question

abbot

answer

The superior of a monastery. ( Abbr. Abb. ) Used as a title for such a person. [Middle English abbod , from Old English, from Late Latin abbās, abbāt

question

absolute monarchy

answer

Absolute monarchy is an idealized form of government, a monarchy where the ruler has the power to rule his or her country and citizens freely with no laws or legally-organized direct opposition telling him or her what to do, although some religious authority may be able to discourage the monarch from some acts and the sovereign is expected to act according to custom. As a theory of civics, absolute monarchy puts total trust in well-bred and well-trained monarchs raised for the role from birth

question

acropolis

answer

(Gr. akros, top, polis, city), literally the upper part of a town. For purposes of defence early settlers naturally chose elevated ground, frequently a hill with precipitous sides, and these early citadels became in many parts of the world the nuclei of large cities which grew up on the surrounding lower ground.

question

adobe

answer

is a building material composed of sandy clay and (usually) straw, which can be cast into bricks or shaped directly into walls using wooden frames. Adobe structures are easily damaged by excessive moisture, but offer significant advantages in hot, dry climates, as they remain cooler than alternatives based on more "modern" materials

question

agnostic

answer

For some the central claim of agnosticism is that the existence of God is inherently unknowable, while for others it is that the existence of God is either uncertain or subject to doubt.

question

agora

answer

a central area in Greek cities used both as a marketplace and as a meeting place

question

anarchist

answer

one who believes in the absence of government or law

question

armistice

answer

(n.) a temporary peace, halt in fighting

question

atheist

answer

one who does not believe in the existence of any god or divine being

question

atrocity

answer

(n.) an extremely wicked, brutal, or cruel act; something very bad or unpleasant

question

bastille

answer

The political prison and armory stormed on July 14, 1789, by Partisian city workers alarmed by the king's concentration of troops at Versailles

question

belligerent

answer

given to fighting, warlike; combative, aggressive; one at war, one engaged in war

question

bible

answer

The book that contains the writings or scriptures that Christians recognize as the written word of God.

question

bishop

answer

From the Greek for "overseer." By divine institution, he succeeds the Apostles through the Holy Spirit who is given to him. He is constituted a Pastor in the Church, to be the teacher of doctrine, the priest of sacred worship, and the minister of governance.

question

bourgeoisie

answer

the middle class, including merchants, industrialists, and professional people

question

brahman

answer

in the belief system established in Aryan India, the single spiritual power that resides in all things

question

burgesses

answer

elected representatives to a lawmaking body in the English colony.

question

buddha

answer

An Indian prince named Siddhartha Gautama, who renounced his wealth and social position. After becoming 'enlightened' (the meaning of Buddha) he enunciated the principles of Buddhism. (180)

question

buddhism

answer

the teaching of Buddha that life is permeated with suffering caused by desire, that suffering ceases when desire ceases, and that enlightenment obtained through right conduct and wisdom and meditation releases one from desire and suffering and rebirth

question

bushido

answer

traditional code of the Japanese samurai which stressed courage and loyalty and self-discipline and simple living

question

caliph

answer

successor to Muhammad as political and religious leader of the Muslims

question

caliphate

answer

Office established in succession to the Prophet Muhammad, to rule the Islamic empire; also the name of that empire.

question

capital

answer

the city that is the seat of government of a state, nation, or province

question

capitalism

answer

an economic system in which investment in and ownership of the means of production, distribution, and exchange of wealth is made and maintained chiefly by private individuals or corporations, esp. as contrasted to cooperatively or state-owned means of wealth.

question

cartel

answer

Arrangement among groups of industrial businesses to reduce international competition by controlling the price, production, and distribution of goods.

question

caste system

answer

traditional division of Hindu society into various categories; there are four main varnas; or classes:Brahmin, kshatriya, vaishya, and shudra; each class contains certain subgroups, resulting in more than three thousand categories.

question

chauvinism

answer

fanatical patriotism; biased belief in the superiority of one's own group, sex, or nation

question

checks and balances

answer

A system that allows each branch of government to limit the powers of the other branches in order to prevent abuse of power

question

christianity

answer

a monotheistic system of beliefs and practices based on the Old Testament and the teachings of Jesus as embodied in the New Testament and emphasizing the role of Jesus as savior

question

citizen

answer

a member of a state or nation who owes allegiance to it by birth or naturalization and is entitled to full civil rights

question

city-state

answer

a city and its surrounding lands functioning as an independent political unit

question

civilization

answer

a form of culture characterized by cities, specialized workers, complex institutions, record keeping, and advanced technology

question

civil war

answer

conflict between opposing groups of citizens of the same country

question

class

answer

a collection of things sharing a common attribute

question

cold war

answer

A conflict that was between the US and the Soviet Union. The nations never directly confronted eachother on the battlefield but deadly threats went on for years.

