706-715_MGW05_SE_EM_b.fm Page 706 Thursday, July 1, 2004 8:42 PM
A
absolute power (AB suh loot POW ur) n. complete
control over someone or something, p. 75
appeasement (uh PEEZ munt) n. the giving in to the
demands of an aggressor in order to keep the
peace, p. 617
apprentice (uh PREN tis) n. an unpaid person training in a craft or trade, p. 407
acropolis (uh KRAH puh lis) n. the fortified, or
strengthened, hill of an ancient Greek city; the
acropolis of Athens when spelled with a capital A,
p. 172
aqueduct (AK wuh dukt) n. a structure that carries
water over long distances, p. 244
administration (ad min is TRAY shun) n. a group of
people who work with and for a leader, p. 513
arch (ahrch) n. a curved structure used as a support
over an open space, as in a doorway, p. 244
afterlife (AF tur lyf) n. a life after death, p. 80
archaeologist (ahr kee AWL uh jist) n. a scientist
who examines objects such as bones and tools to
learn about past peoples and cultures, p. 7
agora (AG uh ruh) n. a public market and meeting
place in an ancient Greek city; the agora of Athens
when spelled with a capital A, p. 199
ahimsa (uh HIM sah) n. the Hindu idea of nonviolence, p. 117
archipelago (ahr kuh PEL uh goh) n. a group or
chain of many islands, p. 375
Akbar (AK bahr) n. (A.D. 1542–1605) the greatest
Mughal leader of India, p. 384
Arms Race (ahrmz rays) n. the buildup of military
forces during the Cold War by the U.S. and USSR, p.
631
Aksum (AHK soom) n. an important East African
center of trade, p. 327
aristocrat (uh RIS tuh krat) n. a member of a rich
and powerful family, p. 174
Alexander the Great (al ig ZAN dur thuh grayt) n.
(356–323 B.C.) the king of Macedonia from 336 to
323 B.C.; conqueror of Persia and Egypt and invader
of India, p. 79
artisan (AHR tuh zun) n. a skilled worker who
practices a trade, such as jewelry making, ceramics,
or sculpture; in Aztec society, artisans were the
third most important class, under the royal or
religious leaders and warriors, p. 21
alliance (uh LY uns) n. a close association between
nations to achieve a common objective, usually by
treaty, p. 596
assassinate (uh SAS uh nayt) v. to commit murder
for political reasons, p. 218
ally (AL eye) n. a country or group that is united
with another for a common purpose, p. 491
astronomer (uh STRAHN uh mur) n. a scientist who
studies the stars and other objects in the sky, p. 92
alphabet (AL fuh bet) n. a set of symbols that
represent the sounds of a language, p. 50
Athens (ATH unz) n. a city-state in ancient Greece;
the capital of modern-day Greece, p. 198
Anasazi (ah nuh SAH zee) n. one of the ancient
Native American peoples of the Southwest, p. 355
atomic bomb (uh TAHM ik BAHM) n. an extremely
destructive bomb whose power results from the
chain reaction of nuclear fission, p. 624
Andes (AN dees) n. a mountain chain in western
South America, p. 14
apartheid (uh PAHR tayt) n. a system of strict racial
separation, p. 646
706 History of Our World
avatar (AV uh tahr) n. a representation of a Hindu
god or goddess in human or animal form, p. 115
Aztecs (AZ teks) n. a people who lived in the Valley
of Mexico, p. 344
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B
Babylon (BAB uh lun) n. the capital of Babylonia;
a city of great wealth and luxury, p. 39
Bantu (BAN too) n. a large group of central and
southern Africans who speak related languages,
p. 310
barbarian (bahr BEHR ee un) n. a wild and uncivilized person, p. 216
chivalry (SHIV ul ree) n. the code of honorable
conduct for knights, p. 408
circumnavigation (sir kum nav ih GAY shun) n.
