Name:
Sophomore Vocab
Unit 5
1.
communism
2.
imperialism
3.
oligarchy
4.
socialism
5.
tyranny
Words in Context:
Social studies classes can be tough. There are so many different forms of government that it is
easy to get them mixed up. Take socialism and communism, for example. Both systems are
based on public ownership of the means of production and centralized planning; however,
socialism is the first step in the road to communism. From each according to his ability, to
each according to his deeds is socialism. From each according to his ability, to each
according to his needs is communism. Then there is imperialism, which sounds like it might
have something to do with the rich and powerful—but that is not necessarily true. Imperialism
is a policy of extending rule (as in the rule of an empire) over foreign countries. Oligarchy is
the system of government where only a few wealthy and powerful people have all the
control. One word that is easy to remember is tyranny. That is because it is close to the word
―tyrant‖ which means a cruel master.
Fill-in-the-Blank:
1. ―Manifest destiny‖ is a policy of _______________________ rationalized as inevitable, as if
granted by God.
2. Sometimes it feels like my parents have all the say at home while my siblings and I have
none; my house is run as an __________________________ where mom and dad hold all the
power because they have all the money.
3. The debate over whether or not to help those undergoing the ________________________ in
Syria, where people are ruled by an oppressive leader through threats of punishment and
violence, has been highly discussed in the United States.
4.
In the United States _____________________ is often used as shorthand for "the services that
government provides and which are paid for by taxes." Depending on who's talking, that
idea is either a goal or a target.
5. At the opposite end of the spectrum from "capitalism," ___________________is an economic
theory favoring a classless society and the abolition of private property.
Matching:
_____ 6. communism
a. (n) a political system governed by a few wealthy and/or powerful
people
_____ 7. imperialism
b. (n) a political theory advocating state ownership of industry
_____ 8. oligarchy
c. (n) a political theory favoring collectivism in a classless society
_____ 9. socialism
d. (n) a policy of extending your rule over foreign countries
_____ 10. tyranny
e. (n) a form of government in which the ruler is an absolute dictator
(not restricted by a constitution or laws or opposition etc.)
Sophomore Vocab
Unit 5
6.
antebellum
7.
cohesion
8.
conflict
9.
consensus
10.
infrastructure
Words in context:
When historians describe the time before the Civil War, they call it "the antebellum period."
The southern United States at that time is often called "the antebellum South." The Civil War is a
conflict that arose when northern and southern states could not come to a consensus as to
how to proceed on such issues as slavery. Where the northern states were in favor of
abolishing slavery, the southern states were not. This lack of cohesion in the north and south
set into motion the events that led to southern states seceding from the Union. Something that
many people do not know is that during this time when the nation seemed to be falling apart,
President Lincoln continued working on projects to benefit the infrastructure of the country to
include the First Transcontinental Telegraph and the Transcontinental Railroad.
Fill-in-the-Blank:
11. When you and your best friend both fall in love with the same person, you will have to find
some way to resolve the ___________________.
12. If you're going to a movie with friends, you need to reach a ____________________ about
which movie everyone wants to see.
13. In your house, the _____________________is the system of beams, weight-bearing walls and
the foundation that keeps it standing.
14. Religious extremists—both Christian and Muslim alike—make it difficult for social
____________________ to exist because of their constant opposition to one another.
15. In ________________________ North Carolina, there was a rather large population of free
African Americans — 30,463 in 1860.
Matching:
_____ 16. antebellum
_____ 17. cohesion
_____ 18. conflict
_____ 19. consensus
_____ 20. infrastructure
a. (n) the state of sticking together
b. (n) agreement reached by a group as a whole
c. (n) the basic foundation or underlying framework of an organization
or system
d. (adj) refers to something existing before a war (any war); usually refers
to the period of time before the American Civil War
e. (n) a disagreement or argument about something; a type of
opposition
Sophomore Vocab
Unit 5
11.
feminism
12.
hegemony
13.
jargon
14.
laissez faire
15.
