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AP World History

Unit 5: c. 1750-1900

Revolutions

Main Ideas of the Unit:

  • The spread of empiricist Enlightenment ideals & liberal ideologies influenced many political revolutions & reform movements

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  • The industrial revolution (originating in Britain) had many social effects and required the rest of the world to react to it, causing many states to decline or implement reform movements

Content Overview

  • American Revolution

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  • French Revolution

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  • Haitian Revolution​

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  • Latin American Revolutions

  • Causes of Industrial Revolution

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  • Spread of Industrial Revolution

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  • Effects of Industrial Revolution​

Main Ideas of the Topic

  • Enlightenment philosophies promoted the use of rational reasoning in daily life & challenged the role of religion â†’ Questioned the absolutism of existing kingdoms

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  • Enlightenment ideals stimulated many reform movements & political revolutions

Main Ideas of the Topic

  • Many people formed a sense of unity based on a common language, religion, or ethnicity (nationalism) → Movements of revolution & unification

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  • The spread of Enlightenment ideals & nationalist sentiment → Colonial subjects in the Americas led independence movements

Main Ideas of the Topic

  • Many factors (e.g. waterways, coal, etc.) enabled the Industrial Revolution, which led to an increase in specialization of labor

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  • Industrialization spread from Britain throughout Europe then to US & Japan → Increased their share of global manufacturing

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  • Industrialization made it possible to take advantage of Earth's resources to boost energy production

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  • Increased use & scope of railroads, steamships, and telegraphs made communication easier → Increase trade and migration

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  • As the influence of Industrial Revolution grew, many states adopted policies to favor industrialization

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  • The industrial economy produced large-scale global businesses, which relied on free-market economics, which also led to an increase in consumer goods

Main Ideas of the Topic

  • In response to the changes caused by the Industrial Revolution, many industrial workers organized to campaign for reforms

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  • Many workers hated the new social hierarchies → Promoted Karl Marx's communist ideology

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  • In response to the expansion of industrialization, some states (Ottoman & Qing Dynasty) sought to reform their economies to match that of Europe

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  • Creation of new social classes (middle class & industrial working class)

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  • Some women & children had to work, but other women had roles limited to the household

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  • Rapid urbanization → Problems in the cities

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