AQA GCSE History key terms

A nickname for migrants who travelled to the California goldfields during the gold rush of 1849.

A monastery governed by an abbot or abbess.

The head of a community of monks.

The act of a monarch giving up the throne.

An anti-ballistic missile: a missile designed to intercept an incoming ballistic missile.

The movement to end slavery.

A person who campaigned to end slavery or the trade in enslaved people.

The moment when a person succeeds to the throne and becomes monarch, rather than the later ceremony of coronation.

A toxic herbicide used by US forces to destroy vegetation in Vietnam, with lasting environmental and health consequences.

Land transferred away from its previous holder.

An agreement between states to cooperate, often by providing military support against a shared enemy.

The body through which the American, British, Soviet and French military commanders exercised joint authority over matters affecting Germany as a whole after its defeat.

A plot assigned to an individual or family. Under the Dawes Act, allotments replaced communal ownership of much reservation land.

A charitable institution providing accommodation and support for poor people, particularly those unable to support themselves.

The militant Islamist terrorist organisation led by Osama bin Laden and responsible for the attacks of 11 September 2001.

Treatments used instead of mainstream medical care; when used alongside mainstream care, they are often called complementary treatments.

A surprise attack launched from a concealed position against an approaching enemy.

A belief that anyone can achieve success and a better life through hard work and opportunity. In post-war America, it was often associated with a secure job, home ownership and material comfort.

A military operation in which troops land from the sea to attack positions on land.

An open performance space surrounded by rising levels of seating or galleries.

The removal of a limb or another part of the body.

A substance that prevents a patient from feeling pain during a medical procedure. General anaesthetics make the patient unconscious.

A political belief which rejects the authority of the state. It is distinct from communism.

The study of the structure of the body and how its parts are arranged.

An abnormal widening or bulge in an artery, a blood vessel carrying blood away from the heart.

The collection of territories ruled by Henry II and his successors, including England and extensive lands in France. Its name comes from Anjou, a French region associated with Henry’s family.

An identity combining English and Norman customs and language, which developed after the Norman Conquest through settlement and interaction.