1. EUROPE CONTEMPORARY STUDIES
SS6G9 The student will discuss environmental issues in Europe
SS6G10 The student will explain the impact of location, climate, natural resources, and population distribution on Europe
SS6CG5 The student will explain the structure of modern European governments
SS6E5 The student will analyze different economic systems
SS6E6 The student will analyze the benefits of and barriers to voluntary trade in Europe
SS6E7 The student will describe factors that influence economic growth and examine their presence or absence in Europe.
EUROPE CONTEMPORARY STUDIES

2. ELEMENTS
Explain the major concerns of Europeans regarding the issues such as acid rain in Germany, air pollution in the United Kingdom, and the nuclear disaster in Chernobyl, Ukraine.
 Compare how the location, climate, and natural resources of the United Kingdom and Russia affect where people live and how they trade.
Compare how the location, climate, and natural resources of Germany and Italy affect where people live and how they trade.
 Compare the parliamentary system of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (United Kingdom), the federal system of the Federal Republic of Germany (Germany), and the federation of the Russian Federation (Russia), distinguishing the form of leadership and the role of the citizen in terms of voting and personal freedoms.
Describe the purpose of the European Union and the relationship between member nations.
Compare the basic types of economic systems found in the United Kingdom, Germany, and Russia.
Compare and contrast different types of trade barriers such as tariffs, quotas, and embargos.
Explain why international trade requires a system for exchanging currencies between nations.
Explain the relationship between investment in human capital (education and training) and gross domestic product (GDP).
Explain the relationship between investment in capital (factories, machinery, and technology) and gross domestic product (GDP).
Describe the role of natural resources in a country’s economy.

3. ENDURING UNDERSTANDINGS
Governance: The student will understand that as a society increases in complexity and interacts with other societies, the complexity of the government also increases.
Human Environmental Interaction: The student will understand that humans, their society, and the environment affect each other.
Location: The student will understand that location affects a society’s economy, culture, and development.
Production, Distribution, Consumption: The student will understand that the production, distribution, and consumption of goods/services produced by the society are affected by the location, customs, beliefs, and laws of the society.

4. ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES IN EUROPE
Acid Rain
Rain mixed with pollutants becomes acid rain
Germany faced acid rain problems in the early 1900s due to coal burning
Acid rain destroys forests, it pollutes rivers and lakes, kills fish and eats away materials for buildings
Laws have been put in place to prevent coal burning and to reduce factory chemicals

5. ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES IN EUROPE
Air pollution
Caused mainly from emissions from vehicles and from ozone
Smog is the worst kind of air pollution, which causes death
This problem occurs often in the United Kingdom
Chernobyl
A nuclear reactor exploded at the Chernobyl plant in the Ukraine in 1986
Toxic radiation stayed in the air and destroyed land and animals
135,000 people were evacuated and 30 killed
The area of Chernobyl today is one of the most polluted areas on the planet

6. GERMANY – FEDERAL REPUBLIC
Germany has a federal system and is led by a president and a chancellor. The president is a figurehead with no real power, while the chancellor holds power. He or she is chosen by Parliament. Germany has a bicameral, or two house, law making body. The houses are the Bundestag and the Bundesrat. Germany’s citizens have basic rights and freedoms, such as voting, free speech and free religion.

7. Economic System of Germany
Germany has a type of mixed economy called a social market economy. The government controls some things, but industry mainly brings in money to Germany. They have a social welfare system for the poor, and their human capital is very high, as education is stressed greatly. Germany has the strongest economy in Europe today.

8. RUSSIA - FEDERATION
Russia has a federation where power is divided. The leader is the president, and second is the prime minister. Russia’s law makers are the Federal Assembly, and their two houses are the Federation Council and State Duma. Since Communism is now gone, Russia’s citizens have basic rights and freedoms, such as freedom of speech, religion and freedom of movement

9. Economic System of Russia
Russia has a mixed market economy, and it is not a strong one. Since Communism ended, the government has given up businesses to private owners, and a lot of the country’s businesses are not functioning due to lack of funds. Russia gets money from selling oil. Their human capital is low due to lack of proper education in schools and colleges.

10. U.K. – PARLIAMENTARY DEMOCRACY
The United Kingdom has a parliamentary system, with a king or queen as its figurehead. They have no real power, and the power is held by a prime minister. The laws are made by Parliament, which has two houses, the House of Commons and the House of Lords. U.K citizens have most of the same rights as U.S. citizens, such as freedom of religion, freedom of press, freedom of speech, and voting rights.

11. Economic System of the United Kingdom
The U.K. has a mixed market economy and it is the second largest economy in the European Union. The U.K. has most of its GDP come from banking, insurance and businesses under private ownership. The government still controls medicine and welfare, but the human capital of the U.K. is very high, thanks to skilled workers in technology, education and entrepreneurship.

12. Currency Exchange in Europe
Currency is the type of money used to exchange or purchase goods
The system of exchanging money internationally is called foreign exchange
Most countries in Europe use euros, which allows for easy exchange of goods in almost all countries in Europe

13. Natural Resources in Europe
Natural resources that drive Europe’s economy include
Oil
Coal
Natural Gas
Iron
Forestry
Rivers

14. Entrepreneurship
An entrepreneur is someone who has an idea for a good or service and takes risks to produce the good or service
Entrepreneurs know of the risks before the product is produced
Entrepreneurs help the economy to grow based on borrowing funds, use capital and human capital and natural resources
Europe as a whole does not have a lot of entrepreneurship compared to other continents

15. THE EUROPEAN UNION
The European Union is a group of 28 European countries who work together for the good of Europe
Their goal is to promote trade, assist in social issues, provide protection for each other and to create peace
The Union has established its own court, it provides money to poorer nations, helping the environment with strict standards and improving trade between its member nations
Some member countries include Spain , Poland, France, Greece, Finland, Hungary, Sweden and Germany

16. THE “BREXIT” (Britain’s Exit)
On June 23, 2016 a referendum, or a vote in which everyone who is voting age can participate, was taken to decide if the United Kingdom should remain in the European Union
52% voted to leave, called the Brexit
The prime minister at the time, David Cameron, resigned because of his views on staying
The goal is for the U.K. to leave by 2019
The U.K.’s exit will have major changes on its economy
Immigration, currency and travel will be affected directly