Kimberly's Global Blog

Mikhail Gorbachev and the Collapse of Communism

2009-05-13T07:07:00.001-07:00

Film Lesson-" The Right Stuff"

2009-04-08T07:07:00.000-07:00

Beginning of the Space Race
-The film "The Right Stuff" was about the competition between the United States and the Russians during the Cold War. One of the conflicts that took place during this war was the space race.The Russians had developed a space program and were working to be the first ones in outer space. The space race began after the Russians launched the first satellite called Sputnik on October 4,1957. The United States became furious and sought ways to defeat the Russians. The first way was the U.S created the program called NASA (the National Aeronautics and Space Administration) which focused on exploring outer space.

"The Right Stuff"
- The opening of the film is the United States trying to break the sound barrier. After several unsuccessful attempts, the U.S had finally broke the sound barrier defeating the Russians. Some news reporters were present the day the sound barrier was broken but they were told not to print it out for fear that the Russians would take another step forward. The U.S had selected seven pilots to be the first men to on outer space, however the Americans were still uneasy of sending them and decided to send a monkey first. The Russians took the chance and sent the first man to space on April 12, 1961. The United States became a laughingstock for sending a monkey instead of a man. The space race ended when the U.S sent the first man on the moon on July 20, 1969.

- The scenes that will remind me of the Cold War was the rivalry between the U.S and the Russians. In parts of the movie, a meeting would take place between the President and the spies who had taken footage of the Russians space program. Another would be the tests that the pilots had to go through. The space program was very selective and wanted only the healthiest, and the most intelligent pilots who could handle being in outer space. The pilot who had broken the sound barrier was not offered the chance because he had not gone to college but he was better than the rest of the pilots who had been chosen to compete. When the seven pilots were selected it took many months for the United States to successfully launch a rocket. They spent millions of dollars on trying to fix the rockets and it stalled the United States' chance to beat the Russians.

NATO and the Warsaw Pact

2009-04-06T07:11:00.000-07:00

Cold War ( mid 1940-1990s)
- After World War II had ended, the United States and the Soviet Union began to compete with each other. The Increased tensions between these two countries became known as the Cold War. Weapons, technological advances, military, and the space race were some of the things they fought for. The U.S and the Soviets were complete opposites of each other. The U.S believed in personal freedom while the Soviets believed in total censorship. Many conflicts arose during this time but neither of these countries ever came into battle. A deep mistrust, continued for 50 years between the two superpowers.

NATO
- NATO( North Atlantic Treaty Organization) was established between the European countries and the United States. It was signed on April 4, 1949.Some of the European nations economy were damaged because of the war, the countries agreed to help under the Marshall Plan.Another reason for the formation of NATO was for alliance and protection from the Soviets. If the country was attacked than the other nations would come to its defense. The Western countries' relationship with the Soviets worsened the more the nations depended on NATO.

Warsaw Pact
-The Warsaw Pact was formed by the communist countries in Central and Eastern Europe. It was signed in Warsaw, Poland on May 14,1955. The reason for its formation was the Soviets response to Western Germany for joining NATO. Among those who joined the pact apart from the Soviet Union were Poland,East Germany, Hungary, and Romania.Same as NATO these countries formed a mutual defense alliance. They had a stronger ground force than that of NATO. The Warswaw Pact became nonexistent after 1991, after the Soviet Union collapsed.

Film Lesson:Schindler's List

2009-03-27T07:15:00.000-07:00

Oskar Schindler
- Oskar Schindler was a German industrialist who owned a factory in Poland. Schindler was unemployed during the time he joined the Nazis, looking for an opportunity took make money and naturally took advantage of Germany's invasion of Poland. Instead of employing Polish laborers, Schindler used Jewish slave workers. They were much cheaper to employ and Schindler became wealthy.

- In 1942, Schindler witnessed the wrath of Nazis against the Jews. He watched the liquidation of the Krakow Ghetto whose inhabitants were being sent to concentration camps. Schindler persuaded the Nazis to let him keep the Jewish workers as a way to protect them from the gas chambers. He recruited more Jewish workers, and did everything possible to keep them alive. He saw the Jewish people as human beings instead of animals who were being slaughtered.Towards the end of the war Schindler freed his workers and became a hero. He was buried in Jerusalem and received " The Righteous Among Nations". This award was given to the people who put their own lives in danger in order to save the Jews.

