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AP World History Period 2 Flashcards

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10766985883Ahura MazdaIn Zoroastrianism, the good god who rules the world.0
10766985884Alexander the GreatAlexander III of Macedon (356-323 B.C.E.), conqueror of the Persian Empire and part of northwest India.1
10766985885AryansIndo-European pastoralists who moved into India about the time of the collapse of the Indus Valley civilization; their role in causing this collapse is still debated by historians.2
10766985886AshokaThe most famous ruler of the Mauryan Empire (r. 268-232 B.C.E.), who converted to Buddhism and tried to rule peacefully and with tolerance.3
10766985887Caesar AugustusThe great-nephew and adopted son of Julius Caesar who emerged as sole ruler of the Roman state at the end of an extended period of civil war (r. 31 B.C.E.-14 C.E.).4
10766985888Cyrus (the Great)Founder of the Persian Empire (r. 557-530 B.C.E.); a ruler noted for his conquests, religious tolerance, and political moderation.5
10766985889Darius IGreat king of Persia (r. 522-486 B.C.E.) following the upheavals after Cyrus's death; completed the establishment of the Persian Empire.6
10766985890Greco-Persian WarsTwo major Persian invasions of Greece, in 490 B.C.E. and 480 B.C.E., in which the Persians were defeated on both land and sea.7
10766985891Gupta EmpireAn empire of India (320-550 C.E.).8
10766985892Han dynastyChinese dynasty that restored unity in China softened legalist policies. Begun in 202 B.C. by Liu Bang, the Han ruled China for more than 400 years.9
10766985893Hellenistic eraThe period from 323 to 30 B.C.E. in which Greek culture spread widely in Eurasia in the kingdoms ruled by Alexander's political successors.10
10766985894HerodotusGreek historian known as the "father of history" (ca. 484-ca. 425 B.C.E.). His Histories enunciated the Greek view of a fundamental divide between East and West, culminating in the Greco-Persian Wars of 490-480 B.C.E.11
10766985895hopliteA heavily armed Greek infantryman. Over time, the ability to afford a military wares and to fight for the city came to define Greek citizenship.12
10766985896IoniaThe territory of Greek settlements on the coast of Anatolia; the main bone of contention between the Greeks and the Persian Empire.13
10766985897Mandate of HeavenThe ideological underpinning of Chinese emperors, this was the belief that a ruler held authority by command of divine force as long as he ruled morally and benevolently.14
10766985898Battle of MarathonAthenian victory over a Persian invasion in 490 B.C.E.15
10766985899Mauryan EmpireA major empire (322-185 B.C.E.) that encompassed most of India.16
10766985900PatriciansWealthy, privileged Romans who dominated early Roman society.17
10766985901Pax RomanaThe "Roman peace," a term typically used to denote the stability and prosperity of the early Roman Empire, especially in the first and second centuries C.E.18
10766985902Peloponnesian WarGreat war between Athens (and allies) and Sparta (and allies), lasting from 431 to 404 B.C.E. The conflict ended in the defeat of Athens and the closing of Athens's Golden Age.19
10766985903PersepolisThe capital and greatest palace-city of the Persian Empire, destroyed by Alexander the Great.20
10766985904Persian EmpireA major empire that expanded from the Iranian plateau to incorporate the Middle East from Egypt to India; flourished from around 550 to 330 B.C.E.21
10766985905PlebiansPoorer, less privileged Romans who gradually won a role in Roman politics.22
10766985906Punic WarsThree major wars between Rome and Carthage in North Africa, fought between 264 and 146 B.C.E., that culminated in Roman victory and control of the western Mediterranean.23
10766985907Qin DynastyA short-lived (221-206 B.C.E.) but highly influential Chinese dynasty that succeeded in reuniting China at the end of the Warring States period.24
10766985908Qin ShihuangdiLiterally "first emperor" (r. 221-210 B.C.E.) forcibly reunited China and established a strong and repressive state.25
10766985909SolonAthenian statesman and lawmaker (fl. 594-560 B.C.E.) whose reforms led the Athenians toward democracy.26
10766985910WudiHan emperor (r. 141-86 B.C.E.) who began the Chinese civil service system by establishing an academy to train imperial bureaucrats.27
10766985911XiongnuNomadic peoples to the north of the Great Wall of China who were a frequent threat to the stability of the Chinese state.28
10766985912AristotleA Greek polymath philosopher (384-322 B.C.E.); student of Plato and teacher of Alexander the Great.29
10766985913AtmanThe human soul, which in classic Hindu belief seeks union with Brahman.30
10766985914Bhagavad GitaA great Hindu epic text, part of the much larger Mahabharata, which affirms the performance of caste duties as a path to religious liberation.31
10766985915BrahmanThe "World Soul" or final reality in upanishadic Hindu belief.32
10766985916BrahminsThe priestly caste of India.33
10766985917BuddhismThe cultural/religious tradition first enunciated by Siddhartha Gautama34
10766985918ConfucianismThe Chinese philosophy first enunciated by Confucius, advocating the moral example of superiors as the key element of social order.35
10766985919ConfuciusThe founder of Confucianism (551-479 B.C.E.); an aristocrat of northern China who proved to be the greatest influence on Chinese culture in its history.36
10766985920ConstantineRoman emperor (r. 306-337 C.E.) whose conversion to Christianity paved the way for the triumph of Christianity in Europe.37
10766985921DaodejingThe central text of Daoism; translated as The Way and Its Power.38
10766985922DaoismA Chinese philosophy/popular religion that advocates simplicity and understanding of the world of nature, founded by the legendary figure Laozi.39
10766985923Filial pietyThe honoring of one's ancestors and parents, a key element of Confucianism.40
