World Cultures

Name:_____Jake____________
Unit I Europe
Block:___1____
Exploring a European Country Research Activity
Instructions: Using the Worldmark Encyclopedia of Cultures and Daily Life (found through the
library database Gale Virtual Reference Library; username and password is colonials), research a
European nation of interest to you and complete the items below thoughtfully and completely.
Be prepared to share what youve learned with your peers.
1. To what extent was this country ruled by others? Use evidence to support your answer.
Greece was ruled by the Ottoman Empire up until 1827

2. Which 20th century events had the greatest influence on this country? Choose two events
and explain their impact.
The Greek civil war, infamous for its brutality, began in Dec. 1944 and continued until Oct. 16,
1949.
Greece was a charter member of the UN and became a member of the North Atlantic Treaty
Organization (NATO) in 1951.
3. Identify the following:
Topic
Well known cities, regions,
or landforms

Details
Athens, Greece. Cape Sounion, Thessaloniki, Parthenon,

Relative size (size in

relationship to another
place)
Description of natural
environment
Population size
Degree of diversity
(1=homogenous; 10=very
diverse) with explanation

It is about the size of Pennsylvania and new York put together

Languages/Alphabets

Acropolis

Everything from coral reefs to tall mountains

11.03 million (2013)
The 98% of the Greeks are Christians Orthodox. Greece is an
easy 1 because they all have the same religion and are very
religious.
In 1976, with actions of the after dictatorship government.
Dimotiki language was adopted in education and administration
and it has been kept since then as the formal language of
modern Greece.

4. How does folklore influence the peoples worldview or actions? Explain your answer using
specific details.
Other than the Greek mythology there is almost no Greece folklore.
5. What religion(s) is practiced in this country, and how does it impact the people?

Eastern orthodox
6. Are rites of passage in this country similar to or different from rites of passage in the U.S.?
Explain your answer using specific pieces of evidence.
Many of the rites of passage that young people undergo are religious rituals, such as baptism,
first communion, confirmation, and marriage. In addition, many families mark a student's
progress through the education system with graduation parties.

7. What tips on interpersonal behavior might you give to an American who is about to travel to
this country? Provide at least three.
The Greeks are known for their lively, outgoing nature. Much of their leisure time is spent in
pareas , or groups of friends. Gathering in coffee shops, waterfront taverns, and village
squares, they drink, sing, dance, and discuss the events of the day. They generally gesture
energetically while talking.
8. Is the standard of living in this country better, worse, or about the same as that of the U.S.?
Justify your answer with at least three pieces of evidence.
The living conditions are a little less than that of the U.S but not by a lot.
Rural Greeksabout half the populationlive in flat-roofed houses of stone or brick, often
without running water or with only wood stoves for heat. City dwellers live in governmentsubsidized housing or in small houses in suburban areas.
Greece's transportation system has been greatly expanded since World War II (which ended in
1945). Most roads linking Athens to the main provincial centers are paved, and Athens itself has
a subway system.
Health care is provided by the state-run National Health Service, which includes some private
facilities. In spite of efforts to provide doctors to the most distant areas, medical care is still
uneven. Care is much better and easier to obtain in the large cities. However, most towns do
have hospitals or clinics.
9. Is family important in this country? Why or why not? Use specific details in your response.
Yes family is fairly important.
The basic family unit is the nuclear familya husband, a wife, and their unmarried children.
Among rural villagers, couples live with the husband's parents for a brief time. It is not
unusual, in fact, for city couples to live with one spouse's family until they are ready to buy
their own house. Aging parents often join a grown child's household when it becomes difficult
for them to care for themselves.
10.Does this country have distinctive traditional clothing? Explain your answer citing specific
details.
In everyday life, Western clothing is the norm. The traditional costumetunic, vest, and tight
pants bound at the knee for menis seen only during festivals and in rural areas.
11.How has globalization impacted food and diet in this country? Explain your answer using
specific facts.

Although Greece is part of Europe, the Greek diet has been influenced more by the countries of
the Middle East. Lamb is the basic meat, and olive oil is used in many recipes. Other staples
include rice, yogurt, figs, shish kebab, feta cheese (made from goat's or sheep's milk), and
whole-grain bread.
A typical Greek dish consists of ground meat with spices, rice, and herbs, often wrapped in
leaves or stuffed into vegetables. Greek pastries are eaten not as desserts but as afternoon or
late-night snacks. Many of them are extremely sweet and made from paper-thin dough called filo.
12.How might your educational experience in this country differ from the schooling you receive
in the U.S.?
Greeks place great value on learning and over 90 percent of the population can read and write.
13.What cultural influences or accomplishments is this country best known for? List and
describe at least three.
Even before the great flowering of culture in Athens in the fifth century BC , Greece had already
produced the Iliad and Odyssey , two epic poems by Homer. With the golden age of Athens came
the philosophical teachings of Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle; the great tragedies of Aeschylus,
Euripides, and Sophocles; and the comedies of Aristophanes. Greek sculptors perfected the art of
natural representation of the human body. Greek architecture, which had already introduced the
town plan based on a grid and organized around the temple, produced the Parthenon, the
beautiful temple on the Acropolis, a hill in Athens.
14.Summarize the overall economy of this country in 2-3 sentences.
15.How do people of this country spend their leisure time? List at least five activities. Would
you want to live there?
In cities and towns, Greeks enjoy television, movies, theater, and concerts. Forms of traditional
entertainment include folk dances performed by dance troupes wearing colorful costumes, with
accompaniment led by the bouzouki. Also popular is the karagiozi , a shadow-puppet show that is
performed live. Karagiozi can be seen every week on television. Operas, concerts, ballets, and
ancient Greek dramas are presented at the Athens Festival each summer. Greek drama is also
performed in the open-air theater at Epidaurus.

16.List (in order of significance) what you feel are the three biggest problems that this country
needs to resolve.
The proportion of drug users doubled in the 1980s, with the largest increase among women and
poor people. Marijuana is the most frequently used drug. In the early 1990s, drug-related deaths
numbered between sixty-six and seventy-nine per year. Aside from drug control, the other major
problem in Greek society is illegal immigration of people from the Balkans and the Middle East.
Also the country needs to be modernized a little more but It needs to keep
17.Are all people treated equally in this country? Why or why not? Explain your answer using
specific evidence.
Yes as far as I can tell everyone is treated equally in Greece.