The Movie
- The scenes that were very powerful to me were the children who were hiding from the Nazis in the concentration camps. The children were being put into trucks, some had escaped and were being chased by the soldiers. One boy desperately began to look for a place to hide and he ended up hiding in one of the bathrooms. Another scene was when the Jewish people were shoveling all the snow and the Nazis took out an old man from the line. He was killed in front of everybody, and because of his age he couldn't work as fast as the others.

-The images that will stay with me forever are the piles of dead bodies the Nazis were burning to hide the evidence. Hundreds of Jews were carrying the dead ones in wheelbarrows while the Nazis watched with towels on their faces. One Nazi soldier becomes deranged and begins to shoot the dead bodies. Schindler is horrified but does not stop the Nazi from shooting. One scene that I thought showed that Schindler cared for his workers was when he let them free and dared the Nazi guards to take them away. One by one the guards left, and Schindler asked the Jews for a moment of silence for those who had perished.

-Oskar Schindler may had been a greedy Nazi but his heart saved 1,200 Jews from dying. He was a hero in many ways and earned the respect of thousands of Jews generations after the Holocaust.

Film Lesson: Night and Fog

2009-03-26T06:56:00.000-07:00

-The movie " Night and Fog" was a very powerful film because it was very hard to watch in some scenes. I saw the fear in their eyes while the Nazis forced them in the trains to that would lead to their death.They were dehumanized because the Nazis took away their clothes, jewelry, shaved their heads, took away their names and families. The Nazis forced them to live in poor conditions, hoping that they would die. The scene that was devastating to see was when they showed the sick prisoners and how thin they were.I felt their pain because they were dying slowly and in the most horrible way. The SS doctors experimented on them which I thought was the most immoral thing they did to the Jews because it left their skin destroyed and they had open wounds.

- I've read about the Holocaust, seen pictures of the concentration camps but this documentary showed the suffering of the Jews. When they were led by the Nazis to the gas chambers it showed how desperate the Jews were to live. They tried to claw their way and left marks on the walls and ceilings. All the dead bodies were the same, each face had fear and their eyes had no hope in them.Some of the prisoners committed suicide by throwing themselves against the electric gates.The Nazis kept diligent records on their prisoners, and then they tried to deny what they did in the Nuremberg trials. They even showed the Allies reaction when they found the concentration camps and what they had to do.

- These images were more brutal to watch than Schindler's List because they more accurate emotionally. The documentary showed more of the devastation of the concentration camps and how they lived in misery. Each day the Jewish people had to watch as their own died while the Nazis rejoiced. These two films had different point of views, the compassion of one Nazi soldier and the genocide of one entire race.

The Treaty of Versailles (ended WWI)

2009-02-24T06:57:00.000-08:00

Post WWI
- Towards the end of World War I, the countries were still at battle to see who would take the blame for starting the war.Even the though the ceasefire took place on November 11,1918 it did not stop the Allies and the Central Powers from fighting. Exactly six months after the assisation of the Archduke that started the war, a peace treat was signed between the nations.

Treaty of Versailles
- On June 18, 1919, the Allies and the Central Powers gathered at the Palace of Versailles. Among them were twenty-seven other nations who also took part in the negotiations. Since the Central Powers had been defeated they were not allowed to take part in the negotiations.Germany was forced to take the blame and its consequences.The peace treaty consisted of stripping away Germany's lands and reduced the size of its army. Belgium was increased, and Germany had to pay for the expenses from the war. Austria and Hungary had separate peace treaties.

Germany's Reaction
-The people of Germany were outraged because of the treaty stated.Germany was offended that they couldn't take part in the treaty or fight for the unfair negotiations against them They didn't like the fact that they had to pay for all expenses and they had to take the fall. It took a toll on Germany's economy and led to a Depression. Millions of Germans were out of work and the government struggled to make ends meet. Once the United States stopped giving out loans to Germany it became very weak. It left many Germans seeking revenge.

Rise of Hitler
- I don't believe that the so called "peace" treaty was fair at all. For one thing Germany did not start the war, Austria declared war against Serbia which caused a chain of events. Germany was the most aggressive of the Central Powers but they should have not taken the fall. Germany's economy was struggling long before the war ended because they exaggerated the costs in military. It left Germany in crisis which of course would led to more war. Adolf Hitler and other Fascists came to power because of the unfair Treaty. They wanted revenge because their country was suffering and the people believed that Fascist leaders would pull them out of their depression and lead them back to their old glory.

