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- sacraments : Religious practices such as baptism, and receiving the Eucharist.
- sacred : Worthy of or regarded with religious worship, and/or respect.
- Sahara Desert : The world’s largest desert, located in North Africa.
- Salt March : (1930) Passive resistance campaign of Mohandas Gandhi where many Indians protested the British tax on salt by marching to the sea to make their own salt.
- samurai : Warrior class during Japan’s feudal age.
- Sanskrit : The extinct language of ancient India. Spoken between fourteenth and fifth centuries BCE. Still used today in classic literature.
- Scandinavian Vikings : Members of any of the ancient Scandinavian peoples. Vikings raided various parts of northwestern Europe from the 8th to 11th centuries CE. They were good sailors who invaded by sea in long ships, and often settled in the areas they invaded, as in Great Britain.
- scholar : A person who posesses a great deal of knowledge, usually an academic who specializes in a particular subject area.
- Scientific Method : Uses observation and experimentation to explain theories on the workings of the universe.
- Scientific Revolution : An offshoot of the Renaissance in which scientists questioned traditional beliefs about the workings of the universe. One of the main ideas to come out of the Scientific Revolution was the use of the Scientific Method. The Scientific Method uses observation and experimentation to explain theories on how the universe works.
- Scramble For Africa : Term given for the rapid invasion of Africa by the various European powers. This began imperialism in Africa.
- sculptor : An artist who creates three-dimensional works of art, usually in stone or clay.
- senator : A person that is a member of a legislative body called a Senate.
- separation of powers : A tool in government described by Baron de Montesquieu which states that government should divide itself according to its powers, creating a Judicial, Legislative, and Executive branch. This system would Check and Balance itself, which would help protect the people's liberty.
- Sepoy Mutiny : (1857-1859) A revolt by the hired Hindu and Muslim soldiers of the British East India Company. It began as a result of the rifle cartridges that were distributed to the Sepoys had to be bitten to remove a cover before being inserted into a gun. Rumors circulated among the Sepoys that this cover had been greased with beef and pork fat. This angered Muslim Sepoys who were not supposed to consume pork, and the Hindu Sepoys who were not supposed to eat beef. Thus, the Sepoys revolted against the British army, which eventually ended the conflict through use of force. This resulted in the British government officially taking control of India, making it a colony.
- Seppuku : The act of suicide practiced by Japanese Samurai and Nobles during the feudal period. It was practiced to save one’s honor, or to regain it in the face of shame.
- serfs : Farmers who were tied to the land during European feudalism. They were not slaves because they could not be bought or sold, but they could not readily leave the manor either. Serfs were given land to farm in exchange for service to their lord. This service usually involved working the lord's fields, maintaining roads and the manor, and providing military service in times of war. Serfs paid taxes to their lord in the form of crops. This is also how the paid the fee to use the manor's mill or other services.
- Shaka Zulu : (1787?-1828) During Shaka’s rule, the Zulu broadened their land claims throughout southern Africa. Eventually, the Zulu came into the conflict with the British army as they expanded their control over southern Africa and invaded the homeland of the Zulu. Despite early victories, the Zulu were eventually defeated by the technology and vast resources at the command of the British troops. Soon, all of southern Africa would come under British control.
- Shakespeare, William : (1564-1616) English poet and playwright. He wrote 37 plays between 1590 and 1613. His plays reflect the ideas of individualism and the unconquerable human spirit, and most of them are still performed today.
- Sharia : The Islamic book of laws which regulates all aspects of life including, moral behavior, family life, business dealings, and government.
- Shinto : Shinto, which means "Way of the Gods," is the traditional religion of Japan that focuses on nature. Many consider Shinto to be a form of Animism due to the many similarities found between them. Shinto teaches that there is a sacredness of the whole universe and that humans can be in tune with this sacredness. Every mountain, river, plant, animal, and all the diverse phenomena of heaven and earth have spirits, or kami, which inhabit them. Reverence is paid to the ancestors through the practice of ancestor worship.
- Shogun : Military ruler of feudal Japan.
- Silk Road : Trade route from China to the Middle East. Called the Silk Road due to China’s most important export.
- silt : Very fine grains of dirt deposited by a moving body of water.
- Sistine Chapel : A Catholic church in Vatican City, Italy. Its ceiling was painted by the Renaissance artist Michelangelo.
- slave : A person forced to work for another with no payment or freedom to seek work elsewhere. A slave can be bought and sold.
- slave trade : The buying and selling of people for the purposes of slavery.
- slavery : A system of forced labor.
- smallpox : A highly contagious disease. Symptoms include high fever and scar-producing blisters. It can be fatal.
- Smith, Adam : (1723-1790) British philosopher, writer, and economist. His book, The Wealth of Nations, describes his theory on free trade, otherwise known as laissez-faire economics.
- social class : A group of people within a society who share the same social, political, and economic status.
- Social Contract, The : French philosopher Jean Jaques Rousseau's book in which he wrote that people were basically good, and that society, and its unequal distribution of wealth, were the cause of most problems. Rousseau believed that government should be run according to the will of the majority, which he called the General Will. He claimed that the General Will would always act in the best interest of the people.
- Social Darwinism : A social theory which states that the level a person rises to in society and wealth is determined by their genetic background.
- social rights : Rights such as freedom of expression, education
- socialism : A political system where the means of production are controlled by the workers and all things are shared evenly. Socialist policies provide for government funding of many basic needs such as food, shelter, and medical care.
- Songhai : One of the west African Trading Kingdoms. They were rich in gold and established a vast trading network across the Sahara desert.
- sovereignty : The right of a country to govern itself without interference.
- Soviet Union (U.S.S.R.) : Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) Formed in 1922 from most of the former Russian Empire. The Soviet Union was controlled by the Communist Party headquarter in Moscow, Russia. The Soviet Union was a world superpower along with the United States, and was one of the two major antagonist during the Cold War.
- Space Race : Term given to the competition between the United States and the Soviet Union during the Cold War to advance their space programs.
- Space Shuttle : A reusable space vehicle built by the United States.
- Spanish Armada : A large flotilla of ships sent by Philip II of Spain to attack England in 1588 because of the Reformation. The Armada was destroyed by poor weather and the English Navy.
- spheres of influence : An area of one country under the control of another. In China, these areas guaranteed specific trading privileges to each imperialist nation within its respective sphere.
- spinning jenny : A device used to make thread.
- Spirit of the Laws, The : A book written by Baron de Montesquieu describing his theories on government. He states that government should divide itself according to its powers, creating a Judicial, Legislative, and Executive branch. Montesquieu explained that under this system each branch would Check and Balance the others, which would help protect the people's liberty.
- Sputnik : Soviet satellite put into orbit around Earth in 1957. It was the first man made satellite put into orbit.
- stalemate : A situation where there are no clear winners.
- Stalin, Josef : (1879-1953) The General Secretary of the Soviet Communist Party from 1922 until 1953. Known for his brutality in dealing with opponents and his failed policies of collectivism that caused widespread famine across the Soviet Union.
- starvation : The process of dying due to lack of food.
- stockholder : A person holding ownership of part of a company or business venture.
- subcontinent : Large area that is a separate part of a continent. The area encompassing India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh are considered to be a subcontinent of Asia.
- suffrage : The right to vote in elections.
- Suleiman : (1494-1566) Sultan of the Ottoman Empire and considered to be their greatest ruler. Under his leadership, the Ottoman Empire reached its greatest height.
- superpowers : Term given to the United States and the Soviet Union during the Cold War.