1. Jarrett Book: Chapter 15 (239 – 254)
NATIONS
Borders & Power
Jarrett Book: Chapter 15 (239 – 254)

2. How do different countries relate to each other?
Essential Questions
What factors determine where boundaries between countries are established?
How do different countries relate to each other? 2

3. Important Ideas
Governments generally set up clear boundaries and exercise power within those boundaries.
Political units are created within boundaries.
Political maps show the borders of political units, such as countries, cities, towns, counties.
A nation’s level of power affects its international role.
This are the main topics that are going to be covered. 3

4. POLITICAL REGIONS

5. What is the difference between a nation and a country?
When we discuss political divisions, borders, nations and terms like that, they can be confusing. A major problem is that people use some of these words in the wrong way. In other cases the same word might mean different things.
If Texas is a “state” how can a country like Israel also be referred to as the “State of Israel”?
What is the difference between a nation and a country?
This stuff can seem confusing, but let’s try to keep it simple. A proper definition of these terms is less important than how they might be used in a question.
Talking Points:
While the terms country and nation are often used interchangeably, there is a difference. A country is a self-governing political entity while a nation is a tightly-knit group of people which share a common culture. The term “state” refers to an independent political unit. It can be part of a confederation, federal system, or run independently, it is a generic term. People often group this term in with nation or country. Though in the United States, our states can make using that term too often confusing. 5

6. A border is a boundary that is set up by a political unit.
Even though they are different, you can think of these words as partners. They are sort of like non-identical twins.
Government
The area a government controls sets up a political unit or political region.
&
Political Unit
Boundaries
A border is a boundary that is set up by a political unit.
&
Borders
Nation
A country is a self-governed political unit and a nation is a group of people that share a common culture.
&
Talking Points:
For the sake of the EOC test, they should know how to use these words in questions. This is less about vocabulary an more about understanding these words in context.
Mini Assignment Suggestions:
1. Think Pair Share – With a partner describe the United States using all of these terms. Be ready to share with the group;
2. Use all of these terms in a super short paragraph. Try to use more than one in each sentence. The shorter the paragraph the better as long as you use all the terms properly.
3. In groups of three, each person in the group will have five minutes to find an example of one of these pairs in the book. They will then share them with the group, then be ready to share with the class.
Country
“Mini” Assignment: Follow all directions to complete the assignment. WE CANNOT GO ON UNTIL YOU PROVE TO ME YOU UNDERSTAND THESE TERMS! 6

7. Yassie. Creative Commons 2.O, December 2009
Houston, Texas
People in a particular place might belong to several different political units. For example, the people of Houston belong to the city of Houston, Harris County, the state of Texas, and the country of the United States of America.
Each level of government works a little differently and city, county, and state governments work differently as well. Just remember, the basic terms you have learned all work in almost any case!
Talking Points:
This is just a practical example of political units in a city with which students would be vaguely familiar.
Yassie. Creative Commons 2.O, December 2009 7

8. Ok, give it a try. Can you answer these questions based on where you live?
What is your country?
What is your state?
Talking Points:
For the most part these political units get larger as they move along, but there are exceptions. There are counties in Texas that are larger than the state of Rhode Island.
What is your county?
What is your city? 8

9. Oklahoma Ohio Texas Utah United States Mississippi
‘s do an Abbreviated Brace Map to make sure one last time we understand the structure.
City of Dallas
Oklahoma
Tarrant County
City of Garland
Ohio
Fannin County
Texas
Dallas County
All of the other 30 cities in Dallas County
All of the other 251 Texas counties
Utah
United States
Mississippi
Talking Points:
This map is just some additional re-enforcement of the idea of organization. It may not be necessary. Make sure they understand that an actual brace map with all of this listed out would be huge.
California
And the 44 other states I am not going to list 9

10. Although it is not exactly true, people often use the term “federal government” instead of “national government”.
The whole government system of the state and national government together is actually the federal government.
However, most of the time when someone says “federal government” and someone else says “national government” they are talking about the same thing.
Talking Points:
Suggestion: Think Pair Share – Ask students to pair up and decide what they think the definition of sovereign might be. This might be a good example of how the spelling can help (“reign”) get the answer. It is unlikely that many know what the word means, but they should.
For most countries, including the United States, the national government is sovereign. What do you think that means? 10