Download EdOptions Course – World History Since 1815

Course Syllabus- World History Since 1815
EdOptions Course – World History Since 1815
Course Overview
Welcome to World History Since 1815. This semester-long course follows human history from
the end of the French Revolution until the present day. Topics covered before the midterm
include the Industrial Revolution, the African and Asian colonial experience, the rise of
European Nationalism, and the horrors of World War I. In the second half students read about
the rise of totalitarian ideologies of Fascism and Communism, World War II, the Cold War,
Post-Colonial Africa, the Rise of Asian Economies, and the Global War on Terror. We
recommend that students take this course after completing our World History Before 1815
course, but both courses can be taken independently of the other.
This course contains 19 lessons and 19 submissions. The lessons vary in length and become
slightly longer and more complicated as the semester progresses. Each lesson should take
students about one week to complete, but it makes sense to do the early lessons faster, if
possible. Most lessons have maps, and some submission questions require students to identify
parts of the maps.
Course Structure
Lesson Format
Each lesson begins with objectives listing the important concepts and topics that students need
to master. The topics in lessons are thematic instead of being strictly chronological. For
example, some events mentioned in Lesson 1, Independence outside of Europe, take place after
events mentioned in Lesson 2, The Industrial Revolution,
History is often portrayed as a series of dates and events to be memorized. The emphasis in
this course is not on dates but on why things happened and on the context and sequence of
events. Some dates, such as 1848, 1914, 1945, and 1989 are considered important and will be
tested in the relevant submissions. However, at the end of a lesson, a student should know the
general trends in the world in the 1840s, rather than the specific year when the Third French
Republic ended or the year when the Franco-Prussian War began. At the end of each lesson, a
brief summary of the important themes is given.
To maximize their understanding of themes and trends, students should use the timeline
feature. Throughout the lessons, students can follow links to theme-oriented timelines. These
timelines may span several lessons and will help the student prepare for submissions, especially
short answer and essay questions.
Lessons quote primary sources, and students will be tested on the material in the sources.
However, some lessons also have additional primary source material included in the right-hand
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Course Syllabus- World History Since 1815
sidebar. These "In Their Own Words" sections are entertaining and optional and will not be on
tests or submissions.
Two abbreviations occur in the earlier lessons which students may not be familiar with: BCE =
Before Common Era, and is used instead of the more common BC, so 200 BCE is the
equivalent of saying 200 BC; CE = Common Era and is used instead of AD, so 200 CE is the
equivalent of AD 200. If a year does not have either abbreviation beside it, students can safely
assume that the date is in the Common Era.
These abbreviations and other terms used in the lessons can be found in the course glossary.
The glossary contains important terms and concepts which appear in several lessons.
Lesson Components
Objectives
Each lesson begins with objectives. They outline what the student will be able to do by the
completion of the lesson.
Course Glossary
In every lesson, the important terms are linked to a glossary entry. The glossary words in
every lesson are highlighted in blue and bold. When you click on a glossary word, the course
glossary will open in a new window. The glossary entry lists the word, and its definition.
Timeline
To maximize their understanding of themes and trends, students should use the timeline
feature. Throughout the lessons, students can follow links to theme-oriented timelines. These
timelines may span several lessons and will help the student prepare for submissions, especially
short answer and essay questions.
Questions for Essay and Discussion
Many of the lessons include sections with review and focus questions. The student should take
note of these questions and be prepared to respond to similar questions in the submission.
In Their Own Words
Some lessons have additional primary source material included in the right-hand sidebar. These
"In Their Own Words" sections are entertaining and optional and will not be on tests or
submissions.
Further Reading
At the end of the lessons lists of material for further reading are listed for a deeper
understanding of the depth and breadth of the course.
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Course Syllabus- World History Since 1815
Course Assessments
Submissions
Submissions are designed to measure the student’s mastery of lesson objectives. There is one
submission test for each lesson in a course. Submissions can include two types of assessment
questions:
• Objective questions-which are multiple choice items graded by the system.
• Subjective questions-which are graded by the teacher based on an answer key or rubric
that defines the number of points to be awarded for the question.
Submissions will have approximately 35 questions.
Midterm
Midterms are designed to ensure that students are retaining what they have learned. Midterms
can include two types of assessment questions:
• Objective questions-which are multiple choice items graded by the system.
