AACC Unit 1 Test

Historian

Someone who studies and interprets past events using evidence.

To understand what happened, why it happened, and how it affects us today.

Goal of a Historian

1) Gather sources, 2) Evaluate credibility, 3) Identify bias, 4) Corroborate multiple sources, 5) Form a conclusion.

Steps of A Historian's Analysis.

Primary Source

Original record from the time of the event (letter, diary, artifact, speech).

Secondary Source

Interpretation of primary sources (textbooks, documentaries, research articles).

Corroboration

Comparing multiple sources to confirm accuracy of historical information.

Bias

Personal preference, opinion, or prejudice that can affect objectivity.

Confirmation bias, selection bias, cultural bias

Types of Bias

To better understand perspective, reliability, and possible distortion of facts.

Why Historians Look for Bias

Geography

Study of the earth, its features, and how humans interact with it.

Location, Place, Human-Environment Interaction, Movement, Region

Themes of Geography

Fertile soil, water for crops, transportation, trade.

Advantages of Rivers

Flooding, possible destruction of settlements.

Disadvantages of Rivers

Protection from invasion, cooler climate.

Advantages of Mountains

Isolation, difficult travel and farming.

Disadvantages of Mountains

Natural barrier against invasion.

Advantages of Deserts

Limited water, hard to farm, extreme temperatures.

Disadvantages of Deserts

Good farmland, easy travel.

Advantages of Plains

No natural protection from invasion.

Disadvantages of Plains

Cultural Anthropology

Study of customs, traditions, beliefs, and value systems of a culture.

Linguistic Anthropology

Study of language and how it affects social life and identity.

Archaeology

Study of past human life through artifacts, fossils, ruins.

Physical Anthropology

Study of human evolution, bones, genetics, physical traits.

diet, technology, social structure, and health of ancient peoples.

Findings of Anthropologists Help us learn what

Iceman Discovery

Taught us about tools, diet, clothing, and daily life of prehistoric Europeans.

Ice Princess Discovery

Gave insight into burial rituals, social status, and spiritual beliefs of her culture.

Political Science

Study of government systems and how power is distributed.

Democracy

System where power rests with the people, citizens vote on laws or elect representatives.

Republic

Representative democracy where citizens elect officials to make decisions.

Monarchy

System ruled by king/queen; can be absolute (total power) or constitutional (limited by laws).

Dictatorship

One leader with absolute power, usually not elected.

Theocracy

Government controlled by religious leaders or based on religious law.

Oligarchy

Small group of people hold power, often wealthy or elite.

Anarchy

Absence of organized government, often leads to chaos.

Economics

Study of how society uses scarce resources to meet unlimited wants.

Scarcity

Main economic problem: limited resources cannot meet unlimited wants.

Opportunity Cost

What you give up when you make a choice; next best alternative.

Productive Resources

Natural, human, and capital resources used to make goods/services.

Natural Resources

Raw materials from nature (water, minerals, trees, soil).

Human Resources

Labor and skills of people producing goods/services.

Capital Resources

Man-made tools, machines, buildings used to produce.

Goods

Physical items that satisfy wants (clothes, food).

Services

Actions performed to satisfy wants (teaching, haircut).

Market Economy

Decisions made by individuals and businesses; prices determined by supply/demand.

Command Economy

Government owns resources and makes decisions about production.

Mixed Economy

Combination of market freedom and government regulation.

Entrepreneur

Person who starts a business, takes risks, organizes productive resources.

Business Plan

Purpose of business, resources needed, product/service, price, marketing plan.

Sociology

Study of human society, groups, and behavior.

Social Institution

Systems that meet needs of society: family, economy, education, religion, government.

Family

Smallest social unit; teaches norms, values, traditions.

Nuclear Family

Parents and children living together.

Extended Family

Multiple generations living together.

Patriarchal Family

Father or eldest male holds authority.

Matriarchal Family

Mother or eldest female holds authority.

Socialization

Process of learning society’s rules and expectations.

Norms

Shared rules of behavior in society.

Customs

Traditional ways of doing things in a culture.

Social Class

Ranking of people based on status, wealth, occupation, or education.

Social Mobility

Ability to move up or down the social class system.

Better education, new occupation, earning more income, marriage.

Ways to Move Social Class

Interdependence

Reliance between societies for goods, resources, and ideas.

Interaction of Social Scientists

Historian studies past events, geographer studies environment, anthropologist studies culture, sociologist studies society, political scientist studies power, economist studies resources; all collaborate for complete understanding.