Key Terms of Global History

1. Key Terms of Global History

2. NOMAD • Definition: person who moves from place to place in search of food • Theme: Movement of people and goods • Historical Connection: Paleolithic period. People traveled in small groups, and began to develop language, tools, and social structures.

3. CULTURAL DIFFUSION • Definition: the exchange of ideas, customs, goods, and technologies among cultures. • Theme: Movement of people and goods. Culture and Intellectual Life. Economic systems. Science and technology. • Historical Connection: People started to create alliances through trade. Communities began to develop. People began to settle in one area.

4. TECHNOLOGY • Definition:tools and skills people use to meet their basic needs. • Theme: Science and technology. Turning points. Change. Culture and intellectual life. • Historical Connection: People started to develop communities. Civilizations began to develop social systems. Government, religion, and writing.

5. CIVILIZATION • Definition: Community characterized by elements such as a system of writing, development of social classes, and cities. • Theme: Change. Turning point. Political systems. Diversity and interdependence. Science and technology. • Historical Connection: Systems of government, roads, cities, and art began to develop. Alliances and enemies began to surface.

6. EMPIRE • Definition: group of states or territories governed by one ruler. • Theme: Turning point. Political system. Nationalism. Imperialism. Culture and intellectual life. • Historical Connection: Leaders started to display influence over large areas of land and people. Political systems began to lay the foundation for societies.

7. DYNASTY • Definition: ruling family • Theme: Political systems. • Historical Connections: Families began to display authority over long periods of time. Egyptians were famous for dynastic ruling classes.

8. Polytheistic • Definition: believing in many gods. • Theme: Belief systems. Cultural and intellectual life. • Historical Connection: Many early civilizations practiced this form of religion. The Hindu religion is polytheistic. The early Greeks and Romans were also polytheistic.

9. DIRECT DEMOCRACY • Definition: system of government in which citizens participate directly rather than through elected representatives. • Theme: Political systems. Nationalism. • Historical Connection: The ancient Greeks used this method of democracy. Men were encouraged to participate in the day-to-day running of the government.

10. HELLINISTIC • Definition: type of culture, resulting from Alexander the Great’s conquests, that blended eastern and western influences. • Theme: Change. Turning point. Geography. Political system. Imperialism. Movement of people and goods. • Historical Connection: This assimilation allowed Alexander to peacefully incorporate many people into the Greek world.

11. REPUPLIC • Definition: system of government in which officials are chosen by the people. • Theme: Political system. • Historical Connection: The United States is based on the democratic values that the Early Roman Republic initiated.

12. REINCARNATION • Definition: in Hinduism, the rebirth of the soul in a new body. • Theme: Belief system. • Historical Connection: This belief structure teaches people that their actions determine whether or not they will return to Earth to try and achieve Nirvana. Gandhi was a Hindu.

13. KARMA • Definition: in Hinduism, all the deeds of one’s life that affect existence in the next life. • Theme: Belief system. Culture and intellectual life • Historical Connection: This belief is instrumental in helping the ruling class to keep order by utilizing religion. The largest Hindu population is located in India.

14. DHARMA • Definition: in Hinduism, the moral and religious duties that are expected of an individual. • Theme: Belief system. Culture and intellectual life • Historical Connection: The concept of Dharma helps people to share religious values and beliefs. It ties people together under one religious set of codes of conduct.

15. Nirvana • Definition: in Buddhism, union with the universe and release from the cycle of death and rebirth. • Theme: Belief systems. • Historical Connection: The spread of Buddhism helped to create a way of living one’s life that was based on compassion and kindness. Buddhism originated in India then spread to China.

16. MONOTHEISTIC • Definition: believing in one god. • Theme: Belief system. • Historical Connection: When the Hebrews were enslaved in Egypt they began to worship one god, the protector. The religion they began was the foundation for Judaism (Jewish).

17. Messiah • Definition: Jewish word for savior sent by god. • Theme: Belief system. • Historical Connection: Jesus was believed to be the new messiah sent by his father, God. The Romans and Jews were worried about Jesus’ popularity, so they crucified him

18. Caliph • Definition: successor to Muhammad as political and religious leader of the Muslims • Theme: Belief system. Political systems. Culture and intellectual life. • Historical Connection: After the death of Muhammad in 632, the Islamic faith began to grow in popularity throughout the Arab lands. Abu Bakr was the first caliph.

19. FEUDALISM • Definition: system of government in which local lords control their own lands but owe military service and other support to a greater lord • Theme: Economic systems. Political systems. • Historical Connection: This practice was commonly practiced during the Middle ages, or medieval period (500-1400s).

20. MANORIALISM • Definition: an economic system structured around a lord’s manor or estate. • Theme: Geography. Economic Systems. • Historical Connection: During the medieval period this was a common way for lords to keep the peasants economically tied to the farmland.

21. CHIVALRY • Definition: the code of conduct followed by knights during the Middle Ages. • Theme: Belief system. Culture and intellectual life. Justice and Human rights • Historical Connections: In medieval times there were many wars. The chivalrous code laid the foundation for training knights for battle, as well as being brave, loyal, and true to their word.

