7th Grade Milestones Key Vocabulary

Aacid rain a name given to the moisture that has reacted with sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides which can come from the burning of fossil fuelsair pollution the human introduction into the atmosphere of chemicals, particulate matter, or biological materials that cause harm or discomfort to humans or the environment ~animist a person who believes that spirits are found in natural objects and surroundingsanti-Semitism hatred of the Jews simply because they practice the Jewish faithapartheid the legal separation of the racesArab a member of a Semitic people inhabiting Arabia and other countries of the Middle Eastarable land soil that is suitable for farmingAshanti a group of people found in the modern country of Ghana autocratic government system a government in which the ruler has absolute power to do whatever he wishes and make and enforce whatever laws he choosesBBantu a member of any of a large number of linguistically related peoples of central and southern Africabartering a system in which goods and services are exchanged instead of using cash as a payment in a traditional economy Buddha the name given to the priest of the Buddhist religion; also known as "The Enlightened One"Buddhism a belief that people could find peace if they could reject greed and desireCcabinet a group of advisorscapital goods the factories, machines, and technology that people use to make products to sellcapitalism an economic system in which the means of production and distribution are privately or corporately owned and developed caste system a belief that a social class is inheritedChinese Communist Party the name of the ruling party in ChinaChristianity the belief that Jesus Christ is the Son of Godcivil disobedience the refusal to obey unfair laws even if the result was punishmentcivil war a war within the same countryclimate the state of the atmosphere at a particular location over a long period of timecollective all ownership and decision making is in the hands of the governmentcollective farm where people work together and share whatever they producecommand economy an economy in which a government planning group makes most of the basic economic decisions for the workerscommunist an economic structure or government that promotes the establishment of a classless society based on common ownership of products and propertyconfederation government system a system in which the local government holds all of the power and the central government depends on the local government for its existence

Confucianism a philosophy or ethical system based on good deeds and morality

constitutional monarchy a government in which the powers of the ruler are restricted to those granted under the constitution or laws of the nationcredit the ability to borrow moneyCultural Revolution a name given to China's attempt in the 1960s to improve its economy by reorganizing its farms, businesses, and most of societycurrency something that is used as a medium of exchange; moneyDdeforestation the destruction of trees and other vegetation democratic government system a political system in which the people play a much greater role in deciding who the rulers are and what decisions are madedesalination the process of removing salt and other chemicals from the sea waterdesertification the process of land becoming like a desert, due to deforestation and droughtDiet (the) a two-house legislature that is elected by the Japanese peopleDomino Theory a term meaning if one country fell to communism, all the others nearby would fall as well. drought an extended period of time without rainfall EEightfold Path the eight rules for conduct that a person practicing the Buddhist religion was to follow during his or her lifetimeembargo a trade barrier in which one country announces that it will no longer trade with another country in order to isolate and cause problems with that country's economyemperor the male ruler of an empireentrepreneur creative, original thinkers who are willing to take risks to create new businesses and productsethnic group a group of people who share cultural ideas and beliefs that have been a part of their community for generationsexchange rate a system of changing from one type of currency (money) to anotherFfamine extreme and general scarcity of foodfederal government system a political system in which power is shared between the national and local governments, including executive, legislative, and judicial branchesFive Pillars of Islam five things Muslims must do in their practice of Islam, during their lifetimefour main castes the division of the caste system in the Hindu religion; the four main castes are: Brahmans, Kshtriyas, Vaisyas, and SudrasFour Modernizations a name given to China's attempt in the 1970s to reorganize its economyFour Noble Truths the four phases of the Buddhist religion free enterprise a business governed by the laws of supply and demand, not restrained by government interference

