Unit 9: Topics 9.1 - 9.

3 Review Handout
Directions: Using the presentations linked on my website (and on this handout) and
Google Classroom and your AMSCO book (chapters 9.1 - 9.3), complete this digital
handout.

9.1 Advances in Technology and Exchange After 1900

Learning Objective Historical Developments

Explain how the development of
new technologies changed the
world from 1900 to present
New modes of communication—including radio communication, cellular communication, and
the internet—as well as transportation, including air travel and shipping containers, reduced
the problem of geographic distance.
Energy technologies, including the use of petroleum and nuclear power, raised productivity
and increased the production of material goods

More effective forms of birth control gave women greater control over fertility, transformed
reproductive practices, and contributed to declining rates of fertility in much of the world

The Green Revolution and commercial agriculture increased productivity and sustained the
earth’s growing population as it spread chemically and genetically modified forms of
agriculture.

Medical innovations, including vaccines and antibiotics, increased the ability of humans to
survive and live longer lives.

Changes brought by new technologies Continuities

from 1900 to the present.
List at least six changes:
- Communication: Over time, the evolution of
communication, spanning from telegraphs and
telephones to radios, televisions, and now the internet
and smartphones, has facilitated swifter, simpler, and
more widespread exchange of information.
- Transportation: The progression of transportation
technology has ushered in faster, more efficient travel
options, making them accessible to a broader populace.
Innovations like airplanes, cars, trains, and ships
exemplify this advancement.
List at least three continuities:
- Agriculture continues to undergo advancements.
- Even with the rise of digital communication
technologies, the necessity for in-person interaction
remains in specific industries like healthcare,
manufacturing, and construction.
- The pursuit of new technologies remains fueled by
economic and military motivations, prompting substantial
investments by governments and corporations in
research and development to uphold competitiveness
and further strategic objectives.

- Medicine: Remarkable strides in medical technology

have significantly enhanced diagnostics, treatment, and
overall healthcare. Notable examples include vaccines,
antibiotics, medical imaging, and robotic surgery.

- Energy: Technological breakthroughs in energy have

fostered the emergence of new energy sources like
nuclear power, wind turbines, solar panels, and electric
vehicles, transforming the energy landscape.

- Agricultural transformations, including genetic

engineering, have yielded both positive and negative
impacts on the industry, reshaping how we produce food
and manage resources.
- Internet: The internet has revolutionized the way we
communicate, access information, and conduct business,
becoming an indispensable part of modern life.

9.2 Technological Advances and Limitations After 1900: Disease

Learning Objective Historical Developments

Diseases, as well as medical and scientific developments, had significant effects on

Explain how environmental
factors affected human
populations over time.
populations around the world.
Diseases associated with poverty persisted while other diseases emerged as new epidemics
and threats to human populations, in some cases leading to social disruption. These outbreaks
spurred technological and medical advances. Some diseases occurred at higher incidence
merely because of increased longevity.

Diseases associated with poverty:

● Malaria
● Tuberculosis
● Cholera

Emergent epidemic diseases:

● 1918 influenza pandemic
● Ebola
● HIV/AIDS

Diseases associated with increased longevity:

● Heart disease
● Alzheimer’s disease

Choose one disease associated with poverty and describe its effects:
Cholera, a waterborne illness, primarily impacted African nations, resulting in significant losses.

Choose one epidemic disease and describe its effects:

HIV/AIDS persists as an ongoing disease without a cure, affecting the immune system and rendering the body
susceptible to various illnesses. Though treatments exist, the condition has caused millions of deaths and
continues to do so when not managed effectively.
 Choose one disease associated with increased longevity and describe its effects:
Memory loss is typically the result of sickness and affects older and occasionally middle-aged adults.

9.3 Technological Advances: Debates About the Environment After 1900

Learning Objective Historical Developments

Explain the causes and effects
of environmental changes in the
period from 1900 to present.
As human activity contributed to deforestation, desertification, a decline in air quality, and
increased consumption of the world’s supply of fresh water, humans competed over these and
other resources more intensely than ever before.
The release of greenhouse gasses and pollutants into the atmosphere contributed to debates
about the nature and causes of climate change.

Causes of environmental changes in the Effects of environmental changes in the

period 1900 to present period 1900 to present
List at least four causes List at least six effects
- Fossil fuel consumption -Loss of forest cover
- Freshwater consumption - Desertification
- Greenhouse gas emissions - Air pollution
- Urbanization and industrialization - Declining water quality
- Depletion of resources
- Climate change