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Tulip Mania
The Tulip Mania occured in Holland during the Dutch Republic's Golden Age. The market crashed as the newly introduced Tulip bulbs were sold for extaordinary high prices. The occurence of the event highlights the growth of the capitalist ideology in Europe. The primary source is a tulip as shown in a Dutch catalog which is shown costing around 3,000 guilders which is around what a craftsmen would earn in a year. -
Treaty of Westphalia
Over 200 leaders partook in drafting The Treaty of Westphalia. The signing of the treaty ended The 30 Years’ War, stopping conflict between most of the powerful countries in Europe. Switzerland and the Dutch United Provinces were recognized as new countries and both France and Sweden gained land and power. Lastly, it allowed countries to practice self-determination to try and stop religious conflict. -
Dictionarium Annamiticum Lusitanum et Latinum
This trilingual dictionary was produced in 1651 by French Jesuit lexicographer Alexandre de Rhodes and was published by the Propaganda Fide — a congregation that specialized in spreading Catholic beliefs around the world — in Rome. It translates between Vietnamese, Portuguese and Latin. This is a significant piece of propaganda because it demonstrates the continuing counter-reformation efforts being made by the Roman Catholic church even in the aftermath of the 30 years war. -
"Charles X looks over the ice of the Great Belt"
This painting is by Swedish painter Johan Philip Lemke, and illustrates the successful Swedish invasion of Denmark in 1658. It is a significant piece of propaganda because it provoked pro-war and pro-empire sentiments in Sweden while also raising King Charles X's public image. The painting represents both Europe's relationship with romanticized leaders and with the mobilization of human resources -
First Public Bus System
This document is an announcement published by Louis XIV in 1662 which decreed the opening of the first public bus system. Invented by mathematician Blaise Pascal, this is the first form of public transit in the world. By paying a small fee citizens could use the bus to go from one stop to another. This bus system is the same as the modern bus system as it had a precise schedule, fee and stops. -
Turnpike Trusts
This is an act proclaimed by King George II in 1738 which created a turnpike trust on the Great Road of Gloucester. Turnpike Trusts were companies established within Britain to collect tolls in return for maintaining the road. Not only did these trusts maintain the road but also ensured the construction of new roads throughout England. -
The Grand Tour
This work, painted in 1750 by Katharine Read entitled British Gentlemen in Rome, depicts bourgeois men standing by the ruins of the coliseum. These men may be on the Grand Tour as it appears they are examining and discussing the ruins behind them. The Grand Tour was a trip that many bourgeois men took in order to educate themselves by travelling throughout Europe. -
The French Financial Crisis
The French court fell into grave debt due to their involvement in the Seven Years War and in the American Revolution. To avoid bankruptcy the court increased taxation on the Third Estate. The event pushed the liberal ideals created in 1650s via the revolution. The document Compte du Roi by Jacques Necker has been attributed to fueling the revolution.
Compte Rendu du Roi 1781 -
Treaty of Paris
The Treaty of Paris ended the Revolutionary War between Britain and its colonies. With the arrival of French troops to aid the American Militia, and their alliance with Spain, France continued to put pressure on the British with the failed Great Siege of Gibralter. The continued presence of Britain in America led to the War of 1812. The American Revolution encouraged similar revolutions in Central and South America. -
Napoleon's "Five Battles" Series
To commemorate his victories during the First Italian Campaign, Napoleon produced medalions depicting scenes from his five victories. The medallions were based on paintings by Itialian neoclassical painter Andre Appiani. Napoleon used the popularity of medallions as a method of propanganda; they helped promote his image and raise his status within French leadership. -
Post Napoleonic Depression
The post Napoleonic Depression refers to the economic turmoil that prevailed in Europe following the Napoleonic Wars (1803-1815) due to the costs of war. This economic depression led to a general disenchantment with liberalism and a resurgence of absolutism. The primary source, the Holy Alliance shows the implementation of the absolutist ideology.
