Modern Era Slides
GLOBAL HISTORY BLUEPRINT
NYS Regents Review: Units 1 - 9
Mastering the Modern World
GROUP 1
The Scientific Revolution
Observation & Reason
- Copernicus & Galileo: Proved the Heliocentric (sun-centered) model.
- Newton: Gravity and Laws of Motion.
- Method: The Scientific Method (experimentation).
"Measure what is measurable."
GROUP 1
The Enlightenment
John Locke
Natural Rights: Life, Liberty, Property. Govt exists by consent of the governed.
Montesquieu
Separation of Powers into 3 branches to prevent tyranny.
Reason over Authority
GROUP 1
French Revolution
Cause
The Third Estate (97%) paid all taxes but had no voice in govt.
Reign of Terror
Robespierre executed anyone suspected of opposing the revolution.
Impact
Ended absolute monarchy and birthed Nationalism across Europe.
GROUP 1
Napoleon's Rule
Failed Invasion
Napoleon lost his army in Russia because of:
- General Winter (Freezing temps).
- Scorched Earth (Burning resources).
Congress of Vienna
- Balance of Power: No one nation controls all.
- Return absolute monarchs to power.
GROUP 1
Latin American Independence
Revolutionaries
- Simon Bolivar: Liberated South America.
- Toussaint L'Ouverture: Haitian slave revolt leader.
End of Colonial Rule
1. One way the Scientific Revolution and the Enlightenment are similar is that both —
A) Encouraged the spread of traditional religions
B) Challenged traditional beliefs and authorities
C) Led to the restoration of absolute monarchies
D) Opposed the use of the scientific method
2. Which estate in pre-revolutionary France paid the highest percentage of taxes?
A) First Estate (Clergy)
B) Second Estate (Nobility)
C) Third Estate (Commoners)
D) Estate of the Monarch
3. Simon Bolivar and Toussaint L'Ouverture are best known as leaders who —
A) Supported the Congress of Vienna
B) Led independence movements in Latin America
C) Negotiated the Treaty of Tordesillas
D) Promoted the use of the guillotine
GROUP 2
Industrial Revolution
Why Great Britain?
- Resources: Abundant Coal and Iron.
- Geography: Island with harbors and rivers.
- Capital: Money to invest in business.
- Labor: Urbanization (movement to cities).
GROUP 2
Economic Response
Capitalism (Adam Smith)
"The Wealth of Nations"
- Laissez-faire: Govt "hands off."
- Supply & Demand determines prices.
- Private ownership of production.
Communism (Karl Marx)
"Communist Manifesto"
- Class struggle: Proletariat vs. Bourgeoisie.
- Workers should revolt to end inequality.
- Govt ownership of production.
GROUP 2
Nationalism
Unification
"Blood and Iron"
Bismarck: Unified Germany through war and industrial strength.
Disintegration
Nationalism broke apart multi-ethnic empires like the Ottoman and Austro-Hungarian Empires.
GROUP 2
Age of Imperialism
Berlin Conference
European nations divided Africa without consulting Africans. Known as the "Scramble for Africa."
Social Darwinism
Belief in European superiority; the "White Man's Burden" to civilize others.
GROUP 2
Meiji Restoration
Modernizing Japan
Japan modernized and westernized to avoid colonizers.
- End of feudalism (Samurai).
- Industrial and military growth.
Global Power Emerges
Laissez-faire capitalism as described by Adam Smith focuses on —
A) Minimal government involvement in the economy
B) Total government control of all production
C) High taxes for the wealthy
D) Fair distribution of wealth through laws
The "Blood and Iron" policy is most closely associated with the unification of —
A) Italy
B) Germany
C) France
D) Great Britain
What was a primary goal of the Berlin Conference of 1884–1885?
A) Ending the slave trade in Asia
B) Dividing Africa among European powers
C) Granting independence to colonies
D) Formulating a trade alliance with China
GROUP 3
World War I
MAIN Causes
Militarism, Alliances, Imperialism, Nationalism.
Spark: Assassination of Franz Ferdinand
Trench Warfare
Led to a massive stalemate and devastating loss of life on the Western Front.
Total War
All national resources used (Propaganda, Rationing, Women in factories).
GROUP 3
Russian Revolution
Lenin & Bolsheviks
"Peace, Land, and Bread."
Hunger and war losses led to the fall of the Czar. Russia becomes the first Communist state (USSR).
