Creation of the Middle East

In the modern day Middle East, one of the largest, most difficult issues is the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. This problem can be traced back to the days of the imperialistic British Empire. They had control of Palestine along with many other Middle Eastern territories. It was inhabited by both Arabs and Jews. Britain promised it to the Jews so they could have their own country. In 1948, that happened, as a result of rebelling by zionists and the withdraw of Britain from the Palestinian territory. Israel declared independance, and soon it was attacked by many other Arab states. Israel then occupied the Palestinian territories of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. It has since withdrawn from the Gaza Strip.

I believe that it was unfair for this land to go directly to the Jewish people. Much of this fighting is going on over the holy city of Jerusalem, just displaying the problems religion provokes, especially in an unstable region like the Middle East. Since there is no turning back on what has already happened, the only logical thing to do is to form a two-state solution. Israel can take back the Gaza Strip and give a substantial amount of land, including the West Bank, to the Palestinians. Also, Jerusalem can be shared by these two nations. However, Israel's government should become secular and so would Palestine's. This solution would be supported by the idea of self-determination in which border lines are drawn according to ethnic groups.

Tsarist Russia

In tsarist Russia, the wealthy 1% of the population was called the nobility. This class was made up of wealthy landowners, often trained in the military. They had power over the serfs and much of society, but were still subject to the rule of the tsar. They were very wealthy and had control of large estates with many serfs working for them. They had little duties and a lot of leisure time. Their children were educated and could attend the best of schools. However, while they lived their pleasant lives, trouble was brewing throughout Europe. After the humiliating loss in the Russo-Japanese War, the tsar lost much support at home. Then, Russia entered World War I and was not prepared economically or militarily. Eventually, the monarchy collapsed and a provisional government was set up. This was eventually overtaken by the Bolsheviks and Russia became the Soviet Union, under Vladimir Lenin. This meant the end of the noble prosperity in Russia and the beginning of the rule of the workers.

Napoleon Bonaparte was a powerful force in Europe from 1799 to 1815. He rose from the ranks of the French army to become the emperor of France. By 1812 he had control of most of Europe. Unfortunately, he met his demise when he attempted to invade Russia. His downfall was almost as swift as his rise to power.


Napoleon was a man of honor, despite killing thousands of people in his conquests. He treated the people he conquered with respect and tolerance and in a sense, liberated them from the monarchies. Overall, his presence was positive because it united Europe and he liberated people under oppressive monarchies.

The French Revolution

The French Revolution is defined as the political upheaval of world importance that began in France in 1789. Inspired by the success of the American Revolution, French citizens overthrew the noble, ruling class and establish a democratic government. The French monarchy under Louis XVI was viewed as oppressive and corrupt and the social structure was rigid, meaning it did not allow for social mobility which eventually forced the people to demand change.


The French Revolution helped change Europe because it addressed the problems between the rich and the poor and give the poor more rights. Also, it helped give the French people equal and fair taxes and introuduce democracy to Europe. I would consider the French Revolution a short-term success because it gave people equal rights and set up a democratic goverment. In the long run though, it was a failure because after Napoleon, monarchies were reintroduced to Europe.

The Enlightenment

The Enlightenment was a philosophical movement of the 18Th century characterized by belief in the power of human reason and questioning authority. Many enlightenment philosophers like John Locke, Voltaire, and Rousseau published their ideas on government.


The Enlightenment philosophers influenced change in society because their ideas of democracy and equal rights. For example, Voltaire's belief in freedom of speech and freedom of religion influenced the United States Constitution. Also, their frustration with European monarchies helped inspire the French Revolution.