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- Taoism / Daoism : The Chinese philosophy of Taoism (or Daoism) developed in the latter part of the Chou Dynasty, during a period of turmoil in which it was not clear that Chinese civilization would survive. It represents a naturalistic ideal of how one should live their life. The Chinese term Tao can be translated into English, meaning "the way." It is a philosophy which teaches that nature has a "way" in which it moves, and that people should passively accept the "way" of nature, rather than resist it. One concept related to this is that of wu-wei, which means "not doing." This means that people should not act unnaturally by doing things, but rather should openly accept the natural way. An emphasis is placed on the link between people and nature. Taoism teaches that this link lessened the need for rules and order, and leads one to a better understanding of the world.
- tariff : A tax on imports.
- telescope : A device used to see distant objects, such as those in space.
- Ten Commandments : The ten laws given to Moses by God, according to the Bible.
- terrace farming : The cutting out of flat areas (terraces) into near vertical slopes to allow farming. Terrace farms appears as steps cut into a mountainside. This adaptation allowed both the early Chinese, and the Inca of Mesoamerica to grow enough food for their large populations.
- terrorism : The use of violence for political purpose.
- Tiananmen Square Massacre : A political and social protest by university students in Beijing, China in 1989. The protest called for political and social reforms and resulted in the government using the military to end it, which caused hundreds of deaths, thousands of injured, and many more imprisoned.
- Tokugawa Shogunate : (1603-1867) Feudal Warlord rulers of Japan. Responisble for closing Japan off from the rest of the world. Overthrown during the Meiji Restoration.
- Torah : The holy book of Judaism. It describes the creation of the world, the history of ancient Israel, the Ten Commandments, and contains the Psalms and the prophetic books.
- totalitarian state : A state or country completely controlled by a single power, such as a monarch or dictator.
- totalitarianism : An ideology where all social, economic, and political powers are centered in the government completely.
- trade : The exchange of goods or service between people.
- tradition : A long-established custom or belief.
- Treaty of Versailles : Treaty ending World War I. It was extremely unfair to Germany, forcing them to accept all of the blame for the war. It is a major cause of World War II.
- trench warfare : A form of combat where armies fight each other from opposing fortified positions, usually consisting of long, dugout holes or trenches.
- Triangle Trade : A catch all phrase for the trade occurring between Europe, Africa, and the Americas. Trade goods include raw materials from the Americas, manufactured goods from Europe, and slaves from Africa.
- tribalism : Feelings of loyalty to individual tribes, and the cause of much war and strife in modern Africa.
- Triple Alliance : An alliance that was made up of Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy during World War I.
- Triple Entente : An alliance that was made up of France, Russia, and Great Britain during World War I.
- Truman Doctrine : A policy if the Truman presidency that called for supporting any nation resisting communism.
