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

Sociological Theory: Adam Smith and Karl Marx

Although not considered sociologists by profession, early thinkers like Adam Smith and Karl Marx sought to answer the fundamental question of what constitutes a society.

Adam Smith (1723-1790)

Adam Smith was born in Edinburgh, one of the cities where the industrial movement began. At the age of four, he was reportedly kidnapped by gypsies but was later rescued by his uncle. He entered the University of Glasgow at 14 and, in 1740, won a scholarship to Oxford, where he spent the following years at Balliol College.

Academic Career and Influences

In 1748, he became an assistant professor of Rhetoric and Literature in Edinburgh. He met the Scottish philosopher David Hume, who became a lifelong friend until... Continue reading "Adam Smith: The Father of Modern Economics and His Theories" »

Verdicts (Conclusions)

In 1937, prosperity seemed to be returning, and Roosevelt cut the New Deal budget. He laid off many workers who had been employed by the New Deal’s organizations, and the cut in spending triggered other cuts throughout the economy. Unemployment rose again.

This damaged Roosevelt badly. Middle-class voters lost some confidence in him, and in 1938, Republicans did well in the congressional elections, making it harder for Roosevelt to push his reforms through Congress. However, he was elected again in 1940.

Aspect 1: A New Society?

• The New Deal restored the faith of the American people in their government.
• It set the tone for future government policies aimed at helping people.
• It handled billions of dollars of public money with

Axis Powers

Axis powers: It was an alliance led by Nazi Germany, Fascist Italy, and Japan. They all had dictatorial regimes.

German-Soviet Pact

German-Soviet Pact: The German-Soviet Pact or Ribbentrop-Molotov Pact was a non-aggression agreement signed by Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union one week before the WWII. It included a secret clause to invade Poland at the same time and to distribute Eastern Europe.

Blitzkrieg

Blitzkrieg: The blitzkrieg was a new war tactic developed by Germany before the WWII and used since its beginning. It was based on the use of planes, the fast advance of tanks, and the occupation of the land by soldiers later. The troop advance was extremely fast and thanks to it, Germany occupied most of Europe between 1939-1941.

Battle

Antigone: A Tragedy of Pride and Divine Law

Thebes stands unconquered, though Polynices and his allies attacked it. Polynices and his brother Eteocles are both dead, killed by each other, fulfilling the curse of their father, Oedipus.

Outside the city gates, Antigone tells Ismene that Creon has ordered Eteocles, who defended the city, to be buried with full honors. However, Polynices, the invader, is to be left unburied. Creon has decreed that anyone attempting to bury Polynices will be publicly stoned to death. Outraged, Antigone reveals her plan to bury Polynices in secret, defying Creon's order. Ismene timidly refuses to defy the king, and Antigone angrily rejects her, determined to bury her brother alone.

Creon discovers that someone has attempted... Continue reading "Antigone: Tragedy of Pride and Divine Law" »

2. CLASH OF CIVILIZATIONS:

CLASH OF CIVILIZATIONS: Social scientist Samuel L. Huntington published in 1993 one of the most influential articles in the last decade: "The Clash of Civilizations". He tries to define a model that explains international conflict. He predicted what is happening today. The heart of the thesis is: now that the Cold War is over, conflicts will be about civilizations. // Basically what he said was that after the fall of the Berlin Wall and the Soviet Union and so the end of the Cold War, what is going to happen now? He was answering Fukuyama's theory that sustained that the West won and it was the end of historical conflict and that now we were going to live in a peaceful world. // But Huntington believes it's not going... Continue reading "The Clash of Civilizations: Exploring International Conflict" »

The Foral Regime in the Basque Country

The foral regime, a distinctive political and juridical feature of the Basque Country, spanned from the Middle Ages to the Contemporary era. It recognized separate laws, taxation, and courts in each province: the Lordship of Biscay, the Province of Gipuzkoa, and the Hermandad of Araba. Despite their distinct legal systems, these provinces shared many similarities.

The foral regime established a system of shared sovereignty between the King and local authorities. The relationship between the foruak (Basque foral laws), other bodies of law, and sovereignty remains a complex issue to this day. The Basque provinces viewed their foruak as akin to a constitution, guaranteeing their traditional rights. Conversely,... Continue reading "Basque Foral Laws: A History of Shared Sovereignty" »

Columbus got the idea of sailing west to get to Asia in 1474 from a letter that Paolo Toscanelli, a Florentine scientist that advised the Portuguese to take this route since it was shorter than the one from Guinea. Columbus first came to John II to offer him to make the journey, but he turned Columbus down. Then he went to the Spanish and after a lot of negotiation they agreed to support the enterprise. On August 3, 1492, Columbus sailed from Palos with three small ships, the Pinta, the Niña and the Santa Maria. The journey was prosperous but toward the end the crew grew anxious as they didn’t know if they would find land. Eventually on October 12, they made landfall in San Salvador. Still thinking that he had arrived in Asia, he sent an... Continue reading "Christopher Columbus: The Journey to the New World" »

3A -Stages of life

1. Infancy

2. Childhood

3. Adolescence

4. Adulthood

5. Middle age

6. Old age

Phases of the French Revolution

• Constitutional Monarchy (1789-1792)
• Social Republic (1792-1794)
• Conservative Republic (1794-1799)

The Jacobins and the Girondins

The Jacobins (1793-1794) were the most radical members of the bourgeoisie; they imposed their own laws. The Girondins (1792-1793) represented the most moderate wing of the bourgeoisie.

The Women's March on Versailles

Women marched on Versailles to protest the shortage of bread and to demand that the King sign the decree abolishing manorialism.

Activities in Women's Clubs

In these clubs, women performed several key actions:

• They read and discussed Assembly decrees.
• They presented criticisms and proposals.
• They collected funds for various causes.

Objectives of the Consulate

The primary goal was to... Continue reading "Key Events and Legacy of the French Revolution" »