Calls for Reform and Responses after 1900

Ethan Taylor
7 min read
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AP World History: Modern - Human Rights Study Guide 🚀
Welcome! This guide is designed to help you ace the AP World History: Modern exam, focusing specifically on human rights from the 20th century to the present. Let's dive in!
Human Rights in the Global Age (1900-Present)
The Rise of Global Awareness 💡
- The 20th century is known as the Global Age due to increased interconnectedness via technology and media.
- Human rights issues became more visible globally through radio and television 📺.
- Increased literacy led to greater political and professional engagement.
- Marginalized groups challenged inequalities based on race, gender, and religion.
Human Rights in China 🇨🇳
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Under Mao Zedong and the Chinese Communist Party, many human rights violations occurred.
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Chinese Civil War (Nationalist vs. Communist forces) led to the establishment of the People's Republic of China in 1949. #### Key Violations:
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Land Redistribution: Landowners were terrorized, executed, and stripped of land, which was then given to peasant communities. Mao estimated 2-3 million deaths.
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Re-education Camps: Labor camps from 1957-2013 punished those who broke the law or opposed the government. Inmates faced starvation and harsh conditions.
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Great Leap Forward: A communist plan to transform China from an agrarian to a communist society, resulting in widespread famine.
Remember: The Chinese Communist Party's actions under Mao represent significant human rights violations in the 20th century.
When discussing China, always link specific policies (like the Great Leap Forward) to their human rights consequences.
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR)
- Adopted by the UN General Assembly on December 10, 1948. * Outlines 30 articles of fundamental rights for all people, regardless of background.
- Key principles: equality, freedom, and security.
Core Rights:
- Right to life, liberty, and security.
- Right to education and work.
- Right to participate in cultural life.
- Freedom of thought, conscience, and religion.
- Freedom of opinion and expression.
- Prohibition of discrimination.
The UDHR is a foundational document for international human rights law and has influenced many subsequent treaties.
Think of the UDHR as a global constitution for human rights, ensuring basic protections for everyone.
Gender Equality ♀️
- Women and LGBTQ+ communities challenged inequalities in job opportunities, voting, and political participation.
- Increased literacy rates among women fueled protests against restrictive systems.
- Suffrage (the right to vote) was achieved in different countries at different times (e.g., US in 1920, Brazil in 1932, Turkey in 1934, Japan in 1945, India in 1947).
Don't get bogged down in specific dates for suffrage. Focus on the general trend of increasing rights for women during this period.
Civil Rights Movements
Civil Rights Movement in the United States 🇺🇸
- Jim Crow Laws enforced segregation and discrimination against African Americans after emancipation.
- The Civil Rights Movement aimed to desegregate society and achieve equality for all citizens.
- Key leaders: Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks, Daisy Bates, Betty Friedman, Malcolm X, and many others.
- The Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibited discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.
Remember the key leaders and the Civil Rights Act of 1964 as crucial elements of the US Civil Rights Movement.
Apartheid in South Africa 🇿🇦
- Apartheid was a system of segregation and discrimination against non-white citizens.
- The Afrikaner National Party instituted apartheid in 1948. * Nelson Mandela was imprisoned for his anti-apartheid activism from 1963 to 1990. * International pressure (UN embargo) and media attention led to the end of apartheid.
- In 1994, a new constitution was written, ending apartheid, and Nelson Mandela became President.
Compare and contrast the Civil Rights Movement in the US and the anti-apartheid movement in South Africa. Both fought against systemic discrimination but in different contexts.
Australian Aborigine Civil Rights Movement 🇦🇺
- Before European colonization, Aborigines were the majority, but their population declined dramatically.
- The Western Australia Aborigines Act placed heavy restrictions on natives, including forced separation of children from their parents.
- The Racial Discrimination Act of 1975 made discrimination against indigenous Aborigines illegal.
- In 2008, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd apologized to the indigenous population for past mistreatments.
Understanding the impact of colonization on indigenous populations is crucial. Note the similarities in the challenges faced by different groups worldwide.
Final Exam Focus 🎯
High-Priority Topics:
- Human Rights Violations: China under Mao, Apartheid in South Africa, treatment of indigenous populations.
- Key Documents: The Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
- Civil Rights Movements: US, South Africa, Australia.
- Gender Equality: The fight for suffrage and equal rights.
Common Question Types:
- Multiple Choice: Focus on specific events, documents, and leaders.
- Short Answer Questions (SAQs): Be concise and provide specific examples.
- Free Response Questions (FRQs): Analyze causes and effects, compare and contrast, and show connections between different movements.
Last-Minute Tips:
- Time Management: Don't spend too long on one question. Move on and come back if you have time.
- Common Pitfalls: Avoid vague answers. Use specific evidence and examples.
- Strategies: Read the questions carefully, plan your responses, and use your knowledge effectively.
Practice Question
Practice Questions
Multiple Choice Questions
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Which of the following best describes the significance of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR)? (A) It established a military alliance among democratic nations. (B) It outlined fundamental rights and freedoms for all individuals. (C) It created a new global currency. (D) It promoted the expansion of colonial empires.
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The Great Leap Forward in China resulted in: (A) Rapid industrialization and economic prosperity. (B) Widespread famine and social disruption. (C) Increased political freedoms and democratic reforms. (D) A peaceful transition to a market-based economy.
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Which of the following was a key feature of the apartheid system in South Africa? (A) Equal access to education and employment for all citizens. (B) Segregation and discrimination based on race. (C) A unified political system with representation for all groups. (D) The promotion of cultural diversity and inclusion.
Free Response Question
Analyze the causes and consequences of the Civil Rights Movement in the United States and the anti-apartheid movement in South Africa. Be sure to discuss the similarities and differences in the challenges faced by each movement. (10 points)
Point Breakdown:
- Thesis (1 point): A clear, historically defensible thesis that addresses the prompt.
- Contextualization (1 point): Describes the broader historical context of both movements.
- Evidence (4 points): Provides specific examples of the causes and consequences of each movement (2 points for each movement).
- Analysis (3 points): Explains the similarities and differences between the two movements, including the challenges they faced.
- Synthesis (1 point): Connects these movements to other global struggles for human rights.

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