AP World History Vocabulary Flashcards
1
Q
Culture
A
Human ways of living
2
Q
Archeology
A
Study of human activity in the past;
primarily through the recovery and analysis of the material culture and environmental data that they have left behind, which includes artifacts, architecture, biofacts, and cultural landscapes
3
Q
Paleolithic
A
(Old Stone Age)
Time period before writing, however, includes cave paintings
4
Q
Neolithic
A
(New Stone Age)
Time period characterized by permanent villages, agriculture, and domestication
5
Q
Empires
A
Groups of territories under one government
6
Q
Ziggurat
A
Sumerian temple
7
Q
Monarchy
A
Rule by King or Queen
8
Q
Hereditary
A
Passed down from parent to child
9
Q
Theocracy
A
A government in which religious and political leadership is held by the same person
10
Q
Dynasty
A
Line of rulers from one family
Ex: Shang, T’ang, and Song dynasties
11
Q
Scribes
A
Ancient writers
male or female; educated
12
Q
Cuneiform
A
Sumerian system of writing
13
Q
Delta
A
Fan-shaped area of swampy land
14
Q
Embalming
A
Process used to preserve a dead body
Ex: Egyptian mummies
15
Q
Mummy
A
A wrapped body
16
Q
Pharaoh
A
Egyptian ruler
17
Q
Tribute
A
Taxes
18
Q
Cultural Diffusion
A
Exchange of ideas and customs among different regions
19
Q
Monotheism
A
Worship of ONE god, or deity
Ex: Christianity; Judaism
20
Q
Hieroglyphics
A
Egyptian writing system of picture symbols, or pictograms
21
Q
Deity
A
In religious belief, a deity is a supernatural being who may be thought of as holy, divine, or sacred;
a god
22
Q
Relic
A
Statue or holy object
23
Q
Papyrus
A
Reed from the Nile used to make paper of the same name
24
Q
Colonies
A
Permanent settlements
25
Tribes
Groups having a common language and culture
26
Exodus
Escape
27
Prophets
Religious reformers
28
Satrap
Governor of a Persian Province
29
Subcontinent
Large land mass like a continent, only smaller
30
Monsoon
Seasonal winds
31
Citadel
Fortress
32
Pictograms
Picture symbols
33
Linguists
Scientists who study the world's languages
34
Rajah
Indian chief
35
Dasyus
Enslaved people who performed manual labor for the Aryans
36
Varnas
Four main Aryan social groups
| caste system
37
Brahmans
Aryan priests
38
Kshatriyas
Aryan group made up of warriors
39
Vaishyas
Aryan group made up of merchants, artisans, and farmers
40
Shudras
Lowest Aryan group made up of unskilled laborers and servants
41
Reincarnation
Belief that the soul has to live in many bodies in many lifetimes
42
Karma
Every action of a person in one life influences how he or she will be born in the next life
43
Dharma
Hindu set of rules that determines moral conduct
44
Moksha
State of complete oneness with Brahman
| Hinduism
45
Gurus
Wandering religious teachers of India
46
Nirvana
State of complete oneness with the universe
| Buddhism
47
Stupas
Large stone mounds built over bones of Buddhist saints
48
Yoga
Hindu physical exercise to discipline the mind and body
49
Loess
Rich yellow soil found in northern China
50
Ethics
Study of moral principles
51
Yin
Force representing serenity, darkness, and coldness
| Chinese principle; feminine
52
Yang
Chinese principle - fury, light, and heat
| masculine
53
Civil Service
Bureaucracy in which officials are hired on the basis of examination
54
Mandarin
Class of scholarly civil servants in China
55
Acupuncture
Method of treating pain by piercing the skin with needles at vital points
56
Pagoda
Chinese tower-like temple
57
Typhoons
Hurricanes (Northwest Pacific)
58
Clans
Groups based on family ties
59
Logic
Science of reasoning
60
Aristocrats
Nobles who owned land
61
Bards
Storytellers
| a person who composed and recited epic or heroic poems
62
Polis
Greek city-state
63
Acropolis
Fortified hill (of a Greek city-state)
64
Agora
Public Square
65
Phalanx
Infantry unit armed with spears and swords that fought in close formation
66
Tyrants
Greek leaders who championed the common people and promised to give them better government
67
Ostracism
Greek practice by which the people voted to exile an undesirable politician for ten years
68
Helots
Spartan slaves
69
Ephors
Spartan officials who managed public affairs
70
Tragedies
Stories about human suffering that often have unhappy endings
71
Trilogy
Set of three (plays)
Ex: The "Lord of the Rings" trilogy; the "Maze Runner" trilogy
72
Comedy
Play with a humorous theme and a happy ending
73
Sophists
Greek tutors
74
Rhetoric
Public speaking
75
Olympiad
Four-year interval between Olympic Games
76
Socratic Method
Teaching method developed by Socrates
77
Hypothesis
A possible explanation; a step in the scientific method
78
Hippodrome
Racetrack
| If you're like Britney, just imagine hippos racing!
