AP World History: Modern Exam — Period 4 Notes

AP World History: Modern Exam — Period 4 Notes (1900-Present)

Key Takeaways

  1. Military Conflicts

    • Central to the understanding of the twentieth century.
    • World wars caused significant technological advances, notably in medical technology, increasing the global population over 7 billion.
    • Current conflicts, particularly in the Middle East, are legacies of these world wars.

  2. Revolutions and Nationalist Movements

    • Key role in decolonization after WWII.
    • Examples include revolutions in China and Russia, alongside nationalist movements creating new countries, such as Vietnam.
    • Current disputes like India-Pakistan over Kashmir have historical roots in these movements.

  3. Political and Economic Reforms

    • Reshaped interstate relations and integrated the world economy.
    • Important events: Fall of the Soviet Union, opening of Chinese trade with the U.S. in the 1970s, formation of the European Union.

  4. Technological Advances

    • Growth of the Internet from the 1990s shifted economic and social structures.
    • Created new communication methods but also led to new crimes like hacking and identity theft.

  5. Social Structure Changes

    • Increased rights for minorities and women throughout the twentieth century.
    • Factors include workforce changes, emerging human rights concepts post-WWII, and industrialization in the global south.

  6. Globalization

    • Increased in both economic and cultural areas, promoted by technologies such as radio, TV, and the Internet.
    • Accelerated changes resulting from the world wars, expanding human rights, and global trade interconnection.

Key Terms

  • Understanding key terms in greater depth is necessary for the AP exam. Below are definitions for some key terms:
Origins of World War I
  • Alliances: A formal treaty system that ensures mutual military aid among participant states in case of a third-party attack.
  • Militarism: Prioritizes military expenditure and valorizes military service; notable examples include the British Empire and the Soviet Union.
  • World War I: A global conflict initiated in Europe in 1914, concluding in November 1918 with the Treaty of Versailles in 1919.
World War I
  • Total War: Warfare which mobilizes economies for combat, involves civilians as targets, signifying a departure from limited engagement rules. Examples: World War I and II.
  • League of Nations: An international organization formed post-WWI weakened by the absence of the U.S. and expulsion of the Soviet Union; served as a precursor to the United Nations.
  • Mohandas Gandhi: Leader known for nonviolent resistance in the Indian Independence Movement.
Global Depression
  • World War II: A major global conflict from 1939 to 1945 between Axis (Germany, Italy, Japan) and Allied (Britain, France, Soviet Union, U.S.) powers.
  • Great Depression: A worldwide economic downturn commencing with the U.S. stock market crash in 1929, affecting Europe severely and contributing to WWII.
Rise of Fascist and Totalitarian States
  • Fascism: An extreme nationalist, militaristic government centered around a charismatic leader.
  • Benito Mussolini: Italian leader implementing fascism; established a fascist regime in 1922.
  • Adolf Hitler: Led Germany post-1933, aiming to restore its status through militarism and anti-Semitism; founder of the Nazi Party.
  • Joseph Stalin: Post-Lenin leader of the Soviet Union, established dictatorial Stalinism through mass purges.
World War II
  • Firebombing: Use of incendiary bombs on cities during war, prevalent in WWII.
  • Atomic Bomb: Developed by the U.S. and utilized on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, inciting an arms race.
  • United Nations: Formed in 1945 for peacekeeping and human rights advocacy.
  • Cold War: Ideological battle from 1949 to 1993 between capitalist U.S. and communist Soviet Union, marked by proxy wars.
Revolutions
  • Vladimir Lenin: Bolshevik leader seizing power in Russia during WWI, forming the USSR.
  • Mao Zedong: Chinese Communist Party leader; promoted mass purges and modernization, imitating Stalin.
Cold War
  • Proxy Wars: Indirect conflicts supported by opposing major powers; prominent during the Cold War. Examples: Vietnam War, Soviet-Afghan war.
  • NATO: Military alliance founded in 1949 to resist communism.
  • Warsaw Pact: Soviet alliance established in 1955 to counter NATO.
  • Non-Aligned Movement: Formed during decolonization, promoting neutrality in the Cold War.
  • European Union: Economic alliance originating from the European Economic Community.
Independence and Nationalist Movements
  • Indian National Congress: Aimed for Indian independence; significant in federal governance concepts.
  • Muhammad Ali Jinnah: Political leader advocating for a separate Muslim nation, becoming Pakistan's first leader.
  • Indian/Pakistan Partition: Division into two nations in 1947 leading to significant migration and fatalities.
Political Reform and Economic Changes
  • Deng Xiaoping: Leader post-Mao introducing capitalist reforms in China.
  • Tiananmen Square: Site of 1989 protests for democracy suppressed by military.
Technology, Populations, and the Environment
  • Green Revolution: Technological movement in agriculture to enhance food production.
  • Cholera: Infectious disease indicative of poverty and poor sanitation issues.
Social and Cultural Changes
  • Liberation Theology: Latin American Catholic movement focusing on poverty and human rights.