First Semester vocab

The highest class in certain societies, especially those holding hereditary titles or offices

A heavily armed soldier of Ancient Greece

Economic system where lords give the serfs land to farm in exchange for goods and services

Fine sand, clay, or other material carried by water and deposited in a channel or harbor

A period of time where Greek culture was spread after Alexander the Great's death

Originally meant the wind that destroyed the Mongol fleet that tried to invade Japan.

System where the nobility received land from the king in exchange for military service

Ancient kingdom that was the birthplace of Alexander the Great

Extending a country's power and influence on other nations by diplomacy or military force

A Greek astronomer who figured out the circumference of the Earth

A group of people responsible for religious duties in the Church

Place where a group of monks live. Religious community

An Arab leader of a tribe. Head of an Arab family or village

Killed 2/3 of the population. Caused by fleas on rats

A commoner in Ancient Rome

Excluding someone from participating. Typically the Pope does this to heretics

Camel caravans that crossed the Sahara trading salt for valuable items like gold

A system where power and control has limits placed on them by a constitution or other authority

The process of taking in and becoming part of a group

A ruler of Ancient Egypt

A person who holds land in exchange for allegiance and service to their lord

Dynasty of China ruled by the Mongols (Kublai Khan)

A system of government where power and law is in the hands of a small group of wealthy men

The legislature of Great Britain. Responsible for making laws, much like our Congress

Every day language people use

Middle Ages

The fortified part of an ancient Greek city, typically built on a hill

A system of philosophical and ethical teachings founded by Confucius. Developed in China

The practice of bringing water from the river into the field. Very helpful for growing crops

An estate of land in the feudal system

Great lords who served the shoguns of feudal Japan

Growing things for profit

Many Gods

Holy month in Islam. Strict fasting observed from sun up to sun down

A grassy plain in tropical and subtropical areas

A person who copies documents, typically before the use of the printing press

The process of preserving a corpse. Typically done for religious reasons in ancient Egypt

Period in Japan where military dictators controlled Japan.

Based on kinship with the father

An explosive substance that was created on accident by Chinese alchemists

The ability to read and write

Empire based in Persia (Iran). Converted to Shi'a Islam

A long journey to a sacred place

A worker in a skilled trade, especially one that involves making things by hand

Leader of the Mongols who united the tribes and expanded the Mongolian Empire

Monotheistic religion founded by Guru Nanak

"Carl the Great". Founded the Holy Roman Empire and encouraged education.

Introduced the Mandate of Heaven. Ruled as coordinated rulers, not central government

A traveling poet/storyteller that tells the oral history in Western Africa

People who own land and have a high position in society

Built by Shah Jahan in memory of his wife. Example of blending between Islam and India

The total of a person's actions in their life and past lives that will dictate reincarnation

The moral code of knights in the Middle Ages. Values courage, honor, and courtesy to women

A belief or opinion that is condemned by the Catholic Church

A group of nomadic herders known for their brutal battle tactics

A type of writing that is wedge shaped and used in Ancient Sumeria

A system of government where all free men in Ancient Athens voted on all issues of government

The Muslim pilgrimage to the city of Mecca

Changes in something established, especially by introducing new methods, ideas or products

Turkish Empire that conquered Constantinople and renamed it to Istanbul

A group of states or countries under a single supreme authority

A period of interrogation. The Pope established these to get rid of heresy

Farm animals such as cows, pigs, and chickens

An object made by a human being

Split. This happened between the Catholic Church and the Greek Orthodox Church

Part of a long standing tradition. Usually refers to Ancient Greece or Roman culture

Polytheistic religion from India

A nomadic Arab of the desert

Ancient law code of Mesopotamia (Babylon). "An eye for an eye"

The spiritual leader who succeeds Muhammad. Also leads the government of the Islamic kingdom

A blessing from God. In China this concept dictates if a ruler can govern

Founder of the monotheistic religion of Islam

Descent from an ancestor

A structure in ancient Egypt that has triangular sides. Used for the tombs of great pharaohs

A place or meeting where ideas and views on issues can be exchanged

The foundation of Roman law. Set of laws that defined the rights of Roman citizens

Branch of Christianity headed by the pope

Chinese dynasty known for great achievements in science and technology. Known for its porcelain

A Japanese sect of Buddhism that focuses on meditation

A seasonal wind in Southeast Asia that controls the rainy seasons

Period of time when early humans used stones as tools and were hunter-gatherers

The process of concentrating on and becoming expert in a particular subject or skill

A period of human culture where the primary material used for weapons and tools was bronze

Someone or something having power, authority, or influence; a master or ruler.

