Monday, December 13, 2010

Map of Europe

Don't forget to study your map!!!!!

Map of Europe

Final Exam Practice Questions

These questions are OPTIONAL.  They will help you get ready for the Final Exam.  Try to answer as many as you can!!!


Which of the following is an example of a market economy?
A.          In some countries, workers are told exactly what to produce, and they are told exactly how much of the item should be produced.
B.           In some countries, children already know what their careers will be because jobs are passed down from generation to generation.
C.           People own their own businesses and compete against other businesses to make money.

Why were other countries concerned about the Chernobyl disaster?
A.          Chernobyl was immediately closed.
B.           The cost of nuclear power increased.
C.           Radioactive material fell on other countries.
D.           They did not have room for the sick people in their hospitals.

Carrie and her girl scouts are having a bake sale.  They’re having arguments about whether they should sale cookies or cake, so they are taking a vote. This is an example of a(n) __________.
A. autocracy
B. oligarchy
C. democracy

At places like Auschwitz and Buchenwald, millions of people were killed in gas chambers.  These places were called ________________.
                A. concentration camps
                B. ghettos
                C. crematoriums
                D. none of the above

As the dictator of Germany, Adolf Hitler made his political party the most powerful political party in Europe.  They were called the _____________.
                A. Gestapo
                B. Communists
                C. Democrats
                D. Nazis

In 1986, there was a huge explosion at a nuclear power plant in Chernobyl.  Chernobyl is a city in
A)     Germany
B)      Poland
C)      Ukraine
D)      Hungary

The people that were exposed to the radiation after the explosion in Chernobyl are more likely to develop cancer.
A)      True
B)       False

In which types of government do citizens have no voting rights?
  1. an autocracy and a democracy
  2. an oligarchy and a democracy
  3. an oligarchy and an autocracy
  4. any of the three types of government
Adolf Hitler and the Nazis killed millions of people because of their race and their religion.  This was an example of _____________.
                A. suicide
                B. homicide
                C. genocide
                D. none of the above

What are the main causes of acid rain?
A.             Farms and forests
B.              Water power and electricity
C.              Coal burning factories and automobile emissions
D.             Solar power and wind turbines blowing the poison gases

Coach Sanders decided to open a chain of McDonald’s Restaurants.  He hired Mrs. Scotton to manage the one in Griffin.  He hired Mrs. Cheek to manage the one in Atlanta.  And he hired Mr. Posey to manage the one in New York City.  This is an example of a _________ .
A. unitary system
B. confederation
C. federal system

In the 1930’s, many people around the world lost their jobs.  Many businesses and banks closed.  Many people also lost their homes, making them homeless.  This decline in the economy is called a ________________.
                A. socialism
                B. communism
                C. capitalism
                D. depression

What was the largest country created from the former Soviet Union?
A.          Belarus
B.           Germany
C.           Russia
D.           France

Which of the following describes a confederation?
A.             A strong central government
B.              A strong federation
C.              No central government

Which solution has reduced air pollution in the United Kingdom?
A.             The ban on coal fires
B.              Acid rain in Western Europe
C.              The development of cleaner coal
D.             Pneumonia and asthma

In a unitary system, who makes most of the decisions?
A.             The central government
B.              The state governments
C.              Both the central government and state governments have equal power.

Which of the following is an example of a traditional economy?
A.          In some countries, workers are told exactly what to produce, and they are told exactly how much of the item should be produced.
B.           In some countries, children already know what their careers will be because jobs are passed down from generation to generation.
C.           People own their own businesses and compete against other businesses to make money.

An autocracy puts the power of the government into the hands of
A.          The citizens
B.           A single person
C.           The representatives
D.           A small group of people

Which statement is true about an oligarchy?
A.          Anyone can lead
B.           Leaders are elected
C.           A small group of people govern

Why were other countries concerned about the Chernobyl disaster?
A.          Chernobyl was immediately closed.
B.           The cost of nuclear power increased.
C.           Radioactive material fell on other countries.
D.           They did not have room for the sick people in their hospitals.

Which were effects of the depression?
A.          Employment rose and wages fell.
B.           Farmers gained land and business.
C.           People had more money and better jobs.
D.           Farmers lost their land and banks closed.

How does nature play a role in Germany’s acid rain problem?
A.          The poisonous emissions from cars cause acid rain.
B.           Air currents carry toxic smoke from other countries’ factories to Germany.
C.           The rivers of southwestern Germany are used to make electricity for other countries.
D.           Germany has many buildings that are being destroyed by the chemicals in the acid rain.

