terms 1-30

Abdication

Abdication

To give up one's position of authority

Abolitionism

Movement to end slavery

Absolutism

A political system in which a ruler holds total power

Agriculture

The science or practice of farming

Anti-Semitism

Prejudice against Jews.

Aristocracy

A government in which power is in the hands of a hereditary ruling class or nobility

Assimilation

The process whereby individuals or groups of differing ethnic heritage are absorbed into the dominant culture of a society

Bias

A particular preference or point of view that is personal, rather than scientific.

Bureaucracy

A system of government in which most of the important decisions are made by state officials rather than by elected representatives.

Capitalism

An economic and political system in which a country's trade and industry are controlled by private owners for profit, rather than by the state.

Cheifdom

a territory or state ruled by a chief.

censorship

restricting access to ideas and information

city-state

a city that with its surrounding territory forms an independent state.

civilization

A society with cities, a central government, job specialization, and social classes

Communism

A political, social, economic system that tries to solve the exploitation of capitalism by holding all property in common, actual ownership being ascribed to the community as a whole or to the state.

Colonialism

Attempt by one country to establish settlements and to impose its political, economic, and cultural principles in another territory.

Contemporary Period

1900-now

Demography

The scientific study of population characteristics.

Diaspora

A dispersion of people (Jews) from their homeland (Isreal)

cultural diffusion

the spread of ideas, languages and technologies from one area to another.

diplomacy

Negotiation between nations

divine

related to a god

dynasty

A series of rulers from the same family

early modern period

the time period of 1450 - 1750 (it is called this because events occurring in this time directly shape regional/political units of todays world)

economy

the wealth and resources of a country or region, especially in terms of the production and consumption of goods and services.

empire

A group of states or territories controlled by one ruler

epidemic

regional outbreak of a disease

feudalism

A political system in which nobles are granted the use of lands that legally belong to their king, in exchange for their loyalty, military service, and protection of the people who live on the land

genocide

Deliberate extermination of a racial or cultural group

globalization

trade and communication all around the globe