View source for World History Homework Eleven Answers - Student One

VeronikaF 

1.What was the "Great War," and why was it called that? Who was on each side? 

The “Great War”, also known as [[World War I]], was given a name that perfectly described the size of it. World War I was the first war in which countries from almost all of the continents were fighting. On one side was Britain, France, and Russia: the Triple Entente, and on the other side was Germany, Italy, and Austria-Hungary: the Triple Alliance. So many countries became involved because of secret alliances. This war was just the beginning of a series of enormous wars that have inflicted great evil and suffering on our world.  

:Excellent.  Note that Italy switched sides during the war.

2.Who won World War I? Explain the outcome. 

No one really won the war, but some countries gained land and enforced laws upon other countries to their advantage. Britain, France, Russia, and America gained more power and land than any other country, but they all lost a large amount of men in World War I.  Germany was used by the allies in the Triple Entente and was forced to pay them an immense sum of money that was at that time impossible since they just returned home from the war beaten up and almost bankrupt. This war did not really bring peace to the world; it initiated the rise of communism and World War II. When the whole world gets involved it becomes very bloody and the powerful forget their original mission and become obsessed with gaining more power and land.

:Fantastic analysis.  Note, however, that Russia lost land as a result of the war and its communist revolution.

3. Pick your favorite battle of the War and describe it. 

The Third Battle of Ypres also known as the Battle of Passchendaele was between Britain and Germany during the year 1917 in Ypres, Belgium. This battle was one of the many major battles of World War I which was fought for the control of a village, Passchendaele, which was very close to the town of Ypres in West Flanders. Each side, especially the Germans, tried to destroy their enemies by suffocating them with poisonous gas. Many lives were taken without any success or progress in the war.  The Canadians took Passchendaele in October after a tedious struggle between the two armies, but with great regret because of all the causalities.

:Terrific, may use as a model!

4. When, where, why, and by whom did the Communist Revolution occur?

Communism first occurred in Russia during 1917 when the line of czars was disrupted by Lenin.  The revolution was inspired by the ideas of Marxism, which was spreading rapidly and was very common at that time. Communism opposes capitalism, but is very similar to socialism. The flag of communism has a red hammer and sickle upon it. Communists, like Marxists, believe that society should be only made up of the working class, all must unite and create a world run by everyone equally, and that revolutions should occur in all countries for everyone’s “so called” benefit. Leninism, founded by Lenin, teaches that a communist revolution should be led by someone devout in the belief of communism and someone who will do anything for this cause. The Marxists, however, disagree with this idea. Many people wanted a change. When people heard that Lenin offered them a better world and equality for all they were willing to let him take control, which later brought more evil than happiness to the society. 

:Excellent explanation.

5. Pick an aspect of "Science and Art in the Early 20th Century" and describe it, along with your view. 

The Big Bang theory was a great argument in the early 1900’s about the creation of the universe. I believe that the Big Bang theory could be one of many possible explanations of the beginning of the universe. In 1927, Georges Lemaitre, a Catholic priest and a scientist, was the first man to propose the Big Bang theory as a possible explanation for the origin of the universe. Fred Hoyle created the phrase “Big Bang” in 1949, but he did not believe that the theory was a solid possibility of the beginning of the universe. What I found interesting is that its name was formally the name that people used to mock this theory. According to the Big Bang theory, the universe began when an enormous explosion occurred and it started expanding from hot and dense matter that continues to expand to this day. Galaxies are like chocolate chips, expanding and growing larger as the muffin (universe), with the bits of the chocolate, rises and enlarges. I think that the end of the world will happen when the all the matter in the universe looses all its energy and blows up as a light bulb breaks when its wire inside breaks after the bulb has expended all its energy.

:Superb answer!  May use as a model.  I really like your analogy to chocolate chips in a muffin!

6. Describe a European colony in the 20th century, and what happened to it.  

Australia, one of Britain’s colonies, helped Britain in World War I by supplying a campaign, which would forge a supply line to Russia. It was originally a British penal colony where criminals were sent to serve their sentences. After the war, Australia became hostile to Britain and started to want freedom in government and laws. When its population increased enough to become part of the commonwealth Australia had to start paying taxes. In World War II, Australia had its own military force, which was sent to mostly Africa and Europe. But when the war ended, Britain started to test nuclear weapons and stationed naval vessels in Australia. The citizens of Australia must have wanted freedom from all the dangerous and annoying experimental and military activity, which mostly benefitted Britain. Even though they are not one country anymore, they still have very similar political and economic ties.

:Another fantastic answer.

H1. Concerning "work", which do you prefer, the motto of Captain John Smith or of Leon Trotsky? 

I would prefer Captain John Smith’s motto,“He that will not work shall not eat,” over Leon Trotsky motto, “If you do not obey you do not eat,” since it is never good to force people to obey. No one should ever have to obey someone especially if what they believe in is wrong. God gave us free will to choose for ourselves and we should not let someone else take that gift from us. We are our masters and no one has the right to force us to perform or obey a commandment.

:Excellent.  I've learned since writing the lecture that Trotsky was himself criticizing what communism had become in using that motto ("do not obey ... do not eat") to describe it.

:One of the best homework papers in the entire class all year!  70/70.  Very well done!!

[[Category:World History lectures]]