going completely around the Earth, especially by
water, p. 461
circus (SUR kus) n. an arena in ancient Rome; also
the show held there, p. 255
citadel (SIT uh del) n. a fortress in a city, p. 108
battering ram (BAT ur ing ram) n. a powerful
weapon having a wooden beam mounted on
wheels; used to knock down walls or buildings,
p. 41
city-state (SIH tee stayt) n. a city that has its own
independent government and often controls
much of the surrounding land; Aksum was one of
East Africa’s ancient city-states, p. 33
bazaar (buh ZAHR) n. a market selling different
kinds of goods, p. 40
civil service (SIV ul SUR vis) n. the group of people
whose job it is to carry out the work of the
government, p. 148
Benin (beh NEEN) n. a kingdom in the West
African rain forest, p. 322
blockade (blah KAYD) n. an action taken to isolate an enemy and cut off its supplies, p. 213
brahman (BRAH mun) n. a single spiritual power
that Hindus believe lives in everything, p. 115
C
civil war (SIV ul wawr) n. a war between different
regions of one country, p. 483
civilization (sih vuh luh ZAY shun) n. a society
with cities, a central government run by official
leaders, and workers who specialize in certain
jobs, leading to social classes; characterized by
writing, art, and architecture, p. 23
caliph (KAY lif) n. a Muslim ruler, p. 302
clan (klan) n. a group of families that trace their
roots to the same ancestor, p. 314
campaigns (kam PAYNZ) n. a series of military
operations, p. 574
clergy (KLUR jee) n. persons with authority to
perform religious services, p. 403
capitalist (KAP ut ul ist) n. someone who provides
ideas and money for investing in businesses,
p. 601
code (kohd) n. an organized list of laws or rules,
p. 44
caravan (KA ruh van) n. a group of traders
traveling together, p. 40
caste (kast) n. a social class of people, p. 111
caste system (kast SIS tum) n. a Hindu social class
system that controlled every aspect of daily life,
p. 111
cataract (KAT uh rakt) n. a large waterfall or
steep rapids, p. 69
census (SEN sus) n. an official count of people
living in a place, p. 253
Cold War (kohld wawr) n. the name for the
period between 1945 and 1989, when the U.S.
and USSR competed for influence but did not
fight in a military war, p. 631
colony (KAHL uh nee) n. a territory ruled over by
a distant state, p. 470
Colosseum (kahl uh SEE um) n. a large arena built
in Rome around A.D. 70; site of contests and
combats between people and animals, p. 244
Confucius (kun FYOO shus) n. (551–479 B.C.) a
Chinese philosopher and teacher whose beliefs
greatly influenced Chinese life; originator of
Confucianism, p. 141
Glossary 707
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conquistador (kahn KEES tuh dawr) n. a Spanish
conqueror of the Americas in the sixteenth century,
p. 341
Constantine (KAHN stun teen) n. (c. A.D. 278–337)
the emperor of Rome from A.D. 312 to 337; encouraged the spread of Christianity, p. 270
Constantinople (kahn stan tun NOH pul) n. the
capital of the eastern Roman Empire and later of
the Byzantine Empire, p. 275
constitution (kahn stuh TOO shun) n. a set of rules
explaining the structure and powers of the government, p. 539
consul (KAHN sul) n. one of two officials who led
the ancient Roman Republic, p. 232
convert (kun VURT) v. to change one’s beliefs;
in particular, to change from one religion to another, p. 128
covenant (KUV uh nunt) n. a promise made by God;
a binding agreement, p. 57
Crusades (kroo SAYDZ) n. a series of military expeditions launched by Christian Europeans to win the
