<p> France France and Benelux Countries Guided Notes Pages 297-301</p><p>A. History</p><p>1. France is the ______country in Western Europe.</p><p>2. France has gone back and forth many times between monarchy and ______.</p><p>3. After Napoleon Bonaparte seized power and ruled as an emperor, France returned briefly to a ______. </p><p>4. Political instability and frequent changes in government continued. </p><p>5. In 1958, French voters agreed to a new ______that gave their president greater power.</p><p>B. Culture</p><p>1. Most French citizens have a very strong cultural identity and take pride in their culture.</p><p>2. Many people have emigrated from France’s former colonies in North Africa and ______. </p><p>3. France is highly ______and heavily settled. Because space is scarce, ______are more common than houses.</p><p>4. Each year on July 14, the French celebrate ______.</p><p>C. Government and Economics</p><p>1. Today, France is a ______democracy with power concentrated at the national level.</p><p>2. In France, the executive branch includes a president and a ______. </p><p>3. France’s economy is one of the strongest in the world.</p><p>4. France is Europe’s largest export of farm ______.</p><p>5. The fertile soil of the Northern ______Plain covers much of France.</p><p>6. France is an EU member, major producer of ______, high speed trains and ______.</p><p>7. France has been the world’s top ______destination for several years.</p><p>France France and Benelux Countries Guided Notes Pages 297-301</p><p>A. History</p><p>6. France is the ______country in Western Europe.</p><p>7. France has gone back and forth many times between monarchy and ______.</p><p>8. After Napoleon Bonaparte seized power and ruled as an emperor, France returned briefly to a ______. 9. Political instability and frequent changes in government continued. </p><p>10. In 1958, French voters agreed to a new ______that gave their president greater power.</p><p>B. Culture</p><p>5. Most French citizens have a very strong cultural identity and take pride in their culture.</p><p>6. Many people have emigrated from France’s former colonies in North Africa and ______. </p><p>7. France is highly ______and heavily settled. Because space is scarce, ______are more common than houses.</p><p>8. Each year on July 14, the French celebrate ______.</p><p>C. Government and Economics</p><p>8. Today, France is a ______democracy with power concentrated at the national level.</p><p>9. In France, the executive branch includes a president and a ______. </p><p>10. France’s economy is one of the strongest in the world.</p><p>11. France is Europe’s largest export of farm ______.</p><p>12. The fertile soil of the Northern ______Plain covers much of France.</p><p>13. France is an EU member, major producer of ______, high speed trains and ______.</p><p>14. France has been the world’s top ______destination for several years.</p><p>The Benelux Countries</p><p>A. The Netherlands, ______and Luxembourg belong to an economic union known as the ______countries.</p><p>B. The Netherlands</p><p>1. Spain finally recognized the Netherlands as an independent from Dutch rule in ______.</p><p>2. Most Dutch are ______, and the official language of the Netherlands is ______. </p><p>3. Nearly half of the land is below sea level, so living space is scarce. </p><p>4. ______are drained lands which account for nearly 40% of the land in the Netherlands.</p><p>C. Belgium and Luxembourg</p><p>1. For many years, Belgium was part of the ______. It gained its independence in 1830.</p><p>2. At one time, cultural differences between the Dutch-speaking Flemings and the French-speaking Walloons caused serious tension.</p><p>3. The government eased the tension by giving both groups greater ______. 4. Autonomy is self-governance or independence.</p><p>5. Luxembourg is one of the ______countries in Europe. </p><p>6. In 1890, it broke away from the ______to become a duchy, which is a state ruled by a ______or duchess.</p><p>7. Many of Luxembourg’s people are ______, or able to speak several languages.</p><p>The Benelux Countries</p><p>A. The Netherlands, ______and Luxembourg belong to an economic union known as the ______countries.</p><p>B. The Netherlands</p><p>5. Spain finally recognized the Netherlands as an independent from Dutch rule in ______.</p><p>6. Most Dutch are ______, and the official language of the Netherlands is ______. </p><p>7. Nearly half of the land is below sea level, so living space is scarce. </p><p>8. ______are drained lands which account for nearly 40% of the land in the Netherlands.</p><p>C. Belgium and Luxembourg</p><p>8. For many years, Belgium was part of the ______. It gained its independence in 1830.</p><p>9. At one time, cultural differences between the Dutch-speaking Flemings and the French-speaking Walloons caused serious tension.</p><p>10. The government eased the tension by giving both groups greater ______.</p><p>11. Autonomy is self-governance or independence.</p><p>12. Luxembourg is one of the ______countries in Europe. 13. In 1890, it broke away from the ______to become a duchy, which is a state ruled by a ______or duchess.</p><p>14. Many of Luxembourg’s people are ______, or able to speak several languages.</p>