This time we will look at a number of disruptive changes to the social and economic structures throughout the globe between 1750 and 1850. Political upheavals in the Atlantic world undermined the colonial dominion of Spain, Portugal France and Britain while establishing a number of new states. These also were the fore-runners of the French Revolution and the succeeding Napoleonic Wars. Both of these events brought about an new era in the development of the European nation state. At the same time here were economic transformations sweeping Western Europe and parts of North America. As production shifted so too did the social structure with a serious impact on the family. But with their control of new means of production Western Europe rose to global preeminence. By the 1830s English gunboats easily defeated the Qing Dynasty over trading rights in China. Following these conflict China could no longer keep the Europeans away from their lands.
This week, we will look at Imperialism and Nationalism, how they developed, and how they affected world civilizations.
2. Interpretation of Images.
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