A city in northern Egypt named after Alexander the Great. Known for its ancient library

A group of people that move from place to place

A social structure in Indian society determined by birth

Religion based on teaching that life is full of suffering & that wisdom and virtue will cycle

Empire in India ruled by Chandragupta. He unified the Indian subcontinent

Monotheistic religion that follows the teachings of Jesus Christ

Monotheistic religion founded by Moses

The spread of ideas

Sea trade routes that connected Southeast Asia, India, Arabia, and East Africa

An increase in prices of goods, while the value of money decreases

A Greek mathematician, engineer and inventor of the lever

A series of holy wars where Europeans tried to recover the Holy Land from Muslims

Mongol ruler of the city of Samarkand. Ancestor to the Mughals

A city in the Mali Empire that was a center for the gold-salt trade in Africa

The area of land at the mouth of a river. Usually has very fertile soil

Any sort of governing structure that controls the behavior of people around it

The second most holy city in Islam. The city where Muhammad went after he fled from Mecca

A city state in Ancient Greece

Golden Age of poetry and painting in Chinese history. Open to influence from India and China

A person who lives in a particular town, city, or country

English law that is based on custom and previous judges' decisions

Living or occurring in the same time

Based on kinship with the mother

Follower of Islam

A channel for moving water. Usually as a bridge going across a valley or gap

The final goal of Buddhism. State of no suffering or desire. The end of karma and reincarnation

Period in China when the Silk Road flourished and the boundaries or China expanded

Period in China with great economic and cultural growth. Ended by Genghis Khan

A system of trade routes linking China and Japan to the Middle East and Europe

Idea that government is created and sustained by the consent of its people

A law proceeding where a group of peers makes the decision and directs the judge

The shared characteristics of groups of people. Includes language, religion, art, and food

A system of government where power and law is decided by religious authorities

A ruler with total power over a country, usually obtained through force

The birthplace of Muhammad and the most holy city in Islam. Muslims face this city when praying

Branch of Islam. Rejects the first three caliphs and accepts Ali (4th) as the true successor

A man who served his lord as a mounted soldier in armor

A long poem that usually tells the story of a legendary person or the history of a nation

The Jewish Holy Book

A period of time when humans went from being hunter-gatherers to agriculture

Known for conquering most of India and starting a Golden Age of science, technology, & culture

A document that English nobles made to force their king to follow laws and give them rights

A system where citizens vote to elect people to represent their interests

Monotheistic religion founded by Muhammad

A member of the Roman upper class

The authority of the Pope

A tribe in central and southern Africa.

A period of time where the primary material for making weapons was iron

A person who is bound to the lord's land and farms the land in the manor system

A city with surrounding territory that is a state with complete control of itself

Religious ceremony in the Christian Church. Includes baptism and communion

A volcanic mountain in Africa. This is the tallest peak in Africa

Cube shaped building in Mecca. Sacred Muslim shrine that is made of black stone

Things that have nothing to do with religion

Language spoken in the Roman Empire and the Roman Catholic Church

Dry plateau in Africa

Sultan of the Ottoman Empire. Patron of art, established law codes, & expanded Empire farthest

Period in China when the first centralized government and Great Wall were created.

Ancient Hindu scriptures that contain hymns, philosophy, and guidance on rituals for priests

A line of hereditary rulers of a country

The area ruled by a caliph. Islamic kingdoms that began after Muhammad's death

A group of three men (Julius Caesar, Crassus, Pompey) holding power in Ancient Rome.

The basic practices of Islam. Followers must do all of these to be part of the religion

A series of wars fought between the Greeks and the Persians

A white ceramic (pottery). From China

Money or food given to the poor

The average period of time a person is expected to live

A war fought between Athens and Sparta that led to Sparta becoming supreme in Greece

A system of government where power and law is decided by one person benefiting their family

A ban

A system of government where power and law is decided by representatives of the people

Decorative handwriting

The holy book of Islam

Release from the cycle of reincarnation

Italian explorer and merchant. One of the first Europeans to travel across Asia.

Moral principles that govern a person's behavior

Greek mathematician famous for his formula to figure out the length of a triangle's hypotenuse

A period of time where peace existed in the Roman Empire

Growing only enough to feed yourself and your family

The process of taming an animal for use as a pet or for farming

Beginning of the Feudal System in England, started by William the Conqueror

A group of people traveling together, usually because of trade

One God

The process of writing events and figures down for future generations

A country where power is in the hands of citizens who elect representatives to use that power

A person who discovers history through excavation sites and digs.

System of printing that uses pieces that can be swapped out to print multiple copies

Rotating growing crops in 3 fields to maximize output and to allow the soil to rest for a year

A medieval association of craftsmen or merchants with a lot of power

A group of people with different beliefs from their larger group. Usually these break away

Chinese explorer and trader who commanded voyages from Southeast Asia to East Africa

The holy book of Christianity

A governing body. In Rome, this was the main body. In the US, this is one part of Congress

Kingdom in Southern Africa that was part of the gold trade

A material used in Ancient Egypt to make writing paper

A system of writing in ancient Egypt composed of pictures that represent words and sounds

Large desert in North Africa. People used camels to travel across this for trade

A large theater or stadium

A person who studies humans and their societies

A system where government employees are appointed based on competitive exams

Mongolian emperor who conquered China and set up his own dyansty

A rectangular stepped tower common in Mesopotamia.

Cruel and oppressive government or rule

The study of the fundamental nature of knowledge, reality, and existence

A warrior in feudal Japan

The blend of art, religion, and philosophies of Greece and Rome

Branch of Islam. Believe that the first three caliphs are the true caliphs

Theory that India was conquered by a group of people from central Asia

The lonest canal in the world. Rebuilt by Ming Dynasty for transporting grain