Saturday, December 13, 2008

The Opium Wars

"The opium wars" was the world's very first "drug war" between the years of 1939 to 1942.  During this time China was popular because of its tea that they had grown. The people in Britain were interested in this Tea so they decided to buy from it. However, China at the time had a different overview from the outside world. Their Kings and rulers believed that the people in China should have no reason to explore in other countries at all. They thought that they were the most advanced in technology than any other country. (This was not True; they were a little behind on things like big machine guns and stuff like that).  China didnt accept anything from britain, but they didn't mind selling their Tea to them. They traded at a specific location which was the port of Canton. Eventually Britain wasn't comfortable with this.  They felt they needed to Balance the trade, in this case sell something back to them.  The people of Britain began exchanging their Opium for tea. Opium is a drug which  is grown in india and sent to Britain by merchants. Opium is used to make morphine and heroin. The chinese people became really addicted to this newly introduced drug. However the Rulers of China banned this opium because they were spending to much gold and silver. This law got too serious & now it came to the point if anyone was caught smoking Opium they shall be executed. Britain wasnt too happy bout this so they attacked China. Since China was attacked unsurprisingly Britain wound up winning badly. China lost their most important island which was Hong Kong, and they suffered deafeat.!!

Wednesday, December 3, 2008

''Mountains of the Moon"

Richard Burton and John Speak dealt with many hardships throughout their exploration in Africa. These two men were European explorers. As shown in the film "Mountains of the Moon they they faced a lot of problems with the africans. Since people from Africa didn't know who these strange white men were, they assaulted them .Eventually Richard Burton and John Speak would have to defend themselves or just try and run away. These africans had their own local tribes, and were armed with spears and other hand-made weapons. These two explorers were in search of the Nile River. However a source of the Nile River was known as lake Victoria. This lake originally got its name from a British Queen. Since Burton and spleak's queen was Queen Victoria, they decided to name the lake "LAKE VICTORIA" As we now know today; Lake Victoria is the third largest lake in the world! Richard Burton and John spleak faced rough times because they'd get captured and torchered if the africans ever got a hold of them. The purpose of all this was to search for the great Nile River. SOme primary technological advantages these europeans had against the africans were guns and other advanced weapons. They also had advanced skills such as knowledge and a way of communication. Knowledge is power, without no knowledge then you have no power. In this case people in europe had a steady organized government, where people dont live out on the streets or hunt for their own food. They have a shelter, clothing, marketing open harbors for ships to import and export goods. African people had NONE of this!! So this is how basically Europeans were able to conquer africa so easily.

Wednesday, November 26, 2008

The Meiji Restoration of Japan

Japan was separated for about two centuries;It had been locked away from the outside world. By 1615, after a century of civil war, the powerful Lord Tokugawa had defeated his enemies and declared himself Shogun, ruler of all Japan. Tokugawa divided society into four ranks: at the bottom were the merchants; then came the artisans; just above them were the farmers, who gave up half their rice harvest to those at the top, the Samurai. Matthew Perry was a Commodore who headed to Japan at the bay near yedo. When Matthew came, the people from Japan were facinated with his four ships he had brought. They were steamships, ran on coal and water. They called them ''Black ships". Japan was an archipelago which meant that is was made up of a chain of islands. Japan was well known because it was an archipelago. They industrialized well togethether because Matthew perry either asked them or wanted it to do it by force. He wanted something from Japan, since he supplied/introduced "the black ships". This is how they industrialized; even if it felt like they didnt have a choice. Commodore Perry knew that he had more advanced technology than the people from Japan. The Meiji Restoration was when an emperor from Japan wanted to learn the abilities or any improved technologies that were located in the west. He sent some of his people to a specific area alongside the west. Since he felt Japan was coming around really slow. He managed to gather studies from Europeans and American civilazations.This was passed on to other people from Japan. Eventually Japan had a banking system and a local fine government. Although back at the time they still relied on their Samurais and Shoguns. This was the Meiji restoration of Japan.

