Unit 8: The World Today

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Unit 8The World Today

• Global History II Review

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Economic Trends

• Wealthy Nations vs. Poor Nations
• North America and Europe (North Hem) rich
• South America, Africa, Asia (South Hem) poor
• Obstacles to development for nations
• Geography lack of rainfall, geographic barriers,
  lack of fertile land, natural disasters
• Population Growth Overpopulation
• Failed economic policies of the past
• Political instability in many governments

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Economic Trends

• Economic Interdependence
• Dependence on oil has an effect on world
  economies
• Global banking and financial markets are tied
  together
• Multinational corporations conduct business
  around the world today
• International drug trade is a problem

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Conflicts of Peace Efforts

• Terrorism is a threat around the world
• Deliberate use of unpredictable violence against
  civilians to achieve political goals
• Examples 9/11 in NYC and D.C.
• Disputes in Palestine and Israel (Nationalists)
• Domestic violence in Indonesia
• Ethnic and Religious tensions
• Northern Ireland (IRA) goal to drive out Brits
• Wants to gain independence

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Conflicts of Peace Efforts

• Ethnic and Religious tensions
• Yugoslavia Milosevic and ethnic cleansing
  against Muslims living in Kosovo
• NATO sent as a peacekeeping force
• International Hotspots
• Iraq War 2003 United States saw Saddam as a
  threat and feared WMDs in Iraq
• North Korea Communists attempting to get Nuclear
  weapon capabilities (Threat to region)

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Conflicts of Peace Efforts

• International Hotspots
• China has become an industrial power
• India and Pakistan have hostility toward each
  other over Kashmir region/ nuclear capacity
• Afghanistan Fighting Islamic Fundamentalists
• The United Nations
• Established in 1945 to promote Global peace
• Peacekeeping operations Iraq, Haiti, Bosnia
• Universal Declaration of Human Rights 1948

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Social Patterns and Change

• Modernization and Tradition
• Westernization means modernization or
  industrialization
• Japan deeply traditional society has had
  conflict with modernization
• Middle East Traditional culture clashes with
  western culture. Importance of OIL has forced
  changes upon the people in the Middle East

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Social Patterns and Change

• Overpopulation and poverty levels
• Depletion of resources, hunger, low standard of
  living all as a result of too many people
• Caused by Religious beliefs, culture, economic
  factors, and lack of knowledge
• Urbanization movement to cities
• Weakened cultural traditions and values
• Those who cant afford city life live in poverty

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Social Patterns and Change

• Status of Women has improved in West
• Suffrage Right to vote has been gained
• Women are a major part of the work force
• Middle Eastern nations vary on women rights
• Global Migration Movement of people
• Immigration to Germany, France, and USA has
  expanded during the 20th Century

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Science and Technology

• Green Revolution Increase food supply
• Irrigation brings water to fields
• Machinery yields more and better crops
• Fertilizer and Pesticides enrich soil
• New varieties of grains and livestock
• Information Age Computer Revolution
• Increase in the use and dependency of tech
• Literacy rates have improved

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Science and Technology

• Space Age begins in 1950s
• Satellites are used to gather information and for
  communication purposes
• Medical Technology makes improvement
• Antibiotics, vaccines, transplants, lasers
• Issues Genetic Engineering, epidemics, more
  resistant diseases, and destruction of tropical
  rainforests

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The Environment

• Pollution contamination of an environment
• Acid Rain caused by burning of fossil fuels
• Deforestation destruction of (rain) forests
• Changes local weather patterns, erosion
• Desertification Farm land becomes desert
• Overgrazing by livestock and soil erosion
• Nuclear Proliferation Nuclear energy
• Accidents with power (Chernobyl)
• Nuclear Weapons threaten world security