George period1 2/21/13

Italy
Throughouthistory,therehaveonlybeenahandfulofcountriesthathave significantlyshapedthewaywethinkabouttheworld.Italyisacountrywhichhadthiskind ofimpactyesterdayandtoday.SinceearlytimeAncientRomehashadapositiveand negativeinfluenceontheworld.Whatsetsitapartfromothercountriesisithasanamazing history.Understandingitsamazingpastandpresentofthiscountrymeanslookingatits geography,history,andcurrentevents. LookingatthegeographyofItaly,ithasasizeandmainparts.Itispeninsulaand sea.ThepeninsulareachesjustoutsideofsouthernItalyintotheAdriaticSea.Itisknown thatitisshapedlikeaboot.TheAlpsandmountainsfollowthepeninsula.Thesea surroundsallofitaly,andtheseaslocationisveryimportantinItalianhistory.Thewestis surroundedbytheTtyrreriananSea,andtheeastissurroundedbytheAdriaticSea.the peninsulaisboundedwithSwitzerland,France,Austria,andSloveniaallthewaytothe north.SomeofthelargestislandsinItalyareSardina(9,301squaremiles)andSicily (9,926squaremiles)Thosearesomebeautifulandbigislands!Thesizehastwomain partshowbigitisanditspopulation.InItaly,thecurrentpopulationis64,261,254people. HowbigisItaly?Itis113,521squaremilesanditisabitbiggerthanArizona.Lookingat thethemainpartsandthesizeofItalyhelpinunderstandingthetwomainpartsofits geography.

ThehistoryofItalyhastwomainparts,thepeopleandthestates.Thepeoplelinkto themigrationandoverthrowing.TheEuropeansstartedmigratingtoItalyin2000B.C.Latin andSablimefolkscametoliveinItalyduringthemigration.Also,inthe9thcentury,the Romansdiscontinuedandoverthrewthemigration.In264B.C.theromanswerein leadershipofsouthCisalpineGaul.Theleadershipwentsevencenturiesuntilthe barbariansinvadedanddestroyedthewestRomesEmpire.Inthe4thtothe5thcentury A.D.mostofItalianHistoryisthehistoryofRome.Immediatelyafter1800Napoleon crownedhimselfkingofItalyin1805.Society,bythesixthcentury,Romansmadeagroup ofstatescalledEtruria.ThefirstItaliansocietybeganin1200B.C.Movingontothekings, Etruscankingsruledforonehundredyearsatatime.In800B.Ctheitalianssettledinthe southandtheEtruscankingsroseinItaly.LookingatthethepeopleandthestatesofItaly helpinunderstandingthetwomainpartsofitshistory. SomeofthecurrenteventsgoingoninItalyaresportsandcars.Soccerisabig thinginItalyrightnow.Twoteamsjustplayed,ValenciaandBarcelona.Players:Balotelli (anItalian),andMessi(spaniard)facedoffinagameheldinItaly.Theytied11.Nowtothe teams,anItaliansoccerclubhascometopeacewithaKoreanteam,whobumpedthem outoftheworldcuponeyear.Theclubsignedafeefor1.5milliondollars.Anothercurrent eventinvolvesAlfaRomeoandtheU.S.ItalyhascomeupwithanewmodeloftheAlfa Romeo.Itisareallycooltwoseatconvertiblecar.IntheU.S,theItaliansaretryingtoshow offtheirnewmodelbeforethebigandupcomingautoshow.TheU.Sistryingtobringthis carbacktothecompany,Fiat.LookingatthethesportsandcarsofItalyhelpin understandingthetwomainpartsofitscurrentevents.

UnderstandingItalysamazingpastandpresentmeanslookingatitsgeography, history,andcurrentevents.Italyisareallyawesomecountryandithasamazingfactsand qualitiesthatmakeitapopularplacetovisitandlive.WhatthefutureholdsforItalyis excitingandunknown.Thegovernment,forexample,maychange.Also,thetechnologywill likelygetstronger.Theeducationwillcontinuetoimprove.IfItalywerenotonthisplanetwe wouldmissalotofamazingscenery,amazingfood,andagreatcountry.VivaItaly!