The Holy Alliance 1815 -
Treaty of Paris
The Treaty of Paris was drafted and signed at the Congress of Vienna after Napolean was defeated at Waterloo. The Treaty of Paris in 1814 had not dealt with Napolean so the second had to be more strict. France had to give up all land they had gained since November 1792, had to host an occupation of 150,000 troops and pay a fine of 700 million francs. It also banned slavery in the participating countries. -
Railway
This sketch shows the inauguration of the Stockton to Darlington railway in 1825. Opening of railways were occurring more and more frequently throughout Europe. The beginning of the 19th century saw the operation of the first railroad trains. The railways developed rapidly throughout Western Europe and trains allowed for the quick displacement of resources as well as people. -
The Indian "Mutiny" of 1857
Sir John Lawrence, who later became the head of the British administration in India, wrote this letter to his friend Sir Charles Trevelyan, a British civil servant, during the so-called Indian Mutiny of 1857. This interpretation of the events was popularized in Britain with the help of Sir John Lawrence and others working in India, and was convenient for the British colonialists because it allowed them to continue believing that the regime faced little antagonism in India. -
London Underground
This picturetaken May 26th 1862 shows directors and engineers of the Metropolitan Railway Company taking a tour of the world’s first subway. This first line ran between Paddington and the City of London. In the 19th and 20th Century this technology would be used throughout Europe as well as the world in order to accommodate the rising urban population -
The Long Depression
New Imperialism Era
The first international worldwide economic recession which hit the strongest in Europe. In Europe the root of the cause is said to have been in the Franco-Prussian War (1870) due to the consequences that France's reperations had on the economy. The crisis led to the revival of colonialism which led to the era of New Imperialism. -
The Triple Alliance
The Triple Alliance was a secret treaty between Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy promising to come to the aid of the others should they be attacked by the Triple Entente (Russia, France, and Britain). When Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia, Germany upheld their side of the treaty by declaring war on Russia who was mobilizing troops to fight in Serbia. Italy backed out of the alliance and declared war on Germany and Austria-Hungary. -
Sykes-Picot Agreement
The Sykes-Picot Agreement was an agreement between the French and the British that divided up the Middle East into seperate terretories where each country would have their own sphere of influence. This was done on the assumption that the Triple Entente would be victorious in World War One. This is a currrent greviance of ISIL and a continued reason for the conflict in the Middle East. -
Pre-Revolutionary Russian Economy
Russia was in a delicate economic condition prior to joining World War 1 due to a rise in prices and short food supply. Furthermore there was a desire for greater peasant control of the land. The government's inability to deal with the crisis proved to discredit them as seen in the primary source and led to a greater appeal for Bolshevism.
Workers Petition 1905 -
Treaty of Versailles
The Primary Source ended the first world war 5 years exactly after the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand. Germany was forced to accept responsibility for causing the war and all the damages that resulted from the war. They were also ordered to pay a fine of 132 billion gold marks and reduce the size of their army to 100,000. Germany only signed the treaty after the threat of an allied invasion of Berlin. -
Bolshevik Propaganda
This image was created in November 1920 by Viktor Denisov, a Russian cartoonist and poster artist who worked for the Bolshevik party from 1917-1921. The poster says "Comrade Lenin cleans the Earth from impurities", and was widely distributed in Bolshevik newspapers during the Russian Civil War. It is a significant piece of propaganda because of how it makes Lenin seem like a very ordinary, working class man who the public can trust to restore order to Russian society through Marxism. -
The Great Depression
The Great Depression began with the crash of Wall Street in America but placed Europe in grave turmoil due to the system of economic interdependence that was established. The political cartoon shows how different nations in Europe reacted to the event. Most notably it is responsible for the rise of fasicsm in Italy and Germany. -
Antisemitic Nazi Propaganda
This propaganda piece was printed in Das Kleine Blatt, a Vienna newspaper. The artist is unknown, but the image would have likely reached a large audience of Germans. Its message — "Down with the Jewish bargaining spirit!" — is a very explicit example of antisemitic propaganda and is significant because of the antagonizing stereotype it presents. Blaming Jews for economic difficulties was one of the Nazi's favourite exploits. -
Air Force
This British propaganda poster from the 1940’s illustrates the importance of the air force during the Second World War. It highlights the growing British air force and the new warfare that emerged during World War II. New technology had allowed for airplanes to play a key role in the war, especially during the Battle of Britain at the beginning of the war.
