Global History & Geography for 14-15 Yr olds USA) (Thomas Caswell)
Note: You may download the entries for this glossary here. If you wish to use this in your own Moodle course, first make a blank glossary and then follow the instructions for importing glossary entries here.
Thomas describes this database: "This 800+ term glossary is based on the New York State curriculum for 9th and 10th grade social studies. Called "Global History and Geography," this curriculum culminates in a high-stakes Regents examination that all students must pass in order to graduate and earn a high school diploma."
Browse the glossary using this index
Special | A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z | ALL
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Da Gama, Vasco(1469?-1524) Portuguese explorer who, in 1498, established an all water route to India | |
Daimler, Gottlieb(1834-1900) German inventor. He is best know for his work in the development of the gasoline internal combustion engine. | |
daimyoLand owning feudal lords in Japan. | |
Dalai LamaThe spiritual leader of the Tibetan sect of Buddhism, and is considered to be the reincarnation of the bodhisattva, or "buddha-to-be." | |
damA structure built to hold water in place. | |
Dante(1265-1321) Italian poet and Renaissance writer. His greatest work is The Divine Comedy. | |
Darius I(558?BCE 486BCE) King of Persia who expanded his empire to extend from the Mediterranean to the Indus River. | |
de Cervantes, Miguel(1547-1616) Spanish Renaissance writer. His greatest work is the comedic tale Don Quixote. | |
de Klerk, F. W.(1936 - ) The white South African president who ended Apartheid in the early 1990s. | |
de San Martín, José(1778-1850) Latin American revolutionary. He is one of the main leaders of the Latin American independence movement. | |
de Santa Anna, Antonio López(1794-1876) Mexican general and dictator who controlled Mexico for more than 25 years. Lost war against the United States which cost Mexico present day California, Nevada, and New Mexico. | |
decimal systemNumeric system based on ten. Created by mathematicians during the Gupta golden age in India. | |
Declaration of the Rights of ManRevolutionary document of the French Revolution. Written in 1789, it spelled out certain rights believed to be universal to all mankind. Patterned on the American Declaration of Independence. | |
deforestationThe widespread destruction of the world's forests. One of the largest areas of destruction are the tropical rainforests. These forest are cut down for the hardwood lumber, to clear space for farming, for building settlements, and for grazing animals.land bridge | |
DemocracyGovernment by people exercised either directly or through elected representstives. | |
democratic republicA political system in which a country is ruled by law, has representative government, and is democratic in nature. | |
Deng Xiaoping(1904-1997) Chinese Communist leader. Ruled from 1978 until 1997. | |
Descartes, Rene(1596-1650) French intellectual who challenged traditional ideas. He said that human reason was capable of discovering and explaining the laws of nature and man. The idea of human reason being superior to tradition led to the beginning of the Enlightenment, a time of political awakening that became revolution. | |
desertificationThe process in which land slowly dries out until little or no vegetation exists becoming a desert. | |
détenteA policy during the Cold War which was aimed at relaxing tensions between the United States and the Soviet Union. The policy calls for increase diplomatic and commercial activity. | |
developing nationsNations that are economically and technologically less developed than industrialized nations. | |
dharmaThe act of fulfilling one's duty in life. Associated with Hinduism and Buddhism. | |
Dias, Bartholomeu(1450?-1500) Portuguese explorer who, in 1488, was the first person to round the Cape of Good Hope at the southern tip of Africa. | |
diasporaThe enforced spreading out of a group of people. In history, there has been both a Jewish Diaspora and an African Diaspora. | |
dictatorshipthe office or controal of a dictator. | |
Diocletian(245-313) Emperor of Rome who was responsible for dividing Rome into different provinces and districts. Eventually, the eastern portions of the Empire became known as the Byzantine Empire. | |
discriminationTo treat unfairly due to a persons ethnic background, gender, religion, or age | |
divineGodlike, or coming from, or having to do with a god. | |
Divine Comedy, TheAn epic poem written by Dante during the Renaissance. | |
divine rightThe justification of monarchy through the word of God. | |
divorceThe legal act of ending a marriage. | |
domeA hemispherical roof. | |
Dome of the RockFirst Islamic religious shrine. It was built in 687 C.E., and is located in present day Jerusalem, Israel. | |
domesticateTo tame an animal to live with, or close to humans. | |
domino theoryThe idea that countries bordering communist countries were in more danger of falling to communism unless the United States and other western nations worked to prevent it. | |
Don QuixoteA comedic book written by Miguel de Cervantes during the Renaissance. The title character is now used to refer to idealists that champion hopeless or fanciful causes. | |
DumaName of the Russia Parliament. | |
Dutch East IndiesA group of islands in South East Asia claimed by the Dutch during Imperialism. | |
dykeA drainage ditch used to help control flooding. | |
dynastic cycleIn China, a dynasty would remain in power only as long as it was providing good government. When a dynasty went into decline, and began to abuse its power, it was said to lose the Mandate of Heaven, or the favor of the gods. A strong leader would usually emerge to claim the Mandate, and establish a new dynasty. The dynastic cycle would then begin again. | |
dynastyA succession of rulers of a country from the same family. | |