Deck 34: 20th Century Global Issues and Developments

Question 1

Near the turn of the twentieth century, the imperialist push beyond America's borders began.
Discuss the major components of America's late-nineteenth-century imperialist movement. Into what areas did the United States expand and why? In what ways did American imperialism mimick that of Europe?

Answer 1

Answer would ideally include:

Question 2

Upon his acquisition of power in 1799, in what ways, and for what reasons, did Napoleon
structure French government and society? What, if any, negative consequences resulted from these changes?

Answer 2

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Question 3

Examine the evolution of technology through the first, second, and third communications revolutions. What were the major advances made during each of these revolutions, and what impact did they have on societies and governments?
Answer Key

Answer 3

Answer would ideally include:
In discussing the first revolution, essays should address such major advances as moving pictures and the telephone, which "prepared the way for a twentieth-century era of mass communications." Later developments, such as the invention of adding and calculating machines and the first computers, led to the so-called information age. The widespread availability and popularity of radios and televisions beginning in the 1950s led to the second revolution, which had far-reaching social and political consequences. Radio penetrated even remote areas of the globe. Governments embraced it as a means of projecting power, disseminating propaganda, and broadening education. Television also increasingly broke down social barriers during the 1960s and 1970s. The third revolution stemmed from the first personal computers and cell phones. Like radio and television, the Internet and smartphones have allowed for the dissemination of knowledge and information faster than ever before. To that end, governments are now accutely aware of the impact of social media and other outlets on political power. For this reason, some governments, such as those in China and North Korea, seek strict control over which information flows into and out of their countries. Other nations, including the United States, are now invested more than ever in monitoring electronic information. Other conseequences include greater difficulty in enforcing censorship and maintaining privacy. Also of concern are the growing socioeconomic inequalities engendered by the phenomenal growth of new technologies, which has led to a digital divide.

Question 4

Describe the important roles played by the military and religion in Shang society.

Question 5

Prior to the end of Akbar's reign, Muslims often were tolerant of Christians, Jews, Hindus, and other non-Muslim faiths. Explain why they were tolerant, and discuss the specific ways they attempted accommodation. How did Muslim attitudes impact the population makeup of the Ottoman Empire, and in what specific ways did Akbar's successors retreat from prior accommodationism?

Question 6

Describe the impact of Buddhism as it spread out of India and into China. In what ways did Buddhism spread to China? How did contact with outside cultures impact Buddhism? What impact did Buddhism have on Chinese religious, political, and social life?

Question 7

Describe the major social reform movements of the modern age and their impact on societies
throughout the world.

Question 8

Discuss the social, economic, and political problems the Aztec and Inca faced prior to, and immediately after, their contact with European explorers. What efforts were made to address those problems, and what factors do historians believe contributed to their ultimate demise?

Question 9

Explain the key differences and similarities regarding the ways in which the Assyrians and Persians built and ruled their empires.

Question 10

What regions were involved in the Afroeurasian trade world, and what was its cultural and economic impact in those regions?

Question 11

What role did Peter the Great play in Russia's transition into an empire?

Question 12

What specific factors enabled Adolf Hitler to rise to power?

Question 13

Explain the emergence, structure, and impact of higher education during the Middle Ages.
Answer Key

Question 14

Discuss the opportunties and obstacles the Crusaders faced as well as the short- and long-term consequences of the Crusades.

Question 15

Describe the specific tenets of the United States' plan for fighting the Cold War in the
immediate postwar years.

Question 16

In the years following the Protestant Reformation, witch hunts became increasingly common. In what way were these witch hunts a product of the times in which they occurred? What were the short- and long-term consequences of these witch hunts?

Question 17

Discuss the key features of political, religious, and social life in the Zhou Dynasty.

Question 18

The Hellenistic world was one in which traditional Greek culture came into contact with societies and cultures as far away as India. Of particular importance to Hellenistic society were religion, philosophy, and science, all of which shaped and were shaped by the cultures with which they came into contact. Explain Hellenistic beliefs, practices, and advances in each of these areas.

Question 19

Explain the specific ways in which social unrest impacted society in Europe and the United States during the post-World War II era and the ways in which governments and societies attempted to address those social concerns.

Question 20

For many people, why were the immediate post-World War I years an "Age of Anxiety,"
and in what ways did they seek to come to terms with this new age?