Terms : Hide Images
| 2142003374 | Cultural Diffusion | The spread of cultural elements from one society to another | 0 | |
| 2142005727 | Neolithic Revolution | (10,000 - 8,000 BCE) The development of agriculture and the domestication of animals as a food source. This led to the development of permanent settlements and the start of civilization. | 1 | |
| 2142008370 | Agricultural Revolution | A period in time in which peoples across the globe began to switch from Hunter-Gatherer societies to Farming and Domestication (raising animals). The Agricultural Revolution seems to have started 9,000 years ago, and led to a sharp increase in Human populations (better, more stable and available food). This led to the development of villages, then town and cities, and the beginning of civilizations. | 2 | |
| 2142010603 | Bronze Age | a period of human culture between the Stone Age and the Iron Age, characterized by the use of weapons and implements made of bronze | 3 | |
| 2142013672 | City-States | "A central city and its surrounding villages, which together follow the same law, have one form of government, and share languages, religious beliefs, and ways of life." | 4 | |
| 2142014414 | Mesopotamia | A region between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers that developed the first urban societies. In the Bronze Age this area included Sumer and the Akkadian, Babylonian and Assyrian empires, In the Iron Age, it was ruled by the Neo-Assyrian and Neo-Babylonian empires. | 5 | |
| 2142016272 | Sumerian Civilization | An early urban-based hydraulic civilization, which formed along the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers more than 5,000 years ago. Located in present-day Iraq. | 6 | |
| 2142017520 | Polytheistic | Belief in many gods | 7 | |
| 2142018155 | Ziggurats | A temple tower of the ancient Assyrians and Babylonians, having the form of a terraced pyramid of successively receding stories. | 8 | |
| 2142018894 | Akkad | "Semitic people" north of the Sumerian city-states | 9 | |
| 2142023391 | Babylon | ..., the chief city of ancient Mesopotamia and capitol of the ancient kingdom of Babylonia | 10 | |
| 2142026725 | Code of Hammurabi | A collection of 282 laws which were enforced under Hammurabi's Rule. One of the first examples of written law in the ancient civilizations. | 11 | |
| 2142029256 | Hitties | 1600-1200 BCE. Created their own empire in western Asia. First people to use iron so enabled them to construct weapons that were stronger and cheaper. The kingdom weakened in 1200 BCE. | 12 | |
| 2142029936 | Assyrians | Known as a warrior people who ruthlessly conquered neighboring countries; their empire stretched from east to north of the Tigris River all the way to centeral Egypt; used ladders, weapons like iron-tipped spears, daggers and swords, tunnels, and fearful military tactics to gain strength in their empire | 13 | |
| 2142032134 | Nineveh | Assyria's capital along the Tigris river | 14 | |
| 2142033720 | Nebuchadnezzar | King of Chaldea who captured and destroyed Jerusalem and exiled the Israelites to Babylonia | 15 | |
| 2142039345 | Persian Empire | (550-330 BCE) Rose under Cyrus. Conquested Egypt, spanned over Asia, Africa and Europe, and present middle day Middle-East. Collapsed due to internal problems, war and economic turmoil | 16 | |
| 2142042566 | Great Royal Road | built by Persians to improve transportation and communication across the vast empire - stretched from the Persian Gulf to the Aegean Sea | 17 | |
| 2142043246 | Lydians | First people to come up with a coin system to conduct trade Asia Minor, developed kingdom that was known for their rich gold deposits, Bater no more! began to set prices, were the first people to make a type of currency-gold coins | 18 | |
| 2142045292 | Barter System | a system of exchange in which goods or services are traded directly for other goods or services without the use of money. | 19 | |
| 2142049230 | Phoenicians | A maritime civilization of the Mediterranean that developed extensive trade and communication networks as well as an early alphabetical script (1500 B.C.E). | 20 | |
| 2142049908 | Hebrews | A smaller early civilization whose development of a monotheistic faith that provided the foundation of modern Judaism, Christianity, and Islam assured them a significant place in world history | 21 | |
| 2142052472 | Egyptian Civilization | Emerged in northern Africa along the Nile River by about 3000 B.C.E. It benefited from trade and influences from Mesopotamia, but it also produced its own distinct social structures and cultural expressions. Unlike Mesopotamia, it featured very durable and centralized institutions. Mathematical achievements and impressive architectural structures also characterized it. | 22 | |
| 2142056336 | King Menes | According to legend it was this person who united Upper and Lower Egypt | 23 | |
| 2142057504 | Pharaohs | Ancient Egyptian monarchs; believed to be part god | 24 | |
| 2142060034 | Hieroglyphics | An ancient Egyptian writing system in which pictures were used to represent ideas and sounds | 25 | |
| 2142061900 | Queen Hatshepsut | Egyptian queen, she worked to increase trade with places outside of Egypt and ordered many impressive monuments and temples built during her reign. | 26 | |
