AP World History Vocabulary

Flashcards for vocabulary review.

Agrarian

Relating to fields or land for farming.

Analysis

Separating a whole entity into its component parts for examination.

Artifact

Something made or altered by humans for a practical purpose (used for historical analysis, especially before writing).

Assimilation

To incorporate and absorb into surrounding environment.

Barter

To trade one commodity for another without the use of money.

BC/BCE

Before Christ / Before Common Era.

AD/CE

Anno Domini (in the year of our Lord) / Common Era.

Bias

Tendency toward prejudice; personal judgment.

Bureaucracy

A body of non-elected government officials that make policy.

Capitalism

Economic system characterized by private ownership, free-enterprise and lack of government involvement in the economy.

Cash crop

A readily salable crop produced primarily for market (ex: cotton, tobacco).

Century

A grouping of 100 years.

Chronology

An arrangement of events in order of occurrence (1st to last).

Circa

At, in or approximately; used especially with dates (ex. Circa 1570).

Circum-maritime

World-wide, ocean-going trade.

City-state

An autonomous state consisting of a city and surrounding territory.

Civilization

A relatively high level of cultural and technological development (including writing).

Codify

To classify and formally write down.

Colonialism

Control by one power or country over a dependent area and/or people.

Command economy

Economic system where activity is controlled by a central authority (gov't.)and means of production are publicly owned.

Comparison

Examination of two entities, noting similarities and differences.

Connection

A causal or logical relationship, a tie.

Consumer

One that uses or utilizes economic goods and services.

Continuity

Uninterrupted and/or duration without essential change(s).

Coup d'etat

A sudden, decisive exercise of force in politics; violent overthrow or altering of existing gov't by a small group.

Culture

The characteristic features of a group or people: includes food, religion, etc.

Decade

A grouping of ten years.

Decolonization

To be free from colonial status.

Demography

The statistical study of human populations especially related to size, distribution, density and vital statistics.

Dictator

A person granted absolute power and control.

Diffusion

Spread of cultural elements from one area or group of people to another through contact.

Diversity

Being composed of different elements (as peoples, races, cultures).

Domestic

Of or relating to one's own home country.

Domestication

To adapt animals and/or plants for human use and benefit.

Dynasty

A succession of rulers from the same family.

Ecumene

The permanently inhabited portion of the earth.

Elites

The best or highest of a class, socially superior.

Emancipation

Liberation, freeing (as in slaves).

Empire

A political unit having a great extent of territories or peoples under a single authority.

Entrepot

A center of trade and transshipment.

Entrepreneur

One who organizes, manages and assumes the risks of a business or enterprise.

Era

A period of time identified by prominent or characteristic features.

Evolution

A process of continual change.

Ethnic group

Large groups of people classed according to common racial, national, tribal, religious, linguistic or cultural origin or background.

Ethno-centrism

Having the attitude that one's own culture group is superior to others.

Expansion

Increasing in size.

Fact

Something that is provable; verifiable, actual.

Federal

Relating to the national government.

Federalism

In the U.S., a division of power between the national and the state governments.

Feudalism

Political system where underlords hold/use land in return for military protection and peasants work the land in return for protection.

Forage

To wander in search of food.

Gender

The behavioral, cultural or psychological traits typically associated with one sex, male or female.

Genocide

The deliberate, systematic destruction of a racial, political or cultural group.

Global

Of or relating to the entire world.

Globalization

The development of an increasingly integrated world economy.

Habitat

The place or environment where a plant, animal or person naturally lives.

Hegemony

Influence or authority exerted by a dominant group over others.

Hierarchy

A division into ranks, classes or orders according to political, social or economic standing.

Historiography

The principles of the writing of history using critical methods.

Hypothesis

An assumption or an interpretation.

Ideology

A systematic body of concepts that are characteristic of an individual, group or culture.

Imperialism

The policy of one country extending power/authority over another through military, economic or political means.

Independence

Not subject to control by others, not affiliated with a controlling unit.

Indigenous

Produced, growing, living or occurring naturally in a particular region or environment.

Industry

Manufacturing activity as a whole.

Inflation

A continuing rise in the general price level of goods/services.

Interdisciplinary

Involving two or more academic, scientific or artistic disciplines.

Interpretation

A teaching technique that combines factual and explanatory information.

Manumission

Formal freeing or emancipation of slaves.

Maritime

Of or relating to the sea.

Market economy

Economy where most goods/services are produced and distributed through free markets.

Metallurgy

Art/science of extracting metals from their ores and modifying them for use.

Methodology

A regular procedure employed by a discipline or field (such as historical interpretation).

Migration

To move from one country, place or locality to another.

Millennium

A group of 1,000 years.

Modernization

Transformation from a rural, agrarian society to an urban, industrial one.

Monotheism

Believing in only one god.

Non-governmental org.

Legally constituted, not for profit businesses that are independent of governments (usually pursue social/political aims for charity).

Neolithic Revolution

The movement of people from food gathering to food producing/herding.

Network

Interconnected group or association of persons or colleagues (i.e. trade).

Nomads

People with no fixed residence - they move place to place, usually seasonally.

Pastoral

Of or relating to herdsmen and raisin livestock.

Parliamentary system

Gov't. system utilizing a legislative body.

Patriarchy

Social organization marked by the supremacy of the father or older male and dependency of women and children.

Periodization

Division of history into periods.

Perspective

A mental view or prospect, a distinct impression.

Polytheism

Belief in many gods.

Primary source

An eyewitness account.

Propaganda

Ideas, facts or allegations spread deliberately to further one's cause or to damage an opposing cause.

Pull factors

Elements which draw people to move to a location.

Push factors

Elements which draw people to move away from a location.

Reform

To amend or improve by change of form or removal of faults/abuses.

Republic

Gov't. whose power resides in a body of citizens entitled to represent a group.

Revolution

A fundamental change in political organization; especially the overthrow of one gov't/ruler for another.

Rural

Of or relating to the country, country life, people or agriculture.

Secondary source

Not an eyewitness account; a person who got information from a primary source.

Segregation

Isolation of a race, class or ethnic group in a restricted area with discriminatory barriers to social, political or economic participation.

Socialism

Economic theory emphasizing collective or gov't ownership and administration of the means of production and distribution of goods.

Specialization

Apply to a direct or specific use - to concentrate one's efforts in one area.

State

A politically organized body of people usually occupying a definite territory.