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9871437723AnnexationThe act of acquiring land/territory by conquest or occupation. Example: Alexander conquered most of Greece through annexation.0
9871437724AristocracyPowerful members of a society who hold hereditary titles, meaning nobility/title is determined by birth. Example: People born into the Brahman caste in India are considered aristocrats.1
9871437725AutocracyA political system ruled by one person who holds absolute power over everything and everyone. Example: Genghis Khan governed an autocracy.2
9871437726BourgeoisieA social class in between the very rich and the very poor. Example: Karl Marx believed the bourgeoisie would revolutionize Russia, but it demeaned the efforts of the working class (proletariat).3
9871437727Bronze and Iron MetallurgyThe process of extracting metals (iron and bronze) from their ores to refine and use them for various purposes such as weapons and tools. Example: Metallurgy became prominent during the Neolithic Bronze Age.4
9871437728BureaucracyA government ruled by different groups of non-elective officials, meaning these officials were not voted into their positions. Example: Ancient Rome was often ruled as a bureaucracy, as many different groups handling different aspects of society (decuriones, eirenarch, liturgy) were in charge.5
9871437729CapitalismAn economic system based on private ownership of business wealth. Basically, nobody is obligated to share anything, unlike communism. Example: The United States of America is usually considered a capitalist country, but there has been some debate.6
9871437730Caste SystemA class structure prominent in India. You cannot move out of whatever caste you're born into, as it's believed that your deed in your past life determine which caste you're born into. Example: Those born into the Dalit caste are considered untouchable by the higher castes.7
9871437731CartelAn association of manufacturers or suppliers with the purpose of, maintaining prices at a high level and restricting competition. Example: Drug cartels often try to take out competition so they're the only ones selling drugs, thus raising the price.8
9871437732Centralized GovernmentThis is when all authority and power goes to a central figure or a small group of people. Example: A monarchy is an example of a centralized government, as the king or monarch maintains absolute control over the government and the people.9
9871437733City-StatesA city that becomes an independent state, as it has its own territory, government, and culture. Example: During the MesoAmerican era, the Mayans developed many city states.10
9871437734CivilizationThis is when a group reaches an advanced stage of social development and organization. There are 5 characteristics to civilization: 1. Advanced Cities 2. Specialized Workers 3. Complex Institutions 4. Advanced Technology 5. Record Keeping11
9871437735Coercive LaborThis is when people are coerced, aka threatened or intimidated, into doing work. Example: An obvious example of coercive labor would be slavery, as masters would force and threaten slaves to do work.12
9871437736Command EconomyThis is when the government controls what goods should be produced, how much is produced, and what the prices of products should be. Example: The Soviet Union would have had a command economy, as that type of economy is associated with communism.13
9871437737CommoditiesSomething of value, usually an article of trade or commerce. Example: China traded many of their commodities along the Silk Road, such as silk, porcelain, and gunpowder.14
9871437738CommunismA political theory created by Karl Marx, in which the government is in complete control. It determines the production of goods, prices, distribution, etc, making the people rely on the government. Example: A communist government will take your chickens and give you eggs instead. The Soviet Union was a communist society.15
9871437739Coup d'etatA sudden and violent takeover of the government by a smaller group of people. Example: The assassination of Julius Caesar would be an example of a brutal coup d'etat.16
9871437740Cultural DiffusionWhen the cultural practices, such as religion or even language, of one group of people spread to another. This happened primarily through trade in history. Example: As previously mentioned, culture was spread through trade. Thus, the silk road in China greatly spread Chinese culture to surrounding countries.17
9871437741Decentralized GovernmentUnlike a centralized government, political power is shared through different branches of the government. Example: The USA has a decentralized government because not all power goes to the president. Instead, we have the legislative, executive, and judicial branches.18
9871437742DemocracyThis is when an entire population or elected officials come together and vote on a specific topic or course of action. A government ruled BY the people. Example: Athens holds a claim to fame as it is known as the first ever democracy.19
9871437743DiasporasThe scattering or migration of a people away from their homestead. Example: When capitalized, the Diaspora is known as the settlement of the Jews outside of Palestine after being exiled from Babylon.20
