Key Vocabulary Terms for Historical Units 1-9

1918 Influenza Pandemic

an exceptionally deadly flu pandemic that struck just after WWI, eventually causing about 50 million deaths around the world

Abolitionism

complete freedom for slaves; no more slavery in the world

Ahmed Sukarno

Indonesian president who established the Non-Aligned Movement

Algerian War for Independence

North African war against the French for independence which led to the deaths of about one million people

Aishah al-Ba'uniyyah

female Sufi poet, represents the mystical side of Islam; wrote A Life in Praise in Love

Alibaba/eBay

online commerce (e-commerce) stores that allow for global transfer of goods, changing consumer habits globally

Al-Qaeda

a militant Islamist organization in the Middle East that promotes a radical interpretation of Islam and aims to destroy anyone deemed an enemy

Alzheimer's Disease

a term for the degeneration of the brain and is typically associated with longevity

Ana Nzinga

Queen of Ndongo; led armed and diplomatic resistance against Portuguese colonization/slave trade

Ancien regime

the three estate hierarchy of France left over from feudal times

Angolan Civil War

the Southern African proxy war between the Soviet backed Communist party and the US backed democratic party which led to a Communist victory

Apartheid

the legal racial segregation of South Africa; met with worldwide protests and economic sanctions in the 1980s, and officially ended in 1994

Armenian Genocide

the removal and murder of the Christian Armenian people from the Ottoman Empire during WWI

Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)

a regional trade agreement to reduce trade barriers and promote economic stability; founded by the Philippines, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia

Astrolabe

scientific instrument used for sailing; used to help sailors find their way by calculating the position of the stars to the horizon and meridian

Astronomical Charts

a map of the night sky with astronomical objects laid out on a grid system; helps with navigation

Aztec/Mexica

the people who created an empire in the country now called Mexico

Banking Houses

financial institutions that developed along the Silk Road; merchants were able to deposit money, take out loans and exchange currency

Bhakti Movement

a religious movement in Hinduism that emphasized intense spiritual devotion to a single deity

Biafra Movement

a civil war in Nigeria in which Christian Igbo tribes in the south seceded from the Muslim dominated state due to religious and tribal tensions - this ultimately led to the deaths of one to two million people

Bills of Exchange

an order to pay a certain sum of money; often compared to a modern day check

Bollywood

the Hindi-language film industry based in Mumbai, India that is one of the largest centers of film production in the world, known for its vibrant music, colorful dance sequences, and elaborate storytelling.

Bourgeois

the term for the economic elite during the Industrial Revolution

Boxer Rebellion

a violent uprising with the intent to drive all foreigners out of China

British Broadcasting Company (BBC)

influences audiences worldwide through its programs (The Office/Doctor Who), and news coverage, while also spreading British culture around the world

Bubonic Plague

a bacterial infection that spread from China to Europe along the Silk Road; helped bring an end to feudalism

Buddhism

a religion started by Siddhartha Gautama in India as an alternate way to reach Nirvana

Bureaucracy

a system of government in which important decisions are made by the appointed representatives of the leader

Cahokia

indigenous Americans that were characterized by their mound building, social hierarchy, and domination of trade in the Ohio area

Cambodia

the Southeast Asian country that gained independence from the French in 1953, leading to the rise of the Khmer Rouge

Cambodian Genocide

the genocide orchestrated by the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia - anyone affiliated with western ideals was targeted for removal and murder

Camel saddle

an invention that allowed for the animal to carry hundreds of pounds easily and comfortably

Caravanserai

a stop on the Silk Road for merchants to rest and exchange goods safely

Caravel

a small and fast Portuguese trading ship that used the lateen sail; it was in use during the 1300s-1600s

Carrack

a Spanish sailing ship that was used during the 1300s-1600s

Casta System

the social hierarchy of Spanish held territory in the New World

Caste System

the social hierarchy of Hinduism

Caste Reservation

Indian affirmative action program that requires the selection of members of the lowest castes to be selected for educational programs and government participation

Champa rice

fast growing grain that led to a population boom in Song Dynasty, China

Cherokee Nation

Indigenous American tribe that tried to assimilate into American culture, and then fought imperialism within American law

Chinese Exclusion Act

U.S. law that barred Chinese migrants from entering the country

Cholera

a disease caused by bacteria in contaminated food and water supplies, typically associated with poverty

Civil Rights Act 1965

legislation in the United States that aimed to eliminate discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin in all public accommodations, education and employment

