| A | B |
|---|
| Baron de Montesquieu | (1689-1755) Enlightenment thinker from France who wrote a book called, The Spirit of the Laws in 1748. In his book, Montesquieu describes what he considers to be the best government. He states that government should divide itself according to its powers, creating a Judicial, Legislative, and Executive branch. Montesquieu explained that under this system each branch would Check and Balance the others, which would help protect the people's liberty. |
| BCE | Date designation meaning Before Common Era, or more than two thousand years ago. |
| block printing | A system of printing where characters are carved onto a wooden block. The block is then inked and pressed onto a sheet of paper. |
| botany | The study of plant life. |
| Buddhism | Buddhism developed in India, and is based on many of the core concepts of Hinduism.. Buddhists believe in an endless cycle of reincarnation, or samsara, which is similar to beliefs of Hinduism. However, Buddhists do not believe that deities are responsible for the phenomenon. In addition, the Caste System is rejected by Buddhists who believe instead that one is reincarnated until they can achieve nirvana, best described as spiritual enlightenment. |
| Byzantine Empire | (330-1453) The eastern half of the Roman Empire, which survived after the fall of the Western Empire at the end of the 5th century C.E. Its capital was Constantinople, named after the Emperor Constantine. |
| Caesar, Julius | (100-44 BCE), Roman general and statesman. He is responsible for setting up the imperial system in Rome which placed his grandnephew, Augustus, on the throne. |
| calendar | A system for keeping track of time. |
| calligraphy | A form of fine handwriting. |
| Canon on Medicine | A book written by Ibn Sina, a famous Islamic physician, which was an encyclopedia of Greek, Arabic, and his own knowledge of medicine. This book became the standard medical text in Europe for over five hundred years. |
| Caste System | A rigid social class system in Hinduism. |
| causeway | A paved road or path. |
| Cavalry | Mounted warriors. |
| censorship | The suppression information considered offensive or a threat to security. |
| check and balance | A system in government described by Baron de Montesquieu where legislative, judicial, and executive power is shared among the different branches to provide protection against abuses of power. |
| chemistry | The science dealing with the structure, composition, properties, and reactive characteristics of substances. |
| circumference | The distance around the edge of a circle. |
| city-state | An independent state consisting of a city and its surrounding lands. |
| civil service exam | In China, it was an exam based on Confucian teachings that was used to select people for various government service jobs in the bureaucracy. |
| civil war | A war between groups of people in the same country, culture, or political system. |
