First Global Age Vocabulary
Name:
Mesoamerica
1. Mesoamerica – A region of Central America, Mexico, and South America where
several pre-Columbian civilizations lived including the Olmec, Maya, Aztecs, and
Inca.
2. Olmecs - A Mesoamerican civilization that flourished around 1200 B.C.E.;
Achievements include irrigation systems, a simple calendar, a writing system, and
small, planned cities.
3. Maya - A Mesoamerican civilization of southern Mexico and Central America.
They established a vast empire that had many cultural and scientific achievements
including: monumental architecture, the concept of zero, a written language and a
calendar(365 and 260)
4. Slash and Burn Farming – Method of farming used by people who live in dense
forests. People would cut the trees and burn to provide rich soil, however, does
not sustain farming for long period of time
5. Aztec - A Mesoamerican civilization of Mexico who created a strong empire that
had many cultural achievements, including architecture, aqueducts, chinampas
and causeways.
6. Chinampas – Artificial floating islands anchored to the lake bottom and were
used for agriculture. This technique was used by the Aztecs.
7. Inca - A Mesoamerican civilization of South America, centered in Peru. The Inca
ruled a large empire and had many cultural and scientific achievements including
an elaborate road system, monumental architecture, and terrace farming.
8. Quipu - A record keeping system that used colored, beaded and knotted string
developed by the Incan Civilization. Used to keep dates, events, population and
crop statistics.
9. Terrace Farming – Farming method that cuts steps into the sides of
mountainsides and hillsides.
Africa
10. Axum - Trading Kingdom in Northeastern Africa near the Red Sea; Absorbed
Roman and Christian culture
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11. Ghana Empire – The first west African Trading Kingdom. They were rich in
gold and established a vast trading network across the Sahara desert.
12. Mali Empire – The second west African Trading Kingdom. They were rich in
gold and established a vast trading network across the Sahara desert. Greatest
ruler was Mansa Musa, who converted his people to Islam and made a famous
pilgrimage. He brought back muslim scholars to rebuild his capital Timbuktu.
13. Mansa Musa – Leader of Mali who converted to Islam and made a famous
pilgrimage to Mecca
14. Songhai Empire – The third west African Trading Kingdom. They were rich in
gold and established a vast trading network across the Sahara desert.
15. Timbuktu – The capital of Mali and an important center of Muslim art and
culture
Ottoman Empire
16. The Ottoman Empire – Muslim Empire that conquered the Byzantine Empire,
the Middle East and North Africa who experienced a golden age due to their
favorable trading location; Empire that prevented Europeans a direct trade route to
Asia
17. Istanbul – Capital of the Ottoman Empire; Formerly known as Constantinople
Exploration, Encounters and Imperialism
18. Mercantilism - The policy of building a nation's wealth by exporting more goods
than it imports; Wealth=Power; Mother country benefits ($$) from colonies
19. Balance of Trade – The difference in value between what a nation imports and
what is exported over a period of time; Favorable balance of trade = more exports,
an unfavorable balance of trade = more imports
20. Colonization - A group of people moving from their homeland to a new area in
large numbers.
21. Imperialism- Government policy where a strong nation conquers a weaker nation
and dominates its’ social, political and economic systems.
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22. Conquistadors - Spanish conqueror or soldier in the Americas
23. Smallpox - A highly contagious disease whose origins are from the Eastern
hemisphere. Symptoms include high fever and scar-producing blisters. It can be
fatal; Native Americans had no immune system for this disease which caused
millions to die (up to 90% of their population)
24. Encomienda System - A system of production in Spain’s New World possessions
which granted permission to conquistadors to enslave as many people needed to
work a plantation.
25. Triangular Trade – Trading system that occurred between Europe, Africa, and
the Americas; Raw materials from the Americas, manufactured goods from
Europe, and slaves from Africa.
26. Middle Passage – The forced voyage of slaves from Africa to the Americas over
the Atlantic Ocean; It is believed that millions perished during the voyages
27. Columbian Exchange – The vast trading system that resulted from Columbus’
voyages to the new world; the exchange of goods, ideas, people, animals, plants,
and disease from the Old World to the New World and vice versa.
Age of Absolutism
28. Magna Carta – English document signed in 1215. First to limit the power of
absolute monarchs. The first step in a modern representative democracy.
29. Absolutism (Absolute monarch) – Monarchs (kings or queens) that have
absolute or total power
30. Divine Right Theory – European theory that a monarch’s power to rule comes
from God
31. Louis XIV – (1638 –1715), French Monarch who claimed divine right and had
absolute power over France; Known as the “Sun King.” And is famous for the
quote, “I am the state.”
32. Akbar the Great – (1542 – 1605) Absolute ruler of the Mughal Dynasty in
India.
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33. Philip II – (1527 – 1598) Absolute Ruler of Spain who claimed divine right.
Rules during the Spanish Golden Age – riches gained from the new world.
34. Peter the Great – (1672 – 1725) Czar of Russia who modernized Russia and
gained the Baltic Sea as a Russian port.
35. Catherine the Great – (1729 -1796) Russian monarch who was able to gain the
Black Sea as a warm water Russian port
36. Westernization - To adopt Western (European and American) ideas and culture.
37. English Bill of Rights - (1689) A list of guaranteed rights to English citizens. The
bill created a limited monarchy and established Parliament as the ruling body of
the nation
38. Parliament – The legislative body of England (make laws)
39. Limited Monarchy - King or Queen does not have absolute power, but has to
share power with parliament; A form of government in which a legislative body
limits the monarch’s powers
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