| 2142063438 | Indus Valley Civilizaion | An ancient civilization that flourished in the Indus and Ghaggar-Hakra river valleys from 2600-1900 BCE. | 27 | |
| 2142065725 | Khyber Pass | Is a mountain pass that links Pakistan and Afghanistan. The Pass was an integral part of the ancient Silk Road and throughout history, it has been an important trade route between Central Asia and South Asia and a strategic military location. | 28 | |
| 2142068194 | Mohenjo-Daro | Indus Valley city laid out in a grid pattern. Had a complex irrigation and sewer system., One of the first settlements in India | 29 | |
| 2142268968 | Harappan Civilization | An ancient civilization that developed along the Indus River. | 30 | |
| 2142269377 | Aryans | Nomads from Europe and Asia who migrated to India and finally settled; Vedas from this time suggest beginning of caste system. | 31 | |
| 2142270048 | Hinduism | A cohesive and unique society, most prevalent in India, that integrates spiritual beliefs with daily practices and official institutions such as the caste system. | 32 | |
| 2142270675 | Caste System | A Hindu social class system that controlled every aspect of daily life | 33 | |
| 2142271194 | Brahmans | One of the varnas in the Hindu caste system; the PRIESTLY CLASS (in charge of the religious ceremonies that were so important in Indian society) | 34 | |
| 2142271834 | Shang China | Earliest known Chinese civilization. Rose in the Yellow River Valley, lasted from 1600 - 1100 BCE. Devised a decimal system, highly accurate calendar, and was powerful, yet isolated, believing themselves to be the center of the world. | 35 | |
| 2142273033 | Patriarchal Society | A society where the father is the head of the family. Southern families became more patriarchal when families became more secure. This dampened some of the power the female population in the South had. | 36 | |
| 2142273784 | Zhou Dynasty | (1050BC-400BC) Longest dynasty in Chinese history. Established a new political order with king at the highest level, then lords and warriors and then peasants. | 37 | |
| 2142274523 | Mandate of Heaven | A political theory developed during the Zhou Dynasty of ancient China in which those in power were believed to have the the right to rule from divine authority. | 38 | |
| 2142309296 | Bureaucracies in China I | ... | 39 | |
| 2147348553 | Bantu Migrations | The Bantu expansion was a millenia long series of physical migrations, a diffusion of language and knowledge out into and in from neighboring populations, and a creation of new societal groups involving inter-marriage among communities and small groups moving tocommunities and small groups moving to new areas. Bantu-speakers developed novel methods of agriculture and metalworking which allowed people to colonize new areas with widely varying ecologies in greater densities than hunting and foraging permitted. | 40 | |
| 2147350357 | Jenne-Jeno | One of the first urbanized centers in western Africa. A walled community home to approximately 50,000 people at its height. Evidence suggests domestication of agriculture and trade with nearby regions. | 41 | |
| 2147351905 | Chavin Civilization | American civilization, located on the Peruvian coast and known for jade work and a complex trade system | 42 | |
| 2147352781 | Olmec Civilization | An early civilization that developed along the coast of the Gulf of Mexico around 1200 B.C.E. | 43 | |
| 2147352783 | Tikal | The most important Maya political center between the 4th-9th centuries. It was a city that had temples, pyramids, palaces, and public buildings. | 44 | |
| 2147355838 | Chichen Itza | Originally a Mayan city; conquered by Toltecs circa 1000 and ruled by Toltec dynasties; architecture featured pyramid of Feathered Serpent (Quetzacoatl). | 45 | |
| 2147361738 | Mayan Civilization | dominated southern Mexico and parts of Central American from 300 B.C. from 800 B.C. Their civilization was a collection of city states ruled by the same king. Constructed pyramids, used hieroglyphics, developed a complex calendar system, and built tremendous cities. | 46 | |
| 2147373805 | Mauryan Empire | 185 BCE, ruled by the Mauryan dynasty, was the largest and most powerful political and military empire of ancient India | 47 | |
| 2147375215 | Chandragupta Maurya | He founded India's first empire. He was an Indian prince who conquered a large area in the Ganges River valley soon after Alexander invaded western India. | 48 | |
| 2147380377 | Ashoka Maurya | The emperor who strengthened his control on his bureaucracy and built Pataliputra. He also supported Buddhism and built many statues and pillars to announce laws. His death sent the Mauryan Empire into decline. | 49 | |
| 2147383575 | Buddhism | A religion in which Buddha's teachings that life is permeated with suffering caused by desire and suffering ceases when desire ceases. Enlightenment obtained through right conduct, wisdom, and meditation releases one from desire, suffering, and rebirth (reincarnation). | 50 | |
| 2147384930 | Siddhartha Guatama | A prince who founded Buddhism, and gave up his power to become enlightened. | 51 | |
| 2147385769 | Eight-Fold Path | Eight steps to end suffering according to Buddhist tradition. 1- Right Conduct, 2- Right Speech, 3- Right means of livelihood, 4- Right knowledge, 5- Right intention, 6- Right effort, 7- Right mindfulness, 8- Right concentration | 52 | |
| 2147388765 | Four Noble Truths | 1) All life is full of suffering, pain, and sorrow. 2) The cause of suffering is nonvirtue, or negative deeds and mindsets such as hated and desire. 3) The only cure for suffering is to overcome nonvirture. 4) The way to overcome nonvirtue is to follow the Eightfold Path | 53 | |
| 2147389864 | Theravada | "Way of the Elders" branch of Buddhism followed in Sri Lanka and much of Southeast Asia. Theravada remains close to the original principles set forth by the Buddha; it downplays the importance of gods and emphasizes austerity and the individual's search for enlightenment. | 54 | |
| 2147391218 | Hinayana | Branch of Buddhism known as the "lesser vehicle," also known as Theravada Buddhism; its beliefs include strict, individual path to enlightenment, and it is popular in south and southeast Asia. | 55 | |
| 2147392548 | Mahayana | "the Great Vehicle" - The largest of Buddhism's three divisions, prevalent in China, Japan and Korea, encompasses a variety of forms, including those that emphasize devotion and prayer to the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. | 56 | |
| 2147394103 | Rock and Pillar Edicts | Buddhist laws written by Ashoka reminding Mauryans to live generous and righteous lives. | 57 | |
| 2147397374 | Chandra Gupta the Great | The ruler who revived the Mauryan Empire under the Gupta Empire. Ruled from 375 to 415 CE. | 58 | |
| 2147400192 | Gupta Empire | Golden Age of India; ruled through central government but allowed village power; restored Hinduism | 59 | |
| 2147402892 | Arabic Numerals | A written number system created during the Gupta golden age in India, then adopted by the Islamic Empire before spreading further. Used throughout western civilization today. | 60 | |
| 2147403700 | Great Wall of China | A gigantic sprawling wall in China that was originally 300 forts built during the Qin dynasty. | 61 | |
| 2147404721 | Shi Huangdi | Founder of the short-lived Qin dynasty and creator of the Chinese Empire (r. 221-210 B.C.E.). He is remembered for his ruthless conquests of rival states and standardization. (163) | 62 | |
| 2147405580 | Legalism | Chinese philosophy developed by Hanfeizi; taught that humans are naturally evil and therefore need to be ruled by harsh laws | 63 | |
| 2147407481 | Han Dynasty | (202 BC - 220 AD) dynasty started by Lui Bang; a great and long-lasting rule, it discarded the harsh policies of the Qin dynasty and adopted Confucian principles; Han rulers chose officials who passed the civil service exams rather than birth; it was a time of prosperity | 64 | |
| 2147409915 | Xiongnu | A confederation of nomadic peoples living beyond the northwest frontier of ancient China. Chinese rulers tried a variety of defenses and stratagems to ward off these 'barbarians,' as they called them, and dispersed them in 1st Century. (168) | 65 | |
| 2147410715 | Wu Ti | Han "Warrior Emperor" who greatly expanded the empire, (140-87 BCE); promoted peace; supported Confucianism; Conducted trade with the Parthian Empire in the Middle East. He also conducted the FIRST Civil service examinations in the world. | 66 | |
| 2147412588 | Polis | A city-state in ancient Greece | 67 | |
| 2147412589 | Athens | A democratic Greek polis who accomplished many cultural achievements, and who were constantly at war with Sparta. | 68 | |
| 2147414750 | Sparta | A powerful Greek miliary polis that was often at war with Athens. Used slaves known as helots to provide agricultural labor. | 69 | |
| 2147416262 | Persian Wars | 5th century B.C.E wars between the Persian empire and Greek city-states; Greek victories allowed Greek civilization to define their identity. | 70 | |
| 2147417410 | Golden Age of Pericles | The period after the Persian Wars during which Greece enjoyed peace and prosperity under the leadership of Pericles. The Parthenon was made during this time, philosophy and the arts flourished during this age. | 71 | |
| 2147418154 | Pericles | Athenian leader noted for advancing democracy in Athens and for ordering the construction of the Parthenon. | 72 | |
| 2147428171 | Delian League | (478-477 BC) A confederation that formed when Athens stepped in to provide new leadership against the Persians | 73 | |
| 2147435014 | Socrates | (470-399 BCE) An Athenian philosopher who thought that human beings could lead honest lives and that honor was far more important than wealth, fame, or other superficial attributes. | 74 | |
| 2147435927 | Plato | (430-347 BCE) Was a disciple of Socrates whose cornerstone of thought was his theory of Forms, in which there was another world of perfection. | 75 | |
| 2147436849 | Aristotle | (384-322 BCE) Believed, unlike his teacher Plato, that philosophers could rely on their senses to provide accurate information about the world. | 76 | |
| 2147439060 | Homer | Ancient Greek epic poet who is believed to have written the Iliad and the Odyssey (circa 850 BC) | 77 | |
| 2147447434 | Peloponnesian War | (431-404 BCE) The war between Athens and Sparta that in which Sparta won, but left Greece as a whole weak and ready to fall to its neighbors to the north. | 78 | |
| 2147448144 | Macedonians | Under the rule of Philip of Macedon, this group invaded Athens from the North and conquered the entire region. They would encourage Greek culture to flourish, however. | 79 | |