The Meiji Restoration of Japan

Thursday, November 6, 2008

Karl Marx and Communism

Karl Marx had a totally different overview about the people during the Industrial Revolution. He didnt like the fact that the rich were becoming more wealthy and that the poor were becoming more homeless. Karl Marx's had an idea of communism. His new idea was that everyone should express themselves as equal individuals. Everyone should have equal rights, and equal amount of money. He wanted everyone to be United as ONE! Although before the civilization was split into two classes. The bourgeoisie and the proletariat. The bourgeoisie were the ones that were the factory owners/or offered jobs. The proletariat were the ones that worked in factories.
Karl Marx believed that he had many followers and that they would support him. He actually became successful. Even though everyone would get equal shares in everything, People would start to get Real LaZY... Workers are taking advantage that by not doing anything they would still get paid. Karl Marx had a very good idea, but just notgood enough.

Monday, November 3, 2008

Karl Marx and the Industrial Revolution

Karl Marx was A German who made a big change during the time of the Industrial Revolution. He hated the treatments of workers in Europe.
Conditions in European factories were very harsh and unsafe. Marx argued that workers, rather than landlords, should control factories and farms. He urged the "workers of the world to unite" in a worldwide revolution. Marx's ideas were known as Communism, a word formed for common. Workers would share wealth in a communist society. Marx wrote that wealth should be distributed "from each according to his abilities, to each according to his needs." He was born a Jew, but his father converted the family to Christianity in order to get a job. Marx did not believe in god and thought workers were controlled by religion. He said, "religion is the opiate of the people." He soon died in 1883. Marx believed that workers would control government, but communist governments were strict and dictatorial. Workers were often forced to work on huge collective farms and factory workers.

Thursday, October 16, 2008

Nationalism and the Creation of Italy

Nationalism is belonging to, rooting for and fighting for your own country. I am nationalistic by supporting our soldiers to win wars (like Iraq) . Supporting our soldiers shows that you care for this country. People die to defend us and our flag. You couldnt be any more nationalistic about that. One thing that I do to show that I am Nationalistic is that when I am older I would vote for a President that really cares about us Americans. I believe that is the main thing that shows you can actually do something to be nationalistic. Most people who were nationalists back then were loyal to their people, not mainly to their king. Italy was formed from the territory of crumpled Empires. For example like Austria, and Russia and other countries. As soon as Italy was "formed" people made a small national group. No one over the age of 40 was allowed to join it. People in Italy were still under the control of Austria. they ruled all of the Italian Provinces. Camillo di Cavour united with france to get rid of the Austrians in the northern Italian provinces. They won two great quick victories and soon he kept his eye on the south. Now a new leader named Giuseppe Garibaldi controlled the south. all three leaders met and Garibaldi agreed that the Sardinian king should rule.

Friday, October 10, 2008

Simon Bolivar and Latin American Revoultions

Simon Bolivar was known as the liberator. He had organized and led military forces, outnumbering most forces known to mankind. Simon Bolivar was famous for gathering a small group of followers to defeat the spanish occupiers through suprise attacks and wise decisions in the midst of battle. Simon Bolivar was born on JULY 24 1783. He had wealthy parents, however they had passed away before he got into his teens. His new guradian had faith in him. He had many tutors and researched Locke, Roussure and Voltaire. He had also researched the accompishments of Napoleon. He was from Venezuela and wanted independence for him and his country. He drew up a constitution for Bolivia after upper Peru made a seperate state. This is how his they named the country after his name. (1825)

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

The Trail Galileo

Galileo studied Astronomy as soon as the telescope was invented. This was during the 16th cenury and people believed in something called heliocentric. Heliocentric was a theory that explained that the sun was once located in the center of the solarsystem. Galileo believed in something else. He believed that everything revolved around the center of the earth. Even the sun! This was known as Geocentric. Galileo made a Huge disagreement on what other people believed in. He actually disobeyed the catholic church. However this disagreement lead to his trial. Galileo was disagreeing with everything and everyone, even the church. Poeple really trusted and relied on the church back then. Therefore this lead up to his trial.

