AP World Midterm Vocab

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Austerity

Government policies implemented to reduce public spending and decrease budget deficits, often through cuts in social services and tax increases. In world history, these measures are often a response to financial crises or debt and have significant social and political consequences, such as in Europe after the 2008 crisis.

Hegemony

The political, economic, or military dominance or control of one state over others. Historical examples include the British Empire's global hegemony during the 19th century or the regional hegemony of empires like the Ottomans or Qin China.

Mamluk

A slave soldier, typically of Turkic origin, who served various Muslim dynasties, particularly in Egypt. They eventually rose to power, establishing the Mamluk Sultanate, which ruled Egypt and Syria from the mid-13th to early 16th centuries.

Papacy

The office and jurisdiction of the Pope, the head of the Roman Catholic Church. The Papacy was a major political, religious, and cultural force in European and world history, especially during the medieval and early modern periods.

Caravel

A small, highly maneuverable sailing ship developed by the Portuguese in the 15th century. Its innovative lateen (triangular) sails allowed it to sail against the wind, making it crucial for the long-distance voyages of the Age of Exploration.

Carrack

A large, multi-masted ocean-going sailing ship developed in the 14th and 15th centuries. With a large cargo capacity and robust build, it was used by European powers for trade, exploration, and war across oceans before being superseded by the galleon.

Reconnaissance

A preliminary survey or exploration to gather information, especially for military purposes or potential trade routes. It was a vital part of European expansion, where explorers charted coastlines and assessed new territories.

Chastity

The state or quality of being pure, particularly in a sexual context, often involving abstention from sexual activity outside of marriage or altogether (celibacy). This concept has been a significant virtue in many religious and cultural traditions, especially Christianity and Islam.

Egalitarian

Believing in the principle that all people are equal and deserve equal rights and opportunities. This term is used to describe various societies throughout history, such as early foraging communities, in contrast to the hierarchical structures of most agrarian civilizations.

Monogamy

The practice or state of being married to one person at a time. It contrasts with polygamy (multiple spouses) and has been the prescribed form of marriage in many societies, particularly Western cultures influenced by Christian traditions.

Conduit

A channel or mechanism by which something is conveyed or transmitted. In world history, it often refers to trade routes (e.g., the Silk Roads, which served as a conduit for ideas, diseases, and goods) or political systems that facilitated the flow of resources or power.

Corporal punishment

Physical punishment, such as flogging or caning, inflicted on the body. Historically, it was widely used in legal systems, educational settings, and for controlling enslaved or coerced labor populations.

Dissemination

The act of spreading something widely, such as information, ideas, diseases, or culture. Examples include the dissemination of Buddhism along the Silk Roads or the dissemination of New World crops via the Columbian Exchange.

Exalt

To raise someone or something to a higher rank, position, or a position of greater power or importance. Rulers or religious figures were often "exalted" to legitimize their authority.

Flora and fauna

The plants (flora) and animals (fauna) of a particular region, habitat, or geological period. The exchange of different flora and fauna between the Old and New Worlds (Columbian Exchange) had massive environmental and economic impacts on global history.

Peopling

The process by which an area becomes inhabited or populated by people, usually through migration and settlement. A key concept is the "peopling of the Americas" via the Bering Strait or the Bantu migrations across Africa.