• Subjective questions-which are graded by the teacher based on an answer key or rubric
that defines the number of points to be awarded for the question.
Midterms will have approximately 50 – 100 questions.
Final Exam
Final exams are designed to ensure that students have learned and retained the critical course
content. Final exams can include two types of assessment questions:
• Objective questions-which are multiple choice items graded by the system.
• Subjective questions-which are graded by the teacher based on an answer key or rubric
that defines the number of points to be awarded for the question.
Final exams will have approximately 50 – 100 questions.
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Course Syllabus- World History Since 1815
Course Outline and Objectives
World History Since 1815
Lesson 1: Independence Outside Europe
Objectives
• locate the areas ruled by the Ottoman Empire at its greatest extent
• explain how Serbia and Greece won independence from the Ottoman Empire
• list the events that led to the independence of Haiti
• explain the economic, political, and national causes of Latin America's fight for
independence
• compare the impact of the French Revolution in the Ottoman Empire, Haiti, and Latin
America
• describe the achievements of the Khmer Empire
• place the Khmer Empire, Siam, and the Vietnamese states in context with Chinese and
European history
Lesson Overview
Independence Outside of Europe
This lesson looks at some key areas on the margins of European power during the age of the
Enlightenment and the French Revolution from 1600 until 1850. All of these areas were affected
by the French Revolution. The first section of this lesson follows the rise of the Ottoman
Empire and independence movements within it. The second section shows how the French
Revolution inspired colonies in the Americas. The French part of the island of Hispaniola won
independence as the nation of Haiti. The French Revolution also inspired Spanish colonies in
South America to seek their independence.
The last section of this lesson examines independent kingdoms in Asia that tried to avoid
European colonization. At this time, France and Europe were busy with the revolution and
Napoleonic Wars. Annam, Champa, and the Khmer Empire remained independent until a
second French Empire conquered them between 1860 and 1893. Siam was never a European
colony. It remains independent to this day, under the name of Thailand.
Lesson 2: The Industrial Revolution
Objectives
• describe the Industrial Revolution’s origin in England, and the rise of the factory system
• explain the historic origins of capitalism as an economic system
• connect Adam Smith's economic theory of the free market and the Industrial Revolution
• evaluate both short-term and long-term impacts of industrialization on societies
• identify inventors such as Robert Fulton and James Watt
• evaluate the effects of industrialization by citing its major costs and benefits
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Course Syllabus- World History Since 1815
Lesson Overview
The Industrial Revolution
The previous three lessons discussed social and political revolutions: England in the 1600s,
North America and France in the end of the 1700s, and South America in the 1800s. During
this period, developments in technology were changing the world in very significant ways. These
political and technological revolutions developed at the same time and influenced one another.
The Industrial Revolution changed the daily life of almost every human on the planet. This
lesson describes the Industrial Revolution and how it continues to shape the texture of human
life today.
Lesson 3: Currents of Thought
Objectives
• describe how Romanticism was a response to the Enlightenment and the Industrial
Revolution
• explain some theories opposed to capitalism, including socialism and communism
• analyze and explain the response to industrialization and urbanization
• evaluate Karl Marx’s critique of capitalism in Capital and the Communist Manifesto
• summarize how the communist philosophy is linked to the redistribution of wealth
Lesson Overview
New Ideas, New Ideologies
The previous lesson described the Industrial Revolution and Adam Smith's new theories of the
free market. The free market was dramatically changing the face of England and the United
States in both good and bad ways. Already in the 1700s, a few lone thinkers raised their voices
against the Industrial Revolution. Later, several scholars would propose theories about business
and capitalism, analyze their strengths and flaws, and propose solutions to the miseries brought
by the Industrial Revolution.
Lesson 4: The Growth of Democracy
Objectives
• analyze the effect of industrialization and urbanization on the growth of democracy
• evaluate the connections between industrialization, slavery, and the Civil War in the
U.S.
