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Contemporary's GED Social Studies
Kenneth Tamarkin
Jeri W. Bayer

Global Connections

Chapter Outline


Spread of Civilization

(See pages 284–288)
  • From its origins in river valleys in Asia and Egypt, civilization has spread throughout the world.
  • Major civilizations influenced art, architecture, social structure, and customs.
  • Ancient Greek culture can be considered the foundation of Western civilization.

The Importance of Trade

(See pages 288–292)

Trade is important for the following practices:

  • the distribution of goods
  • the introduction of new products
  • the introduction of new ideas
  • the diffusion of cultures

War and Conquest

(See pages 292–297)

War and conquest often lead to the following situations:

  • political change
  • death and destruction
  • cultural change
  • domination of a culture over another
  • annihilation of states, peoples, and cultures

Age of Exploration

(See pages 298–301)
  • During the Age of Exploration, Europeans used their superior ships and navigation skills to sail to all the inhabited continents of the world.
  • Their superior military equipment, along with their more productive and inventive economies, helped the Europeans dominate and exploit many parts of the world.
  • The conquest and exploitation of the New World was also partly the result of the decimation of the indigenous populations by diseases introduced by the Europeans.

Religions and Ideologies

(See pages 302–308)
  • Religions and ideologies often spread from their land of origin to other places on the globe.
  • Today there are four major religions that are dominant across large areas: Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, and Hinduism.
  • There are other religions, including Judaism, Sikhism, Taoism, Shinto, and indigenous religions, which also have millions of followers.
  • The twentieth century was marked by the clash of three ideologies: Democracy, Communism, and Fascism.

Globalization

(See pages 308–312)
  • Electronic media allow us to see and hear images and voices from around the world almost instantaneously.
  • Giant multinational corporations do business in many countries around the globe.
  • Worldwide organizations, such as the United Nations, work with governments, organizations, and individuals.
  • Documents, such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, help create the basis for international law.
  • Nongovernmental global organizations, such as Amnesty International and Doctors Without Borders, have become the conscience of the world.
  • We face worldwide problems, such as global warming, overpopulation, and global health epidemics.

Addressing Worldwide Problems

(See pages 313–320)

The following worldwide problems are being addressed by governmental and nongovernmental organizations:

  • disaster relief
  • environmental degradation
  • health problems
  • human rights abuses
  • extinction of species
  • economic and social justice