World History II Blog

The Transformation of the World Economy discussion of Barbie and Ken dolls showed the power of global commerce showed a reaction to values portrayed by Barbie and Ken elsewhere in the world Iran created new dolls, Sara and Dara, that displayed Iranian Muslim values and practices Sara and Dara, Barbie and Ken dolls were all made in China a dense web of political relationships, economic transactions, and cultural influences increasingly bound world together the 1990s: the process of accelerating engagement known as globalization globalization had long history upon which 20th-century globalization was built the pace of globalization increased rapidly after WWII global economic connections contracted during the time between world wars capitalist winners of WWII determined not to repeat Great Depressions 1944: Bretton Woods agreements technology helped accelerate economic globalization the 1970s: capitalist countries dropped controls on economic activity and increasingly...

Toward Freedom: Struggles for Independence Nelson Mandela spent 27 years in prison for treason, sabotage, and conspiracy decolonization was important in the second half of the 20th century newly independent states experimented politically, economically, and culturally faced challenges: divisions of language, ethnicity, race, class rapidly growing populations working toward stability and economic modernization influence of industrialized nations European colonial empires not as permanent as they seemed in the early 1900s the 1940s: India, Pakistan, Burma, Indonesia, Iraq, Jordan, and Israel won independence the 1950s-1970s: African Independence imperial breakup; novelty was a mobilization of masses around nationalist ideology and creation of new nation-states comparison to the first decolonization of the late 18th and early 19th centuries in the Americas, most colonized people of European origin common culture with common rulers fall of many empires in the 20t...

Global Communism jokes from Soviet-era highlight hypocrisy of the communist system reflect growing disbelief that the communist system could deliver promised equality and abundance the collapse of the communist regime greeted by many as a promise of liberation almost everywhere communist regimes gained power through war or revolution communist regimes transformed societies provided major political/ideological threat to the West Cold War between 1946-1991 scramble for influence in Global South between the U.S and USSR a massive nuclear arms race then it collapsed communism had roots in the 19th-century socialism inspired by Karl Marx European socialists believed they could achieve goals through the democratic process 20th-century "communists" advocated revolution "communism" in Marxist theory is the final stage of historical development 1970's: height of communism, almost one-third of the world's population governed by the communist re...

The First World War: European Civilization in Crisis, 1914-1918 Europe global power but rivalry and conflict at home the assassination of Franz Ferdinand June 28, 1914 Alliances and nationalism Industrialized militarism European empires and trade make it a global war Surprises and horrors of the war Widespread disillusionment in Europe Gender and the war mother's day vs flappers National Self-Determination in Europe Russian Revolution in 1917 Treaty of Versailles in 1919 Armenian Genocide, the Ottoman collapse, and the rise of Turkey View from the colonies Japanese expansion in China Rise of the United States Capitalism Unraveling: The Great Depression Capitalism's mixed track record Sudden unraveling of the economic system in 1929 A crisis of overproduction, international loans, and stock speculation Impact on global suppliers of raw materials and food Import substitution industrialization in Latin America Responses of the industrialized capi...

Reversal of Fortune: China's Century of Crisis In 1853: 430 million Chinese = no Industrial Revolution, no agricultural revolution = couldn't keep up The huge peasant population, unemployment, impoverishment, misery, and starvation were high. The state was unable to effectvely perform many functions: tax collection, flood control, social welfare. = corruption Gave rise to bandit gangs = peasant rebellion opposed to Qing Dynasty. = Taiping Uprising 1830s British and Americans found enormous, growing profitable market for this addictive drug: opium Chinese authorities recognized the problem: illegal trade = corruption China found itself with many millions of addicts. – Emperor decided suppression British offended by the seizure of their property in opium – sent a naval expedition to China. = First Opium War The Ottoman Empire and the West in the Nineteenth Century Islamic world represented a highly successful civilization that felt little need to learn from the “infide...

Industry and Empire New economic needs found solutions abroad. – created the need for extensive raw materials and agricultural products: Bananas from Central America Rubber from Brazil Meat from Argentina Cocoa and Palm oil from West Africa Gold and Diamonds from South Africa By 1840, Britain was exporting 60% of its cotton-cloth production, sending millions of yards to Europe. Between 1910 and 1914 Britain was sending about half of its savings overseas as foreign investment Wealthy Europeans also saw benefits to foreign markets. Industrialization society led to a serious redistribution of wealth. Growth of nationalism Colonies and spheres of influence abroad became symbols of great power, status for a nation. Imperialism appealed on economic and social grounds to the wealthy or ambitious. international power politics. The construction of the Suez Canal in 1869 to reach distant Asian and African ports more quickly. A Second Wave of European Conquests Bet...

Explaining the Industrial Revolution The global context for this transformation lies in the very substantial increase in human numbers. From 375 million in 1400 to 1 billion in the 19th century. Industrial Revolution marks a human response to that dilemma as non-renewable fossil fuels such as coal, oil, and natural gas replaced endlessly renewable energy sources of wind, water, and wood. Raw materials to feed to fuel industrial machinery- coal iron, petroleum altered landscape in many places. Some from coal-fired industries and domestic use polluted the air in urban areas, - respiratory illness. Industrial Revolution marked a new era in both human history and the history of the planet. ecological, atmospheric and geological history. Technological innovations: The Spinning Jenny Power Loom Steam Engine Cotton Gin = culture of innovation. Industrial Revolution spread beyond the textile industry to iron and steel production, railroads, steamships, food processing, and cons...