GLOBAL HISTORY
THEMATIC ESSAY CHEAT SHEET
THEME
SAMPLE QUESTION
EXAMPLES
Conflict
Differences among groups have often led to conflict.
Persecution of Christians during the Roman Empire, Reign of Terror,
Armenian massacres, forced famine in Ukraine, the Holocaust, apartheid in
South Africa, Killing Fields in Cambodia, conflict in Northern Ireland,
Sandinistas in Nicaragua, Tiananmen Square Rebellion.
Change
Throughout history, political revolutions had many
causes. These revolutions affected society and led to
many changes. The changes may or may not have
resolved the problems that caused the revolution.
French Revolution (1789), Mexican Revolution (1910), Russian Revolution
(1917), Chinese Revolution (1949), Cuban Revolution (1959), Iranian
Revolution (1979).
At various times in global history, members of different
religions have acted to bring people together. Members
of these same religions have also acted to divide people
and have caused conflict.
Judaism in the Middle East, Roman Catholicism in Latin America,
Hinduism in India, Islam in Iran, Protestant Reformation and the Counter
Reformation in Europe, animism in Africa, Shintoism in Japan, Buddhism
in Southeast Asia.
Twentieth-century political events have had positive and
negative effects on global history,
Lenin’s establishment of Communism in Russia, rise of totalitarian
governments in Europe, Ho Chi Minh’s unification of Vietnam against
Imperialism, increasing support for Islamic fundamentalism in Middle East,
Mao Zedong’s Cultural Revolution in China, the dismantling of the Berlin
Wall, development of nuclear weapons in India and Pakistan, Nelson
Mandela’s opposition to apartheid in South Africa.
Geographic factors such as land features, resources
location, and climate of nations and regions affect how
people live.
Nile River in Egypt, mineral wealth in Africa, monsoons in South Asia, oil
in the Middle East, Japan’s location near China, plains of Northern Europe,
rain forests in Latin America, mountains in eastern Europe.
Belief Systems
Political Events
Human and Physical Geography
The beliefs and achievements of individuals have
Individuals Who Changed History changed global history. These beliefs and achievements
have had positive and negative effects on society.
Hammurabi, Confucius, Aristotle, Alexander the Great, Muhammad,
Johannes Gutenberg, Queen Isabella, Leonardo da Vinci, John Locke,
Catherine the great, Simón Bolívar, Nelson Mandela,
Turning points are major events in history that have led
to lasting change.
Neolithic Revolution, Crusades, Renaissance, French Revolution, Russian
Revolution of 1917, World War I, creation of the state of Israel, Nelson
Mandela elected president of South Africa, fall of Berlin Wall.
Economic Systems
Societies have developed different economic systems for
may reasons. Some of these economic systems include
manorialism, capitalism, and communism.
Western Europe during the Middle Ages, Western Europe during the
Industrial Revolution, Soviet Union between 1917 and 1990, Japan after
World War II, China since 1949, Cuba since 1959.
Nationalism
Throughout global history, nationalism has had positive
and negative effects.
Latin America (1800s), Italy (1800s and 1900s), China (1900s), India
(1900s), Kenya (post-World War II), the Balkans (1900s).
Interdependence
Throughout global history, the world has been growing
more and more interdependent. This process has been
accelerated in the twentieth century.
Economic interdependence (European Union and NAFTA), political
interdependence (European Union), military interdependence (NATO and
Warsaw Pact), cultural interdependence, technological interdependence.
Civilization
Throughout global history, great civilizations have
existed in various parts of the world. The cultural and
intellectual achievements of these civilizations
contributed to the advancement of humankind.
Ancient Egypt, classical Rome, the Gupta Empire, classical China, the
Muslim Golden Age, the Renaissance, Enlightenment.
Cultural and Intellectual Life
Throughout global history, political conditions in some
civilizations have produced ‘golden ages.’
Classical China, the Hellenistic Age, the Pax Romana, Muslim Golden Age,
Renaissance, Enlightenment.
Political Systems
Several Empires and nations throughout global history
have been ruled by strong leaders who have followed
policies of absolutism.
Incan empire, Byzantine Empire, Ming empire in China, the Ottoman
empire of Suleiman the Great, Spain (Philip II), France (Louis XIV), Russia
(Peter the Great).
Turning Points