3. The collapse of colonialism
and the struggle for racial equality (middle to late 1900's)
After World War II ended
in 1945, colonies of the European powers won independence. Political,
economic, and social upheavals occurred as the new developing countries
attempted to modernize. The upheavals often led to rapid development,
but they also brought about local wars, economic hardship, large numbers
of refugees and immigrants, and civil rights movements. Literature,
art, and mass culture became increasingly multicultural and global.
In the United States, the struggle for racial equality led to the elimination
of legal segregation. It also contributed to an ongoing struggle to
eliminate prejudice and to gain respect for individual, group, and cultural
diversity.
More information:
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Donald G. Marshall
is a Professor and
the Head of the Department of English at the University of Illinois at Chicago.
His top 10 events of the 1900's reflect a general historical approach. Professor
Marshall emphasizes the impact of technology on the century and points out one
chilling effect : "The fear that humankind's highest scientific achievements will
destroy us becomes very real."
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