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Objective: What human and physical factors the sovereign countries of China, Japan, Russia and the United States’ ability
to impact international political relations
Ideas Suggestions:
•This assignment is designed to help students summarize and gather information in order to analyze the factors
that make countries powerful. This is a subjective idea, but these four countries are specifically pointed out in the
standards and must be the focus.
•The resources provided include four placard / Info pages about the countries in the objective. The information on
the sheet was taken from CULTUREGRAMS.COM and the CIA World Factbook online. You may choose to create
your own pages using the websites, which you are free to do as you have copyright permission for classroom use
at both sites. However, the resources we created were set up as only one page due to your potential time
constraints. An optional physical map of that country is also included for the back of each information sheet.
•Two optional Tree Map templates that allow students to gather information on one country or on all four of the
countries at the same time. An optional writing option is also included. Be aware that if you do not do the writing
option, students must still analyze the information in order to achieve the objective. Some sort of product must be
produced in which students choose the most important factors. Feel free to use all of these resources in whatever
way benefits your students.
•The goal of this assignment oddly enough should be for students to learn to keep it simple. Power and influence
come from military, education, healthcare, industry, etc., but all of that comes in some way from economic power.
THIS ASSIGNMENT SHOULD NOT BE ABOUT THE DETAILS, rather this assignment should be about helping
students understand the basic ideas about what makes countries powerful. In truth, if students understand even
why the labels of the sections are important, they should be successful on the assignment. They should be
analyzing for Understanding rather than memorization.
•I cannot stress enough that students must know the location of each of these troubles and where to find them on a
map. This may not be part of the actual assignment, but it is vital that they know as much as possible about any
specifically mentioned countries.
China
Geography
Economics
Technology /
Industry
Education
Military
Japan
Russia
United States
Country:
Geography
Economics
Infrastructure
Education
Military
Based on the information you have gathered how are countries able to influence international relations. Think about how each
country uses economic power, military power, etc. to influence relations between countries. Be sure to use facts, but you do
not have to be too specific. For example: China has strong trade power, which is important; but you do not really need to too
much about what they trade. Learn to summarize and you will save yourself a lot of work!!!! It might also be beneficial to
remember the role of countries in the United Nations or the European Union, would that play a factor in your conclusions?
Military
•Japanese Defense Force (Air, Land, Sea, etc.) / Japan has no
nuclear weapon capability
•0.8% of GDP (2006)
•Japan’s Army is not considered among the top in the world.
•Military Data from CIA World Factbook
•All other information and material from
CultureGrams.com – Permission granted
from GISD site License
Map courtesy of www.freeworldmaps.net / Used for Education purposes only, no copyright permission is granted beyond this single use.
Military
•Full combat and defensive forces available / China
has nuclear weapon capability
•4.3% of GDP (2006)
•The army is considered the 3rd most powerful in the
world
•Military Data from CIA World Factbook / All other information and material
from CultureGrams.com – Permission granted from GISD site License
•All 18 -19 year olds must serve in military for 2
years
Map courtesy of www.freeworldmaps.net / Used for Education purposes only, no copyright permission is granted beyond this single use.
•Military Data from CIA World Factbook
•All other information and material from
CultureGrams.com – Permission granted
from GISD site License
Military
•Full combat and defensive forces available / Russia has
nuclear weapon capability
•3.9% of GDP (2005)
•The Russian Army is considered the 2nd most powerful in
the world.
Map courtesy of www.freeworldmaps.net / Used for Education purposes only, no copyright permission is granted beyond this single use.
•Military Data from CIA World Factbook
•All other information and material from
CultureGrams.com – Permission granted
from GISD site License
Military
•Full combat and defensive forces available / The US has
nuclear weapon capability
•4.06% of GDP (2005 est.)
•The US Military is considered the strongest and most
powerful in the world.
Map courtesy of www.freeworldmaps.net / Used for Education purposes only, no copyright permission is granted beyond this single use.