| A | B |
|---|
| Tang Taizong | First emperor of the Tang Dynasty who ruled from 649-672 AD, reconquered the northern and western lands that China had lost since the decline of the Han Dynasty, lowered taxes and gave land to peasants, promoted foreign trade and improvements in agriculture |
| Wu Zhao | Empress who held the real power in the Tang Dynasty from 660 AD and finally assumed the title of emperor in 690 - the only woman ever to do so in China, continued work of Taizong to build and expand China |
| movable type | Blocks of metal or wood, each bearing a single character, that can be arranged to make up a page for printing |
| gentry | A class of powerful, well-to-do, wealthy people who enjoy a high social status |
| pastoralist | A member of a nomadic group that herds domesticated animals (i.e. the Mongols) |
| clan | A group of people descended from a common ancestor |
| Genghis Khan | In 1206, he became the "universal ruler" of the Mongol clans; led the Mongols in conquering much of Asia, part of the Middle East, and Europe; assembled his warriors into a mighty fighting force - brilliant organizer, gifted strategist, adopted new weapons and technologies used by his enemies, used cruelty as a weapon |
| Kublai Khan | Grandson of Genghis Khan, assumed title of Great Khan in 1260, founded a new Chinese dynasty called the Yuan Dynasty uniting China for the first time in 300 years, opened China to greater foreign contacts and trade, tolerated Chinese culture and made few changes in the system of government |
| Marco Polo | Venetian trader who visited China around 1272 and served Kublai Khan for 17 years, his impressions of China became the basis of a book that became popular in Europe |
| Shinto | The native religion of Japan; based on respect for nature and worship of ancestors |
| samurai | One of the professional warriors who served Japanese feudal lords |
| Bushido | The strict code of behavior followed by samurai warriors in Japan |
| shogun | In feudal Japan, a supreme military commander who ruled in the name of the emperor and held the real power in Japan |
| Khmer Empire | A Southeast Asian empire, centered in what is now Cambodia , that reached its peak of power around AD 1200 |
| Angkor Wat | A temple complex built in the Khmer Empire and dedicated to the Hindu god Vishnu |
| Koryu Dynasty | A dynasty that ruled Korea from AD 935-1392 |
