Key Figures of the Era

Key Figures of the Era

• Otto von Bismarck unified Germany through realpolitik and diplomatic strategies.
• Henry Bessemer developed the Bessemer process, enabling mass steel production.
• James Hargreaves invented the spinning jenny, which revolutionized textile manufacturing.
• Edward Jenner created the smallpox vaccine, pioneering immunology.
• Cecil Rhodes promoted British imperialism in Africa and established the Rhodes Scholarship.
• Woodrow Wilson led the U.S. during World War I and proposed the League of Nations.
• Giuseppe Garibaldi was central to Italian unification as a prominent nationalist leader.
• Eli Whitney's cotton gin significantly impacted the cotton industry.
• Mathew Perry opened Japan to Western influence through diplomatic pressure.
• James Watt improved the steam engine, an important advancement of the Industrial Revolution.
• Adam Smith laid the foundation for modern economics with "The Wealth of Nations."
• Kaiser Wilhelm II, the last German Emperor, played a significant role in World War I.
• Karl Marx co-authored "The Communist Manifesto," advocating for socialism and class struggle.
• Camillo di Cavour was instrumental in Italian unification and the state's modernization.
• Boers were Dutch settlers in South Africa, crucial to the country’s history.
• John Kay invented the flying shuttle, increasing weaving efficiency in textiles.
• Louis Pasteur developed pasteurization and advanced germ theory, transforming hygiene and medicine.

Key Concepts and Terms

• Realpolitik emphasizes practical factors over moral or ideological considerations in politics.
• Imperialism is extending a country's power through colonization or military force.
• Urbanization involves increasing city development and population growth due to migration from rural areas.
• Industrialization is the shift from agrarian societies to economies driven by machine manufacturing.
• Enclosure Movement consolidated small landholdings into larger farms, often displacing peasant farmers.
• The Suez Canal connects the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea, facilitating international trade.
• Opium Wars were conflicts between China and Britain in the 19th century over trade and opium, leading to concessions for Britain.
• Socialism is an economic system where the community owns or regulates the means of production.
• The Scramble for Africa was the rapid colonization of Africa by European powers.
• The cotton gin, invented by Eli Whitney, revolutionized cotton processing.
• Nationalism emphasizes loyalty to a nation, often driving movements for self-governance.
• The Triple Entente was an alliance between France, Russia, and Great Britain against the Triple Alliance.
• "The Communist Manifesto," by Marx and Engels, advocated for the working class overthrowing capitalism.
• Cottage industry refers to small-scale manufacturing done at home rather than in factories.
• Laissez-faire capitalism is an economic system with minimal government intervention.
• Collective bargaining involves negotiations between employers and employees for better conditions and compensation.
• Unification is combining separate entities into a single country.
• The Boxer Rebellion was an anti-foreign uprising in China aimed at ending foreign influence.
• Spheres of Influence are areas where a foreign power has exclusive rights over resources and trade.
• The Open Door Policy aimed to ensure equal trading rights for all nations in China.
• The spinning jenny, invented by James Hargreaves, increased yarn production.
• The Agricultural Revolution involved significant agricultural development and new farming techniques.
• The Boer War was a conflict between Britain and Boer republics in South Africa.
• The Schlieffen Plan was Germany's WWI strategy to quickly invade France through Belgium.
• Capitalism is an economic system of industry and trade controlled by private owners for profit.
• Communism is a socioeconomic ideology advocating for a classless, stateless society with public property ownership.
• A labor union is an organization protecting workers' rights and interests.
• The Triple Alliance was a pre-World War I alliance among Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy.
• The Indian National Congress played a key role in the Indian independence movement.
• The Sepoy Mutiny was a rebellion against British rule in India.
• Social Darwinism applies "survival of the fittest" to social, political, and economic issues.
• Japan's Meiji Government was a period of modernization making Japan a major world power.
• The steam engine converts steam power into mechanical power.
• An entrepreneur starts and manages a business, taking financial risks for profit.
• Afrikaners are descendants of Dutch settlers in South Africa

Colonization of Africa

• European countries divided Africa into colonies without regard for ethnic and cultural boundaries.
• Exploitation of resources and labor resulted
• It created long-term economic and political challenges for African nations.

