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Victorian Era
During this period of time, the United Kingdom was the strongest commercial and financial power in the world. Afterwards they were passed by the United States and Germany. -
United States after the Civil War
Colonised West America and Northwestern cities were industrialized. United States became the leading industrial power in the world. -
Imperialism, since 1870
European countries start to colonise Asia, Africa and the Pacific. The possession of colonies contributed to the international prestige of countries, also allowed trade routes and to control strategic territories. This provides for exile people to reduce unemployment in the colonies. In addition, these colonies could supply raw materials cheaper. The misinterpretation of Darwin ideas provoked the white race to feel superior. -
Forms of colonial rule
-Concessions, were independent contry but the country that colonizes it takes economic profits and rights.This was the case of China
-Protectorates, they keep their government but the colonial power controlled foreign policy like the army and the exportation of the raw materials.
-Colonies,territories under suzerainty of a metropole.There were some types of colonialism,settle Colonialism(large scale of the foreign population settle),exploitation Colonialism(they exploit resources and indigenous) -
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The Second Industrial Revolution
In the 2º Industrial Revolution began in Germany and the United States. It was based on the use of new energy sources as oil(used to move engines)and electricity(used to drive engines and for lighting),and changes in work organisation( Taylorism, achieve maximum work efficiency by carrying out a task at a determinate time.Fordism,produce in mass the work was organised in assembly lines) which promoted new industrial sectors(metallurgy and industries related with mechanics,textiles,etc) -
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Political systems
Different political systems coexisted from 1870 to 1914. There was the parliamentary system which was predominant in the Western of Europe, with universal male suffrage and the start of claiming for the vote of women. And the Autocratic system which was settled in Central Eastern Europe (Austro-Hungarian Empire, became a dual monarchy with two crowns; Ottoman Empire, over people of multiple nationalities maintained an Autocratic role; Russian Empire, the Parliament didn't have power). -
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Bismarckian alliances system
These were a set of alliances promoted by Chancellor Otto von Bismarck. Their objective was to isolate France because of their enmity due to the loss of Alasace and Lorraine in Franco-Prussian War. Also he prevented its alliance with Russia against Germany. After twenty years, during which armed conflict between the major powers had been avoided, these alliance systems failed. -
Consequences of the Second Industrial Revolution
Increase of population.Emigration abroad increase since of cheaper means of transport,this helped to reduce unemployment and social conflits.In cities the population grew as the improve of hygiene conditions.Labourers' parties emerged whose objective was the access to political power and promoted democratic and social reforms.The pressure ply on the government caused them to formulate laws that regulate hours and establish social protection measures.This improve proletariat quality of life -
German Social Democratic Party (SPD)
This was the first and more important labour party. It was founded in 1875. It was followed by others in France, Spain, Italy and Germany. -
Berlin Conference, 'Scramble for Africa'
This conference was to assure that the European powers did not have to fight among themselves for dominance in the occupation of Africa. In it they established some rules: the possession of a coastal strip gave the right to occupy the interior, provided that effective control of the territory was demonstrated. Free navigation on the Niger and the Congo Rivers, and free trade in Central Africa were also recognised.Some countries accelerated their colonization very quickly after this conference -
Sharing the world
All of this has consequences and these are the following, the metropoles gained political power and wealth but the dominant regions were harmed. Because they changed their government, their economy was altered (colonizing powers replaced subsistence agriculture with export agriculture), society was divided between the rich (who controlled the colony) and the indigenous who were forced to work.
(In the image we can see the division of the territories) -
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William II
During the reign of Willian II Germany, after unification, became the second most important economic power in the world under the United States.
During this time France remained one of the greatest economic powers in the world. -
Socialist International
It was formed as a federation of socialist and labour parties based on Marxist principles. In this federation there were the ones who supported the idea of accessing power through revolutions (Marxist purist) and the ones who supported reaching power by participating in an election(revisionist). This was formed in Paris in 1889. -
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Peace Throught Strenght
This maintained peace for years but there was so much tension between the countries that they were anticipating the war.
They were two blocks of alliances:
-The Triple Alliance: formed by Austria-Hungary, Germany and Italy
-Triple Entente: formed by France, Russia and Great Britain. -
Russian Revolution of 1905
The revolutionary revolt of 1905 provided indeed a model and point of comparison for the 1917 revolution. It was the outcome of Russians' dissatisfaction with the country's economic crises (subsistence crisis, unemployment), as well as the military setback against Japan. -
Meiji Revolution (1868-1912)
In Japan this revolution brought a great change, this change was the replacement of feudal monarchy to a constitutional parliamentary system. The rapid industrialisation converted Japan into a major power in the Pacific. -
Causes of IWW
There were two sides:
-Central powers:Germany,Austria-Hungary,Ottoman Empire and later Bulgaria
-The Allies:France,United Kingdom, Russia,Serbia and later the United States among others Some of the political conflicts were territorial(France and Germany because of Alsace-Lorraine),other were nationalistic(Balkan Wars)
The tension during the 'Peace through strength'
Some countries had a commercial competition between them.
