American History

colony:

a geographical area controlled by a distant country

subject:

a person who owes allegiance to a nation

export:

sell or transfer abroad

mercantilism:

a system of increasing wealth through colonization and trade

indenture:

bind by a contract for work, as an apprentice or servant

plantation:

an estate where cash crops are grown on a large scale

port:

where people and merchandise can enter or leave a country

taxation:

charge against a citizen's person or property or activity

representation:

the right to have delegates in some legislative body

delegate:

a person appointed or elected to represent others

tyranny:

government in which the ruler is an absolute dictator

revolution:

the overthrow of a government by those who are governed

ally:

a friendly nation

ratify:

approve and express assent, responsibility, or obligation

constitution:

law determining the fundamental principles of a government

amendment:

a statement that is added to a proposal or document

federalism:

government divided between central and regional powers

tariff:

a government tax on imports or exports

sedition:

an illegal action inciting resistance to lawful authority

abolition:

doing away with a system or practice or institution

secession:

formal separation from an alliance or federation

emancipation:

freeing someone from the control of another

assassination:

murder of a public figure by surprise attack

sharecropper:

a tenant farmer who owes a portion of each harvest for rent

transcontinental:

spanning one of the large landmasses of the earth

industrialization:

the development of commercial enterprise

urbanization:

the social process whereby cities grow

tenement:

a run-down apartment house barely meeting minimal standards

muckraker:

one who spreads real or alleged scandal about another

union:

an employee organization that bargains with an employer

strike:

refusal to work in protest against low pay or bad conditions

monopoly:

a market in which there are many buyers but only one seller

militarism:

maintaining a strong force of armed services

nationalism:

the doctrine that your country's interests are superior

neutrality:

nonparticipation in a dispute or war

alliance:

an organization of people involved in a pact or treaty

propaganda:

information that is spread to promote some cause

pandemic:

an outbreak of disease that is geographically widespread

prohibition:

the action of forbidding

suffrage:

a legal right to vote

speculation:

an investment that is risky but could yield great profits

stock:

capital raised by a corporation through the issue of shares

depression:

a long-term economic state with unemployment and low prices

employment:

the state of having a job

foreclosure:

proceedings initiated to repossess the collateral for a loan

isolationism:

a policy of nonparticipation in international relations

treaty:

a written agreement between two states or sovereigns

fascist:

relating to authoritarian hierarchical government

dictator:

a ruler who is unconstrained by law

holocaust:

an act of mass destruction and loss of life

genocide:

systematic killing of a racial or cultural group

blitzkrieg:

a military offensive with intensive aerial bombardment

internment:

confinement during wartime

nuclear:

deriving destructive energy from releasing atomic energy

superpower:

a country that can influence events throughout the world

cold war:

a state of political hostility between countries

communism:

a form of socialism that abolishes private ownership

containment:

political strategy to check the expansion of a hostile power

intervention:

policy of getting involved in the affairs of other countries

segregation:

a social system that provides different facilities for minority groups

nonviolence:

peaceful resistance to a government

integration:

incorporating a racial or religious group into a community

guerrilla:

a member of an irregular army that fights a stronger force

draft:

compulsory military service

globalization:

growth to a worldwide scale