• analyze how the 14th Amendment changed U.S. concepts of citizenship, due process
of law, and equal protection of the law
• list the steps toward equal rights for women in the U.S. and in other countries,
including feminism, the Seneca Falls Convention, and suffragettes
• compare the expansion of democracy in the United Kingdom to that in the United
States
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Course Syllabus- World History Since 1815
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describe the expansion of democracy to U.K. colonies such as Australia, New
Zealand, and Canada
Lesson Overview
The Growth of Democracy
The Industrial Revolution combines the science of the Enlightenment and the free market
economics of liberalism. The countries where industry advanced the most were the United
Kingdom and the United States. They that had been most influenced by Enlightenment political
philosophy. However, these two countries still kept many people out of the political process:
poor people, women, and slaves. In addition, the United Kingdom had overseas territories
which had limited or no representation in their government. This lesson is about how these
societies gradually extended political rights to these other groups.
Lesson 5: The Triumph of Nationalism
Objectives
• define nationalism and explain the basic principals of nationalism while comparing the
specific goals of individual nationalist movements
• trace the successes and failures of the many national movements throughout Europe
in the 19th century
• cite the importance of the revolutions of 1848 in greater European history
• recognize the changing relationship between nationalism and democracy
• compare the different approaches of Garibaldi and Bismarck in the unification of Italy
and Germany
Lesson Overview
In the 19th century, the popular movement known as nationalism began to change the face of
Europe. Nationalist movements influenced the course of the French Revolution, the Greek
revolt, and sparked a slew of less successful revolutions in 1848. Eventually, nationalism would
help make the unification of Italy and Germany possible and quicken the collapse of the
Austrian and Ottoman Empires. In the 20th century, extreme forms of nationalism led Europe
down a darker path to jingoism, anti-Semitism (Lesson 10), imperialism (Lessons 6, 7), and
world war (Lessons 8 and 11) The Path to Revolution
Lesson 6: Africa in the Age of Imperialism
Objectives
• identify the areas of Africa first colonized by European countries
• locate Ghana (formerly the Gold Coast), Congo, Ethiopia, and South Africa on a map
• explain how the Industrial Revolution, capitalism, and competition led European
countries into a race for colonies
• describe the Belgian Congo under King Leopold
• compare British interactions with the Ashanti and the Afrikaners
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Course Syllabus- World History Since 1815
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•
connect the Suez Canal, the South African War, and the Congo with larger trends in
colonialism
evaluate the effects of imperialism on African countries and on Europe
Lesson Overview
Africa in the Age of Imperialism
This lesson is about Africa's history, beginning in the late 15th century when Portuguese
explorers circumnavigated the continent (see Lesson 16 of World History Before 1815) up
through the independence movements of the 20th century. Between 1850 and 1900, almost
every part of Africa was held or claimed by a European country. In this time France, Britain,
Belgium, Italy, and Germany seized almost all of Africa and added to their empires a total of
nine million square miles (23,000,000 km²). This is about one-fifth of the land on the earth. Only
Liberia in West Africa and Ethiopia in East Africa were not colonized and remained
independent.
During the Age of Imperialism, the motives and methods of Europeans in Africa changed
dramatically. In the beginning, Europeans were mainly interested in Africa as a means of
protecting the route to spices in the East. Later, they traded goods for slaves. When the slave
trade ended in the 19th century, European countries divided Africa into colonies to profit from
their markets among other reasons.
Lesson 7: Asia and the West
Objectives
• list the causes and results of the First Indian War of Independence
• explain how British rule helped spread Indian nationalism
• summarize the ideas of Gandhi and how he worked for Indian independence
• explain why China was vulnerable to British military power in the Opium Wars
• evaluate the effects of the Opium Wars, the Taiping Rebellion, and the Boxer Rebellion
on the Manchu dynasty
• identify Sun Yat-Sen and his role in the 1911 nationalist revolution
• describe Japan's interactions with foreigners and the dawn of Japanese imperialism
• explain how the reforms of the Meiji Restoration led to Japan's victories against China
and Russia
Lesson Overview
European Imperialism in Asia
This lesson is about Asia's interactions with Europe from around 1830 until 1918. The first
section is about British imperialism in India and its neighbors. The second section is about
European and U.S. imperialism in China. The final section looks at Japan's first interactions with
Europe and the U.S., and at Japan's imperialism against Korea, China, and Russia. This lesson
covers a century of European dominance in Asia and explains how European influence steadily
declined during the beginning of the 20th century.
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Course Syllabus- World History Since 1815
Lesson 8: World War I
Objectives
• list the causes for World War I, including economic and imperial competition,
Balkan nationalism, German militarism and aggression, and specific events such as the
assassination of Austria's Archduke Ferdinand
• explain how the decline of the Russian, Austrian, and Ottoman Empires was both a
cause and a result of World War I
• describe major developments of World War I, including trench warfare, high
casualties, and the physical and economic destruction of total war
• analyze why the U.S. entered the war in 1917
• describe the collapse of the Ottoman Empire, including the Armenian genocide in
Turkey
Lesson Overview
World War I
This lesson is about the First World War, World War I, also known as WW I, which was
fought between 1914 and 1918. Before the Second World War happened, this war was usually
known as "The World War," "The Great War," or "The War to End All Wars." Despite the
spread of nationalism after Napoleon and the revolutions of 1848, Europe was still full of kings
and emperors controlling vast multi-ethnic states. The end of the war saw an end to the era of
kings and emperors. The war resulted in the triumph of nationalism, but also spawned a
Communist movement in Eastern Europe, starting in Russia.
The first section of the lesson describes the alliances and attitudes at the outbreak of the war.
The second section describes combat conditions on land and on sea, including the U.S. decision
to join the war. The third section describes revolutions in Russia, Hungary, and Germany. The
fourth section describes the campaigns in the territories of the Ottoman Empire. The last
section examines the international peace agreements that ended the war.
Lesson 9: Aftermath of War
Objectives
• identify the major provisions of the Treaty of Versailles which ended World War I,
including German reparations and loss of territory
• describe post-war economic and political instability in the German Weimar republic
• describe the establishment of the protectorates of Palestine, Transjordan, Syria, Iraq,
and Saudi Arabia
• describe how the Ottoman Empire was transformed into a secular, nationalist
Turkish state and how war between Greece and Turkey led to mutual expulsions
from both countries
• understand the growing importance of oil fields in the Middle East and in the
Western U.S. to world politics and the world economy
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Course Syllabus- World History Since 1815
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•
•
describe international attempts to prevent wars, such as the Kellogg-Briand Pact,
disarmament, and the League of Nations
list the events of the Bolshevik Revolution including the Russian Civil War, Lenin's
New Economic Policy, and the international Communist movement
evaluate how the Russian Revolution differed from the American Revolution,
evaluate their causes, results, and long-term impact on political developments
around the world
Lesson Overview
Aftermath of War
This lesson traces global trends in the world from the end of World War I, November 11,
1918 (Armistice Day) until the stock market crash of October 1929. This lesson is about the
aftermath of World War I in Europe, the Middle East, and in Asia. The first section describes
how winning allies signed a far-ranging peace treaty in Versailles, France. This treaty drew
boundaries and assigned power in Europe and all over the world. It also planted seeds for
future wars. The second section describes some of the conditions created by the treaty in
Germany, Eastern Europe, and in the Middle East. In the Middle East, Britain and France
attempted to govern in place of the Ottoman rulers. The third section describes events in
Russia and their impact on the rest of the world. In Russia the Communist Revolution led to a
Civil War which involved several nations. Communism spread to China and other nations. The
final section discusses the world economy and the United States. The war had made the United
States a world leader in banking, business, and industry.
Lesson 10: The Post-War Depression and the Rise of Totalitarianism
Objectives
• define and distinguish between Fascism, Nazism, Communism, and totalitarianism
• explain how the world depression contributed to the rise of totalitarianism,
including the rise of Nazism/Fascism in Germany and Italy, and the rise of Stalinism in
the Soviet Union
• summarize the main ideas, policies, and the worldwide influence of Benito Mussolini,
Joseph Stalin, and Adolf Hitler
• explain the impact of the political, economic, social, and cultural policies of Stalinism
on the people of the Soviet Union
• analyze the implementation of the New Deal as a response to world crisis and the
rise of socialism, Communism, and machine politics in the United States
Lesson Overview
Depression and Totalitarianism
After World War I, Europe was in ruin. Millions of men had been lost in battle. Inflation and
unemployment were widespread. Industrial production was slow. The European economy
choked on loans, reparations, war debts, and tariffs. The economic situation got worse when
the United States stock market collapsed. The Stock Market Crash triggered the Great
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Course Syllabus- World History Since 1815
Depression, a ten-year period of high unemployment, poverty, and stagnation. The political,
social, and cultural effects of this post-war depression in Europe and the Great Depression in
the U.S. are the subject of this lesson.
