History 2nd UT

• The rise of new social classes during the Industrial Revolution included the capitalist class, the middle class, and the working class (proletariat), with labor problems leading to the formation of trade unions and the rise of socialism as a response
• European colonial expansion in the 19th and 20th centuries impacted Europe, the Americas, Asia, and Africa politically, economically, socially, and culturally, leading to modernization, economic exploitation, and social changes
• The American Revolution was fueled by political discontent due to decreased autonomous power, economic discontent from strict trade regulations and tax issues, and the influence of the Enlightenment inspiring colonists to realize their right to overthrow an absolute government
• Impact of European colonial expansion

  • Impact on Europe
  • Impact on the Americas, Asia, Africa
• Impact on Europe


  • Forming a European-centered world economic system
  • Causing colonial disputes and conflicts
  • Century that had conflicts
• Conflicts


  • 17th (Europe): 1651, Wars broke out between Britain & Netherlands
  • 18th (Americas): 1754, Britain & France fought (Spain, Russia, Prussia also) for control of the colonies in North America → Seven Years' War (56-63)
  • 19th (Asia): France & Burma = friendly relationship (early 1880s) → Britain worried that France might take Burma. → Britain annexed Burma
  • 20th (Asia): 1905 & 1911, France & Germany competed for control of Morocco → War almost broke out + relation worsened
• Impact on the Americas, Asia, Africa

  • Political aspect
  • Economic aspect
  • Social & Culture aspect
• Political aspect


  1. Modernization: carried out reform, promote national modernization (late 19th)

  2. Discrimination and oppression: Colonized people faced unfair political treatment; European colonists had many special rights + great political power + appointed as major officials; local people didn't share real power + could only become junior officials
• Economic aspect


  1. Infrastructure improvement: improve the transport system in their colonies by building roads, railways, piers & many economic activities also developed around these infrastructures

  2. Economic exploitation: Europeans plundered the natural resources of the colonies & monopolized plantation, mines, oil wells

  3. Destruction of traditional economy: built large plantations & force them to grow cash crops, sold their surplus industrial goods to colonies → decline of local traditional handcrafted industries → destroyed the traditional self-sufficiency economy of the colonies & greatly reduce the size of farmland for growing food, causing famines
• Social & Culture aspect

  1. Improvements in education and living standards: colonial rulers + missionaries introduced modern education, western ideas, science & technology to their colonies (→ broadened horizons)

  2. Problems of plagues and slavery: American Indians in huge numbers of infections diseases (smallpox, measles) → many tribes went extinct, Numerous African slaves were killed during trafficking, work, transport

  3. Changes in population structure: European expansion changed the ethnic composition of population in different regions
• American Revolution


  Revolution by the Thirteen Colonies in North America to gain independence from Britain
• Causes of Revolution


  • Political discontent
  • Economic discontent
  • Influence of the Enlightenment
• Political discontent


  • Autonomy of local councils had powers to pass laws, collect taxes, mobilize militias and rule together with governors
  • Britain decreased the autonomous power of the colonies after the Seven Years' War
• Economic discontent


  • Britain enforced strict trade regulations that hindered the economic development of the Thirteen Colonies
  • Colonists refused to pay taxes as they had no representation in the British Parliament
• Influence of the Enlightenment

  Colonists inspired by Enlightenment ideas realised they had the right to overthrow an absolute government
• Course of Revolution


  1. The Boston Tea Party 1773

  2. The Intolerable Acts 1774

  3. The First Continental Congress 1774

  4. Outbreak of the war at Lexington 1775

  5. The Declaration of Independence and the founding of United States of America 1776
• Thirteen Colonies on the Road to Independence

  • The Second Continental Congress May 1775
  • Publication of the Common Sense January 1776
  • Proclamation of the Declaration of Independence July 4 1776
  • Franco-American alliance February 1778
  • Signing of the Articles of Confederation March 1781
  • Surrender of Britain October 1781
  • Signing of the Treaty of Paris September 1783
• Constitution of the US & the federal republic

  • Federal government handled national defence, diplomacy, foreign trade & currency
  • State governments responsible for state affairs
• Presidential system & the separation of powers

  • President elected by eligible citizens
  • Power divided between legislature, executive, judiciary (check & balance each other)
• Bill of Rights


  • Protect the rights of Americans (rights of life, property, a free trial, freedom of speech/press/assembly/religion)
• The Industrial Revolution

  Mid 18th-late 19th century
• Impact of the Industrial Revolution

  • Rise of new social classes
• New social classes that arose

  • Capitalist class (industrialists, businessmen, factory owners)
  • Middle class (lawyers, doctors)
  • Working class (proletariat)
• Capitalist class


  Rich and influential in government policies
• Middle class


  Accumulated wealth due to professional knowledge and expertise, not as wealthy and influential as the capitalist class
• Working class (proletariat)

  Worked for the capitalists and earned little, mainly poor and at the bottom of society
• Labour problems

  • Low income, long working hours and frequent accidents, poor living conditions
• Labour movements and achievements

  1. Workers forming trade unions to demand better conditions and wages

  2. 1824 British government recognized trade unions' legal status

  3. 1838-1848 Chartist Movement organized to demand shorter working hours and higher wages

  4. 1830s British government passed acts to improve workers' conditions
• Socialism


  Idea that private ownership of property should be replaced by public ownership, and wealth should be redistributed equally
• Thinkers who criticized capitalism and advocated socialism

  • Marx and Engels (communism)
  • Owen and Saint-Simon (utopian socialism)
• Expansion of world trade

  • Importing large quantities of raw materials, exporting manufactured goods
• Economic and colonial expansion of Western countries

  • Acquiring more raw materials, opening more overseas markets, making use of supremacy to speed up economic and colonial expansion in Asia and Africa (New Imperialism)
• Colonial disputes and economic competition led to conflicts among the Western powers
• Impact of European colonial expansion

  • Impact on Europe
  • Impact on the Americas, Asia, Africa
• Impact on Europe


  • Forming a European-centered world economic system
  • Causing colonial disputes and conflicts
• Colonial disputes and conflicts

  • 17th century (Europe): Wars broke out between Britain & Netherlands
  • 18th century (Americas): Britain & France fought (Spain, Russia, Prussia also) for control of the colonies in North America→Seven Years' War(56-63)
  • 19th century (Asia): France & Burma= friendly relationship(early 1880s)→Britain worried that France might take Burma. →Britain annexed Burma
  • 20th century (Asia): 1905&1911, France & Germany competed for control of Morocco →War almost broke out+relation worsened
• Impact on the Americas, Asia, Africa

  • Political aspect: Modernization, Discrimination and oppression
  • Economic aspect: Infrastructure improvement, economic exploitation, Destruction of traditional economy
  • Social & Culture aspect: improvements in education and living standards, Problems of plagues and slavery, changes in population structure
• Political aspect: Modernization

  1. Carried out reform, promote national modernization(late 19th)

  2. The introduction of Western parliamentary and judicial system (help establish the spirit of the rule of law)
• Political aspect: Discrimination and oppression

  • Colonized people faced unfair political treatment
  • European colonists had many special rights, great political power and were appointed as major officials
  • Local people didn't share real power and could only become junior officials
• Economic aspect: Infrastructure improvement

  • Improve the transport system in their colonies by building roads, railways, piers
  • Many economic activities also developed around these infrastructures