World History: Vocabulary Definitions
1. abolition – to do away with, nullify.
2. absolutism-A government in which the ruler has unlimited power and uses
it in an arbitrary manner.
3. accord – an agreement or reconciliation
4. allegiance - loyalty
5. alliance-An agreement between countries to help one another.
6. anarchist- Person who believes that there should be no formal government;
extreme radical.
7. annex/annexation – adding of territory
8. apprehend – arrest or seize
9. arbitrary - selected at random and without reason.
10. aristocracy- Privileged nobility. Small privileged group with in society.
11. armistice/truce – temporary ending; stopping of warfare by agreement
between the fighting nations
12. artifact - a human made object that represents a stage of human
development.
13. artisan/craftsman - A worker with skill in a specific craft.
14. ashram – community, a place of discipline and service
15. asset - anything owned that has value, a desirable thing.
16. assimilate/assimilation – to make or become alike
17. atrocity - very cruel or evil behavior or act.
18. autocracy - A government in which the ruler’s power is unlimited.
19. balance of power – A political situation in which one nation is powerful
enough to pose a threat to others.
20. barrister – in England, a lawyer who pleads cases in court.
21. bill of rights - list of rights and freedoms, civil liberties, considered
essential to the people.
22. blockade -The closing off of a nation’s ports or port by ships or troops to
prevent passage in or out.
23. bourgeoisie - wealthy middle class or Karl Marx’s term for the social class
of the capitalists.
24. boycott - refusal to have dealings with a person/organization to express
disapproval or to force acceptance of certain conditions.
25. buffer zone – region between two nations that reduces the threat of open
conflict.
26. bureaucrat – government official
27. canal - an artificial waterway for transportation.
28. capital - money used to invest in business and industry.
29. capitalism/free enterprise - economic system based on private ownership,
individual initiative, profit, and competition. The economic philosophy of
private ownership of business and competition for profit.
30. cash crop - a harvest that is raised for profit rather than for use by the
producer.
31. caste – social class in India
32. cease-fire – a suspension of active hostilities
33. censorship - examining literature, mail, etc. and removing or prohibiting
anything considered objectionable.
34. charter – a statement of the principles, duties and purposes of an
organization.
35. chronological - Arranged in order of occurrence.
36. citizen - A member of a state or nation who is entitled to full civil rights.
37. city-state - A political unit made up of a city and the surrounding
countryside that is under the control of the city.
38. civic - having to do with a city, citizen or citizenship
39. civic responsibility/duty – obligations as a good citizen, responsibilities of
a good citizen.
40. civil disobedience – refusal to obey unjust laws
41. civil liberties - Basic individual rights.
42. civil servant – someone employed in the government departments that
manages the affairs of the country.
43. civil war - A war fought between two groups within a country.
44. civilian – a person who is not in the military
45. civilization - A highly developed culture that includes complex political,
social, religious and economic institution.
46. coalition - Temporary union/alliance between groups that are usually on
different sides, created to accomplish a common goal.
47. code - body of law
48. collective bargaining – negotiation between an employer and a labor union
usually on wages, hours and working conditions.
49. collective security – nations act together to stop aggression
50. colony - A settlement in a new territory by a group of people who keep
their ties to their home government; a region governed by a foreign power.
51. commerce - The buying and selling of goods; trade.
52. commodity - economic good, anything bought and sold.
53. common law - that body of law made up of generally accepted standards of
rights and wrongs developed over centuries by judicial decisions rather
than in written statutes.
54. communism - A totalitarian system of government in which the state owns
all land and controls production of goods and services; one political party
maintains power, with the goal of distributing all goods equally to the
people.
55. compromise - a settlement in which each side makes concessions.
56. concession - a right or privilege granted.
57. confederation - A loose association of states, united for a common purpose,
in which each state is practically independent.
58. conflict - Rival groups work to harm or even destroy each other.
59. conservatism - A political philosophy that emphasizes preserving of
traditions and established institution.
