Glossary
The Glossary is an alphabetical listing of many of the key terms from the chapters, along with their meanings. The definitions listed in the Glossary are the ones that apply to the way the words are used in this
textbook. The Glossary gives the part of speech of each word. The following abbreviations are used:
adj. adjective
n. noun
v. verb
Pronunciation Key
Some of the words in this book are followed by respellings that show how the words are pronounced. The following
key will help you understand what sounds are represented by the letters used in the respellings.
Symbol
a
ah
air
aw
ay
b
ch
d
ee
eh
eye
f
g
h
hw
ih
j
k
l
m
n
ng
Examples
apple [AP•uhl], catch [kach]
barn [bahrn], pot [paht]
bear [bair], dare [dair]
bought [bawt], horse [hawrs]
ape [ayp], mail [mayl]
bell [behl], table [TAY•buhl]
chain [chayn], ditch [dihch]
dog [dawg], rained [raynd]
even [EE•vuhn], meal [meel]
egg [ehg], ten [tehn]
iron [EYE•uhrn]
fall [fawl], laugh [laf]
gold [gohld], big [bihg]
hot [haht], exhale [ehks•HAYL]
white [hwyt]
into [IHN•too], sick [sihk]
jar [jahr], badge [baj]
cat [kat], luck [luhk]
load [lohd], ball [bawl]
make [mayk], gem [jehm]
night [nyt], win [wihn]
song [sawng], anger [ANG•guhr]
Symbol
oh
oo
ow
oy
p
r
s
sh
t
th
u
uh
ur
v
w
y
z
zh
Examples
road, [rohd], know [noh]
school [skool], glue [gloo]
out [owt], cow [kow]
coin [koyn], boys [boyz]
pig [pihg], top [tahp]
rose [rohz], star [stahr]
soap [sohp], icy [EYE•see]
share [shair], nation [NAY•shuhn]
tired [tyrd], boat [boht]
thin [thihn], mother [MUH•thuhr]
pull [pul], look [luk]
bump [buhmp], awake [uh•WAYK],
happen [HAP•uhn], pencil [PEHN•suhl],
pilot [PY•luht]
Earth [urth], bird [burd], worm [wurm]
vase [vays], love [luhv]
web [wehb], twin [twihn]
As a consonant: yard [yahrd], mule [myool]
As a vowel: ice [ys], tried [tryd], sigh [sy]
zone [zohn], reason [REE•zuhn]
treasure [TREHZH•uhr], garage [guh•RAHZH]
Syllables that are stressed when the words are spoken appear in CAPITAL LETTERS in the respellings. For example,
the respelling of patterns (PAT•uhrnz) shows that the first syllable of the word is stressed.
Syllables that appear in SMALL CAPITAL LETTERS are also stressed, but not as strongly as those that appear in capital
letters. For example, the respelling of interaction (IHN•tuhr•AK•shuhn) shows that the third syllable receives the
main stress and the first syllable receives a secondary stress.
A
Abd al-Malik (uhb•DUL•muh•LIHK) n. a Muslim
ruler who became caliph in A.D. 685 and made
Arabic the official language of government in all
Muslim lands. (p. 115)
Abd al-Rahman (uhb•DUL•rahk•MAHN ) III n. the
eighth emir of al-Andalus, during whose reign alAndalus reached the height of its power. (p. 132)
Afonso I n. a king of Kongo whose rule began in
A.D. 1506. He was influenced by the Portuguese
and participated in the slave trade. (p. 197)
R78 • GLOSSARY
al-Andalus n. the area of Spain under Muslim
control between the A.D. 700s and 1492. (p. 131)
Allah (AL•uh) n. God in the Islamic religion. (p. 88)
alluvial soil n. a very rich and fertile soil deposited
by flowing water. (p. 373)
Almoravids (AL•muh•RAHV•ihdz) n. a North
African Islamic dynasty that tried to forcibly
convert neighboring peoples, including those of
Morocco, Spain, and Ghana. (p. 161)
anatomy n. the scientific study of the shapes and
structures of humans, plants, and animals. (p. 498)
Angkor Wat (ANG•kawr WAHT) n. a complex of
temples in Southeast Asia, built in the A.D. 1100s,
that covers nearly one square mile and is the
largest religious structure in the world. (p. 279)
anthropology (AN•thruh•PAHL•uh•jee) n. the
study of humans and human cultures. (p. 26)
aqueduct (AK•wih•DUHKT) n. a structure designed
to bring fresh water into a city or town. (p. 69)
archaeology (AHR•kee•AHL•uh•jee) n. the
recovery and study of physical evidence from the
past. (p. 25)
artifact n. a human-made object. (p. 25)
Askia Muhammad n. the ruler of the Songhai
empire from A.D. 1493 to 1528, who expanded
the empire and organized its government. (p. 168)
astrolabe (AS•truh•LAYB) n. an instrument
used to measure the angles of stars above the
horizon, thus helping sailors determine their
latitude. (p. 512)
Augustus (aw•GUHS•tuhs) n. the first emperor
of Rome, who ruled from 27 B.C. to A.D. 14 and
greatly expanded the size and influence of the
Roman Empire. (p. 49)
bushido (BUSH•ih•DOH) n. the code of conduct
of samurai warriors, which required that they be
generous, brave, and loyal. (p. 308)
Byzantine (BIHZ•uhn•TEEN) Empire n. the
Eastern Roman Empire, which was ruled from
Constantinople and from the 4th century to the
15th century. (p. 59)
C
cacao (kuh•KOW) n. a tropical American tree
whose seeds are used to produce chocolate.
(p. 370)
caliph (KAY•lihf) n. a ruler of the Muslim
community, viewed as a successor of Muhammad.
(p. 100)
calligraphy n. the art of fine handwriting. (p. 121)
Calvin, John n. a leader of the Protestant
Reformation, who lived from A.D. 1509 to 1564 and
emphasized the doctrine of predestination. (p. 472)
capitalism n. an economic system based on
private ownership of economic resources and the
use of those resources to make a profit. (p. 524)
B
caravel n. a type of Portuguese sailing ship with
both square and lateen sails, developed for long
voyages. (p. 512)
Baghdad n. a city, located in what is now Iraq, that
was the capital of the Abbasid empire. (p. 120)
cartography n. the skills and methods used in the
making of maps. (p. 15)
Bantu migrations n. a movement, beginning
sometime around 1000 B.C., of Bantu-speaking
peoples from West Africa to the south and east,
spreading their languages and cultures. (p. 182)
celadon (SEHL•uh•DAHN) n. a type of Korean
pottery, often with a bluish-green color. (p. 276)
bubonic plague n. a disease that struck western
Eurasia in the mid-1300s, in an outbreak known
as the Black Death. (p. 333)
Buddhism n. a belief system based on the teachings
of Siddhartha Gautama, the Buddha, which stress
freeing oneself from worldly desires. (p. 214)
bureaucracy (byu•RAHK•ruh•see) n. a system of
departments and agencies that carry out the work
of a government. (pp. 114, 224)
Charlemagne (SHAHR•luh•MAYN) n. a king of the
Franks (from A.D. 768) who conquered much of
Europe and spread Christianity in the conquered
regions. (p. 294)
chasqui (CHAHS•kee) n. a runner in the Incan
empire who carried messages up and down the
length of the empire. (p. 411)
chivalry n. the code of conduct of medieval
European knights, focusing on bravery, honor, and
respect toward women and the weak. (p. 301)
GLOSSARY • R79
Christianity n. a religion based on the life and
teachings of Jesus. (p. 50)
circumnavigate v. to make a voyage completely
around the world. (p. 515)
clan n. a group of people related by blood or
marriage. (pp. 86, 151)
clergy n. the people with priestly authority in a
religion. (p. 321)
climate n. the pattern of weather conditions in a
certain location over a long period of time. (p. 10)
Clovis n. a leader of the Franks, who conquered
the Roman province of Gaul in A.D. 486 and
later established a large and powerful Frankish
kingdom. (p. 56)
codex n. a book of the type used by early MesoAmerican civilizations to record important
historical events. (p. 385)
Columbian Exchange n. the movement of
plants, animals, and other living things between
the eastern and western hemispheres after
Columbus’ voyage to the Americas in A.D. 1492.
(p. 521)
Confucianism (kuhn•FYOO•shuh•nihz•uhm) n. a
belief system based on the teachings of Confucius,
a scholar who taught moral virtues and ethics.
(p. 214)
Constantine n. the Roman emperor from A.D. 306
to 337, who ended the persecution of Christians
and moved the capital of the empire to Byzantium
(later known as Constantinople). (p. 54)
continent n. one of the seven large landmasses
of Earth—North America, South America, Europe,
Asia, Africa, Australia, and Antarctica. (p. 9)
convert v. to persuade a person to adopt a new
religion or belief. (p. 479)
Córdoba n. the capital of al-Andalus. (p. 131)
Crusades n. a series of military expeditions from
Christian Europe to Palestine between the 11th
and 13th centuries A.D. (p. 327)
culture n. a way of life shared by a group of
people. (p. 27)
D
daimyo (DY•mee•OH) n. a Japanese lord with
large landholdings and a private samurai army,
who paid no taxes to the government. (p. 267)
Daoism (DOW•IHZ•uhm) n. a belief system that
originated in China around 500 B.C., emphasizing
harmony with nature and with inner feelings. (p.
215)
Declaration of Independence n. a
document that declared the American colonies’
independence from Great Britain. (p. 546)
Declaration of the Rights of Man and
of the Citizen n. a document adopted by
the French revolutionary government in 1789,
outlining the people’s rights. (p. 548)
dissection n. the cutting open of plants and
animals to study and investigate their parts.
(p. 498)
divan n. an imperial council that advised the sultan
in the Ottoman Empire. (p. 351)
E
elevation n. the height of land above sea level.
(p. 368)
elite (ih•LEET) n. the superior or wealthiest
members of a society or group. (p. 374)
Elizabethan Age n. the period of the rule of
Queen Elizabeth I in England, from 1558 to 1603.
(p. 448)
Cortés (kawr•TEHZ), Hernán (ehr•NAHN) n.
the Spanish explorer who conquered the Aztec
civilization of Mexico in A.D. 1521. (p. 400)
embassy n. an office of one country’s government
in another country. (p. 253)
covenant n. a binding agreement. (p. 483)
emperor n. the ruler of an empire. (p. 49)
R80 • GLOSSARY
empire n. a group of different cultures or territories
led by a single all-powerful ruler. (p. 49)
geocentric theory n. the theory that Earth is at
the center of the universe. (p. 497)
enlightened despot n. a ruler who had absolute
power but also paid attention to the political
ideas of the Enlightenment and tried to rule in a
just and educated way. (p. 543)
geography n. the study of Earth’s natural
features. (p. 9)
Enlightenment n. an 18th-century philosophical
movement in which philosophers used reason to
understand truths about human nature. (p. 535)
Ghana (GAH•nuh) n. a region between the Sahara
and the forests of southern West Africa, which
was home to many ancient cultures. (p. 159)
glyph (glihf) n. a picture that represents a word,
syllable, or sound. (p. 375)
epic poem n. a long poem that tells a story of
heroic adventures. (p. 309)
golden age n. a period in which a society or
culture is at its peak. (p. 121)
excavation n. the process of digging up
historically significant objects for the purpose of
studying them. (p. 26)
Great Enclosure n. the largest of the three
main sections of the Shona settlement of Great
Zimbabwe—likely a royal residence. (p. 188)
F
Great Schism (SKIHZ•uhm) n. a division in the
Roman Catholic Church from A.D. 1378 until 1417,
which occurred when the Church’s two centers
of power, Avignon and Rome, split and elected
different popes. (p. 462)
faction n. a small group whose interests run
counter to those of a larger group of which they
are part. (p. 124)
federalism n. the sharing of power between an
organization or government and its members.
