AP World unit 3 vocab

Gunpowder Empires

Muslim empires (Ottoman

Cossacks

Russian military communities of free peasants who settled on frontier lands and were known for their independence.

Ming Dynasty

Chinese dynasty (1368–1644) that restored native rule

Divine right of kings

Belief that monarchs derive their authority directly from God

Justice of the peace

Local English officials appointed by the monarch to enforce the law and maintain peace.

English Bill of Rights

1689 document limiting the power of the monarch and protecting individual rights of citizens.

Absolute monarchy

System where the ruler holds total power and is not restricted by laws or a constitution.

King Louis XIV

French monarch known as the “Sun King” who centralized power and built the Palace of Versailles.

Peter the Great

Russian tsar who modernized and westernized Russia’s government and military.

Palace at Versailles

Lavish French royal palace symbolizing the absolute power of King Louis XIV.

King Henry IV

French king who issued the Edict of Nantes granting religious freedom to Protestants.

Sikhism

Religion founded in India combining elements of Hinduism and Islam.

Sunni vs. Shia

Major branches of Islam divided over leadership succession after Muhammad’s death.

Great Schism

Split within Christianity between the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches in 1054.

Protestant Reformation

16th-century movement against corruption in the Catholic Church

Lutheranism

First Protestant denomination founded by Martin Luther emphasizing faith alone for salvation.

Martin Luther

German monk who started the Protestant Reformation by posting his 95 Theses.

Indulgences

Payments to the Catholic Church to reduce punishment for sins.

Simony

Buying or selling of church offices and positions.

95 Theses

Martin Luther’s list of grievances against the Catholic Church in 1517.

Calvinism

Protestant sect founded by John Calvin emphasizing predestination and strict moral codes.

Military might

Strength and capability of a nation’s armed forces.

Land-based empire

Empire that expanded primarily over land rather than overseas.

Centralized bureaucracy

Government where power and decision-making are concentrated in a central authority.

Taxation

System of collecting money from citizens to fund government functions.

Gutenberg printing press

15th-century invention that revolutionized the spread of knowledge in Europe.

Manchu

Ethnic group from Manchuria who founded the Qing Dynasty in China.

Qing Dynasty

Chinese dynasty (1644–1912) that followed the Ming and was ruled by the Manchus.

Serfdom

System where peasants are tied to land and serve landlords in exchange for protection.

Ivan IV

Known as Ivan the Terrible

Oprichnina

Secret police system used by Ivan IV to suppress opposition.

Romanov Dynasty

Russian ruling family (1613–1917) that restored stability after the Time of Troubles.

Devshirme

Ottoman practice of recruiting Christian boys for military or administrative service.

Janissaries

Elite Ottoman soldiers taken from Christian families and trained to serve the Sultan.

Daimyo

Powerful Japanese feudal lords under the shogun.

John Calvin

Founder of Calvinism who emphasized predestination and strict religious discipline.

Predestination

Calvinist belief that God has already chosen who will be saved or damned.

Puritan

English Protestants who sought to purify the Church of England of Catholic elements.

Anglicanism

English Protestant faith founded by King Henry VIII after breaking from the Catholic Church.

King Henry VIII

English king who created the Church of England to annul his marriage.

Anne Boleyn

Second wife of Henry VIII and mother of Queen Elizabeth I.

Emperor Charles V

Holy Roman Emperor who opposed the Protestant Reformation.

Holy Roman Empire

Decentralized European political entity in Central Europe ruled by an emperor.

Anglican Church

Church of England established by Henry VIII

Orthodox Church

Eastern branch of Christianity separated from the Roman Catholic Church in 1054.

Peter the Great

Russian ruler who modernized the state and built St. Petersburg as a “window to the West.”

Tamarlane

Central Asian conqueror who founded a short-lived empire and spread Islam through conquest.

Ghazi ideal

Islamic warrior code encouraging expansion of faith through military conquest.

Ottoman Empire

Islamic empire centered in modern Turkey lasting from 1299 to 1922.

Constantinople/Istanbul

Capital of the Byzantine and later Ottoman Empire

Tokugawa Shogunate

Japanese military government (1603–1868) that isolated Japan and stabilized rule.

Shogun

Military ruler of Japan under the emperor.

Akbar

Mughal emperor known for religious tolerance and administrative reforms.

Delhi

Capital of the Delhi Sultanate and Mughal Empire in India.

Zamindars

Local tax collectors in Mughal India who kept part of the revenue they collected.

Askia the Great

Ruler of the Songhai Empire who expanded territory and strengthened Islam.

Shah Jahan

Mughal emperor who built the Taj Mahal in memory of his wife Mumtaz Mahal.

Holy Synod

Council established by Peter the Great to control the Russian Orthodox Church.

Counter-Reformation

Catholic Church’s response to the Protestant Reformation to reform and reaffirm doctrine.

Inquisition

Church court that tried individuals accused of heresy.

Jesuits

Catholic missionary order founded by Ignatius of Loyola focused on education and conversion.

Council of Trent

Catholic council (1545–1563) that redefined Church doctrine and reformed abuses.

King Phillip II

Spanish king who led during the height of Spanish power and sent the Spanish Armada.

Spanish Armada

Fleet sent by Spain in 1588 to invade England

Wars of Religion

Conflicts in 16th-17th century Europe between Catholics and Protestants.

Peace of Augsburg

1555 treaty allowing German princes to choose between Catholicism or Lutheranism.

Edict of Nantes

1598 decree granting limited religious freedom to French Protestants.

King Louis XIV

French monarch who embodied absolute monarchy and centralized the French state.

Safavid Empire

Persian empire (1501–1736) that established Shi’a Islam as the state religion.

Mughal Empire

Indian empire founded by Babur blending Persian

Caste

Rigid social hierarchy in India determining occupation and social status.

Sick Man of Europe

Term describing the weakening Ottoman Empire in the 19th century.

Taj Mahal

Mausoleum built by Shah Jahan in memory of his wife

Istanbul

Modern name of Constantinople

Taxation

Government system of collecting money from citizens to fund public expenditures.

Tax farming

System where private individuals collect taxes for the government in return for profit.

Tribute

Payment made by one state or ruler to another as a sign of dependence or respect.

Revocation of the Edict

1685 action by Louis XIV ending religious tolerance for Protestants in France.

Thirty Years' War

Religious conflict (1618–1648) in Europe between Catholics and Protestants.

Peace of Westphalia

1648 treaty ending the Thirty Years’ War

Prussia

German state known for its strong military and efficient government.

Zamindar

Landowner or tax collector in Mughal India responsible for revenue collection.

Scientific Revolution

Period of major advances in science and reason in 16th–17th century Europe.

Sir Francis Bacon

English philosopher who developed the scientific method and empiricism.

Sir Isaac Newton

English physicist who formulated the laws of motion and universal gravitation.

Johannes Kepler

German astronomer who discovered laws of planetary motion.

Galileo

Italian scientist who improved the telescope and supported heliocentric theory.

Empiricism

Theory that knowledge is gained through observation and experience.