APUSH History Jargon

abolition: the legal prohibition and ending of slavery, especially of slavery of blacks in the U.S.
agrarian: pertainingtotheadvancementofagriculturalgroups; composedoforpertainingtofarmers
annex: to incorporate (territory) into the domain of a city, country, or state
antebellum: before or existing before a war, especially the American Civil War; prewar
anti-Semitism: discrimination against or prejudice or hostility toward Jews
apathy: lack of interest, enthusiasm, or concern.
appeasement: to yield or concede to the belligerent demands of (a nation, group, person, etc.) in a conciliatory effort, sometimes at the expense of justice or other principles
archipelago: alargegrouporchainofislands
armistice: atemporarysuspensionofhostilitiesbyagreementofthewarringparties;truce
assimilation: tobringintoconformitywiththecustoms,attitudes,etc.,ofagroup,nation,orthelike;adapt
balance of trade: thedifferencebetweenthevaluesofexportsandimportsofacountry,saidtobefavorableorunfavorableasexportsaregreaterorlessthanimports.
belligerent: of warlike character; aggressively hostile
bicameral: having two branches, chambers, or houses, as a legislative body
bimetallism: the use of twometals, ordinarily gold and silver, at a fixed relative value, as the monetary standard
blockade: theisolating,closingoff,orsurroundingofaplace,asaport,harbor,orcity,byhostileshipsortroopstoprevententranceorexit.
booty: spoiltakenfromanenemyinwar;plunder;pillage; any prize or gain
boycott: toabstainfrombuyingorusing
buffer (state/colony): a nation lying between potentially hostile larger nation(s)
bullion: goldorsilverintheformofbarsoringots
capitalism: aneconomicsysteminwhichinvestmentinandownershipofthemeansofproduction,distribution,andexchangeofwealthismadeandmaintainedchieflybyprivateindividualsorcorporations,especiallyascontrastedtocooperativelyorstate-ownedmeansofwealth.
caucus: ameetingofpartyleaderstoselectcandidates,electconventiondelegates,etc.
celibate/celibacy: abstention from sexual relations
chattel(slavery): anyarticleoftangiblepropertyotherthanland,buildings,andotherthingsannexedtoland; a slave
chauvinism: biaseddevotiontoanygroup,attitude,orcause; zealousandaggressivepatriotismorblindenthusiasmformilitaryglory.
chivalry: therulesandcustomsofmedievalknighthood; includingcourtesy,generosity,valor,anddexterityinarms.
“cide”: killer,actofkilling,usedintheformationofcompoundwords:homicide, pesticide
clergy: thegrouporbodyofordainedpersonsinareligion,asdistinguishedfromthelaity
colony/colonist: agroupofpeoplewholeavetheirnativecountrytoforminanewlandasettlementsubjectto,orconnectedwith,theparentnation.
commodity: anarticleoftradeorcommerce,especiallyaproductasdistinguishedfromaservice; anyunprocessedorpartiallyprocessedgood,asgrain,fruits,andvegetables,orpreciousmetals
commune: asmallgroupofpersonslivingtogether,sharingpossessions,work,income,etc.,andoftenpursuingunconventionallifestyles
communism: atheoryorsystemofsocialorganizationbasedontheholdingofallpropertyincommon,actualownershipbeingascribedtothecommunityasawholeortothestate
conscription: compulsoryenrollmentofpersonsformilitaryornavalservice;draft
conservative: tendingtobemoderateorcautious; traditionalinstyleormanner
consumerism: theconceptthatanever-expandingconsumptionofgoodsisadvantageoustotheeconomy
context: the set of circumstances or facts that surround a particular event, situation, etc.
corollary: apropositionthatfollowsdirectlyfromtheproofofanotherproposition (Roosevelt Corollary)
“cracy”: indicating a type of government or rule:plutocracy,mobocracy, democracy
currency: something that is used as a medium of exchange; money
dark horse: a candidate who is unexpectedly nominated or elected
Darwinism: theorythatspeciesoriginatebydescent,withvariation,fromparentforms,throughthenaturalselectionofthoseindividualsbestadaptedforthereproductivesuccessoftheirkind
decade: a period of ten years
deism: beliefinaGodwhocreatedtheworldbuthassinceremainedindifferenttoit
de facto: existinginfact,whetherlegallyrecognizedornot (de facto segregation)
de jure:byright;accordingtolaw (de jure segregation)
deforestation: to divest or clear ofvegetation, trees, foliage
democracy: governmentbythepeople;aformofgovernmentinwhichthesupremepowerisvestedinthepeopleandexerciseddirectlybythemorbytheirelectedagentsunderafreeelectoralsystem
demographics: thestatisticaldataofapopulation,especiallythoseshowingaverageage,income,education,etc.