Which situation is an effect of acid rain?
A.             Cleaner rivers
B.              Diseased forests
C.              Buildings and statues that look new
D.             Increased automobile manufacturing

Coach Blake became sick and was not able to attend his football team’s practice, but his players decided to practice without him.  Javon decided to lift weights.  Richie ran laps.  And Kevin practiced kicking.  This is an example of a _________ .
A. unitary system
B. confederation
C. federal system

What happened to people who spoke out against Hitler?
A.          They were sent to Siberia.
B.           They were put under house arrest.
C.           Some were put in prison; others were murdered.
D.           Some were allowed to leave Germany; others were arrested.

 Who was spared during the Holocaust?
A.          Men
B.           Women
C.           Children
D.           None of the above

Which country was the leader of the Eastern Bloc?
A.          Germany
B.           Soviet Union
C.           United Kingdom
D.           United States

The United Kingdom is one of the leading fishing nations of the world. Which of the following is the best reason why this is true?
A. The United Kingdom invented fishing.
B. The United Kingdom has many people who love to fish.
C. The United Kingdom is surrounded by water.
D. The United Kingdom has very fast ships.

In which type of government do citizens have voting rights?
A.          Autocracy
B.           Oligarchy
C.           Democracy
D.           None of the above

Which was one of the areas of disagreement between the Soviet Union and the United States during the Cold War?
  1. defeat of Hitler
  2. best type of economic system
  3. the danger of nuclear weapons
  4. the need to work with other countries
In a very popular novel, a group of vampires called the Denali Clan has control of all of the other vampires.  This is an example of a(n) __________.
A. autocracy
B. oligarchy
C. democracy

Because most economies have characteristics of the command economy and the market economy, we say they are
  1. communist
  2. free
  3. hybrid
  4. mixed
When Portugal sent ships to Africa, the king decided how the money would be spent during and after the trip.  This is an example of a _____________ economy.
A.           traditional
B.            command
C.            market

After Adolf Hitler died, Roosevelt, Churchill, and Stalin decided to work together to control Germany.  This is an example of a(n) _________.

A. autocracy
B. oligarchy
C. democracy

Which of the following is an example of a command economy?
A.          In some countries, workers are told exactly what to produce, and they are told exactly how much of the item should be produced.
B.           In some countries, children already know what their careers will be because jobs are passed down from generation to generation.
C.           People own their own businesses and compete against other businesses to make money.

Who has the most power in the parliamentary system?
  1. a citizen
  2. a member of parliament
  3. the monarch
  4. the prime minister
Which is LEAST likely to be found in Europe?
  1. capitalism
  2. command economy
  3. market economy
  4. traditional economy



Wednesday, December 8, 2010

Final Exam!!!

The final exam is upon us!  Keep in mind that the final exam counts for 15% of your 1st semester average.  That makes this test EXTREMELY important!  The notes are attached below.


Final Exam Notes –
Europe’s Historical Influence

Worldwide Depression
            During the 1920’s, the decade after World War I, many countries around the world were very successful.  However, in 1929, the stock market of the United States crashed.  Many businesses closed and workers lost their jobs.  Farmers could not afford to keep their farms.  Many people tried to withdraw all of their money from the bank at the same time, causing the banks to go out of business. 
            The United States has always traded with many countries around the world.  When people in the U.S. could not afford goods from other countries, their economies suffered also.  This caused a worldwide economic depression.

Rise of Nazism
            Germany faced many problems after World War I.  They lost a large amount of land and had to pay Great Britain and France millions of dollars.  The Treaty of Versailles forced Germany to reduce the size of its army and navy, so many people in the military lost their jobs.  Also, Germany was hurt by the stock market crash in the United States.  Germans were extremely frustrated.
            Adolf Hitler and his followers, the Nazi Party, claimed they could fix Germany’s money problems.  They blamed Jewish people for many of the country’s problems because the Jews controlled many of the banks.
            After becoming the dictator of Germany, Hitler opened many factories to make weapons to rebuild the military.  This gave many people jobs and improved the economy.  However, Hitler’s new laws took away the civil rights of many people.  People who spoke against Hitler were put in prison and killed.
            Adolf Hitler was determined to expand Germany and make it a powerful country again.  In 1939, the German army invaded Poland.  France and Great Britain decided that Hitler must be stopped, so they declared war on Germany, and World War II began.

