• An era is a period of time that is given a name based on important events that happened during that time. One example of an era is the Industrial Revolution.

• Calendars are used to break time into units and keep track of those units.

• Relative chronology tells when an event happened in relation to other events. Absolute chronology tells exactly when an event happened.

• A primary source is an original record or object created at the time of an event. A secondary source is a document created after an event by someone who was not present at the event.

• When using a primary or secondary source, it is important to make sure that the source is reliable. Keep in mind that a writer may be biased about an event and express an unreasoned, emotional point of view.

• A source is considered reliable if it contains facts that are supported with evidence, is objective, can be confirmed by another source, acknowledges other viewpoints, and is created by someone with a credible reputation.

• Information can be presented in charts, graphs, and models.

• A chart presents facts and numbers in an organized way. A database is a kind of chart that holds a lot of information that can be searched.

• A graph presents numbers visually. A model is a diagram or drawing that shows steps in a process, parts of an object, or how something works.

Lesson 2 - Studying Geography and Economics

• Geography is the study of Earth, its natural features, its people, and the ways in which they interact.

• There are five themes of geography: location, place, region, movement, and human-environment interaction.

• A globe is a spherical representation of Earth. A map is a flat representation of Earth. A globe is more accurate than a map because it is a sphere.

• Different types of maps are used for different purposes. Physical and political maps are general-purpose maps. A thematic map is used to show specific information.

• Most maps contain a map key that explains the lines, colors, and symbols used on a map. Maps also contain a scale bar to measure distances and a compass rose to show the position of north, south, east, and west.

• Maps and globes contain lines of latitude and longitude that help us locate places on Earth. Lines of latitude run parallel to the equator. Lines of longitude run from the North Pole to the South Pole.

• Economics is the study of how individuals and nations make choices about ways to use scarce resources to meet their needs and wants.

• In order to produce goods and services, people need natural resources, entrepreneurs, capital, and labor.

• The United States has a free enterprise economy, which is characterized by private property, choice, voluntary exchange, competition, and economic incentives.

• The idea of free enterprise in the United States was inspired by the book The Wealth of Nations by Adam Smith in 1776.

• The U.S. free enterprise economy is viewed as ethical because it promotes economic freedoms for all. The British philosopher John Locke inspired this idea.

Lesson 3 - Government & Citizenship

• The purpose of government is to set forth the rules for a society. Most governments are based on a constitution, which is a detailed, written plan of government.

• The United States is a constitutional republic. The people are the source of governmental power. The people choose representatives to make the decisions of government.

• The founding documents for the United States are the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights. These documents state that all people are created equal, all people have certain basic rights, the job of government is to secure those rights, and that governmental authority comes from the people.

• Many of the ideas in the founding documents were influenced by people of the Enlightenment movement, such as John Locke and Baron de Montesquieu. The English Bill of Rights and the Magna Carta also influenced the documents.

• A citizen is someone who owes loyalty to and is entitled to the protection of a state or nation.

• You can become a U.S. citizen through birth or by naturalization.

• A U.S. citizen has unalienable rights, or rights that cannot be taken away. They belong to every human regardless of gender, age, or nationality.

• The U.S. Bill of Rights includes a list of the ten basic rights and freedoms that all Americans have. These are the first ten amendments to the U.S. Constitution.

• A citizen also has responsibilities. These include following laws, paying taxes, and supporting and defending the U.S. Constitution.

Lesson 4: Culture, Science, & Society

• Culture is the way of life of people who share similar beliefs and customs. In all cultures, family is the most important social group.

• An ethnic group is a group of people who share a common language, history, place of origin, and some physical traits. The United States is multicultural, meaning that it is made up of people from many different ethnic and cultural groups.

• The United States is multicultural because of immigration. People have come from all over the world to live the “American Dream.”

• A culture’s art forms, such as music and literature, reveal much about a culture’s history and current issues.

• Science and technology have impacted the lives of Americans throughout the nation’s history. Inventions such as electricity, the telephone, the airplane, and the automobile changed the way people live in the United States forever.

Lesson 5: Social Studies Skills

• Critical thinking skills help you analyze information and ideas.

• A cause is an action that leads to an event. An effect is the result of an action. Signal words and phrases help you find cause-and-effect relationships in a text.

• A prediction is a reasoned guess about what will happen next based on clues in the text. You must have a knowledge of history to do this well.

• Facts are things that can be proven to be true. Opinions are statements of belief about something. Opinions can be debated.

• An inference is something we assume based on what appears to be true. A conclusion is a logical explanation based on known facts.

• Comparing things, events, or ideas involves telling how they are alike. Contrasting things, events, or ideas involves telling how they are different. Signal words can tell you whether to compare or contrast.

• Sequencing involves putting events into the order in which they occurred. A time line is a good tool for sequencing.

• The main idea is the central focus of a text. The main idea is supported by details, facts, and examples. A summary is a short restatement of the information’s important content.

• Categorizing means sorting events, facts, people, or other items into groups according to their similar traits. A generalization is a statement that is generally considered true based on the facts available.

• When you have a problem to solve, use a step-by-step process to arrive at a solution.

• There are steps you can follow to make big decisions.

• When doing research, make sure you can answer who, what, when, where, why, and how questions about the topic.

• Confirm that any sources used for research are reliable.

• You can communicate information through writing, by voice, or through visual communication.

• Make sure you never plagiarize the work of someone else. Write in your own words, and always give credit to your sources.

• As you write, follow a checklist for good writing to remind you to check things like spelling, grammar, and punctuation.

Vocabulary for Chapter 1

⁠

Loading…⁠

⁠

Study Your Vocabulary on Quizlet

⁠

https://quizlet.com/_c8yxx1?x=1jqt&i=3sqc4y⁠

⁠

Want to print your doc?
This is not the way.

Try clicking the ⋯ next to your doc name or using a keyboard shortcut (

CtrlP

) instead.