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AP World History Unit 2 Flashcards

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12088418468Persian EmpireEmpire represented in this map0
12088418469AthensFirst recorded democracy ever established. Direct democracy with juries of up to 2,500 people. Had to be an 18 year old male with Athenian parents to rule.1
12088418470HellenismCivilizations represented on this map2
12088418471Alexander the GreatBetween 334 and 323 B.C.E. he conquered the Persian Empire, reached the Indus Valley, founded many Greek-style cities, and spread Greek culture across the Middle East.3
12088418472Qin Shihuangdi(r.221-210 BCE) The emperor who unified China and established the first dynasty of a unified empire.4
12088418473Han Dynasty(202 BC - 220 AD) dynasty started by Lui Bang; a great and long-lasting rule, it discarded the harsh policies of the previous dynasty and adopted Confucian principles; Its rulers chose officials who passed the civil service exams rather than birth; it was a time of prosperity5
12088418474Mauryan Dynasty322-185 BCE. The first state to unify most of the Indian subcontinent.6
12088418475AshokaThird ruler of the Mauryan Empire in India (r. 270-232 B.C.E.). He converted to Buddhism and broadcast his precepts on inscribed stones and pillars, the earliest surviving Indian writing.7
12088418476ConfucianismChinese ethical and philosophical system. It sought to minimize conflicts by stressing obedience to superiors, reverence for elder family members, and honoring of ancestors8
12088418477VedasAncient Sanskrit writings that are the earliest sacred texts of Hinduism.9
12088418478UpanishadsA collection of over two hundred texts composed between 900 and 200 BC that provide philosophical commentary on the Vedas10
12088418479ZoroastrianismOne of the first monotheistic religions, particularly one with a wide following. It was central to the political and religious culture of ancient Persia. A religion that developed in early Persia and stressed the fight between the forces of good and the forces of evil and how eventually the forces of good would prevail.11
12088418480JudaismA religion with a belief in one god. It originated with a covenant between God and Abraham and his descendants the Hebrew people. Yahweh was responsible for the world and everything within it. Holy Book is the Torah12
12088418481Greek RationalismA secularizing system of scientific and philosophic thought that developed in the period 600 B.C.E. to 300 B.C.E.; it emphasized the power of education and human reason to understand the world in nonreligious terms.13
12088418482Socrates(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. He taught students to question everything until a reasonable conclusion could be arrived at. Sentenced to death for corrupting young minds.14
12088418483Jesus of NazarethFounder of Christianity. His teachings were based on Judaism but eventually became a separate faith and spread throughout the Roman Empire and the world.15
12088418484Yellow Turban RebellionA massive Chinese peasant uprising inspired by Daoist teachings that began in 184 C.E. with the goal of establishing a new golden age of equality and harmony.16
12088418485castedistinct social class grouping; in India, Varna consisted of four classes that people were born into for life17
12088418506CyrusFounder of the Achaemenid Persian Empire. Between 550 and 530 B.C.E. he conquered Media, Lydia, and Babylon. He allowed the Jews to return to their homeland18
12088418507DariusPersian ruler who brought order to the Persian Empire. He also built roads; established a postal system; and standardized weights, measures, and coinage.19
12088418508PersianOf or relating to Iran or its people or language or culture20
12088418509Satrapsunder Darius's rule these were known as governors who ruled the provinces. They collected taxes, served as judges, and put down rebellions21
12088418510Persian WarsConflicts between Greek city-states and the Persian Empire, ranging from the Ionian Revolt (499-494 B.C.E.) through Darius's punitive expedition that failed at Marathon. Chronicled by Herodotus. (131)22
12088418511Ahura MazdaMain god of Zoroastrianism who represented truth and goodness and was perceived to be in an eternal struggle with the malign spirit angra mainyu.23
12088418512Angra Mainyuevil spirit in zoroastrianism, the explanation for the presence of evil in the world24
12088418513LaoziChinese Daoist philosopher; taught that governments were of secondary importance and recommended retreat from society into nature.25
12088418514Han WudiThe most important Han Emperor: expanded the Empire in all directions; created the Civil Service System based upon Confucian learning; established Imperial University; promoted the Silk Roads26
12088418515DaoismChinese School of Thought: Daoists believe that the world is always changing and is devoid of absolute morality or meaning. They accept the world as they find it, avoid futile struggles, and deviate as little as possible from the Dao, or 'path' of nature.27
12088418516LegalismIn China, a political philosophy that emphasized the unruliness of human nature and justified state coercion and control. The Qin ruling class invoked it to validate the authoritarian nature of their regime. (p.52)28
12088418517Qin DynastyThe dynasty that replaced the Zhou dynasty and employed Legalist ideas in order to control warring states and unify the country.29
12088418518Han dynastyA great and long-lasting rule, it discarded the harsh policies of the Qin dynasty and adopted Confucian principles. Han rulers chose officials on merit rather than birth. It was a time of prosperity30
12088418519Chandragupta MauryaHe founded India's first empire (Mauryan). He was an Indian prince who conquered a large area in the Ganges River valley soon after Alexander invaded western India.31
12088418520Chandra GuptaLaid the foundations for the Gupta empire, he forged alliances with powerful families in the Ganges Region and established a dynamic kingdom about the year 320 C.E. Golden Age32