Stalin's Totalitarianism
- Five-Year Plans: Rapid industry.
- Collectivization: Govt farms.
GROUP 3
Between the Wars
Treaty of Versailles
Punished Germany harshly (War Guilt & Reparations). Created the economic crisis Hitler used to gain power.
Failure of League
The League of Nations failed because it lacked military power and the US refused to join.
GROUP 3
Fascism & WWII
Rise of Fascism
Dictatorship, Extreme Nationalism, Censorship. (Mussolini & Hitler).
Appeasement
Giving in to Hitler at the Munich Conference to avoid war. It failed.
Atrocities
- Holocaust: Nazi genocide of 6M Jews.
- Rape of Nanjing: Japanese atrocities in China.
GROUP 3
WWII Outcomes
D-Day
Allied invasion of Normandy; liberated France and opened second front.
Atomic Bomb
Hiroshima/Nagasaki; ends war in the Pacific; start of Nuclear Age.
Nuremberg
Leaders held personally responsible for human rights abuses.
Joseph Stalin’s "Five-Year Plans" were primarily intended to —
A) Rapidly industrialize the Soviet economy
B) Introduce democratic reforms
C) Encourage small business growth
D) Increase foreign investment
The policy of appeasement is best exemplified by the —
A) Invasion of Poland
B) Munich Conference
C) Treaty of Versailles
D) Yalta Conference
What was a direct result of WWII atrocities and the Holocaust?
A) The creation of the League of Nations
B) The Nuremberg Trials
C) The Great Depression
D) The Marshall Plan
GROUP 4
The Cold War
Containment
US policy to stop the spread of communism (Truman Doctrine & Marshall Plan).
Military Alliances
NATO: Western Democracies.
Warsaw Pact: Communist States.
Iron Curtain
Dividing democratic West Europe from communist East Europe.
GROUP 4
Cold War Flashpoints
Berlin Wall
Built in 1961 to stop East Germans fleeing to the West. Symbol of the Cold War.
Missile Crisis
1962: Closest the world came to nuclear war between US and USSR over Cuba.
Proxy Wars
Vietnam and Korea: Conflicts fought by superpowers through third parties.
GROUP 4
Decolonization
India: Gandhi
Independence through civil disobedience and non-violent protest (Salt March).
South Africa
Nelson Mandela: Fought to end Apartheid (legal racial segregation).
GROUP 4
Communist Shifts
Mao (China)
Great Leap Forward and Cultural Revolution led to massive famine and social upheaval.
Gorbachev
Introduced Glasnost (Openness) and Perestroika (Restructuring), leading to USSR fall.
GROUP 4
End of Cold War
1989: A Turning Point
The fall of the Berlin Wall symbolized the collapse of Soviet control over Eastern Europe.
1991
The official collapse of the Soviet Union (USSR).
The Truman Doctrine and the Marshall Plan were intended to —
A) Promote the spread of communism
B) Contain the spread of communism
C) Punish Germany after WWII
D) Create a unified global government
Which method did Gandhi use to win independence for India?
A) Civil disobedience and non-violence
B) Guerrilla warfare in mountains
C) Totalitarian control
D) Military alliance with Britain
Mikhail Gorbachev's policy of perestroika was designed to —
A) Strengthen media censorship
B) Expand Soviet control over Europe
C) Restructure the Soviet economy
D) Ban the practice of all religions
GROUP 5
Globalization
Economic Integration
Nations relying on each other for trade, goods, and resources. Organizations like the WTO and EU promote cooperation.
GROUP 5
The Green Revolution
Feeding the World
The use of technology, irrigation, and new seeds to increase global food production in the mid-20th century.
Result: Prevented famine but increased chemical reliance.
Science Meets Farm
GROUP 5
Modern Genocides
Human Rights Crises
- Rwanda (1994): Hutus vs. Tutsis.
- Darfur: Persecution in Sudan.
- Cambodia: Khmer Rouge killings.
Never Again?
Despite historical lessons, ethnic conflicts continue to challenge the world.
GROUP 5
Environmental Issues
Climate Change
Global warming caused by greenhouse gases and industrial pollution.
Deforestation
Clearing rainforests for farming, leading to biodiversity loss.
Global Threat
GROUP 5
Information Age
Digital Revolution
The Internet has transformed communication, trade, and culture.
