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home quit glossary abstracts summaries of articles ainu japan s indigenous people allegiance loyalty allegory a work in which the characters and events are meant to be understood as representing other things and symbolically expressing a deeper moral or political meaning caliph a supreme ruler under the islamic faith caliphate the area of jurisdiction of islamic rulers calmecac the aztec school for nobles calpolli units of organization in aztec society cartographer a person who draws maps catastrophe a disaster cause an incident or series of incidents that lead to something else altalt a device made of jointed wood that enabled an aztec to throw a short spear a great distance with much force alternate attendance the practice of forcing the daimyo to move from their home provinces to live in edo every other year anatomy the science that deals with the structure of animals and plants anglophones people whose first language is english appeal make a formal request aqueduct a channel used to move water usually supported on a bridge structure when it had to cross a valley arable land suitable for farming and agriculture archipelago a long chain of many islands arsenal a place filled with weapons artifacts archaeological objects from the past such as clothing tools weapons buildings cooking utensils jewellery and personal items artisan a skilled craftworker assimilation forcing a group of people to acquire the characteristics of a majority group astrology science of the stars aztec name given to the civilization created by a nomadic tribe the mexica who settled in the valley of mexico during the 15th century backlash adverse or hostile reaction against change bias a type of prejudice rooted in a person s point of view biodiversity a vast number of plant species in an ecosystem bullion supplies of gold and silver chacmool a reclining statue with a bowl for holding human hearts chapultepec a tall hill across the lake from tenochtitlan chinampas floating islands built in the water around tenochtitlan to grow crops circumnavigate travel completely around something as in circumnavigating the globe city-state a politically independent city and the rural area or hinterland around it civic relating to citizenship or civic affairs code of chivalry a set of values meant to govern the behaviour of all christian soldiers codex/codices singular/plural forms aztec books made of deerskin or paper made from tree bark or cactus fibre that contained images only and were folded like an accordion compulsory required by law confucianism the teachings of the chinese scholar confucius conquistador the word that the spanish used to describe the leader of an expedition to colonize other lands conscription mandatory military service conservative someone in favour of resisting change keeping the status quo constitution a written document that describes the organization and rules for governing a group or country creoles descendants of spanish settlers in mexico crusade a christian military expedition daimyo a powerful japanese landowner or noble decolonization granting countries their independence glossary 379 bunraku a puppet theatre in which large puppets enact the ordeals of separated lovers or dueling samurai

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home democracy a form of government in which people elect representatives to rule the country didactic a message intended to teach a lesson or serve a purpose disseminate to spread information distortion error dutch scholars japanese academics who learned the dutch language and educated themselves about western ways edo period the period in japanese history between 1600 and 1853 also known as the tokugawa period educated guess a guess based on prior knowledge and experience effect the result or consequence of one or more causes quit heresy opposing church teachings hidalgos the sons of poor nobles hierarchy a social system in which status is ranked and power is concentrated in the higher ranks hinterland the rural area around a city-state homogeneous a group of people similar in nature and character horseshoe debate an exchange of ideas about an issue in which students assume positions in a horseshoe pattern depending on how they feel about the issue humanist a person who adopts a system of thought that centres on humans and their values capacities and worth concern with the interests needs and welfare of humans ideology a set of values imagery symbols used in writing immunity resistance to a disease imperialism the extension of power over a territory including its resources and people indemnity payment for losses indigenous someone born in a country the first inhabitants of an area indigenous peoples groups who were the original inhabitants of the land each with its own distinct identity indulgences certificates that reduced the time people would be punished for their sins after they died ingenuity cleverness and inventiveness insular to be unaware of or uninterested in cultures other than one s own intermediary someone who acts as a go-between or mediator between two people or groups of people isolated when a person or group is set apart or cut off from others by geographic ecologic or social barriers isolation or exclusion laws laws passed by the shogun that cut japan off from outside contact journeyman a person who has learned a trade and joined a guild encomienda a spanish system that gave spanish settlers land grants when they arrived in a colony epidemic a disease that spreads rapidly and affects many individuals at the same time ethical code rules about right and wrong behaviour ethnocentrism the perception that europeans and north americans are more important than other countries excommunication official exclusion from the catholic church expansionism the actions and attitudes of a state or country whose goal is to expand its power and territory expulsion to drive or force out of a place feudalism the system of political organization during the middle ages in which the lord owned the land and all others served him filial piety faithfulness and devotion to one s parents franciscan order a group of catholic priests who took a vow of poverty chastity and obedience and worked with the poor and lower classes francophones people whose first language is french freemen peasants who rented land or worked for pay glyphs pictures or symbols used in writing junshi ritual suicide after the death of one s lord kabuki a form of theatre kami any of the sacred beings worshipped in shinto conceived as spirits abiding in natural phenomena kamikaze a ferocious storm that destroyed most of the mongol fleet in 1274 divine wind sent by the gods to defend japan kamuy the gods of nature of the ainu gohan cooked rice or a meal hadith a well-known muslim saying haiku a japanese poem that has only 17 syllables contains a simple image or idea and offers insights into life halberd a weapon over two metres long that resembled a spear with an axe blade a spear point and a hook hereditary determined by birth 380 glossary

