| A | B |
|---|
| Hellenistic Civilization | spreading of Greek culture and colonization of lands conquered by Alexander the Great |
| heritage | something that is passed down from preceding generations; a tradition |
| hieroglyphics | form of picture writing developed by ancient Egyptians |
| Holocaust | mass slaughter of European Jews in Nazi concentration camps during WWII |
| humanism | intellectual movement during the Renaissance that focused on worldly subjects rather than religious issues |
| hydroelectric | generating electricity from the energy of falling water |
| illiteracy | lack of ability to read or write |
| iman | Islamic word meaning belief or faith |
| imperialism | domination by one country of the political, cultural or economic life of another country or region |
| indulgence | in the Roman Catholic Church, pardon for sins committed during one's lifetime |
| industrialization | to introduce industry into an area on a large scale |
| inflation | economic cycle that involves a rapid rise in prices linked to a sharp increase in the amount of money available |
| infrastructure | the facilities and systems serving a country, city or area; transportation systems, communication systems, power plants and schools |
| interdependence | mutual dependence of countries on goods, resources, and knowledge from other parts of the world |
| internet | vast computer network linking smaller computer networks worldwide |
| intervention | interference of one state into the affairs of another |
| irrigation | watering land to assist in the production of crops |
| isolationism | policy of limited involvement in world affairs |
| jihad | a struggle in God's service to overcome immorality or to spread or defend Islam |
| joint family | family organization in which several generations share a common dwelling |
| Kabba | ancient shrine in Mecca where Muslims come to pray |
| karma | in Hindu belief, all actions that affect a person's fate in the next life |
| kibbutz | collective farm in Israel |
| knight | noble in Europe who served as a mounted warrior for a lord in the Middle Ages |
| Koran | holy book of Islam |
| kulak | wealthy peasant in the Soviet Union in the 1930's |
| laissez-faire | policy allowing business to operate with little or no government interference |
| landlocked | surrounded completely by land |
| leaching | removal of minerals from soil |
| leftist | member of the political left; liberal |
| liberation theology | movement in the Roman Catholic Church to actively change social conditions that contributed to poverty |
| life expectancy | number of years a person can expect to live |
| literacy | ability to read or write |
