Agrarian
Relating to fields for farming
Analysis
Separating a whole entry into its component parts for examination
Artifact
Something made or altered by humans for a practical purpose (used for historical analysis, especially before writing)
Assimilation
To incorporate and absorb into surrounding enviroment
Barter
To trade one commodity for another without the use of money
BC / BCE
Before Christ / Before Common Era
AD / CE
Anno Domini ( in the year of our Lord) / Common Era
Bias
Tendency toward prejudice; personal judgment
Bureaucracy
A body of non-elected government officials that make policy
Capitalism
Economic System characterized by private ownership, free-enterprise and lack of government in the economy
Cash Crop
A readily salable crop produced primarily for market (ex: cotton, tobacco)
Century
A grouping of 100 years
Chronology
An arrangement of events in order of occurence (1st to last)
Circa
At, in or approximately; used especially with dates (ex. Circa 1570)
Circum - Maritime
World-Wide, Ocean-Going trade
City - State
An autonomous state consisting of a city and surrounding territory
Civilization
A relatively high level of cultural and technological development (including writing)
Codify
To classify and formally write down
Colonialism
Control by one power or country over a dependent area and/or people
Command Economy
Economic system where activity is controlled by a central authority (gov't.) and means of production are publicily owned
Comparison
Examination of two entries, noting similarities and diffrences
Connection
A casual or logical relationship, a tie
Consumer
One that uses or utilizes economic goods and services
Continuity
Uninterrupted and/or duration without essential change(s)
Coup d'etat
A sudden, decisive exercise of force in politics; violent overthrow or altering of existing gov't by a small group
Culture
The characteristic features of a group or people: includes food, religion, etc.
Decade
A grouping of ten years
Decolonization
To be free from colonial status
Demography
The statistical study of human population especially related to size, distribution, density and vital statistics
Dictator
A person granted absolute power and control
Diffusion
Spread of culture elements form one area or group to another through contact
Diversity
Being composed of different elements (as people, races, cultures)
Domestic
Of or relating to one's own home county
Domestication
To adapt to animals and/or plants for human use or benefits
Dynasty
A succession of rulers from the same family
Ecumene
The permanently inhabited portion of the Earth
Elites
The best or highest of class, socially superior
Emancipation
Liberation, freeing (as in slaves)
Empire
A political unit having a great extent of territories or people under a single authority
Entrepot
A center of trade and transshipment
Entrepreneur
One who organizes, manages, and assumes the risk of a business or enterprise
Era
A period if time identified by prominate or characteristic features
Evolution
A process of continual change
Ethnic Group
Large groups of people classed according to common racial, national, tribal, religious, linguistic, or cultural origin or background
Ethno-Centrism
Having the attitude that one's own culture group is superior to others
Expansion
Increasing in size
Fact
Something that is provable; verifiable, actual
Federal
Relating to the national government
Federalism
In the U.S., a division of power between the national and the state government
Feudalism
Political system where underlords hold/use land in return for military protection and peasants work the land in return for protection
Forage
To wander in search of food
Gender
The behavioral, cultural or psychological traits typically associated with one sex, male or female
Genocide
The deliberate, systematic destruction of a racial, political or cultural group
Global
Of or relating to the entire world
Globolization
The development of an increasingly integrated world economy
Habitat
The place or environment where a plant, animal or person naturally lives
Hegemony
Influence of authority exerted by a dominant group over others
Hierarchy
A division into ranks, classes or orders according to political, social or economic standings
Historiography
The principles of the writing of history using critical methods
Hypothesis
An assumption or an interpretation
Ideology
A systematic body of concepts that are characteristic of an individual, group or culture
Imperialism
The policy of one country extending power/authority over another through military, economic or political means
Independence
Not subject to control by others, not affiliated with a controlling unit
Indigenous
Produced, living or occurring naturally in a particular region or enviroment
Industry
Manufacturing activity as a whole
Inflation
A continuing rise in the general price level of goods/services
Interdisciplinary
Involving two or more academic, scientific or artistic disciplines
Interpretation
A teaching technique that combines factual and explanatory information
Manumission
Formal freeing or emancipation of slaves
Maritime
Of or relating to the sea
Market Economy
Economy where most goods/services are produced and distributed through free markets
Metallurgy
Art/ science of extracting metals from their ones and modifying them for use
Methodology
A regular procedure employed by a discipline or field (such as historical interpretation)
Migration
To move from one country, place of locality to another
Millenium
A group of 1,000 years
Modernization
Transformation from a rural, agrarian society to an urban, industrial one
Monothesis
Believing in only one god
Non-Governmental org.
Legally constituted, not for profit businesses that are independent of governments (usually pursue social/political aims for charity)
Neolithic Revolution
The movement of people from food gathering to food producing/herding
Network
Interconnection group or association of persons or colleagues (i.e. trade)
Nomads
People with no fixed residence - they move place to place, usually seasonally
Pastoral
Of or relating to herdsmen and raising livestock
Parliamentary System
Gov't., system utilizing a legislative body
Patriarchy
Social organization marked by the supremacy of the father or older male and dependency of women or others
Periodization
Division of history into periods
Perspective
A mental view or prospect, a distinct impression
Polytheism
Belief in many gods
Primary Source
An eyewitness account
Propanganda
Ideas, facts or allegations spread deliberately to further one's cause or to damage an opposing cause
Pull Factors
Elements which draw people to a location
Push Factors
Elements which draw people to move away from a location
Reform
To amend or improve by change of form or removal of faults/abuses
Republic
Gov't. whose power resides in a body of citizens entitled to represent a group
Revolution
A fundamental change in political organization; especially the overthrow of one gov't/ ruler for another
Rural
Of or relating to the country, country life, people or agriculture
Secondary Source
Not an eye witness account; a person who got information from a primary source
Segregation
Isolation of a race, class or ethnic group in a restricted area with discrimination barriers to social, political or economic participation
Socialism
Economic theory emphasizing collective or gov't ownership and administration of the means of production and distribution of goods
Specialization
Apply to a direct or specific use - to concentrate one's efforts in one area
State
A politically organized body of people usually occupying a definite territory
Startified
To divide or arrange into classes or castes
Subsistence
The minimum needed to support life
Surplus
The amount that remains when use or need is satisfied
Syncretism
The combination of different forms of belief or practice
Technology
The practical application of knowledge, especially in a particular area
Thesis
A position or proposition that a person advances and offers to maintain by argument
Trait
A distinguishing quality
Tribe
A group of persons having a common character, occupation or interests
Tribute
A payment by one ruler/nation to another in acknowledgement of submission, protection or respect/superiority
Urbanization
Acquiring the characteristics that constitute a city