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.
1–21 of 21 terms · U
Clear filtersU-boats
German submarines used to attack enemy and merchant shipping during the First World War.
U.S. Senate
the upper chamber of the U.S. Congress, whose treaty vote was needed for American ratification.
Umayyad Caliphate
the dynasty that ruled most of the Islamic empire from Damascus beginning in 661.
Umma
a Sumerian city-state in southern Mesopotamia, probably near modern Tell Jokha in Iraq.
Uncle Tom's Cabin
Harriet Beecher Stowe's 1852 antislavery novel that helped turn public opinion against slavery.
unconditional surrender
surrender without negotiated limits on the victor’s authority over the defeated power.
Underground Railroad
networks of people and routes that helped enslaved people escape toward freedom.
unequal treaties
treaties imposed on China under foreign pressure that granted privileges and limited sovereignty.
union
an organisation through which workers negotiate over pay and conditions.
Union of South Africa
the self-governing state created in 1910 by joining four South African colonies under white political control.
United Democratic Front
the broad anti-apartheid coalition launched in 1983 to connect civic, church, student and community struggles.
United Front
An alliance between rival political movements for a shared objective; Nationalists and Communists cooperated against regional military rulers and later Japan.
United Nations
an international organization founded after the Second World War to support peace, cooperation, and international law.
universal adult suffrage
the right of all adult citizens to vote regardless of race, sex, wealth or status.
Ur
a major Sumerian city in southern Mesopotamia, near modern Tell el-Muqayyar in Iraq.
Urban
relating to towns and cities, rather than villages or countryside.
Urban planning
the deliberate design of streets, buildings, water systems, and public spaces in a settlement.
Urbanisation
the growth of towns and cities as more people live and work in urban areas.
Uruk
one of the world's earliest major cities, in southern Mesopotamia near modern Warka in Iraq.
Ustasha
a Croatian fascist movement that ruled the Axis-backed Independent State of Croatia during the Second World War.
Utah Beach
the westernmost American landing beach on D-Day, where troops made rapid progress inland.