10766985924Greek rationalismA secularizing system of scientific and philosophic thought that developed in classical Greece in the period 600 to 300 B.C.E.; it emphasized the power of education and human reason to understand the world in nonreligious terms.41
10766985925HinduismA word derived from outsiders to describe the vast diversity of indigenous Indian religious traditions.42
10766985926HippocratesA very influential Greek medical theorist (ca. 460-ca. 370 B.C.E.); regarded as the father of medicine.43
10766985927Jesus of NazarethThe prophet/god of Christianity(ca. 4 B.C.E.-ca. 30 C.E.).44
10766985928YahwehA form of the Hebrew name of God used in the Bible. The monotheistic religion developed by the Hebrews, emphasizing a sole personal god with concerns for social justice.45
10766985929KarmaIn Hinduism, the determining factor of the level at which the individual is reincarnated, based on purity of action and fulfillment of duty in the prior existence.46
10766985930LaoziA legendary Chinese philosopher of the sixth century B.C.E.; regarded as the founder of Daoism.47
10766985931LegalismA Chinese philosophy distinguished by an adherence to clear laws with vigorous punishments.48
10766985932Mahayana"Great Vehicle," the popular development of Buddhism in the early centuries of the Common Era, which gives a much greater role to supernatural beings and proved to be more popular than original (Theravada) Buddhism.49
10766985933MokshaIn Hindu belief, liberation from separate existence and union with Brahman.50
10766985934NirvanaThe end goal of Buddhism, in which individual identity is "extinguished" into a state of serenity and great compassion.51
10766985935PlatoA disciple of Socrates whose Dialogues convey the teachings of his master while going beyond them to express Plato's own philosophy; lived from 429 to 348 B.C.E.52
10766985936PythagorasA major Greek philosopher (ca. 560-ca. 480 B.C.E.) who believed that an unchanging mathematical order underlies the apparent chaos of the world.53
10766985937Siddhartha Gautama (the Buddha)The Indian prince turned ascetic (ca. 566-ca. 486 B.C.E.) who founded Buddhism.54
10766985938SocratesThe first great Greek philosopher to turn rationalism toward questions of human existence (469-399 B.C.E.).55
10766985939Theravada"The Teaching of the Elders," the early form of Buddhism according to which the Buddha as a wise teacher but not divine and which emphasizes practices rather than beliefs.56
10766985940UpanishadsIndian mystical and philosophical works, written between 800 and 400 B.C.E.57
10766985941VedasThe earliest religious texts of India, a collection of ancient poems, hymns, and rituals that were transmitted orally before being written down ca. 600 B.C.E.58
10766985942Warring States PeriodPeriod in China from 403 to 221 B.C.E. that was typified by disorder and political chaos.59
10766985943Yin and YangExpression of the Chinese belief in the unity of opposites.60
10766985944ZarathustraA Persian prophet, traditionally dated to the sixth or seventh century B.C.E. (but perhaps much older), who founded Zoroastrianism.61
10766985945ZoroastrianismPersian monotheistic religion founded by the prophet Zarathustra.62
10766985946caste as varna and jatiThe system of social organization in India that has evolved over millennia; it is based on an original division of the populace into four inherited classes, with the addition of thousands of social distinctions based on occupation, which became the main cell of social life in India.63
10766985947dharmaIn Indian belief, performance of the duties appropriate to an individual's caste; good performance will lead to rebirth in a higher caste.64
10766985948helotsThe dependent, semi-enslaved class of ancient Sparta whose social discontent prompted the militarization of Spartan society.65
10766985949KshatriyaThe Indian social class of warriors and rulers.66
10766985950latifundiaHuge estates operated by slave labor that flourished in parts of the Roman Empire67
10766985951PericlesA prominent and influential statesman of ancient Athens (ca. 495-429 B.C.E.); presided over Athens's Golden Age.68
10766985952scholar-gentry classA term used to describe members of China's landowning families, reflecting their wealth from the land and the privilege that they derived as government officials.69
10766985953SudraThe lowest Indian social class of varna; regarded as servants of their social betters; eventually included peasant farmers70
10766985954the "three submissions"In Chinese Confucian thought, the notion that a woman is permanently subordinate to male control: first that of her father, then of her husband, and finally of her son.71
10766985955UntouchablesAn Indian social class that emerged below the Sudras and whose members performed the most unclean and polluting work.72
10766985956VaisyaThe Indian social class that was originally defined as farmers but eventually comprised merchants.73
10766985957AxumClassical-era kingdom of East Africa, in present-day Eritrea and northern Ethiopia; flourished from 100 to 600 C.E. and adopted Christianity.74
10766985958Bantu expansionGradual migration of peoples from their homeland in what is now southern Nigeria and the Cameroons into most of eastern and southern Africa, a process that began around 3000 B.C.E. and continued for several millennia. The agricultural techniques and ironworking technology of these farmers gave them an advantage over the gathering and hunting peoples they encountered.75
10766985959Coptic ChristianityThe Egyptian variety of Christianity, distinctive in its belief that Christ has only a single, divine nature.76
10766985960Silk RoadTrade route stretching from China into Europe.77
10766985961syncretisma blending of beliefs and practices from different religions into one faith78
10766985962monasticismThe lifestyle of a monk or nun, characterized by prayer and solitude79

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