History Final Exam Part 1 Flashcards
May 23, 2025 (50 cards)
A ruling family that controls a nation for an extended period, passing power through generations. China was ruled by successive dynasties for thousands of years.
Dynasty
The belief that Chinese emperors ruled by divine approval. If natural disasters or social problems occurred, it could indicate the emperor had lost this mandate.
Mandate of Heaven
Japanese warriors who served noble lords (daimyo) as military officers and formed an elite
Samurai
An explosive powder invented in Tang/Song Dynasty China consisting of saltpeter, sulfur, and charcoal that revolutionized warfare, leading to the development of early rockets, bombs, and firearms.
Gunpowder
A navigational tool that advanced maritime exploration by allowing sailors to determine direction at sea, invented in China and later adopted by other civilizations.
Compass
A form of currency made from paper first developed and widely circulated in China during the Song Dynasty, revolutionizing commerce by providing a lighter, more portable alternative to metal coins.
Paper Money
A trade network linking China, the Middle East, and Europe that facilitated exchange of goods, technologies, and ideas across continents for centuries.
Silk Road
Ocean-based trade routes connected to China’s economy that expanded during the Ming Dynasty with Zheng He’s expeditions.
Maritime Trade
The spread of ideas, goods, and technologies between different societies and regions.
Cultural Diffusion
A massive defensive structure built across northern China over many centuries, designed to protect Chinese states and empires against invasions from nomadic groups.
Great Wall of China
The world’s longest artificial waterway, connecting northern and southern China, built to transport goods and strengthen economic unity.
Grand Canal
Thousands of life-sized clay soldiers buried with Emperor Qin Shi Huang to protect him in the afterlife, demonstrating the power of the first emperor to unify China.
Terracotta Army
A vast empire under Genghis Khan and his successors that linked Eurasia through conquest, becoming the largest contiguous land empire in history and facilitating trade and cultural exchange.
Mongol Empire
A large political unit with multiple territories under one ruler, such as the Ghana, Mali, and Songhai empires of West Africa.
Empire
The title for the emperor of Mali, meaning “king of kings” or “emperor,” most famously held by Mansa Musa.
Mansa
The first major West African empire (c. 700-1240 CE), known as the “Land of Gold” for its wealth from controlling trans-Saharan trade.
Ghana Empire
Empire that became rich by controlling gold and salt trade routes (c. 1230-1670 CE); ruled by Mansa Musa who made it a major power.
Mali Empire
The largest West African empire (c. 1464-1591), eventually defeated by Moroccan invaders, known for its military power and Islamic scholarship.
Songhai Empire
People who buy and sell goods, often traveling long distances for trade across the Sahara Desert.
Merchants
A group of traders traveling together across the desert for safety, usually using camels to transport goods
Caravan
Established paths used by traders to transport goods across different regions, connecting West Africa to North Africa and beyond.
Trade routes
The trade network that connected West Africa to North Africa and beyond, facilitating exchange of goods and ideas.
Trans-Saharan Trade
The economic system that made Ghana and Mali wealthy by exchanging gold from West Africa for salt from the Sahara Desert.
Gold-Salt Trade
Animals that made long-distance desert trade possible due to their ability to travel for days without water.
Camels