Mustafa Kemal (Atatruk) and the Moderization of Turkey

2009-02-11T07:08:00.000-08:00

Mustafa Kemal
Mustafa Kemal was the First President of the Turkish Republic during the 20th century. The Turkish people were proud of their national liberator.He was the leader of the Turkish emancipation. Mustafa first started in the military before he became the leader of Turkey.He was able to fight off and defeat his enemies on the East, West and the South with an unstable army.He holds a perfect military record of having only victories and has never been defeated which makes him one of the most brilliant strategists in the world. The people of Turkey feel nothing but gratitude to the man who gave a Turkey a new life.

Secularism and the Six Arrows
-Secularism is the separation of state from religion, religion from education, cultural and legal affairs. Mustafa Kemal made up the Six Arrows in which he hoped to modernize Turkey. The Six Arrows are as follows: Republicanism,Populism, Secularism,Reformism, Nationalism and Statism. Each of these "arrows" summarize Kemal's plans for Turkey. He chose to make Turkey a republic government because he believed that it was the only way he could fufill the people's desire. In populism he gave woman more rights, and he believed that no class was above any other. This would give a true sense of unification of the country.Reformism was very important to Kemal. He replaced traditional values and modernized them. For example he refused to let the Turkish people wear fez's on their heads, and he "westernized" their clothes.Nationalism was to preserve Turkey's independence.They respected one another and they did not make others feel inferior to them. Mustafa wanted his people to know that the people was what made the country so great. Statism was "Turkey's complete modernization". Kemal emphasized that Turkey could only thrive from their economy and technological development. The state was the main source of economic activities and the owners of major companies or industries in the country.

More Reforms
- Mustafa Kemal stressed that education was the important thing in the world.The only way that the country could get better socially and economically was if the people got the best education. He declared himself as the Prime Minister of Education. He expanded education for everyone and made it free so that everyone could have a chance to learn. He also valued peace. He said " peace is the most effective way for nations to attain prosperity and happiness". He build friendships and peace treaties with other nations and taught the Turkish people to respect other nations even if they wanted to conquer .Turkey years ago.Turkey had peace treaties with Greece, Romania , Iran, Iraq and Afghanistan.Turkey had strong relationships with the superpowers England, United States, etc.

Mustafa Kemal's Legacy
-After his death in 1938, he left a lasting impression on the Turkish people. He helped rebuild Turkey for the better and made many positive contributions to his country. He is the most beloved icon in Turkey and because of his love and dedication to his country, the Turkish people gave him the Ataturk " The Father of Turks"

Film Lesson " Gandhi"

2009-02-10T06:53:00.000-08:00

Mahatma Gandhi " The Great Soul" of India
-Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi is affectionately called Bapu (Father of India). He helped India gain its independence through a series of non-violent acts. One of the greatest leaders in the world Gandhi has been a role model for Martin Luther King Jr, etc. Gandhi's legacy will forever be known for many generations to come.

Early Life Gandhi
-Gandhi was born on October 2, 1869 in present day Gujarat, Western India. His parents arranged a marriage between Kasturbai Makhanji and Gandhi when they were 13 and 14. In 1888, Gandhi went to London to study law.Gandhi's dream was to open a practice in Bombay but his attempt failed.Two years later, Gandhi was sent to South Africa and was shocked on what he found there.
- In the film it shows a young Gandhi traveling to South Africa by train. Gandhi purchased a first class ticket which is unusual for a person of his color. The British guard on the train refuses to let Gandhi sit first class and tells him to leave, Gandhi refuses and he is thrown out of the train. It was this racial attack and the European ignorance that opened Gandhi's eyes of the treatment the British had on the Indians.The British were very harsh towards the Indian people, they didn't allow any political rights.Gandhi saw his calling and began to fight for Indian independence.

Civil Disobedience
-Gandhi stayed in South Africa for about twenty years and was imprisoned many times. In the movie his supporters would riot for his freedom and Gandhi would fast because he did not believe in violence. He taught the Indian immigrants about civil disobedience in which they would not fight the British if they beat them.After years of struggle in South Africa, the British finally gave in to Gandhi's demands such the Indian culture practice's, abolished the poll tax, and established a Red Cross for them. Gandhi felt that his fight was not yet complete until all of India was free.

Return To India
- When Gandhi returned to India he was welcomed with open arms in 1915. The Indian people had heard about what Gandhi had done in South Africa and he became a symbol of freedom. On his arrival in the movie Gandhi wore prison clothes to show that Indians did not need to buy British made clothes that they could make their own. In 1902, the Amritsar Massacre took place, in which British soldiers shot a crowd of Indians in less than 10 minutes. It was an act of cowardice because the British felt their power slipping through their fingers.Many followed Gandhi's example and began to embrace their Indian culture more than the British. They stopped wearing western clothes and wore Indian clothes instead.

