20M - Twentieth Century Nonfiction Lesson

Up until the two World Wars, the British Empire covered many territories across the globe. Between 1815 and 1914, around 10,000,000 square miles and 400 million people became a part of the British Empire through colonization. Colonization is the process of acquiring colonies, or territories, and European powers took lands by force through imperialism, or implementing power with the use of military force. View the countries that made up the British Empire:

Many countries began racing to acquire parts of Africa in the 1880's, and the goal of the Berlin Conference in 1884 to 1885 was to regulate the "Scramble for Africa" and prevent meaningless wars among countries. The European powers colonized various areas in Africa and the effects were brutal on the indigenous people.

The Effects of Colonization

• Settlers came to live in and control the new colony
• The indigenous people often died in violent wars with the settlers or by diseases brought by the settlers
• Many colonizers used the indigenous people as slaves for labor which bred racism between towards the indigenous people
• The indigenous people were forced to follow the laws of the country colonizing the territory

Major Players of the 20th Century

At the turn of the century, the British Empire was at the pinnacle of power.  However, in the years leading up to and following World War II, Britain's supremacy began to wane. The terms of the Treaty of Versailles left the British Empire with more territories than it had ever possessed yet with less power than before. Although colonialism brought prosperity and wealth to Britain, this prosperity came at the cost of equality and morality. The rise of independence movements in India and Ireland weakened Britain's hold on the various colonies. Many people played major roles in voicing their opinions regarding war and peace during the 20^th century; some of these men were highly respected leaders, and some men were important promoters of peace. Read through the selection of biographies, speeches, and autobiographies of the major players in 20^th century British history.

Winston Churchill

Winston Churchill remains most famous for his role as the Prime Minister of England during World War II.  Before embarking upon his political career, he served in the British military, achieved fame as a war correspondent, and published several books. Churchill became Prime Minister of England in 1940 after Neville Chamberlain resigned. Under his leadership the British army, in conjunction with the Allied Powers, defeated the Axis Powers. Churchill inspired the British people and the Allied forces through his many speeches, which demonstrated his personal resolve and determination.  

Winston Churchill's command of rhetoric and the English language has set a high standard for statesmen and politicians. After the war, he even won the Nobel Prize for Literature.

Read the famous speech "We Will Fight Them on the Beaches" by Winston Churchill Links to an external site. and also review the Rhetorical Terms handout. Links to an external site.

When reading, note the rhetorical devices Churchill uses to motivate. Also attempt to find the use of ethos, pathos, or logos in the speech.

Mohondas Gandhi

Mohondas Karamchand Gandhi was the political and spiritual leader of India during the Indian independence movement.  He inspired Indians to revolt against tyrannical British rule with his philosophy of resistance to oppression through nonviolent civil disobedience. Although born in India, Gandhi spent much of his career working as a lawyer in South Africa.

While in South Africa, Gandhi developed a realization of the deep evils of European racism and the inequities that Indians endured at the hands of the European settlers.

Ghandi and Nonviolent Resistance

In order to combat racism and imperialism in a peaceful way, Gandhi coined the term satyagraha which is the theory and practice of nonviolent resistance. The satyagraha encouraged by Gandhi included withdrawing from British institutions and becoming self-reliant, hunger strikes, and sit-ins which promoted massive disobedience. Due to his encouragement of resistance, Gandhi was arrested, charged, and tried for sedition. His trial was known as The Great Trial, and Gandhi delivered a moving speech condemning British rule. He was sentenced to prison for six years but continued to work closely with Indians to peacefully achieve independence upon his release. Nathuram Godse, a Hindu nationalist, assassinated Gandhi on January 30, 1938, but Gandhi's principles of nonviolent resistance continued and helped advance the American Civil Rights Movement.

Read Gandhi's Statement in the Great Trial of 1922. Links to an external site.

When reading, note the rhetorical devices Gandhi uses to reach the people. Also attempt to find the use of ethos, pathos, or logos in his statement.

George Orwell

While political and military tensions brewed in the years leading to World War II, Britain found herself overextended and her control diluted. During this time of turmoil, George Orwell worked for the British Empire as a member of the Imperial Police in Burma. 

Eric Blair, who wrote under the pen name of George Orwell, was born in colonial India in 1903 but traveled to England for his education. After completing his schooling, Orwell joined the Imperial Police and traveled to Burma. The time he spent in Burma heightened Orwell's awareness of the inequities brought about by imperialism.

Embittered from his five years of working for the Imperial Police in Burma, Orwell resigned and began to record his experiences. He was a pioneer of the first-person style of reporting, and challenged society by telling the truth about his experiences and his knowledge. 

Orwell's better-known works include Animal Farm, a scathing critique of fascism and communism, and 1984, his futuristic vision of an all-controlling state. "Shooting an Elephant" is an autobiographical account of one of Orwell's experiences in Burma. 

Read "Shooting an Elephant." Links to an external site. 

When reading, notice that Orwell's language is sincere and simple which advances the poignancy of the themes in the work.

Even though the language seems straightforward in this essay, Orwell does include subtle connotations. Denotation is simply the direct definition of a word, and connotation is the associations that are connected to a certain word or the emotional suggestions related to that word.

Nonfiction Review

After reviewing the various speeches, biographies, and autobiographical accounts, practice your understanding of the major players in British history during the 20^th century here.