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AP American History

Terms

undefined, object
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veto
the executive power to prevent acts passed by the legislature from becoming laws
province
a medium-sized subunit of territory and governmental administration within a larger nation or empire
nationalism
fervent belief and loyalty given to the political unit of the nation-state
coureurs des bois
french-canadian fur trappers; literaly "runners of the woods"
almshouse
a home for the poor, supported by charity or public funds
mulatto
a person of mixed african and european ancestry
buffer
in politics, a small territory or state between two larger, antagonistic powers and intended to minimize the possibility of conflict between them
minister
in politics, a person appointed by the head of state to take charge of some department or agency of government
apprentice
a person who works under a master to acquire instruction in a trade or profession
agitators
those who seek to excite or persuade the public on some issue
tenant farmer
one who rents rather than owns land
revival
in religion, a movement of renewed enthusiasm and commitment, often accompanied by special meetings or evangelical activity
blue laws
laws designed to restrict personal behavior in accord with a strict code of morality
nation-state
the form of political society that combines centralized government with a high degree of ethnic and cultural unity
ecological
concerning the relations between the biological organisms and their environment
headright
the right to acquire a certain amount of land granted to the person who finances the passage of a laborer
primogeniture
the legal principle that the oldest son inherits all family property or land
stratification
the visible arrangement of society into a hierarchical pattern, with distinct social groups layered one on top of the other
autocratic
absolute or dictorial rule
heresy
departure from correct or officially defined belief
duty (duties)
a customs tax on the export or import of goods
secular
belonging to the worldly sphere rather than to the specifically sacred or churchly
commissions
an official certification granting a commanding rank in the armed forces
conquistador
a spanish conqueror or adventurer in the americas
toleration
originally, religious freedom granted by an established church to a religious minority
fertility
the ability to mate and reproduce abundant young
monopoly
the complete control of a product or sphere of economic activity by a single producer or business
primeval
concerning the earliest origin of things
passive resistance
nonviolent action or opposition to authority, often in accord with religious or moral beliefs
boycott
an organized refusal to deal with some person, organization, or product
matrilinear
the form of society in which family line, power, and wealth are passed primarily through the female side
ecosystem
a naturally evolved network of relations among organisms in a stable environment
inflation
an increase in the supply of currency relative to the goods available, leading to a decline in the purchasing power of money
flotilla
a fleet of boats, usually smaller vessels
guerilla warfare
unconventional combat waged by small military units using hit-and-run tactics
mestizo
a person of mixed native american and european ancestry
jeremiad
a sermon or prophecy recounting wrongdoing, warning of doom, and calling for repentance
caravel
a small vessel with a high deck and three triangular sails
melting pot
popular american term for an ethnically diverse population that is presumed to be "melting" toward some eventual commonality
conversion
a religious turn to god, thought by calvinists to involve an intense, identifiable personal experience of grace
autocratic
marked by strict authoritarian rule, without consent or participation by the populace
middlemen
in trading systems, those dealers who operate between the original buyers and the retail merchants who sell to consumers
proprietary
concerning exclusive legal ownership, as of colonies granted to individuals by the monarch
demographic
concerning the general characteristics of a given population, including such factors as numbers, age, gender, birth and death rates,and so on
hinterland
an inland region set back from a port, river, or seacoast
sect
a small religious group that has broken away from some larger mainstream church, often claiming superior or exclusive possession of religious truth
hierarchy
a social group arranged in ranks or classes
calling
in protestantism, the belief that saved-individuals have a religious obligation to engage in worldly work
propaganda
a systematic program or particular materials designed to promote certain ideas; sometimes but not always the term is used negatively, implying the use of manipulative or deceptive means
admiralty courts
in british law, special administrative courts designed to handle maritime cases without a jury
depreciate
to decrease in value, as in the decline of the purchasing power of money
commonwealth
an organized civil government or social order united for a shared purpose
seditious
concerning resistance to or rebellion against the government
desert
to leave official government or military service without permission
confederacy
an alliance or league of nations or peoples looser than a federation
feudal
concerning the decentralized medieval social system of personal obligations between rulers and ruled
penal code
the body of criminal laws specifying offenses and prescribing punishments
strategic
concerning the placement and planned movement of large-scale military forces so as to gain advantage, usually prior to actual engagement with the enemy
speculation
buying land or anything else in the hope of profiting by an expected rise in price
gentry
landowners of substantial property, social standing, and leisure, but not titled nobility
corporation
a group or institution granted legal rights to carry on certain specified activities
joint-stock companies
an economic arrangement by which a number of investors pool their capital for investment
mercantilism
the economic theory that all parts of an economy should be coordinated for the good of the whole state; hence, that colonial economics should be subordinated for the benefit of an empire
virtual representation
the political theory that a class of persons is represented in a lawmaking body without direct vote
charter
a legal document granted by a government to some group or agency to implement a stated purpose, and spelling out the attending rights and obligations
asylum
a place of refuge and security, especially for the persecuted or unfortunate
lynching
the illegal execution of an accused person by mob action, without due process of law
regulars
trained professional soldiers, as distinct from militia or conscripts
voyageurs
french-canadian explorers, adventurers, and traders
middle passage
that portion of a slave ship's journey in which slaves were carried from africa to the americas
plantation
a large-scale agricultural enterprise growing commercial crops and usually employing coerced or slave labor
blue blood
of noble or upper-class descent
predestination
the calvinist doctrine that god has foreordained some people to be saved and some to be damned
capitalism
an economic system characterized by private property, generally free trade, and open and accessible markets
squatter
a frontier farmer who illegally occupied land owned by others or not yet officially opened for settlement
mobility
the capacity to pass readily from one social or economic condition to another
elite
the smaller group at the top of a society or institution, usually possessing wealth, power, or special privileges
disfranchise
to take away the right to vote
census
an official count of popuulation, often also including other information about the population
seige
a military operation of surrounding and attacking a fortified place, often over a sustained period
domestic
concerning the internal affairs of a country
sallies (sally)
in warfare, very rapid military movements, usually by small units, against an enemy force or position
naturalization
the granting of citizenship to foreigners or immigrants
civil war
any conflict between the citizens or inhabitants of the same country
mutinous
concerning revolt by subordinate soldiers or seamen against their commanding officers
peasant
a farmer or agricultural laborer, sometimes legally tied to the land
visible saints
in calvinism, those who publicly proclaimed their experience of conversion and were expected to lead godly lives
ethnic
concerning diverse peoples or cultures, specifically those of non-anglo-saxon background
encomienda
the spanish labor system in which persons were held to unpaid service under the permanent control of their masters, though not legally owned by them
tidewater
the territory adjoining water affected by tides----that is, near the seacoast or coastal rivers
menial
fit for servants; humble or low
patronage
a system in which benefits, including jobs, money, or protection are granted in exchange for political support
indentured servant
a poor person obligated to a fixed term of unpaid labor, often in exchange for a benefit such as transportation, protection, or training
saga
a lengthy story or poem recounting the great deeds and adventures of a people and their heroes
elect
in calvinist doctrine, those who have been chosen by god for salvation
militia
an armed force of citizens called out only in emergencies
social structure
the basic pattern of the distribution of status and wealth in a society

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