9871437744DynastyA powerful family that has ruled for a long time, because succession of rulers come from the same line of descent. Example: The Han Dynasty was one of the most influential and unifying dynasties in ancient China.21
9871437745EmpireVast territories and many people all under the rule of a single sovereign authority. An empire becomes an empire when a state grows powerful and conquers its neighbors and beyond. Example: One of the most well known empires is the Roman Empire, one of the most powerful empires in the world that greatly influenced western civilization.22
9871437746EntrepreneurshipWhen one is willing to develop and manage a business, despite the risks, in order to make a large profit. Example: The Agricultural Revolution paved the way to people pursuing specialized jobs, which led to artisans, who were the first entrepreneurs23
9871437747EthnocentrismFeeling a sense of superiority of one's own culture, and viewing different groups through preconceptions based on the standards of one's culture. Example: Nazi Germany was severely ethnocentric, as they believed they were superior to Jews and the rest of the world.24
9871437748Extended Family SystemThis is when not only the nuclear family lives in one household, but also their relatives, such as grandparents, cousins, and aunts and uncles. example: Many tribes in Africa partake in an extended family system.25
9871437749FeudalismA type of government that relied on a give and take way of doing things.26
9871437750Filial PietyBased on Confucian teachings, filial piety is respecting and honoring ones parents, elders, and ancestors. Ancestral worship was very important in Chinese society. Example: Taking care of one's parents as they grow older would be an example of filial piety.27
9871437751GenocideThe mass murder of a national, racial, political, or ethnic group. Example: One of the largest genocides in history would be the Holocaust, as it targeted a specific group of people.28
9871437752GlobalizationThis is when local businesses reach out to other markets around the world, increasing cultural exchange. Example: China's Silk Road reached as far as India and Rome. This allowed the Chinese to easily spread their culture to places through trade.29
9871437753HegemonyThis is when one state/country/group dominates over its allies. The dominating force can push its own social, cultural, ideological, or economical beliefs onto others. Example: Hegemony was present in the Delian League, as Athens used its influence to dominate it and collect money from other city states.30
9871437754IdeologyThe usually political beliefs or ideas of a certain group of people. Ideology can also be religious doctrines, myths, etc. Example: Some people have a Republican ideology while others have a democratic one. In history, Karl Marx had a communist and socialist ideology, thus introducing Marxism.31
9871437755InfrastructureThe basic physical and organizational factors that help a society or enterprise. Basically, the fundamental systems that support the country/city. Example: Examples of infrastructures in society would be means of transportation, communication systems, governmental policies, etc.32
9871437756InterdependenceWhen two or more things are dependent on each other so that both their needs are met. Example: In feudalism, serfs and lords were interdependent, as the serfs provided labor for the lord in exchange for protection.33
9871437757Market EconomyAn economy in which prices and services are determined based on the interactions between citizens and businesses. The government is not very involved. Example: Socialist and communist countries do not have a market economy, as that is primarily a capitalist approach.34
9871437758MatriarchyA society where thin gs like the government and/or households are controlled by women. Females in high positions in church would also be deemed matriarchal. Example: The modern Mosuo tribe in China is considered matriarchal. There were very few matriarchal societies in history.35
9871437759MercantilismThis was an economic system that emerged during the 1800s while feudalism was decaying. It unified and increased power and wealth in a nation by using strict governmental supervision over commercial interests (trade, agricultural development, etc). Example: Mercantilism was used in Britain, as policies like the Navigation Acts were produced from it.36
9871437760MonotheismThe belief that there is only one God, who is in control of all the Earth and the Universe. Examples: Religions such as Christianity and Islam are monotheistic.37
9871437761NationalismWhen one feels more pride for their country of origin than other countries. A person with a nationalistic view believes their country's culture and doctrines are superior. Example: A sense of nationalism grows in America on the 4th of July.38
9871437762Nation-StateWhen a group of people who share a common culture, language, and ethnicity live in a sovereign state together, it is called a nation-state. Example: Japan is considered a nation-state because most of its people are culturally similar, with a low immigration rate.39
9871437763Nuclear Family SystemA nuclear family system is another way of saying immediate family, meaning it's a group that consists of a only a mother, father, and their children. Example: I am part of a nuclear family system because I live with only my parents and siblings.40
