Biggest Impact on History

Even though there were many influential people at work during the 1930s, none of them made as big of an impact as Adolf Hitler did. He gained control of Germany and many other parts of Europe through force and brutality; however, the entire time, he maintained the support of the people. This support was primarily given out of selfishness and ignorance. Selfishness because people either wanted Germany to be more powerful or they wanted to protect what they had; ignorance because propaganda led the people to believe that Hitler was protecting them and doing what was best for the country. They chose to remain ignorant and blindly follow their new leader because he had a message of change. He was not protecting the country or changing it for the better. Instead, he was putting thousands of Jews in concentration camps, slaughtering people who did not meet a certain critera, and feeding his hunger for world domination.

WWI Viewpoints

I am an 18 year old operator stationed on the front lines of the battlefield. When the war began, I only had a vague idea of my likely duties because the Wireless Section had only just started being used in the trenches. When our guide led me into a trench filled waist deep with muddy water, I could not believe he was serious - I was wearing my brand-new riding-breeches and boots. However, I went in, and it was seventeen days before my boots touched dry soil again. My job was to set up stations so that we could transmit any messages handed in by the officers. I was excited to do something useful, but I quickly became tired of the trenches and the battlefield. Every day that goes by, the stench worsens and so does the fatigue. I entered the war with excitement and determination, but my fellow soldiers and I are growing tired of this war.

Industrialization

Being a woman during the Industrial Revolution comes with advantages and disadvantages. We are allowed to work, but the best paying jobs are still reserved for men. At any moment, we can be replaced by a man because they are stronger, they can work longer, and they do not have as many responsibilities at home. Some of us can not afford childcare and we can not take our children with us to work. Unfortunately, many children are being sent to baby farms where they are taken care of in the worst sense of the word. We have to work sixteen hour days and we constantly risk being injured. We go home to dirty houses or overcrowded slums - its all the same. Industrialization is destroying our cities and home lives - we should be able to choose to work or stay home with our families, and our husbands should not have to work as much as they do. We need better living and working conditions, and we need some free time for ourselves after a long day of work.

Louis XIV- Commoner

Louis wants to be in total control! And the problem is...that he is! He has no sympathy or concern for us commoners and he is ruling selfishly. He created a centralized state that is absolutist. That is not going to be good for me and my fellow townspeople. The wars that he is waging are overwhelming our economy and are causing commonfolk like myself to sacrifice our lives and safety just to appease him. This way of life in unfair and unjust. We need a ruler that considers the effects his decisions have on all people - not just him and his court.

The Thirty Year's War

The Thirty Year's War was caused by many conflicts which include: religious tension, regional government vs. centralized government, and differing opinions between rulers. When King Charles got rid of Parliament, he faced much opposition from the members of Parliament and his subjects. Once he withdrew as king and created his own army, the Thirty Year's war began. The end of the Thirty Year's War came when the Peace of Westphaloa was signed which recognized Calvinism as a tolerated religion and stated that all of the subjects must follow their ruler's chosen faith. This meant that the ruler of each state would choose it's religion and foreign policy and the empire became autonomous. 

The Reformation

Martin Luther (1483 - 1546) was a monk who challenged many of the assumptions of medieval Christians. He thought that the church's requirements for receiving salvation were too demanding. He believed that salvation was God's gift to his followers who were faithful. He used the New Testament to back up his claims, and gained many supporters. He also challenged the Catholic church and their practices of selling indulgences to people. He did not believe that indulgences would forgive him of his sins - only God can do that. He knew that the only way to be forgiven was to ask for forgiveness, repent, and live a life of faith. The night before All Saints Day, Martin Luther nailed a copy of the Ninety-Five Theses to the door of the Castle Church at Wittenberg. His theses were a written and organized proclamation of his beliefs and they spread rapidly because of the new printing technology. Again, he gained followers and they separated from the Catholic church. 

Renaissance Artists

The artists that I researched represented Renaissance ideas and commonalities in different ways. For example, the painting of "The Cure of the Folly" was a satire of the Flemish custom of wearing amulets made out of books and scriptures. The inscription reads, "Master, cut away the stone - my name is Lubbert Das." Lubbert Das was a comical figure of Dutch literature. During the time of the Renaissance, many political and social events were portrayed through art. This painting reflected the satire of the time and was also a piece of art that served the purpose that a political cartoon would serve now.