World/Geo terms

Democracy

A government where people choose their leaders by voting.

Romans

People who lived in Ancient Rome and built a large empire.

Monarchs

Rulers such as kings or queens who inherit power.

Aristocracy

A small group of wealthy or powerful people who rule.

Declaration of Independence

A document declaring the American colonies free from Britain.

U.S. Constitution

The highest law of the United States government.

Parliament

A group that makes laws, especially in Britain.

American Revolution

The war in which the American colonies gained independence from Britain.

Steam engines

Machines that use steam power to do work.

Industrial Revolution

A time when machines changed how goods were made.

Pollution

Harmful waste that damages the environment.

Child labor

The use of children as workers, often in unsafe conditions.

Social mobility

The ability to move up or down in social or economic status.

Nationalism

Strong pride and loyalty to one's nation.

Imperialism

A policy of taking control over other countries or territories.

World War 1

A global war fought from 1914 to 1918.

Allies

The countries that fought together against the Central Powers in World War I.

Central Powers

The group led by Germany and Austria-Hungary in World War I.

Treaty of Versailles

The agreement that officially ended World War I.

Reparations

Payments made by a country for damage caused during war.

Russian Revolution

The uprising that overthrew Russia's monarchy in 1917.

Czar

The title of the ruler of Russia before 1917.

Communist

A person who supports a system where property is owned by the community or state.

Superpowers

Very powerful countries that influence world events.

Atomic bomb

A powerful weapon that uses nuclear energy.

Cold War

A period of tension between the United States and Soviet Union after World War II.

Arms race

A competition between countries to build more weapons.

Middle Ages

The period in Europe between ancient and modern times.

Charlemagne

A powerful European ruler who united much of Western Europe.

Feudalism

A system where land was exchanged for loyalty and service.

Peasants

Poor farmers who worked the land.

Renaissance

A period of renewed interest in art, science, and learning.

Reformation

A movement that challenged the Catholic Church.

Protestant

A Christian who belongs to a church that began during the Reformation.

Crusades

A series of religious wars between Christians and Muslims.

Code of Hammurabi

One of the earliest written sets of laws.

Sumerian

A member of the ancient civilization of Sumer in Mesopotamia.

Fertile Crescent

A region in the Middle East where early civilizations developed.

Pyramids

Large stone structures built as tombs in ancient Egypt.

Pharaohs

The kings and queens of ancient Egypt.

Nile River

The major river that supported ancient Egyptian civilization.

Muslim

A follower of Islam.

Islam

A major world religion founded by Muhammad.

Maya

A civilization that lived in parts of Central America.

Inca

A civilization that lived in the Andes Mountains of South America.

Aztecs

A civilization that lived in what is now Mexico.

Populations

The number of people living in an area.

Native

A person originally from a place.

Migrate

To move from one place to another.

Distribution

How people or resources are spread across an area.

Urban/rural

Urban means city areas; rural means countryside areas.

Suburban

Areas located just outside a city.

Manufacturing

The making of goods in factories.

Urbanization

The growth of cities as more people move into them.

Conservation

The protection of natural resources.

Sustainable use

Using resources in a way that allows them to last for the future.

Ecosystems

A community of living things and their environment.

Scarce

In short supply or limited.

Biodiversity

The variety of living things in an area.

Fuel

A material used to produce energy.

Nazi Germany

Germany under Adolf Hitler from 1933 to 1945.

Soviet Union

A communist country that existed from 1922 to 1991.

Ancient Rome

A powerful civilization centered on the city of Rome.

Migration

The movement of people from one place to another.

Revolution

A major change in government or society, often involving conflict.