(p. 484)
feudalism n. the political and social system of the
Middle Ages in Europe, in which lords gave land to
vassals in exchange for service and loyalty. (p. 296)
Forbidden City n. a group of walled palaces built
for the Chinese emperor shortly after A.D. 1400 in
the capital city of Beijing. (p. 240)
Francis of Assisi, St. n. an Italian who founded
the Franciscan religious order in the early A.D.
1200s. (p. 324)
G
Genghis Khan (JEHNG•gihs KAHN) n. a Mongol
leader who united the Mongol tribes around A.D.
1206 and began a campaign of conquest, forging
an empire that covered northern China and
Central Asia. (p. 233)
Great Zimbabwe (zihm•BAHB•wee) n. the
central settlement of the Shona empire in Africa,
enclosed by a large stone wall, covering more
than 100 acres, and having a population of
10,000 to 20,000. (p. 188)
Gregory VII, Pope n. the head of the Roman
Catholic Church from 1073 to 1085, who struggled
with Emperor Henry IV for power. (p. 323)
griot (gree•OH) n. an official storyteller in an
African civilization. (p. 153)
guild n. an association of people sharing a trade or
craft, intended to control the quality and quantity
of their production and to protect their interests.
(p. 302)
Gutenberg, Johann n. a German who, in the
mid-1400s, invented a press for printing with
movable type. (p. 449)
H
habeas corpus n. the right of people not to be
imprisoned unlawfully. (p. 344)
GLOSSARY • R81
haiku n. a Japanese form of poem, containing 17
syllables arranged in three lines of 5, 7, and 5
syllables. (p. 260)
harmony n. the combining of elements to form a
pleasing whole. (p. 498)
heliocentric (HEE•lee•oh•SEHN•trihk) adj. having
the sun as center. (p. 503)
hemisphere n. either of two equal halves of Earth,
as marked by the equator or the prime meridian.
(p. 17)
Henry IV, Emperor n. an 11th-century ruler of the
Holy Roman Empire, who continually struggled for
power with Pope Gregory VII. (p. 323)
Hijrah (HIHJ•ruh) n. the move of Muhammad and
his followers from Mecca to the city of Yathrib in
A.D. 622. (p. 93)
historian n. a person who studies and interprets
the past. (p. 31)
history n. the study of past events. (p. 31)
humanism n. a movement in Renaissance Europe,
celebrating human potential and achievement
and stressing the study of subjects such as history,
grammar, literature, and philosophy. (p. 432)
Hundred Years’ War n. a series of wars between
England and France, from A.D. 1337 to 1453.
(p. 335)
I
Iberian Peninsula n. the southwestern tip of
Europe, where the modern nations of Spain and
Portugal are located. (p. 114)
Ignatius of Loyola n. a Spaniard who founded
the religious order of Jesuits in the early A.D.
1530s. (p. 474)
imperial adj. relating to an empire or emperor.
(p. 223)
indulgence n. the relaxation of earthly penalty
for sin. (p. 463)
R82 • GLOSSARY
Inquisition n. a court established by the Roman
Catholic Church in A.D. 1542 to investigate people
who may have strayed from the Roman Catholic
faith and to strengthen the power of the Church.
(pp. 331, 474)
Islam n. a monotheistic religion based on the
teachings of Muhammad. (p. 93)
J
janissary n. a member of an elite fighting force of
the Ottoman Empire, made up mainly of slaves.
