AP HG Unit 4

State

A geographic area with a permanent population, defined borders, and sovereign government, recognized by other states.

Sovereignty

The power of a political unit, or government, to rule over its own affairs.

Nation

A group of people who share common characteristics.

Nation-State

A sovereign state with a relatively homogeneous population that shares language, culture, and history.

Multinational State

A country that contains more than one nation.

Autonomous Regions

A defined area within a state that has a high degree of self-government and freedom.

Semiautonomous Regions

A geographic area within a state that has a moderate degree of self-governance.

Stateless Nation

A nation with a history of self-determination that does not have a recognized state.

Multistate Nations

A state with more than one nation within its borders.

Nationalism

A nation’s desire to create and maintain a state of its own.

Centripetal force

Something that unites people within a country.

Centrifugal force

A force that divides people.

Imperialism

The idea of expanding a state or empire by annexing other nations for economic and political power.

Decolonization

The process of undoing colonization and reclaiming sovereignty by indigenous people.

Devolution

The transfer of authority from the central government to lower governments.

Choke Point

A geographically narrow passage where movement can be easily restricted or controlled.

Antecedent Boundary

A boundary created before human settlement.

Defined Boundary

A boundary that is agreed upon, fixed, and set.

Demarcated Boundary

The process of marking a boundary physically with fences, walls, or signs.

Geometric Boundary

A border that follows lines of latitude and longitude.

Relic Boundary

A boundary that is no longer active but still impacts the cultural landscape.

Superimposed Boundary

A boundary created by a foreign state or group without regard for local cultures.

Subsequent Boundary

A boundary that develops with the cultural landscape.

Consequent Boundary

A boundary established to settle conflicts between cultural, ethnic, or political groups.

Frontier

A geographic area where no state has direct control.

International Boundaries

Boundaries that separate sovereign states, established through treaties.

Internal Boundaries

Boundaries that separate different regions within a state.

Definitional Boundary

A boundary dispute based on interpretations of the defined boundary.

Neocolonialism

The use of power to influence or control other countries.

Shatter-belts

Areas where a country lies between two rival powers.

Delimited

The process of drawing a boundary on a map and marking it physically.

Locational Boundary Dispute

A boundary dispute over the location and ownership of land.

Operational Boundary Dispute

A boundary dispute on how to manage different issues at the boundary.

Allocational Boundary Disputes

A boundary dispute concerning the use of resources on or near the boundary.

EEZ

Exclusive Economic Zone; control over 200 nautical miles of water by a coastal state.

Peanut Hole

Allowed resource extraction by other countries, impacting the Russian economy.

South China Sea

An area of dispute over control due to overlapping EEZ claims.

Census

A population count conducted every 10 years, used for House of Representatives.

Voting District

A geographic area for administering elections.

Redistricting

The process of redrawing voting districts after a census.

Gerrymandering

The manipulation of voting districts to favor one political party.

Cracking

Spreading like-minded voters across multiple districts.

Packing

Combining like-minded voters into one district to weaken their influence.

Stacking

Diluting a minority-populated district with majority populations.

Hijacking

Redrawing districts to force two representatives of the same party to run against each other.

Kidnapping

Moving an elected representative's support area to a region where they have no support.

Unitary State

A state where power is concentrated in the central government.

Federal States

A state where authority is shared among multiple levels of government.

Self-Determination

The right or desire of a nation to determine its own statehood.

Ethnic Cleansing

The act of genocide against a particular ethnic group.

Irrendentism

A movement by a nation to unite its people across borders.

Democratization

The process by which a political region becomes more democratic.

Supranational Organization

An alliance of multiple countries addressing shared issues.