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World History Final Exam Review
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World History Themes
Theme
1) Throughout human history there has been a struggle
between continuity and change.
Examples
- Protestant Reformation
- Scientific Revolution
- Industrial Revolution
- Decline of Feudalism
2) Throughout human history there has been an
everchanging relationship between the human and
natural worlds.
- 15th century exploration
- Geographical barriers
- Climate
3) Throughout human history there have been
continuous efforts to solve the problem of scarcity.
- Food
- Gold
- Industrial resources
4) Throughout human history knowledge, ideas, and
beliefs are acquired, applied, expressed, and
suppressed.
- World religions spreading
- Hitler burning books
- Inquisition
5) Throughout human history there have been
interactions between cultures.
- Europe discovers the Americas
- Muslim trading with West African empires
- Europeans have spheres of influence in China
- Spanish domination in the Americas
- Napoleon’s rise and fall
- Hitler’s rise and fall
6) Throughout human history factors exist which
contribute to the acquisition and loss of power.
1000A.D.
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Cities were located near sources of fresh water
Most of the world’s population was concerned with agriculture and food production
World Religions
Religion
Hinduism
Major Beliefs
- Reincarnation
- Rewards in life results from good behavior in previous life
Number of gods/Name
- Polytheistic
-Brahman (highest reality)
Buddhism
- Seek Nirvana
- Follow the Eightfold Path
- None- Buddha
Judaism
- God loves everyone
- Do good works
- Monotheistic – Yaweh
Religion
Christianity
Major Beliefs
- Christ is God’s son
- Do good works
Number of gods/Name
- Monotheistic – God
Islam
- 5 Pillars of Islam
- Monotheistic – Allah
Japanese Shogunate
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Obedience between the social classes was key to their relationship
West African Kingdoms
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Cultural diffusion: spread and adoption of different cultures
Islamic beliefs and traditions had a great impact
Middle Ages
Why did feudalism last so long?
a. Protected all levels of society
b. Economically self-sufficient
c. Easy system for the king to keep control
d. The system failed when kings and merchants tried to maintain control over larger nation-states
 What were some of the results of the Black Death?
a. Population decline
b. Employment opportunities
c. Wage increases
d. Decline in international trade
Mongol Empire
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Once the Mongols took over they created a lasting peace and encouraged trading to take place between
Europe and Asia
Resulted in religious tolerance, technological exchange, and more trade
Renaissance
Changes in thinking:
 Away from religion
 Humanism—interest in human body and individual potential; dominant idea
 Secularism—shows interest in human activities (not religious)
 How did political and scientific thought change?
Political – Machiavelli wrote about how to keep power, viewing political behavior as a science.
Machiavelli’s book, The Prince, was based on secular thoughts
Scientific – Before Renaissance scientific events were explained either through the Bible or by using
logic.
- During the Renaissance scientists like Leonardo Da Vinci challenged accepted thought by
experimenting and using mathematical reasoning.
 Why did humanism and secularism dominate the Renaissance?
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People came to realize their life on earth was just as important as their life in heaven
People should explore their potential
Protestant Reformation
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The historical struggle during the Protestant Reformation was a challenge to the policies of the Catholic
Church
The theme that best illustrates this is the struggle between continuity and change
Chinese Dynasties
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The dynastic cycle justified new rulers
Overseas Exploration
 What motivated Europeans to conduct overseas exploration?
a. Wealth and power
b. Spread Christianity
c. National pride
d. New maritime technology
 What was the cause of the significant population decrease in the Spanish colonies in America?
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Introduction of disease pathogens
 What was a major impact of colonization?
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Using Africans as slaves
 What was the Triangle Trade System?
 A system of trade developed between the Americas, Europe, and Africa
Mercantilism
 Expansion of global trade and business competition
Absolute Rule
 Monarchs (Kings, queens, royalty) held complete control
 Used their power and wealth to benefit themselves
French Revolution
 Which group in society gained power and which lost power as a result of the Revolution?
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Gained Power – Peasants (3rd Estate) – 98% of the population
Lost Power – Monarchy and Clergy (2nd and 1st Estates), opposed change because they held the power
and wealth.
Industrial Revolution
 What changes occurred in Europe as a result of the Industrial Revolution?
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Short Term – horrible living and working conditions
Long Term
o Wealth
o Better living and working conditions
o Increased Wages
o Better quality of life
 Why was Europe able to industrialize?
1. People moved to cities
2. New technologies
3. Water sources for power and transportation.
 What impact did unions have?
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Higher Wages
Safer Working conditions
Rights for Workers
Limits on working hours
Enlightenment Thinkers
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Voltaire believed people had a right to express their beliefs.
Enlightenment ideas spread to the Americas which inspired revolutions.
Imperialism
 What is imperialism?
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Stronger countries take over weaker countries and dominate them economically, politically, and
socially. Build an empire.
Increased rivalries between European countries.
 List the four forms of imperialism and give an example of where each was practiced.
1. Colony (India)
2. Protectorate (Puerto Rico)
3. Sphere of Influence (China)
4. Economic Imperialism (Dole Fruit Company)
 Berlin Conference 1884
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European powers met and came to an agreement on how to divide up Africa into territories
Created guidelines about “effective occupation” and control of African territory
African nations had no input
World War I
 Trench Warfare
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New weapons led to high casualties
Lack of new military tactics
 What were the underlying causes?
1.
2.
3.
4.
Militarism-strong military
Alliances-agreements between nations
Imperialism-takeover territory
Nationalism-proud to belong to a group
Russian Revolution
 What are the underlying causes of the Russian Revolution
 Economic Problems
 Harsh Autocratic Rule from Czar
 Russo Japanese War
 Bloody Sunday
Great Depression
 What were the results of the Depression?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
High Unemployment
Bank Failures
Businesses Bankrupt
Inflation
Shortages
World War II
 Which countries had totalitarian leaders?
 Germany (Hitler)
 Italy (Mussolini)
 Japan (Hirohito)
 What is appeasement?
 1930s British and French policy to avoid another world war
 Gave Hitler what he wanted
Holocaust
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Nazi policy of eliminating the Jewish population.
Final stage of genocide in Europe.
6m Jews were killed.
Post World War II
 Effects in Europe and Asia
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Huge loss of life
Soviet Union becomes a world power
Colonies become independent of Europe
 Gandhi
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Nonviolent non-compliance – simply put, don’t do what they are telling you to do.
Used passive resistance as opposed to armed resistance
 Apartheid
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Policy instituted in South Africa by the ruling white minority separating whites from blacks
Other nations imposed economic sanctions to end Apartheid
 Containment
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President Truman policy designed to stop the spread of communism.
Truman Doctrine – support any country who wanted a democratic form of government.
Marshall Plan – gave $ to European countries after World War II who decided to pursue a democratic
way of life.
Korean and Vietnam Wars were containment wars.
 What is the Cold War?
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Period of tension between the end of World War II and 1990 in which the US and Soviet Union waged
indirect warfare through other nations.
Neither wished war with the other because both possessed countless nuclear weapons.
 Communist takeover of China
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Decreased European influence in China and Asia
Give examples of how religious and ethnic hatred has threatened world peace since the end of World War II?
Conflict
Arab-Israeli
Conflict
Cause of Problem
Result
Arabs (Palestinians) and Jews (Israelis) both There has been warfare and violence between
want control of the same land.
the two groups since the establishment of
Israel after WWII.
Apartheid
Policy instituted in South Africa by the
ruling white minority separating whites
from blacks.
Other nations imposed economic sanctions to
end Apartheid.
Hutus and
Tutsis
(Rwanda)
Ethnic hatred between Hutus and Tutsis
results in Civil War; over 1 million deaths
in 1990s
Several African nations are not overwhelmed
with tribal and ethnic hatred on the verge of
war
Nationalism in
India (Gandhi)
Nonviolent non-compliance – simply put,
don’t do what they are telling you to do.
Used passive resistance as opposed to armed
resistance
Essay Topics
 Pick an event from the list below and explain how it illustrates the theme of resistance to change.
transition between feudalism and the rise of nation states
Protestant Reformation
the Chinese foreign policy of isolation
 global colonization/de-colonization experiences
Industrial Revolution
The Scientific Revolution and the Catholic Church
Other event: _________________________________________
 The Treaty of Versailles ended World War I. Look back at your notes or use the textbook to see what the
Treaty of Versailles did, especially what it required of Germany (the big “loser” of WWI). To what degree did
the Treaty of Versailles lead to the outbreak of World War II? Include multiple details and examples to support
your answer.