What is known as the Egyptian Revolution of 2011?

The Egyptian Revolution of 2011 was a revolt to overthrow President Hosni Mubarak. It started on 25th January, 2011. Various youth groups wanted to express their protest against the increasing police brutality during the last five years of Hosni Mubarak’s presidency.

The revolution consisted of marches and non-violent civil resistances. The protesters called for Mubarak to step down immediately. They wanted democracy and free elections. As the demonstrations gained momentum, the Mubarak regime resorted to violent tactics against the protesters. Hundreds were killed. Mubarak tried to pacify the protesters with concessions. He even pledged to step down at the end of his term in 2011. After almost three weeks of mass protests in Egypt, Mubarak stepped down leaving the Egyptian military in control of the country. After a lot of political struggle, Abdel Fattah al-Sisi went on to become Egypt’s president by popular election in 2014.

Picture Credit : Google

What do we know about the Cedar Revolution?

Though the Lebanese Civil War ended in 1989, Syria’s role in Lebanese politics did not. In fact, it only escalated.

Rafik Hariri who was the Lebanese prime minister is credited for rebuilding Beirut after the Civil War. On 14th February, 2005, Hariri and twenty others were killed in a bomb blast. The bombing targeted Hariri’s motorcade; he was conducting a massive political event. The Cedar revolution was triggered by the assassination. The revolution was named after the cedar tree featured on the Lebanese flag.

Just like the Rose Revolution, the Cedar Revolution too chose a path of nonviolent civic engagement. This was despite Lebanon’s bloody political history. The objectives of the Cedar Revolution were as follows:

a. resignation of the ruling Lebanese government

b. withdrawal of the Syrian military

c. an international UN tribunal to investigate Hariri’s death, and

d. resignation of the heads of the intelligence services.

On 2 March 2005, Bashar Al-Assad, the Syrian leader announced that Syrian forces would withdraw completely from Lebanese territory, ending more than 30 years of occupation.

Picture Credit : Google

What is the Jasmine Revolution?

The Jasmine Revolution took place in January 2011 in Tunisia; Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali was forced out of power by a popular uprising. It was successful in replacing an autocratic government with a stable democratic government. The demonstrations and Ben Ali’s removal inspired a series of uprisings especially in Egypt, Yemen, Libya, and Syria which came to be known as the Arab Spring.

The environment in Tunisia was terrible; high unemployment rate and rampant police corruption plagued the country. The first demonstration occurred in Tunisia in December 2010. It was triggered by the self-immolation of a young man frustrated by Tunisia’s conditions. People rallied asking President Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali to step down. The voices of the rebellion spread throughout the country; the police often had to resort to violence to control the crowds.

The clashes between the police and protesters escalated. This was when Ben Ali announced a series of economic and political reforms. His attempt to end the uprising was unsuccessful. Demonstrations continued and Ben Ali was forced to flee the country.

Picture Credit : Google

How did the Rose Revolution get its name?

The Rose Revolution took place in Georgia in 2003 after the parliamentary elections.

The elections were engineered in favour of President Shevardnadze. A group of people assembled against this arrangement and urged the Georgians to demonstrate against the Shevardnadze government. The protestors followed the call to engage in nonviolent civil disobedience against the authorities. The Rose revolution holds the reputation of being a bloodless revolution.

A large group of demonstrators protested periodically throughout the next couple of weeks demanding a re-election. They also clamoured for the resignation of Shevardnadze. Demonstrations spread throughout Georgia.

The opposition protest reached its peak on 22nd November; on that day, the opposition burst into a session of parliament with roses in their hands, interrupting the speech of President Shevardnadze. The revolution gets its name from this incident. The president could not hold power anymore; he announced his resignation.

Picture Credit : Google

What is special about the Hungarian Revolution?

The Hungarian Revolution was a rebellion that took place in 1956 against the communist government of Hungary. It was the first major threat to the Soviet control in Hungary.

The revolution was the result of the new freedom of debate and criticism. The people of Hungary were against the Hungarian People’s Republic and its Soviet-imposed policies. The unrest and discontent broke out into active fighting in October, 1956.

The rebels won the first phase of the revolution, and Imre Nagy became the premier, agreeing to establish a multiparty system. On 1st November, 1956, he appealed to the United Nations for support after declaring Hungarian neutrality. But the Western powers were reluctant to risk a global confrontation.

