8th Grade Social Studies
Foundation I – We are a product of the past and what we value we pass on to the future.
- Cultural Identity – feeling of identity of a group (culture) based on various things such as religion, country, family background, interests, etc. This can also be referred to as heritage.
- Influences – a determining factor that can affect change
- Historical Significance – importance of a particular past event that causes change
- Cause and Effect – actions or events that lead to a result (i.e. one thing leads to another)
- Value – things held as most important or necessary
- Social – interaction of the individual and the group
- Society – a structured system of human organization for community living that provides protection, continuity, security, & a national identity for its members
- Nationalism – sense of pride / patriotism in one’s country
- Human Rights – rights that belong to an individual and which a government may not interfere as their rights to speak, associate, work, etc.
- Interdependence – dependent on each others (American economy is dependent on trade with foreign countries)
- Turning Point- a point in which an important change has occurred that turns the course of events
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Foundation II – Where we are influences who we are.
- Location – where you are
- Geography – study of land and its features, as well as human-environmental interaction, movement, place, location, and region
- Region- an area of land that shows unity in terms of geography, language, government, and culture
- Physical Geography – branch of geography that deals with the earth’s surface such as landforms, climate, & vegetation
- Culture – traits that are created through the arts, beliefs, & traditions of their group
- Traditions – passing down of elements of a culture from generation to generation
- Thematic Maps – maps that show data such as population density, median income, various statistics, industry, and agriculture
- Continents – a large landmass (i.e. North America, South America)
- Bodies of Water – fresh or saltwater sources such as oceans, gulfs, seas, bays, lakes, rivers
- Landforms – geographic features such as plains, mountains, plateaus, hills, valleys, etc.
- Climate Zones – areas of common climate based on geography
- Cultural Features – family life, myth, folklore, ideology, religion, etc.
- Cities – a large and / or important town
- Landmarks – an important identifying feature (i.e. Statue of Liberty, Eifel Tower)
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Foundation III – Laws are made to keep order.
- Structure – organization (i.e. The U.S. Constitution provides the structure of the American government)
- Guidelines – policies or procedures that determine action (i.e. behavior plan)
- Social Contract – agreement for mutual benefit between individuals, groups, or the government to establish a peaceful society (i.e. not cutting in line)
- Citizenship – showing behavior and terms of duties, obligations, and functions of a citizen (i.e. voting and jury duty)
- Civics – relating to the government or the study of government
- Constitution – system of principles in which a nation is governed
- Consequences – something that logically follows from an action or condition (i.e. earning a referral for skipping school)
- Civil Disobedience – refusal to obey certain laws to stand up against the government (i.e. sit-ins, marches, boycotting)
- Political – relating to the government
- Amendments – additions (changes) to the Constitution
- Executive – branch of government that enforces laws (i.e. Office of the President)
- Legislative – branch of government that makes laws (i.e. Congress )
- Judicial – branch of government that interprets laws and makes sure they follow the Constitution (i.e. Supreme Court)
- Authority- having the power to enforce laws, command; power assigned to an individual or group
- Government- The office, function, or authority of a governing individual or body. (i.e. governments run nations.)
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Foundation IV – People have unlimited wants and only limited resources.
- Resources – land, labor, money, and initiative used in the production of goods and services (i.e. factory that produces IPods)
- Availability – ready for purchase; at hand (i.e. well stocked shelves in a store)
- Technology – ways in which groups provide themselves with the material objects and systems of their civilization (i.e. computers, cell phones)
- Scarcity – in short supply (i.e. buying a Wii at Christmas)
- Standard of Living – level of living and comfort in everyday life enjoyed by a community, class, or individual
- Capitalism – economic system based on them means of production, distribution, and exchange of wealth is made by private individuals or corporations
- Production – process of manufacturing goods
- Trade – exchange of goods
- Goods – articles of trade (i.e. products – light bulbs, electronics, etc.)
- Free Enterprise – to compete in an economic market without governmental intervention and regulation
- Competition – rivalry by offering similar goods (i.e. Coke and Pepsi)
- Capital – money $$$
- Services – supplying utilities or commodities such as water, electricity, or gas that are required by the public
- Opportunity Cost- cost in terms of foregoing alternatives, a decision making process in which you weigh your choices in terms of its most beneficial cost
- Supply and Demand- as demand for an item increases, prices rise. When manufacturers respond to the price increase by producing a larger supply of that item, that increases competition and drives the price down
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Foundation V – People move for different social, political, and economic reasons.
- Push Factor – Any negative condition or circumstance that encourages people to change their situation, especially in regards to migration.
- Pull Factor – Any factor that tends to attract people to an area
- Migration – movement of people from one location to another
- Relocation – the process of moving from one place to another.
- Immigration – To enter and settle in a country or region to which one is not native (born in)
- Settlement – an area where a group (such as a family) or individuals live together
- Diffusion – the spread of social institutions (and myths and skills) from one society to another
- Diaspora – people dispersed from their homeland ( i.e. Jews forced to leave Israel around 600 BCE)