WORLD KNOWLEDGE

CURRENT POLITICAL LEADERS OF SOME OF THE WORLDS NATIONS

USA

Barak Obama

President

China

Xi Jinping

President

Russia

Vladimir Putin

President

India

Narendra Modi

Prime Minister

France

Franois Hollande

President

United Kingdom

David Cameron

Prime Minister

Germany

Angela Merkel

Chancellor

Japan

Shinz Abe

Prime Minister

POLITICAL SYSTEMS

Democracy

Democracy is a form of government in which all eligible citizens participate equally either directly or through elected representatives (politicians) in the proposal, development, and creation of laws. All citizens once they are adults (in this country it is at the age of 18 years old) to vote in each election for the person/political party they would like to represent them and run the country. Examples of democracies are United Kingdom, America and India.

Communism

Communism is a radical revolutionary socialist movement which aims to create a classless social order as well as a social, political and economic ideology that aims to establish absolute equality for all. Examples of communist states are China, North Korea and Cuba.

Fascism

Fascism is a form of radical authoritarian nationalism that came to prominence in early 20th-century Europe.

Fascists sought to unify their nation through a totalitarian state. Hostile to democracy, socialism and communism, fascist movements shared certain common features including a devotion to a strong leader. Fascism views political violence and war as a means to achieve a stronger nation and asserts that stronger nations have the right to take over weaker nations. Examples of Fascist countries were Germany during Hitlers rule and Italy under Benito Mussolini. Some countries today have elements of Fascist rule, such as Syria.

Dictatorship

A dictatorship is defined as a form of government in which a country is ruled by one person (a Dictator), or a small group of people. In this form of government the power rests entirely on the person or group of people, and can be obtained by force. Dictator(s) are not voted for by their people and many countries run by dictators take away much of its peoples' freedom. Exampled of countries with dictators are Iran, Zimbabwe and Saudi Arabia.

WORLD KNOWLEDGE

RELIGIONS

Judaism

The people who follow Judaism are called Jews and their god is eternal and invisible and trusting in Gods will is fundamental to Jewish beliefs. Jewish law as revealed by God is contained in the Torah. The Wailing Wall in Jerusalem (once part of Solomons Temple) is a sacred site.

Hinduism

About 5000 years old and followed primarily in India. One of its beliefs is that a persons actions lead to the reward or punishment of being reincarnated in a higher or lower form of life. The three principal gods are Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva but Krishna (an incarnation of Vishnu) is also widely worshipped. The main scriptures are the Vedas. The River Ganges is seen as a goddess of purity and followers of the religion come to bathe in the river. The cow is a sacred symbol to Hindus.

Christianity

Religion that grew out of Judaism 2000 years ago and is based on the belief that Jesus Christ is the son of God. The holy book is the Bible. Many years ago, the Church divided into Eastern (orthodox) and Western (Roman Catholic) branches. The Catholic Church still recognises the Pope as leader and Rome as a holy city but a major rift beginning in the sixteenth century let to the emergence of the Protestants and many subsequent divisions including the Church of England.

Islam

Founded in the seventh century by the one prophet Muhammad, whose god is called Allah. The holy book the Koran or Quran contains the revelations that Allah made to Muhammad. The holy cities are Mecca, birthplace of Muhammad and Medina, where he is buried. All able bodied Muslims who can afford it are expected to make a pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in their lives. The Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem is the oldest intact Muslim temple in the world and is built over the point from which Muhammad traditionally ascended to heaven.

Buddhism

Founded in the sixth century by Gautama Siddhartha, known as Buddha. There are no Gods in Buddhism but a belief that life is characterized by suffering, that suffering is caused by desire, that to end desire is therefore to end suffering and lead to the ideal state of Nirvana.

INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATIONS

The United Nations

The United Nations (UN) is an organisation established on 24 October 1945 to promote international cooperation after World War II. There are 193 member countries of the United Nations. Its objectives include maintaining international peace and security, promoting human rights, fostering social and economic development, protecting the environment, and providing humanitarian aid in cases of famine, natural disaster, and armed conflict.

The Red Cross

The Red Cross is one of the oldest and most widely recognized organizations in the world, having won three Nobel Peace Prizes in 1917, 1944, and 1963.

The Red Cross is a humanitarian institution based in Geneva, Switzerland. The International Red Cross protects victims of international and internal armed conflicts. Such victims include war wounded, prisoners, refugees and civilians.

NATO

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) is an inter-governmental military alliance based on the North Atlantic Treaty which was signed on 4April 1949. The organization constitutes a system of collective defence whereby its member states agree to mutual defense in response to an attack by any external party.

NATO's headquarters are in Brussels, Belgium. NATO has 28 member states (countries) across North America and Europe including such countries as Germany, America, UK, France, Canada and many more.

The Scout Association

The Scouts, founded by Lord Baden-Powell in 1907 with one camp in England, now has more than 40 million members worldwide composed of Scout associations in 216 countries and territories. The scouts is a movement that aims to support young people in their physical, mental and spiritual development, that they may play constructive roles in society, with a strong focus on the outdoors and survival skills.

There are scout movements across the world who work under the ethos, created by Lord Baden-Powell, of leaving this world a little better than you found it

European Union

The European Union (EU) is an economic and political union of 28 member states (countries) that are located mainly in Europe. The EU has developed a single system of laws that apply in all member states. The UK is a member of the European Union although we have not adopted the currency of the Euro.

WORLD KNOWLEDGE

SOME OF THE MOST ICONIC STRUCTURES IN THE WORLD - In the United Kingdom

Windsor Castle

Windsor Castle is a royal residence in Windsor in Berkshire. The castle is notable for its long association with the royal family and for its architecture. The original castle was built in the 11th century after the Norman invasion by William the Conqueror. Since the time of Henry I, it has been used by succeeding monarchs and it is the longest-occupied palace in Europe.

More than five hundred people live and work in Windsor Castle.

Buckingham Palace

Buckingham Palace is the official London residence and principal workplace of the British monarch.

Originally known as Buckingham House,George III bought the property in 1735 when the mansion was little more than a red brick house. Since then, various architects have worked on the building to make it what it is today.

The palace also had to undergo extensive work after being bombed no less than nine times during World War II. However, still very much in operation, it's one of the few working royal palaces remaining in the world today.

Big Ben

Big Ben is the nickname for the great bell of the clock at the north end of the Palace of Westminster in London and often extended to refer to the clock and the clock tower. The tower is now officially called the Elizabeth Tower, after being renamed in 2012 (from "Clock Tower") to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee of Elizabeth II. The tower holds the largest four-faced chiming clock in the world and is the third-tallest free-standing clock tower.

The tower was completed in 1858. The tower has become one of the most prominent symbols of both London and England and is often in the establishing shot of films set in the city.

Houses of Parliament

The Palace of Westminster is the meeting place of the House of Commons and the House of Lords, the two houses of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Commonly known as the Houses of Parliament after its tenants, the Palace lies on the bank of the River Thames in central London.

The first royal palace was built on the site in the eleventh century, and Westminster was the primary London residence of the Kings of England until a fire destroyed much of the complex in 1512. After that, it served as the home of Parliament, which had been meeting there since the thirteenth century, and the seat of the Royal Courts of Justice, based in and around Westminster Hall.

In 1834 an even larger fire ravaged the building, much of which subsequently had to be demolished. What remained of the Old Palace was incorporated into its much larger replacement which was completed in 1840.

St Pauls CathEdral

London's most iconic building, St Paul's Cath