Later, the Soviet Union invaded Hungary to stop the revolution. Around 2500 Hungarians died and over 2,00,000 fled the country. Nagy was executed for treason following the invasion in 1958.

Picture Credit : Google

When did the Cuban Revolution happen?

For years, the Cubans suffered under the military dictatorship of Fulgencio Batista. The US government had supported Batista; he had ruled Cuba from 1933 and seized power for a second time in a 1952 coup.

The Cuban Revolution refers to the revolution that overthrew General Batista’s regime. It began on 26 July, 1953. The revolutionaries were commanded by Fidel Castro, Che Guevara, and Raul Castro. The rebels finally unseated Batista in 1959 after years of conflict and rebellion. Batista and a number of his supporters fled Cuba for the Dominican Republic.

The joy of victory flooded Cuba; thousands of Cubans in the country and the US celebrated the victory of the rebels. Castro’s supporters moved quickly to establish power. Fidel Castro served as the prime minister of Cuba from 1959 to 1976. He then served as the president from 1976 to 2008.

The Cuban Revolution was a turning point in recent history. With Castro’s regime in place, Cuba became an important player in the Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union.

Picture Credit : Google

What do we know about the Orange Revolution?

A series of protests and political events that took place in Ukraine is known as the Orange Revolution. It began in late November, 2004 and did not end before January, 2005.

The Orange Revolution was sparked by the massive rigging that took place during the 2004 presidential election. Kiev, the Ukrainian capital was the centre of the movement; thousands of protesters demonstrated in Kiev daily.

Do you want to know how the movement got such an interesting name? The name came from hundreds of orange flags and banners that the protesters brought with them. Bright orange was the colour of ‘Our Ukraine,’ the party of Viktor Yushchenko. Viktor Yushchenko was one of the most the respected Ukrainian leaders and he had won the election, though at first his election was declared invalid. Because of the protests however, Ukraine’s Supreme Court ordered a re-election which took place on 26 December, 2004.

Picture Credit : Google

What were the causes and effects of the Industrial Revolution?

There are several main causes of the Industrial Revolution. The first was the emergence of capitalism as an economic theory, since it helped wealthy individuals to start their own businesses. The next major cause was the expansion of European imperialism around the world. By taking over other areas of the world, European countries gained access to important resources and created large markets in which they could sell goods produced in their factories.

Finally, the last cause of the Industrial Revolution was the effects of the Agricultural Revolution. This led to an increase in food production and helped increase the population. As a result, this created a large workforce for use in industrial towns and cities.

The after effects of the Industrial Revolution were tremendous; it caused a revolutionary increase in the per capita income in England. This had its effects on the rest of the Western world too. Some historians however argue that the living standards of ordinary people fell during this period. While the living standards of the rich improved, the workers lived and worked in terrible conditions.

Picture Credit : Google

What do we know about the August Revolution?

In the final months of 1945, Japan surrendered to the Allies and withdrew its forces from south-east Asia. They surrendered the control of Vietnam to the Viet Minh, a nationalist group led by Ho Chi Minh.

The departure of the Japanese in August 1945 created a power vacuum in Vietnam. Therefore, Ho called for a ‘national uprising’. The Viet Minh forces marched into major towns and cities, pushing for independence. The efforts of the Viet Minh were aided by the retreating Japanese. They wanted to hand over political authority to the locals rather than Westerners. The officials of Viet Minh were given access to government buildings and control over infrastructure and facilities.

By August, Viet Minh forces had occupied major cities like Hanoi, Saigon and Hue in central Vietnam. This was known as the August Revolution. On 2 September, 1945, Ho declared the Democratic Republic of Vietnam. However, the August Revolution was only briefly successful. It was thwarted when the Allied troops occupied Vietnam.

Picture Credit : Google

What is unique about the Indonesian National Revolution?

Also known as the Indonesian War of Independence, the Indonesian National Revolution was an armed conflict and diplomatic struggle between Indonesia and the Netherlands. During those days, the Netherlands held power over Indonesia.

The Indonesian National Revolution gave birth to the largest Islamic country in the world. The revolution took place between 1945 and 1949. Indonesia declared its independence in 1945, but it was not recognized by the Netherlands until 1949.

The years between 1945 and 1949 were marked with bloody armed conflict, and political and communal upheavals. It also witnessed two major international diplomatic interventions. Though inexperienced, the Indonesians were determined and strong enough to resist. The Dutch forces could not withstand them for long. Finally, the Dutch surrendered their territories, and the Republic of Indonesia was established in 1949.