| 2147452189 | Alexander the Great | (356 BCE-323 BCE) He conquered most of the ancient world from Asia Minor to Egypt and India, which began the Hellenistic culture which was a blending of Greek, Persian, Indian, and Egyptian influences. | 80 | |
| 2147453933 | Antigonid Empire | The Hellenistic empire in Greece and Macedon after Alexander's death. | 81 | |
| 2147455386 | Ptolemaic Empire | The Hellenistic empire in Egypt area after Alexander's death; created by Ptolemy, one of Alexander's generals. | 82 | |
| 2147456531 | Seleucid Empire | The Hellenistic empire in Syria, Persia, and Bactria after Alexander's death; founded by Seleucus. | 83 | |
| 2147457296 | Hellenism | A culture that was a blend of Greek ideas and the traditions of Africa and Asia in ancient times | 84 | |
| 2147459496 | Patricians | A member of one of the noble families of the ancient Roman Republic, which before the third century B.C. had exclusive rights to the Senate and the magistracies. | 85 | |
| 2147459497 | Plebians | Members of the lower class of Ancient Rome including farmers, merchants, artisans and traders | 86 | |
| 2147461088 | Twelve Tables of Rome | codified Roman laws; included concept of "innocent until proven guilty"; the codification of Roman law during the republic | 87 | |
| 2147461508 | Roman Republic | The period from 507 to 31 B.C.E., during which Rome was largely governed by the aristocratic Roman Senate. | 88 | |
| 2147464119 | Roman Empire | An empire established by Augustus in 27 BC and divided in AD 395 into the Western Roman Empire and the Eastern or Byzantine Empire | 89 | |
| 2147465642 | Carthage | An ancient city in north Africa, established by traders from Phoenicia. It was a commercial and political rival of Rome for much of the third and second centuries B.C. The general Hannibal attempted to capture Rome by moving his army from Spain through the Alps, but he was prevented and finally defeated in his own country. At the end of the Punic Wars, the Romans destroyed this city, as the senator Cato had long urged. | 90 | |
| 2147466952 | Punic Wars | A series of three wars between Rome and Carthage (264-146 B.C.); resulted in the destruction of Carthage and Rome's dominance over the western Mediterranean. | 91 | |
| 2147467825 | Hannibal | Carthaginian military commander who, in the Second Punic War, attempted a surprise attack on Rome, crossing the Alps with a large group of soldiers, horses, and elephants. | 92 | |
| 2147470385 | Julius Caesar | 100-44 B.C. Roman general who became the republic's dictator in 45 B.C. | 93 | |
| 2147482145 | Caesar Agustus | The great-nephew and adopted son of Julius Ceaser who emerged as sole ruler of the roman state at the end of an extended period of civil war | 94 | |
| 2147488322 | Paganism | Any of the polytheistic religions of the Greco-Roman world, an umbrella term for ancient mediterranean religions other than Judaism and Christianity. | 95 | |
| 2147489014 | Jewish Diaspora | Beginning with Rome's destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D., the scattering of Jewish people throughout Europe and western Asia. | 96 | |
| 2147491302 | The Torah | First five books of the Hebrew Bible, most sacred writings in their religion and Christians kept them as the "Old Testament" in the Christian Bible, added the New Testaments about Jesus. | 97 | |
| 2147491844 | Christianity | A monotheistic system of beliefs and practices based on the Old Testament and the teachings of Jesus as embodied in the New Testament and emphasizing the role of Jesus as savior. | 98 | |
| 2147492621 | Diocletian | (245-313) Emperor of Rome who was responsible for dividing Rome into different provinces and districts. Eventually, the eastern portions of the Empire became known as the Byzantine Empire. Heavily persecuted Christians. | 99 | |
| 2147503256 | Constantine | (274 CE - 337 CE) Roman Emperor between 306 CE and 337 CE. He issued the Edict of Milan which outlawed the persecution of Christians. He also founded the city of Constantinople, the future capital of the Byzantine Empire. | 100 | |
| 2147513182 | Constantinople | A city established as the new eastern capital of the Roman empire by the emperor Constantine in A.D. 330. | 101 | |
| 2147515015 | Attila the Hun | A king of the Huns in the fifth century. His forces overran many parts of central and eastern Europe. His armies were known for their cruelty and wholesale destruction. He was called the "scourge of God." | 102 | |
| 2147517527 | Silk Road | An ancient trade route between China and the Mediterranean Sea extending some 6,440 km (4,000 mi) and linking China with the Roman Empire. | 103 | |
| 2147521154 | Ramses II | A long-lived ruler of New Kingdom Egypt (r. 1290-1224 BCE). He reached an accomodation with the Hittites of Anatolia after a standoff in battle at Kadesh in Syria. He built on a grand scale throughout Egypt. | 104 | |
| 2147523627 | Darius | 521-486 B.C.E., added new Persian province, conquered Thrace in Europe, invaded Greek mainland, divided government into 20 provinces, made Persia into largest empire at the time | 105 | |
| 2147525750 | Cyrus the Great | (died 529 BC) King of Persia and founder of the Persian Empire; he defeated the Median army and united the Persians and Medians under his rule. | 106 | |
