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9.6 Globalized Culture after 1900

6 min readjanuary 8, 2023

Harrison Burnside

Harrison Burnside

Natalie Pineda

Natalie Pineda

dylan_black_2025

dylan_black_2025

Harrison Burnside

Harrison Burnside

Natalie Pineda

Natalie Pineda

dylan_black_2025

dylan_black_2025

Introduction

In 1964, the Beatles arrived in the United States for the first time, kicking off a wave of "" that swept across the globe. This moment, which has come to be known as the "," marked a major turning point in the history of globalized culture, as the Beatles and other British bands introduced new styles and sounds to audiences around the world. The success of the Beatles and other British bands reflected the increasing interconnectedness of the world in the 20th century, as advances in transportation and communication made it easier for people and ideas to cross national borders. In this study guide, we will delve into the many ways in which globalized culture has impacted and influenced the world in the 20th century, exploring the ways in which it has enriched and challenged traditional ways of life and impacted art, music, literature, and other cultural forms.

Consumer Culture

In the later half of the 20th century, became popular in the context of a globalized world. In the United States, citizens experienced economic prosperity after recovering from World War II and the Great Depression. Many families earned three times as much as they did before WWII, and they were ready to spend it 🤑

Many economies became dependent on one another through trade. Media helped to facilitate advertising which, combined with the growing population of the middle class, both contributed to . Commerce transcended borders and led to the creation of convenient consumerism. Companies like , , and are examples of convenient online commerce. Global brands like and facilitated the global economy and blurred the lines between borders. 

The Media

Political and social changes in the world change the way artists present and view themselves. Changes in the world also changed media consumerism. The spread of common wealth and access to technology gave rise to a shared cultural experience between borders. Western influence in music and movies spread across borders. 

Similarly, music from different nations spread across the globe. For example, the genre of , originally from Jamaica,  spread in the United States, Great Britain, and Africa. This came with the rise of the popular artist , who sold more than 75 million records at the height of his career. The Hindi film industry, , became a globalized industry and produces the most movies out of any film industry each year. These films are viewed by non-Indian countries and actors have found popularity in Western media.

, the coined term for interactiveness via websites and social applications, undeniably led to cultures becoming connected through shared experiences online. To those who have access to it, creates a way for information to be shared instantaneously. In 2003, , an online social network, was launched and has since gained 2.8 billion active users per month. That's nearly half the world population participating each month!

A Brief History of 20th Century Art

The 20th century was a time of great artistic change and innovation, with many new movements and styles emerging on the global stage. One of the most significant movements of the century was , which was developed by artists such as and . Inspired by the work of Paul Cézanne, sought to break down the traditional barriers between art and reality, creating a new way of representing the world through fragmented, geometric shapes.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/7/74/PicassoGuernica.jpg

Pablo Picasso, Guernica, 1937.

Another important movement of the 20th century was , which emerged in the aftermath of World War I as a reaction to the chaos and devastation of the war. Dada artists rejected traditional aesthetics and embraced absurdity, creating works that were meant to shock and provoke.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/dd/Marcel_Duchamp%2C_1917%2C_Fountain%2C_photograph_by_Alfred_Stieglitz.jpg/1280px-Marcel_Duchamp%2C_1917%2C_Fountain%2C_photograph_by_Alfred_Stieglitz.jpg

Marcel Duchamp, Fountain, 1917.

was another major movement of the 20th century, and it had a particularly strong impact on the art scene in the United States. This movement, which was led by artists such as and , focused on the emotional power of abstract forms and lines, and was seen as a reflection of the tumultuous times in which it emerged.

These are just a few examples of the many artistic movements and styles that emerged in the 20th century, and it is clear that the global context of the time had a significant influence on the direction of these movements. From the devastation of World War I to the social and political upheavals of the 1960s and beyond, the art of the 20th century reflects the many challenges and changes of the time. You're not required to be an art expert for the AP World Exam (check out AP Art History for that!) but understanding how global processes in the 1900s affected culture is important.

Global Culture in Sports

Television and gave rise to sports being broadcast around the world. National teams were no longer secluded to a certain region—instead they were now on display for the globe to see. This led to heightened competition among countries and international sports competitions. 

