Constructed-Response Practice Set

Document A: "Since the end of the Cold War, the world has become more economically integrated than ever before. International trade has grown faster than global output. Multinational corporations operate supply chains spanning dozens of countries. Capital flows across borders in seconds. Cultural products move from one country to another in real time. The internet has connected billions of people who can communicate instantaneously." — Description of globalization, late 1990s

Document B: "By the 2020s, globalization faces serious challenges. The 2008 financial crisis exposed vulnerabilities of integrated financial systems. Populist movements in many democracies have opposed immigration and international institutions. The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted global supply chains. The Russian invasion of Ukraine and the intensifying U.S.-China rivalry have brought great-power competition back to the center of global affairs." — Description of the contemporary world

Question 1: Based on Document A, identify two features of globalization since the end of the Cold War.

Strong sample answer: Document A identifies two features of globalization: rapid growth of international trade that has exceeded the growth of overall global production, and the development of multinational corporations operating supply chains across dozens of countries. The document also notes the role of the internet in connecting billions of people for instantaneous communication.

Question 2: Based on Document B, identify two challenges globalization faces in the 2020s.

Strong sample answer: Document B identifies two challenges to globalization: the rise of populist movements in democracies that oppose immigration and international institutions, and the return of great-power competition through the Russian invasion of Ukraine and intensifying U.S.-China rivalry. The 2008 financial crisis exposed the vulnerabilities of integrated financial systems, and the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted global supply chains.

Question 3: Using both documents and your knowledge of social studies, explain how globalization has both transformed the world and produced reactions against itself.

Strong sample answer: "Globalization has produced one of the most dramatic transformations of the modern era. As Document A shows, the end of the Cold War accelerated economic, technological, and cultural integration across borders. International trade grew faster than global production, multinational corporations built complex global supply chains, and the internet connected billions of people for instantaneous communication. The rise of China as a manufacturing power lifted hundreds of millions out of poverty. The European Union deepened integration on a continent that had fought two world wars in the previous century. Yet, as Document B shows, this transformation has also produced significant reactions. The 2008 financial crisis exposed the dangers of integrated financial markets. Manufacturing job losses in developed countries fueled populist movements that oppose immigration and international institutions, producing Brexit and shifts in American politics. The COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated both global interdependence (which enabled rapid spread) and global cooperation (which produced vaccines remarkably fast). The Russian invasion of Ukraine and intensifying U.S.-China rivalry have brought great-power competition back to the center of global affairs. Globalization has not ended, but it is being contested and reshaped. Maria's generation will likely see further negotiation about how interconnected the world should be."