Unit 1 Vocabulary Terms Social Studies

Timeline

A diagram that shows when events took place during a given period of time

Chronological

Arranged in order of time of occurrence

BCE

Before Common Era

CE

Common Era

BC

Before Christ

AD

In the year of the Lord

Multi-tier Timeline

A timeline with more than 1 line of events occurring within the same time

Map Title

Tells what the map is about

Compass Rose

A tool on a map showing cardinal (N,E,S,W) and intermediate (NE,SE,NW,SW) directions.

Map Symbols

Represent items on a map such as capital cities, economic activities, or natural resources

Map Legend

A box or other display on a map that explains the meaning of the symbols used on the map

Map Scale

The relationship between the size of an object on a map and the size of the actual feature on Earth's surface.

Longitude Lines

Imaginary north-south lines that run vertically around the globe parallel to the Prime Meridian.

Latitude Lines

Imaginary west-east lines that run horizontally around the globe parallel to the Equator

Absolute Location

Exact location of a place on the earth described by global coordinates

Political Maps

A map that shows any man made features cities, political borders, countries, etc.

Physical Maps

Map of natural characteristics of Earth's surface, such as landforms and bodies of water

Thematic Maps

A map that shows a theme/certain information about a place or region

Coordinate

A system of latitude and longitude used to define an exact location on Earth

Decades

A period of 10 years

Centuries

A period of 100 years

Geographic Tools

Instruments used to collect, organize, store, or display geographic information