Key Historical Events and Concepts
Historical Figures and Inventions
Thomas Edison
Thomas Edison is considered the inventor of the electric light bulb.
World War I
The First World War lasted four years.
Second Industrial Revolution
The creation of steel during the Second Industrial Revolution facilitated technological advancements.
Mass Production
Mass production applies the principles of specialization, division of labor, and standardized parts manufacturing.
Imperialism
European nations sought colonies for raw materials.
British Empire
The British Empire was a successful imperialist power.
Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
Mexico lost more than half of its territory (Texas, New Mexico, and Upper California) with the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo.
Maximilian I of Mexico
Emperor Maximilian I was executed in Querétaro, marking the end of foreign intervention in Mexico.
Slavery
Slaves were considered property and could be sold, regardless of family ties.
American Civil War
The American Civil War lasted four years.
Abraham Lincoln
President Abraham Lincoln abolished slavery and established American citizenship for formerly enslaved people.
Porfirio Díaz
Porfirio Díaz was a dictator who ruled Mexico for nearly three decades.
Labor Unions
Labor unions are associations through which workers defend and promote their professional, economic, and social interests.
The Proletariat
The proletariat is the working class that emerged during the Industrial Revolution, often working in factories for low wages.
Industrialization
Industrialization is the process of social change that accompanies the introduction of machines into economic activity.
Science and Technology
Advances in science and technology have increased lifespans.
Modern Olympic Games
The first modern Olympic Games were held in Athens, Greece.
Multinational States
Multinational states are places where people with different languages and ways of life coexist.
Otto von Bismarck
Otto von Bismarck reorganized the German army, increasing its armament and budget, to make Germany a world power.
Karl Marx
Karl Marx wrote The Communist Manifesto, which influenced many countries’ struggles.
Charles Darwin
Charles Darwin’s studies on the evolution of species revolutionized natural sciences and biology.
Sigmund Freud
Sigmund Freud, the father of psychoanalysis, developed therapeutic techniques to help people with mental conditions.
Capitalism
Capitalism is an economic system based on capital as a creator of wealth and the free market exchange of goods.
Impressionism
Impressionism is an art style where the painter directly and accurately captures an image on canvas.
Protectorate
A protectorate is a territory where the local government is not fully sovereign and is partially controlled by another state.
Triple Alliance
Italy, Germany, and Austria-Hungary formed the Triple Alliance during World War I.
Triple Entente
Great Britain, France, and Russia formed the Triple Entente during World War I.
Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand
The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand triggered World War I.
Treaty of Versailles
The Treaty of Versailles ended World War I.
Treaty of Saint-Germain
The Treaty of Saint-Germain dissolved Austria-Hungary, creating Austria and Hungary.
League of Nations
The League of Nations aimed to maintain peace through collective security and international cooperation.
Russia
Russia was the first country to become socialist in 1922.
Other Important Events and Concepts
Francisco I. Madero
Francisco I. Madero challenged a powerful dictator and established modern partisan organization and election campaigns.
Developed Countries
Developed countries have high levels of social welfare and are mostly found in Europe, Asia, and North America.
Developing Countries
Developing countries have seen improvements in social welfare, particularly in education and healthcare.
Decolonization
Decolonization is the process by which colonies in Asia, Africa, and the Caribbean gained independence starting in the 1950s.
Socialism
Socialism is a political system advocating for an equal society where the means of production are collectively owned and managed, and the state regulates the distribution of property and economic and social activities.
Germany
Germany was considered the main culprit of World War I in the Treaty of Versailles.
The Great Depression
The stock market crash of 1929 on Wall Street impacted global markets, leading to factory closures and widespread unemployment.
The Cold War
The Cold War was a conflict between the United States and the USSR, characterized by propaganda, economic pressure, espionage, and covert operations.
Atomic Bomb
The understanding of the atom led to the development of the atomic bomb.
Hiroshima and Nagasaki
The United States dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan, during World War II, causing mass casualties.
Emiliano Zapata
Emiliano Zapata fought for land redistribution from landowners to peasants.
Ricardo Flores Magón
Ricardo Flores Magón advocated for miners and factory workers, pushing for minimum wages, maximum working hours, and the prohibition of child labor.