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AP World History Time Period 2 Flashcards

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15134626474Ahura MazdaIn Zoroastrianism, the good god who rules the world.0
15134626475Alexander the GreatAlexander III of Macedon (356-323 B.C.E.), conqueror of the Persian Empire and part of northwest India.1
15134626476AryansIndo-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
15134626477AshokaThe 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
15134626478Caesar 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
15134626479Cyrus (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
15134626480Darius 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
15134626481Greco-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
15134626482Gupta EmpireAn empire of India (320-550 C.E.).8
15134626483Han 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
15134626484Hellenistic 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
15134626485HerodotusGreek 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
15134626486hopliteA 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
15134626487IoniaThe territory of Greek settlements on the coast of Anatolia; the main bone of contention between the Greeks and the Persian Empire.13
15134626488Mandate 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
15134626489Battle of MarathonAthenian victory over a Persian invasion in 490 B.C.E.15
15134626490Mauryan EmpireA major empire (322-185 B.C.E.) that encompassed most of India.16
15134626491PatriciansWealthy, privileged Romans who dominated early Roman society.17
15134626492Pax 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
15134626493Peloponnesian 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
15134626494PersepolisThe capital and greatest palace-city of the Persian Empire, destroyed by Alexander the Great.20
15134626495Persian 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
15134626496PlebiansPoorer, less privileged Romans who gradually won a role in Roman politics.22
15134626497Punic 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
15134626498Qin 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
15134626499Qin ShihuangdiLiterally "first emperor" (r. 221-210 B.C.E.) forcibly reunited China and established a strong and repressive state.25
15134626500SolonAthenian statesman and lawmaker (fl. 594-560 B.C.E.) whose reforms led the Athenians toward democracy.26
15134626501WudiHan emperor (r. 141-86 B.C.E.) who began the Chinese civil service system by establishing an academy to train imperial bureaucrats.27
15134626502XiongnuNomadic peoples to the north of the Great Wall of China who were a frequent threat to the stability of the Chinese state.28
15134626503AristotleA Greek polymath philosopher (384-322 B.C.E.); student of Plato and teacher of Alexander the Great.29
15134626504AtmanThe human soul, which in classic Hindu belief seeks union with Brahman.30
15134626505Bhagavad 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
15134626506BrahmanThe "World Soul" or final reality in upanishadic Hindu belief.32
15134626507BrahminsThe priestly caste of India.33
15134626508BuddhismThe cultural/religious tradition first enunciated by Siddhartha Gautama34
15134626509ConfucianismThe Chinese philosophy first enunciated by Confucius, advocating the moral example of superiors as the key element of social order.35
15134626510ConfuciusThe 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
15134626511ConstantineRoman emperor (r. 306-337 C.E.) whose conversion to Christianity paved the way for the triumph of Christianity in Europe.37
15134626512DaodejingThe central text of Daoism; translated as The Way and Its Power.38
15134626513DaoismA Chinese philosophy/popular religion that advocates simplicity and understanding of the world of nature, founded by the legendary figure Laozi.39
15134626514Filial pietyrespect shown by children for their parents and elders40
15134626515Greek 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
15134626516HinduismA word derived from outsiders to describe the vast diversity of indigenous Indian religious traditions.42
15134626517HippocratesA very influential Greek medical theorist (ca. 460-ca. 370 B.C.E.); regarded as the father of medicine.43
15134626518Jesus of NazarethThe prophet/god of Christianity(ca. 4 B.C.E.-ca. 30 C.E.).44
15134626519YahwehA 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
15134626520KarmaIn 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
15134626521LaoziA legendary Chinese philosopher of the sixth century B.C.E.; regarded as the founder of Daoism.47
15134626522LegalismA Chinese philosophy distinguished by an adherence to clear laws with vigorous punishments.48
15134626523Mahayana"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
15134626524MokshaIn Hindu belief, liberation from separate existence and union with Brahman.50
15134626525NirvanaThe end goal of Buddhism, in which individual identity is "extinguished" into a state of serenity and great compassion.51
15134626526PlatoA 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
15134626527PythagorasA 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
15134626528Siddhartha Gautama (the Buddha)The Indian prince turned ascetic (ca. 566-ca. 486 B.C.E.) who founded Buddhism.54
15134626529SocratesThe first great Greek philosopher to turn rationalism toward questions of human existence (469-399 B.C.E.).55
15134626530Theravada"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
15134626531UpanishadsIndian mystical and philosophical works, written between 800 and 400 B.C.E.57
15134626532VedasThe 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
15134626533Warring States PeriodPeriod in China from 403 to 221 B.C.E. that was typified by disorder and political chaos.59
15134626534Yin and YangExpression of the Chinese belief in the unity of opposites.60
15134626535ZarathustraA Persian prophet, traditionally dated to the sixth or seventh century B.C.E. (but perhaps much older), who founded Zoroastrianism.61
15134626536ZoroastrianismPersian monotheistic religion founded by the prophet Zarathustra.62
15134626537caste 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
15134626538dharmaIn Indian belief, performance of the duties appropriate to an individual's caste; good performance will lead to rebirth in a higher caste.64
15134626539helotsThe dependent, semi-enslaved class of ancient Sparta whose social discontent prompted the militarization of Spartan society.65
15134626540KshatriyaThe Indian social class of warriors and rulers.66
15134626541latifundiaHuge estates operated by slave labor that flourished in parts of the Roman Empire67
15134626542PericlesA prominent and influential statesman of ancient Athens (ca. 495-429 B.C.E.); presided over Athens's Golden Age.68
15134626543scholar-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
15134626544SudraThe lowest Indian social class of varna; regarded as servants of their social betters; eventually included peasant farmers70
15134626545the "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
15134626546UntouchablesAn Indian social class that emerged below the Sudras and whose members performed the most unclean and polluting work.72
15134626547VaisyaThe Indian social class that was originally defined as farmers but eventually comprised merchants.73
15134626548AxumClassical-era kingdom of East Africa, in present-day Eritrea and northern Ethiopia; flourished from 100 to 600 C.E. and adopted Christianity.74
15134626549Bantu 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
15134626550Coptic ChristianityThe Egyptian variety of Christianity, distinctive in its belief that Christ has only a single, divine nature.76
15134626551Silk RoadTrade route stretching from China into Europe.77
15134626552syncretisma blending of beliefs and practices from different religions into one faith78
15134626553monasticismThe lifestyle of a monk or nun, characterized by prayer and solitude79
15134626554Judaismthe monotheistic religion of the Jews having its spiritual and ethical principles embodied chiefly in the Torah80
15134626555TorahA Hebrew word meaning "law," contains the basic laws for Jews, referring to the first five books of the Hebrew Scriptures.81
15134626556Christianitythe religion based on the person and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth, originated as an offshoot from Judaism82
15134626557Ancestor VenerationVeneration of the dead or ancestor reverence is based on the beliefs that the dead have a continued existence, and may possess the ability to influence the fortune of the living, the worship of deceased ancestors83
15134626558Empirea major political unit having a territory of great extent - OR - a number of territories or peoples under a single sovereign authority84

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