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AP World History Time Period 2 - slightly shorter Flashcards

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11007666720Alexander the GreatAlexander III of Macedon (356-323 B.C.E.), conqueror of the Persian Empire and part of northwest India.0
11007666721AryansIndo-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.1
11007666722AshokaThe 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.2
11007666724Cyrus (the Great)Founder of the Persian Empire (r. 557-530 B.C.E.); a ruler noted for his conquests, religious tolerance, and political moderation.3
11007666725Darius IGreat king of Persia (r. 522-486 B.C.E.) following the upheavals after Cyrus's death; completed the establishment of the Persian Empire.4
11007666726Greco-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.5
11007666728Han 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.6
11007666729Hellenistic 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.7
11007666730HerodotusGreek 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.8
11007666733Mandate 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.9
11007666735Mauryan EmpireA major empire (322-185 B.C.E.) that encompassed most of India.10
11007666736PatriciansWealthy, privileged Romans who dominated early Roman society.11
11007666737Pax 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.12
11007666738Peloponnesian 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.13
11007666739PersepolisThe capital and greatest palace-city of the Persian Empire, destroyed by Alexander the Great.14
11007666740Persian 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.15
11007666741PlebiansPoorer, less privileged Romans who gradually won a role in Roman politics.16
11007666742Punic 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.17
11007666743Qin 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; used legalism to rule18
11007666745SolonAthenian statesman and lawmaker (fl. 594-560 B.C.E.) whose reforms led the Athenians toward democracy.19
11007666746WudiHan emperor (r. 141-86 B.C.E.) who began the Chinese civil service system by establishing an academy to train imperial bureaucrats.20
11007666747XiongnuNomadic peoples to the north of the Great Wall of China who were a frequent threat to the stability of the Chinese state.21
11007666748AristotleA Greek polymath philosopher (384-322 B.C.E.); student of Plato and teacher of Alexander the Great.22
11007666753BuddhismThe cultural/religious tradition first enunciated by Siddhartha Gautama23
11007666754ConfucianismThe Chinese philosophy first enunciated by Confucius, advocating the moral example of superiors as the key element of social order.24
11007666755ConfuciusThe 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.25
11007666756ConstantineRoman emperor (r. 306-337 C.E.) whose conversion to Christianity paved the way for the triumph of Christianity in Europe.26
11007666757DaodejingThe central text of Daoism; translated as The Way and Its Power.27
11007666758DaoismA Chinese philosophy/popular religion that advocates simplicity and understanding of the world of nature, founded by the legendary figure Laozi.28
11007666759Filial pietyrespect shown by children for their parents and elders29
11007666760Greek 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.30
11007666761HinduismA word derived from outsiders to describe the vast diversity of indigenous Indian religious traditions.31
11007666762HippocratesA very influential Greek medical theorist (ca. 460-ca. 370 B.C.E.); regarded as the father of medicine.32
11007666763Jesus of NazarethThe prophet/god of Christianity(ca. 4 B.C.E.-ca. 30 C.E.).33
11007666764YahwehA FORM OF the Hebrew name of God used in the Hebrew Scriptures. The monotheistic religion developed by the Hebrews, emphasizing a sole personal god with concerns for social justice.34
11007666765KarmaIn 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.35
11007666766LaoziA legendary Chinese philosopher of the sixth century B.C.E.; regarded as the founder of Daoism.36
11007666767LegalismA Chinese philosophy distinguished by an adherence to clear laws with vigorous punishments.37
11007666770NirvanaThe end goal of Buddhism, in which individual identity is "extinguished" into a state of serenity and great compassion.38
11007666771PlatoA 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.39
11007666772PythagorasA major Greek philosopher (ca. 560-ca. 480 B.C.E.) who believed that an unchanging mathematical order underlies the apparent chaos of the world.40
11007666773Siddhartha Gautama (the Buddha)The Indian prince turned ascetic (ca. 566-ca. 486 B.C.E.) who founded Buddhism.41
11007666774SocratesThe first great Greek philosopher to turn rationalism toward questions of human existence (469-399 B.C.E.).42
11007666776UpanishadsIndian mystical and philosophical works, written between 800 and 400 B.C.E.43
11007666777VedasThe 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.44
11007666778Warring States PeriodPeriod in China from 403 to 221 B.C.E. that was typified by disorder and political chaos.45
11007666779Yin and YangExpression of the Chinese belief in the unity of opposites.46
11007666780ZarathustraA Persian prophet, traditionally dated to the sixth or seventh century B.C.E. (but perhaps much older), who founded Zoroastrianism.47
11007666781ZoroastrianismPersian monotheistic/dualistic religion founded by the prophet Zarathustra.48
11007666782caste 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.49
11007666783dharmaIn Indian belief, performance of the duties appropriate to an individual's caste; good performance will lead to rebirth in a higher caste.50
11007666784helotsThe dependent, semi-enslaved class of ancient Sparta whose social discontent prompted the militarization of Spartan society.51
11007666786latifundiaHuge estates operated by slave labor that flourished in parts of the Roman Empire52
11007666787PericlesA prominent and influential statesman of ancient Athens (ca. 495-429 B.C.E.); presided over Athens's Golden Age.53
11007666788scholar-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.54
11007666790the "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.55
11007666791UntouchablesAn Indian social class that emerged below the Sudras and whose members performed the most unclean and polluting work.56
11007666793AxumClassical-era kingdom of East Africa, in present-day Eritrea and northern Ethiopia; flourished from 100 to 600 C.E. and adopted Christianity.57
11007666794Bantu 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.58
11007666795Coptic ChristianityThe Egyptian variety of Christianity, distinctive in its belief that Christ has only a single, divine nature.59
11007666796Silk RoadTrade route stretching from China into Europe.60
11007666797syncretisma blending of beliefs and practices from different religions into one faith61
11007666798monasticismThe lifestyle of a monk or nun, characterized by prayer and solitude62
11007666799Judaismthe monotheistic religion of the Jews having its spiritual and ethical principles embodied chiefly in the Torah63
11007666800TorahA Hebrew word meaning "law," contains the basic laws for Jews, referring to the first five books of the Hebrew Scriptures.64
11007666801Christianitythe religion based on the person and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth, originated as an offshoot from Judaism65
11007666802Ancestor VenerationVeneration of the dead or ancestor reverence is based on the beliefs that the dead have a continued existence, and may possess the ability to influence the fortune of the living, the worship of deceased ancestors66
11007666803Empirea major political unit having a territory of great extent - OR - a number of territories or peoples under a single sovereign authority67

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