The spark of the war was for the murder of the Archduke Franz Ferdinand -
Assessination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria
The spark that started the war was the Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria, inheritor of the throne of Austria-Hungary. He was killed by a Serbian student. So Austria-Hungary declared the war to Serbia, Russia supported it and the alliance system began -
War of movement
Germany pretended being in a flash war with France before attacking Russia.
The Battle of Marne dragged on longer than expected, as the Russian army struck Germany from the east. The Ottoman Empire thereafter joined the Central Powers. -
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First World War
This war was very different from previous ones. Because this:
The use of new and very effective weapons (toxic gases, machine guns, mines, airplanes, submarines, etc). The large territories that were involved. The use of new defence system and new forms of combat. -
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Trench Warfare
The fronts were stabilized along wide lines of trenches protected by machine guns and barbed wire in the absence of a decisive victory. At Verdun, Somme, and other battles, these trenches launched exhausting offensives. With the entrance of countries such as Bulgaria, Italy, Romania, Portugal, and Japan, the war became a worldwide battle at this point. -
Bourgeois February Revolution
They kicked out Tsar Nicholas Il and established a republic in his place. The interim liberal and bourgeois government promised improvements, but their sluggishness and choice to stay in the world war led to their demise. -
Bolshevik October Revolution
The Bolsheviks, led by Lenin, ousted the interim government and installed him as leader, with the assistance of the soviets, or councils of workers, peasants, and soldiers. -
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The War ends
After the victory of the communist revolution and the signing of the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk, the United States joined the war on the side of the Allies in 1917, and Russia retreated. The Allies launched an offensive on all fronts in 1918, forcing the Central Powers to gradually surrender. The 'Fourteen Points,' a statement of principles for international peace, were issued by US President Woodrow Wilson the same year. -
Consequences of the First World War
9 million people were killed.Croplands,production,industry, transportation,and structures were damage. There were insufficient raw supplies. The German currency was devalued.Austria-Hungary was split.Women began to work outside the home.The Central countries establish democracy(universal male and female suffrage)and Europe loses its dominion;now,the United States is the dominant player in the world.Germany's economy was devastated and humiliated.Increase of nationalism and a desire for vengeance -
Communist Party
Bolsheviks began to call themeselves Communist Party -
Treaty of Brest-Litovsky
Bolsheviks took out of the war to Russia by signing this Treaty. -
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Weimar Republic
General discontent during this period of time in Germany. -
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Bloody Civil War
Lenin's actions were against the White Army which was supported by United Kingdom, France and Japan. The White Army battle the Bolshevik Red Army guided by Leon Trotsky.
As a result, the Bloody Civil War takes place, in wich lots of people died. The Red Army won. -
League of Nations
The League of Nations was founded in 1919 in Geneva as an international organization dedicated to fostering peace. -
Foundation of the Third International.
Before the foundation of this, they drafted a Constitution which transferred large state peasants, nationalised banks and transport and gave workers control. -
Paris Peace Conference
(1919-1920)
Defeated countries agreed to lower their military spending, make territory concessions, and pay fines in exchange for signing treaties.
Germany lost Alsace-Lorraine and all of its colonies under the Treaty of Versailles, and was blamed for the war; this humiliation fueled a desire for vengeance. -
Foundation of the National German Workers' Party
Adolf Hitler and the National Socialist German Workers' Party, had a parliamentary group (SA) that opposed communists. The nazism was promoted by these groups. -
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Lenin's government
In Lenin's government he had all the power, he created the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) formed by Russia and Asian republics. A New Economic Policy (NEP) was adopted in it capitalist and communist societies were combined. The Soviet economy recovered. -
Increase of totalitarianism
After the First Wold War some countries stopped believing in the democratic system.And adopted totalitarian or authoritarian regimes.Like Fascism in Italy and Nazsim in Germany.Totalitarian regimes profited greatly from the support of the middle class,who were dissatisfied with the decline in their standard of living brought on by the crisis;big business,which wanted to prevent communism from spreading;many former soldiers and jobless citizens, as well as the most conservative sectors of society -
What was totalitarianism?
The state wields complete power, and it is led by a charismatic leader who demands complete obedience. The state declared anti-capitalsitic and anti-communist. There was a denial of equality, with some members regarded as superior than others because to their gender or ethnicity. They were ultranationalists with considerable military power. -
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Fascism in Italy
Fascism was the creation of Benito Mussolini, who founded the National Fascist Party in 1921, using paramilitary groups -Italian Combat Squad, or Blackshirts -to quash the workers' movement.
