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The Congress of Vienna was an assembly in the city of Vienna, Austria, mainly between Austria, Prussia, Great Britain, and Russia. This was important because it reorganized Europe after the Napoleonic Wars, which had caused significant chaos to Europe's political system. -
The Monroe Doctrine was established by US President James Monroe in a routine address to Congress. It said that the Western Hemisphere was the US's to protect and intervene in. This set a US foreign policy for decades. -
The First Opium War was a conflict between China and Great Britain, caused by the enforcement of China's ban on opium, which was having a large negative impact on Chinese society. It ended in 1842 with a British victory, opening China to foreign trade and starting a rush for Chinese exploitation that would lead to the Boxer Rebellion. -
The Revolutions of 1848 were a series of revolutions in France, Italy, Austria, and Germany, fueled by demands for reform. Nearly all of these were put down, except for the one in France, which led to the founding of the Second French Republic. These showed the underlying nationalism present in Europe. -
The US Civil War was a war between the Northern and Southern halves of the United States. It was resolved in 1865 with the capitulation of the Southern States. This showed that even the United States wasn't invincible to the new ideas in the 19th century. -
The Dominion of Canada was created in 1867 to create a stronger government in the territory, while still being loyal to the British Empire. It continued to be called this until its independence in 1931. This showed the weakening of the British Empire, as well as the nationalist movement in Canada. -
The Meiji Restoration was a massive overhaul of Japanese culture and technology, started by a coup from a group of samurai that wanted to create a stronger Japan. It turned Japan from an isolated nation to a world power. -
The Suez Canal is a man-made canal in Egypt connecting the Mediterranean and Red Seas together. It is vital for international trade, and has been a hotbed of conflict since its completion. -
The unification of Germany occured in 1871 under Otto von Bismarck of Prussia. He led multiple German-speaking states into unification, mainly through military force. This was an example of nationalism, and Germany's extreme nationalism would appear again in both World Wars. -
The Berlin Conference was a meeting that set the rules for colonization in Africa and started the "Scramble for Africa". It laid the groundwork for the colonization in Africa and created a legacy of political instability that is still evident today. -
The Second International was a group of socialist parties and trade unions founded in Paris. It greatly influenced the European labor movement until the First World War. -
The Boxer Rebellion was a rebellion started by the Society of Righteous and Harmonious Fists, or the Boxers. This uprising targeted foreigners, but was eventually suppressed by the Eight Nation Alliance.