Word Work 	December 7, 2009			
This week’s words will focus on American politics from 1816 to 1850,
highlighted by the Era of Good Feelings (1817-1825) and the Jacksonian
Era (1828-1850).
TIMELINE
1815 – US and UK end the War of 1812. In Europe, Napoleonic Wars end
with Napoleon’s surrender and exile.
1816 – Federalist Party is discredited due to their opposition to the
War of 1812. James Monroe is elected President.
1817 – Era of Good Feelings begins, Democratic-Republicans are
dominant party for eight years.
1819 – US acquired Florida from Spain.
1820 – James Monroe elected unopposed (no one challenged him).
1823 – President Monroe issues the Monroe Doctrine
1824 – Four-way race for president, JQ Adams defeats Jackson, Crawford
and Clay.
1828 – Jackson defeats JQ Adams in a rematch of 1824.

1. abolish (v) – to get rid of completely. Ex. Northerners who wanted
to abolish slavery were called abolitionists.
2. compromise (n,v) – a settlement of differences in which each side
makes concessions (gives in). Ex.The Missouri Compromise of 1820
allowed Missouri to join the Union as a slave state and Maine as a
free state.
3. corrupt (adj, v) – dishonest, venal.  Ex. Andrew Jackson’s
supporters called John Quincy Adams victory in 1824 the “Corrupt
Bargain” after Adams named Clay to be his Secretary of State.
4. debate (n,v) – to consider something, to argue about something. Ex.
There was an intense debate about slavery in Congress in 1820 when
Missouri was about to become a state.
5. doctrine – a statement of official government policy. Ex. The
Monroe Doctrine stated that the US would not allow European nations to
colonize in the western hemisphere.
6. expansion – the act or process of expanding (getting larger). Ex.
Republicans have criticized the health care bill in the Senate, saying
it will lead to an expansion of our nation’s debt.
7. liberate (v) – to set free. Ex. Simon Bolivar (1783-1830) helped to
liberate numerous countries in Latin America from Spanish rule. 
8. majority (n) – the largest part of a whole. Ex. No candidate
received a majority of electoral votes in the election of 1824.
9. policy (n) – a set of rules, or a plan of action. Ex. Mr. Appell
had a strict homework policy. Ex. How is Obama’s policy in Afghanistan
different than Bush’s?
10. removal – (n) the act of removing, or taking out. Ex. Presidents
Jackson and Van Buren pursued policies of Indian Removal.
11. tariff (n) – a tax imposed on imported goods. Ex. John Quincy
Adams and the Whig Party espoused a policy of high tariffs to
encourage Americans to buy their own products. The Whig Party
(1833-1856) supported high tariffs and a strong federal government. 



Mr. Appell		Social Studies Word Work	
	November 23, 2009
This week’s words will focus on the events in American history 
between
1800 and 1815.
ally (n) – a nation working with another nation.  Ex. The Native
Americans were allied with the British in 1812.
conquer (v) – to defeat by force; to gain control of. Ex. Napoleon
Bonaparte (1769-1821) conquered many nations including Spain.
damage (n,v) – harm or injury to property or person. Ex. The British
severely damaged the US Capitol in 1814.
embargo - A prohibition by a government on certain or all trade with 
a
foreign nation. Ex. The United States imposed a full embargo on Cuba
in 1962 because of their communist government. 
invade (v) – to enter by force with the aim of taking control and
destroying. Ex. In 2001, the U.S. invaded Afghanistan. 
majority (n) – the larger part of a group. Ex. A slight majority 
voted
for the War of 1812 in the US Senate: 19-13.
nationalist(n) – a person who believes their nation is the best of 
nations. Ex. Many nationalists wanted to go to war with the British 
in 1812.
negotiate (v) – to discuss an issue to reach an agreement.  Ex.
President Washington sent Chief Justice John Jay to negotiate with 
Great Britain in 1794.
neutral (adj, n) – not aligned with either side during a war;
impartial. Ex. The United States wanted to remain neutral between
France and Great Britain.
strategy (n) – an overall plan with a specific goal. Ex. The US
strategy at the beginning of the War of 1812 was to quickly defeat
British forces in Canada.
territory (n) – land owned by a nation. Ex. Alaska was a US territory
from 1867 to 1959.
 
