MEDIEVAL HISTORY                             VOCABULARY FOR CHAPTER 4

 

CIVILIZATIONS OF ASIA

 

Silk Road: A chain of trade routes stretching from China to the

                      Mediterranean Sea

 

Dynasty: A series of rulers from the same family

 

Tang: A dynasty that ruled China for almost 300 years

 

Song: A dynasty that ruled China after the Tang

 

Merit System: A system of hiring people based on their abilities

 

Kublai Khan: A Mongol emperor of China

 

Archipelago: A group or chain of many islands

 

Kyoto: The capital city of medieval Japan

 

Feudalism: A system in which poor people are legally bound to work 

                        for wealthy landowners

 

Shogun: The supreme military commander of Japan

 

Samurai: Japanese warriors

 

Sultan: A Muslim ruler

 

Caste System: A Hindu social class system that controlled every aspect

      of daily life

 

Mughal Empire: A period of Muslim rule of India from the 1500s to the

                                 1700s

 

Akbar: The greatest Mughal leader of India

 

Taj Mahal: A tomb built by Shah Jahan for his wife