AP World History Unit 3: Land-Based Empires (c. 1450–1750)

Gunpowder Empires

Large, multiethnic states in Southwest, Central, and South Asia that relied on firearms to conquer and control territories.

Ottoman Empire

An empire centered in Turkey, Balkans, North Africa, and the Middle East; known for its longevity and use of gunpowder technology.

Safavid Empire

An empire in Persia (modern Iran) known for its Shi'a Islam focus and its conflicts with the Sunni Ottomans.

Mughal Empire

An empire in Northern and Central India ruled by a Muslim minority over a Hindu majority, famous for wealth and textile manufacturing.

Qing Dynasty

The dynasty established by the Manchu people in China, known for its expansion through gunpowder and maintaining cultural dualism.

Ivan IV (the Terrible)

A ruler of Russia known for his expansionist policies and centralization efforts in the 16th century.

Cossacks

Peasant warriors in Russia who played a key role in establishing frontier dominance using gunpowder weapons.

Centralized Bureaucracies

Systems created by rulers to enforce laws and collect taxes, focusing power away from hereditary nobles.

Devshirme System

An Ottoman system of taking Christian boys, converting them to Islam, and educating them for bureaucratic and military roles.

Janissaries

Elite gunpowder troops in the Ottoman Empire formed from the Devshirme system.

Alternate Attendance Policy

A Tokugawa Shogunate policy requiring Daimyo to reside in Edo every other year to maintain control over them.

Chinese Civil Service Exam

An examination system reinforced by the Qing Dynasty to ensure educated bureaucrats upheld the state’s ideology.

Tax Farming

An Ottoman technique where the government auctioned off tax collection rights to private individuals.

Zamindars

Local officials in the Mughal Empire who collected taxes on behalf of the emperor, often leading to corruption.

Tribute Systems

The practice of demanding goods, gold, or labor from subject states, seen in the Aztec and Qing empires.

Divine Right

A European doctrine that kings derived their authority directly from God.

Shi'a Islam

The branch of Islam that was central to the Safavid Empire and emphasized the leadership of Imam Ali and his descendants.

Sunni Islam

The branch of Islam that was dominant in the Ottoman Empire, distinguishing it from the Shi'a beliefs of the Safavids.

Suleiman the Magnificent

The key ruler of the Ottoman Empire, known for expanding its territory and using gunpowder technology.

Shah Abbas I

The key ruler of the Safavid Empire who presided over its peak and utilized Shi'a Islam as a unifying force.

Akbar the Great

The key ruler of the Mughal Empire known for uniting most of India and promoting cultural and religious tolerance.

Cultural Dualism

The coexistence of different cultural identities within the Qing Dynasty, specifically between the Manchu and Han Chinese.

Military Professionals

Individuals who are specialists in military operations and often recruited by rulers to enforce centralized control.

Monumental Architecture

Large, impressive buildings constructed to demonstrate the power and legitimacy of rulers.

Eastern Orthodox Christianity

The branch of Christianity that Russian expansion aimed to spread, particularly during the reign of Ivan IV and Peter the Great.