World History: 12. Civilizations of East Asia and Southeast Asia, Lesson 4–7

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. archipelago
    a group of many islands in a large body of water
    Japan is an archipelago, or chain of islands.
  2. mainland
    the main land mass of a country or continent
    A mainland is an area that is a part of a continent.
  3. clan
    group of people related by blood or marriage
    A clan is a group of people with a common ancestor.
  4. regent
    someone who rules during the absence of the monarch
    A regent is someone who governs a country in the name of the ruler who is unable to rule, often because of age.
  5. unify
    join or combine
    Shotoku began the difficult task of unifying Japan.
  6. tradition
    a specific practice of long standing
    Over time, Japan's practice of Buddhism would absorb many of the Shinto spirits and traditions.
  7. figurehead
    a leader in name only, without real power or authority
    The emperor was a figurehead, which means that he was only a symbolic leader, while someone else was really in control.
  8. shogun
    a hereditary military dictator of Japan
    Minamoto received the title of shogun, or supreme military commander.
  9. feudalism
    the social system in which vassals were protected by lords
    Feudalism was a social system in which landowners granted people land or other rewards in exchange for military service and labor.
  10. samurai
    Japanese warrior who was a member of the feudal aristocracy
    The daimyo also provided protection through a small army of samurai, or highly trained warriors.
  11. constant
    uninterrupted in time and indefinitely long continuing
    During the 1400s and 1500s, Japan was controlled by daimyo who constantly fought for land and power.
  12. factor
    anything that contributes causally to a result
    Another factor was the arrival of Western traders.
  13. consensus
    agreement in the judgment reached by a group as a whole
    Consensus is agreement among the members of a group.
  14. shrine
    a place of worship associated with something sacred
    The Japanese built Shinto shrines, or places of worship, wherever they felt the power of kami.
  15. mantra
    a commonly repeated word or phrase
    A mantra is a sacred word, chant, or sound that is repeated over and over to advance one's spiritual growth.
  16. exclude
    prevent from entering; shut out
    Women were excluded from some temples.
  17. monsoon
    rainy season in southern Asia
    Trade routes also developed depending on the monsoon, or rainy, season.
  18. stupa
    a dome-shaped Buddhist shrine
    Pagan's King Anawrahta, a devout Buddhist, built magnificent dome-shaped shrines called stupas.
  19. descendant
    a person considered as coming from some ancestor or race
    Each also had an organized military and a king who passed on his rule to a descendant.
  20. conglomeration
    a sum total of many varied things taken together
    Southeast Asia is a conglomeration of several peninsulas located between China and India and more than 20,000 islands between the Indian Ocean and South China Sea.
Created on Thu Jul 01 15:58:19 EDT 2021 (updated Tue Jul 20 11:42:52 EDT 2021)

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