World History from 1815 to Present Flashcards
Simon Bolivar
He was a Venezuelan political leader (1783-1830). Together with José de San Martín, he played a key role in Latin America’s successful struggle for independence from Spain. During his short life, he led Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Panama, Peru and Venezuela to independence and laid the foundations of Latin American ideology on democracy.
Charles Darwin
He was an English naturalist (1809-1882) who established that all species of life have descended over time from common ancestors, and proposed the scientific theory that this branching pattern of evolution resulted from a process that he called natural selection. This is the basis of modern evolutionary theory, and, in modified form, his scientific discovery remains as the foundation of biology. He published his theory with compelling evidence for evolution in his 1859 book On the Origin of Species.
Karl Marx
He was a German philosopher (1818-1883), political economist, historian, political theorist, sociologist, communist, and revolutionary, whose ideas played a significant role in the development of modern communism. Often recognized as the father of communism. Analysis of history led to his belief that communism would replace capitalism as it replaced feudalism. Believed in a classless society.
Russian Revolution
The Russian Revolution is the collective term for the series of revolutions in Russia in 1917, which destroyed the Tsarist autocracy and led to the creation of the Soviet Union. A Bolshevik(communist)-led revolution in October of that year, lead by Vladimir Lenin, institued dramatic change in social structure, paving the way for the USSR.
British Empire
Largest imperial power with colonies and possessions on every populated continent.
Mao Zedong
Chinese military and political leader (1893-1976) who led the Communist Party of China to victory against the Kuomintang in the Chinese Civil War. Leader of the People’s Republic of China from establishment in 1949 till death in 1976. Heralded as an influential leader who transformed China into a world power. Mao’s social-political programs, such as the Great Leap Forward and the Cultural Revolution, are blamed for costing millions of lives, causing severe famine and damage to the culture, society and economy of China. Mao’s policies and political purges from 1949 to 1976 are widely believed to have caused the deaths of between 50 to 70 million people.
Nelson Mandela
Born 18 July 1918, served as President of South Africa from 1994 to 1999, and was the first South African president to be elected in a fully representative democratic election. Before his presidency, Mandela was an anti-apartheid activist. In 1962 he was arrested and convicted of sabotage and other charges, and sentenced to life in prison. Mandela served 27 years in prison.