(p. 353)
Jesuit n. a member of the Society of Jesus, a
religious order founded in the early A.D. 1530s by
Ignatius of Loyola. (p. 474)
Joan of Arc n. a French peasant girl who led the
French to victory over the English at Orléans in
A.D. 1429. (p. 335)
John, King n. the king of England who signed the
Magna Carta in A.D. 1215. (p. 342)
Judaism n. the religion of the Jews, based on the
Hebrew scriptures and a belief in one God. (p. 50)
Justinian n. the ruler of the Eastern Roman Empire
from A.D. 527 to 565, who ruled with his wife,
Theodora, and reconquered lost territories for the
empire. (p. 59)
Justinian Code n. a legal code, prepared under
the direction of the Byzantine emperor Justinian,
that regulated much of Byzantine life. (p. 59)
K
kabuki (kuh•BOO•kee) n. a form of Japanese
drama developed in the A.D. 1600s, featuring
melodramatic singing and dancing, heavy
makeup, and elaborate costumes. (p. 259)
Khmer Empire n. the most powerful and longestlasting kingdom on the mainland of Southeast Asia,
centered in what is today Cambodia. (p. 278)
Kilwa n. an ancient city-state on the eastern coast of
Africa, settled by people from Iran and Arabia, that
started to prosper in the late A.D. 1200s. (p. 182)
kinship n. a connection among people by blood,
marriage, or adoption. (p. 151)
knight n. a highly trained mounted warrior in the
service of a noble during the European Middle
Ages. (p. 300)
Kongo n. an ancient kingdom along the western
coast of Africa, settled by the Bantu-speaking
Kongo people sometime before the 14th century
a.d. (p. 195)
Koryo n. a kingdom on the Korean peninsula,
established in a.d. 935 after the collapse of the
Silla kingdom. (p. 276)
Kublai Khan (koo•bly KAHN) n. the grandson of
Genghis Khan who took power in southern China
in a.d. 1260 and defeated the Song army in 1279,
giving the Mongols control over all of China. (p. 234)
L
M
Magna Carta n. a list of rights written by
England’s nobility and signed by King John in a.d.
1215. (p. 342)
maize (mayz) n. a type of corn grown by Native
American civilizations. (p. 370)
Mali n. a West African empire established by the
Malinke people. (p. 165)
Manchu n. a member of a northeastern Chinese
people who conquered China in a.d. 1644 and
began the last dynasty in Chinese history, called
the Qing Dynasty. (p. 242)
manor n. the estate of a feudal noble, usually
including a fortified building or castle. (p. 299)
Mansa Musa n. an emperor of Mali who made a
famous pilgrimage to Mecca in a.d. 1324. (p. 166)
maritime adj. relating to the sea. (p. 241)
labor specialization n. the doing of specific types
of work by trained or knowledgeable workers.
(p. 152)
Maya (MAH•yuh) n. a Meso-American civilization,
which reached its height between a.d. 250 and
900. (p. 381)
landform n. a naturally formed feature of Earth’s
land surface, such as an island, a mountain, or a
plateau. (p. 10)
Mbanza (uhm•BAHN•zah) n. the capital city of
the ancient African kingdom of Kongo. (p. 196)
latitude n. a measure of distance north or south of
the equator. (p. 17)
Leonardo da Vinci n. an Italian Renaissance
painter, born in a.d. 1452, who painted many
masterpieces, such as the Mona Lisa and The Last
Supper, and also excelled in scientific research.
(p. 438)
longbow n. a weapon that can shoot arrows able
to penetrate a knight’s armor. (p. 336)
longitude n. a measure of distance east or west of
the prime meridian. (p. 17)
lord n. a powerful landholding noble. (p. 296)
Luther, Martin n. a German theologian, born in
a.d. 1483, who was a leader of the Reformation
and taught salvation through faith in God rather
than through good deeds. (p. 463)
mercantilism n. an economic policy based on the
idea that a nation’s power depends on its wealth.
(p. 525)
mercenary n. a soldier who is paid to fight. (p. 132)
Mesoamerica n. a region that includes the
southern part of Mexico and much of Central
America. (p. 367)
Michelangelo n. an Italian Renaissance artist,
born in a.d. 1475, who worked mainly as a
sculptor but also painted such famous works as
the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in Rome. (p. 438)
Middle Ages n. the period of European
history between the collapse of Rome and the
Renaissance, lasting roughly from a.d. 500 to
1450. (p. 291)
missionary n. a person who travels to a foreign
country in order to do religious work. (p. 479)
GLOSSARY • R83
monastery n. a place where members of a
religious order practice a life of prayer and
worship. (p. 295)
Mongol Ascendancy n. the period in which the
Mongols controlled all of Central Asia, making
overland trade and travel safe. (p. 236)
monotheism n. a belief in one God. (p. 88)
Montezuma II n. the last Aztec emperor, who
ruled from A.D. 1502 to 1520 and was overthrown
by the Spanish. (p. 400)
mosaic (moh•ZAY•ihk) n. a picture made out of
many small colored tiles or pieces of glass. (p. 67)
mosque (mahsk) n. a building for Muslim worship,
designed to face the city of Mecca. (p. 95)
mother culture n. a culture that shapes and
influences the customs and ideas of later cultures.
