Social Studies Final Exam

Study Guide

#1

• Which type of government would most likely abolish all opposing political parties, the direct election on leaders, and free speech?

• Military Dictatorship

#2

• What is specialization?

• A factory focuses on producing one or two goods and leaves the rest for another factory.

#3

• In which system of government does the legislative branch elect the leader of the executive branch?

• Parliamentary Democracy

#4

• What type of imaginary line runs parallel to the Equator?

• Latitude

#5

• Which of the following BEST describes a free-enterprise system (market system)?

• A person can start any legal business and charge any price.

#6

• Define the following terms:

• Quota- limits the amount of trade between countries.

• Embargo – stops trade between countries

#7

• What is the purpose of a tariff?

• To increase the price of imported goods and protect a country’s own industries from foreign competition

#8

• Why did communism collapse in the Soviet Union in 1989?

• The communist were not able to compete with the appeal of economics and political freedoms of the West.

#9

• What was the major purpose of creating the Euro?

• To make international trade easier for member nations.

#10

• In the 1600’s what was the most important reason that European countries established settlements in the New World?

• To acquire riches and needed raw materials

#11

• How does a countries literacy rate impact its gross domestic product?

• The higher the literacy rate the higher the GDP.

#12

• What three things best describe the Cold War?

• Distrust between the USA and USSR, development of nuclear weapons, and the space race

#13

• What was the purpose of the European Union?

• Promote Trade and economic growth between member nations

#14

• How does an entrepreneur contribute to a country’s economy?

• -Willing to take risks and invest capital resources

• -Generate new ideas• -Help a country adapt to new trends

#15

• What was the primary cause of the Russian Revolution of 1917?

• Differences among social and economic classes in Russia

#16

• Why do most of Russia’s people live on the European side of the country?

• The climate is milder

#17

• What Portuguese explorer advanced early exploration by providing money to study navigation, develop boats, and encourage voyage?

• Prince Henry the Navigator

#18

• What empire chartered the East India Company, colonized Australia and most of the east coast of North America?

• British

#19

• After 1986, Chernobyl, Ukraine was abandoned. What caused people to abandon this city>

• The nuclear power plant exploded and radiation levels were unsafe

#20

• What was the primary cause for the outbreak of WWII in Europe?

• The invasion of Poland by Germany

#21

• What is a transportation barrier in Europe?

• The ALps

#22

• Who were the following men?

– Francisco Pizzaro – defeated the Incas in South America

– Toussaint L’Overture – Leader of the independence ruler in Haiti

– Simon Boliovar – Led the independence movement in South America

– Miguel Hidalgo – Father of Mexican independence

#23

• Which is the only Latin America colony that gained independence without a fight?

• Brazil

#24

• Why is Latin America considered ethnically diverse.

• Blending of Indigenous Americans, Europeans, and Africans

#25

• Which Spanish conquistador defeated the Inca civilization?

• Francisco Pizzaro

#26

• What were three major areas that were impacted by the Columbian Exchange?

• -Decline of indigenous population• -Introduction of new crops to Europe and the

Americas• -Introduction of horses to Latin America

#27

• What two countries are landlocked?

• Bolivia and Paraguay

#28

• Why is air pollution a major issue in Mexico City?

• -Sierra Madre Mountains block the pollution from leaving the Plateau of Mexico.

• Overpopulation and industrialization have increased the amount of pollution produced.

• The wind patterns are not strong enough to push the pollution away from Mexico City.

#29

• Why were the Aztec and Inca empires so easily conquered by the Spanish conquistadores?

• -European disease• -Horses• -Advanced weapons

#30

• Why did the Zapatistas not like NAFTA?

• Cause poor Mexican farmers to charge less for their products and potentially go out of business.

#31

• How is Spain’s influence still seen in Latin America?

• Most of these people in these countries are Roman Catholic

#32

• What was a lasting impact of the Cuban Revolution?

• Less political freedom for Cubans

#33

• Describe Canada’s population in relationship to its land size.

• Canada has a small population compared to the size of its land area.

#34

• What are the official languages of Canada?

• English and French

#35

• Why is the USA Canada’s largest trading partner?

• Location

#36

• What is causing some of the people of Quebec to desire independence from Canada?

• French descendents living in Quebec feel their culture and language is being overwhelmed by the English.

#37

• Why is the Canadian Shield important to the economy of Canada?

• Mining operations look for new deposits of minerals.

#38

• The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) was designed to promote free trade between what three countries?

• USA, Canada, and Mexico

#39

• What is the leader of Parliament in countries such as Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom?

• Prime Minister

#40

• What geographic feature in Canada is an area of ancient rugged rock?

• Canadian Shield

#41

• Today, some citizens and elected leaders of Quebec believe their province should take which action?

• Become an independent country

#42

• Who were the first inhabitants of Australia?

• The Aborigines

#43

• What happened to the Aborigines as a result of the British settlement of Australia?

• Thousands of Aborigines died from various diseases and were forced to live in the Outback.

#44

• What was the primary reason the British colonized Australia in the mid 1700’s?

• They were looking for a location to establish a penal colony.

#45

• What type of economic system would the Aborigines have used prior to European colonization?

• Traditional

#46

• Where is the largest concentration of people in Australia?

• In the southeast region near Sydney.

#47

• What physical feature is sacred to the Aboriginal people of Australia?

• Ayers Rock (Uluru)

#48

• Which country’s culture had the greatest effect on Australia’s language and religion?

• Great Britain

#49

• What is the Australian term for the vast desert areas in the interior of the mainland?

• The Outback