World History & Social Science Vocabulary

110 flashcards covering key terms from the lecture notes.

B.C.E

Before Common Era

C.E.

Common Era

Abdicate

to renounce a throne, high office, dignity, or function

accession

the act or process by which someone rises to a position of honor or power

aesthetic

a branch of philosophy dealing with the nature of beauty, art, and taste and with the creation and appreciation of beauty

agrarian

of or relating to fields or lands or their tenure

amenities

something that helps to provide comfort, convenience, or enjoyment

anarchy

absence of government

OR

a state of lawlessness or political disorder due to the absence of governmental authority

animism

attribution of conscious life to objects in and phenomena of nature or to inanimate objects

antiquity

ancient times

appeasement

the act or action of appeasing someone or something

aristocracy

a government in which power is vested in a minority consisting of those believed to be best qualified

asceticism

the practice of strict self

assimilate

to absorb into the cultural tradition of a population or group

authoritarian

of, relating to, or favoring a concentration of power in a leader or an elite not constitutionally responsible to the people

autocracy

government in which one person possesses unlimited power

barbarism

uncivilized, brutal behavior; cruelty; a nonstandard word or expression

bureaucracy/bureaucrats

government characterized by specialization of functions, adherence to fixed rules, and a hierarchy of authority

OR

a member of a bureaucracy

city-state

a politically independent city and surrounding territory, often functioning as its own sovereign state.

civic

of or relating to a citizen, a city, citizenship, or community affairs

classical

of or relating to the ancient Greek and Roman world and especially to its literature, art, architecture, or ideals

colonial

of, relating to, or characteristic of a colony

commerce

the exchange or buying and selling of commodities on a large scale involving transportation from place to place

OR

social intercourse : interchange of ideas, opinions, or sentiments

communal

characterized by collective ownership and use of property

concubine

a woman with whom a man cohabits without being married

conscription

compulsory enrollment of persons especially for military service

continuity

uninterrupted connection, succession, or union

corroboration

to support with evidence or authority : make more certain

contradiction

a statement or phrase whose parts contradict each other

cosmopolitan

having wide international sophistication

coup

a sudden decisive exercise of force in politics and especially the violent overthrow or alteration of an existing government by a small group

demography/demographic

the statistical study of human populations especially with reference to size and density

despot

a ruler with absolute power and authority; tyrannical

OR

a Byzantine emperor or prince

diaspora

the Jews living outside Israel

dissent

to withhold assent or approval

dissident

disagreeing especially with an established religious or political system, organization, or belief

domestic/domesticate

of, relating to, or originating within a country and especially one's own country OR

tame; adapt

dynasty/dynastic

a succession of rulers of the same line of descent

edict

a proclamation having the force of law

egalitarian

asserting or promoting a belief in human equality especially with respect to social, political, and economic affairs

elite

a group of persons who by virtue of position or education exercise much power or influence

emigrate

to leave one's place of residence or country to live elsewhere

epic

a long narrative poem in elevated style recounting the deeds of a legendary or historical hero

ethnocentric

characterized by or based on the attitude that one's own group is superior

feudalism

the system of political organization prevailing in Europe from the 9th to about the 15th centuries having as its basis the relation of lord to vassal with all land held in fee and as chief characteristics homage, the service of tenants under arms and in court, wardship, and forfeiture

genocide

the deliberate and systematic destruction of a racial, political, or cultural group

gentry

a class whose members are entitled to bear a coat of arms though not of noble rank

guild

an association of people with similar interests or pursuits

hierarchy

a system or organization in which people or groups are ranked one above the other according to status or authority.

hominids

humans and other creatures that walk upright

homogenous

of the same kind

idealogy

a manner or the content of thinking characteristic of an individual, group, or culture

imperial/imperialism

of, relating to, befitting, or suggestive of an empire or an emperor

OR
an adherent or soldier of the Holy Roman emperor

OR

A policy of extending a country's power and influence through diplomacy or military force.

indigenous

produced, growing, living, or occurring natively or naturally in a particular region or environment

OR

of, relating to, or descended from the earliest known inhabitants of a place and especially of a place that was colonized

infrastructure

the system of public works of a country, state, or region

lineage

descent in a line from a common progenitor

linguistic

of or relating to language or linguistics

manifest

to make evident or certain by showing or displaying

OR

a list of passengers or an invoice of cargo for a vehicle

maritime

of, relating to, or bordering on the sea

martial

of, relating to, or suited for war or a warrior

matrilineal

relating to, based on, or tracing descent through the maternal line

mercenary

one that serves merely for wages (especially a soldier)

monarchy

undivided rule or absolute sovereignty by a single person

monopoly/monopolize

exclusive ownership through legal privilege, command of supply, or concerted action

monotheism

the doctrine or belief that there is but one God

mystical

Having a spiritual meaning or reality that is neither apparent to the senses nor obvious to the intelligence; the visible sign of the hidden reality of salvation.

nation-state

a form of political organization under which a relatively homogeneous people inhabits a sovereign state

neo

new; recent

Neolithic

of or relating to the latest period of the Stone Age characterized by polished stone implements

nomadic

roaming about from place to place aimlessly, frequently, or without a fixed pattern of movement

oligarchy

a government in which a small group exercises control especially for corrupt and selfish purposes

pantheon

a temple dedicated to all the gods

OR
the gods of a people

papal/papacy

of or relating to a pope or to the Roman Catholic Church

OR

a succession or line of popes

parliament/parliamentary system

an assemblage of the nobility, clergy, and commons called together by the British sovereign as the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom

pastoral

of, relating to, or composed of shepherds or herdsmen

patriarchal

relating to or characteristic of a system of society or government controlled by men

patrilineal

relating to, based on, or tracing descent through the paternal line

patronage

the support or influence of a patron

OR

the power to make appointments to government jobs especially for political advantage

peasant

a member of a European class of persons tilling the soil as small landowners or as laborers

OR

a usually uneducated person of low social status

pharaoh

a ruler of ancient Egypt

piety/pious

the quality or state of being pious: such as fidelity to natural obligations or dutifulness in religion

polity

political organization or form of government

polygamy

marriage in which a spouse of either sex may have more than one mate at the same time

polytheism

belief in or worship of more than one god

proselytize

to induce someone to convert to one's faith or cause

provincial

the superior of a province of a Roman Catholic religious order

OR

a person of local or restricted interests or outlook

OR

a person lacking urban polish or refinement

regent

a person who governs a kingdom in the minority, absence, or disability of the sovereign

republic

a government in which the power belongs to a body of citizens entitled to vote and is exercised by the leaders and representatives elected by those citizens to govern according to law

rhetoric/rhetorical

the art of speaking or writing effectively

sedentary

not migratory

OR

often refers to a lifestyle characterized by little physical activity or movement.

serf

a member of a servile feudal class bound to the land and subject to the will of its owner

Sharia

Islamic law based on the Quran

sinification

the process where non Chinese societies adopt Chinese culture and practices.

state

a politically organized body of people usually occupying a definite territory

steppe

one of the vast usually level and treeless tracts in southeastern Europe or Asia

OR

characterized by grassy vegetation and a continental climate.

stratification

to divide or arrange into classes, castes, or social strata

Sub-Saharan

Africa, the region located south of the Sahara Desert, characterized by diverse cultures, languages, and histories.

subordinate

placed in or occupying a lower class, rank, or position

OR

submissive to or controlled by authority

succession

the order in which or the conditions under which one person after another succeeds to a property, dignity, title, or throne

syncretism

the combination of different forms of belief or practice