Historical Connections to the Modern Period

War-torn and limping through the first half of the 20th century, Britain had to concentrate on its own needs for recovery and thus lost focus on the rule of its acquired colonies. This shift in focus changed the British mindset greatly. People came to realize that individuals were complex and unpredictable, and human thought was not necessarily linear. This change in mindset is reflected in the stark, brutal, realistic poetry of World War I poets; Modernist, avant-garde, and Postmodern writing; the emergence of a multicultural perspective; and critical responses to the status quo.

Essential Question

• What were the important historical, political, and cultural events of the Modern period?