Words at Work: History Words at Work: Government

Boost your knowledge of the past by learning some common historical terms.

A.

Write a letter to match each boldface term with its meaning. If you need help, check a dictionary.

B.

1. _____ century

2. _____ civil war

3. _____ colony

4. _____ decade

5. _____ revolution

6. _____ dictator a.10 years b.100 years c.a fight for a change in government d.a settlement that is ruled by another country e.a ruler who has complete power f.a war in which two parts of a country fight each other

Fill in the blanks with the words listed above to complete the paragraphs. Use the first letter of each word as a clue.

A BRIEF HISTORY OF WAGANALAND

For 100 years, the people of Waganaland dreamed of freedom. Throughout that c _________________ their tiny country was ruled by General Bigshotman. This powerful d ____________________ controlled not only Waganaland but also its c ____________________ of settlers across the sea.

One day, a strong leader rose up and called for a war to change the government. The r _________________ began in 1910 and lasted until 1920. Then, after a d ____________________ of fighting, a new government took control. Waganaland was at peace until 1994, when a c _______________ w _____________ broke out between the Waganalanders of the East and those of the West.