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

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

1. The First Arab-Israeli War

The day after the announcement, six Islamic states—Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, and Saudi Arabia—declared war on Israel and invaded. The war ended in a few months with an Israeli victory. Three other wars followed in 1956, 1967, and 1973.

The Palestinian state designed in the UN partition never came into being. Israel seized half the land in the 1948–49 fighting, and a great number of Palestinians fled from the areas under Israeli control, finding shelter in UN refugee camps around the border. Egypt took control of the Gaza Strip, and Jordan annexed the West Bank of the Jordan River.

2. The 1956 Suez Crisis

Egypt seized control of the Suez Canal. President Nasser sent troops to take the canal, which was... Continue reading "Key Conflicts in the Arab-Israeli War History" »

The Enduring Impact of History and Religion on Society

Both history and religion have played a significant role in shaping contemporary society. Crucially, the effects of the slave trade continue to impact the world significantly today. James Baldwin, David Walker, and Barack Obama are all significant figures in the movement for equality in America, though they operated in different time periods.

James Baldwin: The American Optic

James Baldwin, an American novelist and essayist, focused extensively on the experience of being Black in America. He articulated the pervasive societal message:

All you are ever told in this country about being black is that it is a terrible thing to be and that the whole American optic is based on the necessity of keeping

World War II: A Global Military Conflict (1939–1945)

The Second World War was a major military conflict spanning from 1939 to 1945. It involved all European countries, Japan, the United States, China, and various European colonies across North Africa, Asia, and Oceania.

Causes of the War

• Nationalist Discontent: Following the end of World War I, Germany and Italy were dissatisfied. The Treaty of Versailles forced Germany to cede territory to Poland and Czechoslovakia, which contained large German populations. Italy, despite being on the winning side, did not receive the Mediterranean territories it desired, fueling a desire to recover lost lands.
• Economic Protectionism: The Great Depression of the 1930s led European governments to adopt protectionist

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: