AP World History Vocabulary Flashcards

A comprehensive set of vocabulary flashcards covering key terms for AP World History.

BCE

Before Common Era, a designation for years before the traditional date of the birth of Jesus Christ.

CE

Common Era, a designation for years after the traditional date of the birth of Jesus Christ.

Domestication

The process of adapting plants and/or animals for human use.

Polytheism

The worship of many gods.

Monotheism

The worship of one god, denying the existence of other gods.

Henotheism

The worship of a single supreme god, acknowledging the existence of other deities.

Filial Piety

Honoring and showing respect for one's family.

Crusades

A series of military expeditions by Christians to reclaim Jerusalem from Muslims.

Humanism

An intellectual movement during the 15th century emphasizing human potential and achievements rather than religious matters.

Joint Stock Company

An arrangement where investors pool resources to fund enterprises, sharing profits and losses.

Trading Post Empires

Empires established through trade posts rather than direct territorial control.

VOC

Dutch East India Company, a historically significant trading company.

Mestizo

A person of mixed ancestry, particularly of Spanish and indigenous heritage.

Astrolabe

An astronomical instrument used to calculate time and position.

Mulatto

A term used in Spanish and Portuguese colonies for individuals of mixed African and European descent.

Creole

A term for individuals of European descent born in the Americas.

Maroon

Enslaved Africans who escaped and formed independent communities in the Americas.

Imperialism

The policy of extending a country's power and influence through colonization or military force.

Tenant Farming

A system where farmers rent land from landowners.

Potato Blight

A fungal disease that caused potato crop failures and famine in Ireland.

Coffin Ships

Ships used to transport Irish immigrants, which had high mortality rates due to unsanitary conditions.

Immigrant

A person entering a new country to live.

Emigrant

A person leaving their home country.

Animism

The belief in the spiritual essence of nature.

Social Hierarchy

A system of organization in society based on ranks.

Pharaoh

Ancient Egyptian monarch considered to be a god.

Galileo

Italian astronomer whose work laid the foundation for modern physics and astronomy.

Renaissance

A period of cultural rebirth starting in the 14th century in Europe.

Machiavelli

Italian philosopher known for his work on political theory, particularly 'The Prince'.

Printing Press

An invention that revolutionized the spread of information and literacy.

Columbian Exchange

The transfer of crops, animals, and diseases between the Americas and the Old World.

Joint-stock Companies

Businesses owned collectively by shareholders.

Triangular Trade

The trade system between Europe, Africa, and the Americas in the 16th to 19th centuries.

Casta System

A hierarchical structure in Spanish America based on ancestry.

Laissez-faire Economics

An economic philosophy advocating minimal government intervention in markets.

Proletariat

The working class, particularly in industrial societies.

Bourgeoisie

The middle/upper class who own the means of production in a capitalist society.

Socialism

An economic system promoting collective ownership and egalitarian distribution of resources.

Communism

A political ideology advocating classless and stateless society with collective ownership.

Fascism

A far-right authoritarian government emphasizing strong centralized power and nationalism.

Deism

The belief in a creator who does not intervene in the universe.

Totalitarianism

A political system where the state holds total authority over society.

Nationalism

A strong identification with and pride in one's nation or ethnic group.

Militarism

A policy of building up strong armed forces to prepare for war.

Glorious Revolution

The 1688 overthrow of King James II of England.

Spanish Inquisition

A judicial institution established to maintain Catholic orthodoxy.

Enlightenment

An intellectual movement emphasizing reason and individualism over tradition.

Economic Revolution

A major change in the production of goods and services.

Opium Wars

Conflicts between China and Britain over trade imbalances.

Berlin Conference

The meeting where European powers divided Africa among themselves.

Suffrage Movement

Campaigns for women's right to vote.

Human Rights

The basic rights and freedoms to which all humans are entitled.

Civil Rights Movement

A struggle for social justice that aims to end racial discrimination.

Great Depression

A severe worldwide economic crisis in the 1930s.

Apartheid

A system of institutionalized racial segregation in South Africa.

Indigenous Rights

The rights recognized to protect the existence and culture of Indigenous peoples.

Maritime Empires

Empires based on sea trade and naval power.

Mughal Empire

A powerful empire in India founded by Babur.

Soviet Union

A socialist state in Eurasia from 1922 to 1991.

Civil Service Exam

A test for government employment based on merit.

Cultural Assimilation

The process by which a person or group's language and culture come to resemble those of another group.

Urbanization

The movement of people from rural areas to cities.

Détente

The easing of hostilities between nations, particularly during the Cold War.

Anti-colonialism

Political movements aimed at ending colonial rule.