HISTORICAL TERMS
Federalist Party – US political party in existence from 1792 to 1816
that favored a strong central government and good relations with 
Great
Britain. 
Napoleon Bonaparte (1769-1821) – leader of France, 1799-1814; 1815.
Conquered most of Europe in the Napoleonic Wars (1802-1815).




October 26, 2009		WORD WORK 		
	Name___________________ 5-3__
This week’s words will focus on the economy.
boycott (n,v) – to stop buying a product or service in order to 
effect
change. Ex. Colonists boycotted British goods in the 1760s and 1770s
to protest high taxes. 
Constitution (n) – the document signed in 1787 that sets up the
American system of government and its basic laws. It was ratified
(approved) in 1788. Three years later, ten amendments were added –
called the Bill of Rights that protect freedoms. Ex. Freedom of 
speech
is protected in the first amendment to the Constitution. 
demand – the amount people want something. Ex. There is an increasing
demand for oil in China since more people now drive cars.
goods – an actual item bought by people or nations. Ex. The U.S.
imported $549.5 million worth of goods from Costa Rica in August,
2009. (Source:
http://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/balance/c2230.html#2009 )
immigrant  (n,v) – a person who leaves one country to permanently
settle in another. Ex. John F. Kennedy’s grandparents were immigrants
from Ireland. Ex. There are thousands of immigrants from India living
in New York City. 
labor (n, v) – the act of working. Ex. Every September we honor the
American worker by celebrating Labor Day.
livestock (n) – domestic animals raised on a farm. Ex. European
colonists introduced livestock to the Americas: animals like sheep,
cows and pigs were raised on their farms. 
pioneer (n) – one who ventures into unknown territory. Ex. Settlers
who went west of the Appalachian Mountains were called pioneers.
purchase (n,v) – to buy, something that is bought. Ex. The United
States purchased Alaska from Russia in 1867 for $7.2 million. 
rural (adj) – of, relating to, or characteristic of the country and
farming (agriculture). Ex. On the way to Albany we passed by rural
communities.
service  (n)– something one pays for that is not a good. Ex. Mark 
paid
his piano teacher $40 for his lesson; he was paying for a service.
supply (n) – the amount of an item that exists. Ex. The oil supply
decreased in the US  in 1973 after Arab nations boycotted the US and
stopped selling us oil. 
urban (adj) – having to do with cities. Ex. Brooklyn is an urban
environment.




October 13, 2009		WORD WORK		
	Name_____________________ 5-3___
This week’s words will focus on exploration and settlement.
  
1. century (n) – a period of 100 years. Ex. The Dutch settled New
Netherland in the 17th century. Ex. We are currently living in the
21st century.
2. claim (n,v) – to demand land for one’s own country. Ex. Henry
Hudson (c.1565-c.1611) claimed land for the Netherlands.
 3. colony (n) – a settlement controlled by a mother country. A 
person
who lives in a colony is called a colonist. Ex. New York City began 
as
a Dutch colony known as New Amsterdam, but was taken over by the
English in 1664.
4. expedition (n) – a journey taken with a  specific goal. Ex.
Verrazano led an expedition into New York Bay in 1524.
5. export (n,v) – to send goods abroad for trade or sale. Ex.
Colonists in America exported tobacco to Europe.
6. import (n) – to bring in goods from another country. Ex. Colonists
in America were able to import goods from Europe.
7. New World (n) – the lands of the western hemisphere. Ex. Europeans
called the Americas the New World because they did not know it 
existed
until Columbus’ voyage in 1492.
8. primary source (n) – an original historical document or artifact.
Ex. The Mayflower Compact was written by the Pilgrims in 1620 and is
an example of a primary source. 
 9. route (n) – a path from one place to another. Ex. European
explorers were searching for a route to Asia.
10. settlement (n)  - a community created by people in a new place. A
person living in a settlement is called a settler. Ex. The first
permanent English settlement in North America was created at
Jamestown, Virginia in 1607.
11. slave (n) – a person forced to work for a master. Ex. Africans
were brought to North America as slaves by Europeans.
12. surrender (n,v) – to officially give up. Ex. Governor Peter
Stuyvesant surrendered the Dutch settlement of New Amsterdam to the
English in 1664.





