World History II Quarter 1 Vocabulary: Renaissance to Enlightenment

humanism

A new outlook on life that arose during the Renaissance, inspired partly by ancient Greek and Roman writings. The belief that each human is unique and has great worth.

principality

A state ruled by a prince. Russia and Germany are nations that were once groups of these.

capital

Money that is used to produce more money or to start a business.

Capitalism

The economic system in which goods and services are produced using the capital of individual investors.

divine right of kings

A belief that the monarch is God's representative, and therefore his or her decisions must not be challenged.

heretic

A member of religion who rejects that religion's doctrine, or basic beliefs.

indulgence

A pardon for sins that was sold by the Roman Catholic Church.

investment

Putting money into a project or fund in hopes that it will return more money.

missionary

A religious person who preaches in a distant area or foreign country and attempts to convert people to his or her religion.

penance

A punishment, such as the saying of many prayers, set by a priest for sins heard at confession.

predestination

The Calvinist belief that God already knows who will be saved and will be damned.

usury

The charging of interest on loans.

absolute rule

A political system in which orders come from the top down, with no questioning.

cash crop

An agricultural product, like tobacco, that is grown for sale and not for the farmer's own use.

colony

A group of people from one country who settle in another area, often taking power over the people already living there.

Columbian Exchange

The carrying across the Atlantic (New World & Old World) the crops, animals, technology, disease, and culture previously unknown on the other side.

conquistador

Spanish for 'conqueror'; one of the Spanish military leaders in charge of taking over lands and peoples in the Americas.

hereditary

Passed down from parent to child.

Mestizo

A person who has both European and Native-American ancestors.

plantation

A large farm on which cash crops are grown and most of the workers (or slaves) live.

triangular trade system

A pattern of trade that developed across the Atlantic Ocean after European colonization of the Americas.

joint-stock company

A type of business that raised money from a group of investors, each of whom would contribute a share of the total and then receive a share of any profits.

mercantilism

The prevailing economic theory of the late Middle Ages and after that a country's wealth and power depended on acquiring as much gold and silver as possible from its overseas colonies.

samurai

The warrior class of ancient Japan who supported the shogunate and their daimyo.

Shogun

The highest military commander in feudal Japan, ruling in the name of the emperor.

absolute monarchy

A government in which one person (the king or queen) has total or near total control of the nation's financial resources and laws.

authoritarian

Demanding strict obedience.

Baroque music period

The 17th and early 18th centuries when the arts, especially music and architecture, tended to complexity and showiness.

Bill of Rights

A set of statements outlining rights of all citizens.

bourgeoisie

The French term for the middle class.

bureaucracy

A body of nonelected government officials with set rules and a strict line of authority from the top down.

Classical music period

The late 18th and 19th centuries, when musical pieces emphasized clarity, balance, and moderation.

constitutional monarchy

System of government in which the king's or queen's powers are limited and the real power is in the hands of an elected parliament.

coup d'etat

Seizure of power by force.

elliptical

Oval-shaped.

enlightened despotism

The reign of an absolute monarch who believes that he or she is using his or her power for beneficial (good) purposes.

estate

Social class in prerevolutionary France which there were a 1st, 2nd, & 3rd.

experimentation

The process of testing ideas or claims under controlled conditions, a central feature of modern science.

habeas corpus

The first words in a Latin Phrase describing the right of people not to be imprisoned without a trial.

heresy

A belief that is counter to the official doctrine of a religion.

rationalism

The philosophical view that that reason is superior to faith.

taille

A tax in prerevolutionary France that was levied by a king on his subjects or on lands held under him.