David Chelnick
A Review Guide:
For the Young Historian
CH. 25 & 26
CH. 25- The Birth of Modern European Thought
Modern Thinkers
Name
Freidrich
Nietzsche
1844-1900
Personal
Info
Educated as
Classical
Philosopher
Sigmund
Freud
1856-1939
Born into
Austrian
Jewish
Family,
studied
medicine.
Max Weber
1864-1920
German
Sociologist
Houston
Chamberlain
1855-1927
Count Arthur
de Gobineau
1816-1882
Theodor Herzl
1860-1904
Englishman
settled in
Germany
Reactionary
French
Diplomat
AustroHungarian
Jew
Josephine
Butler
1828-1906
English
women and
feminist
Auguste Ficke
1833-1916
Austrian
Feminist
Virginia Woolf
1882-1941
English
Author
Philosophical Stance/Believes
Attacked Christianity, democracy, nationalism, rationality, science, and progress.
Wanted to find values in human mind & character. Did not like contemporary
racism or anti-Semitism. Wrote Thus Spoke Zarathustra, announcing death of
God…an over man/ubermensch would embody heroism and greatness.
Subjected his interests of physiological mind and disorders to science. Came up
with psychology of sex. Dreams allow unconscious wishes, desires, and drives to
be experienced.
Id: amoral, irrational sexual gratification and physical pleasure
Superego: external moral imperatives imposed by society and culture
Ego: mediates between the two; allows coping with inner/outer demands of
existence.
Nationalism is major development in human history, affected by noneconomic
factors. Bureaucratization was basic feature of modern social life. Opposed
Marx’s concept of the development of capitalism being driving force in society.
Bureaucratization requires extreme division of labor as each individual fits into
role of larger organizations. Each person has own niche in society.
Genetics could improve society, to create a superior race. Wrote Foundations of
the Nineteenth Century. Brought Anti-Semitism to prominence in racial theory.
Jews are the major enemy of European racial regeneration.
A fanatical racist who believed in racial supremacy. Society was degrading, due to
intermarriages between whites and other races. Wrote Essay on the Inequality of
the Human Races. Believed that it was irreversible.
Wanted to create a separate Jewish State in former homeland, now called
Palestine.
Liberal politics didn’t protect Jews from hatred, bigotry, anti-Semitism. He
targeted poor Jews who had something to gain. Zionist movement was successful
because of Herzl.
Working class women were victimized by male dominance. This led to prostitution
and social problems. Believed in equal education for women. Led the Ladies’
National Association of the Repeal of the Contagious Diseased Acts. Achieved
suspension of laws in 1883 and repeal in 1886.
A Review Guide: For the Young Historian
In Vienna in the 1890’s, Ficke led the General Austrian Women’s Association,
which combated the introduction of legally regulated prostitution, which would
have placed women under the control of police authorities. Fought for expansion
of women’s rights. Ficke sought to define women’s personality and role, while
expanding intellectually.
Wrote Fiction novels, among them A Room of One’s Own, an important work in
feminist literature. Part of modernist movement, observed social and morality
changes. She challenged Feminist thought while focusing on the equality of both
genders.
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David Chelnick
Condensed Terms
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and People to know…or else:
Educated public- half of Western Europe could read. Literacy improved from 1860’s onward. 85%
of Britain, France, Belgium, Netherlands and Germany could read by 1900. Russia, Italy, Balkans,
Austria-Hungary trailed behind. Newspapers, magazines, books and libraries increased, and
Sensationalism grew as print became cheaper and easier to access.
Darwin- Published On Origin of Species and Decent of Man. Observed living things, recorded info.
Provided basis for evolution, natural selection, where the strongest survive.
Church/State conflict- Progress of science undermined everything church stood for. People
looked to science instead of religion for answers. David Strauss published Life of Jesus, which
questioned Jesus’ existence using historical information. Pope Pius IX tired to counteract
liberalism, published Syllabus of Errors, condemning modern thought. Leo XIII succeeded Leo, and
was liberal and sought to make concessions.
Nuclear/Atomic/Radioactive Science- J.J. Thompson formulated theory of electron; William
Roentgen discovered X-Rays (then died). Ernest Rutherford explained cause of radiation through
radioactive materials disintegrating. Max Planck pioneered quantum theory of energy. Albert
Einstein fled the Nazis to publish theory of relativity (time space continuum), contributing to Atomic
Bomb development.
Realism- Literature portrays hypocrisy, brutality, and dullness of Bourgeois life and society, the
harsh realities. Charles Dickens portrayed cruelty of industrial life, while Zola wrote of alcoholism
and prostitution.
Modernism- an art, literature, and music movement, that like realism, attacked society. Focused
also on aesthetic or beauty of art. Igor Stravinsky wrote The Rite of Spring, combining Jazz
rhythms, dissonance, and anthropological theory (huh?). Pablo Picasso was associated with
cubism, painted paintings from various angles.
Anti-feminism- intellectuals concentrated on women’s motherly role. Led to reassert traditional
domestic roles of women, staying in their “spheres”. Typical running of household, raising children,
cleaning was seen as traditional “sphere”. Women were degraded through their vulnerabilities and
exploited, becoming prostitutes. Thus, they were targeted by legislation requiring all prostitutes to
undergo medical examination. Contagious Disease Act searched for venereal disease.
A Review Guide: For the Young Historian
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David Chelnick
CH 26: Imperialism, Alliances & War
Timeline of Events leading to the War
1871 -
End of Franco-Prussian War
1873 -
Three Emperor’s League (Germany, Russia, Austria-Hungary)
France is humiliated by the Germans when they sign a treaty in the Hall of Mirrors at Versailles. The French
won’t forget it.
1878
- Congress of Berlin- Britain and Austria forced Russia to meet to review
1879
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provisions of Treaty of San Stefano. Shows Germany’s importance, urged peace.
