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Suffragism and feminism
At the end of the 19th century, there was still a great inequality between men and women. women earned less economically and had to obey men as superiors. Because of these injustices, women, especially in Britain, formed groups calling for gender equality, which became known as suffragettes.
They demanded changes in their economic situation, equal opportunities in education and equality before the law. -
Consequences of the second revolution
-The creation of schools, universities, scientific societies and research centres to support the industrialisation process. -Academic prestige as a sign of social prestige. Many scientists became well known public figures or were hired by members of the upper class to give lectures or write articles. -Experimentalism of the new society, always looking for new discoveries or technologies that would improve living conditions. -
Emmeline Pankhust borns
Emmeline Pankhurst (1858-1928) is considered the most important British feminist of her time. She was an activist and leader of the suffragette movement, but was criticised by her contemporaries for the very aggressive methods - such as smashing windows and supporting arson - that she used to make her views known. -
The Bismarckian systems of alliances
-First system: Was in 1872 and was Known as the League of the Three Emperors, this was an alliance between the Austro-Hungarian, German and Russian empires. -Second system: Was between 1879 and 1882 Bismarck revived the League of the Three Emperors, reaching an agreement, a double alliance with Austria and later joined by Italy, thus forming the Triple Alliance. -Third system: In 1887 The German chancellor reinforced the Triple Alliance and signed the Reinsurance Treaty with the Russian tsar -
Armed peace
(1890-1914)
After Bismarck resigned in 1890, two opposing diplomatic blocs formed in Europe: the Triple Alliance (Germany, Austro-Hungary and Italy) and the Triple Entente (Russia, France and Great Britain). The Entente meant the end of British neutrality in Europe. Britain was worried because Germany’s navy had expanded into a battle fleet that could threaten the supremacy of the Royal Navy. -
The tension arises
Between 1905 and 1911, France and Germany were on the brink of war over control of Morocco, a territory that Germany wanted for its strategic value and because of the raw materials it could provide for German industry. -
The tension arises
In 1912, two Balkan Wars began. In the first, an alliance of Balkan countries– Serbia, Bulgaria, Montenegro and Greece–declared war on the Turks, leading to the withdrawal of the Ottoman Empire from Europe. In the second, the former allies fought each other. Serbia, which had the support of the Russians, benefited from this war. -
Women in the First World War
he situation would change thanks to the Great War, when 20 million soldiers went to fight in Europe. The jobs previously done by men then had to be done by women. As huge numbers of women joined the workforce and proved that they could do the tasks required quite efficiently, women demonstrated to the world that they were just as capable of helping their countries as men. -
After the First World War
At the end of the war, other nations began to recognise women’s right to vote, such as Germany, Canada, Spain, the United States, Great Britain, Holland, Ireland, Luxembourg and Sweden. However, complete legal and economic equality was not achieved until after the Second World War. Even today, equality is still an issue for many Western governments. -
Literary movements
Realism. Realist literature was developed by authors such as Honoré de Balzac (France), Charles Dickens (England), Fyodor Dostoyevsky (Russia) and Benito Pérez Galdós (Spain).
Naturalism. Naturalistic writers depicted everyday reality with extreme realism. In naturalistic works, people would change for the better if their living conditions changed. Émile Zola (France) and Emilia Pardo Bazán (Spain) were important naturalistic writers. -
Women's right to vote in Spain
The fight for women’s right to vote in Spain did not begin until well into the 20th century. This was because of Spain’s limited industrial and cultural development, and the power of the Catholic Church. Women’s initial demands were therefore related to motherhood, looking after family and certain civil rights.