Materials

• A world political map, color-coded to indicate the developed and developing countries identified on the worksheet titled “National Economic Development” (Attachment B)

Instructional Activities

1. Place the teacher-prepared World Political Map of Developed and Developing Nations on the overhead. Have the students check their maps for accuracy.
   
   
2. Conduct a class discussion on why the nations have different levels of economic development. Begin with the basic question, “What parts of the world are most developed?” Then ask students to think back to past lessons (Renaissance, The Age of Exploration and Discovery, Commercial Revolution, Industrial Revolution, and Age of Imperialism and Cold War Economics) to answer the questions below:
   • Why is Western Europe more developed than Eastern Europe? Possible responses include the following:
      - Communism failed.
      - Industrial Revolution began there.
   • Why is Western Europe more developed than Africa and India? Possible responses include the following:
      - Imperialism and colonization of Africa and India have limited their development.
   • What factors over the past 60 years have made the United States the most developed nation in the world? Possible responses include the following:
      - Capitalism
      - Growth after World War II
      - Role in the Cold War
   • What are common characteristics that all developed nations share?
   • What are common characteristics that all developing nations share?
   • Which style of government and which style of economy go with political freedom?