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Handout B: Summative Questions

Handout B: Summative Questions

Directions: Answer the following questions in complete, well-written sentences. When possible, use evidence and data from the country comparison exercise you just completed.

  1. What similarities are there among the countries that rank near the top in per capita GDP? Near the bottom?
  2. What countries are in the top three in GDP, human development, and freedom in the world? In the bottom? Looking at all of the data and indexes, what characteristics do they share in their respective groups? Provide specific evidence from the data. Where does the United States fall in these categories? Why?
  3. Many believe that countries that possess large amounts of natural resources are also the wealthiest. Analyzing the data, confirm or refute this argument. Provide specific evidence from the data.
  4. From the data, what is the correlative relationship between the rule of law and economic prosperity? Why might the strong rule of law be an important part of prosperity? Provide specific evidence from the data. How does the United States protect prosperity through rule of law?
  5. What is the correlative relationship between economic and political freedom and economic prosperity? In what ways would economic and political freedom promote economic prosperity? Provide specific evidence from the data. How does the United States protect economic and political freedom?