HMW Final Review

What is imperialism?

A policy of extending a country's power and influence through colonization, use of military force, or other means.

What is the difference between indirect rule and direct rule?

Indirect rule uses local rulers to govern on behalf of the imperial power; direct rule replaces local rulers with officials from the imperial country.

What were the main causes of imperialism?

Economic interests, political competition, social Darwinism, and cultural motives like the "White Man's Burden."

What is Social Darwinism?

The belief that stronger nations or races are naturally superior and destined to rule over weaker ones.

What is the "White Man’s Burden," and how does it relate to imperialism?

The idea that Europeans had a duty to civilize and rule "less developed" peoples, justifying imperialism.

What was the purpose of the Berlin Conference of 1884?

To divide Africa among European powers without conflict.

How did Britain become involved in India?

Through the East India Company establishing control and exploiting India’s resources.

What caused the Sepoy Rebellion, and what were its effects?

Causes: resentment over British policies and cultural insensitivity; Effects: increased British control and direct rule over India.

What were the causes and effects of the Opium War?

Causes: Britain’s illegal opium trade in China; Effects: China's defeat, Treaty of Nanjing, and loss of Chinese sovereignty.

What was the Treaty of Nanjing?

A treaty that ended the Opium War, granting Britain Hong Kong and opening Chinese ports to British trade.

What was the Open-Door Policy?

U.S. proposal to keep China open to trade with all nations equally.

What caused the Boxer Rebellion, and what were its effects?

Causes: anti-foreign and anti-Christian sentiment in China; Effects: suppression by foreign powers and increased foreign influence.

What are the MAIN long-term causes of WWI?

Militarism, Alliances, Imperialism, Nationalism.

How did nationalist unrest in the Austro-Hungarian Empire contribute to WWI?

Ethnic groups wanted independence, increasing tensions and leading to the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand.

What were the alliances before WWI?

Triple Alliance (Germany, Austria-Hungary, Italy) and Triple Entente (France, Russia, Britain).

What were the alliances during WWI?

Allied Powers (France, Britain, Russia, later U.S.) vs. Central Powers (Germany, Austria-Hungary, Ottoman Empire).

What was the purpose of the Schlieffen Plan?

Germany’s plan to quickly defeat France before turning to fight Russia.

Why did a stalemate develop on the Western Front? What is trench warfare?

Trenches and modern weapons caused deadlock; trench warfare is fighting from deep ditches for defense.

What does "total war" mean? Give examples during WWI.

A war involving the complete mobilization of resources and people; examples include rationing and civilian involvement.

What factors drew the U.S. into WWI?

Sinking of Lusitania, Germany’s unrestricted submarine warfare, and the Zimmerman Telegram.

What were the major provisions of the Treaty of Versailles?

Germany blamed for war, had to pay reparations, reduce military, and lose territories.

What is self-determination?

The right of peoples to choose their own government.

What was the League of Nations?

An international organization created to maintain peace after WWI.

What caused and resulted from the Russian Revolution?

Causes: dissatisfaction with Czarist rule and WWI hardships; Results: Bolsheviks seized power, Russia became communist.

Who was Archduke Franz Ferdinand?

His assassination sparked WWI.

Who was Gavrilo Princip?

The assassin of Archduke Franz Ferdinand.

Who was President Woodrow Wilson?

U.S. president during WWI, proposed the Fourteen Points and League of Nations.

Who was Czar Nicholas II?

The last Russian emperor, overthrown during the Russian Revolution.

Who were the Bolsheviks?

Radical Russian communists led by Lenin who took control in 1917.

What is totalitarianism?

A system where the state holds total authority over society and controls all aspects of public and private life.

What factors led to the rise of totalitarian dictators in the 1920s & 1930s?

Economic hardship, social unrest, fear of communism, and weak democracies.

What are the characteristics of fascism?

Extreme nationalism, dictatorial power, suppression of opposition, and strong centralized control.

What were the causes of WWII?

Treaty of Versailles sanctions, rise of totalitarian leaders, Great Depression, failure of League of Nations, and expansionist policies.

What is appeasement, as seen at the Munich Conference?

Giving in to an aggressor’s demands to avoid war.

What was the Nazi-Soviet Nonaggression Pact?

Agreement between Germany and the USSR not to attack each other, later broken by Germany.

What factors led to U.S. involvement in WWII?

Attack on Pearl Harbor, Axis aggression, and economic ties to Allies.

What was the Manhattan Project?

The secret U.S. project to develop the atomic bomb.

How did WWII end in the Pacific?

With Japan’s surrender after atomic bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

What were the effects of the atomic bomb on Japan?

Massive destruction, deaths, and Japan’s unconditional surrender.

Who was Benito Mussolini?

Fascist dictator of Italy.

Who was Franklin D. Roosevelt?

U.S. president during most of WWII.

Who was Harry S. Truman?

U.S. president who authorized atomic bomb use.

Who was Winston Churchill?

British Prime Minister during WWII.

Who was Joseph Stalin?

Soviet leader and totalitarian dictator.

Who was Adolf Hitler?

Nazi dictator of Germany.

What was the Warsaw Pact?

A Soviet-led military alliance of Eastern Bloc countries.

What is the Iron Curtain?

The ideological and physical boundary dividing Western and Eastern Europe.

What was the purpose of NATO?

A Western military alliance to counter Soviet aggression.

What was the Yalta Conference?

1945 meeting where Allies planned post-WWII order.

What are the Western Bloc and Eastern Bloc?

Western Bloc: democratic capitalist countries; Eastern Bloc: communist countries under Soviet influence.

What were proxy wars?

Conflicts where superpowers supported opposing sides, e.g., Korea and Vietnam.

What is the Truman Doctrine?

U.S. policy to contain communism by supporting free peoples.

What was the Marshall Plan?

U.S. aid to rebuild Western Europe after WWII.

What was the Berlin Blockade?

Soviet attempt to cut off Allied access to West Berlin.

What was the Korean War?

Conflict between communist North Korea and democratic South Korea, backed by USSR/China and U.S.

What was the Vietnam War?

U.S. effort to stop communist takeover of South Vietnam.

What was the Cuban Missile Crisis?

1962 standoff over Soviet nuclear missiles in Cuba.

What was the Soviet-Afghan War?

Soviet invasion of Afghanistan to support communist government.

What was MAD?

Mutual Assured Destruction—nuclear deterrence strategy.

What was the Space Race?

Competition between the U.S. and USSR to achieve space exploration milestones.

What was the Second Red Scare?

Fear of communist influence in the U.S. during the 1950s.

What was McCarthyism?

Campaign against alleged communists in the U.S. government.

What was the Civil Rights Movement?

Movement to end racial segregation and discrimination in the U.S.

What was African nationalism?

Movement for independence and unity of African peoples.

What is Pan-Africanism?

Idea promoting solidarity among all Africans worldwide.

Who was Jomo Kenyatta?

Leader of Kenyan independence movement.

Who was Kwame Nkrumah?

Leader of Ghanaian independence movement.

What was apartheid?

System of racial segregation in South Africa.

What was the Partition of India?

Division of British India into India and Pakistan based on religious lines.

What were different perspectives on Indian independence?

Some supported a united India; others wanted separate Muslim state (Pakistan).

What was the impact of Partition and Violence?

Mass migrations and communal violence.