OAE Social Studies Vocabulary

Vocabulary flashcards defining core concepts in political science, governance, globalism, and economic development based on the OAE Social Studies study materials.

State

A specific territory with distinct, internationally accepted borders, and a sovereign government.

Nation

A large group of people united by common bonds like culture, language, history, or land. Oftentimes has its own government, but is not a requirement.

Nation-State

A state whose territorial borders corresponds to that occupied by a group of people with shared nationality.

Government

The political system of a country that passes laws and interacts with the public.

Sovereignty

The legitimate and ultimate authority over a political unit.

Theocracy

A state that is governed by a government that derives its authority directly from a religion, usually invoking the authority of a religious deity.

Clergy

The formal group of religious leaders who have official training and authority to lead worship, perform sacred rituals, and guide a faith community.

Sacred kingship

A paradigm of royalty which states that the ruler of a kingdom is seen as a deity in their own right, or as an agent of a deity.

Divine connection

The concept that the only authority to which people are accountable is the authority of God.

Secularism

An indifference to religion and a belief that religion should be excluded from civic affairs and public education; religious and political powers should be separated from each other.

Oligarchy

A government where a small group of people controls the political and societal aspects of a country.

Autocracy

A system of government in which the power to rule is in the hands of a single individual.

Democracy

A political system in which the supreme power lies in a body of citizens who can elect people to represent them.

Globalization

The process of the integration of communication, culture, and economics across the world into an overall global system.

Globalism

The state of the world consisting of networks of interdependence resulting from the flow of goods, services, people, culture, and ideas across the world.

Economic globalism

The flow of goods, services, and capital around the globe and the perception about these global economic exchanges.

Military globalism

Networks of security interdependence, where states in the network provide for each other's security through use of force or threats of force.

Environmental globalism

The long-distance transport of materials in the atmosphere or oceans, or of biological substances that affect human health.

Social and cultural globalism

The movement of ideas, images, and people across the globe.

North-South gap

The disparity between the development, wealth, and prosperity in the Northern hemisphere and the poverty and lack of comparative economic development in the South.

Lesser-developed country

A country with a low level of economic development compared to developed countries.

Modernization Theory

A theoretical framework that explains the process of industrialization and economic growth in developing countries, suggesting that traditional societies can adopt modern practices to achieve development.

Dependency Theory

A theory that believes the development of developed countries was contingent upon the exploitation/underdevelopment, of lesser-developed countries.

World-Systems Theory

A theory that believes core countries exploit semi-periphery countries, and semi-periphery countries exploit periphery countries for the purpose their own development. It posits that internal and external factors influence the economic relationships and position of countries within the global market system.

Chronology

The sequence of events ranging from first to last, or from beginning to end.

Period of history

A specific time frame containing common characteristics.

Ancient Period

Period of time that ranged from 3600 B.C.E. to 500 C.E.

Middle Ages

Period of time that ranged from 500 C.E. to 1500 C.E.

Modern Period

Our current period of time that ranges from 1500 C.E. to the present day.

History

The science of the past; the collection of all events that occurred in the past.

Primary source

Sources of information that were created during the time period being studied.

Secondary sources

Sources of information that were created after the time period being studied, and not by someone directly involved during that time period.

Historical methodology

The process by which historians construct an account of the past by examining sources, proposing hypotheses, testing hypotheses, and arriving at conclusions.

Interpretation

A specific view about the past, equivalent to a hypothesis.

Reference sources

Secondary sources of information that can be referred to for research purposes.

CRAAP Test

A test used for evaluating the worthiness/credibility of a source.

Historical evidence

Anything directly related to some event, person, or period of the past.

Oral tradition

The passing of stories or information down from one generation to the next, oftentimes used in societies that do not have a written language or do not use writing regularly

Historiography

The study of historical interpretations--the study of history.

Archaeological evidence

Ancient artifacts that can be studied.