For example, the , an ancient Greek sporting event,  became internationalized in 1924 in France when the International Olympic Committee (IOC) was created to revitalize the Olympics. They created an international athletic competition to be held every four years. The Olympics was broadcast on television in 1936 during the Berlin Games. The five interlocked rings in the official symbol represent the interjoining of North and South America, Africa, Europe, Asia, and Australia. In 2016, the had 3.6 billion people watching. That’s almost half of the world’s population—talk about globalization!

https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/fiveable-92889.appspot.com/o/images%2F-NtZF9dVWKWTa.png?alt=media&token=f8c95bd1-a7c2-4c8a-bf64-1a89b3aacbb0

This image is courtesy of the International Olympic Committee, and demonstrates the Olympic symbol.

The is an international soccer competition where teams from every nation compete for the title of World Cup. The World Cup started in 1919, but didn’t proclaim itself to be the highest footballing authority until 1928. The World Cup competition was organized outside of the Olympics and was the biggest soccer tournament in the world. By 1932, over 32 countries were a part of the World Cup. In 2010, 204 countries were in the qualifying round to participate in the competition. 

This event is broadcast every four years on nearly every cable channel. Many soccer players like Neymar da Silva, Mia Hamm, and N’Golo Kante, to name a few, have become internationalized celebrities from their titles won in the .

These topics have actually been addressed in an AP World exam before! Check out the 2008 DBQ.

Religion

The ease of transportation and exchanging of ideas on promoted new religious developments. These exchanges of ideas were displayed in music, art, and television; artists use their art as a form of self expression and a way to share their religious ideologies. 

For example, in the 1970s , former Beatles band member, went to India and was captivated by the religion. Hare Krishana is a mystical sect of Hinduism based on traditional Hindu scriptures. Shortly after, the Beatles debuted their song called “Inner Light” which contains lyrics that pay ode to Hare Krishana beliefs. This affected American culture and planted the Hari Krishna movement in the United States.

Key Terms to Review (27)

Abstract Expressionism

: Abstract Expressionism is an art movement that emerged in the United States after World War II. It's characterized by abstract or non-representational artwork, where artists express their emotions and ideas through non-traditional means such as gestural brushstrokes, color fields, and spontaneous drips.

Alibaba

: Alibaba Group Holding Limited is a Chinese multinational conglomerate specializing in e-commerce, retail, internet, and technology.

Amazon

: Amazon.com, Inc. is an American multinational technology company based in Seattle that focuses on e-commerce, cloud computing, digital streaming, and artificial intelligence.

Another Key Term

: This is the definition of another key term

Beatlemania

: Beatlemania refers to the intense fan frenzy directed towards the English rock band, The Beatles, during the 1960s. It was characterized by extreme enthusiasm and obsession over their music, style, and personalities.

Bob Marley

: Bob Marley was a Jamaican singer-songwriter who became an international musical and cultural icon, blending mostly reggae, ska, and rocksteady in his compositions. He is known for popularizing reggae music around the world and served as a symbol of Jamaican culture and identity.

Bollywood

: Bollywood is an informal term used to represent the Hindi-language film industry based in Mumbai (formerly known as Bombay), India. It's one of the largest centers of film production in the world.

British Invasion

: The British Invasion was a cultural phenomenon of the mid-1960s when rock and pop music acts from the United Kingdom became popular in the United States.

Coca-Cola

: Coca-Cola is an American multinational beverage corporation known for its flagship product, a carbonated soft drink also named Coca-Cola.

Consumer Culture

: Consumer culture refers to a societal system in which consumption of goods and services is not only a dominant economic activity but also an important social and cultural activity.

Cubism

: Cubism is an artistic style developed in the early 20th century by Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque. It involves presenting objects from multiple angles at once as geometric shapes.

Dadaism

: Dadaism is an avant-garde intellectual movement that started during World War I in Zurich. It's characterized by a rejection of the prevailing standards in art through anti-art cultural works.

eBay

: eBay is an American multinational e-commerce corporation that facilitates consumer-to-consumer and business-to-consumer sales through its website.

Facebook

: Facebook is a popular global social networking site where users can post comments, share photographs and links to news or other interesting content on the web, play games, chat live, stream live video etc.

FIFA World Cup

: The FIFA World Cup is an international football tournament held every four years. It's organized by the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), and it involves teams from all over the world.

George Harrison

: George Harrison was an English musician, singer-songwriter, and music and film producer who achieved international fame as the lead guitarist of the Beatles. He is often referred to as "the quiet Beatle" due to his introspective nature.