(p. 377)
movable type n. a small block of metal or wood
with a single raised character, used for printing
texts. (p. 228)
Murasaki Shikibu (MOO•rah•SAH•kee
SHEE•kee•BOO), Lady n. a Japanese writer of
the early A.D. 1000s, who wrote The Tale of Genji,
considered one of the world’s first novels. (p. 259)
Muslim n. a person who follows the religion of
Islam, accepting Allah as the only God. (p. 93)
Mutapa (moo•TAH•pah) n. an ancient kingdom in
what is now the country of Zimbabwe, established
by a Shona king around A.D. 1440; also, a ruler of
this kingdom. (p. 190)
N
Nam Viet n. a Vietnamese kingdom conquered by
the Chinese in 111 B.C. (p. 277)
natural rights n. the rights that all people are
born with—such as the rights to life, liberty,
and property according to the 18th-century
philosopher John Locke. (p. 536)
R84 • GLOSSARY
Noh n. a form of Japanese drama developed in the
A.D. 1300s, often featuring retellings of legends
and folktales presented by actors in painted
wooden masks. (p. 258)
nomad n. a person who moves from place to place
rather than settling permanently. (pp. 86, 213)
O
oasis (oh•AY•sihs) n. a fertile area in the midst of
a desert. (p. 86)
Olmec (AHL•mehk) n. the earliest known MesoAmerican culture, which flourished from 1200
to 400 B.C. and was centered in what is now
southeastern Mexico. (p. 373)
Omar Khayyam (OH•mahr ky•YAHM) n.
a Persian-born Muslim poet who usually
wrote in quatrain form and was also a great
mathematician. (p. 122)
oral history n. an unwritten verbal account of
events, such as a story that is passed down from
generation to generation. (p. 32)
Orthodox adj. relating to the Christian church
that developed in the Byzantine Empire and is not
under the authority of the pope. (p. 62)
Osman n. the Turkish leader who founded the
Ottoman Empire in the early A.D. 1300s. (p. 351)
P
Pacal II n. a king who ruled the Mayan city of
Palenque for nearly 70 years (from A.D. 615)—one
of the greatest Mayan kings. (p. 384)
Pachacuti (PAH•chah•KOO•tee) n. the ninth
Inca ruler, who came to power in A.D. 1438 and
expanded the Incan Empire. (p. 410)
parliament n. a group of representatives with
some powers of government. (p. 343)
patron n. a person who supports an activity or
institution by providing financial backing. (p. 437)
Peace of Westphalia (wehst•FAYL•yuh) n. an
agreement reached in A.D. 1648, which recognized
the permanent division of western Europe into
Catholic and Protestant nations and ended many
ongoing religious wars. (p. 483)
perspective n. a technique of painting, developed
during the Renaissance, that represents the
appearance of objects in three-dimensional space.
(p. 437)
philosophe (FIHL•uh•SAWF) n. one of the 18thcentury thinkers who attempted to apply the
scientific method to social problems. (p. 536)
pilgrimage n. a journey to a sacred place or
shrine. (p. 89)
Pizarro, Francisco n. a Spanish explorer who
arrived in Peru in A.D. 1532 and had conquered
the Incan Empire by 1535. (p. 413)
Q
quipu (KEE•poo) n. a counting tool of the ancient
Incan civilization, made of cords with knots at
various points. (p. 414)
Qur’an (kuh•RAN) n. the Muslim holy book,
consisting of revelations from Allah that were
collected by Muhammad’s followers after his
death. (p. 94)
R
rationalism n. the idea that people should use
reason, or logical thought, to understand the
world. (p. 497)
Reconquista n. the series of campaigns, ending
in A.D. 1492, by which Christian armies drove
Muslim rulers out of Spain. (p. 330)
Polo, Marco n. a Venetian trader who traveled
the Silk Roads and arrived in China around A.D.
