Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow By Mr. Caudill ; LCMHS

November 26, 2024

World Civilizations are diverse and have risen and fallen for numerous reasons throughout history. We attempt to look at them in class to see how they developed regionally in the 14 th and 15 th centuries, then we look at the 15 th to 18 th centuries to see how trade and the spread of ideas happened as the world became more connected due to technology and increasing numbers and volumes of trade routes. Looking at the 18 th to 20 th centuries we see how ideas born during the previous centuries regarding sovereignty and growing interconnectivity between nations attack the long-held beliefs of Divine Right. Empires continued to grow during this time, but the rule of absolute monarchies was less accepted.

From the early to mid-20 th century, we look at the end of most of the world’s empires and see the rise of nationalism as nations cast off the yoke of imperialism. This shift in thinking was realized over two World Wars. We finally look at the world during this modern period after 1945 and see how decolonization impacted many nations before and during the Cold War with the spread of communism and capitalism. As we look at the post-Cold War years we look at where nations are today as we wrestle with a rapidly moving world driven by instant communication and connectivity. We also discuss where we are going as we filter the mass of information hitting us daily and examine the impact

of Artificial Intelligence on our future.

Let’s look at some world powers today and briefly at their journey through history. India is roughly 1/3 the size of the United States with about four times the population. Counting active and reserve military units, they have about 4 million serving. That is about a million more than their neighbor China. Overall, they are considered the 4 th most powerful military in the world. It is 5 th in the world for national wealth and had about

7% growth in their national wealth since 2023. It is the world’s largest democracy with the longest Constitution in the world. India is also home to 945% of the Hindus in the world.

From 1526 to 1857, India was part of the Muslim minority Mughal Empire, a trading partner with the British East India Company. In 1857, there was a rebellion of the Indian Soldiers in the Mughal and East India Company armies called the Sepoy Rebellion that ended their control. The British Government then took control of India and ruled during a period called The British Raj from 1858 to 1947 with Indian Soldiers fighting for the British Crown in World War 1 and World War 2. A movement that began during World War 2, the Quit India movement led by Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, and Muhammad Ali Jinnah resulted in Great Britain leaving the subcontinent and dividing it into India, East Pakistan and West Pakistan to create a Hindu nation and two Muslim nations. This did not produce the peace hoped for, as Pakistan and India have fought countless border skirmishes, and both are nations with nuclear weapons.

China is the second richest nation in the world with about 5% growth over the last year.

It is roughly the same size as the United States with about four times the population. It is a nuclear weapons nation like its neighbor India and has a military of over three million. It is considered by many to be the third most powerful military in the world, behind Russia and the United States.

China is often considered to be the oldest nation with bureaucracies ruling various parts of what is now China for over 3,000 years. It is named for the Qin (pronounced chin) Dynasty which ruled from 221 to 206 BCE. During the 1500s, and the Ming Dynasty, The Spanish controlled Potosi mines in what is now Bolivia produced nearly 80% of the world's Silver and about 20% of that flowed to China. This incredible wealth led to the construction of the Great Wall of China

The porcelain, silk, spices, and tea of China found their way to Europe for centuries via the Silk Road and in the late 1600s, The British East India Company turned their eyes to China to expand the amount shipped via the ocean trade routes, But the Qing Dynasty (pronounced Ching) who came to power in 1644 didn’t see the benefit of trading with the Europeans and considered the spread of Christianity as a threat, so they only let them trade in a few ports and didn’t allow them to go inland. The East India Company; however, found a commodity the Chinese desired, even if their leaders didn’t, Opium. When outlawed by the Chinese government, they smuggled it in. When the government flexed its muscles, the British declared war on China in 1840 and not only defended the Opium trade but gained inland concessions on setting up factories. This was called the First Opium War.

In 1850, a Chinese mystic who claimed to be the younger brother of Jesus and the Massiah, Hong Xiuquan, led a Civil War called the Taiping Rebellion that lasted for 14 years against the Qing Dynasty

While the Civil War raged between the Christian sect and the Qing government, Great

Britain and France both sought more power to trade in China and increase their opium market declaring war in 1856 in what is called the Second Opium War. A Peasant Revolt in 1899 called the Boxer Rebellion that was focused on driving out foreigners and getting rid of Chinese Christians gained the support of the Qing Dynasty.

This resulted in Western Powers including Germany, Japan, Austria-Hungary, Italy Russia, Great Britain, and the United States intervening to protect foreigners and Chinese Christians. The sanctions imposed on the Qing Dynasty after the rebellion weakened them further and it was the last royal dynasty ending in 1911.

China became the Republic of China with its first provincial President Sun Yat-sen. A series of leaders tried to work with Japan, and the West over the next several years, but

eventually, they found a possible ally in the new Communist government, the Soviet Union that had come out of the Russian Revolution of 1917. As several leaders vied for control of the Republic of China, General Chiang Kai-shek rose to the top by

stabilizing the nation from 1928-1947. An ally of the Allied Powers of World War 2, he was supported by the West. Unrest in the northern provinces of the Republic of China

resulted in a peasant insurgency driven by the success of Communism in neighboring Russia led by Mao Zedong.

After Japan’s defeat in 1945, the Communist forces under Mao Zedong and Nationalist Forces under Chiang Kai-shek clashed with the Communists winning control of Mainland China and Chiang Kai-shek and his followers retreating to the

Island of Taiwan. Under Mao, the name The People’s Republic of China was adopted.

When the United Nations was formed in 1945, The Republic of China represented China in the General Assembly and as one of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council. It wasn’t until 1971, that The People’s Republic of China replaced them.

Next week we will look at the path other nations have taken to becoming who they are today.