Holy Land back from Muslim control, p. 410
cuneiform (kyoo NEE uh fawrm) n. a form of
writing that uses groups of wedges and lines; used
to write several languages of the Fertile Crescent,
p. 46
depression (dee PRESH un) n. a sharp and prolonged downturn in the economy, p. 610
dharma (DAHR muh) n. the religious and moral
duties of Hindus, p. 117
diaspora (dy AS pur uh) n. the scattering of people
who have a common background or beliefs, p. 60
dictator (DIK tay tur) n. a ruler who has total
control of the government, p. 232
dike (dyk) n. a protective wall that controls or holds
back water, p. 138
direct rule (duh REKT rool) n. the authority or
influence of a country over a colony, p. 581
disciple (dih
belief, p. 260
SY
pul) n. a follower of a person or
divine right of kings (duh VYN ryt uv kingz) n. the
idea that God decides who shall be king, p. 515
domesticate (duh MES tih kayt) v. to adapt wild
plants for human use; to tame wild animals and
breed them for human use, p. 16
dynasty (DY nus tee) n. a series of rulers from the
same family, p. 75
E
currency (KUR un see) n. the kind of money used by
a group or a nation, p. 151
economic imperialism (ek uh NAHM ik im PIHR ee
ul iz um) n. one country’s control over another
country through economic policies rather than military force, p. 586
Cuzco (KOOZ koh) n. the capital city of the Incan
Empire, located in present-day Peru, p. 338
emigrate (em ih grayt) v. to leave one country or
region to settle in another, p. 489
czar (zahr) n. the title given to the Russian
monarch, p. 518
empire (EM pyr) n. many territories and people
controlled by one government, p. 39
D
delta (DEL tuh) n. a triangular plain at the mouth of
a river, formed when sediment is deposited by
flowing water, p. 70
democracy (dih MAHK ruh see) n. a form of government in which citizens govern themselves, p. 175
708 History of Our World
encomenderos (en koh men DAY rohz) n. Spanish
colonists who were granted encomiendas, p. 487
encomienda (en koh mee EN dah) n. the right
granted by the king to certain Spanish colonists
to force the Native Americans to work for them,
p. 487
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Enlightment (en LYT un munt) n. the belief that
science and natural laws bring individuals and
society to a more enlightened state, p. 533
enslaved (en SLAYVD) v. made into a slave and
treated as property, p. 497
environment (en VY run munt) n. the elements
that surround all living things and make life
possible, p. 658
epic (EP ik) n. a long poem that tells a story, p. 171
feudalism (FYOOD ul iz um) n. in Europe, a system
in which land was owned by kings or lords but
held by vassals in return for their loyalty; in Japan,
a system in which poor people are legally bound
to work for wealthy landowners, p. 377
G
geography (jee AHG ruh fee) n. the study of
Earth’s surface and the processes that shape it,
p. 9
epistle (ee PIS ul) n. a letter; in the Christian Bible,
any of the letters written by disciples to Christian
groups, p. 262
Ghana (GAH nah) n. the first West African kingdom based on the gold and salt trades, p. 319
excommunication (eks kuh myoo nih KAY shun)
n. expelling someone from the Church, p. 403
Giza (GEE zuh) n. an ancient Egyptian city; site of
the Great Pyramid, p. 84
exile (EK syl) v. to force someone to live in
another place or country, p. 53
gladiator (GLAD ee ayt ur) n. in ancient Rome, a
person who fought to the death in an arena for
the entertainment of the public; usually a slave,
p. 255
extended family (ek STEN did FAM uh lee) n.
