European superstate?

April 30, 2001
Web posted at: 8:21 PM EDT (0021 GMT)

Curriculum connections: Social Studies - World history

Objectives

Students will be able to:
Examine the changes in Europe's political map over the last 150 years. Analyze the political, social and economic influences for a European superstate.

Standards

National Council for the Social Studies
VI Power, authority and governance, grades nine - 12
High school students should study the various systems that have been developed over the centuries to allocate and employ power and authority in the governing process.

Materials

CNNfyi.com article, "A European 'superstate'?"
Internet access

Suggested time

One class period

Procedure

1. Have students read the CNNfyi.com article, "A European 'superstate'?," and ask the following:

• What is the European Union? Why do you think the German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder is calling for reforms which would lead to a "European superstate"? What are the elements of his proposal? How would a European superstate be similar to the United States?
• What do you think novelist Victor Hugo meant in 1846 when he urged the governments of the main European powers to "form a fraternity of Europe?" What is the Treaty of Paris? Why were coal and steel industries "fundamental to the waging of war?" Which nations comprised "The Six?" Why did these countries unite?
• According to the article, which countries are the two biggest advocates of European unity? How do you think the euro impacts European unity? Which European countries still do not use the euro? According to the article, what are some of the arguments for and against a European superstate? What do you think should happen?

2. Inform students that in 1848 when gold was being discovered in California, there was a rise of European nationalism. How has the political map of Europe changed since 1848 and what forces influenced these changes? Divide students into small groups. Direct students to their textbooks and online resources to research social, economic and political influences of the following time periods in European history; 1848-1913, 1914-1940, 1941-1989; 1990-2000. Have each group draw upon its findings to create a political map of Europe during their assigned time period.

3. Have each group share its information with the class.

Assessment

Have students write essays answering the following question: "What are the social, economic and political factors that are encouraging the rise of a European superstate?"

Accommodations

World languages
Students can access information about the European Union in their native language on The European Union Web site. Challenge students to translate the text from their native language into English and identify any differences.

Challenge

Have students research how the formation of a European superstate might impact both the democracy and the economy of individual European nations.

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The European Union On-Line
European Union
Germany's Social Democratic Party

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