The Various Aspects of Society

In an exam, you may see a question asking you to describe a territorial or political transformation. How do we know what relates to a political facet and what relates to a territorial aspect? It’s the keywords!
They are used to identify the different subjects that relate to each aspect.

Here is an example.
Identify two social results and two economic results of industrialization.

For social results:

• We could mention the appearance of new social classes, like the bourgeoisie and the working class.

• We could discuss difficult living conditions in working districts.

For economic results:

• We could look at the increase in the number of industries or in the production of goods,

• We could discuss the capital accumulated by large property owners.

The number and names of the aspects of society may differ depending on the textbook. This is why the list above may not match the one you were given in class on every point.

Sometimes, a component may be connected to several dimensions.

Example:
A labourer’s work during the period of industrialization was very hard.

This example is related to both the social aspect and the economic aspect. In other words, the labourer’s working conditions relate to the social aspect, and the goods that the labourer produced relate to the economic aspect.

1. Factory workers worked very long hours, many days a week, in a noisy and dangerous environment. (Working conditions)

2. There were three classes in Greek Antiquity: citizens, metics and slaves. (Social classes)

3. A nomadic population was always on the move, following herds of animals. (Way of life)

1. In the 18th century, France’s political regime was the absolute monarchy. (Power, political regime)

2. By means of the Voting Rights Act, in 1965, African-Americans obtained the right to vote. (Rights)

3. In 1750 B.C., the king of Babylon, Hammurabi, created a legal code called the Code of Hammurabi. (Laws)

1. Rome greatly increased commercial exchanges with its provinces by importing different materials and merchandise. (Trade)

2. Most products such as silk, spices and precious metals came from Asia in the times before the great explorations. (Resources)

3. When industrialization came along, the middle classes, which invested heavily in factories, very quickly grew rich by accumulating capital. (Capital)

1. The Aztecs were polytheists. Their most important gods were the gods of war and of the sun. (Beliefs, religion)

2. The Republic is a work written by Plato, a philosopher of Greek Antiquity. (Literature)

3. The sale of indulgences was heavily criticized during the Renaissance, since it contradicts the fundamental teachings of the Catholic religion. (Religion)

1. The Fertile Crescent, where the Tigris and Euphrates rivers are located, is now located in the modern-day region of the Middle East. (Geographic region, waterways)

2. The French quickly became allies with the Algonquins in order to survive and adapt to a much harsher climate than the one they were used to. (Climate)

3. The American East Coast was divided into 13 British colonies, called the Thirteen Colonies. (Organization of the territory)

1. Nicolas Copernicus developed the theory of heliocentrism. (Discoveries)

2. The steam machine appeared in the 18th century. (Invention)

3. During the Middle Ages, a number of tools were adapted to make agriculture easier, such as metal tools that replaced wooden tools, and a new plow that was more suitable for the soil. (Technical advances, innovation)