World War I: Causes and Characteristics
Causes of World War I
Political Causes
- Abandonment of the policy of balance between the great powers (realpolitik) by Germany following the resignation of Bismarck.
- Kaiser Wilhelm II wanted to seize political and economic leadership in Europe, leading to an aggressive and dangerous foreign policy.
- Formation of two rival power blocs: the Triple Alliance (Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy in 1882) and the Triple Entente (France, Britain, and Russia in 1907).
- Naval arms race (1905-1914): Major powers
Spain in the Early 20th Century: Social & Economic Shifts
Economic and Social Transformations in Early 20th Century Spain
Demographic trends common in all countries experiencing industrialization included a decrease in mortality and, later, in birth rates. Migration occurred because the economy grew less than the population. Emigration slowed once internal migration expanded, leading to increased urbanization.
Agrarian Issues and Peasant Unrest
Spanish agriculture at the beginning of the 20th century faced the consequences of the agrarian crisis that swept
Read MoreUnderstanding Key Networking Terms and Concepts
Backed Up: ‘To back something up’ means to copy and save/store on a different machine all the data, files, settings, and applications of a computer or server. In most companies, it is common to ‘back up’ all the data on servers every day. This is done to ensure that no data (or little) is lost if there is a problem or failure of a server. Most of this data is stored/saved on servers that are dedicated to doing ‘backups’ and are called ‘backup servers’. ‘To back up’ is a transitive phrasal verb (
Read MoreEffective Inquiry Email Templates for English Courses and Travel
Course Information
English Summer Courses Inquiry
I am writing to enquire about English Summer courses at your school. I would be grateful if you could send me further details regarding courses in August. I would like to know the starting dates, details about different types of courses, and how much they cost. In addition, I would like to have further information about accommodation with host families. I look forward to hearing from you.
Language Course Inquiry
Dear Ms. Peabody,
I am writing in reference
Read MoreReformation Era: Causes, Reformers, and Counter-Reformation
The Protestant Reformation
During the 16th century, the Protestant Reformation spread across Europe. It caused a collapse of the religious unity that the Catholic Church had upheld in Western Europe. As a result, the Catholic Church launched the Counter-Reformation.
Causes of the Reformation
- Disdain for the papacy and clergy: The Roman Catholic Church was very powerful in Europe. However, many believed that popes were mainly concerned with their own interests; bishops lived a life of luxury and did
Spanish Literature: From the 18th Century to Realism
18th Century Spanish Literature
The 18th century in Spanish literature did not reach the brilliance of the previous Baroque century. However, it saw the emergence of pre-Romantic sensibilities and distinct literary environments.
- Posbarroco: Offered little novelty, continuing themes from the previous century.
- Neoclassicism: Flourished during the reign of Carlos III, with the rise of Enlightenment ideas, uniformity of style, and the predominance of reason.
- Preromanticism: Emerged towards the end of the
Gongora, Lope de Vega, Quevedo: Culteranismo and Conceptismo
Luis de Góngora and Culteranismo
A champion of comedies of little relevance, Góngora’s work is purely lyrical. He wrote mostly secular and religious poetry, using the verses of the time, long or short verses: romance, ballad, quatrains, sonnets (a large and complicated structure for perfection to create a poetic language itself), triplets, silvas, eighths, etc. His inspiration is oriented towards two opposite poles: humorous or burlesque, on the one hand, and refined idealization, on the other.
Read MoreUnderstanding Global Hunger: Causes and Solutions
Factors Affecting World Hunger
The world produces 17% more calories per person than 30 years ago, enough food for 2720 kcal/day. However, hunger persists.
Why Hunger Exists Despite Sufficient Food Production
The answer is poverty. The richest 20% of humanity controls 85% of all wealth. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the United Nations (UN) identify three groups of hungry people, all suffering from food insecurity:
- Rural Poor: This is the largest group. They lack resources, access to
Effective English Teaching Strategies for Young Learners
Fairy Tales
Fairy tales are a kind of folktale or fable. In these stories, we meet witches and queens, giants and elves, princes, dragons, talking animals, ogres, princesses, and sometimes even fairies.
Marvelous and magical things happen to characters in fairy tales: a boy may become a bird, a princess may sleep for a hundred years, a seal may become a girl. Objects, too, can be enchanted—mirrors talk, pumpkins become carriages, and a lamp may be home to a genie.
Elements of Fairy Tales
Fairy tales
Read MoreSpain’s 17th Century: Crisis, Decline, and Shifting Power
Spain in the Seventeenth Century: A Time of Crisis
The seventeenth century marked a significant period of decline for Spain, characterized by a multifaceted crisis encompassing the economy, demography, warfare, and the eventual end of the Habsburg dynasty. The reigns of Philip III, Philip IV, and Charles II saw the power of the king diminish, with influential figures like the Count of Olivares and the Duke of Sanlúcar wielding considerable authority.