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

World War I and the Interwar Period

The Outbreak of World War I (June 1914)

June 1914 marked the beginning of a series of events that plunged Europe into World War I. Following the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand by a Serbian student, Austria-Hungary demanded compensation and subsequently declared war on Serbia. This triggered a cascade of declarations: Germany declared war on Russia, France declared war on Germany to support Russia, Germany then declared war on France, and finally, France and Britain declared war on Austria-Hungary.

Propaganda in World War I

Propaganda, information designed to give a one-sided view of events through careful selection, played a crucial role during the war. Main propaganda techniques included:

• Establish

Women in the 1920s USA

LIMITATIONS

The Cold War: An Overview

The Rise of Two Power Blocs

The Second World War dramatically reshaped global politics. In 1945, the Allied forces, led by the US, Soviet Union, Britain, and France, defeated the Axis powers. This victory led to the emergence of two dominant powers: the US and the USSR. These powers gradually formed two opposing blocs: the Western camp, led by the US, and the Eastern camp, led by the USSR. For the first time, global politics became organized along ideological lines, with the US representing liberal democracy and the USSR championing socialism and communism.

A New Kind of Warfare

The Cold War differed from previous wars because it lacked direct military conflict between the US and the USSR. Instead, it was an ideological... Continue reading "The Cold War: Origins, Ideologies, and Global Impact" »

The Cyclical Nature of the Cold War

The course of the Cold War was cyclical, with both the U.S. and the U.S.S.R. alternating between periods of assertion. In the first years after 1945, the U.S. quickly demobilized its wartime military forces. Stalin, however, rejected American blueprints for peace, exploited the temporarily favorable correlation of forces to impose Communist regimes on East-Central Europe, and maintained the military-industrial emphasis in Soviet central planning.

Initial U.S. Containment Strategy (1947-1953)

Soviet policy prompted the first American outpouring of energy between 1947 and 1953, when the strategy of containment and the policies to implement it emerged. These included:

• The Truman Doctrine
• The Marshall Plan
• NATO
• The

Ancient Greece: Geography and its Influence

The modern countries which formed part of Hellas are: Macedonia, Albania, Greece, and Turkey.

The seas that surround Greek territory are the Mediterranean, Ionian, and Aegean.

The natural environment significantly influenced Greek history. Most of the land was dry and rocky, resulting in limited agriculture. The Greeks obtained much of their food from the Mediterranean Sea. They became expert sailors and crossed the sea for trade.

Why Ancient Greece Wasn't a Unified Country

Ancient Greece did not become a single country because of its physical relief:

• Mountains divided mainland Greece into small valleys.
• Islands were separated from each other by the sea.
• Each valley or island functioned like a small, independent

Forms of Government

Constitutional Monarchy

The highest authority of the state is a king or a queen, usually hereditary. The monarch’s power is limited by the Constitution and the law. The king or queen has little authority if the government is in the hands of a president.

Republic

The head of state is an elected president who changes periodically through elections. It is mainly a representation post, representing the country in public ceremonies, but with little or no real power.

Autocracy/Despotism

This is government by a single person who has unlimited power. Citizens have no say in the government.

Absolute Monarchy

The highest authority of the state is a king or a queen, usually hereditary. The king or queen has absolute power, and citizens have... Continue reading "Forms of Government: Monarchies, Republics, and More" »

Beowulf Character List

(with alternate spellings)

• ❖ Beowulf - the epic hero; the ideal warrior. He is originally a thane, but later becomes a feudal lord and king of the Geats.
• ❖ Grendel - the huge monster who terrorizes Herot, the mead hall of King Hrothgar. He cannot be destroyed by the weapons of men, but Beowulf kills him with his bare hands.
• ❖ Grendel’s mother (also known as the troll wife and Grendel’s dam) - She wants to avenge her son’s death, so she attacks the mead hall.
• ❖ Dragon - A fire-breathing, snake-like monster who ultimately kills Beowulf, but not before it meets its own death.
• ❖ Hrothgar - king of the Danes; He is a wise and generous ruler, but is too old to protect his people from the attack of Grendel.
• ❖ Unferth

1. Relaxing in Spain

I) Part 1

II) F 1

III) Junk

IV) c

2. Instagram Trends

I) Part 1

II) F 1

III) Encourages

IV) b

3. Jobless Women in Spain

I) Part 1

II) F1

III) Set Up

IV) c

4. Transforming Education

I) Part 1

II) T2

III) Available

IV) a

5. Research Ship Trapped

I) Part 2

II) F2

III) Actually

IV) c

6. Rural Americans and Healthcare

I) Part 2

II) T1

III) Prosper

IV) c

7. Cigarette Regulations

I) Part 2

II) F

III) Ban

IV) b

8. Tablets vs. Desktops

I) Part 2

II) F

III) Device

IV) c

9. Social Media in Schools

I) Part 3

II) F

III) Opportunity

IV) b

10. Teenage Life and Experiences

I) Part 3

II) F

III) Transition

IV) c

Authoritarianism and Totalitarianism

In Germany, Italy, and the USSR, authoritarian dictatorships came to power. In these regimes, power was concentrated in the hands of a supreme leader and one ruling political party. In some cases, these evolved into totalitarian regimes.

Factors Contributing to the Rise of Authoritarianism

• The First World War had established habits of military organization.
• The war had aroused nationalist feeling.
• The power of the state increased during the crisis of 1929.
• New parties were formed that represented the working mass.

Common Characteristics of Authoritarian Regimes

• Politics: They were anti-democratic governments.
• Foreign policy: They pursued an expansionist foreign policy to gain new territories.
• Economy: The state intervened

Sigma Nu Fraternity: A Comprehensive History

Founders

• Alpha 1: James Frank Hopkins (Born December 30th, 1845, in Ripley, Mississippi)
• Alpha 2: Greenfield Quarles (Born April 1st, 1847, in Helena, Arkansas)
• Alpha 3: James McIlvaine Riley (Born December 16th, 1849, in St. Louis, Missouri)

Key Figures

• Spiritual Founder: Francis H. Smith (Also known as "Specs")
• Keeper of the Rock: Ora Mathias Baldinger
• Author of the Creed: Walter James Sears
• First Legacy: John Carmichael Jr.
• Founder of the Delta Chapter: John Alexander Howard
• Designer of the Coat of Arms: Ellwood H. McClelland

Founding and Milestones

• Spiritual Founding: One starry night by the rock at VMI in October 1868
• Public Founding: January 1st, 1869
• Original Name: The Legion of Honor
• First National Convention: