Glossary
9/11 terrorist attacks
A series of four coordinated terrorist attacks by the Islamic terrorist group al-Qaeda against the United States on September 11, 2001, which had a profound impact on global security and international relations.
Example:
The 9/11 terrorist attacks led to the U.S. 'War on Terror' and significantly reshaped airport security measures worldwide.
Antibiotics
A class of drugs that inhibit the growth of or destroy microorganisms, particularly bacteria, revolutionizing medicine and significantly reducing mortality from infectious diseases.
Example:
Before the widespread use of antibiotics, a simple bacterial infection like strep throat could be fatal, but now it is easily treatable.
Arab Spring revolutions
A series of anti-government protests, uprisings, and armed rebellions that spread across much of the Arab world in the early 2010s, often facilitated by social media.
Example:
The Arab Spring revolutions demonstrated the power of social media in mobilizing citizens and challenging authoritarian regimes, though outcomes varied widely across countries.
Artificial Birth Control
Methods or devices used to prevent pregnancy, which became widely available in the mid-20th century and significantly impacted family planning and women's roles in society.
Example:
The accessibility of artificial birth control empowered women to pursue higher education and careers, contributing to shifts in gender roles and family structures globally.
Causation
A historical thinking skill focused on identifying and analyzing the causes and effects of historical events, developments, or processes.
Example:
The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand was a direct causation for the outbreak of World War I, triggering a cascade of alliances and declarations of war.
Climate Change
A long-term shift in global or regional climate patterns, primarily caused by increased levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide produced by the use of fossil fuels and industrial activity.
Example:
Rising global temperatures and more frequent extreme weather events are key indicators of ongoing climate change, prompting international efforts to reduce carbon emissions.
Columbian Exchange
An early form of globalization involving the widespread transfer of plants, animals, culture, human populations, technology, diseases, and ideas between the Americas, West Africa, and the Old World in the 15th and 16th centuries.
Example:
The introduction of potatoes from the Americas to Europe during the Columbian Exchange significantly boosted population growth due to the crop's high caloric yield.
Communication Technologies
Innovations like the internet and mobile phones that have revolutionized the speed and reach of information exchange, connecting people globally and accelerating cultural and economic interactions.
Example:
The rapid spread of news and protest movements during the Arab Spring was largely facilitated by modern communication technologies like social media and mobile phones.
Comparison
A historical thinking skill that involves analyzing similarities and differences between historical events, societies, or developments across different regions or time periods.
Example:
A historian might draw a comparison between the motivations for European imperialism in the 19th century and American foreign policy in the 20th century, noting both shared economic drivers and differing ideological justifications.
Continuity and Change
A historical thinking skill that involves identifying what aspects of a society or historical period remained the same (continuity) and what transformed (change) over time.
Example:
While political systems in China underwent significant change from imperial rule to communism, the continuity of a strong centralized government persisted for centuries.
Cultural Exchange
The reciprocal sharing and adoption of ideas, customs, and traditions between different cultures, often facilitated by globalization.
Example:
The global popularity of K-Pop music and Korean dramas is a vibrant example of cultural exchange, influencing fashion, language, and entertainment trends worldwide.
Cultural Hybridity
The mixing and blending of different cultures, resulting in new cultural forms, identities, and practices.
Example:
The emergence of 'fusion cuisine,' like Korean tacos or Indian-spiced pizzas, is a delicious example of cultural hybridity in the culinary world.
Deforestation
The clearing of forests for other land uses, such as agriculture or urbanization, leading to significant environmental consequences like habitat loss and increased carbon emissions.
Example:
Large-scale deforestation in the Amazon rainforest is primarily driven by cattle ranching and soybean cultivation, contributing to global climate change.
Economic Inequality
The unequal distribution of income, wealth, or opportunities among individuals or groups within a society, often exacerbated by globalization.
Example:
Despite overall global wealth increasing, the growing gap between the richest 1% and the rest of the population highlights persistent economic inequality in many nations.
Environmental Activism
Organized efforts by individuals and groups to protect the natural environment and advocate for sustainable practices.
Example:
The rise of youth-led movements like 'Fridays for Future' exemplifies modern environmental activism, pushing for urgent action on climate change.
