Capital: Wealth in the form of money or assets used for investment and production.
Price Revolution: A period of rising prices in Europe (16th-17th century) driven by the influx of silver and increased demand for goods.
Joint-stock companies: Businesses owned by shareholders that pooled resources for trade and colonization, reducing individual risk.
Triangle Trade: A system of transatlantic trade linking Europe, Africa, and the Americas, exchanging goods, enslaved people, and raw materials.
Monopolies: The exclusive control by a company or state over the trade or production of a particular commodity.
Viceroys: Royal officials who governed large territories on behalf of a monarch, particularly in Spanish colonies.
Audiencias: Spanish colonial courts established to oversee legal and administrative matters in the Americas.
Syncretism: The blending of different religious, cultural, or philosophical traditions into a new system.
Santería: A syncretic religion combining African Yoruba beliefs with Roman Catholicism, practiced in the Caribbean.
Vodun: A West African religion that blends indigenous beliefs with elements of Christianity, commonly practiced in Haiti.
Candomblé: A Brazilian syncretic religion that merges African religious traditions with Catholicism.
Virgin of Guadalupe: A Catholic symbol of the Virgin Mary associated with Mexican identity and indigenous conversion to Christianity.
Metacom's War: A conflict between Native American groups and English settlers in New England (1675-1678), also known as King Philip's War.
Nzinga: Queen of Ndongo and Matamba in Central Africa, known for resisting Portuguese colonization through diplomacy and military tactics.
Steppes: Vast, grassy plains in Eurasia, home to nomadic pastoral societies.
Maratha Empire: A Hindu empire in India (1674-1818) that successfully resisted Mughal dominance and expanded its influence.
Yemelyan Pugachev: Leader of a major Cossack and peasant rebellion against Catherine the Great in Russia (1773-1775).
Pueblo Revolt: A 1680 uprising of indigenous Pueblo people against Spanish colonizers in present-day New Mexico.
Maroon Wars: Conflicts between runaway enslaved Africans (Maroons) and colonial forces in the Caribbean, especially Jamaica.
Gloucester County Rebellion: A 1663 failed plot by enslaved Africans and white indentured servants to revolt in Virginia.
Glorious Revolution: The 1688 overthrow of King James II of England, leading to the establishment of a constitutional monarchy under William and Mary.
James II: Last Catholic monarch of England, overthrown during the Glorious Revolution for his pro-Catholic policies.
Timur: A Central Asian conqueror in the 14th century, founder of the Timurid Empire, known for his military campaigns across Asia.
Akbar the Great: Mughal emperor (1556-1605) renowned for his military conquests, religious tolerance, and cultural patronage.
Harem: The separate living quarters for women in a Muslim household, particularly in royal families.
Roxelana: The wife of Ottoman Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent, known for her influence in court politics.
Queues (in Qing China): A hairstyle required by the Qing dynasty for Chinese men, symbolizing submission to Manchu rule.
Louis XIV: French king (1643-1715) known for his absolutist rule and the construction of the Palace of Versailles.
Sephardic Jews: Jews of Spanish and Portuguese descent, many of whom were expelled during the Inquisition and dispersed across Europe and the Americas.
Mestizos: People of mixed European and indigenous ancestry in the Spanish colonies.
Mulattos: People of mixed European and African ancestry in the Spanish and Portuguese colonies.
Zambos: People of mixed African and indigenous ancestry in the Spanish colonies.
Barbary Pirates: Pirates from North Africa who raided European ships and coastal towns, capturing slaves and demanding tribute.
Castas: A hierarchical system of race classification in the Spanish colonies based on the mixture of European, African, and indigenous ancestry.
Criollos: People of Spanish descent born in the Americas, often resented their lower status compared to peninsulares.
Peninsulares: Spanish-born colonists in the Americas who held the highest social and political positions.
Li Chengdong: A Chinese general under the Ming dynasty known for his loyalty during the fall of the Ming and brutal suppression of rebellions.
Lin Liangzuo: A Chinese general who served the Qing dynasty, aiding in their consolidation of power over China.