1. To what extent was this country ruled by others? Use evidence to support your answer.

Italy was once ruled by the Roman Empire.

2. Which 20
th
century events had the greatest influence on this country? Choose two events and explain their impact.
World war two impacted Italy greatly. Italy was captured and taken over by Mussolini.
Italy joined the UN in 1955. It allowed Italy to be able to have some kind of say that went on around the world
within the UN.
3. Identify the following:
Topic Details
Well known cities, regions, or
landforms
Rome is the capital of Italy. Other cities that are known are Venice, Sicily and
Florence. Italy has a variety of substratum rock types. 35% of Italy is
mountainous.

Relative size (size in relationship to
another place)
Italy is really small compared to the US. The US is over 3 million sq. miles and
Italy is just under 200,000 sq. miles. Italy is a little smaller then the east cost of
the US.
Description of natural environment Italy is mountainous and very hilly. There are also many spectacular views of
mountain ranges in Italy.

Population size About 58 Million
Degree of diversity
(1=homogenous; 10=very diverse)
with explanation
1 or 2. Italy is not very diverse at all. It is one of the least diverse countries in the
world. There is very little diversity because there are not many religions and
many people are similar in many ways.

Languages/Alphabets Italian, French, Slovene, German and Fruilian


4. How does folklore influence the peoples worldview or actions? Explain your answer using specific details.
It gives people an idea of how Rome started and makes them believe in the two brothers, Romulus and Remus.

5. What religion(s) is practiced in this country, and how does it impact the people?
90% of Italy is Roman Catholic, 1.4% is Muslims and very small amounts are Jewish. There are also Greek
orthodox and Protestants. This impacts the people because it makes a more diverse Nation
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.
No, Rites of passage in Italy are more religious like communions. In the US it is more about humans like birth and
death
7. What tips on interpersonal behavior might you give to an American who is about to travel to this country? Provide
at least three.
First off, many people are very open. They talk about personal things. Secondly, they dont care as much about
personal space. For example, grown men will kiss on the cheeks as greetings. Lastly, Italians have a lot of respect
for their elders. If an elder family member or friend walks in the room they will stand up.

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.
Italy is similar to the US in standard of living. Italy and the US have a very high literacy rate at 99%. They both
have similar unemployment rates around 9%. Also they both have high life expectancies.

9. Is family important in this country? Why or why not? Use specific details in your response.
Family in Italy is very important because many actions and decisions are influenced by family. For example,
marriage, employment and political decisions are influenced by family. According to gale, Family is the
backbone of Italian society.

10. Does this country have distinctive traditional clothing? Explain your answer citing specific details.
No, Italy dresses very differently than the traditional way. Clothing is very high quality there. For example, men
will wear nice cut suits and silk and women will wear skirts or dresses.

11. How has globalization impacted food and diet in this country? Explain your answer using specific facts.
A typical Italian diet is healthy. Globalization ruins that diet. It makes it unhealthier and it can lead to obesity.
For example, fast food will ruin it. Also it causes many people to go out and eat instead of cooking at home.

12. How might your educational experience in this country differ from the schooling you receive in the U.S.?
Education in Italy is very similar to education in the US. It is free from ages 6 to 14 in Italy. After that students go
to secondary education, this is similar to our high school. Then a small amount of students will go to a higher
level of learning. This further education compares to the college.

13. What cultural influences or accomplishments is this country best known for? List and describe at least three.
First off is art. Italian art goes way back to the sculpture of Rome. Also many famous artists came from Italy.
Secondly is music. Italy is best known for its opera singing. Lastly, Italy is known for its literature. Many famous
writers that won the Nobel Prize came from Italy. A very famous work piece is called The Aeniad by Virgil.

14. Summarize the overall economy of this country in 2-3 sentences.
Over the last few years, Italys economy has been increasing. It is the highest its been in four years. Employment
rate has been increasing rapidly. Italy is a moderately free economy. Even though it is the highest it has been
there are many issues like labor strikes in the service area including, hospitals, schools and banks.

15. How do people of this country spend their leisure time? List at least five activities. Would you want to live there?
They play sports, soccer being the biggest one.
Beaches are very popular in Italy.
Italians like to shop.
They will meet with friends at a caf for hours and they can also read there.
They have big lunches that could take up to two hours during a hot day.

16. List (in order of significance) what you feel are the three biggest problems that this country needs to resolve.
A big problem is organized crime like the mafia. The mafia can include kidnappings, gang wars and drug related
problems. Another issue is gender issues. Men have all the authority in the home. There are no policies for
women to balance her profession and family. Lastly is Inefficiency of government. This affects daily life in many
ways including health care, banking and telephone service.

17. Are all people treated equally in this country? Why or why not? Explain your answer using specific evidence.
No, women have less rights then men. For example, they dont have the same equality in the work force or in
politics. Women can never get to the top position.