SOCIAL STUDIES VOCABULARY: CHAPTER 1

 

History: Written and other recorded events of people

 

Prehistory: Time before writing was invented

 

Archaeologist: Scientist who examines objects to learn about the

                     human past.

 

Oral Traditions: Stories passed down by word of mouth

 

Geography: The study of earth’s surface and the processes that

                  shape it

 

Stone Age: A period of time during which early humans made

                  lasting tools and weapons mainly from stone; the

                  earliest known period of human culture

 

Nomad: A person who has no settled home

 

Fertile: Rich in the substances plants need to grow well; describes

             soil and land

 

Domesticate: To adapt wild plants for human use; tame wild

                       animals and breed them for human use

 

Irrigation: Supplying land with water through a network of canals

 

Surplus: More than is needed

 

Artisan: A worker who is especially skilled at crafting items by hand

 

Civilization: A society with cities, a central government, job

                    specialization, and social classes

 

Social Class: A group of people with similar backgrounds, incomes,

                     and ways of living