question

colony

answer

Group of people who settle in a distant land but are still ruled by the government of their native land

question

colonialism

answer

Attempt by one country to establish settlements and to impose its political, economic, and cultural principles in another territory.

question

columbian exchange

answer

The exchange of plants, animals, diseases, and technologies between the Americas and the rest of the world following Columbus's voyages.

question

communism

answer

a theory or system of social organization based on the holding of all property in common, actual ownership being ascribed to the community as a whole or to the state.

question

conscription

answer

Compulsory draft into military service

question

constantinople

answer

Emperor Constantine,AD 330 moved the capital from Rome to the Greek city Byzantium in the east, and renamed the city. This city became the capital of the Roman empire. It was strategically located for trade and defense purposes.

question

constitution

answer

formal document written in 1787 that explained the structure of the government of the United States and how power would be distributed

question

crusades

answer

a series of military expeditions in the 11th, 12th, and 13th centuries by Westrn European Christians to reclain control of the Holy Lands from the Muslims

question

cultural diffusion

answer

the spread of cultural elements from one society to another

question

cultural blending

answer

The principle that when civilizations interact there is an exchange of ideas as each culture, way of life impacts the other.

question

democracy

answer

a political system in which the supreme power lies in a body of citizens who can elect people to represent them

question

depression

answer

a long-term economic state characterized by unemployment and low prices and low levels of trade and investment

question

developed nation

answer

nation with established agriculture and industry, advanced technology, and a strong educational system

question

dictator

answer

Political leader who rules a country with absolute power, usually by force

question

dharma

answer

In Hindu belief, a person's religious and moral duties

question

dynasty

answer

(n.) a powerful family or group of rulers that maintains its position or power for some time

question

federal

answer

pertaining to or of the nature of a union of states under a central government distinct from the individual governments of the separate states

question

feudalism

answer

A political system in which nobles are granted the use of lands that legally belong to their king, in exchange for their loyalty, military service, and protection of the people who live on the land

question

eight-fold path

answer

in buddhism a set of guidelines on how to escape suffering (right understanding, right speech, right livelihood, right concentration, right mindfulness, right effort, right action, right intention)

question

elizabethan age

answer

An age, under Elizabeth's rule, where renaissance ideas and styles flourished.Age of William Shakespeare and Ben Johnson.

question

emigration

answer

The movement of individuals out of a population.

question

galley

answer

a long, low ancient ship propelled by oars; the kitchen of a ship or airplane

question

gentry

answer

people of standing(rank or position); people of good family or high social position; class of people just below nobility

question

glacier

answer

large, thick body of slowly moving ice

question

great depression

answer

the economic crisis and period of low business activity in the U.S. and other countries, roughly beginning with the stock-market crash in October, 1929, and continuing through most of the 1930s.

question

habeas corpus

answer

principle that a person cannot be held in prison without first being charged with a specific crime. Latin for the body is owned

question

holocaust

answer

A methodical plan orchestrated by Hitler to ensure German supremacy. It called for the elimination of Jews, non-conformists, homosexuals, non-Aryans, and mentally and physically disabled.

question

hacienda

answer

plantation owned by the Spanish settlers or the catholic Church in Spanish America

question

helot

answer

a member of a certain class of servants in ancient Sparta

question

hinduism

answer

a body of religious and philosophical beliefs and cultural practices native to India and characterized by a belief in reincarnation and a supreme beingof many forms and natures, by the view that opposing theories are aspects of one eternal truth, and by a

question

History

answer

the discipline that records and interprets past events involving human beings

question

home rule

answer

power delegated by the state to a local unit of government to manage its own affairs

question

Ice age

answer

Period of time when huge sheets of ice covered much of the earth's land, formed from ocean water, leaving ocean levels lower than they are now which exposed dry land that connected the continents.

question

icon

answer

a representation or image of a sacred personage, often considered sacred itself; an image or picture; a symbol; a graphic symbol on a computer monitor display; an object of blind devotion

question

iconoclast

answer

one who attacks or undermines traditional conventions or institutions

question

iconography

answer

Images or image patterns with specific connotations or meanings

question

import

answer

to bring a product from one country into another so that it can be sold there

question

imperialism

answer

A policy in which a strong nation seeks to dominate other countries poitically, socially, and economically.

question

immigration

answer

migration into a place (especially migration to a country of which you are not a native in order to settle there)

question

indulgences

answer

Selling of forgiveness by the Catholic Church. It was common practice when the church needed to raise money. The practice led to the Reformation.

question

inflation

answer

increased prices for goods and services combined with the reduced value of money

question

industrial revolution

answer

the change from an agricultural to an industrial society and from home manufacturing to factory production, especially the one that took place in England from about 1750 to about 1850.

