Social Democratic Party. 1863. Oldest German political party. Marxist to 1959. Now less radical.

Socialist Revolutionary Party. 1901-22. Russia. Sought classless society. Suppressed by Bolsheviks.

Soddy, Frederick. 1877-1956. English chemist. Isotope theory.

Sodom. c1900BC. Biblical city destroyed for wickedness. Gomorrah.

Solferino, Battle. 1859. Victor-Emmanuel gains Lombardy during Risorgimento. Carnage leads to Red Cross.

Solzhenitsyn, Aleksandr. 1918-2008. Russian novelist. Expelled 1974. Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich 1962. Gulag Archipelago 1973.

Sonderbund. 1845-7. League of Catholic Swiss cantons defeated in civil war.

Sophia Alekseyevna. 1657-1704. Regent of Russia 1682-9 for Ivan V and Peter I.

Sorel, Agnès. 1422-50. First “officially recognized” mistress of French king.

Sorel, George. 1847-1922. French advocate of revolutionary syndicalism. Reflection on Violence 1908 justified violence and general strikes. Influenced Mussolini.

Soul. Immaterial essence of man. Recognized by most cultures, but in varying forms.

South Africa. 1910 Britain unites possessions: Cape of Good Hope + Natal + Orange Free State + Transvaal = Union of South Africa. Constitution included white supremacy. 1920 +German South-West Africa by mandate. 1948 Apartheid. 1961 = Republic of South Africa; left Commonwealth. 1990 -Namibia 1994 ANC gains power.

Soviet. Basic governing body of USSR. Legislative +executive functions from local to national.

Spaak, Paul. 1899-1972. Belgian Prime Minister. First President of UN General assembly. EEC, Benelux, NATO.

Spanish Marriages, Affair of. 1846. Isabella’s sister, heir marries French prince, despite Spanish assurances, causing English/French rift.

Spanish Succession, War. 1701-14. Britain, Holy Roman Empire, Netherlands vs Spain, France. Opposed French Philip V succession to Spanish throne creating power imbalance. Queen Anne’s War.

Spartacus. -71BC. Leader of slaves revolt against Rome 73BC. Defeated and killed by Crassus. Servile War.

Spencer, Diana. 1961-97. Beloved Princess of Wales 1981-. 1992 Separated. 1996 Divorced.

Spencer, Herbert. 1820-1903. English evolutionist philosopher. “Survival of the fittest.” Associationism. Anti-socialism, “Best government is the least government.” The Synthetic Philosophy 1860-96. Liberal Utilitarianism.

Speranski, Mikhail. 1772-1839. Russian adviser of Czar Alexander I. Reform advocate, law code compiler.

Sperry, Elmer. 1860-1930. US inventor of gyrocompass, improved dynamo, arc lamp.

Splendid Isolation. 1895-1902. Salisbury foreign policy. British naval strength required no ally.

Spoils System. 19C US political patronage.

Sprengtporten, G.M. 1740-1819. Finnish colonel. Finland to join Russian Empire.

Sputnik. 1957. Russia launches first artificial satellite.

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