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 freeenterprise 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