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Unit 2: Africa and the Americas Flashcards

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12472032Beninpowerful city-state (in Africa) which came into contact with the Portuguese in 1485 but remained relatively free of European influence; important commercial and political entity until the 18th century0
12472033demography transitionshift to low birth rate, low infant death rate, stable population; first emerged in western Europe and United States in late 19th century1
12472034chinampasbeds of aquatic weeds, mud, and earth placed in frames made of cane and rooted in lakes to create "floated islands"; system of irrigated agriculture utilized by Aztecs2
12472035demographystudy of population3
12472036Great ZimbabweBantu confederation of Shona-speaking peoples located between Zambezi and Limpopo rivers; developed after 9th century; featured royal courts built of stone; created centralized state by 15th century; king took title of Mwene Mutapa4
12472037griotsprofessional oral historians who served as keepers of traditions and advisors to kings within the Mali emperor5
12472038Indianmisnomer created by Columbus referring to indigenous peoples of New World; implies social and ethnic commonality among Native Americans that did not exist; still used to apply to Native Americans6
12472039Kongokingdom, based on agriculture, formed on lower Congo River by late 15th century; capital at Mbanza Kong; ruled by hereditary monarchy7
12472040Muhammad the Greatextended the boundaries of the Songhay Empire; Islamic ruler of the mid-16th century8
12472041QuetzalcoatlToltec deity; feathered serpent; adopted by Aztecs as a major god9
12472042quipusystem of knotted strings utilized by the Incas in place of a writing system; could contain numerical and other types of information for censuses and financial records10
12472043Songhaysuccessor state to Mali; dominated middle reaches of Niger valley; formed as independent kingdom under a Berber dynasty; capital at Gao; reached imperial status under Sunni Ali11
12472044stateless societiesafrican societies organized around kinship or other forms of obligation and lacking the concentration of political power and authority associated with states12
12472045tambosway stations used by Incas as inns and storehouses; supply centers for Incan armies on move; relay points for system of runners used to carry messages13
12472046Tenochtitlanfounded 1325 on marshy island in Lake Texcoco; became center of Aztec power; joined with Tlacopan and Texcoc in 1434 to form a triple alliance that controlled most of central plateau of Mesoamerica14
12472047timbuktuport city of Mali; located just off the flood plain of the great bend in the NIger River; population of 50,000; contained a library and university15
12472048toltec culturesucceeded Teotihuacan culture in central Mexico; strongly militaristic ethic including human sacrifice; influenced large territory after 1000 C.E.16
12472049ZenjArabic term for the east African coast17
12472050Nokancient Nigerian civilization that practice agriculture and used iron tools; artistic traditions spread widely through the forest areas18
12472051sahelextensive grassland belt at the southern edge of the Sahara19
12472052Sudanic Stateskingdoms in west Africa; had effective control of subordinate societies and the legal or informal control of their sovereignty; conquest states with rulers that were considered sacred20
12472053Maliempire between the Senegal and Niger rivers in the 13th through 15th centuries21

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