Ap World History 1914 to Present
1914 to Present 1914–Present
Major Developments
I. Questions of periodization A. Continuities and breaks 1. Most tumultuous eras in world history a. “age of extremes” 1. Tons of democracies vs. extremist dictatorships 2. Unprecedented prosperity vs. total poverty – income gap widens b. 1914 clearest demarcation line 1. After war, nations fight everywhere for power and territory 2. Empires weakened, monarchies toppled, new nations rose 3. Last 100 years, most dramatic/tragic in recorded history 2. World Wars a. WWI 1. Destroyed several empires 2. Weakened all of Europe b. WWII – largest, bloodiest, costliest 1. Ends European global mastery 3. Interwar period a. Economic crisis – started by US b. Dictatorial regimes – Fascist Italy, Nazi Germany, Soviet Russia 1. Totalitarian states wave of the future? 4. Communism as alternative to capitalism 5. Decolonization – Europe loses control of Africa, Asia, Pacific a. National liberation creates new nations 1. Smooth and peaceful 2. Attained by violence 3. Turned into chaos 6. Political extremes a. Democratization 1. Allow women to vote b. Most extreme dictatorial regimes 1. millions imprisoned, abused, tortured, killed 7. Modernization – toward postindustrial modes a. Developed world goes postindustrial b. Asia industrializes and mechanizes 8. Economies a. Globalized, grown closer together 1. Mass communication a. Computer technology b. Information and communications revolution 9. Closer together or further apart a. World closer together 1. End of arms race, economic globalization, American pop culture 2. Spread of mass communications/technology b. Pulling world apart 1. Ethnic violence 2. Extreme forms of nationalism 3. Religious fundamentalism 4. Fear of biological and chemical weaponry 5. Growing tensions
Major Developments
I. Questions of periodization A. Continuities and breaks 1. Most tumultuous eras in world history a. “age of extremes” 1. Tons of democracies vs. extremist dictatorships 2. Unprecedented prosperity vs. total poverty – income gap widens b. 1914 clearest demarcation line 1. After war, nations fight everywhere for power and territory 2. Empires weakened, monarchies toppled, new nations rose 3. Last 100 years, most dramatic/tragic in recorded history 2. World Wars a. WWI 1. Destroyed several empires 2. Weakened all of Europe b. WWII – largest, bloodiest, costliest 1. Ends European global mastery 3. Interwar period a. Economic crisis – started by US b. Dictatorial regimes – Fascist Italy, Nazi Germany, Soviet Russia 1. Totalitarian states wave of the future? 4. Communism as alternative to capitalism 5. Decolonization – Europe loses control of Africa, Asia, Pacific a. National liberation creates new nations 1. Smooth and peaceful 2. Attained by violence 3. Turned into chaos 6. Political extremes a. Democratization 1. Allow women to vote b. Most extreme dictatorial regimes 1. millions imprisoned, abused, tortured, killed 7. Modernization – toward postindustrial modes a. Developed world goes postindustrial b. Asia industrializes and mechanizes 8. Economies a. Globalized, grown closer together 1. Mass communication a. Computer technology b. Information and communications revolution 9. Closer together or further apart a. World closer together 1. End of arms race, economic globalization, American pop culture 2. Spread of mass communications/technology b. Pulling world apart 1. Ethnic violence 2. Extreme forms of nationalism 3. Religious fundamentalism 4. Fear of biological and chemical weaponry 5. Growing tensions