CCSLC Social Studies flashcards

33 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

Opportunity cost

The value of the next-best alternative given up when a choice is made. Because resources are scarce, every decision to use them one way means forgoing another use.

Scarcity

The condition in which resources are limited relative to unlimited wants. It is the basic economic problem and forces individuals, firms and governments to make choices.

Needs versus wants

Needs are goods and services essential for survival, such as food, shelter and health care. Wants are desirable but non-essential items, such as entertainment or luxury goods.

Separation of powers

The division of government authority among legislature, executive and judiciary so that no single body holds all power. It guards against abuse and tyranny.

The legislature

The branch of government that debates and makes laws, approves budgets and represents citizens. In Caribbean states it is usually a parliament or national assembly.

The executive

The branch that formulates and carries out policy and administers public services. It includes the head of government, ministers and the public service.

The judiciary

The branch that interprets laws and settles disputes, including constitutional cases. Its independence from political control protects fair trials and the rule of law.

Constitution

The supreme set of rules establishing a state's institutions, distributing powers and stating citizens' rights. Other laws are invalid if they conflict with it.

Rule of law

The principle that everyone, including government officials, is subject to the law and accountable under it. Laws are applied publicly and consistently, not arbitrarily.

CARICOM

The Caribbean Community, formed in 1973 to promote economic integration and cooperation among Caribbean states through a common market and coordinated policy.

Caribbean Court of Justice

A regional court based in Trinidad that serves as a final court of appeal for some CARICOM states and interprets the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas.

OECS

The Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States, a sub-regional grouping that coordinates economic, foreign-policy and legal affairs and operates a shared currency union.

Local government

A tier of government below national level, such as a city council or parish body, responsible for local services like roads, sanitation and community facilities.

Suffrage

The right to vote in elections. In Caribbean territories it was extended over time from propertied men to all adult citizens through universal adult suffrage.

Civil society

Organisations outside government and business, such as churches, unions, charities and community groups, that voice public concerns and hold authorities accountable.

Democracy

A system in which power derives from the people through free and fair elections, with protection of rights, rule of law and accountable government.

Birth rate

The number of live births per 1,000 people in a population in a given year. It is a basic demographic indicator of population growth.

Infant mortality rate

The number of deaths of children under one year per 1,000 live births in a year. It is a sensitive indicator of health care and living standards.

Life expectancy

The average number of years a person is expected to live, usually computed at birth. Higher figures generally reflect better health, nutrition and living conditions.

Literacy rate

The percentage of a population aged 15 and over who can read and write a short simple statement. It is widely used as a development indicator.

Migration

The movement of people from one place to another to live, either within a country or across borders. Push factors drive people out; pull factors attract them.

Emigration and immigration

Emigration is leaving one's country to settle elsewhere; immigration is entering another country to settle. The same movement is emigration for the origin and immigration for the destination.

Population density

The average number of people per unit area, usually per square kilometre. It is calculated by dividing total population by total land area.

Urbanisation

The rising share of a population living in towns and cities. It results from rural-to-urban migration and natural growth of urban populations.

Sustainable development

Development that meets present needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet theirs. It balances economic growth, social equity and environmental protection.

Renewable resource

A natural resource that can be replenished naturally within a human lifetime, such as solar energy, wind, water, timber and fish, if used within regeneration limits.

Human rights

Basic entitlements held by all people simply because they are human, such as life, liberty, education and freedom of expression, set out in international declarations.

Responsible citizenship

Acting as a member of a community by obeying laws, paying taxes, voting, respecting others' rights and contributing to the common good.

Map scale

The ratio between distance on a map and the real distance it represents. Multiplying a measured map distance by the scale gives actual ground distance.

Culture

The shared beliefs, values, language, customs, food, music and art of a group. It is learned and transmitted across generations and shapes identity.

Socialisation

The process by which individuals learn the norms, values and roles of their society, beginning in the family and continuing through school, peers and media.

Family types

Common forms include the nuclear family of parents and children, the extended family including other relatives, and the single-parent family headed by one adult.

Primary and secondary production

Primary production extracts raw materials from nature, such as farming, fishing and mining. Secondary production processes these materials into manufactured goods, such as food processing and furniture making.