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

Period 3 A - AP World History Flashcards

The Post-Classical World, 500-1450

Terms : Hide Images
12011945065Bedouinnomadic pastoralists of the Arabian peninsula with a culture based on herding camels and goats0
12011945066MeccaArabian commercial center; dominated by the Quraysh; the home of Muhammad and the future center of Islam1
12011945120BahgdadThe capital of the Muslim world during the regions intellectual, economic, and political height2
12011945067Medinatown northeast of Mecca; asked Muhammad to resolve its intergroup differences; Muhammad's flight to Medina, the hijra, in 622 began the Muslim calendar3
12011945121UmayyadThe first large islamic Caliphate. Its capital was in Damascus and it favored Arabs over Persians and other ethnic groups.4
12011945122Arabian NightsCollection of folk tales demonstrative of the Persian literary traditions of the Abbasid dynasty5
12011945123AbbasidIslamic empire that was more cosmopolitan, more accepting of non-Arabs, and ruled the region until overthrown by the Mongols.6
12011945124lateenA triangular shaped sail adopted by Muslim sailors that allowed ships better maneuverability in the open ocean7
12011945125Astrolabea tool adapted by Muslim traders that used the stars to aid maritime navigation8
12011945126caravanUsed camels with newly innovated saddles to carry large loads of merchandise across trade routes with incremental rest stops.9
12011945068Muhammad(570-632); religious leader who claimed to be the third prophet of the God of Abraham10
12011945069Qur'anthe holy book of Islam11
12011945070Ummacommunity of the faithful within Islam12
12011945071hajjOne of the five pillars of Islam that requires all Muslims to make a pilgrimage to Mecca if they are able.13
12011945072Caliphthe successor to Muhammad as head of the Islamic community14
12011945073Alicousin and son-in-law of Muhammad; one of the orthodox caliphs; focus for the development of shi'ism15
12011945074Abu Bakrsucceeded Muhammad as the first caliph16
12011945075JihadRelated to the Arabic word for struggle. Come believe it requires a physical conflict with those who challenge Islam17
12011945076Sunnisfollowers of the majority interpretation within Islam; included the Umayyads18
12011945077Shi'afollowers of Ali's interpretation of Islam19
12011945078Dhimmis"the people of the book"-- Jews, Christians; later extended to Zoroastrians and Hindus. Were given freedom to worship under most Islamic empires but sometimes faced some extra burdens like increased taxes20
12011945127SikhismSouth Asian Belief system that blends ideas from Hinduism and Islam21
12011945128AnatoliaModern day Turkey. Was the center of power for the Ottoman empire.22
12011945079Hadiths"traditions" of the prophet Muhammad; added to the Qur'an, form the essential writings of Islam23
12011945080DhowsArab sailing vessels; equipped with lateen sails; used by Arab merchants24
12011945129ShariaIslmic holy law that draws its inspiration from Muslim holy texts25
12011945081Seljuk Turksnomadic invaders from central Asia; staunch Sunnis; ruled from the 11th c. in the name of the Abbasids26
12011945082Crusadesinvasions of western Christians into Muslim lands, especially Palestine; captured Jerusalem and established Christian kingdoms enduring until 129127
12011945083UlamaIslamic religious scholars; pressed for a more conservative and restrictive theology; opposed to non-Islamic thinking28
12011945084SufisIslamic mystics; spread Islam to many Afro-Asian regions29
12011945085Mongolscentral Asian nomadic peoples; captured Baghdad in 1258 and killed the last Abbasid caliph30
12011945086Chinggis Khan(1162-1227); Mongol ruler; defeated the Turkish Persian kingdoms31
12011945087Arabic numeralsIndian numerical notation brought by the Arabs to the West32
12011945088Greek FireByzantine weapon consisting of mixture of chemicals that ignited when exposed to water; used to drive back the Arab fleets attacking Constantinople33
12011945089Iconoclasmthe breaking of images; religious controversy of the 8th c; Byzantine emperor attempted, but failed, to suppress icon veneration34
12011945090Cyril and MethodiusByzantine missionaries sent to convert eastern Europe and Balkans; responsible for creation of Slavic written script called Cyrillic35
12011945091Kievcommercial city in Ukraine established by Scandinavians in 9th c; became the basis for Modern Russia36
12011945092Gothican architectural style developed during the 13th and 14th c in western Europe; featured pointed arches and flying buttresses as external support on main walls37
12011945148Hagia SophiaRussian emissaries saw this38
12011945130ConstantinopleCapital of the Byzantine Empire, later known as Istanbul after the Turkish conquest.39
12011945131caesarpopismThe type of theocracy of the Byzantine empire40
12011945132schismThe split between the Roman Catholic and the Eastern Orthodox church in the 11th century41
12011945133Nika RevoltThe most serious revolt faced by Justinian. The capital city was razed by the rebels42
12011945093Vikingsseagoing Scandinavian raiders who disrupted coastal areas of Europe from the 8th to 11th c; pushed across the Atlantic to Iceland, Greenland, and North America; formed permanent territories in Normandy and Sicily43
12011945094Manorialismrural system of reciprocal relations between landlords and their peasant laborers during the Middle Ages; peasants exchanged labor for use of land and protection44
12011945095Serfspeasant agricultural laborers within the manorial system45
12011945096Three-field systempractice of dividing land into thirds, rotating between two different crops and pasturage-- an improvement making use of manure46