Civilizing mission

religiously and economically 'improving' the supposedly 'savage' people

Confucianism

philosophy and social system used to bring order and harmony in China

Conscription

forced enlistment into a military or group

C-oolie

derogatory term for indentured servants from South, Southeast, or East Asia

Cosmopolitan

a large city with many different cultures present

Cossack Revolts

a series of revolts against the centralized authority of the Russian Empire

Cross staff

a maritime tool to measure the angle of the horizon and a heavenly body

Decentralized

political power is held between multiple entities at multiple different places

Delhi Sultanate

the kingdom in South Asia created by Turkic peoples

Devshirme

Ottoman policy of taking Christian boys from the Balkan Peninsula and raising them as Muslim soldiers or bureaucrats

Diaspora

the spread of people from their original homeland

Divine right

the God-given right to rule kingdoms in Europe

Ebola

a deadly Central African virus that attacks the organs and is fatal

Economic imperialism

the use of money to influence a foreign people or government

Enlightenment

a philosophical movement that emphasized reason and challenged traditional political and social roles

Ethiopia

a Christian kingdom in Africa that was a trade hub, and stayed (mostly) untouched during times of imperialism

Ethnic enclaves

a geographical area where people of similar/same ethnicity live, work and/or shop

Eugenics

the idea that you can improve human genetics by selective breeding

Fascist Corporatist Economy

an economic system in which the state controls the means of production and the state's needs matter more than the individual's needs

Feminism

the idea that men and women should be treated equally

Feudalism

the political and social hierarchy of the exchange of land for loyalty

Filial Piety

to honor the ancestors or parents

Fluyt

a Dutch ship characterized by a shallow draft and large hull; used only for trading

Footbinding

the practice of breaking and reforming the foot to make it only a few inches long

Fronde

the rebellion of French nobles against the king during the period of 1450 - 1750

Gamal Abdel Nasser

the non-aligned Egyptian leader who nationalized the Suez Canal leading to the Suez Crisis

Genghis Khan

the man who united various Mongol tribes under one banner

Ghost Dance

the Native American attempt to drive Americans off their lands

Gold - Salt Trade

the dominant trade goods on the Trans-Saharan Trade Network; made Mali wealthy

Grand Canal

the canal that linked northern and southern China together; helped to increase trade

Great Zimbabwe

an African city-state that controlled trade, but declined due to changing environments

Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere

the Japanese territory after prior to WWII; the ideology was similar to the White Man's Burden

Green Belt Movement

an environmental organization founded in Kenya by Wangari Maathai, aimed at addressing deforestation and improving the lives of rural communities, especially women

Greenpeace

an international organization that aims to address global environmental issues such as climate change, deforestation, overfishing, and pollution

Griot

West African poets that recorded and reproduced African history orally; often would be seen as seers, or fortune tellers

Gunpowder

product invented in China that spread through trade and changed the way war was fought

Hausa Kingdoms

West African collection of independent city-states that engaged extensively in trade

Heart Disease

a broad term for various heart or valve conditions typically associated with longevity

HIV/AIDS

a Central African virus that attacks the immune system and is spread through contact with bodily fluids - one of the most significant pandemics in modern history

Ho Chi Minh

Soviet backed Communist leader of North Vietnam who fought for independence from the French and then against the Americans before unifying Vietnam under his rule

Holodomor

AKA 'death by hunger' the famine in Ukraine due to Stalin's collectivization of farms and five year plan policies

Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corp

a British bank established during the time of imperialism to facilitate trade between Europe and China

Horses

spread from the Old World to the New World; allowed the Comanche to expand their territory

House of Wisdom

a center for education, translation and preservation of eastern and western texts in Baghdad; destroyed by the Mongols

Ibn Battuta

Muslim scholar, politician and explorer who traveled Afro-Eurasia

Inalienable

cannot be taken away

Inca

empire of people who lived in the Andes Mountains and the Peruvian Highlands

Indentured servitude

contract work that typically involves no pay for a certain number of years in order to pay off a loan

Indian National Congress

the body of Hindu Indians, led by Mohandas Gandhi, that promoted nationalism within India to non-violently resist British colonization

Indigenous

native to an area

Industrial Revolution

the change from rural/agriculture based populations to urban/factory based populations

Israel

a new state created after WWII for Jewish people to live, but carved out of Palestinian land, which led to ongoing conflicts

Isolationism

political policy of not taking part in the affairs of other states

Janissary

elite soldiers loyal to the Ottoman sultan; taken as Christians and converted to Islam

Jesuit

missionaries that traveled the world to spread Catholicism

Joint-stock company

a business model in which investors buy a share of the company to gain a profit, or mitigate a loss

Kashgar

a major trade city along the Silk Road; located near the western border of the modern day country of China