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home kendo a japanese martial art le grand dérangement the expulsion of the acadians from their homeland machiavellian a crafty unscrupulous person who seeks and holds power by any means possible manor a piece of land sometimes called a fief martyr a person who is willing to die for his or her convictions or beliefs quit oligarchy an unelected group of powerful leaders omen a sign of something going to happen outcasts japanese people who were shunned or ignored by other classes because of the type of work they did pandemic an infectious disease that affects many people over a large geographical area paradox contradictory riddle patron a person who pays artists to produce works per capita average for each person periodicals regular publications perspective the collective point of view of a specific group which can be expressed by a member of the group who has the authority to speak for the group in art the technique of representing objects in paintings as they appear to the eye matsuri festivals held every spring and fall to please the kami of each japanese clan and village mayan the language spoken by the maya people meiji japanese word meaning enlightened rule mestizos persons of mixed race of spanish and aztec decent microcosm a small model migrate to move permanently from one geographic area to another missionaries men and women from religious orders with the authority to teach and convert people to christianity monarchies countries ruled by a king or queen monastery building and lands in which monks lived and carried out their religious duties monastic the way of life lived by monks and nuns that involves spending time each day studying religious texts praying and carrying our religious work and duties monotheism the belief in the existence of one god monsoon strong winds in asia blowing from the southwest in summer mosque a sacred place of worship in the islamic faith muskets long rifle-like guns that were fired from the shoulder mythology traditional stories about gods and their relations with humans nahuatl the language spoken by the aztecs navigation the science of determining the course position and distrance travelled especially of a ship peso spanish currency petroglyphs art that is carved into a rock philosopher one who studies the truth and principles underlying human conduct and knowledge and the nature of the universe pictographs drawings or paintings on a rock wall pietà a sculpture that represents the virgin mary mourning over the dead body of jesus pike a four-metre-long spear plaque a type of historical marker point of view opinions and preferences held and expressed by an individual political scientist a person who describes and analyzes political processes and institutions polytheism the belief in the existence of many gods primary source usually refers to original manuscripts such as letters journal entries religious texts poetry legal agreements and statutes meeting minutes and inventories may also include artwork architecture and artifacts principalities small areas often ruled by princes projection a system of intersecting lines such as the grid of a map on which part or all of the globe or another spherical surface is represented as a plane surface propaganda attempts to manipulate people by using exaggerated or distorted information quetzal a brilliantly coloured bird that lives in the tropical rainforests of central and south america glossary 381 noh a musical dance drama norms unwritten rules of behaviour that tell us what is expected or acceptable in particular circumstances obsidian volcanic glass ocelot a nocturnal wildcat that has a greyish or yellow coat with black spots

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home quit sonnet a poetic form that consists of 14 lines spanish inquisition a state-run system of courts in spain where non-catholics were put on trial stoic used to describe a person who can control his or her emotions and endure difficult experiences with patience sumo wrestling a sport that originated in ancient times as a japanese religious performance sumptuary laws laws that controlled consumption or how people spent their money quipu a system of knotted strings used by the incas and other south american cultures to communicate and keep records reconquista the christian reconquest of spain from the muslims reformation a religious movement to change or reform the roman catholic church that resulted in the establishment of some other christian religions such as the lutheran church religious intolerance refusing to accept another s beliefs republic a state in which power is held by the people restorative justice dealing with a law-breaker by requiring the offender to repair the harm done retributive justice dealing with law-breakers by punishing them rhetoric the art of making speeches ritual a celebration or ceremony observed with regularity ronin samurai warriors without masters samurai professional paid members of the japanese military scientific method the process of making observations experimenting and drawing conclusions based on evidence scribe a person who copied books secondary source an account of an event written by someone who was not present at the time telpochcalli aztec school for commoners tithe a portion of crops or percentage of earnings paid to the church tokugawa period the period in japanese history between 1600 and 1853 also known as the edo period tribute valuable gifts and taxes collected by the aztecs from a conquered group or city tsunami a strong destructive wave caused by earthquakes or volcanic eruptions on the ocean floor ukiyo-e wood block prints upward mobility the ability to move from one social class to a higher one usury the practice of charging interest when loaning money to someone vernacular the language commonly spoken by the people who live in that region viceroy the representative of a sovereign in a foreign jurisdiction virtues positive character traits westernization adopting the culture and ideas of the western world worldview a collection of beliefs about life and the universe held by an individual or a group the overall perspective from which one sees and interprets the world seppuku ritual suicide performed in japan as an honourable alternative to humiliation and public shame serf peasants who worked the land for the lord and were not allowed to leave the manor without the lord s permission shogun a japanese military ruler in edo japan shogunate a strong council of advisors officials and administrators 382 glossary

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