Industrialization in Britain and the U.S.

• In Britain, the textile industry was the first to industrialize.
• In the United States, the textile industry also led industrialization, especially in New England.

Abolition of Slavery in Britain

• Slavery was abolished in 1833 with the Slavery Abolition Act.
• Britain used its navy to stop the transatlantic slave trade.
• Many former slaves were employed in low-wage labor instead.

Communist Manifesto's Prediction for Capitalism

• Capitalism would collapse due to internal contradictions.
• It would be replaced by socialism, and eventually, communism.
• Communism would eliminate class struggles, creating a classless society.

Boxer Rebellion

• Chinese nationalists (the Boxers) aimed to remove foreign influence and Christian missionaries.
• The rebellion was crushed by an international alliance, leading to more foreign control over China.

Results of Urbanization

• Rapid city growth led to overcrowding.
• There was a rise in factory jobs and a decline in agricultural work.
• Poor living conditions and the spread of diseases in slums emerged.
• Infrastructure like roads, sanitation, and public services developed.

Beginning of Industrialization

• Britain was the first country to industrialize around the late 18th century.

Resources That Made India Valuable to Britain

• Raw materials included cotton, tea, spices, opium, and jute.
• There was a large labor force
• India provided a massive market for British goods.
• Its strategic location helped Britain control trade routes in Asia.

Slave Trade & Industrialization

• Demand for cheap labor in colonies increased.
• Industrialization boosted the need for raw materials like cotton and sugar.
• African slave labor was used for plantation and mining work.

Women & Children in Factories

• They were paid lower wages than men.
• Small hands were useful for textile and machine work.
• They were easily controlled by factory managers.

"Jewel in the Crown" (India)

• India was Britain’s most valuable colony.
• It provided raw materials (cotton, tea, spices) and a large market for British goods.

African Nations That Resisted Imperialism

• Ethiopia defeated Italy in the Battle of Adwa (1896).
• Liberia was protected by the U.S. due to its American ties.

Spheres of Influence in China

• China was divided into Spheres of Influence by European powers and Japan.

Conflict Leading to British Direct Rule in India

• The Sepoy Mutiny (1857) saw Indian soldiers rebel against British rule.

Berlin Conference (1884-1885)

• European powers divided Africa without considering local cultures.
• No African leaders were included in decisions.

Imperialism in China

• Spheres of Influence: Foreign powers controlled trade in Chinese regions.

Commodore Perry & Japan

• He forced Japan to open trade with the U.S. in 1854.
• This led to Japan’s rapid modernization (Meiji Restoration).

Causes/Motivations for the Scramble for Africa

• Economic motivations included a need for raw materials and markets.
• Political motivations included nationalism and competition among European powers.
• Social motivations included the spread of Christianity and "civilizing" missions.

Russo-Japanese War (1904-1905)

• Japan defeated Russia, proving Asian power could beat a European nation.
• This increased Japan’s influence in Asia.

Ottoman Empire's Location

• It spanned three continents: Europe, Asia, and Africa.

Trigger That Started WWI

• The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand (Austria-Hungary) in 1914 was the trigger.

Effects of WWI

• Millions died, and there was economic devastation.
• The Treaty of Versailles punished Germany.
• The war led to the rise of totalitarian regimes.

Causes of WWI

• MAIN: Militarism, Alliances, Imperialism, Nationalism were all causes

Total War

• Entire economies and societies were mobilized for war.
• Civilians were also affected by bombings and rationing.

Treaty of Versailles & Blame for WWI

• Blame was placed on Germany (War Guilt Clause).
• Germany was forced to pay reparations and disarm.

Reasons the U.S. Joined WWI

• German submarine warfare (sinking of the Lusitania) influenced the decision.
• The Zimmermann Telegram (Germany tried to ally with Mexico) also played a part.

New Weapons/Techniques in WWI

• Machine guns, tanks, poison gas, submarines, and trench warfare were all new.

Treaty of Brest-Litovsk (1918)

• Russia exited WWI and ceded land to Germany.

New Power Source in the 19th Century

• Electricity revolutionized industry and transportation.