Great power

High school (ages 12+)
People & Society

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/great-power

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the historical origin?Formalized post-Napoleonic era (Congress of Vienna, 1814-1815)
2. What is the core components of power?Military strength, economic capacity, diplomatic reach, and cultural/ideological appeal (soft power)
3. Why do great powers have special seats on the UN Security Council?They have permanent seats and a veto power, which lets them help decide important decisions about peace and safety around the world.
4. How did the idea of great powers start after the Napoleonic wars?After the wars, leaders met at the Congress of Vienna and named a few powerful European countries as great powers to keep peace and balance.

Balance of Power: A system where states maintain military and economic parity to prevent any single state from dominating.
Sovereign State: An independent political entity with defined territory, population, government, and the capacity to enter into relations with other states.
Soft Power: The ability to attract and co-opt, rather than coerce or pay, through cultural and ideological appeal.