must know documents

Question 1

The Wealth of Nations by Adam Smith

Answer 1

Overview: Published in 1776, this seminal work laid the foundations of classical economics. Smith discusses the division of labor, free markets, and the “invisible hand” guiding economic activity.

Question 2

The Communist Manifesto by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels

Answer 2

Overview: Published in 1848, this pamphlet outlines the principles of communism, calling for the proletariat (working class) to overthrow the bourgeoisie (capitalist class) and establish a classless society.

Question 3

A Vindication of the Rights of Woman by Mary Wollstonecraft

Answer 3

Overview: Published in 1792, this early feminist work argues for the education and rational treatment of women, asserting their rights to equality and independence.

Question 4

The Tennis Court Oath

Answer 4

Overview: In 1789, members of the French Third Estate vowed not to disband until they had written a new constitution, marking a pivotal event in the early stages of the French Revolution.

Question 5

The Napoleonic Code

Answer 5

Overview: Introduced in 1804 by Napoleon Bonaparte, this civil code standardized laws across France, emphasizing clearly written and accessible laws. It influenced many legal systems worldwide.

Question 6

Treaty of Versailles

Answer 6

Overview: Signed in 1919, this treaty ended World War I. It imposed harsh penalties and reparations on Germany, contributing to economic hardship and political instability in the country.

Question 7

treaty of nanjing

Answer 7

Overview: Signed in 1842, this treaty ended the First Opium War between Britain and China, leading to significant concessions by China, including ceding Hong Kong to Britain and opening several ports to British trade.

Question 8

wilson’s 14 points

Answer 8

Overview: Proposed by U.S. President Woodrow Wilson in 1918, these points outlined his vision for post-World War I peace, including the creation of the League of Nations to prevent future conflicts.

Question 9

The Munich Agreement

Answer 9

Overview: Signed in 1938 by Germany, the United Kingdom, France, and Italy, this agreement allowed Nazi Germany to annex the Sudetenland region of Czechoslovakia in a failed attempt to prevent war.

Question 10

Potsdam Agreement

Answer 10

Overview: Reached in 1945 by the Allied powers (U.S., UK, and USSR), this agreement outlined the post-World War II administration of Germany and the terms for Japanese surrender.

Question 11

Truman Doctrine

Answer 11

Overview: Announced in 1947 by U.S. President Harry Truman, this policy aimed to contain Soviet expansion by providing political, military, and economic assistance to countries resisting communism.

Question 12

NATO/Warsaw Pact

Answer 12

Overview: NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) was formed in 1949 as a military alliance of Western countries. The Warsaw Pact was the Soviet Union’s response, forming a military alliance of Eastern Bloc countries in 1955.

Question 13

Stalin’s Five Year Plans

Answer 13

Overview: Initiated by Joseph Stalin in the late 1920s, these plans aimed to rapidly industrialize the Soviet Union and collectivize agriculture, leading to significant economic and social changes.

Question 14

SALT I

Answer 14

Overview: The Strategic Arms Limitation Talks (SALT I) led to the 1972 agreement between the U.S. and the Soviet Union to limit the number of nuclear missiles and other strategic arms.

Question 15

Reagan’s Berlin Wall Speech

Answer 15

Overview: In 1987, U.S. President Ronald Reagan delivered a speech at the Brandenburg Gate, famously challenging Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev to “tear down this wall,” symbolizing the call for the end of the division of Berlin and the Cold War.

Question 16

Balfour Declaration

Answer 16

Overview: Issued in 1917 by the British government, this statement expressed support for the establishment of a “national home for the Jewish people” in Palestine.

Question 17

Sykes-Picot Agreement

Answer 17

Overview: A secret 1916 agreement between Britain and France, with Russian assent, dividing the Ottoman Empire’s Middle Eastern territories into spheres of influence.

Question 18

Deng Xiaoping’s Four Modernizations

Answer 18

Overview: Introduced in 1978 by Deng Xiaoping, these reforms aimed to modernize China’s agriculture, industry, national defense, and science and technology, transforming its economy.

Question 19

Mao’s Little Red Book

Answer 19

Overview: Officially titled “Quotations from Chairman Mao Tse-tung,” this book compiled Mao Zedong’s speeches and writings, serving as a symbol of his ideological influence during the Cultural Revolution.

Question 20

Kyoto Protocol

Answer 20

Overview: An international treaty adopted in 1997 committing its signatories to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, aimed at combating global climate change.

Question 21

Universal Declaration of Human Rights

Answer 21

Overview: Adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 1948, this document outlines fundamental human rights to be universally protected, marking a milestone in the promotion of global human rights.