 “The
interplay of political, economic, and
geographical factors at a national and
international level. This affects gov’t
decision making and relationships
among countries.”
 How
geography shapes our politics
(policies) and how our politics shapes
our geography.
 Borders
are made
 Neighbours being enemies or allies
 Free Trade agreements
 Environment
 Soverienty
policies.
 An
independent nation of people who
have adopted a unique common identity
and who live together under one
government within a defined
geographical area. It possesses
sovereignty.
the authority of a state is not subject to
control by other states.
Political autonomy
Borders mark sovereignty



•
•
Canada’s arctic
The peacemaker
 Read What
is an Ideology from Text.
 The
point when relations between two major
countries become so bad that the threat of
war is constant, but there is no actual
fighting.
 Between
1940 and 1980’s international
politics were shaped by the intense rivalry,
distrust, and suspicion between the US and
the USSR.
• Ideologies:
 US – democratic and capitalistic
 USSR – Communist
 Political
Ideologies were not compatible.
 Democratic countries accused comm.
countries of spreading communist
thinking and trying to pressure unstable
regions into becoming communist.
 (Vice versa)
 After WWII
the US brought in a system of
containment to prevent the spread of
communism. Set up
• Marshall Plan
• Southeast Asia Treaty Organization
• US became involved in several armed situations
to prevent Soviet expansion. (Korean and
Vietnam Wars, Afghanistan in 1979 and 1989.
 1962
 Very
serious.
 Closest point of all out nuclear war.
 Soviets placed nuclear weapons in Cuba.
These missiles had the range of most of
Canada.
 Cuba was heavily penalized for this. Still
today.
 Instead
of actual combat both sides
competed in different ways, providing $
to competing countries, providing arms,
and other supplies in opposing sides of
civil wars.
 The
biggest Cold War competition was
the?
• Space race.
 Since
the USSR sent the first rocket and
satellite into space the US HAD to get to
the moon first.