9871437764PastoralismA type of agriculture that deals with domesticating and raising livestock. Example: The Agricultural Revolution was brought on by people practicing pastoralism, as it enabled them to stay in one place instead of continuing as nomads.41
9871437765PatriarchalA society where things like the government and/or households are controlled by men. Males in high positions in a church would also be considered patriarchal. Example: Roman society would be classified as patriarchal, because men were not only the holders of top government positions, but there were also the heads of their household.42
9871437766PeriodizationThe practice of dividing history into different sections or periods. This makes studying and analyzing history a lot easier. Example: The Middle Ages and the Renaissance are divided and classified as different periods i history.43
9871437767PolytheismThe belief that there is more than one God. Many ancient civilizations shared this belief. Sometimes the gods all shared equal power, versus one dominating the rest. Example: Greek and Roman theology shared the same set of numerous gods, just with different names, making both cultures polytheistic.44
9871437768Pre-ColumbianThe pre-Columbian era is the period of time in the Americas before Christopher Columbus arrived in 1492. Example: The MesoAmerican civilization known as the Mayans lived from 1800 BC - 250 AD. This means they lived during the pre-Columbian period.45
9871437769Primary SourceA primary source is a piece of historical evidence, such as an artifact, written text, or a recording, that was created at the time that is being studied. Example: A book written about Nero's rule by one of his subjects at the time would be considered a primary source.46
9871437770ProletariatPeople in the proletariat class are often referred to as the working class. They rely on daily employment and commonly earn their wages from manual labor. Example: A wage worker or someone in a lower class would be considered a proletariat. Karl Marx believed all proletariats were wage workers who had nothing of value except their labor.47
9871437771Scholar GentryThe scholar gentry was a social class in Han China. They were all very educated men who mostly stayed in villages or cities and carried out social welfare issues and many other activities, such as teaching. Example: Scholar gentry members rarely ever became government officials. They did, however, play a role in collecting taxes and maintaining local laws.48
9871437772Secondary SourceA secondary source is information obtained from a second-hand account of an event. In other words, the information did not come from someone who experienced the event in person. Example: An example of a secondary source would be books or articles written by scholars or historians.49
9871437773SecularSecular means worldly, or non-religious. Example: Henry IV wanted to separate the church from the state, as Pope Gregory VII claimed the church has more power than he did.50
9871437774Silk RoadA large system of trade routes used throughout Asia and connected to other regions such as Africa and India. The network was built in the Han Dynasty. Example: The Silk Road got its name because silk was a prominent export in China, as was porcelain and even gunpowder.51
9871437775SinificationThis word is used to describe the spread of Chinese culture in other areas, such as Korea and Japan. Sinification was prominent during the Tang and Song dynasties. Example: the Taika Reforms were a result of sinification in Japan, as the Japanese attempted to make their monarch a Chinese-like emperor and brought back aristocratic power after a failed bureaucracy.52
9871437776SlaveryThe act of being subjected to forced labor, without pay, under a dominating figure. slaves are expected to work and obey against their will, with no promise of freedom. Example: although now illegal, slavery was very prominent in America during the 1800s.53
9871437777Social Stratification (hierarchy)When a society creates a system that classifies groups of people into varying classes. Placement can depend on factors such as occupation, income, wealth, birth, or social status. Example: Systems like feudalism and India's caste system are examples of social stratification, or hierarchy.54
9871437778SocialismA political/economic theory that states the means of production, distribution, and exchange of individuals should be shared/owned by the entire community. Example: If one person buys/earns two chickens, they are obligated to give one to their neighbor.55
9871437779Specialization of LaborThis is when people specialize in specific areas of work or enterprise, as to accomplish tasks faster. Example: As hunter-gatherer era people began to develop and create a food surplus, there was more time available for people to work in different jobs, thus making them artisans and furthering their civilization.56
9871437780Terrace FarmingA form of agriculture where crops are grown on the sides of hills/mountains. This is done using terraces that gradually create a slope. Example: The practice of terrace farming originated with the Incas, who used it to farm on the harsh terrain of the Andes Mountains.57

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