Modern World History

Ms. Portman

Themes Each Class Went Over

D-Block

• Technology- warfare, industry, communication, gap in access to it, impact on environment; access different information (news on internet), medical improvements, but new diseases and health issues that still plague the world, better understanding of what the government is doing
• Gap between Rich and Poor
• Industry- more products, trade increasing- globalization, products and information moving more freely; American exports in particular are dominating the world; outsourcing, factories making products sold all over the world; older traditions in conflict with new ideas
• Education- more access for some, still depends on poverty level, equal gender opportunities in many countries
• Government accountability to its people- spread of democracy; represent people’s interests- value in the UN
• UN- international watchdog to make sure that governments are not hurting their people
• Dictators = bad
• War- weapons, information about what is going on, public, less eager to go to war, espionage, less about battlefields and now more about bombing and missiles, “sanitizing” war- push a button from a distance; allies; no place is safe- cities targeted, civilians in danger, death toll is much larger
• Consumerism- materialism, growth of capitalism, everyone wanting more, waste
• Rights- women’s rights, civil rights, human rights, children’s rights- role of UN in protecting it
• Power- exports vs. weapons; economy more than just industrialization, influence around the world- status in the world; nuclear weapons gives power- represents technology, wealth, knowledge, scientific development
• Environment- destructive but now more aware, but still destructive
• Know information, academic pressures, pressures to make money 

F-Block

• Capitalism- materialism, consumerism, focus on money, gap between the wealthy countries and poorer ones, globalization, outsourcing, national boundaries become less important for production, services, sales; greater competition between; wealthy interests dominate the world; countries; criticism of this system- development of Communism as an alternative; more focus on money than world issues; environmental damage
• US as a new power- progress, improvement, competition- economic and military- nuclear weapons; new products, emphasis- on technology, sciences
• Technology- warfare- weapons used, computers- business, internet- access to information- independent learners, connects people and issues, know more about the world; space race- science, medical improvements, power
• Gap between wealthy and the poor- more apparent; communism vs capitalism; human rights, health, instability
• Government- totalitarian regimes are “bad”; nationalism- systems of government, policies of isolationism vs alliances; role of the United Nations
• First World- wealth, technology, standard of living- power- weapon technology, influence around the world- economic
• Rights- newly independent countries, human rights, women’s rights- democracies, election, choices, independence, freedom of speech- education
• Genocide- continues to happen- lack of change over time

G-block

• Relationship between powerful countries and those who lack power- imperialism-> neo-colonialism, empire becomes more negative description- criticism of not respecting a country’s autonomy; less invasion – sense of “policing”
• Gap in wealth, weapon technology, natural resources
• Governments- dictator is not a good thing; promotion of democracy, freedom values (UN included)
• World has become more interconnected- nationalism declined; globalization- exports around the world, factory production, outsourcing, economically interconnected world; geography less important- technology
• Nuclear Weapons- MAD- stability -> terrorism, fear about offensive attacks, more countries have them
• Warfare- war of attrition; improved military technology- more movement, few ground troops, more of a threat to civilians because weapons are more destructive; global warfare (sanitized), no clear battlefield; total war is less evident; improvements affected regular life
• Technology- weapons became advanced, security and identity theft, internet- communication, more information available- seek our own news ideas; hard to control the flow of information; governments censor- spread ideas, non-violent ways, propaganda becomes more complex
• Progress- speed of improvement in technology, new inventions, promote international competition, sense of pride
• Capitalism- consumer culture, materialism, competition, environmental concerns, impacts family relations, corruption, self- involved
• Rights- human, women’s rights- UN declaration- international value, stopping genocide, not ok to do what you want in your country, education, health care, housing
• Demographics- populations change- few homogenous, migration and movement around the world; ethnic tensions
• Genocide, violations of human rights, lack of international cooperation, corrupt governments, war
• Oil as a resource- world politics