As the economic troubles increased, national pride, or nationalism (Lesson 5), grew throughout
Europe, particularly in Italy and Germany. This surge of nationalism was not just a reaction to
war and depression, but also to the success of Communism. The Bolshevik Revolution had
established Russia as a Communist nation, now called the Soviet Union or the U.S.S.R. (Union
of Soviet Socialist Republics). Communism was an international and anti-nationalist ideology.
Two key historical figures, Benito Mussolini and Adolf Hitler, used nationalism to create
fascism, a new form of government in Italy and Germany. Another important figure, Joseph
Stalin, led the Soviet Union to a totalitarian kind of Communism. Totalitarian refers to a form
of government in which the political authority, such as a single political party or a dictator,
exercises complete and centralized control over every aspect of human life. This lesson will also
cover the spread of Fascism, the addition of socialist elements in the U.S., and the rise of
totalitarianism in Italy, Germany, and the Soviet Union.
Lesson 11: The World at War
Objectives
• explain the economic and political causes for World War II
• describe the Japanese invasion of China and the Rape of Nanking
• describe Germany’s militarization of the Rhineland, annexation of Austria, and
aggression against Czechoslovakia, the Stalin-Hitler Pact of 1939, and the German attack
on Poland
• summarize the key battles and events including the German invasion of Poland, Pearl
Harbor, the Battle of Midway, Stalingrad, D-Day, the Battle of the Bulge, Iwo Jima, and
Okinawa
• identify major leaders and their roles in World War II: Franklin D. Roosevelt, Harry
Truman, Winston Churchill, Joseph Stalin, and Adolf Hitler
• explain background and course of the Holocaust, including the long tradition of German
anti-Semitism and Nazi dehumanization of Jews
• evaluate the decision to drop atom bombs on Japan and its short and long-term effects
• explain the consequences of World War II, including physical and economic destruction,
and the enormous loss of life including civilians
Lesson Overview
The World at War
This lesson is about World War II in Europe and Asia. World War I (Lesson 8) involved
participants from every inhabited continent, but it was primarily a European and Mediterranean
war. World War II involved fighting from Alaska to India and was truly global. The war in Asia
began with Japan's invasion of northern China in 1931. In Europe, Germany's invasion of Poland
in 1939 started another war of alliances. Germany, Italy, and Japan allied together and became
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Course Syllabus- World History Since 1815
known as the Axis powers. Britain and France again became known as the Allies. Within a few
months, Germany had occupied most of Europe, and Britain was left as the only country
fighting Germany. The U.S.S.R. (Soviet Russia) entered the war in the summer of 1941 after
Germany attacked. The U.S. entered the war at the end of 1941, after Japan attacked and
Germany declared war. The industrial might of the U.S. and the size of the U.S.S.R. combined to
eventually defeat the Axis powers.
The causes of World War II were rooted in World War I, and the general course of World
War II is similar to World War I. For these reasons, some scholars see the entire phenomenon
as one long war, separated by about 20 years of peace. However, there are real reasons for
seeing World War II as a different and unique war. The emergence of the ideologies of Fascism
and Communism and the racial ideology of Nazism changed the motives and experience of war.
The aggressive rise of imperial Japan also added a new dimension to World War II.
Lesson 12: The Cold War 1945-1970
Objectives
• compare and contrast capitalism and the free market system with Communism
• define the term Iron Curtain and how it relates to the Truman Doctrine and the
Marshall Plan
• explain the strategies of the Cold War, including the domino theory and mutual assured
destruction
• explain the purposes of the following: the United Nations, NATO, and the Warsaw Pact
• list the causes and effects of the Korean War and the Cuban Missile Crisis
• describe how the Cold War affected human rights around the world, including civil
rights in the U.S.
• explain the causes for the Vietnam War, its events, and the effect it had on different
countries
Lesson Overview
The Cold War 1945-1970
This lesson describes how the victorious Allies of World War II divided the world into two
opposing camps. The Soviet Union promoted Communism in Eastern Europe and China.
