Superpowers Leson 4: Changing Paternes of Polarity Flashcards
(35 cards)
What is a unipolar world?
A world dominated by one superpower
What is the best example of a unipolar world?
British Empire
What % of the world’s population and landmass was held by the British Empire in 1920?
20% of the world’s empire
25% of the world’s landmass
How large was Britain’s navy in 1914?
2x the size of the next largest (Germany)
What were the 2 phases of the British Empire?
Mercantile phase
Imperial phase
When and what was the ‘Mercantile Phase’?
1600-1850
-Small colonies conquered on coastal fringes and islands e.g. New England, Jamaica, India and Ghana etc
When and what was the ‘Imperial Phase’ ?
1850-1945
-Coastal colonies extend inland
-Culture introduced into colonies
-Government institutions, technology, settlers and complex trade introduced and developed
-Known as acculturation
What is a bipolar world?
A world dominated by two superpowers
What is the best example of a bipolar world?
Cold war period between 1945-1990 dominated by the USA and USSR
What led to a bipolar world?
-Most powers lost all colonies by 1970. Majority by 1945.
-Down to post-war bankruptcy, with focus moving to post-war reconstruction
-Anti-colonial movements saw demands for independence
Why did a Cold War emerge between the USA and USSR?
Give examples of where conflict was seen?
The USA became a global superpower and aimed to contain the USSR and communism
Seen in Korea, Vietnam and Cuban Missile Crisis - no direct conflict between the two nations
What is s multipolar world?
A world dominated by multiple superpowers
What is the best example of a multipolar world?
The world today dominated by multiple superpowers including the USA, BRICS and G20
How much did the US economy grow by between 1992-99?
4%
How many jobs were added to the American workforce per year in the 1990s?
1.7 million
How much did unemployment drop by bewteen 1992 and 1999 in the US?
From 8% in 1992 to 4% in 1999
How much did income grow by in the US between 1990-99?
10%
By how much did stocks increase in the US in the 90s? How much did Dow Jones increase by alone?
Stocks quadrupled
Dow Jones increased 309%
How much could you buy a townhouse for in Brooklyn in the 90s?
> $500 000
How many Starbucks outlets were there from the start to the end of the 90s?
From 100 to 2000
When was the Korean War?
1950-53
When did the Space Race start?
4th October 1957 - Sputnik 1 joins International Space Station
When was the Strategic Arms Limitation Talks?
November 1969
When was the Bay of Pigs Invasion?
17th April 1961