12011945097Carolingiansroyal house of Franks from 8th c to 10th c47
12011945098CharlemagneCarolingian monarch who established large empire in France and Germany circa 80048
12011945099Holy Roman Emperorspolitical heirs to Charlemagne's empire in northern Italy and Germany; claimed title of emperor but failed to develop centralized monarchy49
12011945100Vassalsmembers of the military elite who received land or a benefice from a lord in return for military service and loyalty50
12011945101Magna CartaGreat charter issued by King John of England in 1215; represented principle of mutual limits and obligations between rulers and feudal aristocracy, and the supremacy of law51
12011945102Parliamentsbodies representing privileged groups; institutionalized the principle that kings ruled with the advice and consent of their subjects52
12011945103Hundred Years Warconflict between England and France over territory (1337-1453) Established a since of Nationalism with each country. Joan of Arc united the French and promoted French patriotism.53
12011945104Thomas Aquinascreator of one of the great syntheses of medieval learning; taught at University of Paris; author of Summas; believed that through reason it was possible to know much about natural order, moral law, and nature of God54
12011945105Scholasticismdominant medieval philosophical approach; so-called because of its base in the schools or universities; based on use of logic to resolve theological problems55
12011945106Hanseatic Leaguean organization of north German and Scandinavian cities for the purpose of establishing a commercial alliance56
12011945107Guildsassociations of workers in the same occupation in a single city; stressed security and mutual control; limited membership, regulated apprenticeships, guaranteed good workmanship; held a privileged place in cities57
12011945108Black Deathbubonic plague that struck Europe in the 14th c; significantly reduced Europe's population; affected social structure; decimated populations in Asia58
12011945109Southern Songsmaller surviving dynasty (1127-1279); presided over one of the greatest cultural reigns in world history. Fell to the Mongols in 1276 and eventually taken over in 1279.59
12011945134Suirestored order to China after the long warring period following the collapse of the Han Dynasty60
12011945135Tributary systemThe system whereby China saw itself as a "Middle Kingdom" which the rest of the region revolved around. It forced neighboring powers to give large gifts and kowtow to the emperor annually.61
12011945136Chan BuddhismA syncretic faith that created a form of Buddhism that focused more on meditation and spiritualism than on rigid doctrines or adherence to texts.62
12011945137Neo-ConfucianismA synchretic faith that combines rational thought about social order with the metaphysics of Daoism and Buddhism63
12011945138Du FuOne of the most important poets of the Tang Dynasty64
12011945139XuanzangChinese monk who made a pilgrimage to India and popularized Mahayana Buddhism in China, in spite of resistance from the Tang emperors.65
12011945140JinThe empire created by peoples from central Asia which encompassed the Northern region of China during the Song dynasty66
12011945141Shintoa Japanese religion dating from the early 8th century and incorporating the worship of ancestors and nature spirits and a belief in sacred power ( kami ) in both animate and inanimate things. It was the state religion of Japan until 1945.67
12011945142Tale of GenjiA Japanese novel written during the Heian period by a female author. It demonstrates the court life of the era.68
12011945110Grand Canalgreat canal system begun by Yangdi; joined Yellow River region to the Yangtze basin69
12011945111JunksChinese ships equipped with watertight bulkheads, stern-post rudders, compasses, and bamboo fenders; dominant force in Asian seas east of the Malayan peninsula70
12011945112Flying moneyChinese credit instrument that provided vouchers to merchants to be redeemed at the end of a venture; reduced danger of robbery; an early form of currency71
12011945113Samuraimounted troops of the bushi; loyal to local lords, not the emperor72
12011945114Footbindingpractice imposed during the Song dynasty in China. It limited women's mobility and demonstrates decreased status for women.73
12011945115Seppukuritual suicide in Japan; also known as hari-kiri; demonstrated courage and was a means to restore family honor74
12011945116Shogunsmilitary leaders of the bakufu75
12011945117Daimyoswarlord rulers of small states Japan's feudal era76
12011945118Ottoman EmpireTurkish empire established in Asia Minor and eventually extending through the Middle East and the Balkans; conquered Constantinople in 1453 and ended Byzantine Empire77
12011945149Silk Road Trade system78
12011945143Champa Ricetributary gift from Vietnam to China, led to population increase79
12011945144Tang Dynastyfollowed Sui, established tributary states in Vietnam and Korea, influence Japan, Established strong Buddhist and Confucian presence80
12011945145Black Deathplague that originated with Mongols, led to mass population decrease in Europe, later weakened faith in Christian church and increased the power of serfs/peasants. Led partly to fall of Feudal structures in Europe.81
12011945146Marco Polotraveler/merchant from Europe who spend 17 years at court of Kublai Khan82
12011945147footbindingbegan during Song era, demonstrates objectification and oppression of women, abolished during Yuan and brought back during Ming83
12011945150Byzantine empire84
12011945151Empire of Charlemagne85
12011945152Umayyad Caliphate86
12011945153Muslim trade routes87

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!