AP World History: Units 3-6 Vocab

Gunpowder Empires

Large Eurasian empires (Ottoman, Safavid, Mughal, Russian) that used firearms to expand and control territory.

Ivan the Terrible

First Russian tsar who expanded Russian territory eastward.

Ming Dynasty

Chinese dynasty that replaced Mongol rule and limited foreign influence.

Qing Dynasty

Manchu-led dynasty that ruled China after the Ming until 1911.

Ottoman Empire

Muslim empire centered in the Middle East that controlled trade and Constantinople.

Safavid Empire

Persian empire that established Shi'a Islam as the state religion.

Mughal Empire

Islamic empire in India known for cultural blending and strong centralized rule.

Janissaries

Elite Ottoman slave soldiers recruited from non-Muslim populations.

Ghulams

Slave soldiers used in Safavid military service.

Divine Right of Kings

Belief that monarchs are chosen by God to rule.

Tudor England

English dynasty that strengthened royal authority after the Wars of the Roses.

Louis XIV

French "Sun King" who established absolute monarchy.

Peter the Great

Russian ruler who modernized and westernized Russia.

Boyars

Russian noble landowning class.

Provinces (Russia)

Administrative divisions created by Peter the Great.

St. Petersburg

Russian capital built to reflect Western European influence.

Askia the Great

Songhai ruler who promoted Islam and bureaucracy.

Ottoman Coffeehouses

Cultural spaces for intellectual discussion and exchange.

Saint Sophia (Hagia Sophia)

Major Byzantine church converted into an Ottoman mosque.

Lutheranism

Christian movement started by Martin Luther challenging Catholic Church practices.

95 Theses

Martin Luther's list of criticisms of the Catholic Church.

Calvinism

Protestant belief in predestination led by John Calvin.

Huguenots

French Calvinist Protestants.

Anglican Church

Church of England created by Henry VIII.

Counter-Reformation

Catholic response to Protestantism.

Jesuits

Catholic missionary order spreading Christianity globally.

Council of Trent

Church meeting that reformed Catholic doctrine.

Peace of Augsburg

Agreement allowing German rulers to choose religion.

Thirty Years' War

Major European religious conflict ending with the Peace of Westphalia.

Scientific Revolution

Period of scientific discovery based on observation and reason.

Francis Bacon

Philosopher who developed empirical scientific method.

Isaac Newton

Scientist who formulated laws of gravity.

Empiricism

Knowledge based on observation and evidence.

Gunpowder Empires Warfare

Use of cannons and firearms to centralize power.

Mercantilism

Economic system where colonies serve the mother country.

Centralization

Concentration of political power in a strong government.

Ottoman Bureaucracy

Administrative system managing taxes and empire control.

Safavid-Ottoman Wars

Conflicts over territorial and religious differences.

Mughal Tax System

Land taxation system used to fund empire.

Ming Currency Issues

Paper money inflation and counterfeiting problems.

Columbian Exchange

Global transfer of plants, animals, and diseases after 1492.

Christopher Columbus

Explorer who connected Europe to the Americas.

Smallpox

Disease that devastated Indigenous American populations.

Encomienda System

Spanish labor system forcing Indigenous labor.

Cash Crops

Crops grown for export and profit like sugar and tobacco.

Transatlantic Slave Trade

Forced movement of Africans to the Americas.

Sugar Plantations

Large farms relying on enslaved labor in the Americas.

Mercantilism (Atlantic System)

European economic policy tied to colonial trade.

Joint-Stock Companies

Business organizations that funded overseas trade voyages.

Dutch East India Company

Powerful European trading corporation.

British East India Company

Company that controlled trade and later territory in India.

Transoceanic Trade Routes

Global sea routes linking Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Americas.

Zheng He

Chinese explorer who led maritime voyages for Ming China.

Vasco da Gama

Explorer who reached India by sea from Europe.

Ferdinand Magellan

Led first expedition to circumnavigate the globe.

Monroe Doctrine

U.S. policy opposing European intervention in the Americas.

Manifest Destiny

Belief in U.S. expansion across North America.

Spanish-American War

Conflict leading to U.S. overseas empire expansion.

Roosevelt Corollary

Expansion of U.S. intervention in Latin America.

Proclamation of 1763

British law restricting westward colonial expansion.

Indian Removal Act

Forced relocation of Native Americans to western lands.

Trail of Tears

Forced relocation route of Cherokee and other tribes.

Boer Wars

Conflicts between British and Dutch settlers in South Africa.

Boxer Rebellion

Chinese uprising against foreign influence.

Sphere of Influence

Region where a foreign power has economic dominance.

Indian Indentured Labor

System replacing slavery with contract labor.

Chinese Diaspora

Global migration of Chinese workers.

Italian Emigration

Large-scale migration of Italians due to economic hardship.

Ethnic Enclaves

Communities of immigrants living in concentrated areas.

California Constitution (1879)

Law discriminating against Chinese immigrants.

Industrial Revolution

Transition to machine-based manufacturing and industry.

Spinning Jenny

Machine that increased textile production.

Water Frame

Water-powered spinning machine.

Eli Whitney Interchangeable Parts

System allowing standardized mass production.

Bessemer Process

Method for mass-producing steel cheaply and efficiently.