Download 7th Grade Power Vocabulary Words

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7th Grade Power Vocabulary Words
Hemispheres: Sections of the earth when divided in half.
Latitude: Imaginary lines that measure distance north and south of the Equator.
Longitude: Imaginary lines that run from each pole and divide the earth so it can be measured
East & West!
Scale: Compares distance on a map to what the distance would be in the real world.
Equator: The Imaginary line that circles the globe halfway between the North Pole and South
Pole
Prime Meridian: Line of Longitude that is the beginning point for measuring Longitude East &
West. *0 Degrees Longitude
Culture: A Way of Life. Common values and traditions of a society
Columbian Exchange: The transfer of plants, animals & DISEASE from Europe to the
Americas, and the Americas to Europe, due to exploration and colonization
Charter: A Royal document by a European king granting people the right to start a colony
Jamestown: The 1st permanent English settlement in the New World. Became the colony of
Virginia. Settled to find GOLD, but survived by growing tobacco.
Plymouth: Founded by the Pilgrims in 1620 to escape religious discrimination in England.
Became the Massachusetts Colony.
Mayflower Compact: 1st government document written in the New World. Written by the
pilgrims on the Mayflower, it established laws, leadership and order for the colony
Cash Crop: Crops (tobacco, cotton, indigo) that are grown by the farmer for sale and export,
rather than for the use of his family or the local community.
Slave Codes: Laws passed in the colonies to control slaves.
Middle Passage: The BRUTAL trip endured by African slaves between Africa and the
American colonies.
Mercantilism: The plan to make money for Europe, by buying RAW MATERIALS from the
colonies, making them into something in factories, and selling it back to the colonies at a profit
Parliament: English law making branch of government. Passed laws that upset the colonist
because they could not join.
Stamp Act: Tax on all Printed material in the colonies. Passed by the British Parliament
without colonial approval.
Boston Massacre: Protest by Colonist in Boston that turned ugly and resulted in British troops
shooting and killing several colonist
Battle of Saratoga: Turning point of the Revolutionary War, American victory convinced
France the Americans could actually win, France now officially supported the Americans
Articles of Confederation: First ever government of the United States; gave almost all power to
individual states, was replaced by the Constitution
Declaration of Independence: Document, written by Thomas Jefferson, that listed the Colonists’
reasons for and desire to declare Independence. Formally approved by the 2nd Continental
Congress on July 4th, 1776
Constitution: “The law of the land,” a set of basic principles that determines the powers and
duties of our government
Bicameral: Composed of two legislative houses: for the United States the houses are the House
of Representatives and the Senate
Ratify: To officially pass or approve
Checks and Balances: Aspect of government where each branch was given power over the other
branches. Created to prevent one branch from having too much power
Legislative Branch: Branch of government that MAKES the laws in the Federal Government.
Consists of the Senate and the House of Representatives.
Judicial Branch: Branch of government that interprets, or reviews, the laws. Highest court is the
Supreme Court, consisting of NINE Supreme Court Justices.
Executive Branch: Branch of government that ENFORCES the laws. Top position is the
President of the United States.
Bill of Rights: First 10 Amendments to the Constitution, guarantees basic human rights
Democracy: Type of government where people can VOTE and have choices!!!
George Washington: 1st President of the United States, also was the head of the Continental
Army during the Revolutionary War
Marbury v. Madison: Court case in that in 1789 established
the Supreme Court’s power to declare acts of Congress unconstitutional
Monroe Doctrine: Document, issued by President Monroe, that warned Europe to stay out of
North and South America or risk war
Thomas Jefferson: Main author of the Declaration of Independence and 3rd President of the
United States
Louisiana Purchase: Land purchased by President Jefferson from Napoleon of France in 1803,
nearly doubled the size of the United States
Manifest Destiny: Belief shared by many Americans in the mid 1800’s that the United States
was “destined” to expand across the Continent to the Pacific Ocean
Trail of Tears: An 800-mile forced march made by the Cherokee Indians from their homeland in
Georgia to Indian Territory: This forced march led to the deaths of almost one fourth of all
Cherokee people.
Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo: A treaty that ended the Mexican-American War and gave the
United States much of Mexico’s northern territory (New Mexico, Arizona, California, Nevada,
Utah).
California Trail: 2,000 mile trail stretching from the Great Plains (Missouri) to Oregon
Territory. At the snake River in Idaho, those bound for California took the Southern Route,
which went across Nevada and over the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range
Sarah Winnemucca: A Paiute Indian, who fought for Native American rights throughout her
life. She also opened numerous schools for Native Americans in Nevada.
Mormon Station: First permanent white settlement in Nevada, Mormon Station was a stop for
settlers traveling on the California Trail and is located in present day Genoa at the base of the
Sierra Nevada Mountains
Boom & Bust cycle: Term used to describe the cycle of mining towns: a quick boom when gold
or silver is found (BOOMTOWNS) leading to a large population, followed by an economic
downturn when the Gold & Silver run out, and the population collapses (Ghost Towns)
Comstock Lode: Large SILVER strike discovered on Gold Hill near what became Virginia City
in 1859. Led to the Rush to Washo that brought thousands to Virginia City and made it the 2nd
largest city west of the Mississippi.
Industrial Revolution: Period of rapid growth in the use of machines in manufacturing and
production that began in the mid 1700’s.
Underground Railroad: Secret escape routes from slave states to the North and freedom in
Canada. A network of people, transportation routes and safe hiding places to help slaves
escape.
Missouri Compromise: Law passed in 1820 that balanced slave and free states equally and then
split the Louisiana Territory to make the Northern Half free (except Missouri) and the Southern
half open to slavery
Dred Scott: Enslaved African who filed suit for his freedom stating that his time living in
Illinois (a free state) made him a free man; the Supreme Court ruled against him in a 1857
ruling known as the Dred Scott Decision, which upheld slavery and found the Missouri
Compromise was unconstitutional. This decision fueled anger throughout the North prior to the
Civil War.
Abraham Lincoln: Elected as president in 1860 from the state of Illinois. Led the nation
through the Civil War and signed the Emancipation Proclamation freeing the slaves.
Secession: To formally withdraw from the Union (Hint, South Carolina was the first
Battle of Gettysburg: Turning point of the Civil War, Union victory on July, 3rd 1863 turned
the tide of the war to the Union Forces
Emancipation Proclamation: President Lincoln’s order to free the Confederate Slaves; became
effective January 1st, 1863
Name_______________________________ Period__________________
7th Grade Power Vocabulary Words
Hemispheres:
Latitude:
Longitude:
Scale:
Equator:
Prime Meridian:
Culture:
Columbian Exchange:
Charter:
Jamestown:
Plymouth:
Mayflower Compact:
Cash Crop:
Slave Codes:
Middle Passage:
Mercantilism:
Parliament:
Stamp Act:
Boston Massacre:
Battle of Saratoga:
Articles of Confederation:
Declaration of Independence:
Constitution:
Bicameral:
Ratify:
Checks and Balances:
Legislative Branch:
Judicial Branch:
Executive Branch:
Bill of Rights:
Democracy:
George Washington:
Marbury v. Madison:
Monroe Doctrine:
Thomas Jefferson:
Louisiana Purchase:
Manifest Destiny:
Trail of Tears:
Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo:
California Trail:
Sarah Winnemucca:
Mormon Station:
Boom & Bust cycle:
Comstock Lode:
Industrial Revolution:
Underground Railroad:
Missouri Compromise:
Dred Scott:
Abraham Lincoln:
Secession:
Battle of Gettysburg:
Emancipation Proclamation: