Origins of the First World War
INTRODUCTION Since the First World War began, the depth of literature produced on it has been enormous. James Joll best explains the continued interest in the First World War as being due to the general acceptance amongst scholars in viewing the "First World War as the crucial event in the first half of the century" 1 with many of the subsequent violent events of the 20th century tracing their roots from the fall out of World War One. Few aspects of the intensive study into World War One have been so greatly investigated or debated as its origins. Due to the impact the First World War had upon shaping the 20th century, identifying the culprits responsible for starting the war has taken on an extraordinary resonance.2 Historians have been able to dissect the time period leading up to the outbreak of war many times over in order to create a series of wide ranging and often-contradictory theories related to who blame for starting the Great War of 1914-18 can be attributed to. Read individually without consideration and knowledge of other theories, each hypothesis is delivered by their proponents with such certainty and promise that it is easy to accept them without question. Traditionally Germany has received the majority of blame for starting the First World War. In 1919 German war guilt was written into the Versailles Treaty that finalised the end of the war, to the
The Importance of the Diary for a Study of Archbishop Laud
HI530 English Politics 1629-1642: A Highroad to Civil War? The Importance of the Diary for a Study of Archbishop Laud Christina Whitehead Contents . Title page 2. Table of contents 3. Introduction 4. Laud's ecclesiastical aims 0. Laud's significant relationships 5. Laud's troubles 8. The Diary's fate and Contemporary works 20. Conclusion 21. Bibliography The Importance of the Diary for a Study of Archbishop Laud William Laud, Archbishop of Canterbury from 1633 has traditionally been seen as 'one of the twin pillars of Stuart despotism'1, and the councillor whose influence cost Charles his crown. Though a great deal of contention has surrounded these, and other assumptions about the Archbishop in recent years, the diary, which Laud kept between the years of 1602 and 1643 has not been widely used as a source for his study. It is important to consider Laud not only as primate, but also as an individual in order to obtain the fullest possible understanding of him. As Gaunt has argued that 'Laud is one of those unfortunate historical figures whose biography has been penned largely from the writings of his enemies'2, I feel that an attempt should be made to study Laud solely through his own writings, but in particular his diary, as it was Pynne's falsification of the text after he seized it in 1643 that led to such negative views about the Archbishop, and
Liberal Divisions and the 1870 Education Act
LIBERAL DIVISONS AND THE ELEMENTARY EDUCATION ACT, 1870: A LOCAL STUDY. David A. Clarke Thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of BA History University of Leicester May 1998 INTRODUCTION: THE BACKGROUND TO THE ELEMENTARY EDUCATION ACT, 1870 Since the 1830s, the highly controversial issue of national education had been heatedly debated in the British parliament: In 1833 the first government grant of £20,000 was introduced for the building of schoolhouses in England and Wales; under the Whig administration of Lord Melbourne, the Committee of the Privy Council - the Education Department - was established in 1839 to superintend the use of public funds for the promotion of public education and, at the same time, the first education Inspectors were appointed; and, in 1846, Sir James Kay-Shuttleworth established a pupil-teacher scheme to replace the 'monitorial' system of Bell and Lancaster that dated back to the 1780s, and to improve the quality of school teaching. Later, in 1862, the Revised Code was created in response to the findings of the Newcastle Commission Report (1858-61) on elementary education. Consequentially, the size of the grant - now directly paid to the school managers - was to be determined by satisfactory performance in the 'three R's.' Two-thirds of this grant was calculated upon the basis of performance in tests carried
A study into how much John F. Kennedy was responsible for the failure of the Bay of Pigs and the influence it had on him in future crises.
Introduction John F. Kennedy endured arguably the most highly pressurised start to his Presidency than any preceding President. The expectations Kennedy brought with him into office were ones of hope and prosperity for the American public all wanting to be part of the American Dream. The new decade of the 1960’s offered a great deal to the average American, consumerism was continuously growing, and unemployment was low. However issues such as equality for black American’s would be turned into a civil rights movement that dominated domestic affairs for the entire decade. The immediate concern for President Kennedy when he took office was the suddenly growing Cuba problem, and was seen as the priority over all things for Kennedy. Entering office at a time when the world was waiting to see who would come out on top in the on-going Cold War, Kennedy had to tread a fine line of being strong, but not to robust in his policies so as to antagonise the Soviets to the point of armed conflict. The American publics’ concern over the ‘Red Scare’ that had dominated the 1950’s, continued into the new era under Kennedy, with close neighbour Cuba having a large part to play in ensuring that fear persisted. The threat of a Communist fifth column infiltrating American society on all levels from social to political was now starting to feel very real. This fear was also heightened
JOHN D. LEE: A SCAPEGOAT? MYTHS AND FALLACIES CONCERNING THE ROLE OF JOHN D. LEE IN THE MOUNTAIN MEADOWS MASSACRE
JOHN D. LEE: A SCAPEGOAT? MYTHS AND FALLACIES CONCERNING THE ROLE OF JOHN D. LEE IN THE MOUNTAIN MEADOWS MASSACRE Keith Paxton History 497 Brother Coates Date due: July 17, 2012 Date turned in: July 17, 2012 Assignment: Final Draft JOHN DOYLE LEE: A SCAPEGOAT? (Outline) . Introduction 2. Thesis: Even though there were other, higher profile, men, such as William H. Dame, Isaac C. Haight and John M. Higbee, who were involved in the Mountain Meadows Massacre, John D. Lee was the only person singled out for participating in a massacre therefore making him a scapegoat—who was used by Brigham to protect the Church. 3. A discussion of Myths and Fallacies . The way I am going to use myth. 2. The term fallacy, how I am going to use it, and what fallacies I am going to use. . How I am going to use the term ‘fallacy” 2. The fallacies that historians use when they write about John D. Lee’s role in the Mountain Meadows Massacre . Mormonism Unveiled and The Mormon Menace (myths and fallacies about John D. Lee’s role in the massacre) . Mormonism Unveiled and the authorship question . The use of Mormonism Unveiled to describe John D. Lee’s role in the Massacre 2. Mormonism Unveiled and the Fallacy of Possible Proof . What the fallacy is 2. Some authors who make the fallacy and why it occurs (hidden motives) . The Mormon Menace and Mormonism Unveiled
Throughout the history of the United States of America, four American presidents have been killed by the assassins' bullets, so, who were these assassins? What were their motives? and what molded them into what they became?
Introduction Throughout the history of the United States of America, four American presidents have been killed by the assassins' bullets: Abraham Lincoln by John Wilkes Booth, James Garfield by Charles Guiteau, William McKinley by Leon Czolgosz, and John F. Kennedy by Lee Harvey Oswald. In every one of these cases the killers claimed their motive was for the good of the American people, and the betterment of their lives. The facts prove otherwise. Their acts had nothing to do with patriotism or politics; to the contrary, in each and every instance their acts were condemned by the American people and referred to as murderous, tragic, criminal, and insane. So, who were these assassins? What were their motives? What molded them into what they became? Studies have shown that people who commit violent crimes suffer from certain personality disorders, which can greatly affect a person's life.1 Most people can live pretty normal lives with mild personality disorders, however during times of increased stress or external pressures the symptoms of the personality disorder gains strength and begins to seriously interfere with their emotional and psychological functioning. The potential causes of personality disorders are numerous, but they may be caused by a combination of parental upbringing, one's personality and social development, as well as genetic and biological factors. There
Why did the Labour Party win the General Election of 1945?
