Social Studies Seventh Grade

Front 1

absolute location

Back 1

the exact position of a place on earth's surface expressed in latitude and longitude

Front 2

agriculture

Back 2

farming. example: corn, wheat, etc

Front 3

alcalde

Back 3

the chief official of a spanish town

Front 4

amendment

Back 4

an addition to a formal document such as a constitution

Front 5

bicameral

Back 5

composed of 2 legislative bodies or branches. ex: house and senate

Front 6

bill of rights

Back 6

a series of laws in a constitution that protect specific rights of citizens

Front 7

bond

Back 7

a note or guarantee issued by the government promising to repay money it borrows, with interest

Front 8

capitol

Back 8

a building where a legislative body of a republic, state, or country meets

Front 9

capital

Back 9

a place that is the center of governing for a state. ex: Austin, TX

Front 10

checks and balances

Back 10

a system where each branch of government has the ability to limit the actions of the other branches

Front 11

civic duty

Back 11

things a citizen does to take part in the process of government. ex: jury duty

Front 12

commissioner's court

Back 12

the most important governing body in the country government; responsible for determining the budget, setting the property-tax rate; and deciding how the money is spent

Front 13

conquistador

Back 13

one of the spanish soldiers who sought riches and power for themselves, and wealth and glory for spain in the conquest of the americas

Front 14

constitution

Back 14

a document that outlines fundamental laws and principles of law; it describes the nature, functions, and limits of government

Front 15

cultural diffusion

Back 15

borrowing and integrating ideas specific to one group of people into the culture of another group

Front 16

culture

Back 16

the way of life developed by a group of people to satisfy its needs

Front 17

democracy

Back 17

government by the people; majority rule

Front 18

drought

Back 18

lack of rain or water; prolonged dry periods without rain

Front 19

elevation

Back 19

height of land above sea level

Front 20

executive

Back 20

the chief officer of government

Front 21

expenditures

Back 21

money paid out

Front 22

federalism

Back 22

a type of government in which powers and duties between the states and the national government are shared

Front 23

friar

Back 23

a member of a catholic religious order

Front 24

general election

Back 24

an election that is held every few years to elect members to represent the people on a national level or state level

Front 25

geography

Back 25

the study of the spatial aspects of earth and the people who live on it

Front 26

human-environment interaction

Back 26

how people use, adapt to, or change their surroundings and how the physical environment often affects people

Front 27

individual rights

Back 27

something to which one has a just claim

Front 28

irrigation

Back 28

a way water is supplied to farm land

Front 29

judicial

Back 29

having to do with courts of law or the justice system

Front 30

legislature

Back 30

elected officials who make the laws for the state

Front 31

limited government

Back 31

government can only do certain things

Front 32

mestizo

Back 32

a person of mixed blood, usually spanish and indian

Front 33

mission

Back 33

a religious settlement

Front 34

monarchy

Back 34

a state or country that has a king

Front 35

movement

Back 35

people interacting across the globe to achieve a certain result

Front 36

nomadic

Back 36

a group or person who moves around

Front 37

pardon

Back 37

to excuse from punishment

Front 38

petroleum

Back 38

oil and gasoline

Front 39

popular sovereignty

Back 39

power held by the people

Front 40

port

Back 40

a harbor where ships load and unload their cargo

Front 41

precipitation

Back 41

rain, sleet, snow, or hail

Front 42

presidio

Back 42

a spanish military outpost

Front 43

primary election

Back 43

an election that decides who the candidates will be during the general election; party members decide

Front 44

primary source

Back 44

information that comes from someone that experiences an event

Front 45

region

Back 45

an area that is unified by one or more common characteristics

Front 46

relative location

Back 46

the location of a place in relation to other places

Front 47

republicanism

Back 47

people who believe that the power of government belongs to the people through their right to vote

Front 48

revenue

Back 48

money raised through taxes and fees

Front 49

secondary source

Back 49

a third person account of an event that has occurred; ex: newspapers, magazines; not having seen or experienced the event first-hand

Front 50

sedentary

Back 50

in one place

Front 51

shaman

Back 51

a person who is believed to have the power to cure the sick and forecast and control the future

Front 52

special election

Back 52

an election that is held on another day not designated as a primary or a general election; happens when a representative or senator resigns or dies before their term is up

Front 53

separation of power

Back 53

the powers of government are divided into 3 branches so that a branch does not have more power than the other

Front 54

sheriff

Back 54

an officer of a county that enforces the law

Front 55

vaqueros

Back 55

cowhands

Front 56

columbus

Back 56

traveled to the caribbean in 1492; sailed under the flag of spain; traveled to south america, caribbean, mexico, central america, and part of the u.s.

Front 57

cortez

Back 57

sailed from cuba in 1519; landed on the eastern coast of mexico and traveled to capital; took montezuma hostage

Front 58

cabeza de vaca

Back 58

sent to conquer the area between florida and mexico; expedition failed and ships never showed up to pick up his team; ended up in galveston and survived by living like karankawa indians

Front 59

coronado

Back 59

sent to find cibola; part of expedition traveled to new mexico, arizona, and grand canyon; other part came to texas

Front 60

la salle

Back 60

a frenchman; navigated the mississippi river south to the gulf of mexico

Front 61

1519

Back 61

spanish exploration begins with Pineda along the coast; cortez explores mexico

Front 62

1718

Back 62

mission san antonio de valero is established

Front 63

1803

Back 63

france sells louisiana territory to the u.s.(louisiana purchase)

Front 64

1819

Back 64

the adams-onis treaty is signed

Front 65

1821

Back 65

mexico gains its independence from spain; anglos begin migrating to texas

Front 66

1876

Back 66

texas adopts the present day state constitution

Front 67

1900

Back 67

great storm (hurricane) hits galveston