Glossary
Browse the glossary using this index
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habitationA place where something lives. |
HaikuA 3 line poem that has 17 syllables in the Japanese language, and expresses a single thought, feeling or idea. |
hajjThe pilgrimage or holy journey to the city of Mecca |
Hammurabis CodeOldest written system of laws. They were created by King Hammurabi of Babylonia in th mid 18th century BCE and placed on stones tablets for all to see. |
HebrewSemitic language originating in ancient Palestine and spoken by the Israelites. Modern Hebrew was developed in the 19th and 20th centuries from the ancient written language. |
HegiraThe flight of Mohammed from Mecca to Median which was instrumental to the founding of the religion of Islam. Occurs in 622 ACE, which dates the founding of Islam. |
heliocentric modelTheory of the universe that states the sun is the center, and that the earth revolves around it. |
HellenisticTime period from the late 4th century BCE to the 1st century CE that was characterized by Greek achievement and a blending of Persian, Egyptian, Greek, and Indian cultures due to the empire of Alexander the Great. |
Henry VIII(1491-1547) King of England who transformed his country into a Protestant nation during the Reformation. |
Herzl, Theodor(1860-1904) Leader of Zionist movement to establish a Jewish homeland in Palestine. |
hieroglyphicsA system of writing which uses pictures for concepts and ideas. |
hijackingThe taking control of a public transport vehicle, such as an airliner or train to use the people aboard as hostages. |
HinduismA polytheistic religion that was formed from a variety of different religious practices. In Hinduism, salvation is achieved through a spiritual oneness of the soul, atman, with the ultimate reality of the universe, Brahma. To achieve this goal, the soul must obtain moksha, or liberation from the samsara, the endless cycle of birth, death, and rebirth. As a result of these basic teachings, Hindus believe in reincarnation, which is influenced by karma (material actions resulting from the consequences of previous actions), and dharma (fulfilling one's duty in life). Because all forms of animal life possess souls, Hindus believe in ahimsa, or that all life is sacred. and should not be harmed. In fact, one animal which Hindus consider to be extremely sacred is the cow. The peaceful and contented existence of cows is considered virtuous by Hindus and would represent a rewarding reincarnation for a soul. For this reason, most Hindus are vegetarians so that they do not harm other living beings. The belief in reincarnation, karma, and dharma also provides the religious justification for the existence of the rigid social structure known as the Caste System. |
Hippocrates(460?-377? BCE) Greek physician. He is considered to be the father of medicine and the ethical standard of treating all patients known as the Hippocratic Oath. |
Hippocratic OathAn promise made new physicians to treat all people fairly, and to seek to preserve life. Named after a ancient Greek physician who is credited with writing it. |
Hirohito(1901-1989) Emperor of Japan from 1926 until 1989. He is the last Japanese emperor to be considered divine. Led Japan through World War II. |
HiroshimaJapanese city devastated during World War II when the United States dropped the first atomic bomb on Aug 6th, 1945. |
Hitler, Adolf(1889-1945) Austrian-born leader of Germany. He co-founded the Nazi Party in Germany, and gained control of the country as chancellor in 1933. Hitler started World War II with the invasion of Poland. He was responsible for the Holocaust. |
Ho Chi Minh(1890-1969) Vietnamese leader who is responsible for ousting first the French, then the United States from his country. Supported by both communist China and the Soviet Union, he guided Vietnam through decades long warfare to emerge as a communist nation. |
Hobbes, Thomas(1588-1679) English philosopher and political theorist. Wrote Leviathan, where he favored an absolute government as the only means of balancing human interests and desires with their rights of life and property. |
HolocaustThe attempted genocide of European Jews, Gypsies, mentally retarded, homosexuals, and others by Nazi Germany during the Second World War. |
Holy LandTerm given to lands in present day Israel that is significant to Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. |
Holy TrinityFormed by the Creator (Father), Redeemer (Son), and Sustainer (Holy Spirit). Christians believe that these three entities are all part of a single higher power. |
Hubble Space TelescopeLarge space telescope able to see farther than any other telescope at the end of the 20th century. |
human and physical geographyThe study of the environment, people, and the resources they use to live. |