The Great Acceleration
Driving Question: Why has change accelerated since 1945?
The world changed quickly after 1945. Examine how technological, health, and food production advances have increased global pressures and impacted the environment.
Learning Objectives
- Use evidence to analyze how globalization has impacted the environment.
- Create arguments using historical evidence to support claims and communicate conclusions through informal writing.
Vocab Terms:
- biodiversity
- climate change
- emissions
- environment
- pesticide
- unsustainable
- vaccination
In the last century, new technologies have reshaped human societies. Is change accelerating as a result, or is this more of the same?
Did you know: The global population reached 1 billion people around 1800. In 1950, there were 2.5 billion of us. In 2022, we numbered 8 billion. That’s a stark illustration of this lesson’s emphasis on acceleration. Most of human population growth has taken place very recently.
In this part of the lesson, you’ll explore how rapid population growth and environmental trends reveal the pace of global change. From urbanization to rising resource use, these shifts help explain why the post-1945 era feels so accelerated.
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Guiding Questions
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Before you read
Preview the questions below, and then skim the article. Be sure to look at the section headings and any images.
While you read
Look for answers to these questions:
- What has been the long-term trend in global population?
- How has urbanization changed in the past 200 years?
- How has industrialization affected CO₂ levels?
- Why are rising CO₂ levels a problem?
- What are some health effects of using fossil fuels?
After you read
Respond to these questions: Do you agree that humanity must cooperate to reduce the environmental impacts of population growth? Why or why not?
Are things changing faster than ever before? In these materials, you’ll examine how advances in technology have transformed our world and what this means for the future.
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Guiding Questions
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Before you read
Preview the questions below, and then skim the article. Be sure to look at the section headings and any images.
While you read
Look for answers to these questions:
- What is a transistor and why is it an important part of the Great Acceleration?
- How has technology broken down boundaries in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries?
- Why do some scholars believe that technological acceleration can’t keep moving at these rapid rates?
After you read
Respond to these questions: What do you think might happen to the pace of acceleration in the next 10 years? What about in 100 years?
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Guiding Questions
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Before you watch
Preview the questions below, and then review the transcript.
While you watch
Look for answers to these questions:
- Why did William Gaud coin the term “Green Revolution”?
- How did Cold War concerns help start the Green Revolution?
- How did the Green Revolution vary in different regions?
- What methods were used in the Green Revolution?
- What are some criticisms of the Green Revolution?
After you watch
Respond to this question: How does the Green Revolution connect to the frame of production and distribution?
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Guiding Questions
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Before you watch
Preview the questions below, and then review the transcript.
While you watch
Look for answers to these questions:
- Why was smallpox considered the worst disease in history?
- What is variolation?
- Who created the first smallpox vaccine?
- What was ring vaccination?
- What helped make the eradication of smallpox successful?
After you watch
Respond to this question: What do you think is the most important step humanity could take to prevent another pandemic?
This debate activity is a great way to get students beyond a “technology good/technology bad” binary. The goal here is to get them thinking about whether human innovation in the last century is solving problems faster than it creates new ones. The Green Revolution and Eradicating Smallpox videos will both serve as important evidence here.
It’s your turn to take a stand! Weigh the evidence and debate a big question: Can innovation keep up with the pace of change? You’ll sharpen your argument skills and deepen your understanding of how acceleration shapes our future.
You’ve explored decades of intense change. Now, it’s time to reflect on its impacts by writing a letter into the past.
