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AP World History Terms Flashcards

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4717144579Civilizationcultural group with advanced cities, complex institutions, skilled workers, advanced technology, and a system of recordkeeping0
4717144580Climatethe pattern of temperature and precipitation over a period of time1
4717144818Cultural Diffusionthe transmission of ideas and products from one culture to another2
4717144820Independent Inventiondevelopment of same cultural trait or pattern in a separate culture because of comparable needs and circumstances3
4717144821Monsoona seasonal wind4
4717146943Steppea dry grassland5
4717155952Agricultural Revolutiontransition from foraging to the cultivation of food occurring about 8000 - 2000 BCE6
4717155953Animismthe belief that spirits inhabit the features of nature7
4717155954Artifactan object made by human hands8
4717156187Foraginga term for hunting and gathering9
4717156188Neolithic Agenew Stone Age10
4717156556Neolithic Revolutionsame as the Agricultural Revolution11
4717156557Paleolithic Ageold Stone Age12
4717157014Pastoralismthe practice of herding13
4717157248Slash-and-Burn Cultivationan agricultural method in which farmers clear fields by cutting and burning trees, then use the ashes as fertilizer14
4717158375Specialization of Laborthe division of labor that aids the development of skills in a particular type of work15
4725838564Covenantagreement; in the Judeo-Christian heritage, an agreement between God and humankind16
4725839151Cuneiforma system of writing originating in Mesopotamia in which a wedge-shaped stylus was used to press symbols into clay17
4725839152Diasporathe exile of an ethic or racial group from their homeland18
4725839153Hieroglyphicsa system of picture writing used in Egypt19
4725839376Jatione of the many subcastes in the Hindu caste system20
4725839377Mandate of Heaventhe concept developed by the Zhou dynasty that the deity granted a dynasty the right to rule and took away that right if the dynasty did not rule wisely21
4725839830Matrilinealreferring to a social system in which descent and inheritance are traced through the mother22
4725839831Monotheismthe belief in one god23
4725839832Oracle Bonesanimal bones or shells used by Chinese priests to receive messages from the gods24
4725840431Patriarchalpertaining to a social system in which the father is the head of the family25
4725840432Pharaohan Egyptian monarch26
4725855505Polytheismthe belief in many gods27
4725855835QuetzalcòatlMesoamerican god who would someday return to rule his people in peace28
4725857813Ten Commandmentsmoral laws of the Hebrews29
4725857814Theocracya government ruled by God or by church leaders30
4725857815Torahthe first five books of the Jewish scriptures31
4725857819Untouchablesthe social division in Hindu society that fell in rank below the caste system; it was occupied by those who carried out undesirable occupations such as undertaking, butchering, and waste collection32
4725857820Varnaa caste in the Hindu caste system33
4725857821Vedasthe oral hymns to the Aryan deities, later written down, that formed the basis of the Hindu beliefs during the Vedic Age (1500 - 500 BCE)34
4725857822Yahwehthe god of the Jews35
4725858062Ziggurata multi-tiered pyramid constructed by Mesopotamians36
4734801943Alexander the Greatking of the ancient Greek kingdom37
4734801944Aristocracyrule by a privileged heredity class or nobility38
4734801965AristotleGreek philosopher and scientist39
4734802085Artisana craftsman40
4734802086Democracya political system in which the people rule41
4734802087Dynastya series of rulers from the same family42
4734802590Geocentric Theorythe belief held by many before the Scientific Revolution that the Earth is the center of the universe43
4734802591Hellenistic Agethe era (c. 323 - 30 B.C.E.) in which Greek culture blended with Persian and other Eastern influences spread throughout the former empire of Alexander the Great44
4734802592Indo-Europeansa group of seminomadic peoples, who, around 200 B.C.E., began to migrate from central Asia to India, Europe, and the Middle East45
4734802713Mystery Religionduring the Hellenistic Age, religions that promised their faithful followers eternity in a state of bliss46
4734802714Pax Romanathe Roman Peace; the period of prosperity and stability throughout the Roman Empire in the first two centuries C.E.47
4734802715Polisa Greek city-state48
4734802716Satithe custom among the higher castes of Hinduism of a widow throwing herself on the burning funeral pyre of her husband49
4734802818Silk Roadscaravan routes and sea lanes between China and the Middle East50
4734802819Stoicismthe most popular Hellenistic philosophy; it involved strict discipline and an emphasis on helping others51