| 1064724939 | Islam | A religion based on the teachings of the prophet Mohammed which stresses belief in one god (Allah), Paradise and Hell, and a body of law written in the Quran. Followers are called Muslims. | 107 | |
| 232350982 | Muslims | Those who practice the religion of Islam; believe in one God, and the prophet Muhammad whom they believe God spoke through. | 108 | |
| 26242765 | Mohammed | 570-632. Born in Mecca, died in Medina. Founder of Islam. Regarded by Muslims as a prophet of God. Teachings make up the Qu'ran, the Muslim holy book. | 109 | |
| 585986613 | Qu'ran | Book composed of divine revelations made to the Prophet Muhammad between ca. 610 and his death in 632; the sacred text of the religion of Islam. | 110 | |
| 427674719 | Five Pillars of Islam | 1) Allah is only God 2) prayer to Mecca 3) Fasting during Ramadan 4) Zakat (charity) 5) The Hajj (pilgrimage to Mecca) | 111 | |
| 873256176 | Mecca | City in western Arabia; birthplace of the Prophet Muhammad, and ritual center of the Islamic religion. | 112 | |
| 146183774 | Medina | City in western Arabia to which the Prophet Muhammad and his followers emigrated in 622 to escape persecution in Mecca | 113 | |
| 892556966 | Abu Bakr | Companion of 1st Muslim leader after Muhammad. Regarded by Sunni's as the 1st caliph and rightful successor. The Shi'ah regard him as a traitor of Muhammad. Known as best interpreter of dreams following Muhammad's death. | 114 | |
| 770293483 | theocracy | A government controlled by religious leaders | 115 | |
| 567748916 | caliphate | Office established in succession to the Prophet Muhammad, to rule the Islamic empire; also the name of that empire. | 116 | |
| 2152217 | Umayyad Dynasty | 661-750; Dynasty that tried to take Constantinople, twice; Muslim's spread all the way into Europe; called Moors in Spain; lost the Battle at Tours; tolerated other religions if you paid the jizya | 117 | |
| 694628465 | Charles Martel | "The Hammer" the Frankish commander for the battle of Tours. He defeated the Muslimsin the Battle of Tours, allowing Christianity to survive throughout the Dark Ages. He in a way started Feudalism by giving land to his knights that served for him. | 118 | |
| 488076445 | Dome of the Rock | Muslim shrine containing the rock from which Mohammad is believed to have risen to heaven; Jews believe Abraham prepared to sacrifice his son Isaac on the rock | 119 | |
| 796745432 | Shiite Islam | Muslims of the Islam branch that believed God's leadership line was a descendant of Muhammad's son in law, Ali. Ismail, the Shah of Iran, declared his people to practice this religion in 1502. | 120 | |
| 652344749 | Sunni Islam | A faction of Islam that does not believe Ali and his hereditary line are the chosen successors, rather contending that the leaders of the empire should be drawn from a broad base of people. | 121 | |
| 924690756 | Abbasid Dynasty | Muslim dynasty after Ummayd, a dynasty that lasted about two centuries that had about 150 years of Persia conquer and was created by Mohammad's youngest uncle's sons. | 122 | |
| 561630752 | Baghdad | Abbasid moved the capital to here because it sits on the Tigris River and trade and agriculture thrived here | 123 | |
| 696104658 | Mohammed al-Razi | Known as Rasis, was a Persian Muslim, a prominent figure in the Islamic Golden Age. | 124 | |
| 184112805 | Sufis | A mystical Muslim group that believed they could draw closer to God through prayer, fasting, and a simple life | 125 | |
| 782766271 | mamluks | Under the Islamic system of military slavery, Turkic military slaves who formed an important part of the armed forces of the Abbasid Caliphate of the ninth and tenth centuries. Mamluks eventually founded their own state, ruling Egypt and Syria (1250-1517) | 126 | |
| 918271442 | Ottoman Turks | Asian people who conquered Constantinople in the 1300s and established a large empire | 127 | |
| 529357247 | Middle Ages | 500 AD-1500 AD A period of turmoil following the collapse of the Roman Empire. | 128 | |
| 783852990 | Byzantine Empire | (330-1453) The eastern half of the Roman Empire, which survived after the fall of the Western Empire at the end of the 5th century C.E. Its capital was Constantinople, named after the Emperor Constantine. | 129 | |
| 601238132 | Orthodox Christianity | A branch of Christianity developed in the Byzantine Empire, after its split from the Roman Empire. It spread throughout the eastern Mediterranean and Russia. | 130 | |
| 818425658 | Justinian | Byzantine emperor in the 6th century A.D. who reconquered much of the territory previously ruler by Rome, initiated an ambitious building program , including Hagia Sofia, as well as a new legal code | 131 | |
| 482307111 | Justinian Code | A codification of Roman law that kept ancient Roman legal principles alive, established by Justinian in the Byzantine Empire | 132 | |
| 31208731 | Hagia Sophia | Most famous example of Byzantine architecture, it was built under Justinian I and is considered one of the most perfect buildings in the world. | 133 | |
| 31208811 | Franks | A group of Germanic people who rose to prominence under the leadership of King Clovis. | 134 | |
| 15775545 | King Clovis | Early Frankish king; converted Franks to Christianity C. 496; allowed establishment of Frankish kingdom | 135 | |
