Social Studies Glossaries

Social Studies Glossaries of Vocabulary Words

Human Understanding

The Thomas Jefferson Building of the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. features a large mural by Edwin Blashfield, Human Understanding, in the dome of the Main Reading Room. It represents lifting the veil of ignorance and looking towards intellectual progress. The twelve allegorical figures represent countries and epochs that contributed to Western civilization.

1. Egypt (Written Records)
2. Judea (Religion)
3. Greece (Philosophy)
4. Rome (Administration)
5. Islam (Physics)
6. Middle Ages (Modern Languages)
7. Italy (Fine Arts)
8. Germany (Art of Printing)
9. Spain (Discovery)
10. England (Literature)
11. France (Emancipation)
12. America (Science)

World Religions

Abrahamic Religions

- - Christianity – 2.3 billion (1st largest religion; 31% of world)
  - Islam – 1.9 billion (2nd largest religion; 25% of world)
  - Judaism – 15 million (12th largest religion; 0.2% of world)
  - Other Abrahamic (Baháʼí Faith, Mandaeism, Samaritanism, etc.)

Indian (Dharmic) Religions

- - Hinduism – 1.2 billion (3rd largest religion; 15% of world)
  - Buddhism – 500 million (4th largest religion; 7% of world)
  - Sikhism – 30 million (10th largest religion)
  - Jainism – 5 million

East Asian (Daoic/Taoic & Shamanist) Religions

- - Chinese Folk Religion (Traditional Chinese, Confucianism, Daoism/Taoism, etc.) – 400 million (5th largest religious system)
  - Shintoism (Japan) – 84 million (7th largest religion)
  - Muism/Musok (Korean Shamanism – 10 million
  - Tengrism (Turco-Mongol Shamanism) – 1 million

African (Traditional & Diaspora) Religions

- - West African Religions (Yoruba, Akan, Igbo, etc.) – 100 million (6th largest religious grouping)
  - African Diaspora Religions (Voodoo, Cuban Santería, Jamaican Rastafari, etc.) – 60 million (9th largest)
  - Bantu (Central & East African) Religions (Shona, Zulu, Congo, etc.) – 24 million (11th largest)
  - Khoisan (Southern African) Religions (San, Khoikhoi, etc.) – 300,000

Iranian (Persian) Religions

- - Druze (Golan Heights area)- 800,000
  - Yazidi (Western Iraqi Kurdistan) – 700,000
  - Yarsanism – 500,000
  - Zoroastrian – 100,000

Other Religions

- - Eastern New Religions (Falun Gong, Tenrikyo, Cheondoism, etc.) – 67 million (8th largest)
  - Western Esotericism (New Age, Spiritism, Spiritualism, etc.) – 14 million
  - Modern Paganism (Wicca, Neo-Druidism, Heathenry, etc.) – 2 million
  - Western New Religions (Jediism, UFO, Scientology, etc.) – 475,000

Non-religious (Irreligious)

Unaffiliated, agnostic, atheist, etc. – 1.9 billion