Key Terms of Global History Regents Preparation

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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).

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

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.

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).

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.