History · Grades 6–12

Societies and historical change · quick reference

Definitions are starting points. Different regions and historical periods can use the same term in different ways.

Key terms at a glance

Cultivation of plants and management of animals for food or other products.

Long-term changes in organisms associated with human selection and management.

A way of living that involves moving rather than remaining in one permanent settlement.

A place where people establish homes and community activities.

Supplying water to crops through managed systems.

An amount produced beyond immediate requirements.

Concentration on particular tasks or kinds of work.

Direct exchange of goods or services without money as the medium.

A path or network regularly used to exchange goods.

A political system extending control over multiple territories or peoples.

A sequence of rulers from the same family or lineage.

A form of government in which a monarch serves as head of state.

A state whose headship is not a hereditary monarchy, with arrangements that vary by country and period.

Expansion of machine-based production and associated changes in work and society.

A system in which a power establishes control over another territory and its people.

The ending of colonial rule through diverse political and social processes.

A fundamental change in political order or other major social arrangements.

A deliberate change intended to improve an existing institution or practice.

A body of fundamental rules and principles for a political community.

A formal agreement between states or other parties recognized for that purpose.

Learning preview · teacher review required. Grade bands are approximate, not official curriculum alignment.