Notes, summaries, assignments, exams, and problems for History

Postcolonial Writers and Themes

African Writers

• Buchi Emecheta - The Joys of Motherhood (Lagos, Nigeria)
• Wole Soyinka - Telephone Conversation / The Lion and... (Nigeria)
• Niyi Osundare - Not My Business (Nigeria)
• Gabriel Okara - Once Upon a Time / Spirit of the Wind (Nigeria)
• Nadine Gordimer - WSA - The Train of Rhodesia (South Africa)

Caribbean Writers

• Jamaica Kincaid - A Small Place (Antigua)
• Dolores Prida - Coser y Cantar (Cuba)
• V.S. Naipaul - "The Mystic Masseur" / "The Suffrage of Elvira" (Trinidad and Tobago)
• Derek Walcott - "Dream on Monkey Mountain" (Saint Lucia)

Indian Writers

• Salman Rushdie
• Bharati Mukherjee - The Management of Grief
• Arundhati Subramaniam - The Welsh Critic Who Doesn't Find Me Identifiably Indian
• Rabindranath Tagore

Other Writers

• Alice

Greece: An EU Member State

Greece joined the EU in 1981.

Location

Greece is located in southeastern Europe, bordering Turkey, Bulgaria, Albania, and North Macedonia.

Capital City

The capital city is Athens.

Currency

The euro is the official currency.

Religion

95% of the population belongs to the Orthodox Church of Greece.

Language

Greek is the official language.

Economy

Historically agriculture-based, Greece's economy is now led by industry. Tourism and shipping are also vital economic sectors. However, the Greek economy faces challenges, including high unemployment, bureaucratic inefficiencies, and corruption. The financial crisis and austerity measures have led to public discontent and protests.

Unemployment Rate

The unemployment rate in Greece has increased... Continue reading "Greece: Essential Facts, Economy, Culture, and Business Practices" »

Civil War: Examining Key Issues and Events

1. Frederick Douglass's Argument Against Slavery

How did Frederick Douglass argue against the institution of slavery? What evidence of the evils of slavery did he present?

Frederick Douglass highlighted that enslaved people were treated as property, lacking control over their own bodies. He pointed out that enslavers could buy, sell, and bequeath enslaved people like any other possession. Enslaved people were dictated what to eat and drink, when and where to speak, and whom to marry, and were often separated from their families.

2. Georgia's Reasons for Seceding

What reasons did Georgia give for leaving the Union?

Georgia argued that the Northern states had strived to weaken their security, disturbed their

The Black Death

Many people died in the 14th century as a result of crop failures, wars, or diseases. The plague appeared in Europe in 1347. It was a deadly epidemic caused by a bacterium that is transmitted to humans by fleas or black rats. More than a third of Europe's population died, and it took 150 years to recover. As a result, there were fewer farmers, abandoned lands, bad harvests, and declining revenues of the nobles and monasteries...and more fights to improve them. The nobles reinforced serfdom, which led to peasant revolts. Food shortages and the decline of craftwork were also causes of riots in the cities, which often ended up paying minorities due to religious fanaticism.

Castile and Aragon in the Middle Ages

The Crown of Castile

Although... Continue reading "The Black Death and the Iberian Kingdoms in the Middle Ages" »

The Restoration (1815-1848)

The Restoration was a return to the political system of the Ancien Régime imposed by the victorious European powers (Austria, Russia, Prussia, and Great Britain) after Napoleon's defeat in 1815.

Supporters of the Restoration believed that the monarch was the only person capable of leading a country. Popular sovereignty and constitutions were seen as limitations on the monarchy's power.

Measures Adopted at the Congress of Vienna:

• Absolute monarchies were reinstated.
• Europe's borders were changed.
• European powers agreed to support any monarch threatened by revolution or attempts to limit their power.
• Two European alliances were formed to enforce the agreements:

1. Holy Alliance (Russia, Prussia, and Austria):

The monarchs... Continue reading "The Restoration and Liberal Revolutions" »

Germany

Weimar Republic

Economy

As the chart shows, parliamentary representation of certain groups declined as the Nazis took control of Germany and the country's economy began to deteriorate. However, from 1930, their representation began to increase, and with the establishment of capitalism, the economy improved until it collapsed (we can see a small dip in November 1932) and then recovered.

Key Events

Reichstag Fire

An arson attack on the Reichstag building on February 27, 1933, which resulted in the German parliament building burning down.

Night of the Long Knives

The night between June 30 and July 1, 1934, when Adolf Hitler, Gregor Strasser, Ernst Röhm, and Herman Göring were victims of a purge.

Night of Broken Glass

The night between November... Continue reading "20th Century European History Overview" »

31. The ____ Amendment made slavery unconstitutional and illegal.

-13^th amendment        

32. The _____ Amendment stated that states could not take away the rights of citizens without due process of the law.

-14^th amendment

33. The ____ Amendment allowed all men to vote regardless of race.

-15^th amendment

34. Name several things on which the North and South disagreed after the Civil War

35. What was “the bloodiest battle” of the Civil War?

-Maryland’s battle of Antietam

36. In what battle did the most soldiers die?   

-Battle of Gettysburg

37. Which was the last state to join the Confederacy?

-north carolina

38. What did Civil War soldiers use as early versions of dog tags?

-pinning of their names on their uniforms

39.The prosperity of the... Continue reading "Law 19983 on" »

Estate-Based Society

Society was divided into three estates:

• Nobility: Held significant power.
• Clergy: Possessed less power than the nobility.
• Third Estate: Comprised of the bourgeoisie, city workers, and peasants; they had few rights and paid substantial taxes.

Causes of the War of Spanish Succession

The War of the Spanish Succession stemmed from several causes, primarily the death of Charles II without a direct heir. This led England and Austria to form a Grand Alliance opposing the recognition of Philip V as King of Spain, as they supported Charles of Austria.

Consequences of the War

The primary consequence was the recognition of Philip V as King of Spain. However, Spain and France agreed to remain separate entities. Spain lost territories including... Continue reading "18th Century Spain: Social Structure, War, and Rebellion" »

The Death of General Wolfe

The Death of General Wolfe, a renowned 1770 painting by Anglo-American artist Benjamin West, depicts the death of British General James Wolfe during the 1759 Battle of Quebec in the Seven Years' War. This Neoclassical oil on canvas painting has a nearly identical replica, commissioned by King George III in 1771.

West portrays General Wolfe as a Christ-like figure. The painting's triangular composition, formed by the flag's apex and the men's positions, evokes Michelangelo's La Pietà, where the Virgin Mary embraces Christ.

In the foreground, Wolfe's musket, cartridge box, and bayonet lie on the ground. Wolfe, armed like his men, wears a simple red coat, waistcoat, breeches, and a white shirt—unusually modest attire... Continue reading "The Death of General Wolfe and the Métis" »

Biscay Mines: Workers' Demands and the End of Quarters

Workers of Biscay mines named a commission to require public authorities to end quarters and compulsory shops. Their reasons included broken promises from bosses regarding the closing down of compulsory shops and quarters taken during the 1890 strike. They also argued that this situation went against the liberal spirit of the century, which favored individual freedom and freedom of work.

The miners threatened to go on strike if the government didn't accept their petitions.

The Restoration System at the End of the Century

At the end of the century, the Restoration system was set up, rooted in the 1876 Constitution. This system presented itself as the only one that could guarantee social peace... Continue reading "Biscay Mines: Workers' Rights, Strikes, and Industrialization" »