Elizabeth Sheldon Lash AP World History, Gold 4 1/28/2015 The European Struggle for Global Power In the mid 18th century many different powers in Europe were trying to spread their influence and gain global power. However, this was not without difficulty. There were many regional issues that these powers needed to overcome such as economic complications, struggles with native and conquered peoples, and competing with other European powers. To gain power a country needed economic strength and that strength came from global trade. However, trade in an ever-changing world was not without its difficulties. In document 6, César de Choiseul’s letter to the French ambassador in London, he discusses difficulties in negotiating with the British, another …show more content…
He states in his letter that the British have proposed a way to “quiet Spain about contraband trade” by putting a clause on the navigation of the Gulf of Mexico but he refused as that was the French’s only access to Lousiana. As a minister of foreign affairs he would want to minimize contraband trade as much as possible but it would hurt the French more to sacrifice communication with Louisiana, their only piece of America. In document 9, British representative for the Turks Islands, Andrew Symer’s letter to the British government he discusses the issue of high taxes charged by Spain and contraband. He suggests that the British work with the Spanish and allow the Spanish colonists into British ports without charging them so they can trade openly. As a British official he would want to try to establish a free trade system and end contraband commerce so the British economy …show more content…
In document 3 Maria Theresa, Empress of Austria, writes a letter to Maria Antonia, a German ally. She writes about how their mutual enemy, King Frederick of Prussia is at full strength and he will attack. As an empress Maria Theresa writes out of fear for her country and her allies. She says that she had hoped to move troops back into the territory that Frederick seized. Having to play defense and not being able to expand was a major hurdle for Austria. Looking at this from the other side, document 4 is a letter from King Frederick of Prussia to his foreign minister after experiencing a series of defeats by the Austrians. In this letter he addresses Prussia’s need to become allies with the Ottoman Turks. He also says that it may be time to start peace negotiations. As the leader of Prussia he is frantic and nervous. This shows not only the difficulty of fighting against other strong European powers but also how dangerous it is to rely on allies. An additional type of document that could provide further information would be a letter from Saxony, the German state and ally of Austria. This could provide further insight as to what was going on Often times the biggest obstacles in the way of Europeans struggling for power was other Europeans struggling for
In the colonization period, the urge to conquer foreign territories was strong, and many lands in the Western Hemisphere were conquered. With the colonization of these areas, a mercantilist relationship was formed between the conquered civilization and the maternal country. A major part of this was the restriction of exportation of native resources only to the mother country as well as the banning of trading with colonies of other countries. In turn, there was an increasing in the number of smuggling activities during the time. According to a British sailor named William Taggart in 1760, the illegal smuggling of goods into these areas had a positive impact because it brought prosperity to the people in Monte Christi, as there were only one hundred poor families. Likewise, Dominica governor John Orde praised the trading because it created prices much lower than with its maternal country. However, British admiral David Tyrell, Roger Elletson, Dominica governor John Orde, and a 1790 Bahaman newspaper report all had similar views on the harmful effects and corruptness present in smuggling. Despite this, physician George Lipscomb and British Lieutenant Governor Thomas Bruce had neutral opinions on the matter, and only stated what they witnessed in the process.
According to Ferry, what recent developments in world trade have made it urgent for France to have colonies?
react quickly and reclaim a foothold in continental Europe. The fate of Western Europe lied in
After Bismarck's dismissal the Kaiser and his advisers were convinced that the most likely wars in Europe were Germany against France of Austria-Hungary against Russia and in neither case could Russia and Germany be on the same side because of the existing alliances. This meant the rupture of the Russo-German friendship and the starting point were the two fronts that battled in the Great War started to shape up. Another example of a failed attempt of alliance was that of with Britain. Kaiser Wilhelm inherited her mother's admiration for English liberalism and the accepted view of English pre-eminence while keeping his father's strict Prussian military code of behaviour.