Name_________________________  September 29, 2009	WORD WORK 
1. agriculture (n) – the science of farming and producing crops. Ex. 
Agriculture is a large part of the New York State economy.
2. census (n) – a survey taken every 10 years to see how many people 
live in the US.  Ex. The next US census will be taken in 2010.
3. council – an assembly of people who meet to make important 
decision. Ex. The Iroquois Grand Council is made up fifty sachems. 
4. culture – the language, customs and beliefs of a group. Ex. West 
Indian culture is celebrated in Brooklyn every September. 
5. longhouse (n) –  a long dwelling shared by Iroquois families. Ex. 
The Haudenosaunee were known as the People of the Longhouse.
6. wigwam(n) - A Native American (used by Algonquians) dwelling 
commonly having an arched or conical framework overlaid with bark, 
hides, or mats. Ex. Wigwams were made in the shape of a dome.
7. nomad (n) – a member of a group of people that move from place to 
place and do not live in one fixed place. Ex. The Algonquians were 
nomads.
8. nation (n) – a country or Native American tribe. Ex. The world’s 
largest nation by size is Russia.
9. increase (n) – to go up or get bigger. Ex. The population of NYC 
increased this past year.
10. sachem (n) – an Indian chief or leader. Ex. The highest leader 
of an Indian nation was its sachem.
11. veteran (n) – a person who has served in the military. Ex. John 
McCain is a veteran.
 




September 21, 2009			WORD WORK		
	Name_____________________
This week’s words will relate to the reading of maps. On Friday we
will have our first word work quiz. You are responsible for the
following words:
1. border – the line that separates two regions, state or countries.
Ex. New York shares a border with another country, Canada.
2. boundary – the line separaring two geographical units. Ex. The 
East
River forms the boundary between Brooklyn and Queens.
3. canal – an artificial (manmade) waterway used to ship people and
goods.  Ex.The Erie Canal in New York State connects Albany and 
Buffalo.
4. capital – the city where a government meets. Ex.The capital of
Massachusetts is Boston. 
5. continent – one of the seven largest landmasses in the world. Ex.
The seven continents are Europe, Asia, Australia, Antarctica, Africa,
North America and South America.
6. distance – the amount of space between two points. Ex. The 
distance
between Albany and Brooklyn is 155 miles.
7. equator – line of zero degrees latitude that splits the world into
the northern and southern hemispheres. Ex. The temperature is always
hottest at the equator.
8. geography – the study of the earth and its features. Ex.We use 
maps
to study geography.
9. hemisphere – half of the earth as divided by the prime meridian 
and
the equator. Ex.New York City is located in the western hemisphere 
and
the northern hemisphere.
10. landform – one of the features that makes up the earth’s surface.
Ex. A mountain is a type of landform.
11. latitude – a line that runs across the globe horizontally that
measures how far north or south you are. Ex. New York City is located
near 43 degrees latitude.
12. natural resource¬ – anything that occurs in nature that can be
used by people for food or economic gain. Ex. Oil is a key natural
resource.
13. population – the amount of people that lives in a certain area.
Ex. Brooklyn has the largest population of the five boroughs.
14. religion – the spiritual beliefs of a person or culture. Ex. The
main religion in the Republic of Ireland is Catholicism.