The Salt March
The British began to tax the salt in India which was a huge blow to the Indians. Instead of giving in, they began to boycott and refused to buy salt. During the infamous Salt March Act, led by Gandhi the Indians began to make their salt. In a scene from a movie the British soldiers began a raid in a market. They arrested and beat Indians who were caught either selling salt or buying salt.The Indians did not fight back instead they practiced more civil disobedience. Gandhi was arrested more and more but the British could not find an excuse to imprison him.

India's Independence
-The British were forced to give India's independence in 1947 because they were fighting a lost cause. The people of India rejoiced and Gandhi was their hero. He fought for most of his life so that his country could be free, he proved that there could be a war without any violence.Unfortunately India, was split by two religions Muslim and Hinduism. They could not work out their differences despite Gandhi's efforts. On January 30, 1948 Gandhi was assassinated by Nathuram Godse while Gandhi was about speak during a prayer meeting. Godse did not like the fact that Gandhi wanted Muslims to live in India and saw him as a traitor because he believed Gandhi favored Muslims more. The people of India were suffered the most saddness because their hero had fallen.

Extra Credit
-I don't believe India's Independence was all about Gandhi because the Indian people were sick of the way the British ran their country. Though of course the Indian people would have resulted in violence for their freedom. Gandhi gave them strenght to believe it could happen but it was the people who won the war. I think it would have happended anyway because during the time of India's independence the British had already entered World War II and they did not have the time or the money to waste on India.

The Russian Revolution

2009-01-09T06:40:00.000-08:00

Start of the Russian Revolution
- The start of the of the Russian Revolution began after Russia pulled out from World War I. Many Russian soldiers were dying in combat, and they had great disadvantages. They were poorly equipped because unlike most of Europe they did not go through the Industrial Revolution. The Russian people became very unhappy because of they were suffering from famine and blamed Czar Nicholas II for forcing them into the war. To make matters worse the WWI had damaged the Russian economy .

The February and October Revolutions
- On January 1917, General Krimov met with Micheal Rodzianko who was the President of the Duma. The Russian army had enough of the Czar and they weren't loyal to him anymore. Both men decided that the Russian army would support the Dumas, and the Duma would take over the government.On February 22, 1917 in present day St.Petersburg, a large crowd of factory workers gathered. They went on strike, and destroyed shops and yelled out anti-war slogans. Bolsheviks also supported the strike and even led some of them. The Czar tried his best to stop the strike but his efforts failed. Micheal Rodzianko reached out to the Czar and explained that the government should be led by someone that the people of Russia liked. The Czar refused and Rodzianko ordered a provisional government. The Russian people continued to march until Czar Nicholas II stepped down on March 1 and the provisional government took power.

-The October Revolution started between the Bolsheviks, the Soviets and the Provisional government. The leader of the Provisional government refused to end the war. The Russian people were fed up with this and even two millio soldiers left the army unofficially.The Bolsheviks campaigned against the war, which included Vladimir Lenin.Within days the Bolshevik party was able to overthrow the the Provisional government.

-Though the Bolshevik party realized that they wouldn't have all the support of the Russian people if they continued with the election-based system.Lenin decided to appeal to the people and adopted the motto of "Peace, Land and Bread". This meant that the Bolshevik party would improve Russia for the people. Lenin's ides were inspired by the founder of communism Karl Marx. Lenin. also encouraged the people to revolt against upper class As the Bolshevik party gained support Lenin had to go into hiding because he became the enemy against the government On November 6, the Bolshevik party attacked the Russian Capital and Russia became the first communist country.

Causes of WWI

2009-01-07T06:41:00.000-08:00

Pre-War
- Before the war, there was tension between all the European countries as they fought with each other for power. These countries formed secret alliances with each other. The secret meetings between the countries sparked a deep mistrust between the nations. Slowly the causes of the Great War began to shape up. Nationalism, imperialism, militarism, the collapse of the alliance system, and the final blow the assassination of Franz Ferdinand sparked the beginning of the first global war.

