Monotheistic religions are differentiated from polytheistic religions in that monotheistic religions believe in only one deity while polytheistic religions believe in many. Examples of monotheistic religions are Christianity, Judaism, and Islam, whereas examples of polytheistic religions are Hinduism, Paganism, and Roman, Egyptian, and Greek mythologies. 

Zoroastrianism arose in the eastern region of the ancient Persian Empire in about the seventh century BCE. It involves two opposing forces of good and evil and one god. Zoroastrianism is generally considered by historians to be the first monotheistic religion in human history and a great influencing factor in the development of Judaism and, later, Christianity and Islam. Today, somewhere between five hundred thousand and three million people identify as Zoroastrians.

Daoism is an ancient religion founded approximately in the fourth century BCE. Its principle tenets are the belief in yin and yang and the balance of the universe. In Daoism, oneness with nature is very important.

Zoroastrianism arose in the Persian Empire in roughly the seventh century BCE. Along with Judaism, it is one of the earliest known monotheistic religions. Its influence has waned significantly in the last thousand years, but it is still practiced by over 100,000 people worldwide.

Zarathustra, also called Zoroaster, is the founder of the ancient religion of Zoroastrianism. Zoroastrianism is often considered to be the earliest known monotheistic religion, predating Judaism, although academic consensus on this has not yet been reached. 

Jainism is an Ancient Indian religion that arose in approximately the seventh century B.C.E. It still is influential today, although there are relatively few practicioners outside of India. The central tenets of Jainism are nonviolence and self-control. 

Fascism shared many goals of socialism, such as a living wage and shared economic indpendence, but sought those goals through close work with corporations. Leaders like Benito Mussolini and Adolph Hitler used corporate leaders as important backers and gave them preferential treatment in government contracts. This "third way" was characteristic of Fascism's approach to economics.

Totalitarianism is total rule and control in the hands of one all-powerful leader. Contemporary examples of totalitarianism include North Korea and Syria. Totalitarianism is usually characterized by having a charismatic leader, the use of modern technology to suppress the population, extensive propaganda to ensure loyalty of the population, and a complete lack of freedom of the press.

The majority of South American countries became republics at the moment of their independence. Many of them would later regress to totalitarian regimes led by armed forces, but they began as republics. Brazil differed from the other South American countries in that it had a strong and assured monarchy, most notably lead by the great Pedro II for much of the nineteenth century.

The Revolutions of 1848 began in France at the beginning of the year, but promptly spread to almost sixty countries around Europe, South America, and the Pacific. The revolutionaries desired, amongst other things, greater political participation at the expense of the entrenched ruling aristocracy and national independence from the few massive empires; however, the revolutions were very disorganized and were soon defeated at the hands of reactionary forces. The system of empires and monarchies would last for another century until the chaos and destruction of World Wars One and Two ended the age of empire seemingly forever.

The Taiping Rebellion was a civil war fought in Southern China from 1850 to 1863. The war was fought between the ruling Qing Dynasty and the rebelling millennial movement lead by Hong Xiuquan. The Boxer Rebellion occurred in China from 1898 to 1900. It was fought in opposition to foreign interference in Chinese affairs. The November Revolution in Russia occurred in 1917. It witnessed the overthrow of the Russian provisional government by Lenin and the Bolsheviks. The Arab Revolt occurred in Palestine between 1936 and 1939. It was an uprising of Palestinians who objected to British and French control of the region. The Easter Uprising occurred in British-controlled Ireland in 1916. The Uprising intended to ensure Irish independence from the British empire and the establishment of an Irish Republic. Aside from the November Revolution, all these rebellions failed.