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Look carefully at the age chart on the right to compare to American schooling.

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Below, you can see how common bilingualism is in Europe. How do you think this compares to the US?

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Video: Differences from the US system of governance

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Video: Differences from the US system of governance

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Notice what expertise/degrees the leaders of Europe have--how does this compare to the US?

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All of the images you see below are political parties that have fair chances of ruling the lawmaking body. How does this compare to the US?

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Hopefully, you should know who votes for the president, but who votes for the Leader in a Parliamentary system?

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Europe is the only region projected to see a decline in its total population between 2010 and 2050. Although Christians will continue to be the largest religious group in the region, Europe’s Christian population is expected to drop by about 100 million people, falling from 553 million in 2010 to 454 million in 2050.⁵⁸ Europe’s Jewish population also is expected to shrink, from 1.4 million in 2010 to 1.2 million in 2050. The remaining religious groups in Europe are projected to grow in number due to a combination of higher fertility, younger populations and net gains via migration and religious switching.

Europe’s Muslim population is projected to increase by 63%, growing from 43 million in 2010 to 71 million in 2050. The religiously unaffiliated population in Europe is expected to grow by about 16%, from 140 million in 2010 to 162 million in 2050.

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Religious Representation in Europe Today

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Religious Representation in Europe Today

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Now that you are more aware of politics, religion, and education in the European Union, it is never surprising that art reflects how the populace feels about those concepts.

Like the rebellious youth movements happening in the 1970s United States, Europe also had its fair share of anti-government sentiment manifesting in the 1980s. Most of the art has a very urban feel to it, often being displayed in graffiti or comic book formatting--it looks fun, but its a serious critique on society.

Below are a couple examples of anti-establishment artists. Think about what you learned to interpret them.

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1. Rainer Fetting's 'First Painting of the Wall' (1977)

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1. Rainer Fetting's 'First Painting of the Wall' (1977)

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Germany experienced a pop-up of young artists commenting on the at-time systems of government. If you pay attention to when this painting was made, it is depicting a familiar scene in Berlin, Germany.

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Think about the religious tones of this piece.

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A Royal British guard exposes himself urinating on a London Street.

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This anonymous British graffiti artist is known for his random art that appears on public buildings, streets, etc. While his images seem to have a negative outlook on humanity, he feels it needs to be brought to our attention.

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Teachers
in Finland, the bar is set so high for teachers, that there is often no reason to have a rigorous “grading" system for teachers. All teachers are required to have a master's degree before entering the profession. Teaching programs are the most rigorous and selective professional schools in the entire country.

School Times
If classes in the US start at 8am, then you've got sleepy, uninspired adolescents on your hands.

Students in Finland usually start school anywhere from 9:00 – 9:45 AM. Research has shown that early start times are detrimental to students' well-being. Finnish schools start the day later and usually end by 2:00 – 2:45 AM. They have longer class periods and much longer breaks in between.

School Enrollment
Students start school when they are seven years old. It's not a time for intense academics--It's simply just a way to let a kid be a kid.

There are only 9 years of compulsory school that Finnish children are required to attend. Everything past the ninth grade (16 years old) is optional.

Just from a psychological standpoint, this is a freeing ideal. Although it may anecdotal, many students really feel like they're stuck in a prison.