Political & Social 1905-1910

Britain• The importance of Feminism became the main political movement during the

late 19th century for women’s suffrage in the United Kingdom. • "Suffragette” was the term given to those who were members of the Women’s

Social and Political Union. They wanted to be involved in the running of the country and to be treated as equals to men.

• “Suffragist” is a more general term for members of suffrage movements, whether radical or conservative, male or female. They used more violent acts to get their views across to the public.

• 1912 was a turning point for the Suffragettes in the UK as they turned to using more militant tactics such as chaining themselves to railings, smashing windows and occasionally detonating bombs. Many went on hunger strikes, especially those who were imprisoned in order to cause more havoc for the police to deal with.

• Their tactics had succeeded; by the end of 1918 8.4 million women were given the right to vote.

USA• Industrialization took the United States by storm during the beginning of the

1900’s. It grew to become the world’s leading industrial nation, complementing the title of being a superpower.

• The First Industrial Revolution shifted production from artisans to factories, the Second Industrial Revolution however pioneered an expansion in organization and coordination. The scale of the industry had spurred on by technology and transportation advancements.

• Urbanization (the rapid growth of cities) went hand in hand with industrialization (the growth of factories and railroads), as well as expansion of farming. The rapid growth was made possible by high levels of immigration.

• The Third Great Awakening was a period of renewal in evangelical Protestantism. This had spread due to the levels of immigration which involved different cultural backgrounds. It affected pietistic Protestant denominations and had a strong sense of social activism.

Russia• The 1905 Russian Revolution was a wave of mass political and social

unrest that spread through vast areas of the Russian Empire. Most of it was directed against the government and its political authoritative role over Russia. It included worker strikes, peasant unrest and military mutinies which successfully overthrew the Tsarist regime.

• It eventually led to the establishment of limited constitutional monarchy, the State Duma of the Russian Empire, the multi-party system and the Russian Constitution of 1906.

• Unrest and rise of revolution took full affect in 1905 when peasants began to strike against the Tsar Nicholas II. The October Manifesto was then written in order to eliminate threats against the Tsarist by offering political amnesty. However, this had only encouraged furthermore opposition which lead to Bloody Sunday, a massacre caused by the military against civilians who intended to peacefully protest against the government.

Political & Social1955-1960

Britain • There was a radical change in society during 1955. 30,000

workers had immigrated into Britain in order to find employment. Different cultural backgrounds and beliefs were introduced which caused an impact on British society.

• Beatniks - an emerging group of young people rejecting conventional lifestyles. There was a predominate rise of these young people which caused rebellious acts among Britain.

• Feminism was still on the rise. They yet again achieved success as 24 women became MPs, representing their political role in parliament.

• However in 1958, rioting and radical tension developed within society in Nottingham, which influenced London’s Notting Hill race riots. Political and social differences began to show which challenged British society.

• In 1959 25 women became MPs. • In 1960 Contraceptive oral pill becomes available for women to use and the

Second wave of the ‘Feminist Movement’ begins.

USA• The African-American Civil Rights Movement (1955–1968) in the United States

aimed at outlawing racial discrimination against African Americans and restoring their right to vote.

• The movement was characterized by major campaigns of civil resistance. Acts of nonviolent protest and civil disobedience caused crisis situations between activists and government authorities. Federal, state and local governments, businesses and communities often had to respond immediately toward inequality faced by African Americans. Forms of protest and civil disobedience included boycotts like the Montgomery Bus Boycott of 1955, ‘sit-ins’ such as the influential Greensboro sit-ins in North Carolina, marches in Alabama and a wide range of other nonviolent activities.

• Noted legislative achievements during this phase of the Civil Rights Movement were passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 that banned discrimination based on "race, color, religion, or national origin" in employment practices and public accommodations

Russia• The end of the Stalin era brought immediate liberalization in several

aspects of Soviet life. Party leader Nikita S. Khrushchev denounced Stalin's tyrannical reign in 1956, signaling a sharp break with the past. Because Khrushchev lacked the all-encompassing power of Stalin, his time in office was marked by continuous maneuvering against political enemies much more real than Stalin's had been.

• Party control of cultural activity became much less restrictive with the onset of the first "thaw" in the mid-1950s. Khrushchev attempted reforms in both domestic and foreign policy, with mixed results. During his tenure (1953-64), world politics became much more complex as the insecurities of the Cold War persisted; Khrushchev ultimately was undone by a combination of failed policy innovations in agriculture, party politics, and industry

Timeline