PART I: answer with 100 words or more.

Since 2001, the role of the United States in the world has been at times championed as well as criticized; we are either loved or hated, so it seems. Speculate on the "standing" of America in the world today: are we still a superpower or have we lost our strength? Consider such important events as the September 11, 2001 Terrorist Attacks, the Wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, issues pertaining to illegal immigration, the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), and our response to ISIS as well as Russian aggression in the Ukraine.

PART II - SHORT RESEARCH PAPER

Directions: Please search for two research articles that will serve as the basis for your homework this week.

Research the history of your family as far back as you can. Determine at what point your family moved to the United States and for what reasons (which is hallmark of cultural geography). Include the following:

• When did your family originally arrive in the United States?
• Where did they settle?
• What reasons do you know or think that they settled for?
• What social processes from your ancestors' home country (e.g., unemployment, religious persecution) drove them to the United States?

Did any other factors compel your family to move to the United States (e.g., poor economic conditions in the home country, frequent natural disasters, etc).