A guide to the language of history
History glossary
Understand the people, places and ideas behind the stories. Find a term, read its meaning, then explore it in context.
73–80 of 80 terms · C
Clear filterscoup
an attempt to seize power outside normal constitutional rules.
Cranmer's Prayer Book
Thomas Cranmer's English liturgy that shaped Protestant worship under Edward VI and Elizabeth I.
crusade
a religiously sanctioned military expedition, especially those called by Latin Christian leaders in the medieval period.
Cuban Missile Crisis
the 1962 confrontation over Soviet nuclear missiles in Cuba that brought the world close to nuclear war.
Cult
an organized system of worship, ritual service, offerings, and temple activity.
cult of personality
the promotion of a leader as an extraordinary, almost infallible figure through propaganda and ritual.
Cultural Revolution
Mao's 1966-1976 campaign that mobilized mass struggle against perceived enemies in party, culture, and society.
Cuneiform
an early writing system made by pressing wedge-shaped marks into clay.
