History of the Song Dynasty

A period of renewed intellectual and artistic activity in Europe and the Middle East, marked by advancements in science, art, and literature.

The trade routes that stretched across Asia, connecting China to the Middle East and Europe.

A region that was once a major center of Islamic learning and culture in Spain, known for its contributions to science and mathematics.

The importance of learning fostered the Renaissance, where intellectual and artistic advancements flourished.

A prominent scholar and polymath during the Islamic Golden Age, known for contributions to astronomy, logic, ethics, mathematics, and medicine.

The Song Dynasty (960-1279) governed China through a strong bureaucratic system, emphasizing meritocracy and the Civil Service Exam. This system aimed to ensure qualified individuals held government positions.

The Grand Canal, built and expanded during the Song Dynasty, was a vital waterway facilitating trade and connectivity across China. It connected northern and southern regions, streamlining transportation of goods and people.

The Song Dynasty focused on agricultural advancements, incorporating innovations like Champa rice, manure usage, irrigation systems, and heavy plows. These innovations boosted food production and population growth.

The Silk Roads, which connected China to the West, were a key aspect of external trade for the Song Dynasty. This trade network facilitated the exchange of silk, porcelain, textiles, tea, and other goods.

The Song Dynasty fostered proto-industrialization, marked by the development of workshops and specialized labor. This development led to the production of goods like silk, porcelain, and tea on a large scale.

Confucianism, Buddhism, and Daoism all played a significant role in shaping Chinese society and culture during the Song Dynasty. The synthesis of these ideologies, particularly with Neo-Confucianism, influenced ethics, social order, and government.

The scholar-gentry class, emerging during the Song Dynasty, was a powerful social group composed of educated elites who held important positions in the government and society. They significantly shaped the cultural and intellectual landscape.

The Song Dynasty's location, resources, and proximity to the South China Sea, canal networks, and Silk Trade Routes contributed to its thriving trade and cultural exchange with neighboring countries.

The Islamic Empire spread its influence through trade, missionary work, and conquest.

The Islamic Empire treated conquered territories and people with tolerance, allowing them to keep their own religions and practices.

Non-Muslims in the Islamic Empire paid a special tax (jizya) instead of converting to Islam. Slaves could also gain freedom by paying a price or converting.

The Islamic Empire's focus on education contributed to advancements in medicine, mathematics, literature, and law.

The Islamic Golden Age, with its emphasis on science, philosophy, and the arts, is believed to have played a significant role in the emergence of the European Renaissance.

The Islamic Empire's vast network of trade routes, such as the Silk Roads, facilitated the exchange of knowledge and practices between different cultures.

Southern India enjoyed greater stability compared to its northern counterpart, with prominent dynasties like the Chola, Vijayanagara, and others.

The caste system in India was characterized by extreme rigidity, with an individual's social status determined by birth and no opportunity for change.

System of knotted strings used by the Inca to record numbers and information.

A mandatory public service system in the Inca Empire, where all citizens were required to work for the government for a period of time.

A network of roads, bridges, and pathways connecting different parts of the Inca Empire, enabling efficient transportation of goods, people, and troops.

A method of farming used by the Incans in the Andes Mountains, where terraces were built on slopes to provide flat land for crops.

The Inca Empire's beliefs included worship of ancestral spirits, deities representing natural forces (like the sun or thunder), and a belief in the significance of mummified rulers.

A system where the Inca government collected goods and services from its subjects, using this to maintain control over vast territories.

Inca society was structured in a hierarchical system, with the Emperor at the top, followed by nobles, scribes, healers, craftspeople, traders, peasants, soldiers, and finally slaves.

The Inca believed in a polytheistic religion, meaning they worshipped multiple gods, with each god representing different aspects of nature and life.

A religion that originated in Arabia and is based on the teachings of the prophet Muhammad. It emphasizes the belief in one God (Allah) and the submission to His will.

The kingdom founded by the Hindu warrior clan, the Rajputs, in North India. They were known for their warrior culture and fought against the Delhi Sultanate.

The first Islamic empire in India, established by the Delhi Sultanate in the 12th century. The Delhi Sultanate ruled over a large region of India and introduced Islamic culture and architecture.

A hybrid language that developed in South Asia as a result of the interaction between Hindi and Persian languages. It is a widely spoken language in Pakistan and India.

A movement within Hinduism that emphasized devotion to one or more gods and goddesses. It stressed the importance of personal spirituality and the accessibility of God to all.

A maritime kingdom that prospered in Southeast Asia from the 7th to the 13th centuries. Known for its strong navy and control over trade routes in the Strait of Malacca.

A powerful Hindu kingdom that flourished in Southeast Asia between the 9th and 15th centuries, known for its elaborate temples, sophisticated irrigation system, and vast territory.

The capital city of the Angkor Kingdom in Cambodia, known for its magnificent temples and the Bayon temple, featuring hundreds of smiling faces.

A vast empire that dominated Southeast Asia from the 13th to the 16th centuries. Known for its Buddhist influence, control over sea routes, and its powerful navy.

A kingdom that developed in the island of Sri Lanka and had a strong naval presence. Often clashed with the South Indian Chola Empire due to trade control in the Indian Ocean.

A type of slavery in which individuals are treated as property, bought, and sold. This form was practiced in parts of pre-colonial Africa, as many people were traded as slaves within Africa before European involvement.

An African historical tradition that uses oral storytelling and music to preserve and share historical events, narratives, and genealogy.

A significant trade route that stretched across Africa and connected to other parts of the world, moving goods like gold, ivory, salt, and slaves, making these African societies more interconnected with global trade.

A complex system of social organization in Africa that relies on familial ties and lineage to determine roles, power, and responsibilities within the community.

A large and powerful kingdom known for its impressive stone structures, like Great Zimbabwe. It emerged in Southern Africa and flourished based on the wealth from gold and ivory trade.

A significant gold-producing area in West Africa. It saw powerful empires like Ghana, Mali, and Songhai emerge, whose wealth was built on gold trade.

The decline of African societies often resulted from ecological factors, overfarming, and resource depletion, forcing people to migrate or seek new resources.

A large and diverse continent with a rich and complex history, known for its diverse cultures, societies, and trade networks.