Nationalism, Imperialism and Militarism
-Nationalism became the reason of the competition between the European nations. These nations competed to be a superpower. Speeches, writings encouraged national pride among the Europeans, especially Germany. Germany prided themselves as having the strongest military.Germany throughout the years became more and more conceited and wanted everyone to follow them. It became among the many reasons of the tensions between the countries prior to World War I. Imperialism was another reason for the war because Britain, France and Germany each had stations around Africa. Africa had an abundance of natural resources and it was good for the European economy. They needed other countries to manufacture their goods.

Collapse of the Alliance System
- The collapse of the alliance system was caused by the deep mistrust the nations had of one another.Despite the "Balance of Power", they formed secret alliances and agreements. Each nation had to take sides during war because of the treaties before the war.When Austria-Hungary declared war against Serbia, Germany immediately gave their support to Austria-Hungary. Russia upon hearing this declared war against Germany. Britain, and France both opposed Germany and entered the war alongside Russia. Other countries were being pressured to enter the war, like the United States. The collapse of the alliances might be the strongest reason on why the war began.

Franz Ferdinand
The start of World War I began in 1914. On June 28, 1914 the Archduke of Austria Franz Ferdinand and his wife were assassinated by a Serbian nationalist. Austria- Hungary had an alliance with Germany and together they declared war against Serbia.This caused a domino effect because all around the world, the countries were split between the Allies and the Central Powers.

The Opium Wars

2008-12-10T06:44:00.000-08:00

The Opium War
-The Opium War started during the 19th century. During that time Britain was trading opium with China in exchange for tea and other products such as Chinese silk. China's green tea was very popular and England could not get enough of it. England began to trade opium which was grown in India,with the Chinese. The Chinese already knew about opium but they used it for medical purposes. The English taught them to mix opium and tobacco so that it could be smoked. The Chinese were an isolated country and they were afraid of the exposure of the Western countries. In the end, China agreed to trade tea with England in exchange for opium. It allowed the English to have five ports instead of one in China.

The Effects of the Opium War
- The Chinese quickly became addicted to the opium and wanted more of it. Millions of people began to die because of the drug and the Chinese passed laws that stated that anyone who was caught selling opium would be killed. They forbade anyone from using opium. The English were angry about this and tried to force the opium unto the Chinese.The English sent warships to China in 1840. The Chinese had made no technological advances in weapons unlike the British. The British easily on the Opium War and the English were granted the right to control Hong Kong, and legalized the selling of opium. This was called the Treaty of Nanjing (1842). The British opened more ports In China. The Opium war is known as the first drug war.

Mountains of the Moon

2008-12-03T06:49:00.000-08:00

The European's Dangerous Journey to Africa
- Some of the hardships that the Europeans faced as they explored Africa were racial, diseases, famin, and the risk of dying or gettin lost. Richard Burton and John Speake were English men who went to Africa to find the source of the Nile. On their way there, they were attacked by African tribes who burned down all their supplies and almost killed them in the process. Some African tribes had never seen white men before and they tortured them, these were some of the racial attacks they faced.

- Richard Burton and John Speake had to walk across unknown territory to find what they wanted. They had used up all their resources and Richard Burton developed a disease and he could barely walk anymore. John Speake was partially deaf because of a beetle that had crawled into his ear. The British men weren't used to the conditions in Africa. The African men that were traveling with them suffered also because they argued with each other and were getting sick.

Lake Victoria
- The source of the Nile River is called Lake Victoria, and it is the third largest lake in the world.John Speake named it after the Queen of England. Even, many years after Burton and Speake's journey to the Nile the lake is still called Lake Victoria. Speake did not technically discover the lake because the one of the African tribes lived near it. The people already knew about the lake and obviously used it's resources. I believe that is an insult to the African people because Speake should have named after tribe who lived there because it belonged to them.

Technological Advances
-The technologica advances that Europeans had over the African people were weapons, maps and other travel equipment. This made it easier for the Europeans to conquer the African people because they had all types of guns. They had maps which enabled them to see what part of Africa that they were in and be able to come up with a strategy. Richard Burton always carried a telescope which helped him see if they were tigers or other tribes that were going to attack them.

The Meiji Restoration of Japan

2008-11-26T06:38:00.000-08:00

Japan's Isolation
-Japan was an isolated country before the 1850s. It is made up of many tiny islands which is called an archipelago.The Japanese prided themselves as the superior race, so they decided to cut off their country from the rest of world to avoid conflicts and wars. They didn't trade with anyone but themselves. This method of isolation worked at some points but the negatives were that the rest of the world were advancing economically and with technology.

