Government & Society
A system where land is exchanged for loyalty and service in the Middle Ages
Feudal system
The existing way of doing things; no major changes.
Status Quo
A navigational tool used to measure stars and planets for travel
Astrolabe
Believing one’s own culture or race is superior to others
Ethnocentrism
A focus on buying, collecting, and using material goods or products
Consumerism
A government ruled by a small group of people
Oligarchy
A Renaissance philosophy emphasizing human potential, worth, and achievement.
Humanism
The policy of a country or empire to extend authority through political, economic, or military means
Imperialism
Something that belongs to the same time period or is current
Contemporary
A group of people with shared history, culture, and language, often forming a state or territory
Nation
A system where citizens elect representatives to make decisions
Republic
The art of persuasive speaking and writing
Rhetoric
A government policy encouraging territorial or economic growth, often by force
Expansionism
The local, common, or native language of a group of people
Vernacular
The movement of people from the countryside into cities
Urbanization