History of the World

Silk Road

• Major trade route connecting China with the Mediterranean region (2nd century BCE - 15th century CE)
• Facilitated exchange of goods, ideas, and cultures between East Asia, Central Asia, and Europe
• Key goods traded: silk, spices, tea, porcelain, and precious stones
• Played a significant role in the development of civilizations, including the Roman Empire, Byzantine Empire, and Chinese dynasties

Age of Exploration (15th-17th centuries)

• Period of European exploration and colonization of the Americas, Africa, and Asia
• Key figures: Christopher Columbus, Vasco da Gama, Ferdinand Magellan, and Juan Sebastián Elcano
• Motivations: spread of Christianity, search for new trade routes, and desire for wealth and power
• Consequences: transfer of plants, animals, and diseases between the Old and New Worlds, and the devastation of indigenous populations

Industrialization (18th-19th centuries)

• Transition from manual labor to machine-based manufacturing, and from rural to urban societies
• Key innovations: steam engine, textile machines, and railroad
• Impact: increased productivity, economic growth, and urbanization, but also exploitation of workers and environmental degradation
• Countries that industrialized first: Britain, followed by other European nations and the United States

Cold War (1945-1991)

• Period of geopolitical tension and competition between the United States and the Soviet Union
• Key features: proxy wars, espionage, propaganda, and the threat of nuclear war
• Divided Europe into Eastern and Western blocs, with the Berlin Wall as a physical barrier
• Ended with the collapse of the Soviet Union and the fall of communism

Imperialism (15th-20th centuries)

• Policy of extending a country's power and influence through colonization and domination
• European powers (e.g., Britain, France, Germany, and Belgium) established colonies in Africa, Asia, and the Americas
• Motivations: economic gain, strategic advantage, and the spread of Christianity and "civilization"
• Consequences: exploitation of native resources and labor, destruction of indigenous cultures, and the rise of nationalist and anti-colonial movements

Renaissance (14th-17th centuries)

• Cultural and intellectual movement that originated in Italy and spread to Europe
• Key features: humanism, revival of classical learning, and innovations in art, literature, and science
• Notable figures: Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Galileo Galilei, and William Shakespeare
• Impact: laid the groundwork for the Enlightenment and the scientific revolution

Age of Isms (18th-19th centuries)

• Period of ideological and intellectual ferment, characterized by the rise of various "isms"
• Key "isms":
  • Nationalism: emphasis on national identity and self-determination
  • Liberalism: advocacy for individual rights, free markets, and democracy
  • Conservatism: support for traditional institutions and social hierarchies
  • Socialism: critique of capitalism and advocacy for collective ownership of the means of production

Revolutions

• Key revolutions:
  • French Revolution (1789-1799): overthrow of the monarchy and establishment of the First Republic
  • American Revolution (1765-1783): independence from Britain and the creation of the United States
  • Russian Revolution (1917): overthrow of the tsarist regime and the establishment of the Soviet Union
  • Chinese Revolution (1911-1949): overthrow of the Qing dynasty and the establishment of the People's Republic of China
• Causes: political and social grievances, economic inequality, and the spread of Enlightenment ideas
• Consequences: reshaped the modern world, led to the rise of new ideologies, and inspired future revolutions