AP World History Vocabulary Terms and Definitions

Relating to fields for farming

Separating a whole entry into its component parts for examination

Something made or altered by humans for a practical purpose (used for historical analysis, especially before writing)

To incorporate and absorb into surrounding enviroment

To trade one commodity for another without the use of money

Before Christ / Before Common Era

Anno Domini ( in the year of our Lord) / Common Era

Tendency toward prejudice; personal judgment

A body of non-elected government officials that make policy

Economic System characterized by private ownership, free-enterprise and lack of government in the economy

A readily salable crop produced primarily for market (ex: cotton, tobacco)

A grouping of 100 years

An arrangement of events in order of occurence (1st to last)

At, in or approximately; used especially with dates (ex. Circa 1570)

World-Wide, Ocean-Going trade

An autonomous state consisting of a city and surrounding territory

A relatively high level of cultural and technological development (including writing)

To classify and formally write down

Control by one power or country over a dependent area and/or people

Economic system where activity is controlled by a central authority (gov't.) and means of production are publicily owned

Examination of two entries, noting similarities and diffrences

A casual or logical relationship, a tie

One that uses or utilizes economic goods and services

Uninterrupted and/or duration without essential change(s)

A sudden, decisive exercise of force in politics; violent overthrow or altering of existing gov't by a small group

The characteristic features of a group or people: includes food, religion, etc.

A grouping of ten years

To be free from colonial status

The statistical study of human population especially related to size, distribution, density and vital statistics

A person granted absolute power and control

Spread of culture elements form one area or group to another through contact

Being composed of different elements (as people, races, cultures)

Of or relating to one's own home county

To adapt to animals and/or plants for human use or benefits

A succession of rulers from the same family

The permanently inhabited portion of the Earth

The best or highest of class, socially superior

Liberation, freeing (as in slaves)

A political unit having a great extent of territories or people under a single authority

A center of trade and transshipment

One who organizes, manages, and assumes the risk of a business or enterprise

A period if time identified by prominate or characteristic features

A process of continual change

Large groups of people classed according to common racial, national, tribal, religious, linguistic, or cultural origin or background

Having the attitude that one's own culture group is superior to others

Increasing in size

Something that is provable; verifiable, actual

Relating to the national government

In the U.S., a division of power between the national and the state government

Political system where underlords hold/use land in return for military protection and peasants work the land in return for protection

To wander in search of food

The behavioral, cultural or psychological traits typically associated with one sex, male or female

The deliberate, systematic destruction of a racial, political or cultural group

Of or relating to the entire world

The development of an increasingly integrated world economy

The place or environment where a plant, animal or person naturally lives

Influence of authority exerted by a dominant group over others

A division into ranks, classes or orders according to political, social or economic standings

The principles of the writing of history using critical methods

An assumption or an interpretation

A systematic body of concepts that are characteristic of an individual, group or culture

The policy of one country extending power/authority over another through military, economic or political means

Not subject to control by others, not affiliated with a controlling unit

Produced, living or occurring naturally in a particular region or enviroment

Manufacturing activity as a whole

A continuing rise in the general price level of goods/services

Involving two or more academic, scientific or artistic disciplines

A teaching technique that combines factual and explanatory information

Formal freeing or emancipation of slaves

Of or relating to the sea

Economy where most goods/services are produced and distributed through free markets

Art/ science of extracting metals from their ones and modifying them for use

A regular procedure employed by a discipline or field (such as historical interpretation)

To move from one country, place of locality to another

A group of 1,000 years

Transformation from a rural, agrarian society to an urban, industrial one

Believing in only one god

Legally constituted, not for profit businesses that are independent of governments (usually pursue social/political aims for charity)

The movement of people from food gathering to food producing/herding

Interconnection group or association of persons or colleagues (i.e. trade)

People with no fixed residence - they move place to place, usually seasonally

Of or relating to herdsmen and raising livestock

Gov't., system utilizing a legislative body

Social organization marked by the supremacy of the father or older male and dependency of women or others

Division of history into periods

A mental view or prospect, a distinct impression

Belief in many gods

An eyewitness account

Ideas, facts or allegations spread deliberately to further one's cause or to damage an opposing cause

Elements which draw people to a location

Elements which draw people to move away from a location

To amend or improve by change of form or removal of faults/abuses

Gov't. whose power resides in a body of citizens entitled to represent a group

A fundamental change in political organization; especially the overthrow of one gov't/ ruler for another

Of or relating to the country, country life, people or agriculture

Not an eye witness account; a person who got information from a primary source

Isolation of a race, class or ethnic group in a restricted area with discrimination barriers to social, political or economic participation

Economic theory emphasizing collective or gov't ownership and administration of the means of production and distribution of goods

Apply to a direct or specific use - to concentrate one's efforts in one area

A politically organized body of people usually occupying a definite territory

To divide or arrange into classes or castes

The minimum needed to support life

The amount that remains when use or need is satisfied

The combination of different forms of belief or practice

The practical application of knowledge, especially in a particular area

A position or proposition that a person advances and offers to maintain by argument

A distinguishing quality

A group of persons having a common character, occupation or interests

A payment by one ruler/nation to another in acknowledgement of submission, protection or respect/superiority

Acquiring the characteristics that constitute a city