20 th Century and Beyond or The Contemporary Era 1900 – Present Why 1900? The Age of Empires has passed…but what is next??
Revolutions New ideas about class and property, land reform New Political Innovation Wider use of democracy Totalitarian govs – communist or fascist (full control over society) Authoritarianism (including one-party rule) How did this differ from 18 th and 19 th century?
A New Age of Conflict Role of technology Military Global communications Continued Impact of Disease Connection of Nationalism to conflict Decolonization Former colonies developing a military Cultural clashes: Nationalism Marxism Western consumerism Religion
World Population Demographic explosion: Inevitably lead to the exhaustion of resources? Battles for space? Pollution? Or will it prove to be self- correcting?
Big Changes: Globalization Multinational corporations Pollution
Continuities Industrial control over Africa, Latin America & Southeast Asia Especially exports Resistance to change Some combination w/traditions McD’s vegetarian menu in India Most countries retained traditional approaches US isolationism Chinese attack on religious movement Women’s rights in the Middle East
Changes to Daily Life Changes to social/cultural passivity Mao: urged peasants to forget traditional attitude & show anger Emotional attachments to children increased Chinese one-child policy Consumerism McD’s had to train Russian employees in smiling & cheerfulness
Unit Breakdown World War I Interwar Period Anticolonialism New regimes in Italy, Germany & Russia Economic Depressions World War II The Cold War 21 st Century Latin America Decolonization & Developments in Africa, Southeast Asia & the Middle East East Asia & the Pacific Rim Transition from 20 th -21 st Century (globalization)