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79 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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Subcontinent |
large landmass that juts out from a continent |
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Plateau |
raised area of level land |
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Monsoon |
seasonal wind that regularly blows from a certain direction for part of the year |
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Harappa |
large ancient city of the Indus civilization, located in present-day Pakistan |
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Mohenjo-Daro |
ancient city of the Indus civilizations, located in present-day Pakistan |
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Veneration |
special regard |
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Acculturation |
the blending of two or more cultures |
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Vedas |
a collection of prayers, hymns, and other religious teachings developed in ancient India beginning around 1500 b.c. |
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Rajah |
in ancient India, the elected warrior chief of an Aryan tribe |
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Indra |
in ancient India, the chief deity, the god of war |
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Brahman |
in the belief system established in Aryan India, the single spiritual power that resides in all things |
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Mystic |
person who devotes his or her life to seeking direct communication with the divine |
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Atman |
in Hindu belief, a person’s essential self |
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Moksha |
in Hindu belief, the ultimate goal of existence, which is to achieve union with Brahman |
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Reincarnation |
in Hindu belief, the rebirth of the soul in another bodily form |
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Karma |
in Hindu belief, all the actions that determine a person’s fate in the next life |
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Dharma |
in Hindu belief, the religious and moral duties of an individual |
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Ahimsa |
Hindu belief in nonviolence and reverence for all life |
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Caste |
in traditional Indian society, an unchangeable social group into which a person is born |
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Siddhartha Gautama |
(circa 563 b.c. – 483 b.c. ) was born a prince in India. Encounters with human suffering led him to leave his royal life to seek out the cause of suffering and sorrow. He sought answers from scholars and meditated until he developed a spiritual explanation for life. He became known as the “Buddha,” and began teaching his beliefs to others. He taught the Four Noble Truths and encouraged the faithful to follow the Eightfold Path. |
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Four Noble Truths |
as taught by the Buddha, the four basic beliefs that form the foundation of Buddhism |
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Eightfold Path |
as taught by the Buddha, the path one must follow to achieve nirvana |
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Nirvana |
in Buddhist belief, union with the universe and release from the cycle of rebirth |
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Sect |
a subgroup of a major religious group |
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Chandragupta Maurya |
reigned from about 321 b.c. to 297 b.c. , was the first Mauryan emperor. The son of a Mauryan chief, his family was left in poverty when his father died. After overcoming many challenges, Chandragupta learned military tactics and eventually formed a force strong enough to conquer most of India. |
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Dissent |
ideas that oppose those of the government |
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Asoka |
died about 238 b.c. , was the last major Mauryan emperor in India. A committed Buddhist, he helped to spread Buddhism throughout India. His rule was characterized by fairness, compassion, and the principles of right life, which he had inscribed on stone pillars erected throughout the empire. |
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Missionaries |
people sent to do religious work in a territory or foreign country |
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Golden Age |
period of great cultural achievement |
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Decimal System |
system of numbers based on 10 |
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Joint Family |
family organization in which several generations share a common dwelling |
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Dowry |
in some societies, payment a bride’s family makes to the bridegroom and his family; payment a woman brings to a marriage |
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Loess |
fine windblown yellow soil |
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Clan |
group of families with a common ancestor |
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Dynastic Cycle |
rise and fall of Chinese dynasties according to the Mandate of Heaven |
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Feudalism |
loosely organized system of government in which local lords governed their own lands but owed military service and other support to a greater lord |
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Confucius |
(551 b.c. –479 b.c. ) is China’s most famous philosopher. His teachings about the importance of education and public service influenced many eastern Asian civilizations. His ancestors, members of the aristocracy, were poor by the time of Confucius’s birth. By the age of 15, Confucius was dedicated to the life of a scholar. Although his ideas about the proper way to live guided millions of people, Confucius’s own life was simple and reflected a deep humility. |
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Laozi |
means “Master Lao” or “Old Master” in the Chinese language. An old man when Confucius was a young scholar, Laozi was born in a small village in ancient China. He was appointed a historian in one of the Zhou dynasty courts. Laozi developed a philosophy of inner calm, purity of mind, and living in harmony with nature that is called Dao, or the way of the universe. His book, The Way of Life, had enormous influence on Chinese life. |
