Geography Vocabulary
Maryland Learning Outcomes

Grade 4 Social Studies Content Vocabulary
Unit 1

absolute location – the exact location of a place on Earth, either a postal location or its lines of latitude and longitude

adapt – to change in order to fit new conditions

Appalachian region - one of the geographic areas in Maryland that has mountains

arid - dry

Atlantic Coastal Plain - one of the geographic areas in Maryland that is on a plain

basin – low, bowl-shaped land with higher ground all around it

chronology – time order

climate – the kind of weather a place has most often, year after year

cultural traditions – the language, beliefs, clothing, and activities of a group of people that is handed down from generation to generation

culture – the language, traditions, beliefs, clothing, and activities of a group of people

current – the part of a body of water flowing in a certain direction

degrees ( ° ) - a unit of measurement used to describe latitude and longitude

demand – the amount of a resource or product buyers are willing and able to buy at different possible prices

drought – a long period with little or no rain

economic growth – producing more goods and services at the present time than were produced in the past

economics – the study of how people use resources to meet their wants

economic wants – goods and services people would like to have

economy – the way a society organizes to produce, distribute and consume goods and services

elevation – the height of land in relation to sea level

employee – a person who works for another person for pay

entrepreneur – a person who sets up and runs a business

equator – an imaginary line that divides the earth into northern and southern hemispheres

erosion – the wearing down of Earth’s surface, usually by wind or water

fall line – the place where the elevation of the land drops sharply, causing rivers to form waterfalls or rapids

fertilizer – matter added to the soil to make it produce more crops

free enterprise – an economic system in which people are able to start and run their own businesses with little control by the government

goods – things that people make or grow that satisfy economic wants (Examples include a house, a car, a toy, and an apple.)

hemisphere – half of a sphere (The Earth is divided into northern, southern, eastern, and western hemispheres.)

heritage – culture that has come from the past and continues today

human-made features – changes people have made to the land. (These changes include buildings, bridges, tunnels, railroad tracks, dams, monuments, piers, and far fields.)

humidity – the amount of moisture in the air

industry – all the businesses that make one kind of product or provide one kind of service

inlet – an area of water extending into the land from a larger body of water

inset map – a smaller map within a larger one

intermediate directions – one of the in-between directions: northeast, northwest, southeast, southwest

irrigation – the use of canals, ditches, or pipes to move water to dry areas

land use – the way in which most of the land in a place is used

landforms – the different shapes of Earth’s surface. (Mountains, hills, plateaus, plains, valleys, peninsulas, and islands are examples of landforms.)

lines of latitude – lines on a map or globe that run east and west; also called parallels

lines of longitude – lines on a map or globe that run north and south; also called meridians

location – the place where something can be found

meridian – a line of longitude that runs from the North Pole to the South Pole

modify – to change to meet the wants of people

mountain range – a group of connected mountains.

natural resources – gifts of nature that can be used to produce goods and services. (Examples include trees, sunshine, soil, water, plants, animals, oil, coal, and metals.)

nonrenewable – not able to be made again quickly by nature or people

oral history – stories, events, or experiences told aloud by a person who did not have a written language or who did not write down what happened

parallel – a line of latitude (It is called this because parallels are always the same distance from one another.)

peninsula – land that is surrounded on three sides by water

physical features – landforms and bodies of water

piedmont – an area at or near the foot of a mountain

piedmont plateau – one of the geographic areas in Maryland that has rolling hills

plateau – a broad area of high, mostly flat land

point of view – a person’s perspective

prairie – an area of flat or rolling land covered mostly by grasses and wildflowers

primary source – a record of an event made by a person who saw or took part in it

prime meridian – the meridian marked 0 degrees that runs north and south through Greenwich, England

profit – the money left over after all expenses have been paid

region – an area of Earth in which many characteristics are similar

relative location – the position of one place in relation to another

resources – things that can be used to produce a good or a service

responsibilities – duties that citizens have.

rights – freedoms granted to American citizens that allow them to make their own choices (For example, Americans have the right to an education, to express ideas, and to vote for leaders.)

rule of law – the belief that every citizen must follow the laws (Even the President must follow the laws of the country.)

rural – like or having to do with a place away from a city

savanna – a kind of grassland that has areas with a few scattered trees

sea level – the level of the surface of the ocean

secondary source – a record of an event written by someone who was not there at the time

sound – a long inlet often parallel to the coast

supply – the amount of a resource or product sellers are wiling and able to sell at various possible prices

technology – skills, methods, tools, machines and other things used to perform activities

temperate – neither hot nor cold

tide – the regular rise and fall of the ocean and of the bodies of water connected to it

tourism – an industry based on providing services for tourists

tundra – a cold, dry region where trees cannot grow

urban – of or like a city