4734802820Twelve Tablesthe codification of Roman law during the republic52
4734803015Zoroastrianisman ancient Persian religion that emphasized a struggle between good and evil and rewards in the afterlife for those who chose to follow a good life53
4771063133Analectscollection of short literary or philosophical extracts54
4771063862Animismthe belief that spirits inhabit the features of nature55
4771064718BodhisattvasBuddhist holy men who accumulated spiritual merits during their lifetime; Buddhists prayed to them in order to receive some of their holiness56
4771064719Brahmina member of the social class of priests in Aryan society57
4771065737Dharmathe position in the Hindu caste system that was determined by one's birth58
4771065930Disciplea personal follower of Jesus during his life59
4771065931Edict of Milana document that made Christianity one of the religion60
4771065932Filial Pietyin China, respect for one's parents and other elders61
4771065933Karmain Hindu tradition, the goods or evil deeds done by a person62
4771066225Messiahthe promised deliverer of the Jewish nation prophesied in the Hebrew Bible63
4771066226Mokshain Hindu belief, the spirit's liberation from the cycle of reincarnation64
4771066228New Testamentthe portion of the Christian Bible that contains the Gospels that relate the account of Jesus; letters from the followers of Jesus to the early Christian churches and the Book of Revelation, a prophetic text65
4771066567Nirvanain Buddhism, a state of perfect peace that is the goal of reincarnation66
4771066568Popethe head of the Roman Catholic Church67
4771066569Reincarnationrebirth; a belief of both Hinduism and Buddhism68
4771067070Yin and Yangin ancient Chinese belief, the opposing forces that bring balance to both nature and life69
4780529881Hsiung-nuconfederation of nomadic people who inhabited the Asian Steppe70
4780529882Hunsnomadic people who lived in Eastern Europe, the Caucasus, and Central Asia71
4780529883Latifundialarge landholdings in the Roman Empire72
4792313633Allahthe god of the Muslims; Arabic word for "god"73
4792313634Arabesquean ornamental design consisting of intertwined flowing lines, originally found in Arabic or Moorish decoration.74
4792313635Astrolabea navigational instrument used to determine latitude by measuring the position of the stars75
4792314538Battle of Toursthe 732 battle that halted the advance of Muslim armies into Europe at a point in northern France76
4792314539Caliphthe chief Muslim political and religious leader77
4792314540Dar al-Islamthe House of Islam; a term representing the political and religious unity of the various Islamic groups78
4792314612Five Pillarsfive practices required of Muslims: faith, prayer, almsgiving, fasting, and pilgrimage79
4792315483Haditha collection of the sayings and deeds of Muhammad80
4792315484Hajjthe pilgrimage to the Ka'aba in Mecca required once of every Muslim who was not limited by health or financial restrictions81
4792315485Harema household of wives and concubines in the Middle East, Africa, or Asia82
4792315486Hijrahthe flight of Muhammad from Mecca to Medina; the first year in the Muslim calendar83
4792316268JihadIslamic holy war84
4792316269Ka'abaa black stone or meteorite that became the most revered shrine in Arabia before the introduction of Islam; situated in Mecca, it later was incorporated in the Islamic faith85
4792317715MamluksTurkic military slaves who formed part of the army of the Abbasid Caliphate in the ninth and tenth centuries; they founded their own state in Egypt and Syria from the thirteenth to the early sixteenth centuries86
4792318840Minareta tower attached to a mosque from which Muslims are called to worship87
4792318841Mosquethe house of worship of followers of Islam88
4792318842Muslim"One who submits"; a follower of Islam89
4792318843People of the Booka term applied by Islamic governments to Muslims, Christians, and Jews in reference to the fact that all three religions had a holy book90
4792319976Quranthe holy book of Islam91
4792319977Ramadanthe holy month of Islam which commemorates the appearance of the angel Gabriel to Muhammad; fasting is required during this month92
4792324495Shariahthe body of law that governs Muslim society93
4792324496Shi'itethe branch of Islam that holds that the leader of Islam must be a descendant of Muhammad's family94
4792329110SufisMuslims who attempt to reach Allah through mysticism95
4792329111Sultanan Islamic ruler96
4792330286Sunnithe branch of Islam that believes that the Muslim community should select its leaders; the Sunnis are the largest branch of Islam97
4792330287Ummathe community of all Muslim believers98
4792330288Zakatobligatory payment made annually under Islamic law on certain kinds of property and used for charitable and religious purposes99

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