depression: aperiodduringwhichbusiness,employment,andstock-marketvaluesdeclineseverelyorremainataverylowlevelofactivity.
diplomacy: theconductbygovernmentofficialsofnegotiationsandotherrelationsbetweennations; skillinmanagingnegotiations,handlingpeople,etc.
disenfranchisement: todeprive(aperson)oftherighttovoteorotherrightsofcitizenship
doctrine: aparticularprinciple,position,orpolicytaughtoradvocated,asofareligionorgovernment:

Catholicdoctrines;theMonroeDoctrine.

domestic: indigenoustoorproducedormadewithinone'sowncountry;notforeign;native; of or relating to home
due process: theadministrationofjusticeinaccordancewithestablishedrulesandprinciples
emancipation: theactoffreeingorstateofbeingfreed;liberation
encomienda: thesystem,institutedin1503,underwhichaSpanishsoldierorcolonistwasgrantedatractoflandoravillagetogetherwithitsIndianinhabitants.
entente: anarrangementorunderstandingbetweentwoormorenationsagreeingtofollowaparticularpolicywithregardtoaffairsofinternationalconcern
epidemic: affectingmanypersonsatthesametime,andspreadingfrompersontopersoninalocalitywherethediseaseisnotpermanentlyprevalent; extremelyprevalent;widespread
expatriate: towithdraw(oneself)fromresidenceinone'snativecountry.
facilitate: to makeeasier: help bring about<facilitategrowth>
faction: a group within a larger group that has different ideas and opinions than the rest of the group
feminism: thedoctrineadvocatingsocial,political,andallotherrightsofwomenequaltothoseofmen
fiscal: of or relating to money and especially to the money a government, business, or organization earns, spends, and owes
flank: theextremerightorleftsideofanarmyorfleet,orasubdivisionofanarmyorfleet
free trade: a system of trade between nations in which there are no special taxes placed on imports
fundamentalism: a movement or attitude stressing strict and literal adherence to a set of basic principles<Islamicfundamentalism<politicalfundamentalism>
genocide: the deliberate killing of people who belong to a particular racial, political, or cultural group
globalization: the development of an increasingly integratedglobaleconomy marked especially by free trade, free flow of capital, and the tapping of cheaper foreign labor markets
guerilla: a member of a usually small group of soldiers who do not belong to a regular army and who fight in a war as an independent unit
historiography: the writing of history based on the critical examination of sources, the selection of particulars from the authentic materials, and the synthesis of particulars into a narrative that will stand the test of critical methods
homogeneous: made up of the same kind of people or things
impeach: to charge (a public official) with a crime done while in office
imperialism: a policy or practice by which a country increases its power by gaining control over other areas of the world
incumbent: a person who currently holds a particular office or position
indenture: a contract binding one person to work for another for a given period of time —indentured servant
indigenous: produced, living, or existing naturally in a particular region or environment; native
insurrection: a usually violent attempt to take control of a government
jingoism: the feelings and beliefs of people who think that their country is always right and who are in favor of aggressive acts against other countries
laissez-faire: a policy that allows businesses to operate with very little interference from the government; a doctrine opposing governmental interference in economic affairs beyond the minimum necessary for the maintenance of peace and property rights
lame duck: an elected official whose time in an office or position will soon end; an elected official or group continuing to hold political office during the period between the election and the inauguration of a successor
the Left: political groups who favor sharing money and property more equally among the members of a society: political groups who support liberal or socialist policies
liberal: believing that government should be active in supporting social and political change : relating to or supporting political liberalism
mandate: an official order to do something
manifesto: a written statement that describes the policies, goals, and opinions of a person or group
maritime: of or relating to sailing on the sea or doing business (such as trading) by sea
massacre: the violent killing of many people
mercantilism: an economic system meant to increase power, especially the monetary wealth of a nation by a strict governmental regulation of the entire national economy usually through policies designed to secure an accumulation of bullion, a favorable balance of trade, the development of agriculture and manufactures, and the establishment of foreign trading monopolies
meso: in the middle; Mesoamerica
migration: to move from one country or place to live or work in another
militarism: the opinions or actions of people who believe that a country should use military methods, forces, etc., to gain power and to achieve its goals
militia: a group of people who are not part of the armed forces of a country but are trained like soldiers
monopoly: complete control of the entire supply of goods or of a service in a certain area or market
municipal: of or relating to a town or city or its local government:
nativism: a policy of favoring indigenous inhabitants as opposed to immigrants
nomadic/nomad: roaming about from place to place aimlessly, frequently, or without a fixed pattern of movement
pacifism: the belief that it is wrong to use war or violence to settle disputes
pan: A prefix meaning “all”
papacy/papal: of or relating to the pope or the government of the Roman Catholic Church
pilgrim/pilgrimage: someone who travels to a holy place/a journey to a holy place
point of view: a position or perspective from which something is considered or evaluated; standpoint
polygamy: the state or practice of being married to more than one person at the same time
posthumous: happening, done, or published after someone's death
pragmatic/pragmatism: dealing with the problems that exist in a specific situation in a reasonable and logical way instead of depending on ideas and theories; practical
primary: a preliminary election to appoint delegates to a party conference or to select the candidates for a principal, especially presidential, election.
