AP World History Unit 2 Vocab

A sequence of rulers from the same family

The directive that was supposedly enforced by the gods that let Chinese rulers rule

The body of officials and administrators of a government

An exam that was required in order to enter the Chinese bureaucracy during the Han Dynasty - established by Wu Ti

A period in Chinese history where there was no political unity, but instead immense political turmoil

Founded by Confucius, it emphasized filial piety, or respect to elders, as well as the five basic relationships

Created by Lao-Tze, it stressed a life of nature and simplicity in order to achieve harmony with the Dao

Founded by Han Feizi, it stressed reward for good behavior and punishment for bad behavior; believed powerful and efficient rule is key to restoring order

The first Qin emperor, who emerged victorious out of the Period of Warring States and unified China

The most famous Han emperor, brought peace and expanded China, and established the Civil Service Exam

Invaders who conquered and settled in the Indus Valley, starting Indian civlilization

The sacred books written by the Aryans that laid the foundations for Hinduism

First Mauryan ruler, unified northern India and expanded its territory

Chandragupta's grandson that was a major figure in Indian history that also promoted Buddhism

Founded by Siddhartha Gautama, it stresses ending desire in order to reach Nirvana, or the ultimate reality

The religion of India's majority that developed over many centuries and supported the caste system and was polytheistic

The first literary language of India, created by the Aryans

The Indian social system used by Hindus that ranked every person into one of five varnas

Early civilization on the island of Crete that controlled most of Greece around 1600 BCE

Successors to the Minoans who controlled a great trade network during the Late Bronze Age

A seafaring group from the Eastern Mediterranean who ended the Greek Dark age

The Greek city-state

A form of government headed by a single ruler where rule was hereditary

A form of government where there is rule by few

A form of government where there is rule by leading families

A form of government where there is rule by popular vote

A form of government headed by military leaders who won pupular support against the aristocracy

Spartan servants who were servants to the polis of Sparta as a whole - no single master

Greek farmer/soldiers who served as heavily armored infantrymen in battle

Emphasis on the affairs of this world; the belief that forces in nature cause events to happen

The "love of wisdom" that the Greeks had, and they mainly investigated the physical world, but later on focused on ethical questions

A Greek alliance formed by Athens to fight with Sparta

A highly destructive war between Athens & their allies and Sparta & their allies

A violent clash between Greece and Persia during the 500's BCE

Persian representatives sent by the Persian king ot supervise his subjects in conquered areas

The son of the king of Macedon who conquered most of the known world at the timeand established one of the largest empires ever

Greek culture that combined with other cultures throughout northwestern Africa and Western Asia

Roman aristocrats who served as Senators and passed their positions down to their sons; held most of the power in the Roman Republic

Roman commoners who made up 90% of the general population; represented by the General Assembly in the Roman Republic

A Roman general who invaded and took over Rome, ending the Republic and declaring himslef dictator

Formerly Octavian, he was the first emperor of Rome

The codified Roman Law created by Augustus Caesar

The "Roman Peace", a time of period when Rome had its greatest prosperity

A class of Italian merchants and landowners who helped run the Roman Empire

Wars between Rome and Carthage, eventually won by Rome and increased their power

A state without a monarch

A network of trade routes that spread goods and ideas

Asiatic invaders who conquered several major empires in the Classical Period

Any foreign peoples, according to most Classical civilizations

The assassination of Julius Caesar on the Ides of March

Beginning of the Roman Empire established by Augustus Caesar, who defeated Marc Antony

The fall of the Roman Empire, with the final blow delivered by nomadic tribes

Daoist leaders who led the revolt against the Han dynasty in 184 CE; attacked the weakness of the emperor and the bureaucracy

A strong Roman emperor who split the empire in two and temporarily stopped Rome's decline

A second Roman capital city established by Constantine, it became a trade hub