Robespierre and The Reign of Terror

The Reign of Terror occured fifteen months after the onset of the french revolution. Many peoplehad died, such large numbers between 16,000 to 40,000. The terror was designed to fight the enemies of the revolution, to prevent counter-revolution from gaining gorund. Most of the people were families. A man can be forced to go to the guillotine for saying something critical towards the revolutionary government. Maximilien Robespierre was a man who took control of the government and tired to wipe out any trace of the old monarchy kings, queens , and jacks were removed out of playing cards. They were replaced with the faces of revolutionaries. He made his own calander by taking out the sundays of every week. He believed this was an old religion that shouldnt be carried out no more. Maximilien Robespierre ruled france like a dictator. He main rule was " The Reign of Terror". Almost everybody was executed by the government and no one was safe at the time. Soon enough Robespierre had sent queen Marie Antoinette to the reign of terror only because she stepped on the executer's foot. Eventually people grew tired of the reign of terror, so they organized a secret government to eliminate Robespierre. This was the last of him and the reign of terror.

The French Revolution

1) A.People were so critical against Nobility because they were rich and didn't need to pay taxes as much as the other people did. They basically had complete power in peasants and did not have to take part in any of the federal military services. The nobes were pretty much luxurious. After all they were the second estate.
B. They were okayy richh people. They lived the life of half luxurious. Actuall maybe even more. They controlled everythingg militaryy and the kingdom.
C.The 3rd estate is known as the Clergy. Clergy relies on churches. these people are like the nobes, except not paing that many taxes.

2) Male peasasants didnt pay. They were all so poor. They couldnt feed their families or themselves.As much as for females they were useless.

3)In this picture its representing a peasent carrying a federal lord. Also you see the clergy on the side. This means he's forced to pay taxes, also follow the rules from the clergy or of any higher . The caption explains how badley the peasant wants to be free of all this.

4)

Thursday, September 18, 2008

John Locke and "The Enlightenment"

John Locke was a man who influenced Thomas Jefferson and the Decloration of Independence. He believed that all men were created equal. Everyone had rights. These rights were to bring happiness and joy to mostly everybody. Governments were instituted by men. They are formed by strong powerful people and their job is to secure certain rights. They also make sure that everyone should follow them. The Decloration of Independence carried many laws. These laws were followed by mostly everyone. It should keep a system of people calm and certain. Especially so there wouldnt be any wars or big fights. Also if the government ever gets out of hand, like for example they'll be destructive and control everything then the people have a certain Right to alter it or abolish it. The government are like guards, however the government gets its power from the people. Such as Taxes and other things.

Thursday, September 11, 2008

Scientific Revolution: The Scientific Method

The Scientific method refers to a body of techniques for investigating, or acquiring new knowledge. Scientists use the scientific method to search for cause and effect in relationships in nature. In other words, they design an experiment so that changes to one item cause something else to vary in a predictable way. The scientific method deals with constructing a hypothesis, designing an experiment and explain your result. Scientist designed many experiments in order to prove certain things in life and in nature. Aristotle was proven wrong so many times. Many other scientists after him were able to prove certain experiments. So basically they didnt accept a given idea or theory. They came up with their own conclusions.

Friday, September 5, 2008

Evolution vs Creation

Evolution and Creation are two different things. However some things they have in common. There are many theories for evolution. Darwin was a scientist who came up with several types of theories for evolution. One of them was called "Theory of Evolution---Premise". It explains that all life related life forms come from a certain decendent ancestor. Some how birds and bannanas are related. Fish and flowers have a small thing in common. Over time things change. Creation however is the religious belief that earth, humanity life and universe were created by a single god. This may or may not be true. Nobody really knows because you are dealing with science against religion.
I believe that evolution is correct because it deals with science. Science can be proven. Religion is what you believe or follow. The evolution theory actually makes sense. Over time things really evolve. Some are facts and yet some are opinions. Noone really knows.

Thursday, September 4, 2008