closely related people of several generations,
p. 140
glasnost (GLAHS nawst) n. openness, p. 633
extraterritorial rights (eks truh tehr uh TAWR ee
ul rytz) n. the rights of foreigners to be protected
by the laws of their own nation, p. 582
Great Plains (grayt playnz) n. a mostly flat and
grassy region of western North America, p. 357
F
guerrilla (guh RIL uh) n. a member of a small
defensive force of soldiers that makes surprise
raids, p. 638
factories (FAK tuh reez) n. the large buildings in
which many people worked at the same time,
p. 551
famine (FAM in) n. a time when there is so little
food that many people starve, p. 52
facism (FASH iz um) n. a nationalistic and anticommunist system of government that endorses
violence and dictatorship to achieve its aims,
p. 611
fertile (FUR tul) adj. rich in the substances plants
need in order to grow well; describes soil and
land, p. 16
Fertile Crescent (FUR tul KRES unt) n. a region in
Southwest Asia; site of the world’s first civilizations, p. 32
Great Zimbabwe (grayt zim BAHB way) n. a
powerful East African kingdom, p. 329
guild (gild) n. a medieval organization of crafts
workers or tradespeople, p. 407
H
Hammurabi (hah muh RAH bee) n. (died
1750 B.C.) the king of Babylon from about 1792 to
1750 B.C.; creator of the Babylonian Empire;
established one of the oldest codes of law, p. 40
Hellenistic (hel uh NIS tik) adj. a term that
describes Greek history or culture after the death
of Alexander the Great, including the three main
kingdoms formed by the breakup of Alexander’s
empire, p. 220
Glossary 709
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helot (HEL ut) n. a member of a certain class of
servants in ancient Sparta, p. 207
indigenous (in DIJ uh nus) adj. refers to the original
inhabitants of a region, p. 586
heir (ehr) n. a person who inherits something from
someone who has died, p. 520
indirect rule (in duh REKT rool) n. the governing of
local populations by enforcing colonial law, p. 581
hieroglyphs (HY ur oh glifs) n. a kind of picture
writing in which some pictures stand for ideas or
things and others stand for sounds; the written
signs and symbols used by the Egyptians, the Mayan
people, and other groups, p. 91
indulgence (in DUL juns) n. an official pardon given
by the pope in return for money in the Middle
Ages; people could pay the Catholic Church to be
forgiven for their sins, a practice opposed by Martin
Luther, p. 440
history (HIS tuh ree) n. the written and other
recorded events of people, p. 7
Industrial Revolution (in DUS tree ul rev uh LOO
shun) n. the development of new machines and the
creation of factories, p. 551
HIV/AIDS (aych y VEE aydz) n. a virus that leads to
the gradual collapse of the immune system and is
fatal, p. 646
Holocaust (HAHL uh kawst) n. the term used to
refer to the Nazis’ murder of six million Jews during
World War II, p. 616
Holy Land (HOH lee land) n. Jerusalem and parts of
the surrounding area where Jesus lived and taught,
p. 409
humanism (HYOO muh niz um) n. an interest in the
classics, p. 432
Hundred Years’ War (HUN drud yeerz wawr) n. a
series of conflicts between England and France,
1337–1453, p. 419
I
Ile-Ife (EE lay EE fay) n. the capital of a kingdom of
the West African rain forest, p. 322
immortal (ih MAWR tul) n. someone or something
that lives forever, p. 182
imperialism (im PIHR ee ul iz um) n. the policy of
forming and maintaining an empire, usually by
taking over foreign colonies, p. 568
import (im PAWRT) v. to bring in goods from a
foreign country, p. 497
Incas (ING kuhz) n. the people of a powerful South
American empire during the 1400s and 1500s,
p. 336
710 History of Our World
inflation (in FLAY shun) n. an economic situation in
which there is more money with less value, p. 273
inherit (in HAYR it) v. to receive from a family
member who has died, p. 507
Inquisition (in kwuh ZIH shun) n. a Catholic organization that held trials for people accused of false
beliefs, p. 508
interchangeble parts (in tur CHAYNJ uh bil partz)
n. a process for manufacturing all of the same parts
of a product to be identical in size, shape, and
quality, p. 555
irrigation (ih ruh GAY shun) n. a method of supplying land with water through a network
of canals, p. 20
isthmus (IS mis) n. a narrow strip of land
connecting two larger areas of land, p. 460
J
Jerusalem (juh ROOZ uh lum) n. a city in the Holy
Land, regarded as sacred by Christians, Muslims,
and Jews, p. 53
Jesus (JEE zus) n. (c. 6 B.C.–A.D. 30) the founder of
Christianity; believed by Christians to be the Messiah;
crucified by the Roman government, p. 259
Justinian (jus TIN ee un) n. (A.D. 483–565) one of the
greatest Byzantine emperors, p. 246
706-715_MGW05_SE_EM_b.fm Page 711 Thursday, July 1, 2004 8:42 PM
Justinian’s Code (jus TIN ee unz kohd) n. an
organized collection and explanation of Roman
laws for use in the Byzantine Empire, p. 287
K
Kashmir (KASH mihr) n. a mostly Muslim area in
the northern part of the Indian subcontinent that
is claimed by both India and Pakistan, p. 643
Kilwa (KEEL wah) n. one of the many trading
cities on the East African coast, p. 326
kiva (KEE vah) n. a round room used by the
Pueblo people for religious ceremonies, p. 356
knight (nyt) n. a man who received honor and
land in exchange for serving a lord as a soldier,
p. 394
manor (MAN ur) n. a large estate, often including
farms and a village, ruled by a lord, p. 397
Mansa Musa (MAN sah MOO sah) n. (died c. A.D.
