history

Abrahamic Religions

Include Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, all tracing their origins back to Abraham in the Middle East.

Monotheism

Belief in one deity, as seen in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.

Caliphate

A theocratic system of rule within Islamic empires, tasked with expanding territories and enforcing Islamic law.

Sunni vs

Sunni Muslims believed in the caliphate of Muhammad's best friend, while Shia Muslims supported his cousin.

Ottoman Empire

A powerful Islamic caliphate originating from Turkey, known for its military strength and gunpowder advantage.

Renaissance

A period of cultural rebirth in Europe, inspired by classical Greek and Roman ideas, leading to advancements in art, literature, and science.

Scientific Revolution

A time when scientific inquiry challenged traditional beliefs, with figures like Galileo and Newton making groundbreaking discoveries.

Enlightenment

An intellectual movement promoting freedom of speech, religion, and press, with key figures like Voltaire, Kant, Hobbes, Locke, Montesquieu, and Rousseau.

Reformation

A religious movement led by Martin Luther, challenging the Catholic Church's practices and leading to the formation of different Christian denominations.

Denomination

Different interpretations within a religion, such as the Catholic Church and various Protestant denominations like Lutheranism and Calvinism.

English Reformation

The period in England when Catholic land was confiscated, the Catholic Church's money was taken, and the country converted to Anglicanism under Henry VIII and his successors.

Aztec Empire

A powerful civilization in Mexico from 1345-1521, known for its capital Tenochtitlan, religious practices, and military strength.

Incan Empire

A civilization in western South America, particularly in Peru and Ecuador, characterized by its unique culture, lack of a written language, and advanced engineering feats.

Mercantilism

An economic system during the Age of Discovery that emphasized the accumulation of wealth through trade surpluses, colonies, and the control of resources.

Triangular Trade Route

A trade network during the colonial period involving the exchange of slaves, raw materials, and manufactured goods between Europe, Africa, and the Americas.

Taxation without Representation

Americans protested against British taxes as they lacked representatives in the British Parliament.

Stamp Act

Imposed a tax on paper products in the American colonies, leading to discontent among the colonists.

Boston Massacre

Incident in 1770 where British soldiers killed five colonists, escalating tensions between America and Britain.

Martial Law

Temporary rule by the military, which Americans felt they were under during the Boston Massacre aftermath.

Arsenal

A storage room for weapons, like the one near Boston that led to the Battles of Lexington and Concord.

Estates System

Social hierarchy in France with the King, Clergy, Nobility, and commoners, contributing to social unrest.

Declaration of Rights of Man and Citizen

Document by the French National Assembly, inspired by Rousseau's ideas, promoting equality and rights.

Flight at Varennes

King Louis XVI's failed attempt to escape France, leading to his arrest and the end of the monarchy.

Guillotine

Device symbolizing equality used during the French Revolution to execute King Louis XVI and others.

Reign of Terror

Period marked by mass executions in France, led by the Committee of Public Safety during the Revolution.

Peninsulares

Spaniards born in Spain, had the best life in Latin America, often held power and wealth.

Napoleon Bonaparte

Terrifying Corsican-born military leader, known for his military strategies and dictatorship.

Haciendas

Farms in Latin America.

Pyrrhic Victory

A costly victory not worth the price.

Napoleonic Code

Laws established by Napoleon, including anti-discrimination measures.

Grand Blancs

Elite plantation owners in Haiti.

Petit Blancs

French supervisors on plantations in Haiti.

Toussaint Louverture

Leader of the Haitian Revolution.

Industrialization

Use of technology to speed up production.

Adam Smith

Father of modern economics, advocated for capitalism and maximizing capital.

Karl Marx

Opponent of capitalism, believed in public ownership of the economy and empowering workers.

New Imperialism

European colonization of Asia and Africa from 1870s-1950s.

White Man's Burden

Idea that white people must civilize other societies.

Nationalism

Extreme pride in one's country, leading to conflict and disaster.

Crimea

Disputed territory between Ukraine and Russia, influenced by nationalism and resources.

Nationalism

Strong sense of pride and loyalty to one's nation, often a driving force behind political actions and conflicts.

Realpolitik

Political approach focusing on practicality and reality rather than ideals or moral considerations.

Weltpolitik

Policy emphasizing a nation's actions based on global interconnectedness and ensuring benefits for the country.