The United States formed alliances with capitalist countries in Western Europe, Japan, and
elsewhere. For more than 40 years, the ideological and military confrontation between
these two superpowers dominated world politics and culture. These two armed camps
developed separate economies and restricted trade and contact with the other side. Few
parts of the world were unaffected by this struggle of superpowers. Although the military
forces of the Soviet Union rarely fought military forces of the United States directly, the
two powers saw themselves in a confrontation for the survival of their way of life.
Because the two countries did not declare open war on each other, this war is known as
the Cold War. Instead, both superpowers backed opposing forces in wars and civil wars
across the world. Conflicts in Korea, Vietnam, El Salvador, Angola, Afghanistan, and other
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Course Syllabus- World History Since 1815
places were battlefields for the Cold War. This lesson will focus on the Cold War up to
1970. During the first two decades of the Cold War, it looked as if time, momentum, and
power were on the Communists' side. The central economy of Communism and its
totalitarian system enabled the Soviet Union and its allies to devote vast resources to
infrastructure and the military.
Lesson 13: Africa after 1945
Objectives
• identify the long-term political and economic effects of European colonialism on Africa
• summarize the factors that led to decolonization movements in Africa
• describe independence movements in Africa, especially those in Nigeria, the Congo, and
South Africa
• identify the importance of apartheid and its demise
• analyze the causes and effects of the AIDS epidemic in Africa
• describe the economic challenges that Africa faces today
Lesson Overview
This lesson is about independent African nations from the 1950s until the present day. During
this period Africa's European colonies became free independent countries. The first section of
this lesson discusses the legacy of colonialism in Africa. The second describes the independence
movements of the 1950s and 1960s, focusing on Nigeria, Congo, and South Africa. Each nation
had a legacy of dictatorship, ethnic tensions, economic difficulties, and civil conflicts. The last
section describes the challenges facing the new African nations: AIDS, corruption, debt, and a
struggling economy. To understand Africa today, one needs to understand its past.
Lesson 14: The Middle East 1940-1979
Objectives
• identify Arabs, Sunnis, Shiites, and Jews
• locate countries on a map of the Middle East, including Egypt, Syria, Algeria, , Israel, and
Saudi Arabia
• define the ideologies of Wahhabism and Zionism
• identify the importance of Gamal Abdel Nasser in the rise of pan-Arabism
• describe the first Arab independence movements and governments, including Algerian
independence
• describe the events and ideologies that led to the creation of Israel and Arab opposition
to it
• trace the growing importance of petroleum to the region and how it affects relations
with other countries
• list the wars of Arab countries against Israel and their results
• describe early U.S. involvement in the region, including support of Saudi Arabia, and the
shah of Iran
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Course Syllabus- World History Since 1815
•
explain the motives and methods of non-state entities such as Haganah and Irgun and
the PLO
Lesson Overview
The Middle East Since 1948
This lesson describes the history and conditions of the Middle East from 1948 up until the rise
of militant Islam in the 1970s. The term Middle East often refers to a large sphere, roughly
corresponding to the old Islamic Empire of the Middle Ages (Lesson 8 of World History Until
1815). This lesson covers the Arab world from Morocco in the West to Iraq in the East,
including the mainly Muslim countries of Iran and Afghanistan.
The lesson begins by defining basic terms about the Middle East. It then describes how Arab
nationalism broke European and Turkish colonial power in the region. The region changed a lot
when Israel was created in a war in 1948. Israel and surrounding Arab countries fought a series
of wars, some of which still have not ended as of 2006.
This lesson will help students understand tomorrow’s headlines. All of the material presented
throughout this course (and in any history course) is controversial. However, Middle Eastern
conflicts raise tensions elsewhere in the world. U.S. opinion is also crucial to the Middle East.
Iraq, Israel, and Egypt receive more U.S. foreign aid and military spending than any other
countries. The U.S. has declared since 1980 that the flow of Middle Eastern oil is a vital national
interest. For these reasons many people are sensitive to any presentation of this material.
Many people reduce Middle Eastern conflicts into a two-sided struggle: "us versus them." In fact,
within each country and within each ethnicity, there are many different views, desires, and
historical experiences. Be suspicious of any global claims about one group. A Yiddish proverb
"Two Jews, Three Opinions" points to the fact that there can be diversity even in small groups.
Unity is often a useful political fiction, particularly in the Middle East.