Picture Credit : Google

How did steam power impact the Industrial Revolution?

Sometime in the early 1700s, Thomas Newcomen designed the prototype for the first modern steam engine. Newcomen called it the ‘atmospheric steam engine’. What he designed later became the icon of the Industrial Revolution.

Newcomen’s invention was originally applied to power the machines used to pump water out of mine shafts. In the 1760s, Scottish engineer James Watt developed another engine with one of Newcomen’s models; he added a separate water condenser that made it far more efficient. Watt later invented a steam engine with a rotary motion in collaboration with Matthew Boulton. What Watt developed played a key role in spreading the use of steam power across British industries. This included flour, paper, and cotton mills, iron works, distilleries, waterworks and canals.

The demand for coal increased with the development of steam engines as they used coal for fuel.

Picture Credit : Google

What were the major inventions in the Industrial Revolution apart from the steam engine?

New inventions and technologies changed the way things were powered and how goods were manufactured. It also affected how people communicated and the way goods were transported.

The spinning jenny was one of the first landmark inventions. It improved the textile industry. It was invented by James Hargreaves in England in 1764.

The Slater’s Mill began functioning in the U.S. in 1793. The establishment of the Slater’s Mill is regarded as the beginning of the Industrial Revolution in America. Samuel Morse invented the electrical telegraph in 1844. With this, long distance communication improved dramatically. In 1876, Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone. Graham Bell’s telephone changed the way people communicated forever.

The Industrial Revolution brought about the need for improved transportation as well. In 1807, Robert Fulton developed one of the first successful steamboats, which soon became a popular mode of transport in the U.S.

The steam locomotive too was invented in the early 1800s. Soon, trains became the most important mode of transportation during the Industrial Revolution.

Picture Credit : Google

What do we know about the Industrial Revolution?

Revolution is not always about political change. It is a drastic change in any realm that had a profound impact. The late 18th and early 19th century were such times when Britain saw great innovations in agriculture, manufacturing and transportation. It surely impacted the rest of the world as well. This period is known as the Industrial Revolution.

The Industrial Revolution began as an economic and social revolution that had a worldwide influence. The changes brought about by the Industrial Revolution spread throughout Europe, North America, and eventually the other parts of the world.

Innovations like the flying shuttle, the spinning jenny, and the power loom were products of this era. The textile industry underwent great changes; production became faster, required less time and far less human labour. In addition to textiles, the British iron industry also adopted new innovations. This really helped Britain to become a world superpower.

Picture Credit : Google

What was the impact of the Cultural Revolution?

Mao’s attempt to maintain a state of permanent revolution and keep himself in power was extremely costly.

The Cultural Revolution slowed the growth of China’s economy. It also created a major division between supporters and opponents of the movement. Many Chinese who had been in their teens and early twenties during the movement did not receive a full education, and in the post-revolution period they failed to secure good jobs. The harm done to the educational system took a long time to repair.

China fell even further behind the industrialized powers of the world, and the effects of the Cultural Revolution troubled China for decades. Most historians and the Chinese today think that the Cultural Revolution was disastrous and totally unnecessary.

Picture Credit : Google

What led to the Cultural Revolution?

Mao Zedong wanted to lead China forward. In 1957, Mao Zedong focused on industrial growth and commercial agriculture. He wanted to speed up the process and established special communes to do it. These were units of administration in the countryside that made use of collective labour. They mobilized peasants to increase the production of steel and raise agricultural production.

By the mid-1960s the government Mao had established was weakening. Groups opposing him had emerged in the Chinese Communist Party and in the army. His economic policies had failed.

Leaders opposed to him wanted better economic policies even if it meant moving away from the principles of Communism. Under these circumstances, Mao called for a Cultural Revolution in 1965. The Cultural Revolution was a means to regain control of the party by Mao.

Mao formally launched the Cultural Revolution in August 1966 by shutting down China’s schools. The Chinese youth responded to his call with great enthusiasm. The Red Guards marched through cities and towns attacking anyone they thought was against their leader. Elderly people and scholars were physically assaulted, and many died.

In October 1968, Liu Shaoqi, one of Mao’s rivals and critics, was expelled from the party. This marked the beginning of the end of the Cultural Revolution. However, the Cultural Revolution did not really end till Mao’s death in 1976.

Picture Credit : Google