World History Renaissance/Aztec/Inca Terms

Cultural and political movement in w.europe began in italy 1400; rested on urban vitality and expanding commerce; featured a literature and art with distinctly more secular priorities than those of middle ages

Focus on humankind as center of intellectual and artistic endeavor; method of study that emphasized the superiority of classical forms over medieval styles, in particular the study of ancient languages

A regional kingdom of the iberian peninsula; pressed reconquest of peninsula from muslims; developed a vigorous military and religious agenda

1304-1374 one ofh te major literary figures of the western renaissance; an italian author and humanist

Portuguese prince responsible for direction of series of expeditions along the african coast in 15th cent; marked beginning of western european expansion

Portuguese captain who sailed for india in 1497; established early portuguese dominance in indian ocean

Southern tip of africa; first circumnavigated in 1488 by portuguese in search of direct route to india

Unification of spain; supported christopher columbus

1480-1521 spanish captain who in 1519 initiated first circumnavigation of the globe; died during the voyage; allowed spain to claim phillippines

Mexico and central america; along with peru, site of development of sedentary agriculture in western hemisphere

Nomadic peoples from beyond northern frontier of sedentary agr. area in mesoamerica; established capital of tula following migration into central mesoamerican plateau

Toltec diety; feathered serpent; adopted by aztecs as a major god

The mexica; one of the nomadic tribes that used political anarchy after fall of toltecs to penetrate into sedentary agricultural zone of mesoamerican plateau; established empire around shores of lake texcoco

Founded 1325 on marshy island in lake texcoco; became center of aztec power; joined with tlacopan and texcoco in 1434 to form a triple alliance that controlled most of central plateau of mesoamerica

Beds of aquatic weeds, mud, and earth placed in frames made of cane and rooted in lakes to create "floating islands"; system of irrigated agriculture utilized by aztecs