Historical Terms and Concepts

Ottoman Empire

• A multi-ethnic empire that lasted from 1300 to 1922

• An Islamic state of Turkic-speaking peoples lasting from 1453 to 1922

• A European colonial power that dominated Africa in the 19th century

• A republic established in 1923 after the fall of the Ottoman Empire

Absolute Monarchy

• A system of government where the head of state is elected by the people and has limited power.

• A system of government where the head of state is a hereditary position, and the king or queen has almost complete power, unchecked by religious or political authority.

• A system of government where power is divided between a central authority and smaller political units.

• A system of government where the head of state is a dictator with absolute control over the country.

Sakoku

• A period of open trade with foreign nations in Japan.

• The isolationist foreign policy of the Japanese Tokugawa shogunate (1603 to 1868), during which trade was severely limited and foreign nationals were banned from entering Japan.

• A cultural exchange program initiated by the Meiji Restoration.

• A military alliance formed between Japan and Western powers.

Jizya

• Tax paid by Christians and Jews in Muslim communities to allow them to continue practicing their religion; used by Islamic states to manage diverse populations.

• A form of tax levied on all citizens regardless of their religion.

• A charitable donation made by Muslims to support the poor.

• A tax imposed on non-Muslims for military service.

Thirty Years War

• A conflict primarily between France and England over territorial disputes.

• A war resulting from the Protestant Reformation in the Holy Roman Empire between German Protestants and their allies and the emperor and his ally, Spain; ended with the Treaty of Westphalia.

• A series of battles fought in the Americas between indigenous tribes and European settlers.

• A naval conflict between Spain and the Ottoman Empire in the Mediterranean.

Janissaries

• Elite Ottoman guards recruited from the Christian population through the devshirme system, often converted to Islam.

• A group of Ottoman merchants who traded in Europe.

• The first Ottoman sultans who established the empire.

• A military unit composed entirely of cavalry.

Zamindars

• A system of land revenue collection in the Mughal Empire where local nobles collected taxes for the emperor.

• A type of agricultural product grown in the Mughal Empire.

• A title given to the highest-ranking military officers in the Mughal Empire.

• A form of currency used during the Mughal Empire.

Inquisition

• A Roman Catholic tribunal for investigating and prosecuting charges of heresy; viewed as a reaction to the Protestant Reformation; used primarily in Spain and Spanish territories in the New World.

• A Protestant movement aimed at reforming the Catholic Church in the 16th century.

• A legal system used in England to prosecute witches during the 17th century.

• A council of bishops convened to discuss church doctrine and practices.

Versailles

• A famous museum in Paris

• A palace constructed by Louis XIV outside Paris to glorify his rule and subdue the nobility.

• A historical battle site in France

• A renowned garden in France

Martin Luther

• A German artist known for his paintings.

• A German monk who criticized the Roman Catholic Church and wrote the 95 Theses.

• A French philosopher who wrote about enlightenment.

• An Italian explorer who discovered America.