Day: August 1, 2017

Lord Beaconsfield after his return from the Congress of Berlin (1878) boasted: “I have brought peace with honour.” Comment. ©selfstudyhistory.com Ans: The Treaty of Berlin Congress of Berlin (1878) was a diplomatic meeting of the major European powers at which the Treaty of Berlin replaced the Treaty of San Stefano, which had been signed by Russia […]

“The Crimean War was the most useless war ever waged.” Comment. ©selfstudyhistory.com Ans: The Crimean War (1853–1856) was fought between the Russians and the British, French, Turkey and Sardinia-Piedmont. It reopened the Eastern Question. The war was caused by Russian demands to exercise protection over the Orthodox subjects of the Ottoman sultan and the dispute between […]

The process of Industrialisation in some other countries of Europe was different from that in England.” ©selfstudyhistory.com Ans: After the first appearance of industrialization in Britain, many other nations joined in the industrial revolution. In the 19th century the Industrial Revolution spread to Germany, France, Belgium, and much of the rest of western Europe. Change happened […]

“Protestantism contributed substantially to the rise of capitalism.” Comment. ©selfstudyhistory.com Ans: The relationship between capitalism and religion was developed by Max Weber. He gave direct relationship between Protestant Ethics and the spirit of Capitalism. He gave the following logic for his theory: (1) Commitment and Subordination of emotion, custom, myth etc. Capitalism’s nature is more than just […]

“The roots of Chartism are partly political and partly economic.” Elaborate.  OR “The roots of the Chartist movement in Great Britain were partly political and partly economic.” Critically examine. ©selfstudyhistory.com Ans: Chartism was a working class movement, which emerged in 1836 and was most active between 1838 and 1848. The aim of the Chartists was to […]

“Though reform was inevitable, the Act (1832) by which it was accomplished was open to grave criticism.” Comment. ©selfstudyhistory.com Ans: The Reform Act of 1832 was inevitable. The rapid industrialization in Britain had led to urbanisation with new social order dominated by the middle class and working class in place of clergy and landlords. But they […]

“Whoever says Industrial Revolution, says cotton.” Comment. ©selfstudyhistory.com Ans: British historian Eric Hobsbawm characterized English industrial history:  “Whoever says Industrial Revolution says cotton.” Rapid industrialization transformed the lives of English men and women after 1750, and changes in cotton textiles were at the heart of this process and Industrial Revolution started chiefly from the textile industry. […]

“The Declaration of Rights was the death-warrant of the system of privilege, and so of the ancient regime … Yet in the history of ideas it belonged rather to the past than to the future.” Examine. ©selfstudyhistory.com Ans: “Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen” was one of the basic charters of […]

“The connection between the philosophers’ ideas and the outbreak of the French Revolution (1789) is somewhat remote and indirect.” Critically evaluate. ©selfstudyhistory.com Ans: The connection between the ideas of the French philosophers and the outbreak of revolution in 1789 is somewhat remote and indirect. Revolution was never intended (1) Philosophers did not preach revolution and […]

How did Napoleon Bonaparte fuse the old France with the new?  OR How did Napoleon fuse the French of the ancient regime with the France of the Post-Revolutionary era? ©selfstudyhistory.com Ans: Napoleonic rule saw comprehensive reforms which included religion, governance, legal justice, education etc. These reforms preserved several ideas of post-Revolutionary France but at the same […]