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

Dancing with the Wolves: Conquest of the West

The closing of the American frontier is marked by two significant dates: the Wounded Knee Massacre in South Dakota (1890) and the Columbian Exposition in Chicago (1893). The latter showcased America's triumph and glory. Historian Frederick Jackson Turner delivered a speech at the Exposition, declaring the frontier officially closed.

The Gilded Age and the Rise of Industrialization

The closure of the frontier coincided with the onset of the Gilded Age, a period of rapid industrialization. People migrated from rural areas to burgeoning industrial cities. Small farms suffered due to the rise of agribusiness.

Muckrakers and Social Reform

Amidst widespread corruption, a movement of middle-class intellectuals,... Continue reading "American Frontier Closure & Rise of Industrial Power: 1890-1920" »

The Vietnam War (1955-1975)

Overview

The Vietnam War, also known as the Second Indochina War and the Resistance War Against America (or simply the American War in Vietnam), was a protracted conflict spanning from November 1, 1955, to the fall of Saigon on April 30, 1975. The war involved Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia.

Officially, the war was fought between North Vietnam (supported by the Soviet Union, China, and other communist allies) and South Vietnam (backed by the United States, South Korea, the Philippines, Australia, Thailand, and other anti-communist allies). Often considered a Cold War-era proxy war, the conflict lasted 19 years, with direct U.S. involvement concluding in 1973. The war resulted in the communist takeover of all three countries... Continue reading "Vietnam War: A Cold War Era Conflict" »

Three Roads to Modernity

1. Capitalist Democratic Road

• Identified in the UK, France, and the USA.
• The peasant question is solved as the peasantry is quickly and efficiently absorbed by the new economic system.
• Steps: enclosure, new technology, industry (normally starting with mining and textiles).
• In these three countries, there is a bourgeoisie that controls the industrialization process.
• This way, they become firstly economically wealthy and then politically powerful (need of political power to consolidate economic power).
• Finally, the landed aristocracy branched out to the bourgeoisie.

This is clearly reflected in the voting power. Initially, only the aristocracy could vote, but gradually the right to vote began involving those who were gaining... Continue reading "Three Paths to Modernity: A Comparative Study" »

The First Stage (1939-1941)

Victories of the Axis Powers

Germany launched a "blitzkrieg" or lightning war, concentrating a great force of tanks and planes to break through enemy lines. Thanks to Russia's neutrality, the Nazis conquered most of Western Europe (Denmark, Norway, Luxembourg, Belgium, the Low Countries, and France). The United Kingdom managed to stop them.

Italy supported Germany and attacked France from the south. France was forced to sign an armistice and recognize the division of its territory:

• An occupied territory under German control
• A collaborationist government in the south established in the city of Vichy.

The Nazis went on to conquer:

• North Africa
• The Balkans

They started the invasion of Russia, reaching Moscow and Stalingrad (... Continue reading "The Cold War: From Détente to Dissolution" »

The Independence of Spanish America

In the last years of the reign of Ferdinand VII, the independence of the Spanish colonies in America took place. The process was advanced by the criollos, dissatisfied with their political marginalization, the high taxes, and the social discrimination they faced compared to peninsular Spaniards. It was driven by the spread of European liberal and revolutionary ideas and by military aid from the United States and the United Kingdom. It was carried out in two stages:

• The first stage (1810-1814) coincided with the War of Independence, during which revolutionary juntas displayed tendencies that favored independence, led by Simón Bolívar and José de San Martín. They were repressed after the return of Ferdinand

Council of Europe: A Champion of Democracy and Human Rights

The Council of Europe is a regional, multilateral organization established in 1949 by the Treaty of London. It is headquartered in Strasbourg, France, and has 47 member countries. It is important to note that the Council of Europe is not an integration process.

Objectives

The Council of Europe's primary objectives are to promote freedom and create a democratic and legal area based on the principles outlined in the European Convention on Human Rights.

The Convention, established in 1950, is the Council's main achievement. Any country wishing to become a member must ratify it, organize free elections, abolish the death penalty, and guarantee the rule of law. It is the first instrument to... Continue reading "Council of Europe: History, Structure, and Human Rights" »

The French Revolution and the Napoleonic Empire

Revolution:

A dramatic change that often includes the fall of a government or the transformation of a social and economic order.

Napoleon Bonaparte:

Military commander who took power in France in 1799 and was emperor from 1804 until his defeat at Waterloo in 1815.

Napoleonic Empire:

Territory conquered and controlled by Napoleon between 1804 and 1815.

The Beginning of the Modern Age

The outbreak of the French Revolution in 1789 marked the start of the Modern Age.

Before the French Revolution, the enlightened despots failed to make the political, economic, and social changes that Enlightenment thinkers had proposed. These changes were violently imposed by revolutionaries, as reforms had failed.

• A political

The Republic (1873-1874)

After the abdication, the Cortes voted the Republic as the new form of government. However, the regime was unstable, headed by a political minority, the Republicans, who were themselves divided into those in favor of a unitary state, those in favor of a federal one, and finally the supporters of a presidential Republic.

These disputes undermined the credibility of the Republic. Therefore, the monarchists (such as Cánovas del Castillo), supporting the candidature of Isabella's son, Prince Alfonso of Bourbon, began to pave the peaceful way to the restoration of the monarchy, which they wanted to identify with political tradition and stability.

Eventually, it was a military coup (led by General Pavia) that really ended the... Continue reading "Spanish History: Republic, Restoration, and Canovist System" »

The Reign of Charles V (1516-1556)

Inheritance and Early Rule

Charles V inherited a vast empire. On his mother's side, he received the Crowns of Aragon and Castile, along with territories in America, Italy, and Africa. From his father's side, he inherited lands as a member of the Habsburg dynasty, including territories in Germany, the Low Countries, Luxembourg, and eastern France.

The Revolt of the Comuneros (1520-1521)

In 1520, the Revolt of the Comuneros erupted in Castilian cities. The uprising was sparked by opposition to Charles V's policies, particularly his high taxes and his focus on foreign affairs. The royal army ultimately defeated the comuneros at the Battle of Villalar in 1521, and their leaders were executed.

Financial Challenges

Charles... Continue reading "The Spanish Empire Under Charles V and Philip II" »

Chartism: A Working-Class Movement

Chartism was a working-class movement that emerged in 19th-century Britain, advocating for political reform and social justice. The working-class people, who were not among the wealthiest, aimed to create a fairer society for themselves and others like them. They were named Chartists after the People's Charter.

Origins of Chartism

Chartism emerged in London in 1836 and quickly expanded across the country, with its most active period between 1838 and 1848. The Chartists publicized their demands through meetings and pamphlets. Several factors contributed to its rise:

• Rapid urbanization in British society led to unsanitary living conditions and long working hours for the working class.
• Only a small portion of the