Social Studies ACT-SAT Vocabulary Groups - How to Use This List - Group One & Group Two

Sep 28, 2026

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Study guide compiling common ACT-SAT vocabulary used in high school Social Studies classrooms, organized into labeled word groups with concise definitions and examples of usage. Includes guidance on classroom implementation: introduce the full list at the start of a year or semester, then administer weekly quizzes focused on meanings and word relationships. Quiz format uses word banks plus an additional prompt requiring students to write or draw to demonstrate understanding, with recommendations for scheduling around ACT preparation dates.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryExam

FormatPDF

Pages5

Reading Time13 min

AccessFree to download

How to Use This List

Group One

Group Two

Social Studies ACT-SAT Vocabulary Groups | 1 How to Use This List This is intended as a study guide for high school Social Studies classes and is by no means a complete list of terms for a secondary social studies department. Instead it is a combination of the most common vocabulary terms used on the ACT-SAT that would be covered in a social studies classroom. As a teacher, I would introduce the entire list to students atthe beginning of the year or semester and then quiz them on the words' meanings and relationships weekly. Students who created study sheets that were not simply the definitions rewritten, i.e. comic strips or metaphorical drawings, tended to retain and cross connect words better. Our state ACT schedule dates are usually in March, so I would quizz during the second semester even if we had not talked about or discussed the words as part of a unit. Each quiz was formatted with 15 questions in a word bank of all words, then an additional question to write or draw as a means to show understanding for words not quizzed. I hope you find this resource helpful. Deﬁnitions created and/or modiﬁed from the following: Lexico Dictionaries | English, Lexico Dictionaries, [www.lexico.com/en/de](www.lexico.com/en/de)ﬁnition/enfranchisement. Accessed 7 Mar. 2020. Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, [https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary. Accessed 7 Mar. 2020)[. Accessed 7 Mar. 2020](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary. Accessed 7 Mar. 2020) . Created by Bryan F. Wilson as part of his BFWClassroom Resources Social Studies ACT-SAT Vocabulary Groups | 2 GROUP ONE arbitrary-adj. subject to individual will or judgment without restriction; contingent solely upon one’s discretion; capricious; unreasonable; unsupported armistice-n. a temporary suspension of hostilities by agreement of the warring parties; an impermanent truce bourgeoisie-n. the upper class; people, in contrast to the wage-earning class, is primarily concerned with property values. (ant. proletariat) blitzkrieg– n. a swift intensive military attack, esp using tanks supported by aircraft, designed to defeat the opposition quickly compulsory-adj. required; mandatory; obligatory destitute-adj. without means of subsistence; lacking food, clothing, and shelter. deviate-v. to turn aside, as from a route, way, course; to depart or swerve, as from a procedure, course of action, or acceptable norm. disseminate-v. to scatter or spread widely, as though sowing seed; promulgate extensively; broadcast; disperse dissident– n. a person who dissents, objects, or overtly challenges leadership. dogmatic– adj. asserting opinions in a doctrinaire or arrogant manner; opinionated; arbitrary; imperious; dictatorial. emissary– n. a representative sent on a mission or errand. emulate– v. to try to equal or excel; imitate with effort to equal or surpass. gambit– n. any maneuver by which one seeks to gain an advantage by making a sacriﬁce. heretic-n. a dissenter from the established religious beliefs impervious– adj. not permitting penetration or passage; impenetrable incognito– adj. adv. n. having one’s identity concealed, as under an assumed name, especially to avoid notice or formal attention. indigenous– adj. originating in and characteristic of a particular region or country; native judicious– adj. using or showing judgment as to action or practical expediency; discreet, prudent, or politic. proletariat-n. the working class; wage earning people with almost no property ownership (ant. bourgeoisie) quarantine– n. the short term detention (based on a 40 day period) of a person or animal for the purpose of medical or disciplinary isolation Deﬁnitions created and/or modiﬁed from the following: Lexico Dictionaries | English, Lexico Dictionaries, [www.lexico.com/en/de](www.lexico.com/en/de)ﬁnition/enfranchisement. Accessed 7 Mar. 2020. Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Me

FAQs

What is the purpose of this ACT-SAT Social Studies vocabulary list?

It serves as a classroom study guide for high school Social Studies, combining commonly used ACT-SAT vocabulary terms taught in a secondary social studies setting.

How does the guide recommend using the list in class?

Introduce the full list at the beginning of the year or semester, then quiz students weekly on word meanings and relationships.

What is the quiz structure described in the guide?

Each quiz uses 15 questions in a word bank containing all the words, plus an additional question requiring students to write or draw to show understanding for words not specifically quizzed.

Sep 28, 2026

Uploaded by McGucket