Group 4: Noah Best and Turner Chu. 2/10/14 AP Human Geography Chapter 8 Group Questions:
#11.) Since the end of the Cold War, what elements of cultural geography have been weaknesses for Russia, limiting it from retaining its old superpower status? After the Cold War, the Warsaw Pact and the COMECON were dismantled, so this was detrimental to Russia because it took away most if not all of their allies. But the EU and the NATO stayed together after the Cold War allowing the USA to keep its allies, but leaving Russia with no allies. Before the Cold War Russia and the United States were the two world superpowers, but after the Cold War it was just he United States. Also the NATO after the Cold War offered eastern european countries an important sense of security against any future Russian attack. So Russia was no longer feared like it used to be, so this made it extremely hard for them to regain their world superpower status.
#12.) Describe how alliances in Europe during the Cold War related to global and local economic interests? One alliance known as the European Union (EU) formed with six members: Belgium, France, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, and West Germany. Its purpose was to heal western Europe's economic scars from WWII. Another alliance, the Council for Mutual Economic Assistance (COMECON) with ten members, including the eight eastern european communist states from the Warsaw Pact plus Cuba, Mongolia, and Vietnam. Its purpose was to promote trade and the sharing of natural resources. After the Cold War economic cooperation has become very important.
#13.) Since the end of the Cold War, what elements of cultural geography have been weaknesses for the United States, potentially threatening its superpower status? Use evidence from this chapter the reinforce your assertions? Since the Cold War, terrorism has been threatening the USA's superpower status. For example a car bomb in Oklahoma City blew up and killed 168 people, or when the US Embassies in Kenya and Taiwan were bombed killing 190 people and injuring another 5,000. But none were worse than the 9/11 terrorist attack, where terrorists hijacked two airplanes crashing into the World Trade Center in New York City and the Pentagon in Washington D.C. The terrorism is still a raging problem today because of groups like the Al-Queda. These acts of terrorism threaten the United States' superpower status because they are specific attacks targeted at the USA, that we have to deal with instead of dealing with more productive matters within our country.
Group 3 Brendan Mahoney, Zachary Tate, Christopher Kochanik Chapter 8 Group Questions #8-10
#8) Warming climates mean higher temperatures and melting ice. If the temperatures continue to rise, the polar ice caps will melt.h Land area claimed by countries in Antarctica would decrease. Resources in the Arctic would be made easier to access. States of the world would find the value of their area of claim and could possibly try to claim someone else's area. This could cause conflict between nations. The states in question would address these issues through a redrawing of boundaries or through conflict.
#9) The three types of physical boundaries are desert boundaries, mountain boundaries, and water boundaries. The three can either increase or decrease the likelihood of potential conflict between states. Desert boundaries are boundaries drawn between states because a desert is between them. Deserts can be efficient at separating states because it is a large, sparsely inhabited region. It is hard to cross, so these states cannot engage in conflict. However, this is not an effective boundary in Chad or Libya. This is because Libya believes the border should be 100 Km away from where it actually lies. Mountain boundaries are boundaries drawn by a mountain range. This is effective when mountain ranges are hard to pass through. They are ineffective, however, between Chile and Argentina. The two could not pick a specific spot in the Andes to draw the border, and fought for years. Water boundaries are lakes, rivers, or oceans that separate states. These were effective in the past because invading empires could not invade by land, instead they would attack by sea. The border between the US and Mexico, the Rio Grande, was a problem because the US border was moved to conform to the river.
#10) There is not a lot of definite evidence that the US is a leading terrorist state. However, there is a possibility due to alleged support of terrorism by the US. The US has been accused of supporting the Cuban exiles, Luis Posada Carriles and Orlando Bosch. The US also assisted Afghan Mujahideen, arguably a main contributor to the creation of Al-Qaeda. I disagree with these accusations, mainly due to the lack of evidence supporting these terrorist claims. Most of these accusations are more opinionated than factual, therefore, in my opinion, they are not to be trusted.
Clay Moore Stevie Tilton Mac Lisicia APHG February 10, 2014
1) Landlocked states might attempt to overcome transportation problems to send raw materials overseas by having a sufficient ground transportation system. Ground transportation would include interstate, highways, and roads that lead to the nation’s borders toward the nearest coast for shipping. A railroad that ran from the landlocked state to the coast would provide a way to more large amounts raw materials to the coast so they can be sent overseas. Several countries in the Middle East have adapted the use of pipelines to move oil to the coast. Pipelines are constantly moving a product, usually a liquid, from their country of origin to the coast for shipment overseas.
2) There are three types of regimes: a democracy, autocracy, and anocracy. A democracy is a country in which citizens elect leaders and can run for office. An autocracy is a country that is run according to the interest of the ruler instead of the people. An anocracy is a country that is not fully democratic or fully anocratic, but rather a mix.
Selection of Leaders -A democracy has procedures where citizens can express preferences on policies and leaders -An autocracy has leaders who are selected usually hereditary through secession.
