Social Studies 8th Grade Study Guide Part 1/2 Exam PDF 2024-2025

SOCIAL STUDIES 8TH GRADE STUDY GUIDE PART 1/2 FIRST SEMESTER EXAM 2024-2025 GEOGRAPHY 1.- Concept of Geography: The study of the Earth's physical characteristics and surface, including their effects on...

SOCIAL STUDIES 8TH GRADE STUDY GUIDE PART 1/2 FIRST SEMESTER EXAM 2024-2025 GEOGRAPHY 1.- Concept of Geography: The study of the Earth's physical characteristics and surface, including their effects on humans and the effects of humans over the Earth. 2.- Characteristics that define a globe: a) A globe shows the true shape of the Earth. b) A globe shows the accurate shape of all land and bodies of water. c) A globe is a model of the Earth. 3.- Identify Northern, Southern, Eastern, Western Hemispheres on a globe. WESTERN NORTHERN EASTERN SOUTHERN 4.- Definitions of: a) Map: A drawing or representation of an area on a flat surface. b) Physical Map: A map that identifies landforms and water features. 1  c) Political Map: A map that shows the names and boundaries of countries, states, and counties. 5.- Definition of Equator: The Equator is an imaginary line that divides the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. 6.- Definition of Prime Meridian: The Prime Meridian is an imaginary line that divides the Eastern and Western Hemispheres. 7.- Identify the Equator, the Prime Meridian, Latitude and Longitude Lines. 8.- Characteristics of parallel lines: a) Parallel lines measure the location of a place North or South of the Equator. b) The measurement of parallel lines is known as "longitude". c) Parallel lines are also called "latitude lines". 9.- Characteristics of meridian lines: a) Meridian lines extend from the North Pole to the South Pole. b) Meridian lines meet at the Poles. c) Meridian lines are equal in length. d) Parallel lines measure the location of a place east or west from the Prime Meridian. 10.- Definition of Grid System: A grid system helps identify the absolute location of a place on the surface of the Earth. 11.- Concept of Absolute Location: The absolute location of a place on the surface of the Earth is often given in terms of specific coordinates such as latitude and longitude. 12.- Concept of Relative Location: Describes a place’s position in relation to other landmarks or known places. 13.- Writing Coordinates; Practice: 2 14.- Elements of a Map: 3 15.- Contour lines: Contour lines represent the elevation and the shape of the land's surface. 16.- Global Positioning System (GPS): highly accurate satellite-based navigation and location system. Image: 17.- Geographic Information System (GIS): is a computer system for analyzing geographical data. Image: 4 18.- System of Coordinates: System used on maps and globes to pinpoint locations, similar to the X and Y axis on graph paper. 19.- System of Coordinates: a) x-axis: Latitude b) y-axis: Longitude c) Direction of longitude lines: Vertical d) Direction of latitude lines: Horizontal 20.- Measurement (in degrees) of the Equator: 0º 21.- Measurement (in degrees) of the Prime Meridian: 90º 22.- Tropic of Capricorn: line at 23.5ºS; Tropic of Cancer: line at 23.5ºN 23.- Calculate the distance in kilometers from the Equator to Cairo, Egypt given that 1° of latitude equals 111 km and Cairo, Egypt is located at 30°N latitude= 3,330 Km 24.- Heat Zones: 5 A: Frigid Zones B: North Temperate Zones C: Torrid Zones (Tropical Zones) D: South Temperate Zones 25.- For every 1° longitude to the east, 4 minutes are to be added. 26.- For every 1° longitude to the west, 4 minutes are to be subtracted. 27.- For every 15° longitude to the east, 60 minutes are to be added. 28.- For every 15° longitude to the west, 60 minutes are to be subtracted. 29.- Calculate the time: Practice: Point A. Monterrey: 4:00 PM Point B: New Delhi, India: ___________________. 6 Point A: Sydney, Australia 1:00 AM Point B: Buenos Aires, Argentina: ________________. CONCEPT OF TIME 1.- Characteristics of Gregorian Calendar: a) The Gregorian Calendar is the most widely used calendar in the world today. b) The Gregorian Calendar was officially introduced in 1582. c) The Gregorian Calendar is a solar calendar based on a 365-day common year. d) The Gregorian Calendar is divided into 12 months of irregular lengths. 2.- Number of days in each month: a) January: 31 days b) February: 28 days c) March: 31 days d) April: 30 days e) May: 31 days f) June: 30 days g) July: 31 days h) August: 31 days i) September 30 days j) October: 31 days k) November: 30 days l) December: 31 days 3.- Dating System: a) B.C. Before Christ b) A.D. Anno Domini c) BCE Before Common Era d) CE Common Era e) BPE Before Present Era 7 4.- Timeline: A: 450 B.C. B: 150 B.C. C: 350 A.D. D: 500 A.D. 5.- Every 4-four years is a leap year when one extra day is added to February (February 29). 6.- According to the International Standard for the calendar system, on which day does a week begin in Mexico? Monday 7.- In the United States and Canada, on which day do calendars typically start the week? Sunday 8.- The B.C./A.D. and BCE/CE systems align perfectly, dividing time roughly 2,024 years ago. 9.- Dating method and the baseline year used in the BPE system: Radiocarbon dating, 1950. 10.- An archaeologist found an Egyptian mummy and reported it to be dated circa 4,300 BPE. According to the BC/BCE dating system, what year does the statement refer to? Practice: Answer: ___________________________BCE. (- 1950) 11.- Time Scales: 8 12.- Centuries: 13.- Timelines: a) Definition: A timeline is a visual way of showing the events that have happened over the course of time. b) Each event goes LEFT to RIGHT in CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER: the order that it happened. c) Each event that is evenly-spaced, each mark is a MOMENT IN TIME. d) The space between each mark represents TIME PASSING. e) The amount of time that passes between each mark is the TIMELINE'S SCALE. 9 14.- The timeline below represents the historical time period of the Egyptian Civilization. Calculate its approximate total duration in years: Practice: Answer: _________________________________________ 15.- Arrange the following dates in the correct chronological order, starting with the earliest and ending with the most recent: Practice: 300 CE ________________ 300 BCE ________________ 50 CE ________________ 100 BCE ________________ 1200 CE ________________ 100 A.D. ________________ 600 B.C. ________________ 1,500 A.D. ________________ 2,000 B.C. ________________ 1 A.D. ________________ 1 B.C. ________________ 10 16.- Calculate the number of years between the dates of 1982 CE and 2022 CE. = 40 years 17.- Prehistory: period of time before written records were invented. 18.- Era: long period of time often marked by significant events 11