1332) a king of Mali, p. 318
martyr (MAHR tur) n. a person who dies for a
cause in which he or she believes, p. 265
Maurya Empire (MOWR yuh EM pyr) n. the Indian
empire founded by Chandragupta, beginning
with his kingdom in northeastern India and
spreading to most of northern and central India,
p. 126
Mayas (MAH yuhz) n. a people who established a
great civilization in Middle America, p. 345
Mecca (MEK uh) n. an Arabian trading center and
Muhammad’s birthplace, p. 294
Kublai Khan (KOO bly kahn) n. (A.D. 1215–1294) a
Mongol emperor of China, p. 370
medieval (mee dee
Middle Ages, p. 395
Kyoto (kee OH toh) n. the capital city of medieval
Japan, p. 376
meditate (MED uh tayt) v. to focus the mind
inward in order to find spiritual awareness or
relaxation, p. 120
L
mercenary (MUR suh neh ree) n. a soldier who
serves for pay in a foreign army, p. 272
Liu Bang (LYOH bahng) n. (256–195 B.C.) the
founder of the Han dynasty of China in 202 B.C.;
born a peasant; stabilized the government and
promoted education, p. 152
loess (LOH es) n. a yellow-brown soil, p. 138
EE
vul) adj. referring to the
merit system (MEHR it SIS tum) n. a system of
hiring people on the basis of their abilities, p. 367
messiah (muh SY uh) n. a savior in Judaism and
Christianity, p. 260
Middle Ages (MID ul AY juz) n. the years between
ancient and modern times, p. 395
Lower Nubia (LOH ur NOO bee uh) n. an ancient
region in northern Africa extending from the Nile
Valley in Egypt to present-day Sudan; specifically,
between the first and second Nile cataracts, p. 97
migrate (MY grayt) v. to move from one place to
settle in another area, p. 110
M
migration (my GRAY shun) n. the movement from
one country or region to settle in another, p. 310
Magna Carta (MAG nuh KAHR tuh) n. the “Great
Charter,” in which the king’s power over his
nobles was limited, agreed to by King John of
England in 1215, p. 418
missionary (MISH un ehr ee) n. a person who
spreads his or her religious beliefs to others,
p. 121
maize (mayz) n. corn, p. 345
Mali (MAH lee) n. a rich kingdom of the West
African savanna, p. 318
Model Parliament (MAHD ul PAR luh munt) n. a
council of lords, clergy, and common people that
advised the English king on government matters,
p. 418
Glossary 711
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monopoly (muh NAHP uh lee) n. the exclusive
control of goods or services in a market, p. 469
monotheism (MAHN oh thee iz um) n. the belief in
one god, p. 51
monsoon (mahn SOON) n. a strong, seasonal wind
that blows across East Asia, p. 107
Moses (MOH zuz) n. (c. 1200s B.C.) Israelite leader
whom the Torah credits with leading the Israelites
from Egypt to Canaan; said to have received the Ten
Commandments from God, p. 52
mosque (mahsk) n. a Muslim house of worship,
p. 295
Mound Builders (mownd BIL durz) n. Native American groups who built earthen mounds, p. 352
movable type (MOO vuh bul typ) n. individual
letters and marks that can be arranged and rearranged quickly, p. 434
Mughal Empire (MOO gul EM pyr) n. a period of
Muslim rule of India from the 1500s to the 1700s,
p. 384
Muhammad (muh HAM ud) n. (c. A.D. 570–632) the
prophet and founder of Islam, p. 292
mummy (MUM ee) n. a dead body preserved in
lifelike condition, p. 82
Muslim (MUZ lum) n. a follower of Islam, p. 294
