| Abolition |
To bring to an end. In this context the campaign to end the Transatlantic slave trade |
| Anarchism |
Belief in societies where people willingly govern themselves |
| Ancien regime |
A long-standing system in France, where the monarchy, aristocracy and Catholic Church held absolute power and privilege over ordinary people |
| Anticlericalism |
Opposition to religious authority |
| Authoritarian |
Demanding that people obey completely while limiting personal freedom |
| Boycott |
A way of protesting against something by refusing to participate or to buy goods |
| Calvanist |
Relating to the Christian teachings of John Calvin, particularly the belief that God controls what happens on earth |
| Campaign |
An organised effort to achieve a goal or make a change |
| Colonisation |
A process of one country taking over another in order to exploit it. The original inhabitants are usually dominated and oppressed politically, economically, culturally and/or socially. |
| Colony |
A territory partially or completely controlled by another country and settled by those people |
| Commodity |
An article of trade, especially a raw material or product |
| Communism |
A political and economic system where society is classless and stateless (without government) and the methods of production and making money are owned and shared by all |
| Constitution |
The political principles which govern a territory, especially in relation to the rights of its people |
| Culture |
An identity based on the ideas, values, customs, social behaviour, beliefs and/or language of a particular people or society. Cultures can continually evolve for individuals and communities. |
| Democratic |
Allowing and enabling everyone to have equal representation and involvement in making decisions |
| Diaspora |
The spreading out of any group of people, forcibly or voluntarily, away from their homeland |
| Disenfranchise |
To take away power or opportunities from a person or group – often refers to the right to vote |
| Emancipation |
Being set free, or granted rights equal to others who already enjoy them |
| Empire |
A group of territories ruled by a single person or government, usually as a result of invasion and/or colonisation |
| Enfranchise |
Give power or opportunities to a person or group – often refers to the right to vote |
| Enslavement |
To make a slave of a person. Being held in captivity and servitude. |
| Establishment |
A group or class of people having authority within a society, in this context especially those who control the government, the armed forces and the Church |
| Feminism |
The belief that men and women should have equal rights and opportunities |
| Globalisation |
The process of the world becoming increasingly interconnected as a result of massively increased geographical knowledge, trade, cultural exchange and communications |
| Hispanic |
Relating to Spain or Spanish-speaking countries |
| Independence |
Self-government of a territory |
| Industrialisation |
The transformation of an economy from being based mainly on farming to one based mainly on the manufacture of goods, with individual manual labour being replaced by mass production using machines |
| Innovation |
A new method, idea or product |
| Legitimate |
Lawful, legal |
| Liberalism |
In this context, a political philosophy based on equality and freedom |
| Manumission |
To free people from slavery |
| Memorial |
Something that keeps alive the memory of a person or event |
| Migrate |
To move from a country or region to live elsewhere, forcibly or voluntarily – often applied to a large group of people |
| Monarchy |
When a king or queen is head of a state. They may have different levels of power. |
| Philanthropist |
A person who uses their time, money or skills to help create a better world. |
| Plantation |
A large area of farmland, or estate, planted with particular crops |
| Proponent |
A person who puts forward an idea, or course of action |
| Radical |
Someone who believes in or advocates for extreme social or political change |
| Radicalism |
Belief that society needs to be changed, and that these changes are only possible through revolutionary means |
| Refugee |
A person who seeks shelter or protection from danger or distress in a country other than their own |
| Republic |
A state which has an elected or nominated president rather than a monarch |
| Republicanism |
A political ideology that supports freedom of government without a monarchy |
| Resistance |
To strive against, or refuse to comply (sometimes secretly) with a decision or an established way of doing things |
| Revolution |
A significant change with a lasting and often far-reaching impact on people |
| Romanticism |
An artistic, literary, music and intellectual movement of the late 1700s and early 1800s that originated in Eruope. The characteristics of this movement can be difficult to define, but have their roots in liberty, individual rights, creativity, our relationship with nature, a nostalgia for a time before industrialisation and a sense of emotion and spirituality. |
| Sedition |
Encouraging people to rebel against the authority of a state or monarch |
| Shackles |
Iron chains used to restrain prisoners or enslaved peoples |
| Slave |
Someone who is made to serve another. Having no freedom or personal rights. One who is the property of another whether by capture, purchase or birth. |
| Slaver |
Someone who earns a living from enslaving people. |
| Socialism |
An economic system where the means of production and making money (e.g. farms, factories, mines) are owned and shared by society (as opposed to being owned by a small number of people making large profits from the work of others) |
| Subversive |
Seeking to undermine someone or something – usually sneakily |
| Suffrage |
The right to vote in political elections |
| Theologian |
Someone who studies the nature of God, religion, and religious beliefs |
| Transatlantic |
Across the Atlantic ocean |
| Transatlantic slavery |
A brutal system which lasted 300 years. It allowed African men, women and children to be stolen from their homeland, bought and sold as property, and used to produce sugar, coffee, cotton and other goods for huge profit in the European and North American markets. |
| Transnational |
Across or between several nations |
| Transportation |
In this context an extreme form of punishment, second only to the death penalty, where British convicts were shipped to Australia, often for petty crimes. Many didn’t survive the voyage. Detainees were subjected to harsh labour and punishments. |
| Underground railroad |
A secret network of people, meeting places, routes and safe houses used to help enslaved people escape from the southern states of the US to the north and Canada |
| Uprising |
Act or instance of rising up, rebellion |
| Utilitarianism |
Belief that all actions should be for the greater good and of equal benefit to all |