12088418521Siddhartha Gautamafounder of Buddism; born a prince; left his father's wealth to find the cause of human suffering; also know as Buddha33
12088418522Gupta EmpirePowerful Indian state based, like its Mauryan predecessor, in the Ganges Valley. It controlled most of the Indian subcontinent through a combination of military force and its prestige as a center of sophisticated culture. Golden Age34
12088418523HunsNomadic invaders from central Asia; invaded India; disrupted Gupta administration (Overthrew Gupta)35
12088418524Buddhisma world religion or philosophy based on the teaching of the Buddha and holding that a state of enlightenment can be attained by suppressing worldly desire36
12088418525Homerancient Greek epic poet who is believed to have written the Iliad and the Odyssey (circa 850 BC)37
12088418526PlatoPhilosopher (429 BC-347 BC) who studied under Socrates and questioned reality. He believed that ideal forms existed on a separate plane than our conception of reality. In his work the Republic, he described an ideal society, in which philosopher-kings would rule and everyone would be given jobs based on their talents. He also creates the Academy, an ancient school of philosophy.38
12088418527AristotleGreek philosopher. A pupil of Plato, the tutor of Alexander the Great, and the author of works on logic, metaphysics, ethics, natural sciences, politics, and poetics, he profoundly influenced Western thought. In his philosophical system.39
12088418528polisGreek word for city-state40
12088418529SpartaGreek city-state that was ruled by an oligarchy, focused on military, used slaves for agriculture, discouraged the arts41
12088418530Delian LeagueAn alliance headed by Athens that says that all Greek city-states will come together and help fight the Persians42
12088418531Peloponnesian Wara war in which Athens and its allies were defeated by the league centered on Sparta43
12088418532Hellenistic AgeGreek culture spread across western Asia and northeastern Africa after the conquests of Alexander the Great. The period ended with the fall of the last major Hellenistic kingdom to Rome, but Greek cultural influence persisted until the spread of Islam.44
12088418533Ptolemaic EmpireThe Hellenistic empire in Egypt area after Alexander's death; created by Ptolemy, one of Alexander's generals.45
12088418534Seleucid EmpireThe empire in Syria, Persia, and Bactria after the breakup of Alexander's empire.46
12088418535Julius CaesarMade dictator for life in 45 BCE, after conquering Gaul, assassinated in 44 BCE by the Senate because they were afraid of his power47
12088418536Augustus CaesarThe first empreror of Rome, the adopted son of Julius Caesar, help Rome come into Pax Romana, or the Age of Roman Peace48
12088418537Punic Warone of the three wars between Carthage and Rome that resulted in the destruction of Carthage and its annexation by Rome49
12088418538Twelve tablesthe earliest written collection of Roman laws, drawn up by patricians about 450B.C., that became the foundation of Roman law50
12088418539PatriciansA 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.51
12088418540PlebeiansMembers of the lower class of Ancient Rome including farmers, merchants, artisans and traders52
12088418541ConstantineEmperor of Rome who adopted the Christian faith and stopped the persecution of Christians (280-337)53
12088418542Silk roadsTrade routes stretching from China to the Mediterranean, which allowed for the exchange of goods and ideas from China to the Roman Empire54
12088418486QanatsUnderground irrigation systems developed by Persians55
12088418487AquaductsAbove ground structures that piped in fresh drinking water to public fountains in Roman Empire56
12088418488concreteRoman innovation that aided construction of large-scale projects.57
12088418489Paul of TarsusOne of the most important apostles who is largely responsible for the spread of Christianity around the Mediterranean World in the 1st century.58
12088418490Stepwellsan innovation of the gupta empire that allowed for the storage of fresh drinking water in a fashion that minimized evaporation.59
12088418491Jatia Hindu caste or distinctive social group of which there are thousands throughout India; a special characteristic is often the exclusive occupation of its male members (such as barber or potter)60
12088418492filial pietyThe Confucian belief that one should obey older family members and pay respect to ancesters.61
12088418493ShudraThe serving class, the lowest caste in Hinduism before the creation of the untouchables62
12088418494Four Noble TruthsThe Buddhist beliefs that all life is a cycle of suffering, the cause of suffering is desires for worldly pleasures, and that the cycle of suffering will not be broken until a person escapes re-birth through a process of Enlightenment.63
12088418495BrahmaIn Hinduism, a universal spirit believed to be the origin of everything.64
12088418496stupaBuddhist shrines, usually believed to hold holy relics.65
12088418497synchretismwhen elements of two or more cultures blend together66
12088418498boddisattvaIn Buddhism, a person who is able to reach nirvana but delays doing so to remain on earth as a spiritual guide to others.67
12088418499gangesA holy river in Hinduism68
12088418500PersepolisThe city created by Darius the Great as the grand capital of the Achaemenid Empire.69
12088418501PataliputraLarge city along the Ganges River which was the capital of the Mauyaran Empire70
12088418502ConstantinopleLarge Roman trading city located on the straits between the Black and Mediterranean Seas.71
12088418503PeterEstablished an early Christian Church in Rome. Viewed by Christians as the first Pope.72
12088418504asceticsomeone who forgoes traditional desires such as food, sex, and shelter-usually for religious reasons.73
12088418505cynicisma Hellenistic philosophical movement that rejected material wealth and traditional authority.74

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