World Civ

Apartheid

Separation of races in South Africa.

Armenian Genocide

Mass killings of Armenians by the Turks during WWI, based on the belief that they supported Russia.

Berlin Conference

European nations divided Africa without considering native populations.

Birth Rate

Number of births in a population over a period of time.

Boxer Rebellion

Failed Chinese uprising against European and American imperialism.

British Raj

British rule over India.

Capitalism (Free Market)

An economic system where businesses control production and prices through supply and demand.

Colonialism

Control or settlement of a region by a foreign power.

Communism

Classless, moneyless society where all property is publicly owned.

Death Rate

Number of deaths in a population over a period of time.

Decolonization

Process of a colony gaining independence.

Democracy

A system where leaders are chosen fairly and equally by the people.

Deng Xiaoping

Chinese leader after Mao; introduced economic reforms.

Developing vs. Developed Country

Developing countries have less infrastructure, education, and industry; developed countries have high living standards.

Diaspora

Forced migration of a group (e.g., Jews from Palestine, African slave trade).

Ethnic Group

People sharing a common culture, language, or heritage.

Ethnocentrism

Belief that your ethnic group is superior.

Gender Imbalance

Unequal number of males and females, can cause population aging.

Genocide

Deliberate killing of a specific ethnic or national group.

Globalization

Worldwide spread of culture, technology, and trade.

Great Firewall

China’s internet censorship system to block foreign sites and control access.

Great Leap Forward

Mao's failed attempt to rapidly industrialize China.

Gross Domestic Product (GDP)

Total value of goods and services produced in a country annually.

Imperialism

Taking over other lands for power and resources.

Indian National Congress

Led by Gandhi to gain independence from British rule.

Industrialization

Transition to using machines for production.

Jomo Kenyatta

Kenya’s leader who resisted British imperialism, supported using force.

Kwame Nkrumah

Ghana’s leader; inspired by Gandhi, made peaceful reforms.

Life Expectancy

Average time a person is expected to live.

Literacy Rate

Percentage of people who can read and write in a country.

Mao Zedong

Chinese communist leader with failed policies like the Great Leap Forward.

Meiji Restoration

Japan’s transformation into an industrial nation while avoiding foreign control.

Mestizo

Person of mixed Spanish and Native American ancestry.

Mohandas Gandhi

Leader of India’s independence movement; used nonviolence.

Monarchy

Government with a single ruler, usually a king or queen.

Muslim League

Political party that supported Muslim interests in India.

Nationalism

Pride and loyalty in one’s nation.

One Child Policy

China’s law to control population growth, led to aging issues.

Opium Wars

Britain vs. China over British opium trade; Britain wins.

Partition (South Asia)

Split of India into India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh due to Hindu-Muslim conflict.

Peninsulares

Spanish-born people who ruled in Latin America.

Population Density

Number of people living per square mile/kilometer.

Refugee

Person forced to leave their home country.

Rural

Countryside; areas with farms and low population.

Rwanda Genocide

Mass killing of Tutsis by Hutus in 1994.

Sunni & Shia

Two major Islamic sects; most Muslims are Sunni, Iran is mostly Shia.

Sykes-Picot Agreement

France and Britain secretly divided up Middle East lands post-WWI.

Theocracy

Government based on religious law and leadership.

Tiananmen Square Massacre

1989 Chinese student protest crushed by the government.

Treaty of Kanagawa

Japan opens ports to U.S.; ends isolation, forced by Matthew Perry.

Treaty of Nanjing

Ended Opium War; Britain got Hong Kong and reparations from China.

Urban

City area, high population density.

Urbanization

Growth of cities as people move from rural areas.

White Man’s Burden

Justification for European imperialism — claimed to be 'civilizing' others.