| 728436522 | Merovingian Dynasty | Family that ruled the Franks from the 500s to the 700s (before the Carolingian Dynasty); The kingdom of Clovis and Charles Martel spread Christianity throughout France and expanded its territories. | 136 | |
| 644133595 | Carolingian Dynasty | A series of Frankish rulers including Pepin and Charlemagne lasting from 751 to 987. | 137 | |
| 188327200 | Charlemagne | 800 AD crowned by the Pope as the head of the Holy Roman Empire, which extended from northern Spain to western Germany and northern Italy. His palace was at Aachen in central Europe | 138 | |
| 282813159 | Holy Roman Empire | A Germanic empire located chiefly in central Europe that began with the coronation of Charlemagne as Roman emperor in a.d. 800 (or, according to some historians, with the coronation of Otto the Great, king of Germany, in a.d. 962) and ended with the renunciation of the Roman imperial title by Francis II in 1806, and was regarded theoretically as the continuation of the Western Empire and as the temporal form of a universal dominion whose spiritual head was the pope. | 139 | |
| 237353377 | Otto the Great | (912-973) King of Germany (936-973) and Holy Roman Emperor (962-973); he defeated the Magyar army, which ended the Magyar raids in the mid-900s. | 140 | |
| 59118744 | Treaty of Verdun | 843 Treaty that ended power struggle of Charlemagne's 3 sons after his death and split Franks into 3 kingdoms | 141 | |
| 1011195282 | Vikings | Invaders of Europe that came from Scandinavia | 142 | |
| 302469789 | Magyars | Muslims who attacked Europe and converted to Christianity and established Hungary | 143 | |
| 148602002 | Feudalism | A political system in which nobles are granted the use of lands that legally belong to their king, in exchange for their loyalty, military service, and protection of the people who live on the land | 144 | |
| 321697270 | nobles | People of high birth, such as dukes and earls. In Medieval Europe, they were the people who lived in the castles. | 145 | |
| 106309363 | vassals | lesser lords who pledged their service and loyalty to a greater lord -- in a military capacity | 146 | |
| 377538710 | peasants | A small farm owner or farm worker | 147 | |
| 134795977 | fiefs | Pieces of land given to vassals by their lord | 148 | |
| 229433786 | manors | Large farm estates of the Middle Ages that were owned by nobles who ruled over the peasants living in the land | 149 | |
| 31372817 | Chivalry | Code of conduct for knight and nobles during European feudalism. | 150 | |
| 858365453 | Primogeniture | A system of inheritance in which the eldest son in a family received all of his father's land. The nobility remained powerful and owned land, while the 2nd and 3rd sons were forced to seek fortune elsewhere. Many of them turned to the New World for their financial purposes and individual wealth. | 151 | |
| 84959490 | serfs | Could not be bought or sold but their labor belonged to the lord. | 152 | |
| 840670862 | burghers | Merchant class town dwellers | 153 | |
| 329414759 | Hanseatic League | An economic and defensive alliance of the free towns in northern Germany, founded about 1241 and most powerful in the fourteenth century. | 154 | |
| 910554887 | Crusades | A series of holy wars from 1096-1270 AD undertaken by European Christians to free the Holy Land from Muslim rule. | 155 | |
| 199034279 | heresies | Beliefs said to be contrary to official Church teachings. | 156 | |
| 114619446 | Pope Innocent III | (c. 1160-1216) one of the most powerful and influential popes in history; exerted wide influence over the Christian regimes of Europe, claiming supremacy. Called upon Christian forces to begin The Fourth Crusade (crusaders ended up sacking Constantinople) | 157 | |
| 264442281 | The Inquisition | A Court created in the Catholic church to discover and deal with heretics (also called the Holy Office) | 158 | |
| 737241694 | Thomas Aquinas | (Roman Catholic Church) Italian theologian and Doctor of the Church who is remembered for his attempt to reconcile faith and reason in a comprehensive theology | 159 | |
| 18084652 | William the Conqueror | Duke of Normandy who led the Norman invasion of England and became the first Norman to be King of England. | 160 | |
| 271226170 | Magna Carta | (1215) a charter of liberties (freedoms) that King John "Lackland" of Englad was forced to sign; it made the king obey the same laws as the citizens of his kingdom | 161 | |
| 302626943 | King Hugh Capet | King of France, First of the Capetians; son of Hugh the Great; he gave away much of his land to secure the dynasty. He spent much of his reign fighting Charles and later became involved in a controversy with the papacy-unsettled at his death-over disposition of the Carolingian archbishop of Reims | 162 | |
| 260176034 | Joan of Arc | (c. 1412-1431) French peasant girl, a heroine and military leader inspired by religious visions; rallied French troops during the Hundred Years War to resist the English and to have Charles VII crowned king | 163 | |
| 337349848 | Hundred Years' War | (1337-1453) Series of campaigns over control of the throne of France, involving English and French royal families and French noble families. | 164 | |
| 677463987 | Bourbons | A series of monarchs of France that unified it after the Hundred Years' War. It became a major power on the European continent at this point. | 165 | |