WHY DID THE LABOUR PARTY WIN THE GENERAL ELECTION OF 1945? INTRODUCTION The general election result of 1945 was one the most important in British political history. The defeat of Winston Churchill and the Conservative Party after victory in Europe was an unanticipated shock to most in 1945. The electorate voted for significant change and a new approach to reconstruction in post-war Britain. The Labour Party won 47.7 per cent of the vote, with 393 seats, against the Conservative vote of 39.7 per cent and 210 seats.1 Following the rejection by the Labour Party of the continuation of the coalition government until the defeat of Japan, Winston Churchill resigned as Prime Minister on 23 May 1945 and from this date the various political parties began their preparation for the coming election. The primary concern of the electorate was effective post-war reconstruction and the result of the election was chiefly determined by public perception of a party's ability to deal with immediate domestic issues. The public were asked what the central question of the election was, 41 per cent answered housing, 15 per cent claimed full employment and 7 per cent said social security.2 This statistic clearly indicates the desire for social reform among the electorate; however, this does not fully explain why the Labour Party won the general election of 1945. The causes of Labour victory are
To what extent did the Tsarist and Soviet governments control and influence music in the period 1875-1975?
Name: Max Norman Candidate Number: 0785 Title: To what extent did Russian governments control and influence music in the period 1875-1975? In particular, how successful were Soviet governments' attempts to control and influence Dmitri Shostakovich? The purpose of this enquiry is to assess the extent to which Russian governments controlled and influenced music in the period 1875-1975. To do this I have primarily taken three composers, each of whom I feel represents a different aspect of the musical community's relationship with governments of this period. However, Dmitri Shostakovich occupies the bulk of discussion. Much of this section is taken up by an examination of his private political views, which superficially seem only slightly relevant to the question at hand. This perception would be mistaken: establishing whether the most prominent composer of the period was or was not a "secret dissident" is crucial for determining how successful the régime's attempts were at controlling music. The picture presented by biographers such as Ian MacDonald of a musician who incessantly hid coded critiques of the system in his works would, if true, imply that the authorities' attempts to restrict cultural freedom were a resounding failure, but that they were unable to realise this. This scenario would have major implications for the question with which this enquiry attempts to
What effect did World War II have on life in Barking and Dagenham?
What effect did World War II have on life in Barking and Dagenham? World War II brought about many sudden changes for the inhabitants of Barking and Dagenham. Like everywhere else in London, they had to endure rationing of not just food but clothes as well, in June of 1941. We can say that a woman's role in society changed the most. They were encouraged to join the Women's Land Army which was set up in June of 1939, at the start of the war. Their role was changing from dutiful mother and wife to much needed aid for the nation. They were seen to be as important as their men in France. They held everything together even though their families were being torn apart. Fathers, brothers and sons had to become soldiers as young as 18, when the government issued conscription notices. Conscriptions were introduced as there were not enough forces, the first conscription being issued in September 1939 conscripting all men aged between 27 and 41, later a conscription for men aged between 18 and 26 was also issued on the governments orders with many young men never returning. Furthermore, mothers had to tolerate their children being taken away from them and evacuated to rural areas as early as September of 1938. Children under the age of 9 had to live with strangers because of the Blitz going on in London which began on September of 1940 and lasted until April of 1945, when the blackout
Is the Cultural Revolution best characterised as a top-level power struggle or a mass movement?
. Is the Cultural Revolution best characterised as a top-level power struggle or a mass movement? 'In the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution, it is the masses who must liberate themselves. We cannot do the things for them which they should do for themselves. We must trust the masses, rely on them and respect their creative spirit...We must not be afraid of disorder.' (Mao Zedong quoted in Chan et al, 1980) Mao's epic return to the political limelight on July 16th 1966 not only stunned the masses of China, but also sent shockwaves rolling through the political establishment. Amidst rumours of illness and death, Mao surprised everyone by springing back on to the scene and swimming 15km of the Yangzi River at Hangkou. A tremendous feat for a man 73 years of age; reports in the media quickly hailed him as superhuman. This was indeed the comeback that Mao had desired, having felt increasingly threatened by his 'advancing age...and his concern that his senior colleagues were seeking to shunt him aside' (Spence, 1991, 603). In 1965, Mao had become angry at the extent to which the Politburo under Liu Shaoqi, and the Secretariat under Deng Xiaoping had taken policy making into its own hands1. Having retreated to Shanghai where he gathered with hard-line Communist intellectuals, he set about planning the initial stages of what Mao felt would reignite his Communist Revolution. For
