This is going to be a long post...
I gave you some notes on the post-Cold War world, specifically on Yugoslavia and Rwanda. I gave you a handout that provides you with a synopsis of key events of the 1990s, including the Persian Gulf War (1991), the civil war in Yugoslavia (1991-1995), the Rwandan Genocide (1994), the war in Kosovo (1999), the continuing conflict between Israelis and Palestinians, and conflict between India and Pakistan. You are responsible for reading and completing the questions in this booklet. We started watching "Shake Hands with the Devil" today, and we'll finish this off tomorrow. Make sure that you keep studying for your upcoming Contemporary World Unit Final (this is on June 9th), please see the study guide below. You also have an In-Class Final Exam that covers both Topic A and Topic B, and it's 70 multiple choice questions (this is on Thursday, June 11th). Sorry, no study guide for this one...review the entire course!
1. The Middle East:
- review Chapter 12
- review all summary notes on the Iran-Iraq War, Afghanistan and the Persian Gulf War
- review Conflict in the Middle East handout (with timeline of Israeli-Palestinian Relations)
- review Iran-Iraq War and Gulf War booklet
- review summary notes on the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq
- terrorism
2. China:
- review Chapter 14
- review notes packages/booklets on China
- review key people/key events in China's recent history
- review notes from the videos "One Man's Revolution" and "China Since Mao"
3. American Sphere of Influence:
- review this chapter in your textbook (in my edition it's Chapter 15)
- I gave you summary notes of Chapter 15, it's in the same package as the summary notes of Chapter 14 (China)
- review booklet that covers American intervention in the Western Hemisphere (primarily in Central America) and other parts of the world, both during the Cold War and after
4. The End of the Cold War:
- review collapse of communism in Eastern Europe and the USSR
- German reunification
- rise of nationalism and ethnic conflict in the Balkans/Yugoslavia
- consequences of the collapse of communism on the contemporary world: unipolar world? multipolar world?
5. Post-Cold War Events in the Contemporary World:
- Gulf War
- Somalia
- ethnic cleansing in former Yugoslavia (Bosnia)
- Rwandan Genocide
- tensions/conflict in the Middle East (Arabs and Israelis, Palestinians and Israelis)
- Kosovo
- tensions/conflict between India and Pakistan
6. Contemporary Economic Globalization:
- freer trade/trade liberalization
- development of economic trading blocs (EU, NAFTA, MERCOSUR)
- global financial institutions (World Bank, IMF)
- global trade regulation (WTO)
- other important institutions (G8, G20)
- Keynes, Hayek, Friedman
- NGOs
- pro-globalization/anti-globalization
7. The United Nations:
- structure, organization and role of the United Nations on the international stage
- voting procedures
- criticisms
- Security Council
I gave you a little bit of time to work on the Topic A and B Review Booklet (you will get a little bit of time to work on this tomorrow). I went through a PowerPoint presentation on the Diploma Exam Part A, which I have already sent to you. Here is your homework assignment for tonight:
At a public forum during a recent election campaign, four candidates were asked to respond to the following question:
What should the federal government do about the national debt?
Candidate #1: Despite the fact that the federal government has balanced its current budget, Canada is still almost $600 billion in debt. The government continues to provide too many services with taxpayers’ money. The government must stop regulating businesses and providing services that can be offered more efficiently by private enterprise. Individuals must have more economic freedom. The debt can be reduced without raising taxes
Candidate #2: Raising taxes will not solve the debt problem. The more taxes people pay, the less they spend as consumers. Government spending must be frozen at current levels and taxes must be cut for both individuals and corporations. With more money to spend, the economy will grow and unemployment rates will drop. If people are working, the government will spend less to support the unemployed. As wealth is created, the number of people on assistance will drop. With reduced government spending, the debt can be reduced more rapidly.
Candidate #3: Few people want to see an end to the social “safety net” or to pay more taxes. But most Canadians are reasonable and willing to make a deal with the government. Government can cut spending by becoming more efficient in delivering services, but health care, education, and financial support for those I need must be maintained. Now that the deficit has been eliminated, individuals and businesses must accept temporary tax increases to help pay off the debt. Everyone must work together.
Candidate #4: The survival of government-supported programs is essential. The government must increase taxes on wealthy citizens and corporations. Cutting government spending on social programs makes no sense. Cuts will hurt low-income people, making it harder for them to get ahead. The rich can afford higher taxes, especially if it means helping to preserve a healthy, well-educated workforce, and reducing the debt at the same time. Government spending is not the problem, generating more revenue is.
You have just left the public forum described in the proceeding page. Consider the candidate’s response.
Based on the candidates’ responses to the question,
“What should the federal government do about the national debt?” Who would get your vote?
Write a
letter to the editor I which you:
- Identify and explain your opinion
- Give reasons to support your explanation
Reminders for Writing:
- Plan your composition
- Organize your ideas and support
- Use blue or black ink for your written work
- Correct any errors that you find in your writing
You wrote your Unit 3 Final Exam today. Please remember that your Chapter 14-15 Key Terms and Questions are due tomorrow for homework check marks, as are the last two PowerPoint presentations.
