Unit 9
Unit 9
Topic 9.1: Advances in Technology and Exchange
EQ: How has the development of new technology changed the world since 1900?
Technological Innovations:
New modes of communication, including telephones, cell phones, cars, commercial airplanes, and the internet, mitigated geographic distance.
Transition in primary energy sources:
Coal dominated the 19th century energy landscape.
Petroleum became the core resource in the 20th century, with most transportation technologies (cars, boats, trains) relying on fossil fuels, directly or indirectly.
Nuclear power emerged as a significant source of energy, providing vast, near-limitless energy.
Increased productivity followed the availability of communication and power resources.
Scientific Advances: Numerous technological innovations emerged in this era, shaping global interconnectivity.
Communication and Transportation
Early-1900s technology enabled global connectivity. By the 1990s, mobile technology allowed widespread information generation.
A surge in information distribution fostered global movements.
Transportation advancements facilitated easier worldwide travel.
Green Revolution
Emerged in the mid-20th century to combat hunger. Notable advancements included:
Development of high-yield, pest-resistant varieties of staple grains such as wheat and rice through crossbreeding and genetic engineering.
Unexpected downsides: environmental degradation, soil destruction, and job losses.
Energy Technologies
In 1900, coal constituted 50% of world energy consumption.
Shift towards petroleum and natural gas as dominance increased.
Fossil fuels are non-renewable, indicating an inevitable depletion of supply.
Ongoing technological development aims to harness cleaner, renewable energy sources.
Medical Innovations
Antibiotics emerged post-penicillin discovery, revolutionizing treatment for various bacterial infections, with wide implications for health outcomes during and after wars.
Birth control methods allowed women to significantly decrease family sizes and facilitated greater participation in the workforce.
Vaccines led to the eradication of diseases like polio and measles.
Data Representation
Birth and Death Rates in Sweden and Mexico (1900-2000):
Includes significant historical events (e.g., Mexican Revolution, end of WWII, and advancements in healthcare).
Rate trends indicated increasing health standards and family planning advancements impacting birth rates.
Topic 9.2: Technological Advancements and Limitations -- Disease
EQ: How have environmental factors affected human populations since 1900?
Lifespan Increase: Average lifespan grew from 46 years in 1900 to 71 years now due to medical advances.
Vaccines for serious diseases (e.g., polio, smallpox) have substantially improved health outcomes.
New medical technologies (anesthetics, defibrillators, artificial hearts) enabled new surgeries and treatments.
The advent of antibiotics drastically altered treatment methodologies in combating bacterial infections.
New Diseases
Prolonged lifespans and urbanization altered disease landscapes, leading to new diseases and exacerbating existing ones:
In developed countries, lifestyle changes associated with increased drug use and sexual activity contributed to the HIV/AIDS epidemic.
Poor regions saw older diseases, like tuberculosis and malaria, retake prominence due to urbanization.
Increased processed food consumption led to diet-related diseases, including obesity and diabetes.
Disease Examples
Malaria:
Transmitted by mosquitoes; early 2000s statistics show fatalities exceeding 600,000 annually, predominantly among young African children.
Global efforts, such as those by "Doctors Without Borders," treat millions each year. Vaccines face resistance issues.
Tuberculosis: Associated with poverty; modern treatments have significantly improved management.
Spanish Flu: Notably high mortality impacted WWI soldiers, with 20 million deaths globally, showing the importance of disease spread via travel.
HIV/AIDS:
From 1981-2014, over 25 million deaths attributed to HIV infection. Antiviral drugs became available by the mid-1990s, focusing on treatment rather than a cure.
Ebola: Caused by a virus, highly lethal, with significant outbreak concern rising globally especially noted in West Africa in 2014.
Topic 9.3: Technology and the Environment
EQ: What were the causes and effects of environmental changes from 1900-present?
Population Growth and Urbanization
Population spikes required increased agricultural output, causing:
Deforestation
Soil erosion
Overfishing
Effects of Environmental Changes
Energy and natural resource sectors report imminent fossil fuel depletion.
Water scarcity affecting over 1 billion, with the WHO projecting that half the population may lack clean drinking water by 2025.
Innovations in renewable energy technologies are visible, with increasing public awareness about environmental issues.
Global Warming & Agricultural Advances
Increasing temperatures leading to severe climate changes are debated in terms of human contribution.
Post-1950, agricultural methods improved markedly through chemical fertilizers and advanced technologies (e.g., pesticide use).
Resulted in food production increases potentially correlating with population surges.