myth (mith) n. a traditional story; in some cultures,
a legend that explains people’s beliefs, p. 34
N
NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement) (NAF tuh) n. a trade agreement that lowered
tariffs and trade barriers among the U.S., Canada,
and Mexico, p. 637
Napoleonic code (nuh poh lee AHN ik kohd) n. a
set of laws that protect individual liberty, the right
to work, and the right to one’s own opinions, p. 548
nation (NAY shun) n. a community of people that
shares territory and a government, p. 417
712 History of Our World
nationalism (NASH uh nul iz um) n. a feeling of
strong loyalty or attachment to a culture, language,
and/or territory, p. 563
natural laws (NACH ur ul laws) n. the patterns that
control the behavior of the universe, p. 532
natural rights (NACH ur ul rytz) n. the rights to life,
liberty, and property, p. 534
neutral (NOO trul) adj. not taking any sides, p. 597
nirvana (nur VAH nuh) n. the lasting peace that
Buddhists seek by giving up selfish desires, p. 121
nomad (NOH mad) n. a person with no permanent
home who moves from place to place in search of
food, water, or pasture, p. 14
Nubia (NOO bee uh) n. a desert region and ancient
kingdom in the Nile River Valley, on the site of
present-day southern Egypt and northern Sudan,
p. 69
O
oasis (oh AY sis) n. an area of vegetation within
a desert, fed by springs and underground water,
p. 293
Omar Khayyam (OH mahr ky AHM) n. (A.D. 1048–
1131) a Muslim poet, mathematician, and astronomer, p. 300
oracle (AWR uh kul) n. in ancient Greece, a sacred
site where a god or goddess was consulted; any
priest or priestess who spoke for the gods, p. 183
oral history (AWR ul HIS tuh ree) n. accounts
of the past that people pass down by word of
mouth, p. 314
oral traditions (AWR ul truh DISH unz) n. stories
passed down through generations by word of
mouth, p. 8
ore (awr) n. a mineral or a combination of minerals
mined for the production of metals, p. 97
706-715_MGW05_SE_EM_b.fm Page 713 Thursday, July 1, 2004 8:42 PM
P
papyrus (puh PY rus) n. an early form of paper
made from a reedlike plant found in the marshy
areas of the Nile delta, p. 91
partition (pahr
TISH
un) n. a division, p. 572
patrician (puh TRISH un) n. a member of a
wealthy, upper-class family in the Roman
Republic, p. 231
Peloponnesian War (pel uh puh NEE shun wawr)
n. (431–404 B.C.) a war fought for 27 years
between Athens and Sparta in ancient Greece;
alliances formed on both sides meant that almost
every Greek city-state was involved in the war,
p. 212
prophet (PRAHF it) n. a religious teacher who is
regarded as speaking for God or a god, p. 59
Protestants (PRAHT us tunts ) n. Christians who
are not members of the Catholic or Orthodox
churches; in this text, the people who shared the
religious views of Martin Luther and others who
protested against the Roman Catholic Church,
p. 447
province (PRAH vins) n. a unit of an empire; in
the Roman Empire, each one having a governor
supported by an army, p. 241
pueblo (PWEB loh) n. a Native American stone or
adobe dwelling, part of a cluster of dwellings
built close together, p. 356
perestroika (pehr uh STROI kuh) v. the restructuring of the Soviet government and economy, p. 633
pyramid (PIH ruh mid) n. a huge building with