propaganda: ideas or statements that are often false or exaggerated and that are spread in order to help a cause, a political leader, a government, etc.
protectorate: a small country that is controlled and protected by a larger one
quagmire: a situation that is hard to deal with or get out of : a situation that is full of problems
quasi: seemingly; apparently but not really; being partly or almost
racism: poor treatment of or violence against people because of their race;the belief that some races of people are better than others
ratification: to make (a treaty, agreement, etc.) official by signing it or voting for it
raw material: the basic material that can be used to make or create something
rebellion: an effort by many people to change the government or leader of a country by the use of protest or violence
recession: a period of reduced economic activity
reciprocity: a situation or relationship in which two people or groups agree to do something similar for each other, to allow each other to have the same rights, etc. : a reciprocal arrangement or relationship
reparations: money that a country or group that loses a war pays because of the damage, injury, deaths, etc., it has caused
resurgent: becoming popular, active, or successful again after a period of being less popular, active, or successful
the Right: political groups who favor traditional attitudes and practices and conservative policies<His nomination is opposed bythecountry'sRight.>
rural: of or relating to the country and the people who live there instead of the city
Russo: of or relating to Russia
score (unit of time): a group of 20 things —often used in combination with a cardinal number<fourscore>
secede: to separate from a nation or state and become independent
sect: a religious or political group that is connected to a larger group but that has beliefs that differ greatly from those of the main group
segregation: the practice or policy of keeping people of different races, religions, etc., separate from each other
Sino: of or relating to China
Social Darwinism: a sociological theory that sociocultural advance is the product of intergroup conflict and competition and the socially elite classes (as those possessing wealth and power) possess biological superiority in the struggle for existence
socio-economic: of, relating to, or involving a combination of social and economic factors
sovereignty: a country's independent authority and the right to govern itself
specie: money in coin
sphere of influence: a territorial area within which the political influence or the interests of one nation are held to be more or less paramount
status quo: the current situation : the way things are now
status quo antebellum:the state existing before the war
subsidize: to help someone or something pay for the costs of (something)
subsistence: the amount of food, money, etc., that is needed to stay alive
synthesis: something that is made by combining different things (such as ideas, styles, etc.)
tariff: a tax on goods coming into or leaving a country
textile: anyclothorgoodsproducedbyweaving,knitting,orfelting
theocracy: formofgovernmentinwhichGodoradeityisrecognizedasthesupremecivilruler,theGod'ordeity'slawsbeinginterpretedbytheecclesiasticalauthorities
ultimatum: final,uncompromisingdemandorsetoftermsissuedbyapartytoadispute,therejectionofwhichmayleadtoaseveranceofrelationsortotheuseofforce.
unicameral: consisting of a single chamber, as a legislative assembly; one house legislature
urban: of,relatingto,ordesignatingacityortown
utopia/utopian: any visionary system of political or social perfection.
vernacular: expressedorwritteninthenativelanguageofaplace,asliterary works; nativeorindigenous
xenophobia: an unreasonable fear or hatred of foreigners or strangers or of that which is foreign or strange.