60. conspirators - people involved in a secret plot.
61. constitution - Basic principles and laws of a nation or state that determine
the powers and duties of the government and guarantee certain rights to the
people in it.
62. constitutional monarchy 63. cooperation - Working together to achieve a common goal.
64. corollary - an extension of an existing policy
65. corporation - A business owned by stockholders who share in its profits but
are not personally responsible for its debts.
66. coup d’etat - Swift and relatively bloodless revolution.
67. cultivate – to develop or improve
68. cultural diffusion - The spread of ideas through trade, migration and
conquest.
69. culture - The way of life that a group of people develops and passes on to
its children. The shared, learned behavior of a people.
70. dank – wet, unpleasantly wet.
71. debate - Discussion of opposing reasons.
72. declaration/proclamation - An announcement.
73. decree/edict – an official public order made by someone in a position of
power.
74. deficit - debt
75. delegate - representative
76. democracy - Government controlled by the people for the people.
77. depose - to remove from office
78. dictator - A political leader who takes absolute power to make laws and
command the army; usually without legal basis.
79. dignity - worthiness, self-respect
80. diplomacy - Making of agreements and settling differences by officials to
establish peaceful relations.
81. disciple – someone who believes in the ideas of a great teacher or leader.
82. disillusionment – to move away from idealism and become bitter
83. dissent/dissident - to disagree with the policies and practices of the
government. / Someone who disagrees with the policies and practices of
their government.
84. diverse/diversity – difference, variety.
85. divine right - The theory that the basis for royal authority is a God-given
right to rule.
86. domestic system – home based manufacturing. Skilled rural workers
manufactured cloth at home using small machines.
87. due process of law - administration of law in known, orderly ways to
protect people’s rights. The accused has a right to a jury trial and to the
protection of law.
88. dynasty - A series of rulers from a single family.
89. economics - The way in which a society of nation produces, distributes, and
uses goods and services.
90. emancipation - freedom from slavery or restraint.
91. emigrate/emigration- The departure from a country to live elsewhere.
92. empire - Many nations, territories and peoples controlled by one
government. A group of territories under on sovereign power.
93. enlightened despot - An absolute ruler who uses his/her power for the good
of the people he/she rules.
94. entrepreneur - A person who organizes, manages, and takes on the risk of
running a business.
95. epidemic – a rapid, wide4spread growth
96. exile - banish or expel from one’s country.
97. exploit - To make unethical use of for one’s own profit.
98. faction - a group that is part of a larger group, but that opposes the views of
the larger group or some of its members.
99. factors of production – The resources needed to produce goods and services
that industry requires. (land labor and capital)
100. factory - A large building where goods are manufactured.
101. fallow - left unplanted or inactive
102. federalism - form of government with governmental powers divided
between a central government and several regional governments.
103. feudalism - A political and military system based on the holding of land,
with an emphasis on local protection, local government, and local selfsufficiency.
104. fraternity – brotherhood
105. fundamental - relating to the most basic and important parts of something
106. geography - the study of the earth and its features.
107. geopolitics – An interest in or taking of land for its strategic location or
products.
108. global - Relating to or involving the entire world.
109. government - A system of ruling or political administration.
110. heresy - any opinion opposed to established view, a religious belief
opposed to the doctrines/ideas or beliefs of a church.
111. history - A record of what has happened.
112. humanitarian – Someone devoted to promoting human welfare.
113. idealism – Behavior or thought based on a conception of things as one
thinks they should be.
114. idealist – Someone who places the goal before practical consideration.
115. ideology/doctrine - the opinions, beliefs or way of thinking of an
individual, group, or institution.
116. illiterate - uneducated, not knowing how to read or write.
117. immigration - The act of entering and settling in a country other than one’s
native country.
118. imperialism - Practice of establishing colonies in order to control raw
materials and markets.
119. impression – The opinions or feeling you have about someone or
something because of the way them seem.