Matthew Perry and the Meji Restoration
- Matthew Perry was an an American who traveled to Japan with a fleet of ships. He saw Japan's isolationism as an advantage to threaten them. The Japanese were impressed by the American's ships because they had never before seen a steamed ship or metal weapons. Matthew Perry "bullied" Emperor Mutsushito to sign a treaty and adopt the Western ways by the display of technology. On March 31, 1854 the treaty was signed that stated that the Japanese would open to forts to the United States.

- The Meiji Era was dark time for the Japanese. Japan was not part of the Industrial Revolution , so their economy was very weak compared to the rest of the world. They did not have the proper technology to strengthen their army. The new emperor tried to modernize Japan but instead Japan suffered greatly. Instead of reconstructing Japan's society it led to more damage. Many markets suffered bankruptcy, because the U.S and Europe were able to produce more goods at faster speed.

- Japan modernized and industrialized by first getting rid of the old feudal system. Those who were educated went to study abroad and learned many new things about the West. The Japanese decided to keep trading with the US and other countries which helped rebuild their broken economy. They developed communication and transportation systems. Their army improved greatly with Japan's new technology. The end of the Meiji Restoration Japan became a new and better country.

Karl Marx and Communism

2008-11-06T06:46:00.000-08:00

Founder of Communism
- Karl Marx was one of the founders of Communism. His idea of a society was there shouldn't be a system of class and everyone would be equal. Communism would dominate and improve the economy in ways that capitalism couldn't. No one would be exploited and no matter how high a position a person had everyone would be payed the same. Karl Marx wanted a government that benefited the working class(proletariat) and took away the power from the upper class (bourgeoisie). Under the rule of communism there would be no private businesses and it would be a "pure system of sharing"

Communist Manifesto
-Karl Marx and Friedrich Engles wrote the foundation of communism called " The Communist Manifesto". It was written to encourage the proletariats to unite and start a revolution. Karl Marx pointed out that history has always had struggles between the class systems and it would never change. Marx believed that the proletariats should have the control over the farms and the factories because they worked hard.Karl Marx believed that the proletariats were the "good guys" and the bourgeoisie as the "bad people" because during the Industrial Revolution the bourgeoisie abused their power over the proletariats. They also worked in terrible conditions a reason why Karl Marx wanted communism to take over. Many people agreed with his ideas and became communist countries. Karl Marx's ideas were very influential in the 19th century.

Karl Marx and the Industrial Revolution

2008-11-05T06:39:00.000-08:00

Karl Marx's Opinion on the Industrial Revolution
- Karl Marx lived when the Industrial Revolution began. He did not like the revolution at all, he believed that it was just " an extension of feudalism". The industrial revolution caused a huge gap between the rich and the poor because only the wealthy could enjoy luxuries. He believed that the world was divided by the bourgeoisie (factory owners) and the proletariat(working class). The proletariat's situation would never get better as long as the bourgeoisie had the power and that eventually the workers would become slaves to the Industrial Revolution.

Start of Communism
-He believed that Captialism was a poor economic system because he predicted correctly that the lower classes would poorer.Karl Marx wanted the workers to realize that they were more of them then the businesses owners and that they should have the most control He encourage the proletariats to unite and start a revolution.Through the revolution the workers would overthrow the system of capitalism and install a communist government.

-Under communism everyone would be equal. The people would make the same amount of money no matter how high their position was. Karl Marx's idea was that no one would have a private business, everything including housing would belong to the government.

-Karl Marx's ideas influenced some countries but unfortunately communist countries did not last long. Today, the few communist countries are China, Cuba and North Korea. Though these countries have communist goverments they do not practice Karl Marx's original ideas.

Nationalism and the Creation of Italy

2008-10-16T06:37:00.000-07:00

Nationalism
- Nationalism is the people's loyalty to the country and its culture. It is the nations pride in each other and their history. The people didn't feel loyalty to their kings or an empire.Many countries shared the belief that the nation should have their own independent government or nation-state.Nationalists tried to find ways to unify their country and to protect their rights as citizens. These are the bonds that created a nation-state.

- I am nationalistic for two countries USA, and Guatemala. The ways that I show my pride for America are, on the Fourth of July I wear red white and blue, have a barbecue with my family and watch the fireworks. I speak English and use dollars to buy things. When I go to Shea Stadium I stand up in respect for the national anthem. The things that I do to show how proud I am for being Guatemalan are I have a flag, on our independence day I wear the nations colors. I eat Guatemalan food and speak Spanish at home. I have a sticker on my binder that says Guatemala. All of these things represent the pride I have for being American and Guatemalan.

