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Chapter 20: What events contributed to the First World War?

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In Chapter 20 under the section “The First World War: European Civilization in Crisis, 1914-1918," Strayer writes about “An Accident Waiting to Happen," "Legacies of the Great War." For this post, I will focus on “Accident Waiting to Happen" section, specifically responding to the explanation sidebar question: “ What aspects of Europe's nineteenth century history contributed to the First World War" (2016, p. 884)? Since 1500, Western Europe was the dominant and dominating center in the global history and as Strayer mentioned "since the defeat of Napoleon in 1815, a fragile and fluctuating balance of power had generally maintained the peace among Europe's participants" (p. 884 and 885). The unification of Germany and Italy disrupted that fragile balance of power and many wars and conflicts started happening leading to the First World War. Some of those main conflicts are considered in Professor Clint Hughes' acronym "M A I N"...
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Chapter 15: Scientific Revolution - "The Question of Origins: Why Europe?"

In Chapter 15 under the section “A New Way of Thinking: The Birth of Modern Science,” Strayer writes about “The Question of Origins: Why Europe?” “Science as Cultural Revolution.” “Science and Enlightenment.” For this post, I will focus on “The Question of Origins: Why Europe?” section, specifically responding to the comparison sidebar question: “Why did the Scientific Revolution occur in Europe rather than in China or the Islamic world” (p. 665)? The Scientific Revolution occurred in Europe rather than in China or the Islamic world because the western Europeans were ready to challenge the knowledge of others cultures in addition to having a well established legal system and autonomous universities which set them up for success. Several centuries after 1000 in China, the Confucianism culture was considered sophisticated and secular for that time period. It didn’t have as much religious dogma such as in Christianity and Islam and its technological accomplishments and economic growth wer...
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