1275. He became an aide to Kublai Khan and later
published a popular book about his adventures.
(p. 236)
Reformation n. a movement of opposition to the
Roman Catholic Church, beginning in the 16th
century. (p. 465)
porcelain n. a hard white ceramic material, often
called china. (p. 229)
regent (REE•juhnt) n. a person who rules in place
of an absent or underage monarch. (p. 253)
predestination n. the doctrine that God chooses
people for salvation and damnation before they
are born and that individuals have no power to
change God’s will. (p. 472)
religious order n. a group of people who live
according to a religious rule. (p. 324)
primary source n. a document or artifact created
during a particular historical period. (p. 32)
printing press n. a machine for pressing paper
against inked movable type. (p. 449)
projection n. a way of representing Earth’s curved
surface on a flat map while keeping distortion
consistent and manageable. (p. 16)
Protestant n. a member of a Christian group that
broke with the Roman Catholic Church during or
after the 16th century. (p. 465)
Renaissance (REHN•ih•SAHNS) n. a period of
rebirth and creativity in art, writing, and thought
from about A.D. 1300 to 1600, beginning in Italy
and eventually spreading throughout Europe.
(p. 435)
republic n. a form of government in which power
rests with the citizens, who vote in order to elect
leaders. (p. 48)
reunify v. to bring together again. (p. 216)
Roman Catholic adj. relating to the Christian
church of the West that is under the authority of
the pope. (p. 62)
GLOSSARY • R85
S
Sahara n. a large desert of northern Africa,
stretching from the Atlantic coast to the Nile
Valley. (p. 157)
Saladin (SAL•uh•din) n. a military leader who
united Muslims to fight the Christians in Palestine
during the 12th century A.D. (p. 329)
salon n. a gathering of thinkers and artists to
discuss issues and exchange ideas during the
Enlightenment. (p. 538)
samurai (SAM•uh•RY) n. a trained warrior of the
Japanese aristocracy. (p. 267)
savannah n. (suh•VAN•uh) a flat grassland, with
few trees, in a tropical region. (p. 157)
schism (SKIHZ•uhm) n. an official split between
two groups. (p. 62)
scholar-official n. an educated person with a
government position. (p. 224)
scientific method n. an approach to scientific
investigation that involves making careful
observations, forming and testing a hypothesis,
and drawing a conclusion that confirms or
modifies the hypothesis. (p. 506)
Scientific Revolution n. a period, beginning in
the A.D. 1500s, during which European scholars
began to question classical scientific ideas and
Christian beliefs. (p. 503)
secondary source n. a work produced about a
historical event by someone who was not actually
there. (p. 33)
Seljuk Turk n. a member of a Turkish people that
controlled central and western Asia from the 11th
to the 13th century. (p. 327)
serf n. a peasant farmer in feudal society, who
labored for a noble in exchange for protection
and certain rights. (p. 297)
Shakespeare, William n. most famous English
writer of the Renaissance, best known for his
plays Romeo and Juliet and Hamlet. (p. 447)
R86 • GLOSSARY
Shi`a (SHEE•uh) n. a Muslim group that resisted
the Umayyads’ rule, believing that the caliph
should be a relative of the prophet Muhammad.
(p. 103)
Shinto n. the traditional religion of Japan, based
on worship of and respect for nature and
ancestors. (p. 252)
shogun n. a Japanese military leader—one of a
group that first came to power in A.D. 1192 and
ruled on the emperor’s behalf but usually in their
own interests. (p. 268)
Shona n. a Bantu-speaking culture that was
thriving in what is now the countries of
Botswana, Mozambique, and Zimbabwe by A.D.