| 70333661 | Queen Isabella | Queen of Spain who gave Columbus the ships and sailors to sail to the new world. | 166 | |
| 934063603 | King Ferdinand | King of Spain who sponsored Columbus' journey to New World | 167 | |
| 194303925 | Spanish Inquisition | A terrifying period of interrogation regarding heresy, in which many people were tortured, convicted and killed. This was spurred by fear of witches, heretics, Jews, and Muslims and was a byproduct of the reconquista. | 168 | |
| 230521524 | Tatars | Mongols who captured Russian cities and destroyed the Kievan state in 1236. However, they left the Russian Orthodox church and aristocracy intact. | 169 | |
| 994794010 | Ivan the Terrible | (1533-1584) Earned his nickname for his great acts of cruelty directed toward all those with whom he disagreed. He became the first ruler to assume the title Czar of all Russia. | 170 | |
| 483565056 | Tang Dynasty | (618-907 CE) The Chinese dynasty that was much like the Han, who used Confucianism. This dynasty had the equal-field system, a bureaucracy based on merit, and a Confucian education system. | 171 | |
| 734994824 | Emperor Xuanzong | Emperor of the Tang Dynasty who expanded it into parts of Manchuria, Mongolia, Tibet, and Korea. | 172 | |
| 438297330 | Song Dynasty | (960 - 1279 AD); this dynasty was started by Tai Zu; by 1000, a million people were living there; started feet binding; had a magnetic compass; had a navy; traded with India and Persia (brought pepper and cotton); first to have paper money, explosive gun powder. | 173 | |
| 67816265 | Yuan Dynasty | (1279-1368 CE) The dynasty with Mongol rule in China; centralized with bureaucracy but structure is different: Mongols on top->Persian bureaucrats->Chinese bureaucrats. | 174 | |
| 182829443 | Ming Dynasty | Succeeded Mongol Yuan dynasty in China in 1368; lasted until 1644; initially mounted huge trade expeditions to southern Asia and elsewhere, but later concentrated efforts on internal development within China. | 175 | |
| 533343100 | tribute system | Chinese method of dealing with foreign lands and people's that assumed the subordination of all non-Chinese authorities and required the payment of tribute to the Chinese emperor | 176 | |
| 876830007 | movable type | Type in which each individual character is cast on a separate piece of metal. It replaced woodblock printing, allowing for the arrangement of individual letters and other characters on a page, rather than requiring the carving of entire pages at a time. It may have been invented in Korea in the thirteenth century. | 177 | |
| 724586434 | Wu Zhao | Empress who was known for being a female with power, as they were often powerless. In 649, she strangled her daughter and blamed it on the current empress for being jealous over who had a child and who didn't. The emperor dumped his old wife for the liar. After he died, she assumed full power in 683. Strong leader, daughter of a Chinese general, first to select graduates of civil service examinations for highest government positions, formed alliance with Korea, lowered taxes. 625-705 | 178 | |
| 460048253 | Yamato Clan | Gained control of the nation over other rival clans around 400 CE. Established an imperial court similar to that of China in 700 CE. Japan | 179 | |
| 478220289 | Shinto | "the Sacred Way" or "the way of the Gods", the Japanese state religion among its doctrines are the divinity of the emperor and the sacredness of the Japanese nation | 180 | |
| 667396986 | Prince Shotoku | Important Japanese regent and scholar of the Asuka period... promoted Buddhism and Confucianism, reinstituted embassies to China, and adopted the Chinese calendar and court ranks | 181 | |
| 139362081 | Taika Reforms | Attempt to remake Japanese monarch into an absolute Chinese-style emperor; included attempts to create professional bureaucracy and peasant conscript army. | 182 | |
| 444778963 | Fujiwara Family | Ruling family in the 11th century where the central government power began to fall and feudal landowners began to dominate lands. The countryside was lawless and very dangerous at the time. | 183 | |
| 444322335 | shogun | Commander of the Japanese army in ancient and feudal times. At times more similar to a duke and/or a military dictator. | 184 | |
| 865995631 | daimyo | A Japanese feudal lord who commanded a private army of samurai; warlord but not as powerful as a shogun. | 185 | |
| 11929999 | Code of Bushido | "The Way of the Warrior". Samurai Code of Conduct: Loyalty, Bravery, Honor. Those who broke the Code had to commit ritual suicide called Seppuku. | 186 | |
| 57289357 | Delhi Sultanate | A Muslim leader of Ghur who defeated Hindu armies made Delhi, the third largest city of India, his capital. | 187 | |
| 833756037 | Mongol Empire | An empire founded in the 12th century by Genghis Khan, which reached its greatest territorial extent in the 13th century, encompassing the larger part of Asia and extending westward to the Dnieper River in eastern Europe. | 188 | |
| 758396172 | Golden Horde | A famous horde of the Mongol Empire that conquered the region of modern-day Russia. | 189 | |
| 875154813 | Kublai Khan | (1215-1294) Grandson of Genghis Khan and founder of the Mongol Yuan Dynasty in China. | 190 | |
