World History Spring Final 2026

Protestant Reformation

Movement that sparked significant religious change in Europe.

Martin Luther

Individual who sparked the Protestant Reformation.

Annul

To void or set aside.

Henry VIII

King of England who had 6 wives looking for an heir; changed England's religion to Anglican.

Mary

England's first undisputed female monarch.

Predestination

The belief that God has already chosen those who will go to heaven.

Anne Boleyn

2nd wife of Henry VIII; mother of Elizabeth I; beheaded for treason.

Jesuits

Priests who traveled and spread the word of God; a Roman Catholic religious order; founded by St. Loyola.

Phillip II

Led Counter-Reformation against Protestantism.

1588

Year the Spanish Armada was defeated by the British Navy; a turning point in which Spain's power weakened.

Indulgence

A means to lessen one's time in purgatory.

Pueblos

Adobe apartment dwelling built within a cliff for protection.

Potlatch

Meal to show wealth; more food equals more wealth.

Calumet

Sacred instrument to seal treaties.

Confederation

Loose union of states.

Quipo

String with knots that were used to record Incan information.

Codex

Mayan books made of birch bark; 4 survive.

Cuzco

Incan capital.

Trephination

Brain surgery; skull drilling.

Quetzecoatl

Plumed serpent god; worshiped by Maya & Aztec.

Montezuma

Aztec king when Cortes conquered the Aztecs.

Pizarro

Conquered Inca's Empire.

Cortes

Spanish conqueror of the Aztecs in Mexico.

Obsidian

Volcanic glass used to make knives.

Chinampa

Highly fertile Mesoamerican garden beds.

Machu Picchu

Hidden city of the Incas located high up in the Andes.

Cacao

Bean used to make chocolate.

Pok-a-tok

Mayan ballgame in which losers were often sacrificed.

Maize

A staple cereal grain.

Pemmican

Buffalo meat in powder form.

Chunos

Freeze-dried potatoes.

Mita

Labor tribute used by the Inca to complete large public projects.

Yucatan Peninsula

Peninsula in southern Mexico; home of the Maya.

Excommunication

Prohibits a member from receiving sacraments.

Feudalism

Land given in exchange for military aid.

Tithe

Voluntary contribution of income for support of the Church.

Cardinal

Advisor to the pope.

Gothic

Architecture with pointed roofs and stained glass

Romanesque

Architecture with rounded arches and few windows.

Inquisition

Ruthless judicial procedures established by the Catholic Church.

Thomas Aquinas

Medieval philosopher from England.

American Revolution

Conflict leading to the independence of the American colonies.

George Washington

General of Continental Army; 1st President of the US.

7-4-1776

Date the Declaration of Independence was signed and sent to King of England.

George III

King of Great Britain during the American Revolution.

Thomas Jefferson

3rd US president and author of the Declaration of Independence.

Stamp Act

Law requiring all written materials to have a tax stamp.

Yorktown

Site of the final major battle of the American Revolution.

Bill of Rights

First 10 Amendments of the US Constitution.

Treaty of Paris

Signed to end the Revolution; America gained independence and land to the Mississippi River.

Samuel Adams

American founding father.

US Constitution

Document that outlines the framework for the federal government.

Enlightenment

A movement of intellectuals invested in scientific improvement.

John Locke

English philosopher who influenced Thomas Jefferson and the founding fathers.

Exploration and Colonization

Period marked by European exploration and establishment of colonies.

10-12-1492

Date Columbus discovered Hispaniola in the Caribbean Sea.

Ferdinand & Isabella

King and Queen of Spain who sponsored Columbus.

Conquistadors

Spanish/Portuguese conquerors.

Mestizo

A child born of European and native parents.

Mulatto

A child of one white and one black parent.

1607

Year Jamestown was founded.

1620

Year Plymouth was founded.

Edward Teach

Notorious pirate known as 'Black Beard.'

French and Indian War

Also known as the Seven Years War; conflict between French

Middle Passage

Voyage of Africans across the Atlantic.

Triangular trade

Trade routes connecting Europe

Mercantilism

Economic system where European powers seek wealth and power by establishing colonies.

Renaissance

Cultural movement that emphasized art and humanism.

Medici

Famous wealthy family from Florence who were patrons of the arts.

Secular

Non-religious or worldly.

Humanism

The belief in reaching full potential as human beings.

Vernacular

Everyday language of an area.

Sistine Chapel

Famous chapel known for Michelangelo's artwork.

Da Vinci

True 'renaissance man'; artist

The Prince

Story written by Machiavelli.

Sonnet

14 line poem with iambic pentameter.

Utopia

Book by Thomas More.

William Shakespeare

English playwright known for works like Romeo & Juliet and Hamlet.

Elizabeth I

Queen who stabilized religiously divided England.

Gutenberg

Inventor of the printing press which made creating books faster and cheaper.

Parliament

Lawmaking body of England; consists of House of Lords and House of Commons.

Bubonic Plague

Potentially fatal infection caused by bacteria that killed 25-50 million people.

Heraldry

Creating a crest or badge to identify a family during the Middle Ages.

Lay investiture

Act of kings appointing church officials during the Middle Ages.

Canon law

Legal principles governing the Roman Catholic Church.

Sacraments

Christian rites or ceremonies.

Peasant

A person who holds low social status.

Serf

A servant that cannot leave.

Knight's training

A rigorous process to prepare for knighthood.

Charlemagne

Sovereign of the Holy Roman Empire

Pope

The Bishop of Rome

Chivalry

Code of conduct for knights

Greaves

Piece of armor protecting the shin

Manor

A house and the surrounding land

Armored knights

Heavily armed mounted warriors

Black Death

Pandemic that killed 30% - 60% of Europe

Columbian Exchange

The transfer of plants

Treaty of Brest-Litovsk

Treaty between Germany and Russia

Mobilize

To prepare one's troops for war

Contraband

Goods that are illegal during wartime