The causes and consequences of historical events they are not always simple and in most cases they are not reduced to one. The great events of humanity are often the result of long social processes and often unexpected events.
However, the main cause is considered to be the specific events that represent the ultimate cause of the changes. For example, although the arrival to the Moon happened because of a series of international social situations and technological advances, it is considered that the main cause was the space race with the Soviet Union.
Examples of causes and consequences in historical events
There have been many historical changes that have caused repercussions throughout the world. These are some with their direct causes and consequences.
Atomic bombs of Hiroshima and Nagasaki
During the Second World War there was a great consideration towards scientific research. This led to discoveries that still echo today, the most striking of all being the nuclear bomb.
The first atomic bombs used in wars were those launched by the United States in Japanese territory. These explosions were so devastating that they forced Japan to withdraw from the war. With this they marked the end of the Second World War.
Causes : the need to have a more deadly and advanced weapon than other countries.
Consequences : end of the war and death of thousands of people.
End of the Cold War
The Cold War it was a conflict between the so-called Western Bloc, led by the USA, and the Eastern Bloc, led by the USSR. It was called cold war because there was no direct confrontation, but rather tensions caused by political and social differences.
This indirect confrontation came to an end due to the weakening of the USSR, caused by two main events; the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 and the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991. With a USSR almost non-existent, the United States could be considered the"winner"and the war came to an end.
Causes : the conflict between communism and capitalism.
Consequences : fall of the Berlin Wall, end of the USSR.
The arrival of Columbus to America
This is one of the most important events in history, since it marked the beginning of a process of globalization that has continued until today. Because of the encounter between Europe and America, both civilizations were affected, and the Native Americans were imposed religion and other customs.
The consequences of this meeting have repercussions even in today's society, and unleashed a series of events that defined history.
Causes : Columbus wanted to find a faster route to Las Indias.
Consequences : colonization of America.
The inclusion of the USA in the Second World War
The bombing of Pearl Harbor was a surprise attack on the port of the American militia. It was directed by the Japanese Navy on December 7, 1941 and left a total of 2,402 dead. It was considered an act of dirty play, since the United States was not an active participant in the war.
The direct consequence of this event was the inclusion of the United States to the Second World War, when declaring war on Japan.
Cause : Attack on Pearl Harbor.
Consequence : United States enters the Second World War.
The attack in Sarajevo
It is known as the Sarajevo bombing of the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria and his wife, Archduchess Sophia Chotek.
The Archduke was killed in an attack during a diplomatic visit to Sarajevo, by the Serbian citizen Gavrilo Princip, a member of a radical faction called Bosnia Joven.
The cause of the attack was that Francisco Fernando was the heir to the crown of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. It was an attack on the empire, which led him to declare war on Serbia, thus beginning the First World War.
The collapse of the World Trade Center
On the morning of September 11, 2001, the twin towers of the World Trade Center in New York City were hit by planes.
The aircraft had been hijacked by terrorists, whose objective was to carry out the attack. As a result of the attack, the twin towers collapsed, causing thousands of deaths.
The reaction of the US government was immediate. From that moment on, a war against terrorism was declared, which led to political measures such as the invasion of Iraq.
Coup of State of Chile 1.973
Salvador Allende was the first socialist president democratically elected in history. Its policies were supported by the majority in Chile, but caused noise abroad. There were economic attacks that destabilized Chile, and that ended in a coup d'état in September 1973.
Allende died in the coup, and a military junta was installed. This dictatorial government was the cause of a period of repression in Chile, which left a large death toll and a wave of exiles.
The invention of the printing press
The invention of the printing press is considered one of the events that changed the world. Before Gutenberg devised a way to mass-produce books, they were reproduced by hand. The manual copy of books had as a consequence that the number of copies was limited.
With the printing of Gutenberg the reproduction of books became mechanical, with this science, culture and history could be disseminated throughout the world, changing the course of history.
The bombing of Casablanca
This is a dark episode in the history of the French militia. It was a response to the murder of 9 French workers in the city. As revenge a French warship bombed the city, killing innocent lives.
References
- The 10 most important moments in history. (2016) owlcation.com
- 15 most important historical events that change the world forever. (2016) therichest.com
- French warship bombard Casablanca. historycentral.com
- 30 historical facts that any educated person should know. (2016) culturacolectiva.com
- The most important historical facts of the 20th century. sololistas.net
- 15 historical events that occurred in the world while Fidel Castro governed Cuba. (2016) bbc.com