GGaza Strip a coastal region at the southeastern corner of the Mediterranean Sea bordering Israel and EgyptGolden Rule of Behavior a belief from the religion of Confucianism religion that "What you do not like when done unto yourself, do not unto others"Great Leap Forward a name given to China's attempt in the 1950s to reorganize its economyGreen Line the place where the cultivated land ends and the desert beginsGreen Revolution a name given to the time period in India in the 1960s when they tried to modernize their agricultural system by introducing new types of seeds and grains, and fertilizer and pesticides were made availablegross domestic product (GDP) the value of all goods and services produced within a nation in a given yearHHinduism the worship of many gods that are a part of a supreme spirit named BrahmanHolocaust a time when over six million Jews were killed in concentration camps set up by Germanyhuman capital the knowledge and skills that make it possible for workers to earn a living producing goods or serviceshydroelectric power electricity produced from the energy of running waterIincome the monetary payment received for goods or services, or from other sources, as rents or investmentsIndian National Congress a two-house legislature made up of representatives elected from all across the country of Indiainvest to put money to use in something offering potential profitable returns, as interest, income, or appreciation in valueirrigation providing water for cropsIslam the religious faith of Muslims, based on the words and religious system founded by the prophet MuhammadIsrael a republic in South West Asia (Middle East), on the Mediterranean Sea; created in 1948 by the United Nations as a home to the Jewish people of the worldJJudaism a religious group of Jews who believe in one GodKKalahari Desert a great desert located in the southern part of Africa kami the divine spirit that followers of the Shinto's religion believe live in nature; means superior in Japanese languageKarma the belief that one’s actions determine ones fateKlerk, F. W. de the South African president who, in 1990, freed Nelson Mandela from prison after he had served 27 years.Kurds a distinct ethnic group that lives in the mountainous areas where Syria, Turkey, Iran, and Iraq come togetherLLake Tanganyika one of the largest freshwater lakes in the world and one of the deepest lakes in the world, located in the Great Rift Valley in Africa.Lake Victoria the largest lake in Africaliteracy the ability to read and writeLong March the name given to the 6000 mile journey that Mao Zedong and his follower took to avoid capture by the Chinese government

MMacArthur Constitution a name given to the constitution that was written by General Douglas MacArthur (the American commander of the occupation forces) after World War II for JapanMacArthur, General Douglas the American commander given the job of rebuilding Japan after World War IIMahatma a name given to Mohandas K. Gandhi, a politician in India, who was instrumental in helping India gain its freedom from

British colonial rule; means “Great Soul”

Mandela, Nelson South African statesman who fought against apartheid and was released from prison to become the nation's first democratically elected president in 1994market economy an economy in which a society's economic decisions are made by individuals who decide what to produce and what to buyMiddle Way (The) the goals that were to be accomplished by following what Buddha called the Eightfold Path (eight rules for conduct) in the religion of Buddhismmineral resources a natural resource such as coal, iron ore, gold, or silver that are of economic valueMinistry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) a group that helps companies decide what products will sell best on the global marketmixed economy an economy that has characteristics of both market and command economic systemsmonarchy a government where a king and his advisors make most of the decisions; it is a type of unitary governmentmonsoon a seasonal prevailing wind, lasting several months, bringing heavy rains often causing great hardships for those living in the area due to floodingMuhammad an Arab prophet who founded IslamMuslim a name given to the followers of the Islam religion Muslim League a group organized in 1855 in an effort to put more power into the hands of IndiansNNational People's Congress a group of people elected every five years by a vote of the Chinese peoplenationalism the loyalty to a group with whom one shares a common history, culture, and/or religionnatural resource something that is in or supplied by our natural environment and can be consumed or used by peopleNile River the longest river in the world which begins in the central mountains of Africa, runs through Ethiopia, Sudan, and Egypt, and flows northward over 4,000 miles until it reaches the Mediterranean Sea at Alexandria, EgyptNirvana name given to reaching a state of perfect peace in the religion of Buddhismnomads people who move from place to place, usually traveling by camel, looking for water or foodnon-violence making change without violence (marches, speeches, fasting)Ooasis a small place where trees are able to grow and where people can live with grazing animals and a few cropsoil (petroleum) one of the most important and valuable fossil fuels; abundant in Southwest Asia (Middle East)

