Social studies flashcards for test rommorrow

UN Formation

The United Nations was formed on October 24, 1945, after WWII to maintain global peace, security, and human rights.

UN Membership Requirements

Open to all peace-loving nations that accept the UN Charter; approved by the Security Council and General Assembly.

UN Original Members

Initially, 51 countries joined the UN, including Canada as a founding member.

Secretary-General

The chief administrative officer and top diplomat who leads and speaks for the United Nations.

President of the General Assembly

An individual elected annually to preside over the UN General Assembly sessions and debates.

High Commissioner for Human Rights

The principal UN official responsible for coordinating human rights protections worldwide.

Foreign Policy

A government's official strategy and plan for interacting with other nations economically, politically, and militarily.

UN Security Council Structure

Composed of 15 members: 5 permanent veto nations and 10 rotating non-permanent members.

Veto Countries

The 5 permanent members of the Security Council are the US, UK, France, Russia, and China.

Security Council Consequences

Can impose diplomatic sanctions, trade/arms embargoes, or authorize direct military force.

Embargo

An official government ban on trade or commercial activity with a particular country.

Canada's Arms Embargos

Official bans on weapon sales to specific countries; examples include Russia, North Korea, Iran, Syria, and Libya.

Apartheid

A brutal legal system of racial segregation and white-minority rule enacted in South Africa in 1948.

Apartheid Defense

South Africa claimed it was 'separate development,' arguing different races thrived better when kept apart.

Apartheid 1961

South Africa withdrew from the British Commonwealth due to international criticism over its racial policies.

Apartheid 1963

The UN Security Council established a voluntary arms embargo against the South African regime.

Apartheid 1977

Following violent crackdowns on student protestors, the UN made its arms embargo against South Africa mandatory.

Apartheid 1985

Western nations, including Canada, imposed severe economic sanctions, banning new investments in South Africa.

Apartheid 1990s

The system collapsed; Nelson Mandela was freed, apartheid laws were repealed, and Mandela was elected President in 1994.

Features of UN Peacekeeping

Requires consent of the warring parties, absolute neutrality/impartiality, and weapons used only in self-defense.

Peacekeeping Situations

Used to enforce ceasefires, maintain physical buffer zones, or protect humanitarian aid deliveries.

Suez Crisis (1956)

Lester B. Pearson created modern UN peacekeeping to peacefully defuse an invasion of Egypt, earning a Nobel Peace Prize.

Cyprus Mission (1964)

A long-term Canadian peacekeeping deployment to maintain a buffer zone between Greek and Turkish factions.

Somalia and Rwanda Missions

Brutal 1990s missions exposing the limits of traditional peacekeeping when troops are barred from using force.

1950 to 2000 Population Shift

Global population exploded exponentially from 2.5 billion to 6 billion.

Current World Population

Approximately 8.2 billion people as of 2026.

Projected 2050 Population

Estimated to reach approximately 9.7 billion people.

Global Youth Percentage

Roughly 40% of the world's population is under the age of 25.

Population Pressure on Resources

Rapid growth causes consumption to outpace nature's replenishment, depleting water, soil, and forests.

Global Poverty Statistics

Over 700 million people live in extreme poverty, with hundreds of millions of children going to bed hungry.

Poverty as a Global Issue

Causes migration crises, regional instability, disease spread, and climate impacts that cross international borders.

Poverty and Education

Impoverished families cannot afford school fees or supplies, forcing children into immediate survival labor.

Poverty and Healthcare

High costs prevent families from buying medicines or visiting clinics, making treatable conditions fatal.

Hunger and the Immune System

Malnutrition deprives cells of key nutrients, weakening bodily defenses and leaving people vulnerable to infections.

Hunger and Market Access

Chronic hunger saps physical strength and cognitive focus, limiting a person's ability to work, travel, or trade.

Polar Ice Cap Loss

The Arctic polar ice cap has shrunk by over 40% since satellite monitoring began in 1979.

Deforestation Rate

Roughly 100,000 to 130,000 square kilometers of forest are lost globally every single year.

Deforestation Concern

Destroys vital carbon sinks that absorb CO2, accelerating global warming and eliminating biodiversity habitats.

Shrinking Ice Caps and Sea Levels

Melting ice sheets transfer massive volumes of water into oceans, causing global sea levels to rise.