79
Republic
A government in which the people elect their leaders
Ex: United States of America
80
Patricians
Roman aristocrats
| from the Latin word "patricius" (pl. "patricii"), which comes from "patrēs," the plural of "pater," meaning "father."
81
Plebeians
Non-aristocratic Romans; (commoners)
*Mr. Peck spells it "Plebians," but that's incorrect...*
82
Consuls
Two Roman executive officials elected for one-year terms
83
Veto
Refuse to approve
84
Dictator
Absolute ruler
85
Censors
Keepers of tax and population records
| Just remember census
86
Senators
300 representatives in the Roman Senate
87
Centuries
Military units of 100 men each
88
Tribunes
Ten Plebeian representatives in the Roman Republic
89
Legions
Units of the Roman Army
90
Indemnity
Payment for war damages
91
Publicans
Roman officials who collected taxes
92
Latifundia
Large Roman Estates
*"Latifundia" IS plural; "Latifundium" is singular - it uses the 2nd Declension Neuter chart. ... It is NOT "Latifundias"...*
93
Triumvirate
Group of three persons with equal power
94
Emperor
Monarch with absolute power over a large territory
95
Basilicas
Roman assembly halls; models for early Christian churches
96
Soothsayers
Priests of Rome who foretold the future
97
Messiah
Jewish Savior
| Jesus
98
Yeshivas
Special academies in which Jewish scholars studied the Torah
99
Disciples
Followers
100
Crucified
Roman form of execution
| Crucifixion
101
Churches
Christian communities formed for worship, fellowship, and instruction
102
Apostles
Christian missionaries
103
Mystery Religions
Religions in the Roman Empire that believed in Mythical heroes, staged elaborate rituals, and promised a life after death
104
Parish
Local church
105
Presbyter
Church Priest
106
Diocese
Unit of Church government made up of several parishes and headed by a Bishop
107
Bishop
Head of a Diocese
108
Archbishops
Leading Bishops in the Christian Church
| Usually become Pope
109
Classical
Greek or Roman
110
Theology
Religious teachings
111
Ethnic Group
Large group of people having common traits and customs
112
Clergy
Church officials
113
Laity
Church members who are not clergy
| Congregation
114
Dowry
Wealth a woman brought with her when she married
115
Greek Fire
Chemical mixture that ignited when it came into contact with fire
116
Icons
Sacred picture or images used in Church worship
117
Doctrine
Official church teaching
118
Patriarchs
Five leading archbishops
119
Heresy
False doctrine
| In modern times, a heretic is often associated with a non-believer
120
Inflation
Steady rise in prices
121
Iconoclasts
```
Image breakers
(destroy icons, especially religious)
```
122
Schism
Separation of the Church into the Roman Catholic Church in the West and the Eastern Orthodox Church in the East
123
Sultan
Ruler
| Most likely in the Middle East or Muslim countries
124
Hierarchy
Society of ranked order of social groups
Ex: Hierarchy of the Catholic Church
125
Regents
Women who governed the empire as temporary rulers
126
Sanctuary
Altar area
127
Mosaic
Byzantine art form made by fitting small flat pieces of stone or colored glass to form a picture or design
128
Steppe
Territory in Europe that begins in Europe and extends eastward into Asia
(plains)
129
Izbas
Russian log cabins
130
Principalities
Territories ruled by Princes
131
Boyars
Councils of wealthy merchants and landed nobles; Russian nobles
132
Khan
Absolute ruler; Mongol leader
133
Nomadic
Wandering groups of Arabs who lived in the Arabian Peninsula
134
Bedouins
Arab peoples who roamed the desert in search of pasture and water
135
Sheikh
Chief (head of a tribe); based on leadership abilities and consent of the tribe
136
Hanifs
Righteous men who denounced the worship of idols, lived simple lives, and believed in one God
137
Revelation
Vision
138
Suras
Chapters in the Koran (Quran) arranged with longer verses appearing first and shorter verses appearing last
139
Shari'a
Islamic moral code organized in a code of law
140
Imam
Prayer leader
141
Infidels
Unbelievers
142
Polygamy
When a person has more than one spouse
143
Minarets
Towers in which people were called to prayer
| Found in Middle East
144
Bazaar
Marketplace
145
Arabesque
Type of decoration used to decorate books, rugs, swords, and entire walls
146
Calligraphy
The art of elegant handwriting
147
Patrons
Sponsors
148
Chronicles
Lists of events arranged by year
149
Abbot
Monastery head
150
Mayors of the Palace
Government officials in 8th century Frankish kingdom
151
Papacy
Office of the Pope
152
Counts
Local officials
153
Missi Dominici
Royal envoys of Charlemagne
154
Feudalism
