| A | B |
|---|
| Islam | The word Islam, which when translated from Arabic, means "to submit to the will of Allah," is the youngest of the world's major religions. Worshippers of this monotheistic religion are known as Muslims, which means "one who submits to the will of Allah." The Islamic holy book is called the Qur’an. Islam is currently the second most practiced religion in the world, and experts predict that it will overtake Christianity as the most popular religion in the world sometime during the 21st century. |
| Judaism | Judaism is the oldest known monotheistic religion still practiced in the world today. Its fundamental teachings have been influential and are the basis for more recently developed religions such as Christianity and Islam. Judaism teaches that there is one God who is the creator of all things. after the Hebrew exodus from Egypt, many Hebrews began to lose their faith in God. During this time, Moses went atop Mount Sinai and returned with two stone tablets containing laws that all Hebrews needed to follow. These laws, recorded in the Exodus 20:3-17, became known as the Ten Commandments. |
| Kublai Khan | (1215-1294) Grandson of Genghis Khan and founder of the Mongol Yuan Dynasty in China. |
| Magellan, Ferdinand | (1480?-1521) Spanish explorer who was the first to circumnavigate the globe. |
| Mali | One of the west African Trading Kingdoms. They were rich in gold and established a vast trading network across the Sahara desert. Greatest ruler was Mansa Musa, who converted to Islam and made a famous pilgrimage. |
| Mansa Musa | Emperor of the kingdom of Mali in Africa. He made a famous pilgrimage to Mecca and established trade routes to the Middle East. |
| Marco Polo | (1254-1324) Italian explorer and author. He made numerous trips to China and returned to Europe to write of his journeys. He is responsible for much of the knowledge exchanged between Europe and China during this time period. |
| Maurya Dynasty | (321? BCE - 185? BCE) Dynasty that united most of India under the rule of Chandragupta Maurya. Its greatest ruler, Asoka, converted to Buddhism and was instrumental in its spread. |
| Mecca | A city in Saudi Arabia where Muslims must make a pilgrimage at least once in their life. |
| Menes | (3100? BCE) King of Upper Egypt, united the two kingdoms of Upper and Lower Egypt |
| Middle Ages | Time period in European history between the fall of Rome in 476 C.E. and the beginning of the Italian Renaissance in the early 15th century. |
| Middle East | Geo-Political designation of the area stretching from the eastern Mediterranean Sea to the western side of the Indian subcontinent. Consists of countries such as Israel, Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt. |
| Middle Kingdom (Egypt) | (2040 BCE – 1640 BCE) Period in ancient Egyptian history characterized by internal strife and hardships, and the invasion, and subsequent take over by the neighboring Hyksos. |
| migration | The mass movement of people from one area to another. |
| missionary | A person who spreads the teachings of a religion. |
| multinational company | A company that does business in more than one country, usually by setting up branch offices. |
| Neolithic Age | (10,000 BCE - 5000 BCE) New Stone Age. A period of time in human history characterized by the development of agriculture and permanent settlements. |
| Neolithic Revolution | (10,000 - 8,000 BCE) The development of agriculture and the domestication of animals as a food source. This led to the development of permanent settlements and the start of civilization. |
| New Kingdom | (1550 BCE - 1100 BCE) Period in ancient Egyptian history characterized by strong pharaohs who conquered an empire that stretched from Nubia in the south, to the Euphrates River in Mesopotamia. |
| nomad | A person who belongs to a group of people who move from place to place seasonally in search of food and water. |
