Geography Quiz: Concepts and Features

A location based on nearby landmarks. For example, "The library is across the street from the school."

An exact location on a map using coordinates, like latitude and longitude. For example, "The library is located at 40.7128° N, 74.0060° W."

A large area of land with its own government and laws. For example, the United States is a nation.

Boundaries that separate nations. For example, the border between the United States and Mexico.

A political unit within a nation. For example, California is a state within the United States.

A piece of land surrounded by water on three sides. For example, Florida is a peninsula in the United States.

An area of land under the control of the U.S. government, but not a state. These territories have looser ties to the U.S.

A system of lines that run north and south, but are measured east and west. The Prime Meridian is 0 degrees longitude.

The ruling power for a group of people

A person who is loyal to a government and is protected by that government

The studies of rights and duties of a citizen

The rights and duties of a citizen, or belonging to a nation

The legal process of becoming a citizen

People who are born in another country and who have not been naturalized

A person who lives in the U.S. as a resident or nonresident alien

A person who leaves their country to escape danger

A type of government in which the people rule

A type of government where one person has all the power

A democracy where the people govern themselves, a form of government in which policies and laws are decided by a majority of all those eligible

A democracy where people choose leaders to govern

Written agreement between the king and the people that limited the power of the government/king

A settlement controlled by another country

An agreement between the people and the government stating that people give up some of their freedoms to be protected by the government

The study of the earth and its features, including landforms, climate, people, and how they interact.

A person who studies the Earth, its features, and how people interact with it.

A tool on a map that shows north, south, east, and west, helping you orient yourself.

The four main directions: north, south, east, and west.

A tool on a map that explains the symbols used and what they represent.

Materials found in nature that people use, like wood, water, and minerals.

Resources that cannot be replaced within our lifetime, like fossil fuels.

Resources that can be replaced within a reasonable amount of time, like trees or wind.

Substances found in nature that aren't made by plants or animals, like gold, iron, and coal.

Non-renewable energy sources formed from the remains of ancient organisms over millions of years.

Large groups of wind turbines used to generate electricity.

Electricity produced using the energy of the sun.

Substances that pollute the air, water, and soil, making them dirty.

The planned and careful use of natural resources to avoid wasting them.

A system of ideas that emphasized reason, logic, and individual rights, influencing political and social change in the 1700s.

A historical event in England where Parliament asserted their power over the monarchy, leading to a shift in government.

An influential philosopher who believed in natural rights and a social contract where the government protects people's rights.

A document that limited the power of the English monarch and established basic rights for citizens.

A system of government where power is divided between different branches (like legislature, executive, and judicial) to prevent any one branch from becoming too powerful.

The first permanent English settlement in North America, established in 1607.

A private company that funded and managed the Jamestown colony, providing supplies to the colonists in exchange for profits.

A group of English settlers who came to America seeking religious freedom and who signed the Mayflower Compact.

An agreement signed by the Pilgrims in 1620 to establish a self-governing body in Plymouth.

A person who agrees to work for another person for a set period of time in exchange for passage to America, food, shelter, and clothing.

People who disagreed with the Church of England and wanted to reform it.

Crops grown in large quantities to be sold for profit.

A large estate, especially in the southern colonies, that focused on growing cash crops.

A representative of the king in the colonies who carried out royal orders.

A pamphlet written by Thomas Paine that argued for American independence from Great Britain. It used simple language to explain complex ideas about government and made a powerful case for self-governance.

Personal freedom and the right to make decisions about one's life without undue restrictions.

An official announcement or declaration, often made by a government.

To refuse to buy or use certain goods as a form of protest.

To cancel or revoke a law or policy.

A tax on goods imported from other countries.

The illegal movement of goods into or out of a country, often to avoid paying taxes.

A representative or delegate chosen to act on behalf of others.

The principle that everyone must follow the law, and that the law is applied fairly to all.

The idea that people have the right to decide how their government should work.

The right of all people to a fair and reasonable legal process.

A government that is limited in its power by a constitution or other legal document.

A set of things that people believe they should be free to do without restrictions.

A meeting where the US Constitution was written.

An agreement that decided how states would be represented in Congress. Larger states wanted representation based on population, while smaller states wanted equal representation.

An agreement that decided how enslaved people would be counted for representation in Congress. It determined that three out of every five enslaved people would count towards a state's population.

A group of electors chosen by states to select the President and Vice President.

Someone who supported the Constitution.

A system where power is divided between the national government and state governments.

Essays written to support the Constitution.

Someone who opposed the Constitution.

The introduction to the US Constitution.

A section of the Constitution that describes the structure of government.

The part of government that makes laws.

The part of government that enforces laws.

The part of government that interprets laws.

Any change made to the Constitution.

The idea that the people have the right to rule.

