The 20th century was defined by political, economic, and industrial events that led to rapid changes in culture. World Wars, economic depressions, post-war booms, and social justice campaigns were all driving forces that shaped the century.
Choose one major political event from the 20th century. How did technology influence this event? What were the positive and negative aspects of this technology? In what way would this event have been different had the technology been absent, or developed in a different way?
Sample Answer
One major political event from the 20th century that was influenced by technology is the fall of the Berlin Wall. The Berlin Wall was a physical barrier that divided the city of Berlin into East Berlin and West Berlin from 1961 to 1989. It was built by the East German government to prevent East Germans from defecting to West Germany.
The technology that most influenced the fall of the Berlin Wall was the internet. The internet allowed East Germans to access information about the West that was not available to them through state-controlled media. This information helped to sow the seeds of discontent with the East German government and made it more difficult to keep the Berlin Wall in place.
The positive aspects of the internet in this case were that it allowed East Germans to access information about the West and to communicate with people in the West. This information and communication helped to foster a sense of hope and possibility among East Germans, and it made them more likely to demand change.