Modern World History Midterm Review

These flashcards cover key terms and concepts related to the lecture content on major historical events and figures in East Africa, South Africa, South Asia, and China.

Hutu

Majority ethnic group in Rwanda

Tutsi

Minority ethnic group targeted during the genocide

Paul Rusesabagina

Hotel manager who sheltered refugees (Hotel Rwanda)

Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF)

Rebel group that ended the genocide

10 stages of genocide

Classification, Symbolization, Discrimination, Dehumanization, Organization, Polarization, Preparation, Persecution, Extermination, and Denial

Apartheid

Legal system of racial segregation (1948-1994)

Afrikaners

Descendants of Dutch settlers

Boers

Dutch-speaking farmers (1600s-1700s)

African National Congress (ANC)

Group that fought apartheid

Nelson Mandela

A South African anti-apartheid activist who was the first president of South Africa from 1994 to 1999.

Partition of India

When British colonialism concluded, the subcontinent was partitioned into two independent nation states: Hindu-majority India and Muslim-majority Pakistan.

Gandhi

An Indian lawyer, anti-colonial nationalist, and political ethicist who employed nonviolent resistance to lead the successful campaign for India's independence from British rule.

Civil disobedience

Peacefully breaking unjust laws

Caste System

Indian rigid social hierarchy; the system is illegal but still affects society.

Untouchables

Below the caste system, faced severe discrimination.

Sari

Traditional Indian dress

Dynasties

How China's history is divided, named after the families that ruled the nation and the time.

Confucius

Philosopher focused on order, respect, and morality.

Opium wars

When Britain smuggled opium into China to fix trade imbalance, they weakened China's sovereignty.

Taiping rebellion

A massive civil war in China from 1850 to 1864 that aimed to overthrow the Qing Dynasty.

Self-strengthening movement

Aimed to adopt Western tech to strengthen China and failed due to corruption and lack of coordination.

Great Leap Forward

Had the goal of rapid industrialization and resulted in famine and millions of deaths.

Cultural Revolution

A social and political movement from 1966 to 1976 led by Mao Zedong aimed at reasserting his authority.

Mao Zedong

Founder of Communist China, implemented the Five year plan, the Great leap forward, and the Cultural revolution

Xi Jinping

Current president of China.