Free Trade Agreements
Treaties between two or more countries that reduce or eliminate certain barriers to trade, such as tariffs and quotas, to promote economic exchange.
Example:
The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) aimed to eliminate most tariffs on products traded between the United States, Canada, and Mexico, fostering greater economic integration.
Global Social Movements
Organized efforts by groups of people across national borders to promote or resist social change, often facilitated by modern communication technologies.
Example:
The 'Black Lives Matter' movement, with its protests and advocacy spreading to numerous countries, exemplifies a powerful global social movement addressing racial injustice.
Globalization
The increasing interconnectedness of the world through the exchange of ideas, products, and practices, driven by international trade, investment, and technology.
Example:
The widespread availability of smartphones and social media platforms has significantly accelerated globalization, allowing people from different continents to communicate instantly and share cultural trends.
Green Belt Movement
An indigenous grassroots environmental non-governmental organization based in Kenya that focuses on environmental conservation, community development, and women's empowerment through tree planting.
Example:
Wangari Maathai founded the Green Belt Movement to combat deforestation and empower rural women by paying them to plant trees, linking environmentalism with social justice.
Green Revolution
A period of rapid agricultural innovation in the mid-20th century that significantly increased food production worldwide through the development of high-yielding crop varieties, pesticides, and fertilizers.
Example:
The Green Revolution allowed countries like India to become self-sufficient in food production, averting widespread famine but also leading to increased reliance on chemical inputs.
Greenpeace
A non-governmental environmental organization founded in 1971, known for its direct action and advocacy campaigns on issues such as climate change, deforestation, and nuclear testing.
Example:
Greenpeace activists often use dramatic protests, like confronting whaling ships, to draw public attention to environmental destruction.
Kyoto Protocol
An international treaty adopted in 1997 that committed industrialized countries to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, marking a significant step in global efforts to combat climate change.
Example:
Despite its limitations, the Kyoto Protocol was a pioneering agreement that set legally binding targets for developed nations to curb their carbon output.
Multinational Corporations
Companies that operate in multiple countries, playing a significant role in global trade, investment, and the spread of economic practices.
Example:
Tech giants like Apple and Samsung are prime examples of multinational corporations, designing products in one country, manufacturing in another, and selling worldwide.
Pollution
The introduction of harmful substances or products into the environment, including air, water, and land, often as a result of industrial activity and human waste.
Example:
Industrial factories releasing untreated waste into rivers is a major source of water pollution, harming aquatic ecosystems and human health.
Popular Culture
Cultural products and practices that are widely consumed and shared by the general public, often spread globally through media and entertainment.
Example:
The global reach of Hollywood movies and American fast-food chains demonstrates the widespread influence of Western popular culture.
SPICE-T
An acronym representing the analytical lenses used in AP World History: Social, Political, Human-Environment Interaction, Cultural, Economic, and Technological, for examining historical developments.
Example:
When analyzing the impact of the Industrial Revolution, historians might use the SPICE-T framework to understand its effects on social classes, political structures, environmental changes, cultural shifts, economic systems, and new technologies.
Spanish Flu pandemic
A severe global influenza pandemic that occurred from 1918 to 1919, infecting a significant portion of the world's population and causing millions of deaths.
Example:
The rapid global spread of the Spanish Flu pandemic was exacerbated by the movement of troops during World War I, highlighting the interconnectedness of the early 20th century.
Transportation Technologies
Advances such as air travel and containerization that have made global movement of people and goods faster, cheaper, and more efficient, significantly boosting international trade and tourism.
Example:
The invention of containerization revolutionized global shipping, allowing goods to be transported seamlessly across different modes of transport, from ships to trains to trucks.
Universal Declaration of Human Rights
A landmark document adopted by the United Nations in 1948, outlining fundamental human rights that are universally protected.
Example:
Following the atrocities of World War II, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was created to establish a common standard of achievement for all peoples and nations, influencing subsequent international laws.
World Trade Organization (WTO)
An intergovernmental organization established in 1995 that regulates and facilitates international trade, aiming to reduce trade barriers and ensure fair trade practices.
Example:
When a country believes another is unfairly subsidizing its exports, it can bring a dispute to the World Trade Organization (WTO) for resolution.