Ap world History Vocab Words

Legitimized

When a ruler or a government uses idea, symbols, actions, to make their power seem rightful and accepted

Consolidated

The methods a ruler uses to transfer power from other groups to themselves

Bureaucracy

system of non-elected officials and departments that help rulers govern large empires by administering laws, collecting taxes, and managing resources.

Janissaries

were elite soldiers in the Ottoman Empire, originally made up of Christian boys taken through the devshirme system, converted to Islam, and trained to serve the sultan as loyal infantry troops.

DevShirme System

a policy in the Ottoman Empire where Christian boys (mainly from the Balkans) were taken from their families, converted to Islam, and trained to serve the state — often as Janissaries or government officials.

Divine Right

The idea that monarchs were God’s Representative on Earth. Or Gods Chosen one . It was to be believed that the “Chosen One” would be king/leader.

Confucinism

A Chinese belief system that focuses on respect, family loyalty, education, and proper behavior to maintain social order.

Simony

People buying their way into positions of power in the church

Sale of Indulgences

People paying money to churches to forget their sins

The Enlightment

an intellectual movement in 18th-century Europe that emphasized reason, individual rights, liberty, and science over tradition and religion. Thinkers like John Locke, Voltaire, and Rousseau challenged absolute monarchy and inspired democratic revolutions.

Imperialism

when a stronger country takes control of a weaker country’s land, resources, or people to build an empire. This control can be political, economic, or military.

Mercantilism

an economic system where countries try to gain wealth and power by controlling trade and building up gold and silver reserves. They export more than they import and use colonies to get raw materials.

Joint Stock Company

A limited liability business, often chartered by the state, that was funded by a group of private investors

Social Darwinism

is the belief that the strongest or fittest people in society should survive and thrive, while the weak should not be helped. It applies Charles Darwin’s ideas of natural selection to human society, often to justify racism, imperialism, and inequality.

Colombian Exchange

The Transfer of new diseases, food, plants, and animals between the Eastern and Western

Popular Sovereignty

the power to govern is in the hands of the people. Part of the enlightenment idea

Social Contract

Governments are created by the people in order to protect their natural rights . This is part of the enlightenment idea

Enlightenment Effects

Expansion Of suffrage

Women’s Sufferage

Abolition of Slavery

Abolition of Serfdom

Nationalism

A sense of Commonality among a people based on shared language, religion, social customs, and often linked with a desire for territory

American revolution

Americans assisted by the French

Americans won and created the United States of America

Set up as a republic

Haitian Revolution

Inspired by the French revolution and Enlightenment Ideas. This started a revolution with the people enslaved by the French. They won against the french and set up their own government which was the first black government ever.

Latin American Revolution

Colonies in latin america like Mexico, Columbia and Venezuela wanted freedom from Spain and portuguese. By 1830s, most of latin america was free from Spain and Portugueses control.. It was influenced by The Enlightment Ideas and The American Revolution.

Feudalism

A system of allegiances between powerful lords, monarchs, and knights. Land was exchanged to keep everyone loyal