While taking the class of Early Modern European History there was two states that really stuck out and peaked my interest the most. They were the Ottoman Empire and Early Modern Europe. If you compare and contrast both the Ottoman Empire and Early Modern Europe during the 16th Century through the 18th Century, you will see that there are a number of similarities as well as differences when you look at the expansion of the states. You will also see many of these contrasts as well when you look in terms of each states military and commerce. Although the Ottoman Empire existed before the 16th century and continued to exist past the 18th century and in great decline until the early 20th century, when looking at the state as a whole the time period of 1500’s through the 1700’s is a period of growth and strength. It is perhaps even known as a golden era for the state, when taking in to comparison the Early Modern Europeans where the same time period marks a change in how society thought and how people were treated.
Bentley, J., & Ziegler, H. (2008). Trade and encounters a global perspective on the past. (4th ed., Vol. 1, pp. 182-401). New York: McGraw-Hill.
In 1914, Europe was diving into two separate powers. One was Triple Entente composed of France, Russia and Britain. Other one was Triple Alliance, consists of Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy. (Pope 2) Each of the countries was connected with different treaties. The caused of European countries’ unstable political situation and threat of war was present. By arranging alliances with other governments, most countries found ways to protect themselves from assault. While Germany was becoming the center of the struggle, Europe made a spider web of tangled alliance that led most countries into two opposing powers. (Hamilton 16) In the late nineteenth century, the most surprising event in Europe was the birth of united state of Germany. Under the leadership of the Chancellor of Germany, Otto von Bismarck, system of alliances was established to achieve peace in Europe. By 1890, Bismarck succeeded in having every major power into his alliance system...
First, as the war between England and France intensified, American merchants continued to trade with both countries. In 1805, a British court ruled that enemy goods were not neutralized ...
As almost anyone with the slightest knowledge of European history can tell you, the French and the British do not like each other. Some French and British people still hate each other today for issues that occurred 100 of years ago. So on top of the conflict that is already present between France and Great Britain there is a new one in the pursuit of gaining more land and power for one’s cou...
Introduction: The epoch of imperialism cannot be defined simply as a proliferation of inflated egos tied to the hardened opinions of nationalists, but also a multi-faceted global rivalry with roots of philosophies tainted with racism and social Darwinism. The technique of each imperialist was specific to the motivations and desires of each combative, predominantly Western power and subsequently impacted the success of each imperialist and its colonies. Driven by industrialization, Europeans are aware of the urgent need for raw materials and new markets to maintain a constant rate of expansion and wealth. Imperialism became a competition; in general, the European countries led with fervor while the non-Western regions deemed likely to be stepped on.
The foundation for new imperialism rested on the ideas and products of the enlightenment. Advancements in technology, medicine and cartography led to the success of new imperialism (Genova, 2/15). For example, European voyages would have been for naught, if it were not for the enlightenment discover...
However, the alliances themselves didn’t cause the war; we must also consider the roles of the other factors, i.e. Germany, Balkans, economic and domestic problems and nationalism/aggressive policies. In the years leading up to the war, many alliances were made. Firstly, Austria and Germany formed the Dual Alliance in 1879; they promised each other neutrality, it was also an anti-Russian alliance. The alliance suggests that they were anticipating future problems, possibly with Russia.
It is clearly seen that during the early half of the Nineteenth Century, many people and groups of people promised many things to others for support in wars or revolutions. Most of these promises were never meant to be kept, nor where they kept. As seen in these documents, Russia, Mexico, and the Middle Eastern territories of the Ottoman Empire all experienced turmoil during this time. England and France had their eyes set on Ottoman land for after World War I, whereas Mexico was dealing with their own revolution and Russia was experiencing their own political change.
France and England, for several reasons, were usually on opposite ends of the historical spectrum. Although each suffered from some of the same political, philosophical and Ideological symptoms, the same could be said concerning their growth and accomplishments. While France evolved from a country ruled and driven by a monarchy handcuffed with religious restrictions, England, with similar components in place, transformed into a completely different state. I believe, because of England’s geographical location and not being invaded or conquered, the isolation shaped its foreign policies to reflect a free and pure state of mind; however, I think proximity dictated foreign policy for all of the countries of that time and place. Which begs the question: If England and France were to switch their locations on the continent, would the English try to conquer Central Europe, North Africa and Russia? I will compare the two countries by listing historically significant events and how internal and external forces influenced each countries foreign policy.
After the failed International Trade Organization, Rodrik discusses the Bretton Woods Agreement, the transition from the General Agreement on Tariffs and T...