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Philosophy |
system of ideas |
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Filial Piety |
respect for parents |
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Oracle Bone |
in Shang China, animal bone or turtle shell used by priests to predict the future |
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Characters |
written symbols in writing systems such as that of the Chinese |
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Calligraphy |
the art of producing beautiful handwriting |
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She Huangdi |
(about 259 b.c. –210 b.c. ) was originally named Zhao Zheng. He was the son of the king of the Qin territory. At age 13, Zheng became the king of Qin. He proclaimed himself Shi Huangdi, or “First Emperor.” Using spies, loyal generals, and bribery, he removed the leaders of six other surrounding states to create a unified China under his authoritarian rule. However, the unified China he created was too dependent on Shi Huangdi. The Qin dynasty collapsed four years after his death. |
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Wudi |
(156 b.c. –87 b.c. ) was given the name Liu Che at birth. As the eleventh son of the Han emperor Jingdi, he would not have been destined to rule. However, the influence of his relatives changed this and he became emperor in 141 b.c. . Determined to expand his dynasty’s rule, he succeeded, though it came at a high cost to his soldiers and people. Liu Che made Confucianism the state religion. He was given the title Wudi (Martial Emperor) upon his death |
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Monopoly |
complete control of a product or business by one person or a group |
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Expansionism |
policy of increasing the amount of territory a government holds |
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Civil Servants |
government officials |
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Warlords |
local military rulers |
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Acupuncture |
medical treatment, originated in ancient China, in which needles are inserted into the skin at specific points to relieve pain or treat various illnesses |
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Mesoamerica |
region of North America, including Mexico and Central America, in which civilizations with common cultural features developed before Europeans entered the continent |
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Maize |
corn |
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Olmec |
the earliest American civilization, located along the Gulf Coast of Mexico from about 1200 b.c. to 400 b.c. |
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Stela |
in the ancient world, a tall, commemorative monument that was often decorated |
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Valley of Mexico |
valley in Mexico in which the numerous Mesoamerican civilizations, including the Aztecs, arose |
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Tenochtitlán |
capital city of the Aztec empire, on which modern-day Mexico City was built |
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Chinampa |
in the Aztec empire, an artificial island used to cultivate crops and made of mud piled atop reed mats that were anchored to the lake bed with willow trees |
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Tribute |
payment that conquered peoples may be forced to pay their conquerors |
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Teotihuacán |
city that dominated the Valley of Mexico from about a.d. 200 to a.d. 750 and that influenced the culture of later Mesoamerican peoples |
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Chavín |
a culture that thrived in the Andean region from about 900 to 200 b.c. |
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Moche |
a culture that thrived in the Andean region from about 400 b.c. to a.d. 600 |
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Adobe |
a mixture of clay and plant fibers that becomes hard as it dries in the sun and that can be used for building |
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Nazca |
a culture that thrived in the Andean region from about 200 b.c. to a.d. 600 |
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Huari |
a culture that thrived in the Andean region from about a.d. 600 to 1000 |
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Tiahuanaco |
a culture that thrived in the Andean region from about a.d. 200 to 1000 |
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Pachacuti Inca Yupanqui |
(1438–1471) was a skilled warrior growing up. He expanded the Inca empire to what is now Peru and Equador. His capital was Cuzco, and he is credited with developing its city plan. |
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Sapa Inca |
the title of the Inca emperor |
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Cuzco |
capital city of the Inca empire |
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Quipu |
knotted strings used by Inca officials for record-keeping |
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Ayllu |
in the Inca empire, a close-knit village |
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Inti |
the Inca sun god |
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Mesa Verde |
the largest complex of Anasazi cliff-dwellings in the North American Southwest, built between a.d. 1150 and a.d. 1300 |
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Pueblo |
Native American village of the North American Southwest |
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Pueblo Bonito |
the largest Anasazi pueblo, built in New Mexico in the a.d. 900s |
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Kiva |
large underground chamber that the Anasazi used for religious ceremonies and political meetings |
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Earthwork |
an embankment or other construction made of earth |
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Cahokia |
in Illinois, the largest earthwork of the Mississippian culture, c. a.d. 700 |
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Potlatch |
among Native American groups of the Northwest Coast, ceremonial gift-giving by people of high rank and wealth |
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Iroquois League |
political alliance of five Iroquois groups, known as the Five Nations, in the late 1500s |
