History Glossary

This glossary contains twenty terms all related to the historical discipline. It will be useful mostly for me considering that I want to pursue my studies in this field, but it can also be used by other students in a field related to mine. The majority of those terms has been found on the online glossary of the California State University and the online glossary of Wikipedia.

Age of Exploration

phrase

The period from around 1400 to 1600, in which Europeans traveled the rest of the world in search of goods, raw materials, land, and trade partners.

Example: The age of exploration was one big buffet.

fr: Âge de la découverte

B.C.

abbreviation

Used in the Christian calendar when referring to a year before Jesus Christ was born.

Example: The Battle of Actium took place in 31 BC.

fr: av. J.-C.

biography

noun

The life story of a person written by someone else.

Example: He wrote a biography of Winston Churchill.

fr: biographie

chronology

noun

The order in which a series of events happened, or a list or explanation of these events in the order in which they happened.

Example: I'm not sure of the chronology of events.

fr: chronologie

Classical Studies

phrase

Branch of the humanities that is primarily concerned with the ancient civilizations of the Greeks and the Romans, as well as many contemporary Mediterranean cultures, and particularly the extensive body of literature and archaeological remains that these cultures passed on to us.

Example: My friend went on a date with a guy who only talked about classical studies.

fr: études classiques

eurocentrism

adjective

The fact of seeing things from the point of view of Europe or European people; the fact of considering Europe or Europeans to be the most important.

Example: Questions of race, colonialism, and Eurocentrism are now prominent in cultural studies.

fr: eurocentrisme

historian

noun

Someone who writes about or studies history.

Example: Some historians think that history repeats itself.

fr: historien

history

noun

The study of past events considered together, especially events of a particular period, country, or subject.

Example: I studied modern European history at college.

fr: histoire

industrialization

noun

The process of developing industries in a country.

Example: Another critical environmental problem that results from industrialization and urbanization is the depletion of the ozone layer in the upper atmosphere.

fr: industrialisation

Julian calendar

phrase

A system that established the 12-month year of 365 days that is now used in many parts of the world, but in which the beginning of the year is not fixed on 1 January.

Example: They continued with the old Julian calendar until 1752.

fr: calendrier julien

Julius Caesar

proper noun

A famous Roman emperor and general.

Example: The Italian city of Trieste was founded by Julius Caesar.

fr: Jules César

Middle Ages

phrase

The period in European history, approximately between the years 500 and 1400, when the power of kings, people of high rank, and the Christian church was strong.

Example: By the Middle Ages, around the 5th century, the sport of boxing had almost disappeared.

fr: moyen-âge

mythology

noun

Myths in general.

Example: We’re studying classical mythology in English.

fr: mythologie

post-

prefix

After or later than.

Example: He took a post-lunch nap.

fr: post

prehistory

noun

The period of human history before there were written records of events.

Example: Human prehistory is divided into three successive periods: the Stone Age, the Bronze Age, and the Iron Age.

fr: préhistoire

revolution

noun

A very important change in the way that people do things.

Example: The industrial revolution created an enormous increase in the production of many types of goods.

fr: révolution

Romanticism

proper noun

A style of art, music, and literature, popular in Europe in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, that deals with the beauty of nature and human emotions.

Example: Periods of Romanticism favoured the particular in local and national histories while periods of Rationalism favoured generalizing interpretations, often on a larger scale.

fr: romantisme

Stone Age

phrase

The early period in human history when people made tools and weapons only out of stone.

Example: A Stone Age settlement/site.

fr: âge de pierre

timeline

noun

The order in which events have happened, or a line, picture, etc. that shows this.

Example: The displays include a huge interactive timeline tracing the story of the organization.

fr: ligne du temps

suffragette

noun

A woman who campaigned for the right of women to vote, especially a member of the early 20th century British group of activitists led by Emmeline and Christabel Pankhurst.

Example: These demonstrations offer an opportunity to examine the nature of militancy and explore some of the chief themes of suffragette historiography.

fr: suffragette

This glossary was made with the Virtual Writing Tutor glossary maker and grammar checker.