Unit 5 Study Notes: Europe 2013-2014
Unit 5: Europe History Notes: Lesson 1 European countries had a history of invasion and fighting until the mid 1900s when peace treaties and alliances were formed that have made the continent much more stable. What happened in the mid-1900s that brought about this change toward more cooperation in Europe? The answer is The treaties after World War II set the stage for more cooperation. The idea was to bind themselves together economically and therefore they would have a financial stake in NOT going to war. They sought peaceful solutions to conflicts so trade would not be disrupted. This led to the formation of the European Union. The countries of Europe were trying to expand and build empires. Their history involved conquest and colonization in many parts of the world. The movement was a migration of people to other parts of the world. This movement had a purpose. The European powers were trying to increase their power by expanding their territory and therefore building their empire. This territorial expansion has been described as Imperialism. Imperialism is where one nation takes over lands that was not theirs but had been under the control of other powers. As good analogy would be..movement : migration :: Territorial expansion : Imperialism Over the years, many wars have been started by acts of people who thought they were acting in a patriotic way. Most of the time they were very wrong in their ideas. These ideas are often referred to as extreme forms of nationalism. As a result, many conflicts have been started by such actions. Conflicts and invasions in Europe have been blamed on the idea of excessive patriotism and loyalty to one s own country, so that its interests are put above all others. This concept is called nationalism. Vincent Van Gogh (1853 1890) One of the greatest influences in twentieth century painting Leonardo Da Vinci (1452-1519) Author of the most famous painting of all time the Mona Lisa. Spanish painter and sculptor who experimented with different techniques Pablo Picasso (1881-1973) The artwork of the European masters have had an important impact on all the world. The painters listed above created some of the most well know art in all the world. So, what is the lasting contribution of the Europeans listed above? It is simple. They were master painters who contributed to a major part of culture in Europe and throughout the world. The artwork of the master artists listed above have spanned a long period of time. Da Vinci worked and lived in the 15 th and 16 th centuries. Van Gogh in the 19 th century and Picasso in the 19 th and 20 th centuries. Art reflects interests of societies at the time it was being produced and after too. During which centuries did these Europeans work? Well, they lived and worked from the 15th century through the 20th century.
Geography notes: Lesson two Europe is a peninsula of peninsulas. It is basically surrounded by water and water is one of the most important economic influences on Europe. As a result, most countries are highly dependent on the ocean for food, jobs, and money. So, what is the most important effect of Europe being a peninsula of peninsulas? Most countries depend on the sea for much of their livelihood. Anytime there is rapid or fast unplanned immigration to a country there are going to be issues inside that country. Many times these issues cause problems and changes. As a result, rapid unplanned immigration from the Middle East to modernday Europe would probably cause clashes between the cultures. It could also cause overcrowding in housing there. Also cultural borrowing would probably occur. What you would NOT see would be things like decreased birth rate. What common characteristic do most of the countries with oil as a natural resource have in common? Look at the map. Most of the countries are near the ocean where the oil has been discovered. All the petroleum shown on the map is in or near the ocean.
Sweden Norway England France Spain Italy The heavy dark line is the Iron Curtain. How did the Iron Curtain divide Europe? The USSR and its allies were basically in Eastern Europe. The Allies of the US were in Western Europe. Therefore, the Iron Curtain divided Europe between east and west. Which of the following is supported by information in the map about England, France, Spain and Italy? On the test you will have to know where these three countries are. They are marked here for you to learn. Look at the map key. What does the key tell you about the three countries? All of them were allies of the United States. Culture Notes: Lesson three Europe has long been the seat of many instances of conflict and cooperation between and among cultures. Conflicts resulted in WWI and WWII. Both did incredible damage to many countries and millions of lives were lost. Efforts were started soon after WWII to try to do something that would stop all the destructive wars. The idea was to bind themselves together economically. They wanted to find good reasons to NOT start wars and cooperate, so open trade seemed the best way to do this. This is how the idea of the European Union took hold. As a result, the most recent examples of cooperation in Europe is the European Union. Cultural Diffusion is where one culture spreads parts of their culture to other lands in many ways. There are many example of cultural diffusion in Europe s history. When the British colonies were started, they spread the English language to North America. When Spain moved into the Americas the Spanish colonies spread the Spanish language to Latin America. In southern Europe, migration and immigration of Muslims to Europe spread the religion of Islam. All of these are examples of cultural diffusion.