oligarchy government system a system in which a political party or other small group takes over a government and makes all of the major decisions; government by the fewOPEC Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries founded to set oil prices and policiesOperation Desert Storm another name for the Persian Gulf War Operation Iraqi Freedom an invasion led by the United States in 2003 to stop the development of nuclear weapons by IraqOttoman Empire an empire that controlled much of the Middle East or Southwest Asia from the 1300's until the end of World War IPPan-African movement the desire for people of African descent, no matter where they lived in the world, to think of Africa as a homeland parliamentary democratic government a democratic form of government in which the people vote for those who represent the political party they feel best represents their views of how the government should operatePersian Gulf one of the main shipping routes for oil to be shipped out from the rich fields of Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Iran and other countries that line its shores; also known as Arabian GulfPersian Gulf War a military force used to liberate Kuwait from the Iraqi invasion in 1991; also called Operation Desert StormPersians people who live in the modern country of Iranpresident the chief executive of a governmentpresidential form of democratic government sometimes called a congressional form of government; in this type of government a president is chosen to be the leaderprime minister the name given to the head of government; chief executive of a parliamentary democracyQqanats underground tunnels in Southwest Asia that bring water from the hills to dry plainsquota a way of limiting the amount of foreign goods that can come into a countryQuran the holy book of the Islam religionRrainforest areas with hot, humid, tropical climates and dense, evergreen forests with trees hundreds of feet tallRed Army a name given to the communist army in the Republic of ChinaRed Guard the name of the new army of young people Mao Zedong used to enforce his policies in the 1960srefugees people who have to leave their homes as the result of war reincarnation a belief that the soul does not die with the body, but enters the body of another being, either a person or an animal religious group a group with a belief system in a god or gods, with a specific set of rituals and literaturerepublic a state in which the supreme power rests in the body of citizens entitled to voteSSahara Desert the largest desert on planet Earth covering over 3.5 million square milesSahel a dry, semi-arid region south of the Sahara Desert It serves as a transition region between the harsh desert to the north and the grasslands and rain forest to the south and stretches from the Atlantic Ocean to the Red Sea. The word Sahel means "border" or "margin."savanna a vast area of both grassland and more tropical habitats in the middle of Africa close to the equator

Shia Muslims the second largest denomination of Islam Shintoism the earliest religion in Japan which means "way of the gods"silt rich topsoil, carried by floodwatersSpecial Economic Zones a name given to those areas that were set up along the coastal areas to try to encourage foreign companies to do business with Chinaspecialization those products a country makes best and that are in demand on the world marketStrait of Hormuz a very narrow waterway in which ships must navigate to and from the Persian GulfSubsistence farming growing food to provide for the sustenance of your familySuez Canal a canal in Egypt that allows water transportation between Europe and Asia without the need of traveling around the southern tip of AfricaSunni Muslims the largest denomination of IslamSwahili a people and culture found on the coast of east AfricaTTaliban a radical Muslim government of Afghanistantariff a tax placed on goods when they are brought into one country from another country.Terracing- carving steps in the side of a mountain or hill to grow crops.theocracy a government in which God is seen as the true leader and religious leaders serve as the political leadersTiananmen Square a large plaza in central Beijing, China: noted esp. as the site of major student demonstrations in 1989 suppressed by the government.trade barriers anything that slows down or prevents one country from exchanging goods with anothertraditional economy an economy in which most of the economic decisions that are made are based on custom and on the habit of how such decisions were made in the pastUunderground aquifers layers of underground rock where water runoff from rains and streams is trappedunitary government system local governments such as state or county systems may have some power, but they are under the control of the central governmentUnited Nations an international organization formed after World War II whose aims are to facilitate cooperation in international law and international securityVVedas (also referred to as The Book of Knowledge) a book containing prayers and rituals of the Hindu religionVietminh League a group that had Vietnamese independence as its goalWwater pollution contamination of water supplies due to chemicals, fertilizer, sewage and other garbagewater treatment facilities a process of removing contaminants from waste waterZZedong, Mao A founder of the Chinese Communist Party (1921), he led the Long March (1934-1935) and proclaimed the People's Republic of China in 1949Zionists a group who felt the world's Jews deserved to return to a homeland in Zion