Commonwealth, Environment, and Indigenous Rights Flashcards

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering the Commonwealth of Nations, EU-UK relations, legal foundations, AI and environment, women's rights, and Indigenous history across several nations.

Commonwealth of Nations

A voluntary association of 56 independent countries, most of which were once part of the British Empire, promoting democracy, education, and human rights.

London Declaration (1949)

A declaration that transformed the old British Commonwealth into a modern organisation of equal states, allowing India to stay as a republic.

Treaty of Rome (1957)

The agreement that created the European Economic Community (EEC), of which the UK was not a founding member.

Maastricht Treaty (1992)

The treaty that created the European Union (EU).

2016 Brexit Referendum

A vote in which 51.9% of voters chose to leave the EU and 48.1% chose to remain, with England and Wales voting leave while Scotland and Northern Ireland voted remain.

Margaret Thatcher

The British Prime Minister (1979-1990) who demanded "I want my money back," leading to the 1984 rebate.

British Rebate (1984)

A mechanism where Britain would receive back about 66% (two-thirds) of its net contribution to the EEC each year.

Magna Carta (1215)

A document signed by King John that symbolizes individual liberty and establishes that the king and government are not above the law.

Habeas Corpus

A legal principle that grants every free man the right to justice and a fair trial.

Generative AI Mainstream Date

The year 2022, marked by the release of ChatGPT.

Data Centre Electricity Demand

Global electricity consumption for data centers is predicted to roughly double by 2030, reaching close to 3% of total demand.

Yellowstone National Park (1872)

The first national park in the world and a symbol of the American desire to preserve wilderness.

Global Temperature Increase

An increase of approximately $1.2\,^{\circ}C$ to $1.3\,^{\circ}C$ since the late 19th century.

Critical Climate Threshold

The temperature increase point of $1.5\,^{\circ}C$ that scientists generally consider a critical limit.

Paris Agreement (2015)

An international accord aiming to keep global warming well below $2\,^{\circ}C$.

Black Summer (2019–2020)

A period of devastating bushfires in Australia where 24 million hectares burned and billions of animals were affected.

Roe v. Wade (1973)

A landmark US Supreme Court decision that guaranteed the right to abortion based on the right to privacy.

Dobbs v. Women's Health Organization (2022)

The US Supreme Court decision that overturned Roe v. Wade, ruling that abortion is not a constitutional right.

Abortion Act 1967 (UK)

Legislation that legalised abortion in England, Wales, and Scotland under certain conditions.

36th Amendment of the Constitution of Ireland

A 2018 historic turning point where about 66% of voters chose to repeal the constitutional abortion ban.

Indian Removal Act (1830)

A law signed by Andrew Jackson allowing the federal government to relocate Native American tribes from the southeastern US.

Trail of Tears

The forced displacement of about 60,000 Native Americans between 1830 and 1850, during which thousands died from disease, hunger, and exhaustion.

Residential Schools (Canada)

A boarding school system designed to assimilate Indigenous children into Euro-Canadian society, the last of which closed in 1996.

Indian Act (1876)

A controversial Canadian law giving the federal government extensive control over First Nations and regulating many aspects of Indigenous life.

Assembly of First Nations (AFN)

A political organization founded in 1982 representing more than 600 First Nations communities in Canada.

Terra Nullius

A legal doctrine meaning "belonging to nobody," used by British authorities to claim Australia while ignoring existing Aboriginal societies.

Stolen Generations

Aboriginal children who were removed from their families during much of the 20th century to be assimilated into white Australian society.

Mabo Decision (1992)

A High Court ruling that rejected the doctrine of terra nullius and recognised Indigenous land rights in Australia.

Treaty of Waitangi (1840)

New Zealand's founding document signed between Māori chiefs and the British Crown, which remains controversial due to differing interpretations of sovereignty.