Georges Braque

: Georges Braque was a major 20th-century French painter and sculptor who, along with Pablo Picasso, developed the art style known as Cubism.

Hare Krishna

: The Hare Krishna movement is a branch of Hinduism known formally as Gaudiya Vaishnavism. Its name comes from its chant — Hare Krishna — which devotees repeat over and over. It was popularized in the West by Swami Prabhupada.

International Olympic Committee (IOC)

: The International Olympic Committee is an international non-governmental organization that organizes the modern Olympic Games and Youth Olympic Games, held in summer and winter, every four years.

Jackson Pollock

: Jackson Pollock was an influential American painter and a major figure in the Abstract Expressionist movement. He became famous for his technique of dripping or pouring paint onto canvas laid on the ground, which he would then manipulate with various tools.

Marcel Duchamp

: Marcel Duchamp was a French-American painter, sculptor, chess player, and writer whose work is associated with Dadaism and conceptual art.

Olympic Games

: The Olympics are an international sports competition which are held every four years in different locations around the world. They feature summer and winter sports competitions in which thousands of athletes participate in various competitions.

Pablo Picasso

: Pablo Picasso was a Spanish painter, sculptor, printmaker, ceramicist and stage designer who spent most of his adult life in France. He is best known for co-founding the Cubist movement and for his contributions to Surrealism and Symbolism.

Reggae

: Reggae is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1960s, characterized by a heavy backbeat rhythm.

Social Media

: Social media refers to websites and applications that enable users to create and share content or participate in social networking. It includes platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter etc.

Toyota

: Toyota is a multinational automotive manufacturer based in Japan. It's one of the largest car manufacturers in the world, known for its production system and emphasis on quality control.

Willem de Kooning

: Willem de Kooning was a Dutch-American artist who became one of the most prominent and celebrated artists in the Abstract Expressionism movement. He was known for his 'Woman' series and his aggressive brushwork.

9.6 Globalized Culture after 1900

6 min readjanuary 8, 2023

Harrison Burnside

Harrison Burnside

Natalie Pineda

Natalie Pineda

dylan_black_2025

dylan_black_2025

Harrison Burnside

Harrison Burnside

Natalie Pineda

Natalie Pineda

dylan_black_2025

dylan_black_2025

Introduction

In 1964, the Beatles arrived in the United States for the first time, kicking off a wave of "" that swept across the globe. This moment, which has come to be known as the "," marked a major turning point in the history of globalized culture, as the Beatles and other British bands introduced new styles and sounds to audiences around the world. The success of the Beatles and other British bands reflected the increasing interconnectedness of the world in the 20th century, as advances in transportation and communication made it easier for people and ideas to cross national borders. In this study guide, we will delve into the many ways in which globalized culture has impacted and influenced the world in the 20th century, exploring the ways in which it has enriched and challenged traditional ways of life and impacted art, music, literature, and other cultural forms.

Consumer Culture

In the later half of the 20th century, became popular in the context of a globalized world. In the United States, citizens experienced economic prosperity after recovering from World War II and the Great Depression. Many families earned three times as much as they did before WWII, and they were ready to spend it 🤑

Many economies became dependent on one another through trade. Media helped to facilitate advertising which, combined with the growing population of the middle class, both contributed to . Commerce transcended borders and led to the creation of convenient consumerism. Companies like , , and are examples of convenient online commerce. Global brands like and facilitated the global economy and blurred the lines between borders. 

The Media

Political and social changes in the world change the way artists present and view themselves. Changes in the world also changed media consumerism. The spread of common wealth and access to technology gave rise to a shared cultural experience between borders. Western influence in music and movies spread across borders. 

Similarly, music from different nations spread across the globe. For example, the genre of , originally from Jamaica,  spread in the United States, Great Britain, and Africa. This came with the rise of the popular artist , who sold more than 75 million records at the height of his career. The Hindi film industry, , became a globalized industry and produces the most movies out of any film industry each year. These films are viewed by non-Indian countries and actors have found popularity in Western media.

, the coined term for interactiveness via websites and social applications, undeniably led to cultures becoming connected through shared experiences online. To those who have access to it, creates a way for information to be shared instantaneously. In 2003, , an online social network, was launched and has since gained 2.8 billion active users per month. That's nearly half the world population participating each month!

