English for History Education

Vocabulary

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    abdicate Verb to give up a monarch's throne
    annex Verb to take territory and incorporate it into your own country
    anticlerical Adjective opposed to the power of the church and clergy
    anti-Semitism Noun prejudice against Jews
    appeasement Noun the attempt to pacify an aggressor by giving way to his demands
    armistice Noun an agreement to cease hostilities
    assimilate Verb to absorb a smaller group of people into a larger group
    autarky Noun national economic self-sufficiency
    autocracy Noun rule by one person
    autonomy Noun self-government
    bilateral Adjective two-sided
    bureaucracy Noun the officials who put into action the decisions of the government
    casus belli Noun a reason to justify a declaration of war
    center Noun the middle opinion of a society, some want more changes, some less
    coalition Noun an alliance of political parties to create a majority
    conscription Noun compulsory military service
    conservative Adjective a desire to keep things the same, a wish to preserve the status quo
    constitution Noun a written set of rules that limits the power of the government
    coup Noun an attempt to overthrow the government by a relatively small group
    demobilize Verb to disband troops at the end of a war
    emancipation Noun freedom for an enslaved or oppressed group
    encyclical Noun a public letter from the pope to all bishops of the Catholic Church
    executive Noun the government branch responsible for the implementations of policies
    federation Noun a central government which receives powers from individual states
    franchise Noun the right to vote (Suffrage)
    historiography Noun how historians develop interpretations of historic events
    imperialism Noun one nation ruling over other nations or colonies as an empire
    judiciary Noun the government branch that interprets questions of legality
    left Noun those who want greater change, usually for a more egalitarian society
    legislature Noun the government branch that makes the laws
    liberals Noun those who want only moderate change
    mandate Noun power from a higher authority to a lower authority to rule, or a temporary colony set up by an international organization
    martial law Noun phrase an emergency period in which civil rights are suspended by the military
    mobilization Noun to enlarge and prepare the peacetime military for war
    nationalization Noun the act of taking private property and making it national property
    nationalism Noun 1. Aggressive patriotism 2. A desire for national independence
    neo-colonialism Noun post-WW 2 policies of powerful states to control weaker states through economic or political pressure rather than military conquest
    peasants Noun agriculture workers
    plebiscite Noun the opportunity for all citizens to vote on one issue
    popular fronts Noun a coalition of parties of the left
    proletarians Noun the urban workers
    proportional representations Noun phrase the system of dividing the seats in the legislature according to the percentage of the popular vote each party earned
    protectionism Noun a policy of protecting a country's procedures by taxing foreign products
    radicals Noun those who want to change the entire system
    rapprochement Noun the re-establishment of friendly relations between countries
    ratify Verb to approve an agreement, usually by signing it
    reactionary Noun ultra-conservative, those who want to return to an old system
    reparations Noun compensations for war damage payed by the defeated state
    revisionists Noun describing those who want to change or revise an existing programme
    revolution Noun a drastic change of government affected by a large portion of the people
    right Noun those who want little change and usually favour a less egalitarian state
    rule by decree Noun phrase laws are issued by the ruler without the approval of the legislature
    sedition Noun activity directed at the overthrow of the government
    socialism Noun any of the beliefs that want the government to work for the good of the entire society instead of only the wealthy
    status quo Noun phrase the way things are
    syndicalism Noun workers gaining political power through the industrial action such as strikes
    tariffs Noun taxes placed on imported good
    totalitarianism Noun a system that requires the total subordination of the individual to the state
    ultimatum Noun a demand of one state upon another, usually with a threat of war
    veto Noun the constitutional right of one person or group to reject a decision

    Short Quiz

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    This often led to clashes with the metropolitan authority, even before independence or ______ was attained by settlers. This was less easy for those Europeans who had to keep themselves in readiness, sooner or later, for the return home. 

     

    (Excerpt from: Kumar, Krishan. (2021). Colony and Empire, Colonialism and Imperialism: A Meaningful Distinction? Comparative Studies in Society and History, 63(2), 280–309.) 

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    For example, Gini coefficients calculated using the banded values suggest a sudden, dramatic and large drop in wealth inequality in precisely 1980. Outside of war, ______, and natural disaster, we would not expect such huge drops in inequality on a year to year basis. Further, the values of wealth necessary to enter the various top percentiles change dramatically after 1980. 

     

    (Excerpt from: Cummins, Neil. (2021). Where Is the Middle Class? Evidence from 60 Million English Death and Probate Records, 1892–1992. The Journal of Economic History, 81(2), 359–404.) 

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