Lesson 15: The Middle East Since 1979
Objectives
• locate key countries such as Iran, Afghanistan, and Iraq on a map of the Middle East
• identify key figures in the Iranian Revolution, including Ayatollah Khomeini and
Muhammad Reza Shah
• explain how the Iranian Revolution and the mujahideen in Afghanistan relate to militant
Islam
• describe Saddam Hussein's actions in Iraq since 1979
• explain why the United States has become increasingly involved in the Middle East,
especially the 1991 Persian Gulf War, Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan, and
the Iraq War of 2003
• explain the United States' relations with repressive governments in the Middle East
• evaluate the Global War on Terror so far and its prospects for the future
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Course Syllabus- World History Since 1815
Lesson Overview
This lesson is a continuation of Lesson 14. That lesson described the history of the Middle East
from 1948 until the rise of militant Islam in the 1970s. This lesson is about militant Islam, the
revolution in Iran, and the role of the U.S. in the Middle East.
The term Middle East often refers to the old Islamic Empire of the Middle Ages (Lesson 8 of
World History Before 1815). As discussed in Lesson 14, the Middle East is the meeting point of
three great religions and of several different ethnicities. In this region, many people consider
their ethnic or religious identity more important than their citizenship in any country. This
lesson looks mainly at Iran, Afghanistan, and Iraq, which are each very different and yet each
part of the Middle East.
In 1979, two events brought Islam to the attention of the world. First, an Islamic Revolution
overthrew the shah in Iran. Second, the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan. This invasion
eventually led to an Islamic resistance, supported by Saudi oil money and the U.S. CIA. These
occurrences still have implications for the world today.
The fall of the shah of Iran changed the Middle East. This lesson traces the aftermath. Iraq took
advantage of the Iranian Revolution to invade Iran. Iraq then invaded Kuwait, which caused the
1991 Persian Gulf War. Terrorist groups attacked U.S.-supported dictators in Egypt and Saudi
Arabia. By the 1990s these groups were targeting the U.S. and the Global War on Terror began
in 2001. This war continues as of this writing and will not end anytime soon.
Lesson 16: Asia Since 1945
Objectives
• describe the partition of India and Pakistan and the continued dispute over Kashmir
• evaluate the effects of Jawaharlal Nehru and Mother Teresa on modern India
• explain initiatives of Mao Zedong, including the Great Leap Forward and the Cultural
Revolution
• identify areas of conflict in Asia including Sri Lanka and Cambodia
• account for the economic success of Japan and the East Asian Tigers, such as Korea
• evaluate China's response to the events of Tiananmen Square in 1989
• evaluate China's and India's move into free-market capitalism and world trade
Lesson Overview
Asia Since 1945
Lesson 7 described how most of Asia fell under colonial domination, first under the European
powers, and later by Japan. This lesson describes the return of Asian countries as economic and
military powers in the 20th and 21st century.
Before the 16th century, most of the world's wealth was in Asia. Over the next four centuries
European imperial capitalism surpassed and then dominated China and India. By the mid 20th
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Course Syllabus- World History Since 1815
century, it seemed that Asia would never industrialize and would not be a world player.
Between 1930 and 1960, practically the whole continent was in a state of war, revolution, or
famine.
The first section of the lesson covers the independence and the partition of India and Pakistan.
The second section discusses Communist China after World War II. A third section describes
how Cambodia was dragged into the wars of nearby countries.
The last part of this lesson is about the return of Asian economic might. It first describes the
rise of Japan's economy. This example helps students to understand the rapid growth of the
"Asian Tigers": Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, and Hong Kong. The final section discusses
India and China becoming the two largest markets in the world. The lesson closes by looking at
the problems China and India face today.
Lesson 17: Modern Latin America
Objectives
• explain how Latin America became increasingly connected to the global market in the
20th century
• summarize why the United States became increasingly involved in the domestic affairs of
Latin American countries
• list the causes and results of the Mexican Revolution
• explain how nationalism extended through Latin American countries politically, socially,
and economically
• describe how industrialization, population growth, urbanization, and other post World
War II trends created a distinct social structure with a large disparity between the rich
and poor
• describe efforts for increased democracy in Latin American countries as well as the role
of the Catholic Church in pushing such democratic initiatives
• assess how the countries of Latin America are involved in international affairs today
Lesson Overview
This lesson is about Latin America from 1900 until today. The lesson begins with a basic survey
of Latin America: the languages spoken there, the religions practiced, and the racial make up.
