 C.E.) whose conversion to Christianity paved the way for the triumph of Christianity in Europe.34
5134129735DaodejingThe central text of Daoism; translated as The Way and Its Power.35
5134129736DaoismA Chinese philosophy/popular religion that advocates simplicity and understanding of the world of nature, founded by the legendary figure Laozi.36
5134129737Filial pietyThe honoring of one's ancestors and parents, a key element of Confucianism.37
5134129739HinduismA word derived from outsiders to describe the vast diversity of indigenous Indian religious traditions. A polytheistic religion that reinforced the Caste System.38
5134129741IsiaihOne of the most important prophets of Judaism, whose teachings show the transformation of the religion in favor of compassion and social justice (eighth century B.C.E.).39
5134129742Jesus of NazarethThe prophet/god of Christianity(ca. 4 B.C.E.-ca. 30 C.E.).40
5134129744KarmaIn 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
5134129745LaoziA legendary Chinese philosopher of the sixth century B.C.E.; regarded as the founder of Daoism.42
5134129746LegalismA Chinese philosophy distinguished by an adherence to clear laws with vigorous punishments.43
5134129749NirvanaThe end goal of Buddhism, in which individual identity is "extinguished" into a state of serenity and great compassion.44
5134129751PythagorasA major Greek philosopher (ca. 560-ca. 480 B.C.E.) who believed that an unchanging mathematical order underlies the apparent chaos of the world.45
5134129752Saint PaulThe first great popularizer of Christianity (10-65 C.E.).46
5134129753Siddhartha Gautama (the Buddha)The Indian prince turned ascetic (ca. 566-ca. 486 B.C.E.) who founded Buddhism.47
5134129754SocratesThe first great Greek philosopher to turn rationalism toward questions of human existence (469-399 B.C.E.).48
5134129757UpanishadsIndian mystical and philosophical works, written between 800 and 400 B.C.E.49
5134129758VedasThe 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.50
5134129759Warring States PeriodPeriod in China preceding the Qin Dynasty from 403 to 221 B.C.E. that was typified by disorder and political chaos.51
5134129760Yin and YangExpression of the Chinese belief in the unity of opposites.52
5134129761ZarathustraA Persian prophet, traditionally dated to the sixth or seventh century B.C.E. (but perhaps much older), who founded Zoroastrianism.53
5134129762ZoroastrianismPersian monotheistic religion founded by the prophet Zarathustra. Represents the ideas of good and evil.54
5134129763caste 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.55
5134129764dharmaIn Indian belief, performance of the duties appropriate to an individual's caste; good performance will lead to rebirth in a higher caste.56
5134129765helotsThe dependent, semi-enslaved class of ancient Sparta whose social discontent prompted the militarization of Spartan society.57
5134129767KsatriyaThe Indian social class of warriors and rulers.58
5134129768latifundiaHuge estates operated by slave labor that flourished in parts of the Roman Empire59
5134129770"ritual purity" in Indian social practiceIn India, the idea that members of higher castes must adhere to strict regulations limiting or forbidding their contact with objects and members of lower castes to preserve their own caste standing and their relationship with the gods.60
5134129771scholar-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.61
5134129772SudraThe lowest Indian social class of varna; regarded as servants of their social betters; eventually included peasant farmers62
5134129773the "three obediences"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.63
5134129774UntouchablesAn Indian social class that emerged below the Sudras and whose members performed the most unclean and polluting work.64
5134129775VaisyaThe Indian social class that was originally defined as farmers but eventually comprised merchants.65
5134129776Wang MangA Han court official who usurped the throne and ruled from 8 C.E. to 23 C.E.; noted for his reform movement that included the breakup of large estates.66
5134129777Empress 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.67
5134129784ChavinAndean town that was the center of a large Peruvian religious movement from around 900 to 200 B.C.E.68
5134129788MayaThe major classical civilization of Mesoamerica; flourished from 250 to 900 C.E.; descendants of the Olmec and practiced human sacrifice.69
5134129789MocheAn important regional civilization of Peru, governed by warrior-priests; flourished from around 100 to 800 C.E.70
5134129795TeotihuacánThe largest city of pre-Columbian America, with a population between 100,000 and 200,000; seemingly built to a plan in the Valley of Mexico, flourished between 300 and 600 C.E., during which time it governed or influenced much of the surrounding region. The name is an Aztec term meaning "city of the gods."71

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