Global Warming Consequences

Includes severe prolonged droughts, extreme heatwaves, catastrophic coastal flooding, and widespread species extinctions.

Biodiversity

The variety and variability of all living organisms, species, and ecosystems on Earth.

Biodiversity Hotspot

A threatened geographic region containing high concentrations of unique species found nowhere else on earth.

Hotspot Statistics

36 hotspots exist globally; they harbor over 50% of endemic world plants but are rapidly shrinking.

Ozone Layer Location

Situated in the Earth's stratosphere, roughly 15 to 30 kilometers above the surface.

Ozone Layer Function

Acts as a shield that blocks and absorbs dangerous ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun.

CFCs (Chlorofluorocarbons)

Synthetic chemical compounds formerly used in aerosol sprays, plastic foams, and refrigeration units.

CFC Discovery (1974)

Scientists discovered that released CFC gases drift upward and chemically destroy ozone molecules.

Ozone Action (1979-1981)

Satellite data confirmed a massive ozone 'hole' over Antarctica, spurring calls for international action.

Ozone Damage Danger

Allows harmful UV rays to reach Earth, causing spikes in skin cancer, cataracts, and killing marine phytoplankton.

Developed Country

A wealthy nation with an advanced industrial economy, high GDP per capita, and high living standards.

Developing Country

A nation with a weak industrial base, low average incomes, and challenges such as poor healthcare and lack of clean water.

Newly Industrialized Country (NIC)

A nation transitioning rapidly from agriculture to manufacturing and export-driven growth (e.g., India, Brazil).

Education in Development

Breaks cycles of poverty by generating literacy, job skills, and higher earning potential.

Health in Development

Maximizes workforce productivity, reduces absenteeism, and prevents resources from being drained by disease.

5 Causes of Food Crises

Oxfam lists extreme weather/climate change, war/conflict, economic shocks, poor governance, and systemic poverty.

Rickets

A bone-softening childhood disease caused by a severe deficiency of Vitamin D or Calcium.

Beriberi

A disease caused by a lack of Thiamine (Vitamin B1), vital for energy metabolism.

Pellagra

A disease causing skin inflammation, diarrhea, and dementia, triggered by Niacin (Vitamin B3) deficiency.

Kwashiorkor

Severe childhood malnutrition caused by protein deficiency, manifesting as a swollen abdomen.

Nutritional Blindness

Caused by a lack of Vitamin A; the leading cause of preventable childhood blindness worldwide.

Sustainable Development

Progress that balances current economic needs without compromising future generations' ability to meet theirs.

Sustainability and Economics

Ensures long-term economic stability by protecting natural assets needed to sustain future industries.

Population Control and Sustainability

Eases overall demand, lowering consumption pressure on global resources and ecosystems.

Bilateral Action

Joint diplomatic action taken by two countries to remedy a localized problem.

Acid Rain

Toxic precipitation caused by factory sulfur emissions; mitigated by government caps and factory air scrubbers.

Multilateral Action

Collective action taken by three or more countries to address global challenges.

Earth Summit (1992)

A major UN conference in Rio de Janeiro focused on global environmental destruction and sustainable development models.

Diplomacy

The profession and art of managing international relations through peaceful dialogue, negotiation, and compromise.

Diplomat

An official country representative trained to conduct peaceful international negotiations.

Ambassador

The highest-ranking diplomat permanently stationed in a foreign nation to represent their home government.

Embassy

The official offices and headquarters of a country's diplomatic mission located in a foreign capital.

Treaty

A formal, legally binding written agreement concluded between sovereign nations under international law.

Resolution

A formal statement of intent or policy decision passed by a voting body like the UN General Assembly.

Summit

A high-level international conference bringing together heads of state to solve major global crises.

Earth Charter

A global declaration of fundamental ethical values created to guide human society toward global sustainability.

Kyoto Protocol (1997)

An international treaty aimed at reducing greenhouse gases; its impact was limited when the US refused to ratify.

Paris Accord (2015)

A global climate treaty targeting a limit on warming to well below 2°C, preferably capping it at 1.5°C.

Foreign Aid

Voluntary transfers of capital, goods, or services from developed nations to developing nations to support growth.

Colombo Plan (1950)

A regional development program for Asia that served as Canada's first major long-term foreign aid commitment.

CIDA

Canadian International Development Agency; created in 1968 to manage Canadian foreign aid in infrastructure, health, and education.