The Holocaust
            As a part of Hitler’s plan to conquer the world, he began the systematic killing of all Jewish people.  The Nazis built concentration camps to imprison the Jews.  As many as 2,000 people could be killed at one time in the gas chambers of the concentration camps.  Jews were not the only victims.  People who spoke out against Hitler or tried protect the Jews were killed.  Other minorities, the mentally ill, the disabled, and “undesirable” people were also killed.  This planned killing of a race of people is called genocide.  During the Holocaust, over 11 million people, including 6 million Jewish people, were killed.
            After Germany was defeated in World War II and Hitler committed suicide, the Allies freed all of the prisoners of the concentration camps.  However, most of the survivors had no living family members and no place to go.  In 1947, the United Nations divided Palestine, part for the Arabs and the other part for the Jews (Israel).

The Cold War
            After World War II, the United States, the Soviet Union, Great Britain, and France divided Germany into sections and decided to share control of the country.  However, the Soviet Union disagreed with the other countries about how Germany should be governed.  The “Iron Curtain” was soon formed.  This was the line separating the Eastern European countries (known as the Eastern Bloc) and the Western European countries (known as the Western Bloc).  In 1961, the Soviet Union built the Berlin Wall to divide Berlin into eastern and western halves.  The United States and Soviet Union became known as the “Super Powers.”  Each country grew stronger and gained allies.  However, the economy of the Soviet Union began to struggle.  The country spent a lot of its money building nuclear weapons during the “Arms Race”.  Many countries pulled away from the Soviet Union.  In 1989, the Berlin Wall was torn down and Germany was reunified.  The Soviet Union collapsed, and Russia became an independent country again.


     Final Exam Notes –
Types of Government

Systems of Government
            There are three systems of government – unitary, confederate, and federal.  In a unitary government, the central government has all the power.  This central government will make all of the decisions for the lower levels of government.  France has a unitary form of government.
            A confederation is a group of states that come together to support each other, but they each have an individual state government.  There is no central government in a confederation.  Confederations are usually just the first step before becoming a more powerful government.  Many countries start as a confederation.
            A federal system has a central government and individual state governments.  Power is shared between the central government and the lower levels of government.  The government of the United States is an example of a federal system, with a central power and individual state governments.  Presently, Germany also has a federal system.

Citizen Participation in Government
            There are three different types of government – autocracy, oligarchy, and democracy.  This determines how people participate in government.  In an autocracy, the country has only one ruler, who has complete control.  This person is the leader because of their family tradition (ex. king or queen), or this person took control of the country through military force (ex. dictator).  Before the Russian Revolution, Russia was an example of an autocracy.
            In an oligarchy, a small group of people is in control of a country.  They usually own the majority of the land, or they have military support.  Members of the group make all of the decisions for the country.
            In a democracy, all citizens of a country participate in government.  People have the right to vote on the decisions that are made.  People also vote for leaders to act as representatives.  The U.S. has a democratic government.  France is another example of a democratic country.


Final Exam Notes –
Europe’s Economic Systems

            Each person has certain needs and wants.  In order to meet the needs and wants of its citizens, each country has a system that decides how goods and services will be produced, how the goods and services will be distributed, and how goods and services will be consumed.  The three basic economic systems are traditional, command, and market.

Traditional Economy
            In a traditional economy, the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services are based on traditions and customs that have been passed down from generation to generation.  Children know at a very early age what their jobs will be.  Farming, hunting, raising animals, and constructing certain items are usually a major part of a traditional economy.  None of the countries in Europe currently have a traditional economy.

Command Economy
            In a command economy, the government makes most of the decisions.  The government decides what goods are produced and the prices at which the goods will be distributed.  The government also decides which consumers will receive certain goods.  In a command economy, the government usually owns the businesses and the farms.  Before the Soviet Union collapsed, it had a command economy.

Market Economy
            In a market economy, individual business-owners make the decisions for their businesses.  Decisions about production and distribution are based on supply and demand (the amount of an item that is available and the number of people that want the item).  The United States has a market economy.  Most of the countries in Europe also have market economies.

Mixed Economy
            Even though most countries are considered to have a command economy or a market economy, most countries are actually a combination of both types of economy.  For example, in a market economy, business owners make the decisions, but the government also creates laws that protect the workers and the consumers.  In this case, the country actually has a mixed economy.