22. SERF • Definition: in medieval Europe, peasant bound to the lord’s land. • Theme: Political systems. Justice and human rights. Conflict • Historical Connections: In the Middle Ages the serfs were instrumental to the success of the manor, or estate. Serfs were not slaves.

23. EXCOMMUNICATE • Definition: to exclude from the Roman Catholic Church as a penalty for refusing to obey Church laws. • Theme: Belief systems. Conflict. • Historical Connection: Throughout history Popes often times “kicked-out” people for not doing what the Church wanted them to do.

24. SECULAR • Definition: having to do with worldly rather than religious matters. • Theme: Political system. Economic system. Justice and human rights. • Historical Connection: During the Middle Ages two distinct Church's grew to power. The Roman Catholic church had authority and control over medieval society outside of the church.

25. MONASTARIES • Definition: community where men or women focus on spiritual goals. • Theme: Belief systems. Culture and intellectual life. Diversity and interdependence. • Historical Connection: Monasteries were instrumental at preserving important written documents, and helping the poor.

26. SHOGUN • Definition: in Japanese feudal system, top military commander. • Theme: Belief system. Geography. Political system • Historical Connection: The shoguns set up dynasties, and exerted control over the people.

27. DAIMYO • Definition: in feudal Japan, warrior lords who held a place below the shogun. • Theme: Belief system. Political system. • Historical Connections: These individuals were given land to watch over by the shoguns. They had to lend military support in exchange.

28. SAMURAI • Definition: member of the warrior class in Japanese feudal society. • Theme: Belief system. Political system. Culture and intellectual life. • Historical Connections: Samurai means “those who serve”. Samurais held strict codes of conduct, loyalty and honor were stressed.

29. BUSHIDO“The Way of the Warrior” • Definition: code of conduct for samurai during feudal period in Japan. • Theme: Belief system. Change. Justice and human rights. • Historical Connection: The Daimyo used a samurai’s pledge to be loyal as a way to keep order on their lands.

30. GUILD • Definition: A type of trade association of merchants or artisans that was active in the Middle ages. • Theme: Economic system. Culture & intellectual life. • Historical Connection: Guilds were the equivalent of modern day unions. Guilds would protect their members and make sure their interests were secured.

31. Apprentice • Definition: young person learning a trade from a master. • Theme: Economic system. Movement of people and goods. • Historical Connection: families would often times give their children to a master to ensure their future as a professional.

32. Capitalism • Definition: Economic system in which the means of production are privately owned and operated for profit. • Theme: Economic system. Movement of people and goods. • Historical Connection: Capitalism began to flourish towards the end of the Middle Ages. Merchants began to have control over society due to their ability to generate income.

33. Humanism • Definition: Intellectual movement at the heart of the Renaissance that focused on worldly subjects rather than religious ones. • Theme: Change. Turning point. Culture and intellectual life. • Historical Connection: People during this period began to develop theories on how to better one’s life. Also, the arts began to flourish.

34. Common Law • Definition: Uniform system of justice, developed in England, based on court decisions that became accepted legal principles • Theme: Political system. Justice and human rights. • Historical Connection: This belief that all men were equal under the law was instrumental in the development of modern law making policies.

35. Sultan • Definition: Muslim ruler. • Theme: Belief system. Political System. • Historical Connection: The Turks were the first to refer to their leaders as Sultans. Suleiman was one of the most famous Turkish sultans.

36. Mosque • Definition: Muslim house of worship. • Theme: Belief system. Culture and intellectual life. • Historical Connection: The most famous Mosque is located in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. Islamic law states that all able Muslims must make a pilgrimage to Mecca once in their lives.

37. Imperialism • Definition: Domination by one country of the political, economic, or cultural life of another country of region. • Theme: Economic system. Political system. Conflict. • Historical Connection: Powerful European nations began to spread their power throughout the world in attempts to strengthen their control.

38. Sepoy • Definition: Indian soldier serving in the army set up by the British or French East India companies. • Theme: Turning point. Political system. Imperialism. • Historical Connection: When the British made alliances with local Indian leaders they incorporated the locals into the Imperialistic military force. Making the locals dependent on Imperial protection.

39. Conquistador • Definition: name, meaning “conqueror”, for certain explorers of the 1500s and 1600s. • Theme: Change. Turning point. • Historical Connection: Hernan Cortes was one of histories most famous conquistadors. He was responsible for the destruction of the Aztec empire.

40. Plantation • Definition: Large estate ran by an owner or overseer. • Theme: Economic system. Geography. • Historical Connection: Slaves were the primary work force on most southern American plantations.

41. Encomienda • Definition: System created by Spanish government in the Americas allowing colonists to demand labor or tribute from Native Americans • Theme: Imperialism. Economic system. Conflict. • Historical Connection: Conquistadors would force Indians to plant crops under threat of death. Spanish began to import African slaves when many Indians died.

42. Mercantilism • Definition: Economic policy by which a nation sought to export more than it imported in order to build its national wealth. • Theme: Economic system. Political system. Nationalism. • Historical Connection: many of the early European civilizations used this method to exert control over colonies in the Americas.