Authoritarian

Form of government characterized by centralized power and limited political freedoms.

Militaristic

Emphasizing military power and readiness, often involving a significant portion of the population in military activities.

Yellow Journalism

Sensationalized and exaggerated news reporting to attract readership, often lacking accuracy.

Sphere of Influence

Area where a country has significant control or influence without direct governance.

Genocide

Systematic and deliberate extermination of a particular ethnic, racial, or religious group.

Meiji Restoration

Period in Japan's history marked by the restoration of imperial rule and modernization efforts.

Gunship Diplomacy

Strategy of using military power to intimidate or influence negotiations.

Manifest Destiny

Belief that the U.S. was destined to expand its territory and influence across North America.

League of the Three Emperors

Alliance between Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Russia in the late 19th century.

Russo-Japanese War

Conflict between Russia and Japan (1904-1905) resulting in a significant victory for Japan.

Duma

Nicholas thought of them as his hypemen.

Monarchists

Always supported Nicholas.

Conservatives

Believed the Czar should have the majority of power.

Social Revolutionaries

Advocated for the people to have the majority of power.

Social Democrats

Believed the people should have all the power, with the Czar as a symbol.

Mensheviks and Bolsheviks

Important social democrat groups aiming to replace the Czar.

Workers’ Council

Formed by Social Democrats and Social Revolutionaries to make changes in Russia.

Soviets

Industrial workers' groups fighting for more rights.

Franz Ferdinand

Heir to the Austrian-Hungarian throne.

Black Hand

Group of spies and assassins supporting Serbia.

Gavrilo Princip

Member of Young Bosnia who assassinated Franz Ferdinand.

U-Boat

German submarines that posed a threat during WWI.

Treaty of Versailles

Peace treaty post-WWI with reparations and demilitarization clauses.

League of Nations

International organization aimed at diplomatic solutions post-WWI.

Fascism

Ideology with absolute leadership, as seen in Mussolini's Italy.

Nazism

German fascism under Adolf Hitler, emphasizing racial superiority.

Vienna

City where Hitler moved to pursue art school.

Weimar Republic

New government in Germany after WW1, based in Weimar, allowing progressive changes like voting for women.

Beer Hall Putsch

Hitler's failed attempt to overthrow Bavaria's government in 1923.

Enabling Act

Law that made Hitler a dictator in Germany due to political turmoil.

Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact

Agreement between Nazis and Soviets to invade and split Poland.

Blitzkrieg

Rapid warfare strategy used by the Nazis in WW2.

Lebensraum

Hitler's belief that Germans needed more land to thrive.

Operation Barbarossa

Hitler's failed invasion of the Soviet Union in 1941.

Holocaust

Genocide during WW2 that led to the mass murder of millions, mainly Jews.

Pearl Harbor

Japanese attack on the U.S. naval base in Hawaii in 1941.

D-Day

Allied invasion of Normandy in 1944 during WW2.

Manhattan Project

U.S. project that developed the first nuclear weapons.

Cold War

Period of tension between the U.S. and the Soviet Union from 1945 to 1990.

Proxy War

Indirect conflict between the U.S. and the Soviet Union through their allies.

Stalin

Soviet leader known for his brutal rule and the Five-Year Plans.

Berlin Airlift

Response to the Soviet blockade of West Berlin in 1948.

Berlin Wall

Constructed in 1961 by Khruschev to divide West and East Berlin due to mass migration from East to West.

United Nations

Established in the 1940s with a Security Council overseeing decisions, comprising the US, UK, France, Nationalist China, and the Soviet Union.

Korean War

Conflict between North and South Korea, involving UN intervention and a stalemate at the 38th Parallel DMZ.

Civil Rights Movements

Series of movements advocating for equality, including fights against sexism, gender norms, wage gap, and the Equal Rights Amendment.

Roe v

1973 Supreme Court case legalizing abortion, emphasizing body autonomy and sparking ongoing debates.

LGBTQ+ Civil Rights

Struggle for rights and acceptance for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer individuals, marked by historical oppression and milestones like Harvey Milk's election.

Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD)

Nuclear deterrence strategy where using nuclear weapons would result in mutual annihilation, preventing their use between countries.

Maoism

Ideology involving Utopian Socialism, Armed Insurgencies, Mass Line, and the Cultural Revolution in China under Mao Zedong.