Essay and Discussion Questions from Contemporary History

Contemporary History Pre-1900 High School Questions

View PDF

Help students understand how events before 1900 continue to shape today's world through these essay and discussion questions.

Introduction

  1. What is sovereignty?
  2. What role has global cooperation played in improving public health?
  3. In what ways was the system introduced by the Peace of Westphalia an improvement over feudalism?
  4. In 1800, more than one-third of children died before their fifth birthday. What kinds of impacts would this have had on society?
  5. How would improvements in public health have change

Enlightenment

  1. What are some important Enlightenment values? Where do you see them in our society? 
  2. What events led to the Enlightenment? 
  3. How did the Enlightenment lead to revolutions in the United States, France, Haiti, and Latin America?
  4. In what ways did the Enlightenment change the lives of everyday people?
  5. Do you think Enlightenment values are still important today?

Industrialization and Imperialism

  1. Why did the Industrial Revolution start? 
  2. How did the Industrial Revolution contribute to other historical events including the labor movement, colonialism, and climate change? 
  3. Why did European countries engage in colonialism? 
  4. What were the differences between settler colonies and extractive colonies?
  5. How did the Industrial Revolution contribute to social inequality?
  6. How do you weigh the positives and negatives of the Industrial Revolution?
  7. Do you agree that the world is on the brink of another Industrial Revolution?