Social organization characterized by ties of loyalty and duty among nobles, landholding, and rule by local officials
155
Fiefs
Feudal estates with peasants
156
Knights
Feudal mounted warriors
157
Zakat
Income tax collected by the state used for schools or to help the poor
(Muslim requirement)
158
Hajj
Pilgrimage
| Islam
159
Caliph
Muslim leader
160
Jihad
Holy war
161
Vassal
Feudal nobles who served a lord of the next higher rank
162
Homage
Feudal ceremony during which a noble becomes a vassal to a lord
163
Tournaments
Special contests among knights
164
Joust
Tournament event during which two knights in armor attempted to knock each other to the ground with long wooden lances
165
Page
Assistant in the castle of a lord; first stage of training for knighthood
166
Squire
Second stage of knighthood training
167
Chivalry
Code of behavior for knights
168
Manors
Large estates
169
Manorialism
Agricultural system of the Middle Ages
| Relationship between a lord and a serf
170
Freeholders
Peasants on a manor who paid rent and provided the lord with a portion of the harvest
171
Serfs
Peasants who were bound to the soil and could not leave their manor without their lord's permission
172
Eucharist
Holy Communion
173
Mass
Church's worship service
174
Cardinals
Clergy of Rome
175
Lay Investiture
When secular rulers give symbols of office to bishops they appoint
176
Friars
Wandering preachers
177
Mendicants
Religious beggars
178
Burghers
Townspeople
179
Guilds
Business associations
180
Masters
Guild members who owned their own tools and shops
181
Troubadours
Musician-singers
182
Vernacular
Everyday speech of the common people
183
Bailiffs
Royal agents that presided over local courts, collected taxes, and commanded military forces
(England)
184
Common Law
Same legal rules for all parts of England
185
Parliaments
Meetings of the great council
186
Diet
Assembly
187
Journeymen
Experienced workers who received daily wages; worked for masters
188
Apprentices
Young workers learning a trade
189
Communes
Political groups that ended the power of the feudal lords in 12th century Italy
190
Charters
Documents giving burghers control of their own affairs
191
Grand Jury
Group of 12 people that submitted the names of people in the area suspected of crimes
192
Petty Juries
Determine guilt or innocence of accused
193
Peers
Equals
194
Burgesses
Important townspeople
195
Yurts
Moveable tents of the Mongols
196
Yasa
Code of Mongol laws
197
Grand Vizier
Prime Minister of the Ottoman Empire
198
Millet
Ottoman religious community
199
Sultanate
Kingdom
200
Junks
Chinese ships
201
Isolationism
Avoidance of ties with other countries
202
Shogun
Japanese Commander-in-Chief
203
Shogunate
Military government of Japan with Shogun as head
204
Samurai
Japanese warrior landlords
205
Daimyo
Group of powerful Samurai
206
Sumo
Japanese form of wrestling
207
Bushido
Samurai code of honor
208
Humanism
Interest in classical writings (Greek and Roman)
209
Humanists
Italian scholars who promoted Humanism
210
Sonnets
Short poems
211
Signori
Powerful leaders of Italian city-states
212
Sects
Religious groups
213
Depression
Economic decline
214
Gentry
Lower nobility
215
Commoners
Non-nobles
216
Dictatorships
Governments controlled by one person or group
217
Perspective
Painting technique used to create depth
218
Reformation
Change in the ways the Church taught and practiced Christianity
219
Simony
Selling of Church positions
220
Indulgences
Documents issued by the Church that freed their owners from time in purgatory
221
Purgatory
Place of suffering in the life to come
222
Theses
Statements
223
Ministers
Religious leaders of Protestant groups
224
Vocations
Callings in which people could serve God and their neighbors
225
Predestination
Belief that God determines the fate of every human being
226
Elect
God's chosen people
227
Seminary
School to train priests
228
Lateen sail
Triangular-shaped sail
229
Rudder
Device used to steer a ship
230
Compass
Navigational tool used to determine geographical direction
231
Astrolabe
Navigational tool used to determine latitude
232
Joint Stock Companies
Business organizations formed for the purpose of selling shares
233
Entrepreneurs
Individuals that combine money, raw materials, and labor to make goods
234
Mercantilism
Theory of national economic policy in which wealth means power
235
Bullion
Gold and silver; money (precious metals)
236
Balance of Trade
Nation's exports versus its imports
237
Mutiny
To overthrow a ship's officers and take over the ship
238
Line of Demarcation
Imaginary line dividing land
239
Scurvy
Disease caused by the lack of Vitamin C
