Unit 7: 1900 to Present - Shifting State Power

Introduction

• Focus on changes in global power dynamics after 1900.
• Decline of several empires leading to the rise of new states.
• Key empires to know about: Ottoman Empire, Russian Empire, Qing Dynasty, and Mexican Revolution.

Decline of the Ottoman Empire

• Known as the "sick man of Europe."
• Tanzimat Reforms attempted but failed to revive the empire.
• Emergence of the Young Ottomans and later the Young Turks advocating for modernization and nationalism.
  • Young Turks overthrew the Sultan in 1908.
  • Nationalistic policies led to alienation of ethnic minorities.
• Post-WWI, the Ottoman Empire was dismantled by victorious powers.

Russian Empire: From Tsar to Soviet Union

• Late 19th-century industrialization under Tsars Alexander II and Nicholas II.
• Rising middle class and working-class discontent leads to 1905 Revolution.
• Some concessions made, but largely ignored by Tsar Nicholas II.
• WWI exacerbated issues, leading to 1917 Russian Revolution.
• Vladimir Lenin and the Bolsheviks established the communist Soviet Union.

Qing China: End of Imperial Rule

• 19th-century internal strife (e.g., Taiping Rebellion) and external defeats (Opium Wars, Sino-Japanese War).
• Boxer Rebellion in late 19th century was suppressed with foreign help.
• Sun Yat-sen led a revolutionary movement, ending 2,000 years of imperial rule.
• After civil struggles, China became a communist state under Mao Zedong.

Mexican Revolution

• Dictator Porfirio Díaz's rule angered various social classes.
• Overthrow led by Francisco Madero, later assassinated.
• Decade-long civil war with figures like Pancho Villa and Emiliano Zapata.
• 1917: Mexico emerged as a republic with a new constitution addressing revolutionary grievances.
  • Reforms included universal male suffrage, minimum wages, and reduced church power.

Study Resources

• Mention of AP World History review guide for further study.
• Offers practice questions and exams to prepare for AP exam.

These notes summarize the key historical transitions and revolutions that shaped world history in the 20th century, providing a foundational understanding of the shift in power dynamics globally.