Citizen Participation -Democracy has institutionalized constraints on the power of the executive -An autocracy has the participation of citizens sharply restrained or suppressed
Checks and Balances -Democracy has the guarantee of civil liberties of all citizens and guarantee political participation -Autocracy has a leader with n checks from anyone, the leader does what he wants
3) The major types of cultural boundaries are geometric boarders and ethnic boundaries. Geometric boundaries are straight lines drawn on a map. An example of a geometric boundary is the U.S.’s Canadian border along the 49 north latitude. Ethnic boundaries are boundaries drawn where it is possible to separate speakers of different languages or followers of different religions. The boundary between Pakistan and India is an ethnic boundary. Pakistan is predominately Muslim while India is predominately Hindu. Boundaries that could create problems between the two neighboring states are both geometric and ethnic boundaries. With geometric boundaries a problem could arise if both countries do not agree on the line drawn. Ethnic boundaries can cause a problem as well because usually ethnic boundaries mean mass migration for those not living with the majority. This happened in India when Hindus had to leave Pakistan and Muslims had to leave India.
4) The United States and Russia both have physical boundaries because they are both on water. Physical boundaries such as water offer a good protection from being attacked by other states. Both countries are large territories that contain many natural resources making them self-sufficient. For the most part, the Unites States and Russia are on one land mass making the country easy to rule and have control over. Other regions in the area were maintained by military force which avoided major cultural boundaries.
Group 2: Chris Gregar, Will Carver, and Harrison Hughes 10/2/14
5. Describe how the alliances in Europe after the Cold War related to changing global economic interests. There were alliances formed during the Cold War, one of which is called the European Union (EU) which has Eastern Europe in it. The number of members doubled in size to 12 after the Cold War and now they promote free trade. Countries that had similar economic interests allied together so they could trade easily and grow together in peace.
6. Imagine that you lead a country that shares borders with three other countries which may be lending support to terrorist attacks within your country. If my country was being attacked by neighboring countries the best move would be to go to the UN for help. The UN would first try and settle the disagreement without violence but if that did not work, they would send my country supplies to fight back against them. If that still did not work, they would take a vote and see if it was right for them to get involved and they would send soldiers from other countries to help out.
7. Why are many countries moving from unitary to federal forms of government? Many countries have switched from unitary to federal forms of government to protect the rights of nationalities and give more power to the government levels closest to the people. This effectively gives the people more power and gives them more "say" in governmental decisions.
Group 4: Noah Best and Turner Chu.
ReplyDelete2/10/14
AP Human Geography
Chapter 8 Group Questions:
#11.) Since the end of the Cold War, what elements of cultural geography have been weaknesses for Russia, limiting it from retaining its old superpower status?
After the Cold War, the Warsaw Pact and the COMECON were dismantled, so this was detrimental to Russia because it took away most if not all of their allies. But the EU and the NATO stayed together after the Cold War allowing the USA to keep its allies, but leaving Russia with no allies. Before the Cold War Russia and the United States were the two world superpowers, but after the Cold War it was just he United States. Also the NATO after the Cold War offered eastern european countries an important sense of security against any future Russian attack. So Russia was no longer feared like it used to be, so this made it extremely hard for them to regain their world superpower status.
#12.) Describe how alliances in Europe during the Cold War related to global and local economic interests?
One alliance known as the European Union (EU) formed with six members: Belgium, France, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, and West Germany. Its purpose was to heal western Europe's economic scars from WWII. Another alliance, the Council for Mutual Economic Assistance (COMECON) with ten members, including the eight eastern european communist states from the Warsaw Pact plus Cuba, Mongolia, and Vietnam. Its purpose was to promote trade and the sharing of natural resources. After the Cold War economic cooperation has become very important.
#13.) Since the end of the Cold War, what elements of cultural geography have been weaknesses for the United States, potentially threatening its superpower status? Use evidence from this chapter the reinforce your assertions?
Since the Cold War, terrorism has been threatening the USA's superpower status. For example a car bomb in Oklahoma City blew up and killed 168 people, or when the US Embassies in Kenya and Taiwan were bombed killing 190 people and injuring another 5,000. But none were worse than the 9/11 terrorist attack, where terrorists hijacked two airplanes crashing into the World Trade Center in New York City and the Pentagon in Washington D.C. The terrorism is still a raging problem today because of groups like the Al-Queda. These acts of terrorism threaten the United States' superpower status because they are specific attacks targeted at the USA, that we have to deal with instead of dealing with more productive matters within our country.
Group 3
ReplyDeleteBrendan Mahoney, Zachary Tate, Christopher Kochanik
Chapter 8 Group Questions #8-10
#8) Warming climates mean higher temperatures and melting ice. If the temperatures continue to rise, the polar ice caps will melt.h Land area claimed by countries in Antarctica would decrease. Resources in the Arctic would be made easier to access. States of the world would find the value of their area of claim and could possibly try to claim someone else's area. This could cause conflict between nations. The states in question would address these issues through a redrawing of boundaries or through conflict.