Once in power he established a Fascist dictatorship . He restricted freedoms, prohibited political parties by using the secret police(OVRA) , directed the economy and controlled every aspects of social life through propaganda. -
Creation of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR)
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Stalin's government
Stalin was Lenin's successor. Stalin established a totalitarian political system, in it they used state violence to purge society of his opponents. The government took control of the economy. The banking system and other services remained nationalized, and large industrial estates were developed for metallurgical, chemical, and armaments production. The USSR became a huge economic and military force as a result of all of these measures. -
The 1929 Crisis
The Economic prosperity of the Roaring Twenties reached its end. Because there was an economic crisis caused by the excess of production in relation to consumption.
During the war the agricultural industry of the U.S grew, because there was a need to feed their wartime allies.When it was over, all that need for production had disappeared, and this made prices fall and it made companies suffer a lot of losses. -
Black Thursday
Many investors sold their stocks very fast because of the fear of and even further drop of the prices. Finally many companies went bankrupt. Prices plummeted and Wall Street crashed. -
The Great Depression
(1930-1931)
The crisis of the United States spread through the rest of the wrold. This is one of the biggest economic crisis in the history.Lots of the industrial and agricultural production dropped, high unemployment rate, no growth of population,new ideologies appeared(totalitarism and communism).Each country tried a different path, with some opting for autarchy and the majority opting for J.M. Keynes' views,which suggested government involvement to boost investment,employment, and consumption -
Hitler was named Chancellor of Germany
In the elections of 1932 Adolf Hitler is proclaimed Chancellor of Germany, he recieved 13.8 million votes. -
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Third Reich
The Third Reich was founded by Hitler. He established a strict dictatorship, disbanded all political parties, abolished fundamental freedoms and rights, took control of the economy, directed a great deal of propaganda and censorship, implemented the Aryan race's superiority, persecuted Jews and other minorities, and adopted a new military policy by rejecting the Treaty of Versailles, territorial terms, and so on.
This actions will have consequences -
Causes of the Second Wrold War
There were many causes: Germany wanted revenge for what happened in the First World War, nationalism, increased totalitarianism and militarism, the sequels of the Great Depression,territorial claims, etc.
Germany invaded Poland, after signing a non-aggression pact with the USSR. As a result, the United Kingdom and France declared war against Germany. And this is how the First World War broke out. -
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Second World War
The Second World War lasted almost six years. It is the most important war of the history.
There were two sides:
-Allies, western powers, led United Kingdom and France.
-Axis powers, led by Germany and Italy.
By the course of the war both of them gained allies, like the Soviet Union, Japan, United States, etc.
This war was characterised by its huge reach, large duration, very merciless (torture, genocide, bombed people, deportations), the use of powerfull weapons (tanks, bombs). -
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Victories of the Axis powers
Germany was able to capture almost all of Western Europe until 1940, thanks to tactics such as the lightning war (which combined the use of tanks and planes). Later on, Italy sided with Germany, forcing France to sign an armistice. Then germans invaded France and established the Vichy government. -
Formation of the Vichy government
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Invation of the USSR
Germany invaded the USSR, because of the need of energy resources and food. -
Extension of Japan
Japan expanded its territory by destroying the US Pacific Fleet at Pearl Harbour. This drew the United States into the war. -
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The war evens out
During this phase of the war, Britain delayed Germany in North Africa and Russia slowed Germany in Stalingrad; the Allies invaded Italy; and the United States halted Japan in the Pacific. -
Tehran Conference
The Baltic States and eastern Poland would annex the USSR. -
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The Allies turn the tide
In this war, the allies gained an advantage. The Allies marched into Germany and also liberated Paris. The Red Army then occupied a number of countries in Eastern Europe. Meanwhile Yugoslavia and Albania are set free by partisan parliamentary units.
Hitler, on the other side, killed himself in Berlin before the Russians arrived, and Mussolinni was executed. -
Hiroshima and Nagasaki atomic bombs
The dropped of Hiroshima and Nagasaki atomic bombs put the end of the war -
Consecuences of the Second World War
There was a political change, totalitarian regimes were replaced by democratic regimes, lots of monarchies disappeared, a new map of Europe was established, and the United States and Russia became very powerful. Lots of people were damage or died in this war by bombs, in concentration camps, etc. There was a huge damage in infraestructures. -
Yalta Conference
Stalin, Franklin D. Roosevelt and Churchill (the Big Three) agreed that they would rebuild Europe politically with democratic governments. They divided Berlin and drew the bourderlines with Poland -
Postdam Conference
All German annexations in Europe would be reversed, Germany would be demilitarized and partitioned according to the Yalta Agreement, war reparations would be paid, and Nazi war criminals would be prosecuted. In the German city of Nuremberg, Nazi war criminals were tried for their crimes. -
Creation of the U.N
The allies created the United Nations (U.N), it was a new international organisation that replaced the League of Nations.
The goal of this international organization is to maintain world peace and security by resolving conflicts peacefully, cooperating, and respecting human rights.