suffragist
Words in Context:
Understanding the nuances of the English language really comes down to having a good
command of vocabulary. Knowing root words, for instance, really comes in handy. Take the
word hegemony—the root word means ―leader,‖ and knowing that, it is easy to see that
hegemony refers to a leading group or nation that dominates others. Or, take feminism; it is
clear that the word has to do with females, and easy to infer that it has to do with women’s
rights. Not all words have easy to understand roots, however. Some sound more like
meaningless jargon. Take the word suffragist; it has nothing to do with suffering, but with the
right to vote. Some words used commonly in English aren’t even English at all—take the
phrase ―laissez faire,‖—it is a French economic term that means ―allow to do.‖
Fill-in-the-Blank:
21. Before 1920, women did not have the right to vote in the U.S., which brought about the
____________________________ movement as people fought for equal rights for women.
22. Sometimes, high school can be so superficial. As a teacher, I especially hate when
students ascribe to the _____________________ of the ―popular kids‖ over the other students,
letting the ―popular kids‖ determine what is and is not ―cool.‖
23. Internet advertising ________________________ includes the new words "click throughs,‖
"page views," and other specialized terms.
24. If you think that a man and woman doing the exact same job should get equal pay, then
you believe in one of the basic principles of__________________________.
25. Some parents take a _________________________approach to child-rearing—no curfews or
set rules, just the hope their kids will stay out of trouble by doing the right thing.
Matching:
_____ 26. feminism
a. (n) a movement that advocates for equal rights and opportunities for
women
_____ 27. hegemony
b. (n) political or cultural dominance or authority of one nation over others
_____ 28. jargon
c. (n) the doctrine that government should not interfere in commercial
affairs
_____ 29. laissez faire
d. (n) an advocate of voting rights (especially for women)
_____ 30. suffragist
e. (n) specialized language used by people in the same work or profession;
can also refer to nonsensical or meaningless words
Sophomore Vocab
Unit 5
16.
gerrymander
17.
fiduciary
18.
filibuster
19.
impeach
20.
xenophobe
Words in Context:
Politics can be very confusing at times. For instance, why is it okay for politicians to
gerrymander district boundaries? Changing district boundaries solely for the purpose of
helping their own party in elections seems unfair. Another question that comes to mind is the
filibuster: why does the senate permit members to delay legislation with long-winded
speeches? Isn’t this an obstruction of justice, if only in a small scale? You’ve got to wonder
how some of our elected officials are able to sleep at night, knowing they are purposefully
wasting taxpayer money. Then again, it is not like we choose our politicians the way we might
choose a fiduciary, or someone we trust to look over our personal assets. This isn’t to say that
the problem with politics rests solely on politicians—some of the voters are just as responsible
for political problems as the people they vote into office, especially those who suffer from
irrational conditions like xenophobia. I sometimes wonder: if more people were impeached
for their political crimes, would it help to curtail the shenanigans played by politicians and
misguided constituents?
Fill-in-the-Blanks:
31. It is illegal for a _____________________________to misappropriate money for personal gain.
32. Only two Presidents were ever ________________________ed; Andrew Johnson and Bill
Clinton. Both were acquitted, however, and neither was removed from office.
33. Getting a job as a greeter with the United Nations is probably not the best career option
for someone who suffers from __________________________.
34. In a recent article in the New York Times, Democratic leaders accused Republicans of
maintaining power through ______________________ing, intimidating Democratic voters at
polling places.
35. Texas republican Ted Cruz spoke for nearly 21 hours of his thoughts and feelings on the
Healthy Care Act, an obvious attempt to __________________________ any real discussion from
being had.
Matching:
_____ 36. gerrymander
_____ 37. fiduciary
_____ 38. filibuster
a. (v) to divide unfairly and to one's advantage
b. (n) a person afraid of strangers or foreigners
c. (n) a tactic for delaying or obstructing legislation by making long
speeches
_____ 39. impeach
d. (v) to charge (a public official) with an offense or misdemeanor
committed while in office
_____ 40. xenophobe
e. (adj) relating tothe nature of a legal trust –OR-- (n) a person who holds
assets in trust for a beneficiary