A Brief History of 20th Century Art

The 20th century was a time of great artistic change and innovation, with many new movements and styles emerging on the global stage. One of the most significant movements of the century was , which was developed by artists such as and . Inspired by the work of Paul Cézanne, sought to break down the traditional barriers between art and reality, creating a new way of representing the world through fragmented, geometric shapes.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/7/74/PicassoGuernica.jpg

Pablo Picasso, Guernica, 1937.

Another important movement of the 20th century was , which emerged in the aftermath of World War I as a reaction to the chaos and devastation of the war. Dada artists rejected traditional aesthetics and embraced absurdity, creating works that were meant to shock and provoke.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/dd/Marcel_Duchamp%2C_1917%2C_Fountain%2C_photograph_by_Alfred_Stieglitz.jpg/1280px-Marcel_Duchamp%2C_1917%2C_Fountain%2C_photograph_by_Alfred_Stieglitz.jpg

Marcel Duchamp, Fountain, 1917.

was another major movement of the 20th century, and it had a particularly strong impact on the art scene in the United States. This movement, which was led by artists such as and , focused on the emotional power of abstract forms and lines, and was seen as a reflection of the tumultuous times in which it emerged.

These are just a few examples of the many artistic movements and styles that emerged in the 20th century, and it is clear that the global context of the time had a significant influence on the direction of these movements. From the devastation of World War I to the social and political upheavals of the 1960s and beyond, the art of the 20th century reflects the many challenges and changes of the time. You're not required to be an art expert for the AP World Exam (check out AP Art History for that!) but understanding how global processes in the 1900s affected culture is important.

Global Culture in Sports

Television and gave rise to sports being broadcast around the world. National teams were no longer secluded to a certain region—instead they were now on display for the globe to see. This led to heightened competition among countries and international sports competitions. 

For example, the , an ancient Greek sporting event,  became internationalized in 1924 in France when the International Olympic Committee (IOC) was created to revitalize the Olympics. They created an international athletic competition to be held every four years. The Olympics was broadcast on television in 1936 during the Berlin Games. The five interlocked rings in the official symbol represent the interjoining of North and South America, Africa, Europe, Asia, and Australia. In 2016, the had 3.6 billion people watching. That’s almost half of the world’s population—talk about globalization!

https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/fiveable-92889.appspot.com/o/images%2F-NtZF9dVWKWTa.png?alt=media&token=f8c95bd1-a7c2-4c8a-bf64-1a89b3aacbb0

This image is courtesy of the International Olympic Committee, and demonstrates the Olympic symbol.

The is an international soccer competition where teams from every nation compete for the title of World Cup. The World Cup started in 1919, but didn’t proclaim itself to be the highest footballing authority until 1928. The World Cup competition was organized outside of the Olympics and was the biggest soccer tournament in the world. By 1932, over 32 countries were a part of the World Cup. In 2010, 204 countries were in the qualifying round to participate in the competition. 

This event is broadcast every four years on nearly every cable channel. Many soccer players like Neymar da Silva, Mia Hamm, and N’Golo Kante, to name a few, have become internationalized celebrities from their titles won in the .

These topics have actually been addressed in an AP World exam before! Check out the 2008 DBQ.

Religion

The ease of transportation and exchanging of ideas on promoted new religious developments. These exchanges of ideas were displayed in music, art, and television; artists use their art as a form of self expression and a way to share their religious ideologies. 

For example, in the 1970s , former Beatles band member, went to India and was captivated by the religion. Hare Krishana is a mystical sect of Hinduism based on traditional Hindu scriptures. Shortly after, the Beatles debuted their song called “Inner Light” which contains lyrics that pay ode to Hare Krishana beliefs. This affected American culture and planted the Hari Krishna movement in the United States.

Key Terms to Review (27)

Abstract Expressionism

: Abstract Expressionism is an art movement that emerged in the United States after World War II. It's characterized by abstract or non-representational artwork, where artists express their emotions and ideas through non-traditional means such as gestural brushstrokes, color fields, and spontaneous drips.

Alibaba

: Alibaba Group Holding Limited is a Chinese multinational conglomerate specializing in e-commerce, retail, internet, and technology.

Amazon

: Amazon.com, Inc. is an American multinational technology company based in Seattle that focuses on e-commerce, cloud computing, digital streaming, and artificial intelligence.

Another Key Term

: This is the definition of another key term

Beatlemania

: Beatlemania refers to the intense fan frenzy directed towards the English rock band, The Beatles, during the 1960s. It was characterized by extreme enthusiasm and obsession over their music, style, and personalities.

Bob Marley

: Bob Marley was a Jamaican singer-songwriter who became an international musical and cultural icon, blending mostly reggae, ska, and rocksteady in his compositions. He is known for popularizing reggae music around the world and served as a symbol of Jamaican culture and identity.

Bollywood

: Bollywood is an informal term used to represent the Hindi-language film industry based in Mumbai (formerly known as Bombay), India. It's one of the largest centers of film production in the world.

British Invasion

: The British Invasion was a cultural phenomenon of the mid-1960s when rock and pop music acts from the United Kingdom became popular in the United States.

Coca-Cola

: Coca-Cola is an American multinational beverage corporation known for its flagship product, a carbonated soft drink also named Coca-Cola.

Consumer Culture

: Consumer culture refers to a societal system in which consumption of goods and services is not only a dominant economic activity but also an important social and cultural activity.

Cubism

: Cubism is an artistic style developed in the early 20th century by Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque. It involves presenting objects from multiple angles at once as geometric shapes.

Dadaism

: Dadaism is an avant-garde intellectual movement that started during World War I in Zurich. It's characterized by a rejection of the prevailing standards in art through anti-art cultural works.

eBay

: eBay is an American multinational e-commerce corporation that facilitates consumer-to-consumer and business-to-consumer sales through its website.

Facebook

: Facebook is a popular global social networking site where users can post comments, share photographs and links to news or other interesting content on the web, play games, chat live, stream live video etc.

FIFA World Cup

: The FIFA World Cup is an international football tournament held every four years. It's organized by the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), and it involves teams from all over the world.

George Harrison

: George Harrison was an English musician, singer-songwriter, and music and film producer who achieved international fame as the lead guitarist of the Beatles. He is often referred to as "the quiet Beatle" due to his introspective nature.

Georges Braque

: Georges Braque was a major 20th-century French painter and sculptor who, along with Pablo Picasso, developed the art style known as Cubism.

Hare Krishna

: The Hare Krishna movement is a branch of Hinduism known formally as Gaudiya Vaishnavism. Its name comes from its chant — Hare Krishna — which devotees repeat over and over. It was popularized in the West by Swami Prabhupada.

International Olympic Committee (IOC)

: The International Olympic Committee is an international non-governmental organization that organizes the modern Olympic Games and Youth Olympic Games, held in summer and winter, every four years.

Jackson Pollock

: Jackson Pollock was an influential American painter and a major figure in the Abstract Expressionist movement. He became famous for his technique of dripping or pouring paint onto canvas laid on the ground, which he would then manipulate with various tools.

Marcel Duchamp

: Marcel Duchamp was a French-American painter, sculptor, chess player, and writer whose work is associated with Dadaism and conceptual art.

Olympic Games

: The Olympics are an international sports competition which are held every four years in different locations around the world. They feature summer and winter sports competitions in which thousands of athletes participate in various competitions.

Pablo Picasso

: Pablo Picasso was a Spanish painter, sculptor, printmaker, ceramicist and stage designer who spent most of his adult life in France. He is best known for co-founding the Cubist movement and for his contributions to Surrealism and Symbolism.

Reggae

: Reggae is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1960s, characterized by a heavy backbeat rhythm.

Social Media

: Social media refers to websites and applications that enable users to create and share content or participate in social networking. It includes platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter etc.

Toyota

: Toyota is a multinational automotive manufacturer based in Japan. It's one of the largest car manufacturers in the world, known for its production system and emphasis on quality control.

Willem de Kooning

: Willem de Kooning was a Dutch-American artist who became one of the most prominent and celebrated artists in the Abstract Expressionism movement. He was known for his 'Woman' series and his aggressive brushwork.


© 2024 Fiveable Inc. All rights reserved.

AP® and SAT® are trademarks registered by the College Board, which is not affiliated with, and does not endorse this website.


© 2024 Fiveable Inc. All rights reserved.

AP® and SAT® are trademarks registered by the College Board, which is not affiliated with, and does not endorse this website.