Reincarnation

• Rebirth of the soul.
• India
• 500BC
• The soul passes through many lifetimes before reaching the universal spirit.  The cycle of rebirth is determined by karma.  Your karma is determined by whether or not you've filled out your dharma, or duty.

Chandragupta II

• Ruled the Gupta empire
• AD375
• India
• By easing tax burdens, he gave more people freedom.  He expanded the empire.  Under his rule people began to write down rules for everything.

Four Noble Truths

• a new religious philosophy developed by the Buddha
• 500sBC
• India
• all people suffer, people suffer because their desires blind them, people could end their suffering by eliminating desires, one could eliminate desires by following the eightfold path

Wudi

• ruler of Han Dynasty
• 141BC
• China
• He extended his empire north and conquered korea and other lands.  he sent out explorers on expeditions from which he learned of Rome.  This led to the expansion of trade and the Silk Road.  He developed the civil service when he asked people to elext candidates to govern.

Yin and Yang

• A daoist concept of the two opposing forces beleived to be present in all nature
• 500sBC
• China
• helped the chinese reconcile seeming opposites like Dao simplicity and confucian formalism. Yin means dark and female; yang means warm and male.

Justinian

• ruled the Byzantine Empire at its height
• AD527
• he issued a decree allowing a wife to own land equal to her wealth before marriage. with help from his wife theodora, he remained in control even during the taxpayer revolt.  he developed the justinian code, which preserved Rome's legal heritage and became basis for other european legal systems.

Schism

• separation of the church into roman catholic and eastern orthodox
• AD1054
• Byzantine Empire
• the splite further weakened the empire which had faced numerous attacks. iconoclastic controversy: iconoclasts beleived icons encouraged superstition so they were removed by Leo III; the roman church overpowered him

Theodora

• the wife of Justinian
• AD527
• Byzantine Empire
• she supported justinian and participated actively in the government.  she convinced her husband to allow women to own land. she saved her husband's throne during the taxpayer's revolt.

Charlemagne

• king
• AD768
• Europe
• nearly doubled the borders of his kingdom to include Germany, France, northern Spain, and most of Italy.  he brought western europeans under one rule again.  he reeducated europeans by setting up palace school.

Vikings

• people from the land of norway, denmark, and sweden
• AD800s
• attacked europe
• were known for their suprise attacks and speedy retreats.  had boats that were light enough to carry and sturdy enough for sea travel

Feudalism

• new political system
• AD900...spread in mid-1000s
• western europe
• stressed the alliances of mutual protection between monarchs and nobles.  the system was based on giving land to nobles in exchange for loyalty and military aid.  because of lack of central government, warfare was common so castles were built.

Chivalry

• code for knights
• mid-1000s
• western europe
• called for knights to be brave in battle, fight fairly, keep promises, defend the church, and treat women courteously.  it became the basis of good manners for all.

Heresy

• denial of basic church teachings
• AD1200s
• Rome
• it increased in rome as the church became corrupt.  at first the catholic church tried to covert heretics, but then turned to excommunication.  the pope sent knights to crush Albigensians, a group of heretics

Magna Carta

• placed clear limits on royal power
• AD1215
• England
• the charter prevented the king from collecting taxes without Great Council consent.  it also assured freemen the right to trial by jury.  the magna carta was intended to protect nobles' feudal rights but later guaranteed rights of all english people