Become familiar with the following terms about...
Unit 5: We, The People
Terms to remember:
Community - a place where people live, work, and play
Rules - what people must or must not do
Laws - rules people live by
Government - a group of people who make rules and laws, carry out rules and
laws, and decide if rules and laws have been broken
Citizens to remember:
George Washington
Thomas Jefferson
Abraham Lincoln
Rosa Parks
Thurgood Marshall
Martin Luther King, Jr.
Days to remember:
Veterans Day-used for recognition and respect for Americans who served in the
military. It is observed in November.
Memorial Day-used for recognition and respect for Americans who died in wars
while they were serving their country. It is observed in May.
Discussion Questions:
1. Reflect on the purpose of rules and laws. Why do we need rules and laws?
How do they help our community to be a better place to live?
2. Reflect on the type of government our country has. Respond to how it is
organized and what your role is as a citizen.
3. What do the principles of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness mean
to you? What can you do to ensure that these principles are passed on from
one generation to another?
4. What contributions made by one of the famous Americans studied do you feel
is most important? Does it affect you directly? Explain your answer.
Ancient Mali
Atlantic Ocean - the large ocean near Mali
caravan - a group of people traveling together
desert - a dry, often sandy area where plants are few because there is so
little rain
empire - a large territory or area ruled by one person
exports - goods sent out of a country to other countries
griot - a storyteller in the oral tradition
imports - goods brought into a country from another country
interdependence - depending on each other for goods and services
Islam - the main religion in Mali
King/Mansa - a man from a royal family who is the ruler of his country or
empire
Mandinka - the people of twelve tribes who lived in the country of West
Africa
near the Niger River in the country of Mali
Mansa Musa - the king who made Mali a wealthy and powerful place; took a
caravan to Mecca
Niger River - the river that runs through Mali and was important for trading
oral history - the history of a people that is spoken rather than written
specialization - being an expert in one job
storyteller - a person who retells orally the history of a people; a person
who
makes up tales to entertain or to teach people
Sahara - the desert in the northern part of Mali
Sundiata - the first king to unite the country of Mali; was called the
"Lion King"
taxes - money added to traded goods that helped make Mali rich
Timbuktu- the most important city in Mali; was a center of learning for
Muslims with three universities; was the largest trading center
in Mali.
trade - to swap one thing for another