| 39976551 | Timur Lang | Sometimes referred to as Tamerlane. A man of the Mongol Empire who ruthlessly conquered India. Destroyed almost everything and massacred thousands. | 191 | |
| 473537059 | Kush | African state that developed along the upper reaches of the Nile ca. 1000 B.C.E.; conquered Egypt and ruled it for several centuries. | 192 | |
| 414242774 | Axum | A city located 400 miles southeast of Meroë. In A.D. 350 King Ezana of Axum conquered Kush. It was the capital of a kingdom located in a rugged plateau region of eastern Africa called Ethiopia. | 193 | |
| 800601546 | Swahili Coast | East African shores of the Indian Ocean between the Horn of Africa and the Zambezi River; from the Arabic Swahili, meaning 'shores.' | 194 | |
| 321585279 | Mansa Musa | Emperor of the kingdom of Mali in Africa. He made a famous pilgrimage to Mecca (1324) and established trade routes to the Middle East. | 195 | |
| 235258622 | Sonni Ali | West African Monarch who ruled Songhai from 1464 to his death in 1492. Known by all as one of the great military commanders, he is remembered in some stories as a wise and tolerant ruler, and a cruel dictator in others. Also remembered for having a 400 ship river based navy that controlled the trade along the entire Niger River. | 196 | |
| 384265858 | Benin Plaques | collection of more than 900 brass plaques from the royal palace of the Kingdom of Benin | 197 | |
| 293191078 | Tenochtitlan | Capital of the Aztec Empire, located on an island in Lake Texcoco. Its population was about 150,000 on the eve of Spanish conquest. Mexico City was constructed on its ruins. | 198 | |
| 78625315 | Temple of the Sun | Inca religious center at Cuzco; center of state religion; held mummies of past Incas. | 199 | |
| 169879406 | Machu Picchu | Incan city,built of stone not from the mountain it's on,crossbeam at the entrance weighs several tons,still standing | 200 | |
| 596052174 | Bubonic Plague | Also called the Black Death was a deadly disease that spread through Europe and killed one out of every three people | 201 | |
| 532747327 | Henry the Navigator | (1394-1460) Portuguese prince who promoted the study of navigation and directed voyages of exploration down the western coast of Africa. | 202 | |
| 489708859 | Vasco da Gama | Portuguese explorer. In 1497-1498 he led the first naval expedition from Europe to sail to India, opening an important commercial sea route. | 203 | |
| 532747328 | Christopher Columbus | Italian navigator who discovered the New World in the service of Spain while looking for a route to China (1451-1506) | 204 | |
| 1029996802 | Treaty of Tordesillas | 1494 divided the Atlantic world between two maritime powers, reserving for Portugal the West African coast and the route to India and giving Spain the oceans and the lands to the west | 205 | |
| 558319100 | Ferdinand Magellan | (1480?-1521) Portuguese-born navigator. Hired by Spain to sail to the Indies in 1519. Magellan was killed in the Philippines (1521). One of his ships returned to Spain (1522), thereby completing the first circumnavigation of the globe. | 206 | |
| 183443847 | lateen sails | Large triangular sails that are attached to the masts by long booms or yard arms which extend diagonally high across both the fore and aft portions of the ship. | 207 | |
| 607175211 | astrolabe | An instrument used by sailors to determine their location by observing the position of the stars and planets | 208 | |
| 440300540 | magnetic compass | Invented during the Chinese Han Dynasty, it is a navigation instrument used for determining direction. | 209 | |
| 818696909 | Hernan Cortes | 1485-1547, Spanish conquistador who defeated the Aztecs and conquered Mexico | 210 | |
| 31079581 | Montezuma | Aztec chieftain; encountered Cortes and the Spanish and saw that they rode horses; Montezuma assumed that the Soanush were gods. He welcomed them hospitably, but the explorers soon turned on the natives and ruled them for three centuries. | 211 | |
| 942988304 | Francisco Pizarro | A Spanish conquistador who went to the Incas and took emporer prisoner and then killed him and took over the Inca empire | 212 | |
| 627507719 | peninsulares | 100 percent Spanish, Spanish born government and church officials who made up the upper class in the Spanish-controlled Americas | 213 | |
| 811430751 | Columbian Exchange | An exchange of goods, ideas and skills from the Old World (Europe, Asia and Africa) to the New World (North and South America) and vice versa. | 214 | |
| 168207667 | Age of Exploration | Time period during the 15th and 16th centuries when Europeans searched for new sources of wealth and for easier trade routes to China and India. Resulted in the discovery of North and South America by the Europeans. | 215 | |
| 586942006 | mercantilism | An economic policy under which nations sought to increase their wealth and power by obtaining large amounts of gold and silver and by selling more goods than they bought | 216 | |
| 586942007 | Zheng He | (1371-1433) An imperial eunuch and Muslim, entrusted by the Ming emperor Yongle with a series of state voyages that took his gigantic ships through the Indian Ocean, from Southeast Asia to Africa. | 217 | |
| 903839812 | Qing Dynasty | (1644-1911 CE), the last imperial dynasty of China which was overthrown by revolutionaries; was ruled by the Manchu people: began to isolate themselves from Western culture, | 218 |