question

intifada

answer

Palestinian uprising against Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip, beginning in 1987

question

irrigation

answer

supplying dry land with water by means of ditches etc

question

islam

answer

the monotheistic religion of Muslims founded in Arabia in the 7th century and based on the teachings of Muhammad as laid down in the Koran

question

jainism

answer

a religion founded in India in the 6th century BC, whose members believe that everything in the universe has a soul and therefore should not be harmed

question

janissaries

answer

Infantry, originally of slave origin, armed with firearms and constituting the elite of the Ottoman army from the fifteenth century until the corps was abolished in 1826. See also devshirme. (p. 526, 675)

question

jesus of nazareth

answer

a teacher and prophet born in Bethlehem and active in Nazareth; his life and sermons form the basis for Christianity (circa 4 BC - AD 29)

question

judiasm

answer

is one of the oldest of monotheistic faiths. They trace themselves to israelites who created the kingdom of israel. They recorded their history and examined it for meaning in the hebrew bible

question

journeyman

answer

a person who has learned the basics of a career as an apprentice but is still learning from masters and has not yet opened his own shop

question

judicial branch

answer

the branch of the United States government responsible for the administration of justice

question

jungle

answer

An area of dense, tropical vegetation, including trees, grasses, reeds, and vines.

question

junk

answer

A very large flatbottom sailing ship produced in the Tang and Song Empires, specially designed for long-distance commercial travel. (p. 288)

question

kaiser

answer

the title of the Holy Roman Emperors or the emperors of Austria or of Germany until 1918

question

kingdom

answer

a monarchy with a king or queen as head of state

question

quran

answer

the sacred writings of Islam revealed by God to the prophet Muhammad during his life at Mecca and Medina

question

latifundia

answer

huge estates owned by wealthy families

question

latitude

answer

an imaginary line around the Earth parallel to the equator

question

legion

answer

A military unit of the ancient Roman army, made up of about 5,000 foot soldiers and a group of soldiers on horseback.

question

legislative branch

answer

the branch of government that makes the laws.

question

longitude

answer

an imaginary great circle on the surface of the earth passing through the north and south poles at right angles to the equator

question

luddites

answer

Any of a group of British workers who between 1811 and 1816 rioted and destroyed laborsaving textile machinery in the belief that such machinery would diminish employment.

question

magna carta

answer

This document, signed by King John of Endland in 1215, is the cornerstone of English justice and law. It declared that the king and government were bound by the same laws as other citizens of England. It contained the antecedents of the ideas of due process and the right to a fair and speedy trial that are included in the protection offered by the U.S. Bill of Rights

question

matrilineal

answer

relating to a social system in which family descent and inheritance rights are traced through the mother

question

means of production

answer

the resources (lands, tools, equipment, factories, transportation, and labor) essential to the production and distribution of goods and services

question

medici (family)

answer

aristocratic Italian family of powerful merchants and bankers who ruled Florence in the 15th century

question

medieval

answer

Literally 'middle age,' a term that historians of Europe use for the period ca. 500 to ca. 1500, signifying its intermediate point between Greco-Roman antiquity and the Renaissance.

question

mercenary

answer

a professional soldier hired by a foreign army

question

metic

answer

a foreigner who is not a citizen but is protected by the laws of athens. Metics were usually shopkeepers, traders, craftsmen, or moneylenders.

question

metropolitian

answer

of or pertaining to a large city, its surrounding suburbs, and other neighboring communities.

question

migrate

answer

move from one country or region to another and settle there

question

millitarism

answer

the policy of building up strong armed forces to prepare for war

question

missionary

answer

someone sent on a mission--especially a religious or charitable mission to a foreign country

question

mohammed

answer

570-632. Born in Mecca, died in Medina. Founder of Islam. Regarded by Muslims as a prophet of God. Teachings make up the Qu'ran, the Muslim holy book.

question

monarch

answer

a king or queen who rules a country or territory

question

monarchy

answer

autocracy in which a king, queen, or emperor exercises supreme powers of government

question

nation

answer

a politically organized body of people under a single government

question

nationalism

answer

Political ideology that stresses people's membership in a nation-a community defined by a common culture and history as well as by territory. In the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, nationalism was a force for unity in western Europe

question

natural rights

answer

the idea that all humans are born with rights, which include the right to life, liberty, and property

question

new testaments

answer

part of the bible containing stories of Jesus ,his followers and later Christian idea

question

nomad

answer

a member of a people who have no permanent home but move about according to the seasons

question

oasis

answer

a fertile tract in a desert (where the water table approaches the surface)

question

old testament

answer

the collection of books comprising the sacred scripture of the Hebrews and recording their history as the chosen people

question

patriarch

answer

1. father and ruler of a family or tribe; founder 2. highly respected old man

question

patrician

answer

of the hereditary aristocracy or ruling class of ancient Rome or medieval Europe

question

patriotism

answer

The love of one's country; the passion that inspires a person to serve his or her country.

