AP Notes, Outlines, Study Guides, Vocabulary, Practice Exams and more!

AP World History Time Period 2 Flashcards

Terms : Hide Images
11490383182Alexander the GreatAlexander III of Macedon (356-323 B.C.E.), conqueror of the Persian Empire and part of northwest India.0
11490383183AryansIndo-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.1
11490383184AshokaThe 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.2
11490383185Cyrus (the Great)Founder of the Persian Empire (r. 557-530 B.C.E.); a ruler noted for his conquests, religious tolerance, and political moderation.3
11490383186Darius IGreat king of Persia (r. 522-486 B.C.E.) following the upheavals after Cyrus's death; completed the establishment of the Persian Empire.4
11490383187Greco-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.5
11490383188Han 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.6
11490383189Hellenistic 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.7
11490383190HerodotusGreek 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.8
11490383191Mandate 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.9
11490383192Mauryan EmpireA major empire (322-185 B.C.E.) that encompassed most of India.10
11490383193PatriciansWealthy, privileged Romans who dominated early Roman society.11
11490383194Pax 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.12
11490383195Peloponnesian 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.13
11490383196PersepolisThe capital and greatest palace-city of the Persian Empire, destroyed by Alexander the Great.14
11490383197Persian 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.15
11490383198PlebiansPoorer, less privileged Romans who gradually won a role in Roman politics.16
11490383199Punic 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.17
11490383200Qin 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; used legalism to rule18
11490383201SolonAthenian statesman and lawmaker (fl. 594-560 B.C.E.) whose reforms led the Athenians toward democracy.19
11490383202WudiHan emperor (r. 141-86 B.C.E.) who began the Chinese civil service system by establishing an academy to train imperial bureaucrats.20
11490383203XiongnuNomadic peoples to the north of the Great Wall of China who were a frequent threat to the stability of the Chinese state.21
11490383204AristotleA Greek polymath philosopher (384-322 B.C.E.); student of Plato and teacher of Alexander the Great.22
11490383205BuddhismThe cultural/religious tradition first enunciated by Siddhartha Gautama23
11490383206ConfucianismThe Chinese philosophy first enunciated by Confucius, advocating the moral example of superiors as the key element of social order.24
11490383207ConfuciusThe 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.25
11490383208ConstantineRoman emperor (r. 306-337 C.E.) whose conversion to Christianity paved the way for the triumph of Christianity in Europe.26
11490383209DaodejingThe central text of Daoism; translated as The Way and Its Power.27
11490383210DaoismA Chinese philosophy/popular religion that advocates simplicity and understanding of the world of nature, founded by the legendary figure Laozi.28
11490383211Filial pietyrespect shown by children for their parents and elders29
11490383212Greek 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.30
11490383213HinduismA word derived from outsiders to describe the vast diversity of indigenous Indian religious traditions.31
11490383214HippocratesA very influential Greek medical theorist (ca. 460-ca. 370 B.C.E.); regarded as the father of medicine.32
11490383215Jesus of NazarethThe prophet/god of Christianity(ca. 4 B.C.E.-ca. 30 C.E.).33
11490383216YahwehA FORM OF the Hebrew name of God used in the Hebrew Scriptures. The monotheistic religion developed by the Hebrews, emphasizing a sole personal god with concerns for social justice.34
11490383217KarmaIn 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.35
11490383218LaoziA legendary Chinese philosopher of the sixth century B.C.E.; regarded as the founder of Daoism.36
11490383219LegalismA Chinese philosophy distinguished by an adherence to clear laws with vigorous punishments.37
11490383220NirvanaThe end goal of Buddhism, in which individual identity is "extinguished" into a state of serenity and great compassion.38
11490383221PlatoA 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.39
11490383222PythagorasA major Greek philosopher (ca. 560-ca. 480 B.C.E.) who believed that an unchanging mathematical order underlies the apparent chaos of the world.40
11490383223Siddhartha Gautama (the Buddha)The Indian prince turned ascetic (ca. 566-ca. 486 B.C.E.) who founded Buddhism.41
11490383224SocratesThe first great Greek philosopher to turn rationalism toward questions of human existence (469-399 B.C.E.).42
11490383225UpanishadsIndian mystical and philosophical works, written between 800 and 400 B.C.E.43
11490383226VedasThe 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.44
11490383227Warring States PeriodPeriod in China from 403 to 221 B.C.E. that was typified by disorder and political chaos.45
11490383228Yin and YangExpression of the Chinese belief in the unity of opposites.46
11490383229ZarathustraA Persian prophet, traditionally dated to the sixth or seventh century B.C.E. (but perhaps much older), who founded Zoroastrianism.47
11490383230ZoroastrianismPersian monotheistic/dualistic religion founded by the prophet Zarathustra.48
11490383231caste 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.49
11490383232dharmaIn Indian belief, performance of the duties appropriate to an individual's caste; good performance will lead to rebirth in a higher caste.50
11490383233helotsThe dependent, semi-enslaved class of ancient Sparta whose social discontent prompted the militarization of Spartan society.51
11490383234latifundiaHuge estates operated by slave labor that flourished in parts of the Roman Empire52
11490383235PericlesA prominent and influential statesman of ancient Athens (ca. 495-429 B.C.E.); presided over Athens's Golden Age.53
11490383236scholar-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.54
11490383237the "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.55
11490383238UntouchablesAn Indian social class that emerged below the Sudras and whose members performed the most unclean and polluting work.56
11490383239AxumClassical-era kingdom of East Africa, in present-day Eritrea and northern Ethiopia; flourished from 100 to 600 C.E. and adopted Christianity.57
11490383240Bantu 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.58
11490383241Coptic ChristianityThe Egyptian variety of Christianity, distinctive in its belief that Christ has only a single, divine nature.59
11490383242Silk RoadTrade route stretching from China into Europe.60
11490383243syncretisma blending of beliefs and practices from different religions into one faith61
11490383244monasticismThe lifestyle of a monk or nun, characterized by prayer and solitude62
11490383245Judaismthe monotheistic religion of the Jews having its spiritual and ethical principles embodied chiefly in the Torah63
11490383246TorahA Hebrew word meaning "law," contains the basic laws for Jews, referring to the first five books of the Hebrew Scriptures.64
11490383247Christianitythe religion based on the person and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth, originated as an offshoot from Judaism65
11490383248Ancestor 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 ancestors66
11490383249Empirea major political unit having a territory of great extent - OR - a number of territories or peoples under a single sovereign authority67

Need Help?

We hope your visit has been a productive one. If you're having any problems, or would like to give some feedback, we'd love to hear from you.

For general help, questions, and suggestions, try our dedicated support forums.

If you need to contact the Course-Notes.Org web experience team, please use our contact form.

Need Notes?

While we strive to provide the most comprehensive notes for as many high school textbooks as possible, there are certainly going to be some that we miss. Drop us a note and let us know which textbooks you need. Be sure to include which edition of the textbook you are using! If we see enough demand, we'll do whatever we can to get those notes up on the site for you!