Modern World History s2

Modern World History Units & Essential Questions

Enlightenment Essential Questions: 1. What is History and why is it important to study? 2. What are the elements of Culture? 3. Who were some of the individuals who spurred the Enlightenment and contributed to the Age of Reason? 4. What were the basic principles of the Enlightenment and what impact did it have on future generations?

French Revolution Essential Questions: 1. What political and cultural conditions existed in France that led to Revolution in the 1780s & 90s? 2. How did the French Revolution legitimatize the themes of the Enlightenment? 3. What political and cultural conditions existed in France that permitted Napoleon to rise to power during the 1790s? 4. What events and decisions led to the demise of Napoleon’s French Empire? 5. What impact did the Congress of Vienne have on Europe following the defeat of Napoleon?

Nationalism Essential Questions: 1. What is a nation-state and what characteristics define a nationalistic movement? 2. How did the Congress of Vienna fuel the nationalistic movement in Europe during the early to mid 1800s? 3. What were some of the similarities and differences in nationalistic movements around the world during the mid-1800s?

Imperialism Essential Questions: 1. What motives drove Western Imperialism in the late 19th century (+ 1850s)? 2. How did imperialist powers manage their “overseas” lands during the late 19th century? 3. What was the “lasting legacy” of Western Imperialism in Africa, Asia, and the Pacific Rim?

Industrialism Essential Questions: 1. What conditions existed in England that allowed that country to become the first Industrialized Nation of the World? 2. What were the positive and negative effects of Industrialization? 3. Contrast capitalism and socialism and the theories of Adam Smith & Karl Marx. 4. What were the “long-term” impacts of Industrialization of the Western World?

World War I Essential Questions: 1. Identify and explain the MAIN causes of World War I. 2. Compare and contrast the various phases of The Great War: The Western Front, The Eastern Front, The Gallipoli Campaign, Trench Warfare, The War at Sea, and Air Warfare 3. Identify the major provisions of the Treaty of Versailles and explain why it created a “flawed peace.” Post WWI / Pre WWII Essential Questions:  What conditions existed in Russia at the turn of the 20th Century that allowed Lenin and the Communists to seize control of the nation?  What are the key traits of totalitarianism (fascism); and how did Stalin, Hitler, Mussolini, and FDR (to a certain degree) use them to their advantage in the post-World War I world?  What events contributed to the Global Economic Meltdown at the end of the 1920s and early 1930s; how did the various nations of the world respond?  How did the League of Nation’s fail to prevent the World from returning to War in 1939?

World War II Essential Questions:  How did the Treaty of Versailles contribute to the outbreak of World War II? OR How did the League of Nation’s fail to prevent World War II?  What contributed to Hitler’s success in the early years of the war?  How did the Allies go about winning victory?

Cold War Essential Questions:  How were the atrocities of World War II dealt with following the conclusion of the war?  What were the goals strategies employed by the United States and Soviet Union during the Cold War?  Identify some Cold War flashpoints and their impact on the continuation of conflict.  What forces led to the downfall of communism in Eastern Europe?

China Essential Questions:  How did foreigners (Great Britain, the USA, etc) and internal rebellion contribute to the downfall of the Qing Dynasty?  What programs did Mao implement that helped him gain and hold onto power until his death in 1976?  How has China transformed from backward “Cold War” afterthought to “Modern Superpower?”

Israel Essential Questions:  Explain the rationale for the creation of the state of Israel.  Identify the flashpoints of the Arab-Israeli Conflict.  Compare and contrast the potential solutions to solving the Arab-Israeli Conflict: The One- State Solution v. The Road Map for Peace v. International Governed Nation

Rise of Modern Nations & Terrorism Essential Questions:  What struggles did nations (such as Afghanistan, Argentina, Brazil, Germany, Ghana, India, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, The Congo, Japan, North & South Korea and Turkey) have to deal with as they developed from old world colonies/protectorates into modern nations of the 21st century?  What is terrorism and what role does in play in the world?  Identify some landmark terrorist events, organizations, and individuals.

Globalization Essential Questions:  What is globalization?  Has globalization been a benefit to the world or a hindrance?  Identify and describe the roles of international, multinational, and supranational organizations.