7th Grade Civics Miss Smith *pgs. 590-596 (22.2) Working for Peace 7th Grade Civics Miss Smith *pgs. 590-596 (22.2)

Diplomacy and Alliances Diplomacy- process of conducting relations between countries Used to prevent war, negotiate an end to arguments, solve problems, and establish cross-country communication The president is the country’s chief diplomat Summit- meeting between the leaders of two or more countries to discuss issues that concern those countries How are OAS, ANZUS, and NATO similar? They are all alliances in which the United States takes part for the purpose of mutual defense in case of attack Do you think summits are useful? Why or why not? They show leaders’ commitment to working together, and leaders may be able to solve international problems more quickly if they work directly with leaders of other countries

NATO North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) The most important security alliance the U.S. is a member of Began in 1949 to combat aggression from Communist countries such as the Soviet Union (Russia) Oversaw international forces in Afghanistan Why was NATO formed? To establish a united front against aggression by the Soviet Union and its communist allies

Forms of Foreign Aid Foreign aid- any government program that provides economic or military assistance to another country What was the Marshall Plan? A plan to help war-torn countries of Europe rebuild; Congress granted more than $13 billion in aid for the plan Do you think humanitarian foreign aid is effective?

Foreign Trade and the Balance of Trade Balance of trade- the difference in value between a country’s exports and imports over a period of time Trade agreements help balance a country’s trade deficits European Union (EU)- an alliance of 27 European countries They share a single currency (the euro) How has Europe changed since the formation of the European Union? The European Union has allowed for free trade and a single currency for many nations

Supervising International Trade The World Trade Organization (WTO) supervises international trade The International Monetary Fund (IMF) lends money to countries in need The IMF is an agency of the United Nations (UN)

Debating Free Trade Opponents of free trade believe tariffs protect American industries and jobs Supporters of free trade believe it helps the U.S. gain greater access to foreign markets which would lead to our country’s economic growth Do you think international trade agreements benefit the United States? Why or why not?

Environmental Diplomacy The UN and other international organizations work together to protect the environment and endangered species