nation-state ro h l ovie empire o av he ucceeded? · 3. what three new important things have you...

N a t i o n - S t a t e s f r o m t h e O l d S o v i e t E m p i r e : H o w H a v e T h e y S u c c e e d e d ? 1© Teachers’ Curriculum Institute

N O T E B O O K

Nation-States from the Old Soviet Empire: How Have They Succeeded?What factors contribute to the success or failure of new nation-states?

E U R O P E A N D R U S S I A

Preview

Part 1: January 1991 Look at the map your teacher is projecting. Pretend you are a geography student in January 1991. On the map, some of the countries are labeled. Label the other country that exists at this time. Then, answer the questions.

What do you notice about the country on this map?

What might be some advantages to controlling a country this large?

What might be some disadvantages to controlling a country this large?

ARCTIC OCEAN

Cas

pian

Sea

Black S

ea

Sea ofJapan

(East Sea)

BeringSea

Baltic Sea

IRAN

TURKEY

AFGHANISTAN

MONGOLIA

CHINA

NORTHKOREA JA

PAN

FINLAND

SWEDEN

POLAND

W.GER.

E.GER.

CZ

EC

H.

RO

MA

NIA

HUN.

N

S

E

W

0 1,000 kilometers

0 1,000 miles

Lambert Conformal Conic projection

500

500

GA_00_LG-1 USSR pre-1991First proof

2 N a t i o n - S t a t e s f r o m t h e O l d S o v i e t E m p i r e : H o w H a v e T h e y S u c c e e d e d ? © Teachers’ Curriculum Institute

N O T E B O O K

Part 2: January 1992Look at the new map your teacher is projecting. One year has passed. It is now January 1992. On the map, draw in and label the countries that now exist in this same region.

Look at the differences between your two maps. In only one year, the map of this region has changed drastically. What differences do you notice about the second map compared with the first?

What might have happened to cause these changes?

How might the changes in this region affect the people living there?

ARCTIC OCEAN

Cas

pian

Sea

Black S

ea

Sea ofJapan

(East Sea)

BeringSea

Baltic Sea

IRAN

TURKEY

AFGHANISTAN

MONGOLIA

CHINA

NORTHKOREA JA

PAN

FINLAND

SWEDEN

POLAND

W.GER.

E.GER.

CZ

EC

H.

RO

MA

NIA

HUN.

N

S

E

W

0 1,000 kilometers

0 1,000 miles

Lambert Conformal Conic projection

500

500

GA_00_LG-1 USSR pre-1991First proof


N O T E B O O K

Read the Introduction and Section 1. Then, create an illustrated dictionary of the Geoterms by completing these tasks:• Create a symbol or an illustration to represent each term.• Write a definition of each term in your own words. • Write a sentence that includes the term.

Geoterm and Symbol Definition Sentence

ethnic group

nation

nationalism

nation-state

state

Section 1 - The Geographic Setting


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What are the five basic factors that affect the success of a nation-state?

What are some key ways that a nation-state can keep its people secure?

What is GDP? Along with GDP, what two other factors might indicate whether a nation-state is experiencing economic growth?

How can a government improve its citizens’ quality of life? What are two measures of quality of life within a nation-state?

What is nationalism? In what ways can it both foster and work against unity within a nation-state?

What does the organization Freedom House do? What two kinds of rights does it examine for each country?

MinskMinsk

VilniusVilnius

BakuBaku

AZERBAIJANAZERBAIJAN

LITHUANIA

BELARUS

AZERBAIJAN

KAZAKHSTAN

RUSSIA

�Minsk

�Vilnius

�Moscow

�Baku

Irkutsk�Astana

TCI5 246 GA_LG_18_GRN_2.epsFirst Proof


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Section 2 - Kazakhstan: A Central Asian Giant

1. Complete this scorecard for Kazakhstan. Follow your teacher’s directions.

2. Answer these questions: Suppose you choose Kazakhstan to host a GeoGames. What is the biggest disadvantage?

What is the biggest advantage?

3. What three new important things have you learned about the political or economic success of Kazakhstan? On the map, draw and label them.

KAZAKHSTAN

Cas

pian

Sea

Aral Sea

THE STEPPES

LakeBalkhash

Ura

l R.

Syr Darya

�Astana


Nation-State Scorecard

Factors to Consider for Economic Success Factors to Consider for Political Success

FACTOR SCORE FACTOR SCORE

Location, available resources Possible ethnic or religious conflict

GDP growth Crimes reported

Poverty Life expectancy, infant mortality

Income level Freedom Index ranking

Overall success Overall success

Comments: Comments:


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Section 3 - Azerbaijan: Where Europe Meets Asia

1. Complete this scorecard for Azerbaijan. Follow your teacher’s directions.

2. Answer these questions: Suppose you choose Azerbaijan to host a GeoGames. What is the biggest disadvantage?


3. What three new important things have you learned about the political or economic success of Azerbaijan? On the map, draw and label them.









Comments: Comments:

CA

UC

AU

SS

MT

S.

CA

UC

AU

SS

MT

S.

AZERBAIJAN

Ca

sp

i an

Se

a

CA

UC

AS

US

MT

S.

�Baku


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Section 4 - Belarus: Between Europe and Russia

1. Complete this scorecard for Belarus. Follow your teacher’s directions.

2. Answer these questions: Suppose you choose Belarus to host a GeoGames. What is the biggest disadvantage?


3. What three new important things have you learned about the political or economic success of Belarus? On the map, draw and label them.









Comments: Comments:

B E L A R U S

Dn

ieper R

.

Western Dvin a R.

Neman R.

Prypyats R.

�Minsk



N O T E B O O K

Section 5 - Lithuania: One of Three Baltic States

1. Complete this scorecard for Lithuania. Follow your teacher’s directions.

2. Answer these questions: Suppose you choose Lithuania to host a GeoGames. What is the biggest disadvantage?


3. What three new important things have you learned about the political or economic success of Lithuania? On the map, draw and label them.









Comments: Comments:

L I T H U A N I A

Neman R.

BalticSea

�Vilnius


N O T E B O O K

Section 6 - Russia: The Largest Nation on Earth

1. Complete this scorecard for Russia. Follow your teacher’s directions.

2. Answer these questions: Suppose you choose Russia to host a GeoGames. What is the biggest disadvantage?


3. What three new important things have you learned about the political or economic success of Russia? On the map, draw and label them.









Comments: Comments:

Ural R.

Ural R.

SAYAN MTNS SAYAN MTNS

KO

LYM

A M

TNS

KO

LYM

A M

TNS

RUSSIA

Cas

pian

Sea

LakeBaikalUra

l R.

Volga R. Ob

R.

Yen

isey R.

Lena R.

Ko

lym

a R.

URAL MTS.

KO

LYM

A M

TNS

SAYAN MTNS

SIBERIA�Moscow



N O T E B O O K

You have just visited five nation-states that were once a part of the Soviet Union. Write a letter to the International GeoGames Committee. Tell them which nation-state you think is the best site of a future GeoGames. Also advise the committee which nation-state you think is the worst site.

Your letter must include • a date and a proper heading.• an introduction that briefly describes your tour. Mention where you visited and

your impressions of the nation-states. Tell what kind of information you gathered.• your recommendation for the best nation-state as a site of a future GeoGames.

Give three reasons for your choice.• your recommendation for the worst nation-state as a site of a future GeoGames.

Give three reasons for your choice.• a concluding statement. Summarize your arguments and restate your opinion.

Your letter should be at least one page in length. Type it or write it neatly in ink.

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nation-state ro h l ovie empire o av he ucceeded? · 3. what three new important things have you...

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