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

AP World History Vocab Flashcards

Terms : Hide Images
14795359135Regionan area of Earth distinguished by a distinctive combination of cultural and physical features. Ex: Midwest; farming0
14795389199Causationthe belief that events occur in predictable ways and that one event leads to another. (Cause and Effect)1
14809499632comparisonExamination of two or more objects with reference to their likeness or unlikeness. (Compare and Contrast)2
14809504456Change over timeThe process by which things change. (Changes and continuities)3
14823283148civilizationA society with cities, a central government, job specialization, and social classes4
14823287588Religionthe belief in and worship of a superhuman controlling power, especially a personal God or gods. (Social, moral belief systems)5
14823291832HearthThe region from which innovative ideas originate (The starting point)6
14823295059DiffusionThe process of spread of a feature or trend from one place to another over time (To spread out)7
14853861351Dynastya powerful family or group of rulers that maintains its position or power for some time8
14853866455Confucianisma system of philosophical and ethical teachings founded by Confucius and developed by Mencius.9
14853871410Filial PietyIn Confucian thought, one of the virtues to be cultivated, a love and respect for one's parents and ancestors.10
14853884900Civil Service ExamIn China, it was an exam based on Confucian teachings that was used to select people for various government service jobs in the bureaucracy.11
14853887822Scholar-gentryThe Chinese class of well-educated MEN from whom many bureaucrats were chosen (Bureaucracy)12
14871753877HinduismA religion and philosophy developed in ancient India, characterized by a belief in reincarnation and a supreme being who takes many forms13
14871757521Caste SystemA Hindu social class system that controlled every aspect of daily life14
14871760135BrahminsPriests, at the top of the caste system which the Aryans made15
14871764315Samsara/reincarnationThe Hindu belief in reincarnation, which is the rebirth of the soul in another bodily form.16
14871767996Karma(Hinduism and Buddhism) the effects of a person's actions that determine his destiny in his next incarnation17
14871773138DharmaIn Hindu belief, a person's religious and moral duties18
14871777572EnlightenmentWhen you ascend past the reincarnation cycle as a Brahmin.19
14871779860SufismA group of devotional movements in Islam. Many of them in India. Trying to become one with God. Trying to break out of rigid Caste System.20
14871785496Bhakti MovementIndian movement that attempted to transcend the differences between Hinduism and Islam21
14871788858VedasEarly Indian sacred 'knowledge'-the literal meaning of the term-long preserved and communicated orally by Brahmin priests and eventually written down.22
14891298973BuddhismBelief system that started in India in the 500s BC. Happiness can be achieved through removal of one's desires. Believers seek enlightenment and the overcoming of suffering.23
14891308364Siddhartha GautamaThe prince who is said to have founded Buddhism.24
14891314464Theravada and MahayanaTwo major forms of Buddhism. Theravada was popular in India, stricter and more original. Mahayana is more popular in China, had looser restrictions and the Buddha was seen as a spiritual figure.25
14891320649BodhisattvasFuture Buddhas. As the ideal types for Mahayana Buddhism, beings who have experienced enlightenment but, motivated by compassion, stop short of entering nirvana so as to help others achieve it26
14891323877NirvanaThe state of enlightenment for Buddhists.27
14891332665Dalai Lamathe spiritual head of Tibetan Buddhism and, until the establishment of Chinese communist rule, the spiritual and temporal ruler of Tibet.28
14907463096JudiasmThe first monotheistic religion - guided by the Hebrew Bible called the Torah.29
14907468014Christianitythe religion based on the person and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth, or its beliefs and practices.30
14907473562AbrahamFounder of Judaism who, according to the Bible, led his family from Ur to Canaan in obedience to God's command.31
14907477839Jesus of Nazaretha teacher and prophet born in bethlehem and active in nazareth; his life and sermons form the basis for Christianity32
14907483363Ten CommandmentsA set of laws for responsible behavior, which, according to the Bible, were given to Moses by God.33
14907485781PalestineAlso called Holy Land. Biblical name, Canaan. an ancient country in SW Asia, on the E coast of the Mediterranean.34
14907488966YahwehHebrew name for God35
14923805593Muhammadthe Arab prophet who founded Islam (570-632)36
14923809577Five PillarsThe obligatory religious duties of all Muslims; confession of faith, prayer, fasting during Ramadan, zakat, and hajj37
14923811614Ramadanthe ninth month of the Muslim year, during which strict fasting is observed from sunrise to sunset.38
14923826181HajjA pilgrimage to Mecca, performed as a duty by Muslims39
14923828601MuslimsFollowers of Islam40
14923831135SunniA branch of Islam whose members acknowledge the first four caliphs as the rightful successors of Muhammad41
14923833847Shiitea member of the branch of Islam that regards Ali as the legitimate successor to Mohammed and rejects the first three caliphs42
14923836051Isaac and Ishmaelthe two sons of Abraham from whom the Jewish and the Arab people are believed to have descended43

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!