A group of people with shared political views and goals who work together to gain political power and influence government policy.

A political system where two major parties compete for power, like the Democrats and Republicans in the US.

A minor political party with less power than the two major parties.

A person with moderate political views, not extreme on either side of the spectrum.

A statement of a political party's core beliefs, principles, and positions on various issues.

Groups of people who work together to ensure their candidate wins an election.

Special meetings of state and local party organizations to discuss strategy and elect delegates.

The smallest election unit, often a neighborhood or small area.

A political party that becomes very strong and wins most elections in a region.

An election where voters directly choose candidates for the general election.

The candidate with the most votes, even if they don't have a majority.

A person who is at least 18 years old and a U.S. citizen.

The process of signing up to be allowed to vote.

A place where people go to cast their vote during an election.

A lack of interest or participation in voting and government.

A state without rules, governance, or protection for natural rights. Individuals possess complete freedom but lack security.

The belief that people inherently seek self-interest and are prone to conflict in the absence of authority.

The principle that each branch of government has the ability to limit the power of the other branches, ensuring a balance of authority.

The belief that liberty is the peace of mind derived from feeling safe and secure.

A theory that emphasizes individual rights and freedoms as inherent and inalienable.

The collective will of the people, reflecting what is best for the interests of society as a whole.

The first plan of government for the United States, which was created in 1777 and ratified by all 13 states by 1781.

A group of states that come together for a common purpose, often with a weak central government.

A detailed, written plan for government, outlining its powers and responsibilities.

A legislative body that is divided into two chambers or houses.

A law passed by the Confederation Congress that established a plan for governing the Northwest Territory, including rules for surveying and selling land, and prohibiting slavery.

The basic freedoms that all citizens have, including the right to speech, religion, assembly, the press, and to petition the government.

The right to express your opinions and ideas without fear of punishment from the government.

The act of restricting or prohibiting the publication or broadcast of materials deemed harmful or objectionable by the government.

A formal, written request made to the government to address a particular issue or concern.

Telling lies about someone that harms their reputation.

The first ten amendments of the U.S. Constitution that guarantee basic freedoms to all citizens.

The right to practice any religion, or no religion at all, without government interference.

The right to express ideas through art, speech, music, clothing, and other forms of expression, even if they offend others.

The government cannot censor books, newspapers, magazines, television, or the internet. It protects the freedom of the press to inform the people.

The right to gather peacefully in groups for meetings, parades, protests, and other purposes.

The freedom to express your concerns, requests, or opinions to the government.

The person(s) accused of committing a crime.

A court order that gives law enforcement officials the legal right to search a suspect's property.

A valid reason for believing that a person has committed a crime.

A group of people who share a common cultural background or descent.

An area of land saturated with water, often a habitat for diverse species like marshes or swamps.

A system of government where power resides with the people and their elected representatives.

Citizenship is granted based on being born in a country.

Citizenship is granted based on having one or both parents who are citizens.

Someone who opposes official policies or beliefs.

The original 13 colonies were created mostly by:

The economic system of the southern colonies centered on agriculture, particularly cash crops like tobacco and cotton.

The first Continental Congress was a meeting of colonial delegates who aimed to address grievances against British policies. They aimed to unify the colonies to speak with a single voice against British actions.

The Constitution establishes the framework of the US government, dividing power into three branches: the legislative, executive, and judicial. Each branch has its own set of responsibilities and powers.

A general election is where voters choose leaders for public offices. This is a nationwide election where citizens cast their votes for candidates running for positions like President, Congress, or local offices.

Media can shape public opinion through various strategies, such as framing issues to highlight specific aspects, selectively covering certain events, publishing editorials and opinion pieces, and using polls to influence perceptions.

The Democratic Party generally supports social programs, healthcare access, environmental protection, and a more progressive taxation system. The Republican Party generally supports lower taxes, limited government, free market policies, and a stronger national defense.

The seven forms of propaganda are: bandwagon (following the majority), endorsements (using famous people), glittering generalities (vague positive statements), card stacking (presenting one side), name calling (negative terms), transfer/fear (evoking emotions), and plain folks (relating to everyday people).

An election where voters can remove someone from office before their term ends.

A matter of public concern or debate that people care about.

A system where the candidate who wins the popular vote in a state gets all of that state's electoral votes.

The efforts of a person running for office to win an election.

Organizations formed by interest groups to raise money for political candidates.

A type of election where voters choose the candidates who will represent their party in the general election.

A process that gives voters the power to propose new laws or amendments to the constitution.

A process that lets voters approve or reject a state law.

The ideas and opinions that people have about a particular issue or person.

All the ways that information reaches a large number of people, like TV, radio, internet, and newspapers.

Groups of people who share the same opinion on an issue and try to influence others.