AP World Unit VI Vocab & People

Afrikaners

Descendants of Dutch settlers in South Africa who established their own identity and political influence in the region, particularly during and after British colonization.

Boers

Early Dutch settlers in South Africa (synonymous with Afrikaners) who later engaged in conflicts with the British, most notably the Boer Wars, in resistance to British rule.

British Raj

The period of British direct rule over India from 1858 to 1947, following the Sepoy Rebellion of 1857, marked by economic exploitation, infrastructural development, and sociopolitical reform.

Capitulations

Agreements between Western powers and non-Western states (primarily the Ottoman Empire) that gave Europeans special privileges and legal protections, often undermining local sovereignty.

Civil Service

The administrative branch of governments in imperial contexts, often used by colonial powers (like the British in India) to staff bureaucratic functions, sometimes employing educated locals.

Extraterritoriality

Legal practice allowing foreign nationals to be tried under their home country’s laws instead of the laws of the host country, a common feature in spheres of influence within China.

Hegemony

Dominance of one state or social group over others; in the context of Unit 6, it refers to the political, economic, or cultural dominance exerted by imperial powers over colonized regions.

Khedives

Hereditary rulers of Egypt under nominal Ottoman authority in the 19th century, who often aligned themselves with European interests for economic and political gain.

Racism

The belief in the superiority of one race over others, which was a key justification for European imperialism and colonization in Africa, Asia, and other regions.

Sepoys

Indian soldiers employed by the British East India Company who played a crucial role in maintaining British control but famously rebelled in 1857 during the Sepoy Rebellion (or Indian Mutiny). They were primarily recruited from various communities, including Hindu and Muslim backgrounds, and their discontent stemmed from cultural insensitivity and exploitation.

Social Darwinism

The application of Darwin's theory of natural selection to human societies, used by imperialists to justify European dominance and colonization as a "natural" process. It promoted the idea that stronger nations had the right to conquer weaker ones, often leading to racial discrimination and inequality.

Spheres of Influence

Areas in which a foreign power had exclusive rights to trade, investment, and influence without formal control of the region, as seen in China during the late 19th century.

Treaty Ports

Coastal cities in China and other regions that were forcibly opened to foreign trade and residence by unequal treaties, following events like the Opium Wars.

Charles Darwin

A British naturalist who developed the theory of evolution by natural selection. Although he himself did not apply his theory to social or political contexts, his ideas were later misappropriated by imperialists to justify racism and Social Darwinism. “On the Origin of the Species”

Herbert Spencer

An English philosopher and sociologist who popularized Social Darwinism, applying Darwin's "survival of the fittest" concept to justify European imperialism, capitalism, and the domination of non-Western peoples.

James Cook

A British explorer and navigator who led several voyages in the Pacific during the late 18th century, mapping vast areas of the region and claiming territories like Australia and New Zealand for the British Empire, paving the way for imperial control.

Muhammad Ali

The Ottoman governor and de facto ruler of Egypt (1805–1848) who modernized Egypt's economy, military, and infrastructure, positioning it as a semi-autonomous state within the Ottoman Empire.

Cecil Rhodes

A British imperialist and businessman who played a leading role in British expansion in southern Africa, founding the De Beers diamond company and establishing the colony of Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe and Zambia). He was a staunch advocate of British imperialism and white supremacy.

King Leopold II

The King of Belgium (1865–1909) who privately controlled the Congo Free State, exploiting it for rubber production and causing widespread atrocities, including forced labor, mass killings, and mutilation of the Congolese people.

Sultan Abdul Mejid I

The Ottoman sultan (1839–1861) known for initiating the Tanzimat Reforms, which aimed to modernize the Ottoman Empire's military, economy, and legal system to compete with European powers.

Tupac Amaru II

A leader of an indigenous uprising in Peru (1780–1781) against Spanish colonial rule. Though his rebellion was ultimately crushed, he became a symbol of anti-colonial resistance in Latin America.

“al-Mahdi”

A Sudanese religious and political leader who led a successful rebellion against Egyptian and British control in the late 19th century. He proclaimed himself the "Mahdi" (the guided one) and established a short-lived Islamic state in Sudan.

Nat Turner

An African-American enslaved preacher who led a violent rebellion in Virginia in 1831, seeking to overthrow the institution of slavery. His revolt intensified the debate over slavery in the United States.

Yaa Asantewaa

A queen mother of the Asante Empire (modern Ghana) who led the Asante resistance against British colonial forces in the War of the Golden Stool (1900), becoming a symbol of African anti-colonial resistance.

Emperor Menelik

The ruler of Ethiopia (1889–1913) who successfully resisted Italian colonization by defeating Italian forces at the Battle of Adwa in 1896, securing Ethiopia's sovereignty and making it a symbol of African resistance against European imperialism.