four sloping triangle-shaped sides; built as a royal
tomb in Egypt, p. 84
persecution (pur sih KYOO shun) n. causing injury
or distress to others because of their religion,
race, or political beliefs, p. 474
Q
pharaoh (FAIR oh) n. a king of ancient Egypt, p. 74
philosopher (fih LAHS uh fur) n. someone who
uses reason to understand the world; in Greece,
the earliest philosophers used reason to explain
natural events, p. 184
philosophy (fih LAHS uh fee) n. a system of
beliefs and values, p. 146
pilgrim (PIL grum) n. a person who journeys to a
sacred place, p. 410
quipu (KEE poo) n. a group of knotted strings
used by the Mayas to record information, p. 339
Quran (koo
p. 296
RAHN)
n. the holy book of Islam,
R
Reformation (ref ur MAY shun) n. the term used
to describe Luther’s break with the Church and
the movement it inspired, p. 443
plague (playg) n. a widespread disease, p. 213
regent (REE junt) n. someone who rules for a child
until the child is old enough to rule, p. 78
plantation (plan
farm, p. 487
reign (RAYN) n. a period of rule, p. 507
TAY
shun) n. a large estate or
plebeian (plih BEE un) n. an ordinary citizen in
the ancient Roman Republic, p. 231
polytheism (PAHL ih thee iz um) n. the belief in
many gods, p. 34
prehistory (pree HIS tuh ree) n. before history;
the events in the period of time before writing
was invented, p. 7
reincarnation (ree in kahr NAY shun) n. the
rebirth of the soul in the body of another living
being, p. 117
Renaissance (REN uh sahns) n. a widespread
change in culture that took place in Europe
beginning in the 1300s, p. 430
reparations (rep uh RAY shunz) n. pl. payments
for harm done to other countries, p. 598
Glossary 713
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republic (rih PUB lik) n. a type of government in
which citizens who have the right to vote select
their leaders, p. 231
silk (silk) n. a valuable cloth originally made only
in China from threads spun by caterpillars called
silkworms, p. 158
revolution (rev uh LOO shun) n. a change or
overthrow of a government or social system,
p. 600
Silk Road (silk rohd) n. a chain of trade routes
stretching from China to the Mediterranean Sea,
p. 156
silt (silt) n. a fine soil found on river bottoms, p. 70
S
Sahara (suh HAR uh) n. a huge desert stretching
across most of North Africa, p. 71
salvation (sal VAY shun) n. to go to heaven, in
religious terms, p. 442
samurai (SAM uh ry) n. the warriors in Japan who
swore to serve their leaders and obeyed a strict
code of rules without question, p. 377
Sandinista (san duh NEES tuh) n. a member of a
political movement that overthrew the Somoza
regime in Nicaragua, p. 638
savanna (suh VAN uh) n. an area of grassland with
scattered trees and bushes, p. 311
scapegoat (SKAYP goht) n. a person or group that
bears the blame for the mistakes of others, p. 612
schism (SIZ um) n. a split, particularly in a church or
religion, p. 288
scientific method (sy un TIF ik METH ud) n. a way of
performing experiments, p. 531
scribe (skryb) n. in ancient civilizations, a specially
trained person who knew how to read, write and
keep records, p. 30
serf (surf) n. a farm worker considered part of the
manor on which he or she worked, p. 399
Shi Huangdi (shur hwahng DEE) n. (c. 259–210 B.C.)
