Georgia 6th Grade Social Studies Academic Vocabulary

Vocabulary terms and definitions covering Georgia 6th Grade Social Studies academic standards.

acid rain

Rain polluted by gases released into the air by the burning of fossil fuels like coal or oil.

ally

A country or person that has joined with another country or person for a special purpose.

autocracy

A government system where one leader holds complete power.

capital resources

Man-made things we use to help us work, like factories, machines, and technologies.

colony

Made up of a group of people who settle far away from their homeland but still have ties with it.

confederation

A loose alliance of countries, states, and other political units.

contaminated

Something that is impure or unclean.

credit

Receiving a good or service now and paying for it later.

currency

Used to buy goods and services.

democracy

A type of government where the people in the country hold the supreme power.

dictator

A ruler with absolute power and authority.

diversity

Being different.

economy

The wealth and resources of a country or region, especially in terms of the production and consumption of goods and services.

elevation

The height, or altitude, of a geographical location above a given level, usually sea level.

embargo

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

emissions

Any pollution or waste released into the air. It is often released by cars.

empire

An extensive group of states or countries under a single supreme authority.

entrepreneur

Someone who has an idea for a good or service and takes the risks to produce it.

epidemic

A widespread outbreak of infectious disease.

ethnic

Refers to a group of people who have the same language, culture, or religion.

euro

The single currency, or money, of the European Union.

fascism

A political philosophy in which total power is given to a dictator and individual freedoms are denied.

federal

Refers to a type of government where a group of states (or other small political units) give certain power and authority to a central government.

figurehead

A leader who represents a country but does not have many duties in the government.

GDP

The Gross Domestic Product of a country, which is the total market value of the goods and services produced by that country in a specific year.

globalization

The linking of nations through trade, information, technologies, and communication.

guerrilla

A member of a small group of soldiers that attacks suddenly and disappears into hiding.

holocaust

An act of mass destruction and loss of life.

human characteristics

Changes to the land that were made by people.

hydroelectricity

Uses water to generate electricity, and is a widely used form of renewable energy.

imperialism

The policy of obtaining and occupying land to form an empire.

indigenous

Native to a particular area or region.

inflation

When prices increase over time.

interdependent

When two or more things depend on each other for survival.

invest

To commit money or capital to gain a financial return.

liberate

To give freedom.

literacy

The ability to read and write.

location

Where something is.

maquiladora

A factory in Mexico that makes or assembles products for a foreign country.

monarchy

A government headed by a king or queen.

natural resources

Materials that come directly from nature.

oligarchy

A political system where control rests with a small group of people with wealth or power.

opportunity cost

The value of what is given up when a choice is made.

parliamentary government

A democratic form of government where the legislature (Parliament) controls the power.

peninsula

A piece of land that is surrounded by water on three sides.

petroleum

A thick, dark oil found under the earth's surface.

physical characteristics

Describe the type of land in an area.

plateau

A broad area of high, flat land.

population density

The number of people living in a specific area.

quota

An example of a trade barrier that sets a limit on the number of a good that can be imported.

rainforest

Home to the largest variety of plant and animal species on the planet, and known as the "lungs of the earth" because they convert carbon dioxide into valuable oxygen.

reform

To make something better, as opposed to a revolution, which means a complete and radical change.

republic

A system of government where decisions are made by elected officials who represent the people.

revenue

Income a business makes from the sale of goods and services.

seaport

Contains harbors where ships dock.

separatist

A person who moves away from an established church or religion.

smog

The brownish haze that is caused by the action of sunlight on polluted air.

specialization

Being really good at making one or more things.

tariff

A tax on imported and exported goods.

unitary

A government system that gives all power to the central government.