Social Impact
Instant information access; spread of democratic ideas (and misinformation).
The Green Revolution of the mid-20th century was primarily aimed at —
A) Increasing global food production via technology
B) Promoting industrial growth in Western Europe
C) Protecting endangered species in South America
D) Restoring traditional farming methods in Asia
A major result of economic globalization is that nations —
A) Have become more independent and self-sufficient
B) Rely more on each other for trade and resources
C) Have established absolute control over their borders
D) Have returned to using the gold standard
What has been a major goal of international environmental agreements?
A) Promoting the use of fossil fuels
B) Reducing greenhouse gas emissions
C) Increasing deforestation for industrial use
D) Abolishing the United Nations
REGENTS READY
Master the context, analyze the evidence, and dominate the exam.
Context
Evidence
Analysis
Success
Modern Era Guided Notes
GLOBAL HISTORY BLUEPRINT
Review: Units 1-2 (Scientific Rev & Enlightenment)
Name:
Date:
Pd:
Unit Review
Scientific Revolution: A shift in thinking where science relied on __________________________ and observation rather than tradition. Copernicus and Galileo proved the __________________________ theory (sun-centered).
The Enlightenment: Philosophers used reason to study society. John Locke believed in natural rights: life, __________________________ , and __________________________ . Montesquieu argued for the __________________________ of powers into three branches.
French Revolution: Caused by inequality in the __________________________ Estates. The Third Estate paid 97% of taxes. The __________________________ of Terror was a period of mass execution led by Robespierre.
Napoleon: He unified French law into the __________________________ Code. His downfall came in Russia due to the winter and __________________________ earth policy.
Latin America: Independence movements were led by __________________________ (The Liberator) and Toussaint L'Ouverture in Haiti.
Practice Questions: Group 1
1. One way the Scientific Revolution and the Enlightenment are similar is that both —
(A) Encouraged the spread of religions
(B) Challenged traditional authorities
(C) Led to absolute monarchies
(D) Opposed the scientific method
2. Which estate in pre-revolutionary France paid the highest percentage of taxes?
(A) First Estate
(B) Second Estate
(C) Third Estate
(D) Estate of the Monarch
3. Simon Bolivar and Toussaint L'Ouverture are best known as leaders who —
(A) Supported the Congress of Vienna
(B) Led independence movements
(C) Negotiated the Treaty of Tordesillas
(D) Promoted the use of the guillotine
GLOBAL HISTORY BLUEPRINT
Review: Units 3-4 (Industrialization & Imperialism)
Name:
Date:
Pd:
Unit Review
Industrial Revolution: Began in __________________________ because of coal, iron, and harbors. Urbanization is the process of people moving to __________________________ .
Modern Era Vocab List
Regents Power Vocab
Modern World History: Units 1 - 9
Glossary Sheet
Group 1: Scientific Revolution & Enlightenment
Scientific Revolution
Thinkers began to rely on reason and observation rather than tradition.
Enlightenment
Applied logic and reason to government and society.
Natural Rights
Rights belonging to all humans from birth: Life, Liberty, Property.
Social Contract
People give up some freedom to a government in exchange for protection.
Third Estate
The commoners of pre-revolutionary France (97%) who paid all taxes.
Napoleonic Code
Unified French laws that served as a model for modern legal systems.
Group 2: Industrialization & Imperialism
Urbanization
The rapid movement of people from rural areas (farms) to cities.
Laissez-faire
"Hands-off" economics; the government does not interfere.
Proletariat
The working class; predicted by Marx to overthrow the bourgeoisie.
Social Darwinism
Applied "survival of the fittest" to humans; used to justify imperialism.
Berlin Conference
1884 meeting where Europeans divided Africa without African input.
Meiji Restoration
Japan decided to modernize and westernize to avoid colonization.
Group 3: Global Conflicts (WWI & WWII)
Militarism
Glorification and aggressive buildup of a nation's armed forces.
Totalitarianism
Government having total control over public and private life.
Collectivization
System where peasants worked on government-owned land (Stalin).
Appeasement
Giving in to an aggressor's demands to avoid conflict.
Treaty of Versailles
Ended WWI but punished Germany harshly, leading to WWII.
Genocide
The systematic killing of a specific racial or ethnic group.
Group 4: Cold War & Decolonization
Containment
U.S. policy aimed at stopping the spread of communism globally.
