Social Studies
Final Exam
Study Guide
absolute authority / is a system of government in which one person has complete control.agriculture / the raising of plants and animals for people to use.
artifact / objects made and used by people
artisan / person skilled in a craft, such as carving
assimilate / the process in which the cultural traits of newcomers to a country become similar to those of the people already in the country.
bureaucracy / is a governing group of nonelected officials.
caste / a group of people that make up a social class
centralized government / form of government in which the national government maintains the power
city-state / a city and the land around it, with its own government and leaders
civilization / A complex society with developed forms of religion, ways of governing, and centers of learning
commercial / related to a trade center
covenant / a special agreement
cuneiform / a form of ancient writing used in southwestern Asia. It is wedge-shaped writing
division of labor / the sharing of a large job so that each worker does only part of the work
domesticate / to tame plants or animals for human use
empire / consists of the vast lands and varied people that come under the control of a single government
exodus / large movement of people from a place
feudalism / the political system of exchanging land for loyalty to and protection from a king
hieroglyphics / writings that use symbols for sounds, words, and ideas
irrigation / the use of connected ditches, canals, or pipes to carry water to dry areas
latitude / The distance north or south of the equator
longitude / The distance east of west of the prime meridian
merchant / a person who buys and sells or trades goods
migration / the movement of people from one place to another
monarchy / a governing system ruled by a king or queen
monotheism / belief in one God
oasis / a place in the desert that has a dependable supply of water
polytheism / belief in more than one God
social class / a group that has a particular level of importance in a society
society / Any organized group of people with shared customs, traditions, and ways of life
surplus / an extra supply. It is the amount of product that is left after needs have been met
taxation / the practice of requiring people to pay for the running of their government
technology / the use of knowledge and skills to make the work of everyday life easier
urban planning / a plan or thought for the design of a city
ziggurat / a stepped tower built in the middle of early cities in Mesopotamia
1. The lines of latitude and longitude are useful for locating places on Earth.
A political map shows borders of areas like countries, states and cities.
A physical map shows natural features like mountains.
2. People adapt to their environment with the clothing they wear, the homes they live in, and their methods of cooling and heating.
3. Most of Earth’s tropical climates found between the Tropic of Cancer and Tropic of Capricorn.
People have developed systems of irrigation to create farms in desert areas.
4. Early hunters and gatherers had to cooperate to better meet the band’s needs for food, clothing and shelter.
5. The movement of early people in search of food resulted in the spread of people to almost every part of Earth.
6. Specialization in larger bands was important because it allowed band members to work more efficiently.
7.&8. A tropical climate has thick, leafy vegetation. It is the opposite of a polar climate.
9. The purpose of a map key is to find out what the symbols, lines, and colors on a map mean.
12. Generally, it is easiest for people to live on flat land near water because it is easier for farming and for transportation.
13. People adapt to an extremely cold environment by building homes with few windows and doors.
14. The domestication of plants and animals change the way that people lived because people began to settle in one place.
15. Two of the first domesticated crops were barley and wheat.
16. Some advantages of agriculture are that people invented new tools, more food was made available, and larger families lived together.
17. The early farming villages that developed in southwestern Asia is in an area known as the Fertile Crescent.
18. Some landforms, such as mountains, are impossible for people to change and use.
19. Land temperatures are strongly influenced by ocean currents.
20. Desert regions are expanding because of over farming, overgrazing, and over logging.
21. Areas near poles receive diagonal rays, so they are cold year round.
22. Land heats up and cools quicker than bodies of water.
23. People usually settle along bodies of water.
Any organized group of people with shared customs, traditions, and ways of life is referred to as a society.
24. When a Sumerian city-state do had a surplus of food, they traded supplies with other city-states
25. The Sumerians wrote on clay.
26. The Assyrians are known for being fierce warriors.
27. Improvements in transportation brought the people living along the Nile into contact with one another.
28. The pyramids were built to be used as tombs for rulers.
29. God gave Moses the Ten Commandments during the Exodus.
30. Buddhism and Jainism spread rapidly throughout India in the 500’s and 400’s BC.
31. Most of the people of India today are Hindus.
32. According to India’s caste system, when people are born into a social group they stay in it their entire lives.
33. People today can learn about Troy from the epics of Homer.
34. Sparta had a military culture.
35. According to Greek mythology, the people of the city-states shared a common ancestor named Hellen.
36. Citizens from Athens, Sparta and other Greek city-states worked together to defeat the invading Persians.
37. The Golden Age of Athens ended by the Peloponnesian War.
38. The defeat of the Persian Empire led the way to Alexander the Great’s conquests.