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Unit 8:The 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