Modern Patterns in World History (1500 CE to present)

The graduate analyzes major cultural, political, and economic shifts that led to revolution, industrialization, and ideological change in the modern period.

The 18th and 19th centuries were defined by radical transformations in society, politics, and economics. The American, French, and Haitian Revolutions altered the course of political and social history in those countries. The Industrial Revolution changed how humans worked, lived, and consumed, and thus changed global economic history in meaningful ways.

In the 20th century, globalization and modernization contributed to the outbreak of incredibly violent global conflicts. World War I and World War II shaped the first half of the century, and the Cold War dominated the second. Each war demonstrated humanitys capacity for extraordinary destruction. These wars disrupted millions of lives and led to political upheaval and redrawing of national boundaries.

New ideologies (patterns of thought) emerged during these times to provide justifications for rejecting the existing social order and to suggest new ways of organizing society.

TASK INSTRUCTIONS:
IN THIS TASK, you will describe the causes and results of one of three given revolutions and one of three given events. You will also explain three consequences of the Industrial Revolution. Finally, you will choose one ideology and explain its development in relation to other historical events.

A.  Discuss the causes and results (i.e., cultural, political, and/or economic) of one of the following revolutions (suggested length of 23 paragraphs):

  American Revolution

  French Revolution

  Haitian Revolution

B.  Explain the development of one of the following ideologies in relation to associated historical events (suggested length of 23 paragraphs):

  nationalism

  liberalism

  socialism

C.  Explain three consequences (e.g., social, cultural, economic, technological) of industrialization in the 19th and 20th centuries (suggested length of 23 paragraphs).

D.  Discuss the causes and results (i.e., cultural, political, and/or economic) of one of the following conflicts (suggested length of 23 paragraphs):

  World War I

  World War II

  Cold War

E.  Provide acknowledgement of source information, using in-text citations and references, for quoted, paraphrased, or summarized content.

1.  Include the following information when providing source references:

  author

  date

  title

  location of information (e.g., publisher, journal, or website URL)