1000. (p. 187)
Shotoku (SHOH•toh•KOO), Prince n. a regent
who ruled Japan from A.D. 593 to 622 and
brought elements of Chinese culture—in
particular, the Buddhist religion—to the country.
(p. 253)
Silk Roads n. the ancient trade routes that
connected Europe with China. (p. 430)
slash-and-burn agriculture n. a type of
farming in which patches of land are prepared for
planting by cutting down and burning the natural
vegetation. (p. 370)
Songhai n. a West African people whose leaders
created a great empire in the 15th and 16th
centuries A.D. (p. 166)
sponsor n. a person who gives money in support
of a person or project. (p. 511)
standing army n. a fighting force that is
maintained in times of peace as well as times of
war. (p. 119)
stele (STEE•lee) n. an ancient carved stone marker
commemorating an important date or great
event. (p. 384)
Stoicism (STOH•ih•SIHZ•uhm) n. a Greek
philosophy that stressed the importance of virtue,
duty, and endurance and was especially influential
in ancient Rome. (p. 68)
Suleyman I n. the sultan of the Ottoman Empire
from A.D. 1520 to 1566, who encouraged the arts
and organized a legal code. (p. 352)
Sundiata (sun•JAH•tah) n. an ancient ruler of
the Malinke people, who captured the capital of
Ghana and greatly expanded the empire. (p. 165)
Sunnah n. Muhammad’s words and deeds, which
serve Muslims as a guide for proper living. (p. 94)
Sunni n. a member of the Muslim group that
accepted the rule of the elected caliphs and did
not resist the Umayyads. (p. 103)
Swahili (swah•HEE•lee) n. an African language
that blends Bantu and Arabic elements. (p. 183)
T
Tenochtitlán (teh•NOHCH•tee•TLAHN) n. an
ancient Aztec city, founded in A.D. 1325 on a small
island in Lake Texcoco. (p. 397)
Thomas Aquinas (uh•KWY•nuhs) n. an Italian
scholar who made a synthesis of classical
philosophy and Christian theology. (p. 325)
Timbuktu n. a city of central Mali in West Africa,
which was founded in the 13th century and was a
center of trade and culture. (p. 165)
Tokugawa Shogunate (TOH•koo•GAH•wah
SHOH•guh•niht) n. the rule of Tokugawa Ieyasu
and his successors in Japan, which began in A.D.
1603 and brought a 250-year period of stability to
the country. (p. 270)
triangular trade n. the exchange of goods and
slaves across the Atlantic Ocean between the
Americas, Europe, and Africa. (p. 522)
tribute n. a payment made by one country to
another as a sign of respect. (p. 241)
Treaty of Tordesillas (TAWR•day•SEEL•yahs)
n. an agreement between Spain and Portugal in
1494, establishing an imaginary line from north
to south around the world and allowing Spain to
claim lands west of the line and Portugal to claim
lands to the east of it. (p. 514)
U
universal gravitation n. Isaac Newton’s theory
that gravity acts on all objects throughout the
universe. (p. 504)
V
vassal n. in feudal society, a person who received
land and protection from a lord in return for
loyalty. (p. 268)
vegetation zone n. a region that, because of its
soil and climate, has distinctive types of plants.
(p. 157)
vernacular n. a person’s native language. (p. 449)
W
weather n. the condition of the atmosphere at a
particular place and time. (p. 10)
wood-block printing n. a printing system
developed by the ancient Chinese, in which wood
blocks were carved with enough characters to
print entire pages. (p. 228)
Y
Yucatán (YOO•kuh•TAN) Peninsula n. an area
of southeastern Mexico that extends into the
Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico. (p. 367)
Z
Zen n. a Japanese form of Buddhism, focusing on
self-discipline, simplicity, and meditation. (p. 258)
Zheng He (juhng huh) n. a Chinese admiral whose
extensive voyages between A.D. 1405 and 1433
greatly expanded China’s foreign trade and
reputation. (p. 241)
GLOSSARY • R87