Then the historical context of Latin America is discussed, beginning with the Mexican
Revolution from 1910-1920. Nationalist movements in Latin America today still model
themselves on the Mexican revolution. A third section addresses major movements in the
region and summarizes the challenges of the post-World War II era.
The histories of Latin America and the United States are linked. Therefore, a substantial section
of the lesson is devoted to U.S.-Latin American relations. Several key events and policies are
addressed: the Spanish-American War, the Panama Canal, and the Good Neighbor Policy. The
lesson concludes with a summary of Latin America's current place in the world.
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Course Syllabus- World History Since 1815
Lesson 18: Europe and the U.S. Since 1970
Objectives
• describe how the Vietnam War changed U.S. Cold War strategies
• define the term proxy war and give at least three examples
• explain how the Cold War ended and the Berlin Wall fell
• evaluate the changes in European society since 1970
• describe the economic challenges facing the U.S. and Europe today
• evaluate the Global War on Terror as a response to militant Islam
Lesson Overview
Europe and the U.S. Since 1970
Lesson 12 examined the Cold War up to 1970, when the Vietnam War was at its height.
This lesson will look at the final two decades of the Cold War and beyond, including the
events surrounding the fall of the Iron Curtain, its social, economic, and political significance,
and issues Europe and the U.S. face today. The Vietnam War marked a major change in U.S.
policy. U.S. leaders became reluctant to send large numbers of their troops to defeat
Communist insurgencies. Instead of directly participating in these Communist revolts, the
U.S. coordinated a series of proxy wars. In other words, it supported foreign armies in the
fight against Communism. However, the U.S. was not the only country during this era that
sponsored proxy wars; the Soviet Union also funded its own throughout the world.
Meanwhile, the economy in Communist countries was getting worse and worse. In 1989
and 1990 Eastern European Communist governments conceded that their policies had
failed. Free elections brought in free market systems, which carried challenges. Many
Eastern European countries are still trying to fix the legacy of Communism.
Since the Cold War, Europe and the U.S. have faced several challenges. One is the changing
nature of their own societies and economies. Global trade agreements and immigration
have changed their economies. The second challenge is the rise of militant Islam. Several
groups of Muslim extremists have declared war against the U.S. and some European
countries. This lesson will discuss this threat and how Europe and the U.S. are responding.
Other challenges which affect the entire world--such as overpopulation, climate change, and
the environment--are discussed in Lesson 19.
Lesson 19: Global Growth and Global Crisis
Objectives
• explain why the world population is increasing and how a larger population affects
the world
• define globalization and identify the technologies and legal agreements that make
new global trade different from earlier trade
• evaluate the positive and potentially negative effects of the new global trade
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Course Syllabus- World History Since 1815
•
•
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define the purpose of the WTO and describe how its powers challenge national
sovereignty
evaluate the cultural, political, and economic effects of the Internet
explain what factors cause climate change and why scientists are concerned
Lesson Overview
Global Growth and Global Crisis
The last several lessons in this course focused on the recent history of different regions of the
world. This final lesson looks at issues that affect the whole world.
Technology and legal changes in the last 40 years have made the world more interconnected.
The first section discusses world population and world resources. How many people can the
Earth support? Is the world's population growing so fast that soon important resources will run
out? The second section discusses the new global trade, which is sometimes called globalization.
Now almost every type of good or service can be made and shipped across the world cheaper
than it costs to produce it locally. Global trade affects every country economically, politically,
and culturally.
The next section discusses the rise of international organizations. As the world's countries
become economically and politically connected, more important decisions about a country's life
are being made outside the country: in the boardrooms of multinational corporations, in global
banks, or in international organizations, such as the United Nations or World Bank. The
governments of smaller countries and even of bigger countries have less power.
A short section on the Internet follows. It explains how technology and communications are
changing the economy and politics of the world. The Internet may or may not be a tool for
democratic change.
The final section discusses how technology may be changing the environment. As more
countries industrialize, more exhaust gasses are produced. Changes in the atmosphere can
affect the global climate. Small changes in the global climate can have dramatic effects on sea
levels and the ability of plant, animal, and insect life to thrive. Most scientists predict dramatic
changes in the Earth's climate over the next 100 years.
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