Final Exam Notes –
Europe’s Environmental Issues

Acid Rain in Germany
            Germany has many forests and rivers.  The country also has large amounts of historic artwork and buildings.  Over the past 30 years, acid rain has damaged many forests by damaging the trees and the soil.  Acid rain has polluted many rivers, killing the wildlife living there.  Many statues and buildings have also been damaged by acid rain, which eats holes in the surfaces of these objects.
            Acid rain in Germany is mainly caused by smoke from factories and power plants.  Wind carries this toxic smoke to different areas, which pollutes the air and causes the rain to be acidic.
            The amount of acid rain that falls in Germany has been reduced because of the changes the people have made.  Many factories are using water power from rivers instead of burning coal.  The country is also creating new wind and solar power technology.

Air pollution in the United Kingdom
            London, the capital of the United Kingdom, is famous for air pollution.  The air in the United Kingdom has been known to contain large amounts of smog, a mixture of smoke and fog.  This makes it difficult for people to see at times.
            The major cause of air pollution today is the exhaust from cars.  Many are concerned about the air pollution issue because it can cause health conditions such as asthma and pneumonia.  Air pollution in the United Kingdom has been known to burn the citizens’ lungs, nose, and eyes and even endanger their lives.
            The government has made many changes to decrease air pollution.  Laws have been written to force automakers to build cars that produce less harmful exhaust.  Citizens are asked to drive less and use cleaner forms of energy.  The government has also forced factories to burn cleaner coal to decrease pollution.  The air quality in the United Kingdom has improved, but it remains to be an issue.

Nuclear Disaster in Chernobyl, Ukraine
            Chernobyl is a city in Ukraine that once had very valuable farmland.  At one point, farmers in the area supplied food for many people living in the Soviet Union.  However, in 1986, a disaster in the area affected millions of lives.  A section of the local nuclear power plant exploded.  Millions of people in the surrounding areas were exposed to harmful radiation, which is known to cause cancer and other diseases. 
The radiation also affected nearby land and water.  Water was not safe to drink for months.  Food grown on local farms and fish from the rivers were unsafe to eat.  This affected not only the people of Chernobyl, but also people across the Soviet Union.
At that time, thousands of factories around the world used nuclear power.  Nuclear power is cheaper to produce and causes less air pollution.  However, after this accident, many areas have stopped using nuclear power.  Governments have created stricter laws about how nuclear power can be used. 

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Chernobyl News Story

Remember that your news story is due Wednesday (A Day) and Thursday (B Day).  Make sure to include the Who? What? When? Where? Why? and How? 
If you forgot any of the information, check out the video:

http://real.doe.k12.ga.us/vod/gso/social-studies/Video-Dictionary/Chernobyl-Nuclear-Disaster.wmv

Sunday, September 19, 2010

Holocaust: As Seen Through the Eyes of a Survivor (VIDEO)

Video link

Religion Flash Cards

We will take a quiz covering the different information we have learned about the three major religions.  This quiz will be taken on September 28 for A day classes and September 29 for B day classes.  In order to study for the quiz, I want you to make flash cards based on the following information:

 Judaism
nworshippers - Jews
nfounder - Abraham
nholy days – Yom Kippur, Rosh Hashanah, Passover, Hanukkah
nholy book - Torah
nhouse of worship - synagogue
nprimary locations of worshippers in and around Europe - Israel
nbranches – Orthodox, Conservative, Traditional, Hasidic
     
 Christianity
nworshippers - Christians
nfounder – Jesus Christ
nholy days – Christmas, Easter
nholy book - Bible
nhouse of worship - church
nprimary locations of worshippers in and around Europeeverywhere in Europe
nbranches – Catholic, Protestant, Orthodox
     
 Islam
nworshippers - Muslims
nfounder - Muhammad
nholy days – Ramadan (lasts 1 month)
nholy book - Koran
nhouse of worship - mosque
nprimary locations of worshippers in and around EuropeNorth Africa, Middle East
nbranches – Sunni, Shi’ite
 
For the flash cards, write the name of the religion and the category on one side of the card.  Write the answer on the other side of the card. 
 
EXAMPLE:
 
One side of the card: Judaism's worshipper
Other side of the card: Jews
 
One side of the card: Christianity's holy book
Other side of the card: Bible
 
One side of the card: Islam's house of worship
Other side of the card: mosque