The EU: European Union

History of the EU

• 1950 speech by Frenchman, Robert Schuman

• Suggested France, Germany & other work together to manage coal & steel production

• If countries cooperate, they are less likely to go to war

History of the EU

• By 1952, 6 countries formed the European Coal & Steel Community

• Created a common market: a group of countries that acts as a single market, without trade barriers (tariffs)

History of the EU

• By 1958, those 6 countries removed barriers on all goods

• Name changed to the European Economic Community (EEC) or the Common Market

History of the EU

• In 1993, 12 Common Market countries formed the EU

• Main goal is to promote peace, prosperity & economic well-being

• In 2009, the EU had 27 members

• July 2013, Croatia joined and now there are 28 members

Effects

• Migration to industrialized Western European countries for jobs

• Lower prices• Ease of travel• Encourages political cooperation

Berlin Wall

• Berlin was separated into East and West by creating a large concrete wall.

• This wall was a metaphor for the split that was occurring between Eastern and Western Europe. As well as the split between Democracy & Communism

• The wall collapses in 1989

Soviet Union

Curtains, Satellites, & Unions

• The former Soviet Union was made up of modern day Russia, as well as other countries known as Satellites. The “Iron Curtain” was the imaginary line that separated West and East Europe.

• The Satellites became highly dependent on “Mother Russia” to support them economically.

• When the Soviet Union collapses, many of these satellite countries were left in a state of disarray and are still trying to recover to this very day.

Your Mission if you Choose to Accept it (And you will)

• You are to choose any country that we have discussed in class and create your own “Iron Curtain” (Minus the Communism and mis-treatment)

• Must Include:– At least 5 other countries– A drawing of your new “union”– Paragraph describing what your reasons were for

compiling such a group

Your Task:

• Read pages 216-221 in the Geography Alive! book & complete the graphic organizer• During the last few minutes of class,

you will answer the Essential Question

The European Union is like a neighborhood because….