World History: History Optional Notes

Complete World History: History Optional Notes for UPSC IAS. Know your detailed syllabus and download complete notes for UPSC History Optional Preparation.

World History

1. Enlightenment and Modern ideas

Enlightenment & Roots of Enlightenment

Major ideas of Enlightenment: Kant

Major ideas of Enlightenment: Rousseau

Enlightened Despotism/ Enlightened Absolutism

Developments and Legacy of Enlightenment

Spread of Enlightenment in the Colonies

Rise of Socialist Ideas upto Marx

Spread of Marxian Socialism

2. Origins of Modern Politics

European State System

American Revolution

Causes of the American Revolution

Effects of the American Revolution

American Constitution & It’s Main Features

The Congress of Vienna 1814–1815

French Revolution and it’s Causes (1789-1815)

French Revolution: National Assembly 1789-91

French Revolution: Legislative Assembly 1791-92

French Revolution: National Convention (1792-1795)

Nature of French Revolution

French Revolution: The Consulate (1799-1804)

Causes of the Excesses of the French Revolution

American Civil War and Abolition of Slavery

Causes of American Civil War

British Democratic Politics 1815-1850: Parliamentary Reformers

British Democratic Politics, 1815-1850: Free Traders

British Democratic Politics 1815-1850: Chartists

3. Industrialization

English Industrial Revolution: Causes and Impact on Society

English Industrial Revolution: Causes and Impact on Society Part-2

Industrialization in USA

Industrialization in Germany

Industrialisation in Russia

Industrialization in Japan

Industrialisation and Globalisation

4. Nation‐State System

Rise of Nationalism in 19th century: Nationalism and Nation State

Eastern Question: Rise and it’s Development

Eastern Question: Crimean War

Eastern Question: From Treaty of Paris to Treaty of Berlin

Nationalism: State-building in Germany

Nationalism: State-building in Italy

Unification of Italy

Comparison between Italian Unification and German Unification

Disintegration of Empires in the face of the emergence of nationalities across the World

5. Imperialism and Colonialism

Imperialism and Colonialism: South-East Asia

Imperialism and Colonialism: Latin America

Imperialism and Colonialism: South Africa

Imperialism and Colonialism: Australia

Imperialism and Free Trade: Rise of Neo-imperialism

Imperialism and Colonialism: The Great Game

6. Revolution and Counter‐Revolution

19th Century European revolutions

The Russian Revolution of 1917-21

Nazi Counter-Revolution: Germany

Fascist Counter-Revolution: Italy

Chinese Revolution

7. World Wars

World War I: The world in 1914

World War I: Events Leading To The Outbreak Of War

World War I: Causes Of The World War I

World War I: Events And Character of The World War I

World War I: Impact of the World War I

World War I: Paris Peace Settlement

World War I: League of Nations

International Relations Between Two World Wars

Interwar Period: Mussolini’s Foreign Policy

Interwar Period: Hitler’s foreign Policy

Interwar Period: The Policy of Appeasement

Munich Agreement to Outbreak of the World War II

The World War II

8. The World after World War II

Emergence of Two Power Blocs (World after World War II)

Emergence of two Power Blocs: Beginnings of the Cold War

Emergence of two Power Blocs: Thaw and Escalation

Emergence of two Power Blocs: Confrontation through détente

Emergence of Third World and Non-alignment

UNO and the global disputes

Conflict in Middle East

9. Liberation from Colonial Rule

Latin America- Bolivar

Arab World-Egypt

South Africa-Apartheid to Democracy

Decolonisation of Africa

Decolonisation of Algeria

Colonisation and Decolonisation: Vietnam

Colonisation and Decolonisation: Indonesia

Colonisation and Decolonisation: Malaya

Colonisation and Decolonisation of South-East Asia

10. Decolonization and Underdevelopment

Factors constraining development: Latin America

Factors constraining development: Africa

11. Unification of Europe

Unification of Europe: Post War Foundations – NATO

Consolidation and expansion of European Community, European Union

12. Disintegration of Soviet Union and the Rise of the Unipolar World

Factors leading to collapse of Soviet Communism and Soviet Union, 1985-1991

Factors Contributing to emergence of a Unipolar World

Effect of Cold War and Effect of end of Cold War

Political Changes in Eastern Europe 1989-2001