Asia
Important Vocabulary for this Unit
authoritarian: an unlimited government with complete authority (power) over the people
- North Korea’s communist government is ruled by an authoritarian dictator named Kim Jong-Un.
censor/ censorship: when the government controls what the news and people are allowed to say
- Despite strong censorship laws, many North Koreans risk punishments to share stories about their difficult lives.
communism/ communist: an economic system in which the government controls all agriculture and industry
- China had a revolution in 1949 that changed its government from democratic to communist.
constitutional monarchy: a type of government where the people vote and there is a king/queen who has little power
- Japan’s government is considered a constitutional monarchy, but their Emperor is really just a symbol.
environmental issue(s): problems with the planet’s systems due to human actions
- Asia’s rapid industrialization has created many environmental issues they are trying to solve.
Gandhi: led non-violent protests in India to fight British colonization.
- Mahatma Gandhi most famous nonviolent protest was his Salt March in 1930.
genocide: The systematic, mass killing of a particular group of people/ethnic group
- The genocide committed by the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia was one of the worst in world history, yet few people have heard of it.
human rights: basic rights all humans are entitled to, such as freedom, justice, and peace
- After hundreds of protesters were killed during the Tienanmen Square Massacre, many countries said China was violating its citizens’ human rights.
industrialism/ industrialize: The process of creating more and more factories in an area.
- Asia has seen a growth in industrialism because it is much cheaper to produce goods there.
outsource/ outsourcing: finding a different country in which to manufacture products
- Many American companies outsource their factories to countries in Asia, where they can make a larger profit.
peninsula: a piece of land bordered by water on three sides.
- India is the second largest peninsula in the world (the largest is the Arabian Peninsula).
pollution: harmful substances that contaminate water or air supply.
Silk Road: A trade route in historical times between Europe and Asia.
- Three of the most important items traded along the Silk Road were silk, spices, and gunpowder.
solar power: an alternative, clean energy source that converts the sun’s rays into electricity
- China has become the world’s biggest producer of solar power because they want to have cleaner air and water.