120. individualism - belief in the importance of the individual and in the virtues
of self reliance and personal independence.
121. industrialization - The process of developing machine-made goods. Period
of increased output of goods made by machines.
122. infer – To form an opinion that something is probably true because of
information that you have.
123. innovation – New idea, method or device.
124. institution - an organized group having a purpose.
125. insurgent – A person who revolts against civil authority or an established
government.
126. intervene – to come in to modify or settle some action
127. isolation – Avoiding contact or ties to another.
128. jury - a body of persons who hand down a verdict in a case presented in
court.
129. justice - fairness, reward or penalty as deserved.
130. labor union – An organization that bargains for better working conditions
or higher wages.
131. laissez-faire - Policy of government non-intervention.
132. law - all the rules of conduct or behavior established by the authority or
customs of a nation.
133. legacy - anything handed down as from the past.
134. legislature - Law-making and governing body or council.
135. liberalism - A political philosophy that emphasizes progress and reform
and stresses the importance of individual freedom, equality under the law,
and freedom of thought and religion.
136. liberator - a person who frees others from enemy occupation/slavery.
137. liberty - freedom, equal rights.
138. manifesto- a document which proclaims publicly the central ideas of a
group or individual
139. market – demand for goods; buying and selling, trade
140. martyr - one who chooses to suffer or die for one’s faith or principles.
141. massacre – The act of an instance of killing a number of usually helpless
or unresisting human beings under circumstances of cruelty.
142. mass production - The manufacture of large amounts of the same thing.
143. mercantilism - Economic theory; the parent country regulates the business
of its colonies in order to increase its wealth.
144. mercenary - Soldier hired into foreign service.
145. merit - worth, value, reward based on performance.
146. middle class – A social class made up of skilled workers, professionals,
business people and wealthy farmers.
147. moderate - within reasonable limits, avoiding extremes.
148. monarchy - A form of government in which a king or queen rules.
149. monopoly - exclusive control of anything bought and sold in a given
market
150. monotheism - The belief in one God.
151. morale – mental condition with respect to courage, discipline and
confidence
152. morals/ethics - The standards of what is right and what is wrong conduct
for an individual, religious group, etc.
153. mutiny – Forcible or passive resistance to lawful authority, a rebellion.
154. nationalism - A feeling of loyalty to one’s own land and people.
155. nationality/ethnicity – A group of people with the same race, origin,
language, etc.
156. nation-state - A group of people who share similar traditions, history and
language. This group usually lives in the same geographic area and is
united under its own government.
157. natural rights - God-given rights of life, liberty and property as explained
by John Locke.
158. non-violence – Refusing to use violence.
159. oligarchy - A government with the ruling power belonging to a few or
small group.
160. oppress – to keep down by the cruel or unjust use of authority.
161. optimistic – taking the most hopeful or cheerful view of matters
162. parliament - the group of people who are elected to make a country's laws
and discuss important national affairs
163. partition - division
164. patent - a license issued to an inventor granting the exclusive right to
manufacture and sell his or her invention for a limited period of time.
165. peasant - a small farmer or farm laborer
166. persecute - To treat people badly because of their religion, race or beliefs.
167. petition – A written request signed by a lot of people asking someone in
authority to do something or change something.
168. philosopher - Thinker who loves wisdom and seeks the truth; one who
studies and thinks about life and reasons for men’s action.
169. plantation – An agricultural estate usually worked by resident labor.
170. polytheism - The belief in many gods.
171. popular sovereignty – Authority comes from the people
172. precedent - an act, statement, etc. that may serve as an example or
justification for a later one.
173. proletariat - According to Karl Marx, the urban working class.
174. propaganda - One-sided information designed to convince people of a
certain point of view.
175. provisional - temporary
176. puppet government - government set up and controlled by an outside
power.
177. racism – Racial prejudice or discrimination
178. radical - Favors drastic change and, if necessary, violent change.
