AP World History Essential Vocab

civilization

civilization

societies based in cities and governed by powerful states

agriculture

the practice of raising crops on a continual and controlled basis

domestication

the taming of nature for human use, specifically the taming of plants and animals

history

the discipline that records and interprets past events involving human beings

irrigation

a way of supplying water to an area of land

sedentary

a person or group that is settled on one particular land

institution

a custom that has been an important feature of some group or society for many years

egalitarian

social and/or political equality amongst people of a society

hierarchy

the organization of people at different ranks in a social or administrative body

demography

the study of the characteristics of human populations

pastoralism

a way of life based on people moving herds of animals from pasture to pasture

migration

the act of moving from one place to settle in another

specialization

the line of work one has adopted as a career

decentralized

to distribute the administrative powers or functions of (a central authority) over a less concentrated area without one group or individual in total control

patriarchy

a form of social organization in which a male is the family head and title is traced through the male line

surplus

more than what is needed for oneself

city-state

a city and its surrounding lands functioning as an independent political unit

clergy

a body of officials who perform religious services, such as priests, ministers or rabbis

merchant

a businessperson engaged in retail trade

pictograph

a graphic character used in picture writing

divine

being or having the nature of a god

textiles

items made of cloth

theocracy

a form of government led by a priest, god, or religious figure

diffusion

the spread of things or ideas from one society to another

monotheism

the worship of only one deity

metallurgy

the science of the study of metals

dynasty

a series of rulers from the same family

empire

a group of diverse states or territories controlled by one ruler

elite

persons who possess a disproportionate share of some valued resource, like money or power

imperial

relating to or associated with an empire

democracy

a political system in which citizens make all political decisions by voting on each issue

autocracy

a political system governed by a single individual

philosophy

beliefs about how to live or how to deal with a situation in this life

republic

a political system in which citizens choose their leaders through elections

diaspora

the forced scattering of people who have a common background or beliefs

aristocracy

a form of government in which the most wealthy & prestigious members of a society have control

tyranny

a form of government in which the ruler is an absolute dictator (not restricted by a constitution or laws or opposition etc.)

oligarchy

a political system governed by a few people

conscription

compulsory military service

dictator

a single ruler who is unconstrained by law, and usually took power by force

monarchy

an autocracy governed by a king/queen who usually inherits the authority

citizen

a native or naturalized member of a state or other political community

mandate

a document or order giving an official instruction or command

ethnocentric

believing in the superiority of one's own ethnic and cultural group, and having a corresponding disdain for all other groups

assimilation

the social process of absorbing one cultural group into another

bureaucracy

a system of managing government through departments run by appointed or elected officials

coerced

being forced into doing an activity

calligraphy

the art of fine handwriting

pilgrimage

a journey to a sacred place or shrine

icon

a physical object/symbol of religious importance

monsoon

a seasonal wind in southern Asia that brings rain or heat depending on the time of the year

vernacular

the everyday language of a people

lineage

inherited properties shared with others of your bloodline

monastery

the residence of members of a religious community

schism

division of a group into opposing factions

missionary

someone who attempts to convert others to a particular doctrine or program

cavalry

a unit of soldiers who ride horses

papacy

of or relating to the office of the pope

secular

concern with worldly rather than spiritual matters

feudalism

a political and economic system based on the holding of all land and the resulting reciprocal relation of lord and vassal

ideology

a belief that characterizes the thinking of a group or nation

regency

the office of a person appointed to be the administrator of a country because the monarch is a minor or is absent or incapacitated

nation

a group of people that share a common background, history, or culture that serves to unite them

diplomacy

the art and practice of conducting negotiations between peoples without arousing hostility

annex

to add land to existing territory, usually through conquest or negotiation

entrepreneur

someone who organizes a business venture and assumes the risk for it

revolution

a change in government or ideology facilitated by those who are being governed

corporation

a business firm whose articles of incorporation have been approved in some state

regulate

fix or adjust the time, amount, degree, or rate of something

union

a political unit formed from previously independent people or organizations

conservative

resistant to change

liberal

tolerant of change

abolition

the act of getting rid of a system or practice or institution (particularly slavery)

suffrage

the right to vote

secede

withdraw from an organization or community

progressive

an ideology or individual favoring/promoting reform (often by government action)

propaganda

information that is spread for the purpose of promoting some cause

self-determination

the right of a people to choose their own political status

industry

the organized action of the making of goods and services for sale

monopoly

exclusive control or possession of a supply or trade in a commodity or service

perspective

the appearance of things relative to one another as determined by their distance from the viewer

colony

a geographical area politically controlled by a distant country

capital

wealth in the form of money or property owned by a person or business and human resources of economic value

society

an extended social group having a distinctive cultural and economic organization

exploration

to travel for the purpose of discovery

absolutism

a form of government in which a single ruler or other authority has total (absolute) control.

province

a territory governed as an administrative or political unit of a country or empire

constitution

laws determining the fundamental political principles of a government

parliament

a lawmaking body

rebellion

refusal to accept some authority or code or convention; a revolt

blockade

a war measure that isolates some area of importance to the enemy

legitimacy

the right to rule by virtue of being authorized or in accordance with law

restore

to bring back to original condition

affiliation

the act of becoming formally connected or joined

legacy

(law) a gift of personal property by will

resilient

recovering readily from adversity, depression, or the like

emancipate

to free from slavery or servitude

segregate

separate by race or religion

fundamental

involving basic facts or principles

(Afro)EurAsia

A large land mass that includes the continents of (Africa) Europe and Asia