#9) The three types of physical boundaries are desert boundaries, mountain boundaries, and water boundaries. The three can either increase or decrease the likelihood of potential conflict between states.
Desert boundaries are boundaries drawn between states because a desert is between them. Deserts can be efficient at separating states because it is a large, sparsely inhabited region. It is hard to cross, so these states cannot engage in conflict. However, this is not an effective boundary in Chad or Libya. This is because Libya believes the border should be 100 Km away from where it actually lies.
Mountain boundaries are boundaries drawn by a mountain range. This is effective when mountain ranges are hard to pass through. They are ineffective, however, between Chile and Argentina. The two could not pick a specific spot in the Andes to draw the border, and fought for years.
Water boundaries are lakes, rivers, or oceans that separate states. These were effective in the past because invading empires could not invade by land, instead they would attack by sea. The border between the US and Mexico, the Rio Grande, was a problem because the US border was moved to conform to the river.
#10) There is not a lot of definite evidence that the US is a leading terrorist state. However, there is a possibility due to alleged support of terrorism by the US. The US has been accused of supporting the Cuban exiles, Luis Posada Carriles and Orlando Bosch. The US also assisted Afghan Mujahideen, arguably a main contributor to the creation of Al-Qaeda. I disagree with these accusations, mainly due to the lack of evidence supporting these terrorist claims. Most of these accusations are more opinionated than factual, therefore, in my opinion, they are not to be trusted.
Clay Moore
ReplyDeleteStevie Tilton
Mac Lisicia
APHG
February 10, 2014
1) Landlocked states might attempt to overcome transportation problems to send raw materials overseas by having a sufficient ground transportation system. Ground transportation would include interstate, highways, and roads that lead to the nation’s borders toward the nearest coast for shipping. A railroad that ran from the landlocked state to the coast would provide a way to more large amounts raw materials to the coast so they can be sent overseas. Several countries in the Middle East have adapted the use of pipelines to move oil to the coast. Pipelines are constantly moving a product, usually a liquid, from their country of origin to the coast for shipment overseas.
2) There are three types of regimes: a democracy, autocracy, and anocracy. A democracy is a country in which citizens elect leaders and can run for office. An autocracy is a country that is run according to the interest of the ruler instead of the people. An anocracy is a country that is not fully democratic or fully anocratic, but rather a mix.
Selection of Leaders
-A democracy has procedures where citizens can express preferences on policies and leaders
-An autocracy has leaders who are selected usually hereditary through secession.
Citizen Participation
-Democracy has institutionalized constraints on the power of the executive
-An autocracy has the participation of citizens sharply restrained or suppressed
Checks and Balances
-Democracy has the guarantee of civil liberties of all citizens and guarantee political participation
-Autocracy has a leader with n checks from anyone, the leader does what he wants
3) The major types of cultural boundaries are geometric boarders and ethnic boundaries. Geometric boundaries are straight lines drawn on a map. An example of a geometric boundary is the U.S.’s Canadian border along the 49 north latitude. Ethnic boundaries are boundaries drawn where it is possible to separate speakers of different languages or followers of different religions. The boundary between Pakistan and India is an ethnic boundary. Pakistan is predominately Muslim while India is predominately Hindu. Boundaries that could create problems between the two neighboring states are both geometric and ethnic boundaries. With geometric boundaries a problem could arise if both countries do not agree on the line drawn. Ethnic boundaries can cause a problem as well because usually ethnic boundaries mean mass migration for those not living with the majority. This happened in India when Hindus had to leave Pakistan and Muslims had to leave India.
4) The United States and Russia both have physical boundaries because they are both on water. Physical boundaries such as water offer a good protection from being attacked by other states. Both countries are large territories that contain many natural resources making them self-sufficient. For the most part, the Unites States and Russia are on one land mass making the country easy to rule and have control over. Other regions in the area were maintained by military force which avoided major cultural boundaries.
Group 2: Chris Gregar, Will Carver, and Harrison Hughes
ReplyDelete10/2/14
5. Describe how the alliances in Europe after the Cold War related to changing global economic interests. There were alliances formed during the Cold War, one of which is called the European Union (EU) which has Eastern Europe in it. The number of members doubled in size to 12 after the Cold War and now they promote free trade. Countries that had similar economic interests allied together so they could trade easily and grow together in peace.
6. Imagine that you lead a country that shares borders with three other countries which may be lending support to terrorist attacks within your country. If my country was being attacked by neighboring countries the best move would be to go to the UN for help. The UN would first try and settle the disagreement without violence but if that did not work, they would send my country supplies to fight back against them. If that still did not work, they would take a vote and see if it was right for them to get involved and they would send soldiers from other countries to help out.
7. Why are many countries moving from unitary to federal forms of government? Many countries have switched from unitary to federal forms of government to protect the rights of nationalities and give more power to the government levels closest to the people. This effectively gives the people more power and gives them more "say" in governmental decisions.