Course Description
Foundations of Democracy are introduced and examined. World Revolutions are compared and contrasted. Literature, educational values, and democratic practices of governments are reviewed. Topics such as The Industrial Revolution, Democracy, Nationalism, Imperialism, Militarism, and World War I are presented and discussed from a global perspective.
Credits: 5
Languages: English and Spanish
Course Content
August 15, 2007
- explain how Judaism and Christianity have influenced modern democratic principles.
- describe the history of the Jewish and Christian religions.
- describe how Ancient Greece influenced modern democracies.
- explain the ways in which Ancient Rome influenced the current legal systems and structure of modern democratic governments.
- explain the importance of the teachings and writings of Socrates, Plato and Aristotle.
- explain how the teachings and writings of Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, Baron de Montesquieu and Jean-Jacques Rousseau were important to the development of democracies.
- recognize the effects of the Enlightenment on political systems.
- describe the events that lead up to the creation of the British Parliament.
- describe the effect on government brought about by the Norman Conquest.
- identify the causes of the English Civil War.
- explain why the British monarchy was restored.
- explain the significance of the Glorious Revolution.
- describe the importance of the English Bill of Rights.
- discuss the causes of the American Revolution.
- identify ways in which Enlightenment thinkers inspired the leaders of the American Revolution.
- understand the roles of various revolutionary leaders such as George Washington and Thomas Jefferson.
- describe the events and major battles of the American Revolution.
- explain how the current form of the U.S. government was established.
- understand the significance of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.
Unit 2 - Revolution!
- explain the three classes of people in the French Estates-General.
- identify the National Assembly and the significance of the Tennis Court Oath.
- understand the symbolism of the Bastille and the events leading up to the Fall of the Bastille.
- describe the ways in which the National Assembly changed the French social and political structure after the Revolution.
- understand the effects of widespread violence on the monarchy and the people who defended them.
- explain the effects of the death of Louis XVI on the political and social structure in France.
- explain the political state of affairs that contributed to the rise of Napoleon.
- explain the causes of the Latin American Revolutions.
- describe how the French and American Revolutions affected the revolutionary movements in Latin America.
- describe the social and political structure of the Latin American colonies.
- describe how Mexico gained its independence.
- describe how the Central American territories gained their independence.
- explain how various South American countries gained their independence.
- identify key figures in the revolutions such as Simón Bolívar, José de San Martin and Bernardo O’Higgins.
- compare and contrast the causes and effects of the French Revolution to the Latin American Revolutions.
- understand the various stages of events leading up to revolution.
- describe how peace was eventually achieved in Europe.
- Describe a totalitarianism form of government
Unit 3 - The Industrial Revolution
- describe the process of producing goods prior to the First Industrial Revolution.
- describe the living conditions of the people living in pre-industrial times.
- list reasons why Great Britain was the leader in the Industrial Revolution.
- describe ways that transportation systems were improved during this time period.
- describe the effects of industrialism on the rest of the world.
- describe various inventions that aided communication and transportation.
- explain the reasons the middle class grew in industrialized countries.
- explain the concepts of laissez-faire economics and the system of capitalism.
- explain why Karl Marx advocated doing away with the existing economic system.
- identify breakthroughs in biology, medicine, surgery, physics, and the social sciences.
- explain the social effects of industrialization such as the growth of leisure time and the focus on education.
- understand what artists had to say about changes in society between 1750 and 1914.
- describe the movements of romanticism and realism.
- explain why art and literature turned from romanticism to realism.
- identify some famous painters and writers from the artistic movements of symbolism, impressionism and post-impressionism.
Unit 4 - Democracy and Reform
- explain how political change came to Great Britain and parts of its empire during the 1800s.
- describe the effects of the changing political structure in Great Britain on women.
- explain the causes of the revolutions in France in 1830 and 1848.
- explain how nationalism contributed to the unification movement in Italy.
- understand the difficulties of a newly unified territory to succeed politically, economically and socially.
- explain how nationalism contributed to the unification movement in Germany.
- recognize why revolutionary movements developed in Russia in the 1800s and early 1900s.
- explain the reasons for the creation of the soviets which eventually led to the communist system in Russia.
- identify the political, economic, and social causes of imperialism.
- describe how the countries of Asia responded to imperialism in their region.
- explain the importance of the Monroe Doctrine to American imperialism.
- describe how the United States acquired colonies and the methods in which they administered these colonies.
Unit 5 - World War I
- describe how the growth of nationalist feelings affected Austria-Hungary and the Ottoman Empire.
- explain the causes of revolutionary movements around Europe prior to World War I.
- identify the underlying causes of World War I.
- describe the balance of power in Europe prior to World War I.
- describe the new innovations and technological advances of the war.
- relate the causes and results of the Russian Revolution.
- explain the role the U.S. played in World War I.
- describe the impact of the Treaty of Versailles on Germany.
- identify how World War I changed the way people viewed the world.
- describe the changing roles of women after World War I.
- understand why the economy became better after the war and what effects the booming economy had on the United States.
- explain the changes in art and literature produced during the time after World War I.
- identify famous authors and artists of the time period after World War I.
