Essay and Discussion Questions from Regions of the World

Europe and Eurasia High School Questions

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Help students understand Europe and Eurasia through these essay and discussion questions.

Questions

  1. How did the World Wars shape Europe?
  2. How did World War II change Europe’s place in the global balance of powers?
  3. What new ideas came out of the World Wars? In what ways are these ideas’ legacies still apparent today?
  4. How did the Cold War grow out of World War II? What new realities did the Cold War introduce to the region?
  5. How did the end of the Cold War change the purpose of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)? What new challenges did NATO face?
  6. What are the goals of the European Union (EU)? How have they changed over time?
  7. How would you characterize the relationship between Russia and the rest of the Europe and Eurasia region since the Cold War ended?
  8. Why did Russia attack Ukraine? Why might the ongoing war in Ukraine be considered a product of regional trends?
  9. In what areas do EU members cooperate and coordinate?
  10. Has the EU had a positive or negative effect on its members? Why?
  11. What drives some countries to want to join the EU? What drives some countries to leave, or to not join in the first place?
  12. Why is freedom of movement important to Europeans? What challenges does it bring?
  13. What is the state of democracy in Europe and Eurasia? Where and why is democracy weakening?
  14. How does the eurozone improve European economies? How does it limit them?
  15. Why does Europe generally enjoy a high standard of living?
  16. To what extent is there a European identity? What factors complicate the idea of a continent-wide identity?
  17. How has migration shaped European society since World War II?
  18. What challenges does Europe’s aging population bring to the region?
  19. What draws people to Europe from outside the region?