World History Vocabulary Flashcards

This set of vocabulary flashcards covers essential terminology from world history courses, focusing on political systems, social structures, and historical periods.

B.C.E.

Before Common Era; alternative to B.C.

C.E.

Common Era; alternative to A.D.

aesthetic

Concerning the appreciation of beauty

agrarian

relating to land; relating to the management or farming of land

amenities

convenient features that helps to make life pleasant; social courtesies

anarchy

total absence of rule or government; confusion; disorder

antiquity

ancient times; a thing or people of ancient times; the quality of being ancient

appeasement

Accepting demands in order to avoid conflict

aristocracy

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

assimilate

absorb or adopt another culture

authoritarian

requiring strict obedience to an authority, such as a dictator

autocracy

A system of government in which the power to rule is in the hands of a single individual

bureaucracy

A large, complex organization composed of appointed officials

civic

Having to do with the business of a town or community

classical

related to the culture of ancient empires--Greece, Rome, Han, Persia

Colonialism

the policy or practice of acquiring full or partial political control over another country, occupying it with settlers, and exploiting it economically.

commerce

buying, selling and transporting products and services between places

conscription

compulsory enlistment for state service, typically into the armed forces.

coup d'etat

A sudden overthrow of the government by a small group

despot

a dictator with absolute power

diaspora

A dispersion of people from their homeland

dissident

a person who opposes official policy, especially that of an authoritarian state.

domesticate

to tame; to bring plants or animals under human control

dynasty

A series of rulers from the same family

edict

an official order or proclamation issued by a person in authority

egalitarian

a society in which all people are relatively equal

elite

People of wealth and power

emigrate

To leave one country or region and settle in another

ethnocentric

evaluating other peoples and cultures according to the standards of one's own culture.

feudalism

political system based on bonds of loyalty between lords and vassals

genocide

Deliberate extermination of a racial or cultural group

gentry

people of standing; class of people just below nobility

guild

an organization of people in the same craft or trade

hierarchy

system of ranking groups

ideology

beliefs about the way things ought to be that justify social arrangements

imperialism

Control of territory already occupied and organized by an indigenous society.

indigenous

native to a place

infrastructure

the basic physical and organizational structures and facilities need to function, i.e. roads, power lines

maritime

relating to the sea, shipping, sailing in ships, or living and working at sea

martial

warlike; relating to the military

monarchy

A government ruled by a king or queen

monopoly

the exclusive possession or control of the supply or trade in a commodity or service.

monotheism

Belief in one God

nation-state

an independent geopolitical unit of people having a common culture and identity

neo-

Prefix meaning new

nobility

a class of people having high birth or rank; aristocracy

nomadic

wandering, moving about from place to place

oligarchy

A government ruled by a few powerful people

papacy

the office or the position of the pope

parliamentary system

A system of government in which the legislature selects the prime minister or president.

pastoralism

the practice of herding as the primary economic activity of a society

patriarchal

relating to a society in which men hold the greatest legal and moral authority

patrilineal (system of descent)

a system of reckoning descent that counts only the father's side

patronage

the power to control appointments to office or the right to privileges.

peasant

a member of a class of persons who are small farmers or farm laborers of low social rank

piety

devoutness

polytheism

Belief in many gods

proselytize

To try to convert

provincial

limited in outlook to one's own small corner of the world; narrow

republic

A government in which citizens rule through elected representatives

serf

A person who is bound to the land and owned by the feudal lord

state

a nation or territory considered as an organized political community under one government.

steppe

A large area of flat unforested grassland in southeastern Europe or Siberia.

stratification

a system or formation of layers, classes, or categories (in WHAP its dividing up social classes)

subordinate

inferior; lower in rank or status

succession

The order in which royal family members inherit a throne

syncretism

a combination of different forms of belief and practice

textiles

a type of cloth or woven fabric

theocracy

A government controlled by religious leaders

totalitarian

having to do with a government in which one person, group, or party controls everything

tributary state

independent states that give money or tribute to another state

tyranny

Cruel and oppressive government or rule

urbanize

to make or cause to become urban, as a locality

usurp

to seize and hold a position by force or without right

bureaucrat

a government official

Pilgrimage

A journey to a place considered sacred for religious purposes.

filial

of or like a son or daughter (as in a relationship)

development

A process of improvement in the conditions of people through diffusion of knowledge and technology.

Political

relating to the organization of people and their interactions

Social

Pertaining to human structure/systems. Includes development of family groups, gender roles and relations, ethnic and racial constructions and economic class.

Cultural

Pertaining to the ideas, customs, and technologies of a people

Economic

Pertaining to how people seek to satisfy their needs and wants by making choices

Interaction with Environment

How humans effect and are affected by the natural world

Technology

Application of scientific knowledge for practical purposes; tools and methods used to get what is needed or wanted

rebellion

an act of violent or open resistance to an established government or ruler.

rights

Powers or privileges granted to people either by an agreement among themselves or by law

Constitution

A written plan of government

State-building

The creation of political institutions capable of exercising authority and allocating resources effectively within a nation.

insurrection

a violent uprising against an authority or government

famine

a severe shortage of food (as through crop failure) resulting in violent hunger and starvation and death

filial piety

In Confucian thought, one of the virtues to be cultivated, a love and respect for one's parents and ancestors.

industry

economic activity concerned with the processing of raw materials and manufacture of goods in factories.

intraregional

Within a region

interregional

Of, involving, or connecting two or more regions