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ch. 21-23 vocabulary
Term | Definition |
---|---|
agricultural revolution | The change from nomadic hunting and gathering to farming that took place about 8000 B.C. |
civilization | An advanced culture |
monotheism | The belief in one God |
protectorate | An area that has its own government but is controlled by an outside power |
chaparral | A type of natural vegetation that is adapted to Mediterranean climates; small evergreen trees and low bushes, or scrub |
poaching | Illegal hunting |
mosque | An Islamic place of religious worship |
muezzin | In Islam, a crier who calls the faithful to prayer five times each day from a minaret |
minaret | A tall, slender tower attached to a mosque |
desalination plant | A plant that removes salt from seawater so that it can be used for drinking and irrigation |
nomad | A person who travels from place to place |
trade deficit | The situation in which a country imports more than it exports |
trade surplus | The situation in which a country exports more than it imports |
autonomy | Independence |
genocide | The systematic killing or intentional destruction of a people |
nationalism | Pride in one's nation; the desire of a nation to rule themselves as a separate nation |
chernozem | A rich topsoil found in Russian steppes and other mid-latitude grasslands |
yurt | A round tent made of a wooden framework and covered with felt or skins |
fundamentalism | A set of religious beliefs based on a strict interpretation |
desertification | The transformation of arable land into desert either naturally or through human intervention |
mandate | A commission from the League of Nations authorizing a nation to govern a territory |
Zionist | A member of a movement known as Zionism founded to promote the establishment of an independent Jewish state |
self-determination | The right of a people to decide their own political future |
drip irrigation | A process by which precisely controlled amounts of water drip directly onto plants from pipes, thus preserving precious water resources in dry areas |
potash | A mineral used in explosives and fertilizer |
Fertile Crescent | A region in the Middle East where farming and the first civilizations developed |
militia | A citizen army |
anarchy | Political disorder and violence; lawlessness |
embargo | A severe restriction of trade with other countries |
infrastructure | The basic support facilities of a community or country, such as roads and bridges, power plants, and schools |
falaj system | In the Arabian Peninsula, an ancient system of underground and surface canals |
secular | Worldly, not relating to religion |
shah | The title of the former ruler of Iran |
ayatollah | A religious leader among Shiite Muslims |