the founder of the Qin dynasty and China’s first
emperor, ruled from about 221 to 210 B.C., p. 149
shogun (SHOH gun) n. the supreme military commander of Japan, p. 378
siege (seej) n. the surrounding and blockading of
a town by an army intent on capturing it, p. 482
714 History of Our World
Sima Qian (sih MAH chen) n. (c. 145–85 B.C.) a
Chinese scholar, astronomer, and historian; wrote
the most important history of ancient China, Historical Records, p. 159
slash-and-burn agriculture (slash-and-burn
AG rih kul chur) n. a farming technique in which
trees are cut down and burned to clear and fertilize
the land, p. 345
slavery (SLAY vur ee) n. the condition of being
owned by and forced to work for someone else,
p. 202
social class (SOH shul klas) n. a group, or class, that
is made up of people with similar backgrounds,
income, and ways of living, p. 24
socialism (SOH shul iz um) n. a social system that
seeks to abolish all forms of social classes and create
a society of complete equality, p. 600
Song (sawng) n. a dynasty that ruled China after
the Tang, p. 367
Songhai (SAWNG hy) n. a powerful kingdom of the
West African savanna, p. 321
soviet (SOH vee ut) n. an elected workers’ council or
committee, p. 603
Sparta (SPAHR tuh) n. a city-state in the southern
part of ancient Greece, p. 206
Stone Age (stohn ayj) n. a period of time during
which people made lasting tools and weapons
mainly from stone; the earliest-known period of
human culture, p. 13
subcontinent (SUB kahn tih nunt) n. a large landmass that juts out from a continent; India is considered a subcontinent, p. 107
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Sufis (SOO feez) n. a Muslim group that believed
they could draw closer to God through prayer,
fasting, and a simple life, p. 304
tyrant (TY runt) n. a ruler in ancient Greece who
took power by force, with the support of the
middle and working classes, p. 174
sultan (SUL tun) n. a Muslim ruler, p. 382
surplus (SUR plus) n. more of a thing or product
than is needed, p. 21
Swahili (swah HEE lee) n. a Bantu language with
Arabic words, spoken along the East African coast,
p. 329
T
Taj Mahal (tahzh muh HAHL) n. a tomb built by
Shah Jahan of India for his wife, p. 386
Tang (tahng) n. a dynasty that ruled China for
almost 300 years, p. 365
Tenochtitlán (teh nawch tee
city of the Aztecs, p. 344
TLAHN)
n. the capital
terraces (TEHR us iz) n. steplike ledges cut into
mountains to make land suitable for farming,
p. 340
terrorism (TEHR ur iz um) n. the deliberate use of
violence to achieve political goals, p. 657
textiles (TEKS tylz) n. the woven or knitted cloths
used to make clothing, blankets, and other goods,
p. 551
tolerance (TAHL ur uns) n. the acceptance of differences; Muslims were tolerant of Jews and Christians
who accepted Muslim rule during the golden age
(about A.D. 800 to 1100), p. 129
tragedy (TRAJ uh dee) n. a type of serious drama
that ends in disaster for the main character, p. 187
treason (TREE zun) n. the betrayal of one’s country,
p. 523
tribute (TRIB yoot) n. a regular payment made to a
powerful state or nation by a weaker one, p. 181
troubadour (TROO buh dawr) n. a traveling poet
and musician of the Middle Ages, p. 408
U
United Nations (yoo NYT id NAY shunz) n. pl. an
international organization founded in 1946 in which
nations can discuss and act on world issues, p. 656
Upper Nubia (UP ur NOO bee uh) n. an ancient region
in northeastern Africa that extended from the Nile
Valley in Egypt to present-day Sudan; specifically,
between the second and sixth cataracts, p. 97
V
vendor (VEN dur) n. a seller of goods, p. 199
veto (VEE toh) n. the rejection of any planned
action or rule by a person in power; the Latin word
for “forbid,” p. 232
viceroy (VYS roy) n. a governor of a country or
colony who rules as the representative of a king
or queen, p. 486
villa (VIL uh) n. a country estate usually owned by
a wealthy family; an important source of food and
wealth for ancient Rome, p. 254
W
warlord (WAWR lawrd) n. a local leader of an armed
group, p. 153
Wudi (woo dee) n. (c. 156–86 B.C.) the Chinese
emperor from 140 to 86 B.C.; expanded the Chinese
empire under the Han dynasty; made Confucianism
the state religion, p. 152
Z
Ziggurat (ZIG oo rat) n. in ancient Sumeria, the
site of the temple to the main god or goddess
of a city, p. 34
Glossary 715