Social Studies Vocabulary January 13 – January 17

Absolute monarchy Government in which a king or queen has total control

Abundance Plenty or more than enough of something

Alliance A bond or agreement between groups or nations

Anti-trust Law Law intended to promote competition in marketplace by outlawing monopolies

Appease To give peace

Artifact Object made by humans in the past

Barred Forbidden

Big Business Large corporation with social and political influence

Capital Goods Products that are sold

Cause & Effect When something happens as a result of something else

Social Studies Vocabulary January 20 – January 24

Censorship To exclude

Centralization When activities become concentrated within a particular location and/or group.

Checks & Balances System in which a government’s power is spread among the different branches of government

Clergy Religious leader

Command Economy Economic system in which the government makes all economic decisions

Commerce Large scale buying/selling of goods and services

Common Good The best interest for the majority

Conservative Those slow to accept change and who are in favor of traditional values

Competition When two or more individuals or groups compete for a common goal (usually for business, resources, etc.)

Compromise When both individuals or groups agree to give up something

Social Studies Vocabulary January 27 – January 31

Conflict An argument or difference of opinion

Conflict Resolution To solve a disagreement

Constituent Someone with power to elect or appoint a law-making body

Consumerism Promotion of the consumers’ (the person purchasing a good or service) interest

Consumption To use

Cooperative Organization owned and operated for the benefit of those using its services

Corporation Large business that sells stocks or shares in its business

Compromise When both individuals or groups agree to give up something

Cultural Diversity Different groups of people with varying customs and beliefs

Czar Russian king or queen

Social Studies Vocabulary February 3 – February 7

Data Information

Deforestation Clearing away of the forest

Demand When consumers want/desire a good or service

Democracy Government elected by the people or citizens

Dependent To rely on someone or something

Desegregation To integrate or put together

Dictatorship One person has complete control over the government

Discrimination Prejudice action or treatment

Discount To deduct or reduce the price

Dispersion To spread out or scatter

Social Studies Vocabulary February 10 – February 14

Dissent To disagree or have a difference of opinion

Distribution To send out

Domestic Relating to the home or home country

Duties Obligations or things you are required to do

Economic Prosperity To have economic success

Economic Sanctions Economic restrictions, limits, or punishments placed on a group or nation

Efficiency To finish what you start in an effective way

Emancipation To set free

Entrepreneur Someone who starts their own business in a capitalist economy

Equity Unbiased or equal

Social Studies Vocabulary February 17 – February 21

Ethnic Group A group that shares common culture and beliefs

Exclusive Limited to use/control by one person or group

Exile To banish or expel from the county

Expand To increase or enlarge

Federalism Relationship between state and national governments

Free Enterprise Economic system with little government control (such as: Capitalism, laissez-faire, market economy)

Free Trade Exchanging goods between people or countries without taxing

Genocide Extinction or purposefully killing a group based on their culture alone

Globalization Trade and cultures are linked throughout the world

Gerrymandering The drawing of electoral district lines to the advantage of a party or group

Social Studies Vocabulary February

Homeland Security Department created after September 11, 2001 to counter terrorism

Humanism Focus on worldly themes and individual achievement during Renaissance

Humanitarian Person who wants to improve society by helping others

Imperialism Policy of building an empire; when a powerful nation controls weaker nation(s)

Impeach To bring formal charges against an officeholder

Incumbent The current officeholder

Interdependence Depending on one another

Investment Saving money or resources to make a profit or income

Isolationism Policy used in WWI in which the US tried to remain neutral of conflict

Judicial Review Review by the US Supreme Court of the constitutionality of a law

Social Studies Vocabulary March 3 – March 7

Jurisdiction The power to make legal decisions

Kakistocracy Government led by the least qualified and most unsuitable people

Kleptocracy Government in which its leaders use the government’s money for their own personal use

Labor Movement Creation of unions and protest for better pay and working conditions

Lobbying Activities by which group pressures are brought to bear on legislators

Legal Tender Any kind of money that a creditor must, by law, accept as payment for debts

Libel False statements written that harm someone or their reputation

Liberties Freedoms

Limited Government When government has restricted power (checks & balances)

Majority Rule When more than one-half of a group agrees

Social Studies Vocabulary March 10 – March 14

Mandates Requirements

Market economy- Economic system in which the government has little or no control and the market determines the price

Martyr One who gives their life for a principal or cause

Mass Media Means of communication that reach large audiences

Metropolitan A city and the area that surrounds it

Militarism When the military controls the government

Minority The smaller in number of two groups

Monopoly A firm that is the only source of a product or service

Mixed Economy Combination of market and command economy

Multiparty A system in which several major and minor parties exist, compete for, and win, public offices

Social Studies Vocabulary March 17 – March 21

Monarchy Government controlled by a king or queen

Nationalism Pride or devotion in one’s country

Natural Disaster Event in the environment that causes great damage or the loss of life

Natural Resources- Resources that are not man made

Naturalization The legal process by which citizens of one country become citizens of another

Opportunity Cost What you give up to gain something else

Opposition To be against

Partnership When two people own equal shares in a business

Pardon To release from punishment or legal consequences

Persecute To harass or pick on

Social Studies Vocabulary April 7 – April 11

Perspective How something is viewed

Political Corruption When a political leader breaks the law or commits unethical actions

Perjury The act of lying under oath

Prejudice Preconceived judgment or opinion

Propaganda – A technique of persuasion aimed at influencing individual or group behaviors

Privacy The right to be apart of separated from someone or something

Production To make something

Prosper To succeed

Pull Factor Abundance of jobs/opportunities bring people to a given area

Push Factor Lack of jobs/opportunities force people to leave a given area

Social Studies Vocabulary April 14 – April 18

Public Debt All of the money borrowed by the government not yet repaid, including the interest accrued on that money

Quota Limited or fixed amount

Ration Limits placed on certain goods or items

Reform To change

Republic Democratic government or democracy

Resources What you need to make something

Responsibilities What you are expected to do

Revenue Total amount of income received

Rule of Law System in which government leaders must act according to laws

Repeal To recall

Social Studies Vocabulary April 21 – April 25

Scarcity Not enough of something and the central problem in economics

Search & Seizure- When a government agency with probable cause looks for & takes evidence or potential evidence used in a crime

Security To feel safe or free of danger

Separation of Powers Distribution of power among the 3 branches of government

Slander False statements that are orally spoken that harms someone or their reputation

Social Institutions Places that society needs to function (Ex. Schools, hospitals, govt. offices, police stations, etc…)

Stereotype Preconceived idea about what someone or something is like

Stock Market Place in which shares of corporations are bought & sold

Socialism Philosophy based on the idea that the benefits of economic activity should be fairly distributed

Subsidies Grants or assistance of money or resources

Social Studies Vocabulary April 28 – May 2

Suburban Residential area just outside a city

Suffrage The right to vote

Superpower Nation that is very powerful economically, politically, & militarily; has worldwide influence

Supply & Demand Price is determined by quantity, strongest relationship of a market economy

Tariffs Tax for an exchange of goods

Totalitarian When one person has complete control over a group or nation

Traditional economy Economic system based largely on agriculture, still prevalent in less developed nations (Africa, South America, etc…)

Treason Betrayal of one’s country

Treaty A formal agreement between two or more sovereign nations

Urbanization Moving from rural areas to the city

Social Studies Vocabulary May 5 – May 9

Veto The right to refuse approval

Vigilante One who takes the law into their own hands

Terrorism The use of violence to intimidate a government or society

Windfall Profit Unexpected income or profit

Xenophilia Attraction or admiration to that which is foreign

Xenophobia Fear or hatred of foreigners or strangers

Yankee A native or inhabitant of a northern US state

Yield To give up one’s place

Zionism Jewish movement in response to Anti-Semitism concerning the support & development of Israel

Zoning Board Group of officials who divide an area into zones with different restrictions

Social Studies Vocabulary REVIEW**