Epilogue

Section NotesEpilogue

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Epilogue: Linking Past to Present

America and the World Today

• All the ideas learned about in world history continued to shape the world after 1800.

• The rise of capitalism and the Enlightenment in particular brought social, economic, and political changes to places throughout the world.

Capitalism

• Key features of capitalism are free trade, private investment, and the basic laws of supply and demand.

• In the United States, capitalism drives economic policies on both small and large scales.

• Capitalism has been responsible for economic growth around the world.

The Enlightenment

• Enlightenment ideas have been especially influential in politics, and many democracies are built on these Enlightenment ideas.

– Individual freedom

– Free and fair elections

– The rights of citizens

– People’s right to participate in their government

– Government’s responsibility to its citizens

Science and Technology

• One idea that gave rise to the Enlightenment was the belief in the use of reason.

• The belief that people could use reason and the scientific method to explain the world began with the Scientific Revolution.

• Modern science and technology are built on the foundation of rational thought and the scientific method.

• This increased understanding has led to major advances in science and technology.

Solving Problems

• Although people’s lives have been greatly improved by advancements in science and technology, problems still exist.

– Poverty

– Improvements in city services

• Using rational thinking, individuals, governments, private businesses, and cooperative executives study why problems exist and try to come up with solutions.

An important issue around the world today is human rights.

Building on ideas from the Enlightenment, many people agree on the basic right to live in freedom and dignity, and to have access to justice.

Human Rights

People from around the world encourage change in countries where human rights are not respected.