Early 20th Century

The nature of European society- * Rich and poor * In 1901 world population 1600 million * 25% lived in Europe * 1880-1914 25 million migrated from Europe- mostly to USA ‘land of opportunity’ * An individual’s ‘membership’ of the upper, lower or middle class reflected her or his economic role within society. * Poverty cycle hard to break * Industrialisation * Western Europe- industrialised * Industrialisation helped the military, medical and communication= better imperial expansion * Britain and Germany were Europe’s industrial giants * Germany world leader in engineering * Their industrial strength enabled them to impose their political, social, religious, economic, cultural influence throughout the world. * Planes, trains, phones, electricity and fridges were invented * Industrialisation hand in hand with urbanisation * If you don’t industrialise your left behind * To improve power, influence and living standards. You need: technological advances and the degree of its commitment to modernisation * A major catalyst for challenge and change to the old political, social, economic and cultural order of the 20th century. Because: encouraged urbanisation- the move from country to town * Urbanisation * Spread of disease became a major problem * Where your house was located reflected social classes * Social change * Change in women’s traditional roles * Women everywhere were second class citizens- no matter wealth * They wanted suffrage- the right to vote * Challenging traditional religious influence * Christianity favoured- sectarianism- one religious view more superior * Different forms of government * Dynastic rulers- rulers who have inherited their power * -Dynastic authority- the power exercised by rulers, as a result of the lengthy period of time during which their family has ruled * -In 1901, dynastic rulers governed a number of imperial