question

peninsulares

answer

Spanish-born, came to Latin America; ruled, highest social class

question

orator

answer

a person who delivers a speech or oration

question

pharoah

answer

Egyptian ruler who was believed to be the son of Re, the sun god, in human form. He had total authority over people and land.

question

plebeian

answer

common; vulgar; pertaining to the common people; N: common people in ancient Rome; CF. patrician

question

proletariat

answer

a social class comprising those who do manual labor or work for wages

question

plebiscite

answer

a vote by the electorate determining public opinion on a question of national importance

question

pope

answer

the bishop of Rome and head of the Roman Catholic Church

question

quantum theory

answer

the study of the structure and behavior of the atom and of subatomic particles from the view that all energy comes in tiny, indivisible bundles

question

rabbi

answer

Jewish religious teacher; leader of a Jewish congregation

question

radical

answer

a sign placed in front of an expression to denote that a root is to be extracted

question

reform

answer

self-improvement in behavior or morals by abandoning some vice

question

reformation

answer

A movement to improve the Roman Catholic Church. Martin Luther began it when he nailed ninety-five Theses tot he Wittenburg Church in Germany. He began the Lutheran religion, and other religions followed. ex: John Wesley and the Methodist Church, John Calvin and the Presbyterian Church, and Henry VIII and the Church of England (because he wanted a divorce, and the Pop wouldn't grant him one).

question

renaissance

answer

The great period of rebirth in art, literature, and learning in the 14th-16th centuries, which marked the transition into the modern periods of European history

question

republic

answer

a political system in which the supreme power lies in a body of citizens who can elect people to represent them

question

revolution

answer

a drastic and far-reaching change in ways of thinking and behaving

question

rhetoric

answer

the art of using words effectively in speaking or writing; inflated language

question

sermon on the mount

answer

One of Jesus' first and most famous proclamation of the Gospel. The Beatitudes and the Lord's Prayer are among some of the teachings given in the Sermon on the Mount.

question

silt

answer

Loose sedimentary material containing very small rock particles, formed by river deposits and very fertile.

question

socialism

answer

a theory or system of social organization that advocates the vesting of the ownership and control of the means of production and distribution, of capital, land, etc., in the community as a whole.

question

superpower

answer

Nations with enough military, political, and economic strength to influence events in many areas around the globe

question

suttee

answer

a ritual that required a woman to throw herself on her late husband's funeral pyre or burn herself. This was done gladly and if a woman didn't comply with this she would be disgraced.

question

taiga

answer

The northernmost edge of the boreal forest, including species-poor woodland and peat deposits; intergrading with the arctic tundra

question

ten commandments

answer

A set of laws for responsible behavior, which, according to the Bible, were given to Moses by God.

question

tepee

answer

dwelling built by Plains Indians, made of poles arranged in a circle covered by buffalo hides

question

terrorist

answer

characteristic of someone who employs terrorism (especially as a political weapon)

question

totalitarian

answer

characterized by a government in which the political authority exercises absolute and centralized control

question

triangular trade

answer

the transatlantic trading network along which slaves and other goods were carried between Africa, England, Europe, the West Indies, and the colonies in the Americas

question

upanishad

answer

sanskrit texts written by several different authors that date from 1000 to 6000 BC. Use stories to convey difficult ideas. Emphasize that there is a single principle underlying all existence-- Brahman.

question

utopia

answer

- A perfect world, or paradise. Sir Thomas More wrote a book called Utopia (1516) , which was a social criticism on England spurred by the encountering of new cultures in the New World. The idea was explored that communal living and equality, without greed for gold and silver or personal gain, would bring universal happiness.

question

vassal

answer

a person under the protection of a feudal lord to whom he or she owes allegiance; a subordinate or dependent; a servant

question

war of attrition

answer

Trench warfare between Germany and France. Called War of Attrition(wearing down) because the goal was to break down the enemy. There was no winner after 3 years of fighting.

question

yoga

answer

Hindu discipline aimed at training the consciousness for a state of perfect spiritual insight and tranquility that is achieved through the three paths of actions and knowledge and devotion

question

ziggurat

answer

a tiered, pyramid-shaped structure that formed part of a Sumerian temple

question

zionism

answer

A worldwide movement, originating in the 19th century that sought to establish and develop a Jewish nation in Palestine. Since 1948, its function has been to support the state of Israel.

question

scribe

answer

someone employed to make written copies of documents and manuscripts

question

canon

answer

a collection of books accepted as holy scripture especially the books of the Bible recognized by any Christian church as genuine and inspired

world history vocabulary words – Flashcards

Unlock all answers in this set

Haven't found what you were looking for?

Search for samples, answers to your questions and flashcards