When the European Union was formed, it was done so to provide an economic reason to keep peace among the countries. As a result, the formation of the European Union has had the greatest effect on the economies of countries. As said, the European Union was established as a way to make peace among countries in Europe tied to economic success. But the question as to how this was possible has a lot to do with changing the relationship the countries had with each other. Free movement of people and goods became a major factor in whether the EU would be successful. Modern transportation made it easier for people to move about Europe almost as if it was one country. That contributed to the formation of the European Union as a way for European countries to be more successful. We have discussed in earlier units how protests can come in many forms. One example could be A rock band that writes lyrics to a song that calls for peace in a time of war. Another could be A young artist that creates a mural showing how his culture is being lost over time. And still another could be a poet who creates poems and other works that yearn for a simpler time when people respected each other more. All of these are correct examples various forms of protest. France and Germany, as well as other European countries, are multicultural. There are several examples of multiculturalism and the challenges brought about by multiculturalism. One is Native populations were overtaken by people from other cultures and slowly lost some of the characteristics of their original culture. Another would be Cultural clashes and mistrust that grew out of immigration. Also, distrust of religious and cultural differences during the 1930s led to the Holocaust. These are all examples of multiculturalism. A non-example exception would be if European ethnic populations took part in political and social decisions. The dropping population in working age people is a serious economic problem facing all of Europe. The big question is what is a solution for a dropping population in the labor force? Fewer people are being born in Europe, so what is another way to increase the population and therefore the labor force there? The best answer is for more people to be born, but that would take many decades to reverse the current trends. The only way to solve the problem right now would be an increase in the number of people moving to Europe, or an increase in immigration. So the solution to the economic problem shown in the table is an increase in immigration. CHARACTERISTICS OF THE MAJOR RELIGIONS OF EUROPE ISLAM The Quran is the Islamic Holy Book The 5 pillars of Islam guide Islamic life judgment day. God. Belief in only one CHRISTIAN ORTHODOX Jesus Christ is the head of the Church judgment day Belief in only one God. Belief in the teachings of Abraham, Moses, and Jesus PROTESTANT Belief in the teachings of Abraham, Moses, and Jesus judgment day. The Bible is the ultimate authority Belief in one God ROMAN CATHOLIC Belief in only one God The Pope in Rome is the head of the church judgment day. The use of sacred images in worship There are several similarities and differences between the major religions of Europe. Based on the information above which of the following statements is true? Although there are differences between the major religions of Europe, there are also several things that they all have in common. They all believe on one God. They all believe in a final judgment day. They all have their own holy book.
Economics Notes: Lesson four Entrepreneurs are the people that start businesses. They are the driving force behind many of the most important additions to our economy. All of the following are ways that entrepreneurs influence economies; job creation, inventiveness, & economic growth. Employment Trends in the 21st Century The table below shows the projected growth of the working age population over the next five decades. It shows that the labor force in Europe will level off by 2010 and begin to decline thereafter. Already, population growth has become negative in some parts of Europe. Region 1995 2010 2025 2050 Europe 488 496 452 370 Working million million million million Age Population World Working Age Population Europe share (per cent) 3.5 4.5 5.3 6.0 14 11 9 6 The European Union can expect a large problem in production in their economy over the next 40 years. As you can see in the table, the population of working age people will keep dropping over the next 50 years in Europe while in the rest of the world it is increasing. Also, the percent of Europe s share of the world working population will also drop. So, which factor of production shown in this table will be in short supply? That would be labor. The dropping population in working age people is a serious economic problem facing all of Europe. The big question is what is a solution for a dropping population in the labor force? Fewer people are being born in Europe, so what is another way to increase the population and therefore the labor force there? The best answer is for more people to be born, but that would take many decades to reverse the current trends. The only way to solve the problem right now would be an increase in the number of people moving to Europe, or an increase in immigration. So the solution to the economic problem shown in the table is an increase in immigration. Country Life expectancy Literacy rate Per capita GDP Calorie intake (daily) France 75 male 3,588 99% $24,400 83 female Germany 74 male 3,265 99% $23,400 81 female Poland 69 male 3,307 99% $15,888 78 female Spain 75 male 3,338 97% $18,000 82 female United 75 male Kingdom 81 female 99% $22,800 3,149 Remember, we have already learned that the standard of living of a country is directly connected to the GDP a country has. The higher the dollar value of the GDP, the higher the standard of living in that country. Using the table above, which country seems to have the highest standard of living? In other words, what country has the highest GDP and therefore the highest standard of living? That is France. Second highest is Germany.