AP World History Unit 1 Vocb

abdicate*

To give up power or the throne; Political

agrarian*

Related to farming or rural life; Economic·Interaction

animism*

Belief that nature (animals, trees, rivers) has spirits; Cultural

appeasement*

Giving in to demands to avoid conflict, esp. in politics; Political

aristocracy*

Rule by a wealthy elite class, often inherited; Social·Political

artisan

A skilled handworker (pottery, tools, etc.)

asceticism*

Living with few comforts for religious discipline; Cultural

assimilate

Adopting another culture's customs or beliefs

authoritarian*

Government with strict control and limited freedoms; Political

autocracy*

One ruler holds all power; Political

bourgeois*

Middle-class property/business owners; Social·Economic

bureaucracy*

Government run by departments and appointed officials; Political

cartography*

Mapmaking and map study; Technology

censorship

Government control or blocking of information

centralized government*

All power in one central ruler or location; Political

coerced labor*

Forced work such as slavery or indentured servitude; Social·Economic

clergy*

Religious leaders (priests, monks, imams); Cultural·Social

colony*

Territory controlled by another nation; Political·Economic

commerce*

Buying and selling goods (trade); Economic

concubine*

A woman living with a man but with lower status than a wife; Social

conscription*

Forced drafting of people into the military; Political

coup*

Sudden overthrow of government, often by military; Political

divine right*

Belief rulers get power from a higher spiritual source; Political·Cultural

decentralized government*

Power spread across local rulers or regions; Political

demographic

Info on population: size, age, gender

despot*

A cruel ruler with absolute power; Political

diaspora

People spreading from their original homeland to other places

dissent

Disagreeing or protesting against those in power

domestic

Relating to internal affairs or home country

dynasty*

Series of rulers from the same family; Political

edict*

Official order issued by a leader or government; Political

egalitarian*

Belief or society where all are equal; Social

emigrate*

Leaving one’s homeland to live in another country; Social·Interaction

ethnic group*

People sharing culture, language, or ancestry; Social·Cultural

gentry

Wealthy landowning elite, esp. in historical societies

hierarchy*

Ranking of people by power or status; Social

homogenous

Group with similar background or culture

imperialism

Domination of other lands for power and resources

indigenous

Original inhabitants of a land, before colonization

infrastructure*

Basic systems (roads, bridges, water, communication); Tech·Economic

lineage

Ancestry or family line

linguistic

Relating to language

maritime

Connected to the sea (tradeways, travel, naval)

matrilineal

Tracing descent through the mother’s line

mercenary

Soldier for hire, loyal to payment not country

monarchy*

Government ruled by a king or queen; Political

monopoly

Complete control over a product or market

monotheism*

Belief in a single god; Cultural

nationalism*

Strong national pride and loyalty; Political·Cultural

nomadic*

Moving frequently instead of settling; Social·Interaction

oligarchy*

Rule by a small group with power; Political

papacy*

Authority of the Pope and the Catholic Church; Political·Cultural

parliament*

An elected legislative body that makes laws; Political

pastoral*

Society based on herding animals; Economic·Interaction

patriarchy*

System where men hold most power; Social

patronage

Giving support (jobs or money) to gain favor or loyalty

peasant*

Poor farmer working land owned by others; Social·Economic

piety

Deep religious devotion

polygamy*

Having more than one spouse at the same time; Social

polytheism*

Belief in many gods; Cultural

proletariat*

Working class, especially factory laborers; Social·Economic

republic*

Government where citizens elect leaders; Political

secular*

Separate from religion; Cultural

sedentary

Living permanently in one location

stratification

Division of society into different levels or classes

suffrage*

The right or privilege to vote; Political·Social

syncretism

Blending of multiple cultures or religions into one

theocracy*

Government led by religious figures or guided by religious law; Political·Cultural

theology*

Study of religion and beliefs; Cultural

totalitarian*

Government with total control over public and private life; Political

tributary state*

A smaller state that pays tribute to a stronger state; Political·Economic

tyranny*

Harsh rule by someone with unchecked power; Political

urbanization*

Movement of people from rural areas to cities; Social·Economic

usurp

To seize power or position forcefully

vernacular*

Everyday language spoken by common people; Cultural