Dual Alliance between Germany and Austria-if either country
was attacked by Russia, then one would go to other’s aid.
1882
- Italy joins Dual Alliance, creating Triple Alliance-Italy was
bothered by French control of Tunisia, wanted to expand colonies in addition to protection
from France.
1888
- Wilhelm II becomes Kaiser of Germany-little respect for
Bismarck, believed in Divine Right. His goal was to surpass UK economically and
militarily. Dismisses Bismarck in 1890; they disagreed over everything!
1894
1898
- Franco-Russian Alliance-Protection from the big bully, Germany
- Germany begins building battleship navy-German Admiral von
Tirpitz believed a strong German Navy could disable UK’s Navy. How wrong. Didn’t have
the resources.
1899 to
1902
1904
1904 to
1905
1905
- Boer War-Farmer’s Revolt in South Africa suppressed by GB, receiving scolds from
world. Isolation not so splendid, huh?
- Entente Cordiale-Britain and France make alliance, settling centuries of
differences. Britain give France Morocco in return for French recognition of British
controlled Egypt.
- Russo-Japanese War-greatly weakens Russia, creating instability of Tsar.
- First Moroccan Crisis-Germany tests new British-French friendship, the
Kaiser gave a speech in Morocco, challenging France’s control. Brought British and
French closer.
1907
-
Triple Entente-French, British, and Russians from powerful association.
A Review Guide: For the Young Historian
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David Chelnick
1908 to
1909
1911
1911
1912 to
1913
- Bosnian Crisis-Russia supports Austrian annexation of Bosnia, in return for allowing Russian
ships on Dardanelles. Austria completed annexation before Russia could react. British and French refused to
allow Russia ships. Russia humiliated, too weak to do anything. Big diplomatic and PR screwup.
- Second Moroccan Crisis-France sends army down to out down rebellion.
Germany sends gunboat Panther to Morocco to protect German Citizens. British believed
Germany wanted naval base there, and raised taxes for a larger navy.
- Italy attacks Turkey
- Balkan Wars
- Assassination at Sarajevo-Archduke Franz Ferdinand murdered by Black
Hand-the “Spark” which started the Great War.
1914
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WORLD WAR I BEGINS
Check this out: (sorry, in color)
Other Terms and People to know…
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Imperialism- European powers invest money in developing countries, to industrialize
them. Also for political control, symbol of status, wealth. Based on racism also.
Rudyard Kipling wrote White Man’s Burden, a poem that expresses an empires duty
to imperialize inferior people.
Trade and Spheres of Influence-Suez canal important to British trade and
transportation, while US feared that China’s markets would be closed, instituted
Open door policy, allowing all nations to trade equally. US passed Monroe Doctrine,
prohibiting further colonization of Western Hemisphere, gained control of Cuba,
annexed Puerto Rico, bought Philippines and Guam.
A Review Guide: For the Young Historian
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David Chelnick
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Underlying –isms as causes of war- Militarism, Industrialism, Imperialism, Allianceism, and Nationalism. All caused tension in Europe, leading to war.
Blank Check- Wilhelm II and Chancellor Hollweg supported an Austrian Attack on
Serbia, promising support while others were mad at Serbia.
Mobilization- Russia responded angrily to Austria’s demands for Serbia. Russia
partially mobilized against Austria, effectively asking for war. Tsar Nicolas II and
Wilhelm II, friends and cousins exchange telegrams contemplating how to avoid war.
Jubilation- No true war had been fought in Europe since Napoleon. Itching for War,
Europe was ignorant to horrors of modern warfare, excited for conflict. War was a
way to break the tension!
German plans- Schlieffen plan; Sweep through Belgium, wheel into France and beat
her before Russia could mobilize. Bismarck’s nephew, Helmuth von Moltke failed,
ruining the plan.
New Type of War- Courage and spirit of troops couldn’t match destructive power of
artillery, which wreaked havoc on both sides. New weapons like the machine gun,
poison gas, tank, aerial warfare in planes were tools of slaughter. The war, fought in
trenches, never had the front move more than a mile of two, if at all. Trenches
protected the troops with machine gun and barbed wire, and troops lived in them for
months, falling victim to starvation, disease, vermin and pestilence.
Russian Troubles- In the Battle of Tannenberg, the main Russian Army was
destroyed or captured by the Germans. Russian revolution, not led by any particular
faction, was caused by the monarchy’s failure to govern. Lenin returns to Russia,
participates in revolt. Soviets were councils of workers and soldiers. During the
October Revolution, the Bolsheviks demanded control but failed. Reds were soviets
during revolution, whites were the Tsarists and anti-soviets.
Russia leaves war- With the Bolsheviks in power; they removed a dying Russia from
the war, signing an armistice with Germany. Treaty of Brest-Litovsk gave up land and
paid indemnity to Germany. Now Bolsheviks could try to reestablish order.
Role of Women- WWI was a demanding war, especially for civilians. Women were
brought out of traditional roles and went to work in factories to make up for shortage
of men.
End of War- Treaty of Versailles ends the war. GB and US sought to punish
Germany…France wants REVENGE!!!! Heavy reparations to be made, German limit
on military. Germany loses significant territory and colonies. Woodrow Wilson puts
fourth his 14 points as guidelines for a nations’ self determination. League of Nations
to be established, peacefully avoiding future wars. Big four were USA, France, Briton,
and Italy. Clause 231 justified huge reparations, made Germany responsible for the
war and for covering its cost.
Future troubles?- British Economist J.M. Keynes took part in the peace conference,
and was angered at all of the reparations to be made. The treaty was immoral and
unworkable. He resigned, claiming that the treaty would bring further war and
economic ruin to Europe….hmmmm?
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