Creation Of Italy
-In 1832, a nationalist leader named Giuseppe Mazzini formed a group called Young Italy. Giuseppe believed that social justice, democracy and peace in Europe were the best hope for nation states. In 1848 , many dangerous revolts broke on the eight nation states in Italy. The revolts failed and the Italian leaders drove Giuseppe Mazzini and other nationalist leaders into to exile. Count Carmillo di Cavor in 1852 wanted to get control over Northern Italy from the Austrians.

-With the help of France, Cavor succeeded in taking over Italy from the Austrians. Cavor considered taking over the south as he did with the North. He set up a meeting between the nationalist leader of the Southern Italy, Giuseppe Garibaldi and King Victor Emmanuel II.The result was the unification of northern and southern Italy. Between the years of 1866 and 1870, other cities slowly became part of Italy. Rome became the capital of the United Kingdom of Italy.

Simon Bolivar and the Latin American Revolutions

2008-10-10T06:40:00.000-07:00

Simon Bolivar
-Simon Bolivar was the greatest leaders of the Spanish Revolution.Like many before him, Simon heard about the Enlightenment thinkers.He traveled to Europe and studied the work of Locke, Rousseau and others.Simon also went to the United States where he studied the Constitution. He became inspired and quickly wanted to use this ideas to liberate South America.He won the people's trust and he formed his own army to defeat the Spanish. Under his leadership he was able to free Columbia, Venezuela, Peru, Ecuador, and Bolivia. With the countries he had liberated he named them the Republic of Columbia.

-Simon Bolivar is famous because he is a great hero.He was the voice of the people in South America. He fought for their freedom and but he accomplished more than that, because of him South America is made up of different countries. Bolivia named their country after him because it was one of the countries he had liberated. Simon Bolivar inspired by the ideas of democracy, of a new way of life, did the impossible and defeated Spain.

Robespierre and the Reign of Terror

2008-09-23T06:36:00.000-07:00

Reign of Terror
- After the French Revolution, the Kings and the nobles had lost their power. The Third Estate now had the control over the country. The National Assembly set up a limited monarchy for King Louis XVI. The people of France were still looking for a person to run the country. Groups were appearing trying to run the country, the most famous was the Jacobins. They tried to executed anyone they thought opposed them. They used the guillotine to cut off the heads of the people who were connected with the Old Regime. They ruled with an iron fist and it more of a dictatorship than a democratic government. The Jacobins even executed the King and the Queen by accusing them of treason.

Robespierre

- Maximilien Robespierre came to power and changed the government of France forever. He was very paranoid and during his reign. He was afraid of conspires against him. He was more a dictator than a ruler. Robespierre like the Jacobins used the guillotine against his enemies. He wanted to get rid of every trace of the monarchy by taking away the faces of the King and Queen in playing cards, changed the names of the months, and took away Sundays. He allowed the closing of the church because the radicals thought that religion was a thing of the past. The people of France were terrified and they distrusted each other and no one was safe from the guillotine.

"Robespierre with his cruel moral relativism, embodied with all the cardinal sin of all the revolution, the heartlessness of ideas."-Paul Johnson. In July 1794, the National Convention began to see that if they did not stop Robespierre they would be targeted.Within the government a conspiracy formed the leader. Finally on July 28, 1979 he was led to the guillotine. The Reign of Terror had ended.

The French Revolution

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1a) The people of France were critical of the nobility because the nobles had the most power of the peasants. The peasants were forced to use the nobles' mill, oven and wine press and they had to pay for them. The nobles were exempt from paying taxes because they were the wealthiest.
b) The peasants didn't like King Louis XVI because he was a horrible ruler. He was in debt and he let the upper class have the most power. The ninety percent of the country lived in poverty while the King lived in his palace far away from France's economic problems.
c) The clergy were the Church officials. They too taxed the third estate and had complete control over the country like the nobles had. The clergy lived in luxury and watched as the the peasants were forced to do military service.

2) In 1789, the French peasants were angered because there was a shortage of grain. There wasn't enough crops to grow them, and the prices of bread doubled. Many people could barely afford the bread, let alone the heavy taxes.

3) The cartoonist from Source A is describe the fact that the peasants were controlled by the nobles and the clergy. They didn't care about the peasants and obviously enjoyed their absolute power over them. The peasants were waiting for the day that France would become democratic. They wanted their voices to be heard. The third estate were waiting for the revolution to begin.