Increasing Environmental Activism
Industrialization fostered increased extinction rates. Significant protests arose against environmental degradation (e.g., Anti-Nuclear Movement accounted for the formation of various environmental groups).
The Green Belt Movement, initiated by Wangari Maathai, exemplifies holistic approaches to development through environmental conservation.
Topic 9.4: Economics in the Global Age
EQ: How did the global economy change and remain the same from 1900-present?
Free Market Economies
Economic liberalization reflects increased openness in global economies through reduced trade restrictions, championed by leaders like Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher.
Case Study: Chile
In 1973, a coup led by Augusto Pinochet transformed Chile’s economy from state control to a free-market system challenged by social concerns and human rights violations.
Case Study: China
Deng Xiaoping initiated economic reforms in 1981 promoting growth while raising debates on the necessity of simultaneous political reforms.
Economic Changes in Global Knowledge Economies
Knowledge economies place emphasis on information creation and innovation, exemplified by Finland’s investment in technology.
Japan transitioned to a manufacturing powerhouse, driving economic growth in banking and finance sectors.
Economic Continuities: Shifting Manufacturing
As knowledge economies emerged in regions such as the USA and Japan, manufacturing shifted to lower labor cost countries (e.g., Vietnam and Bangladesh), aided by NAFTA facilitating production movement.
Evolution of the European Union
Post-WWII, nations in Europe pursued cooperation actions through the European Economic Community (EEC), leading to the establishment of the EU, allowing unity in trade, currency, and citizenship.
Global Trade Organizations
The WTO created frameworks for international trade, including agreements like NAFTA fostering economic collaborations across North America and Southeast Asia through ASEAN.
Transition to Knowledge Economies
A shift towards knowledge economies correlated with decreased traditional middle-class vocational jobs as production moved to cheaper labor markets abroad. Multinational corporations significantly impacted the global market, contributing to consolidation and standardization of production and culture.
Topic 9.5: Calls for Reform and Responses
An Era of Rights
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights was adopted in December 1948, laying a foundational framework for international human rights standards.
The establishment of the International Court of Justice provides a platform for international law mediation.
Racial Equality in the US
The Civil Rights Act of 1965 outlawed racial discrimination and the Voting Rights Act of 1965 prohibits voting discrimination.
Apartheid in South Africa
Instituted in 1948, apartheid enforced strict racial segregation policies disadvantaging non-white populations, limiting their civil rights significantly.
The resistance led by figures like Nelson Mandela garnered international attention, ultimately leading to significant reforms in the early 1990s.
Human Rights Repression in China
The Chinese Communist Party has historically suppressed dissent against its rule, most notably during the Tiananmen Square Massacre in 1989, where military action led to numerous casualties among peaceful protestors.
Ongoing suppression of ethnic minorities and broader civil rights issues persist historically in post-WWII China.
Social Progress for Women
In developed regions, women's rights escalated, with historical figures such as Margaret Thatcher and Angela Merkel serving as prime ministers.
Moreover, the Catholic Church’s policy of Liberation Theology represents a shift in religious attitudes toward social justice.
Topic 9.6: Globalized Culture
Global Consumer and Popular Culture: Emerged with the advent of communication technologies, especially by the 1990s when the internet began to dominate.
Global brands such as Apple and Nike reflect the interconnection of consumer culture through international commerce.
Cultural diversification is evident through alternatives in global entertainment (e.g., Bollywood, Anime, Reggae, and K-Pop).
Topic 9.7: Resistance to Globalization
Critiques of globalization focus on labor exploitation, environmental degradation, and cultural hegemony prioritized by dominant economies.
Noteworthy is the backlash from trade agreements highlighted by widespread labor exploitation in developing nations.
Topic 9.9: Continuity and Change in a Globalized World
Advances in Science and Technology
Significant developments include:
Big Bang Theory in cosmology
Innovations within medical science
Emerging technologies in energy and agriculture
Social Changes since 1900
Population dynamics led to increased individual rights, notably in women’s rights movements impacting voting, access to education, and employment opportunities.
Economic Changes and Continuities
Despite transformation, developed nations maintain economic exploitative tendencies toward less developed regions.
Political Changes
Nonviolent protests and advocacy for civil rights have brought notable social reforms and independence movements across various nations.
Cultural Interactions
Enhanced by rapid information exchange, cultural consumption illustrates a two-way cultural exchange between global audiences and mainstream culture.
Environmental Changes
Rising global interactions have made environmental conservation a critical conversation amidst pollution and climate change concerns due to industrialization.