179. ration – to distribute in limited amounts; a system under which people cold
buy only small amounts of goods that were needed for the war effort
180. rationalism – The belief that decisions and actions should be based on
reasons rather than emotions.
181. raw material - An item needed to make another product.
182. reactionary – Someone who resists progress, respects the past and is
willing to use violence to restore the old order.
183. realism – 19th century artistic movement in which writers and painters
sought to show life as it is rather than life as it should be.
184. reason - The ability to think and draw conclusions.
185. reform - Change for the better.
186. regime – A period of rule
187. region - an area based on one characteristic, a division or part of.
188. renaissance – rebirth or revival.
189. reparations – payment required from a defeated nation for damages
inflicted during a war.
190. republic - A form of government controlled by the people through elected
representatives.
191. retaliate/retaliation - To get even, to return like for like.
192. revolution - A great/drastic change to overthrow or overturn the existing
way of doing things.
193. Romanticism – an early 19th century movement in art and thought which
focused on emotion and nature rather than reason and society.
194. rural - in the country/rustic
195. sacred – Religious
196. secular - Not religious; not connected to the church.
197. sedition/treason - stirring up of rebellion against the government.
198. seizure - Suddenly taking possession of a person or property.
199. self-determination - free choice of people in a territory to decide under
what national government they will live.
200. self – sufficient – Able to provide all the things you need without help
from other people
201. sepoy – Indian soldier
202. slum – A densely populated usually urban area marked by crowding, dirty
run-down housing, poverty and social disorganization.
203. social conscience – An awareness of right and wrong in society with a
strong desire to do right.
204. social contract - An agreement by which a government is bound to protect
the rights of the people.
205. socialism - An economic philosophy stating that the wealth of a country
should be shared equally among all its citizens.
206. society - A lasting group of people who have a connection through a
network of relationships with one another.
207. sovereignty/sovereign - power to make decisions freely and
independently.
208. sphere of influence - area claimed as the exclusive investment or trading
region of a foreign power. Region economically dominated by, but not
directly ruled by, a foreign power.
209. standard of living 210. status quo – to keep things as they are; no change
211. stock – certain rights of ownership
212. strike – to refuse to work until demands are met
213. subsistence – The barest means of sustaining livelihood
214. suburb - a town on the outskirts of a city.
215. suffrage - the right to vote.
216. surplus – The amount that is more than what is needed or used
217. sustain –maintain or prolong
218. sweatshop – A factory in which employees work for long hours at low
wages and under unhealthy conditions.
219. tariff - tax on imported goods.
220. technology - The science of an industrial society. The tools and skills
people use to meet their basic needs.
221. temperance - moderation, avoidance of extremes.
222. tenement – An apartment building in the slums that is run down and over
crowded.
223. terrorist – Someone who causes intense fear or intimidation by committing
violent or destructive acts.
224. textile - cloth
225. theme - main ideas or repeated topics.
226. theocracy - A government controlled by church leaders.
227. time line - a graph with each unit representing an equal amount of time. It
will show you a period of time, important dates during that time, and the
sequence or flow of event during that time.
228. tolerance – Willingness to allow people to do, say, or believe what they
want without criticizing or punishing them.
229. total war – countries put all resources into war efforts, human and
industrial
230. turnpike - toll road
231. tyranny/tyrant – Cruel and unjust use of absolute power, cruel or unfair
control over other people.
232. ultimatum – a set of demands that if not met, would end negotiations and
lead to war or conflict
233. union - an organization that bargains for better working conditions and
higher wages.
234. urbanization - The process of changing from a rural to a city-dwelling
population that results in densely populated areas and vast numbers of city
buildings.
235. Utilitarianism – Theory that people should judge ideas, institutions and
actions on the basis of their utility or usefulness.
236. utopia - Imaginary, perfect world, perfect living place.
237. vengeance – revenge with no regard for circumstances.
238. veto - “no” vote/block or deny
239. viceroy - a person that governs on behalf of a monarch.
240. virtue - a specific moral quality regarded as good.