4) Source B is describing the daily lives of the peasants. Life in France was becoming unbearable for them. Not only did they make up most of the population in France but they were poorly treated. The nobles set high taxes for the peasants for using the nobles land and possessions. The King also put burden on the peasants because they also had to pay their taxes to him. The peasants had very little things and lived in despair.

5) Sources A, B, C, explain why the poor resented the rich. The peasants did everything for them and in return they were poorly treated. They had the least income while the rich enjoyed their luxuries. Nothing was easy for the peasants, they were waiting for the day when their lives would turn around. Generation by generation the Third estate were forced to see that their wages were being taken away by the rich. The rich looked down upon them and took them for granted.

6) The Third Estate would be most influenced by Rousseau's writing. The were sick of the way the government treated them. Rousseau wrote about "the power to make laws belongs to the people and only to the people " no man has any natural authority over others;". The Third Estate wanted to have some control over the government because the upper class had made a rule that there could be only one vote from each estate which would mean that they would always outvote the lower class. They didn't want to be controlled any longer. Peasants were also inspired by the Americans and wanted to overthrow the monarchy so their country could be democratic. By being democratic it would change the way France was run, it promised freedom, and the right to choose their little and most of all it gave them a chance to let their voices be heard.

7) The pamphlet was banned because it went against what the upper class believed in. The King loved having power over everything even though the people of France disliked him. The nobles and the clergy loved living in luxury while the peasants worked everyday to pay their taxes. They didn't want the peasants to get any ideas of revolution because the first and second estate loved the way of the Old Regime.

John Locke and " The Enlightenment"

2008-09-18T06:34:00.000-07:00

John Locke
- John Locke is one of the most famous and influential of all the Enlightenment thinkers. John was British and he disliked the monarchic government. He decided to come up with a new government, one that benefited the people's rights. He believed that the people had the right to govern the country in any way they wanted. He emphasized that humans had three natural rights (life,liberty,and property). He said that if the government failed to protect these three rights, then the people had the right to overthrow it. John Locke wanted a democratic government. His ideas might have been similar to the Ancient Greeks but he is credited as the father of modern democracy.

Thomas Jefferson and The Declaration of Independence
- Thomas Jefferson is one of the founding fathers of the Declaration of Independence. His ideas were inspired by John Locke's idea of a democratic government. The "rights" he talks about are similar to Locke's. He says that "all men are created equal", that they have the right for life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Thomas Jefferson stated in the declaration that these rights were given by God and that no one, no matter what power they had could take that away. The government gets its power from the people.We have the right to abolish the government if they fail. Like the saying says "For the people of the people". We also have the right to change anything that the government does. The people get to chose their leader. John Locke lead the way for many democratic nations and inspired many to follow in his words.

Corpernicus and the Trial of Galileo

2008-09-12T06:38:00.000-07:00

Theories of the Solar System

Geocentric
- The theory of Geocentric was the first theory to come out before the scientific revolution. Many people believed in Ptolemy's theory in which he said that the Earth was the center of the universe. Many people believed in this theory including Ancient Greece, Ancient China and Aristotle. The "proof" in this theory was the stars, the sun and the other planets seemed to revolve around the Earth. The second piece of evidence was the fact that the Earth was solid and stable and did not move. The Ancient Greeks believed that the other planets movements were circular and not elliptical. No one opposed this theory until the sixteenth century.

Heliocentric
- This theory came out during the scientific revolution. It challenged the geocentric theory during the sixteenth century. Heliocentric was the belief that the sun was the center of the universe, that the Earth rotated on its axis and the Earth orbited around the Sun once a year. The astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus was the one who introduced it to the world. He studied the oppositions of the plants and the eclipses.Through his observations he made a mathematical model of the heliocentric system. His model would later influence and be expanded by Johannes Kepler and Galileo Galilei.

The Trial of Galileo
- Before this famous trial could take place, Galileo in 1609 had made the telescope. He took interest in Copernicus' views in heliocentrism. He saw the proof in this theory as he gazed through his telescope. Galileo began to speak about the theory publicly. When the Church began to hear about Galileos' views they immediately began to talk against him saying that he opposed God. After, Galileo published his book, the Church suspended the selling of the book. The Pope sent an order saying that Galileo violated the law by teaching about the heliocentric system and was arrest. Galileo would go to trial three times before the was forced to kneel in front of his accusers and say that he would give up his views. He was given the life sentence. Before the Pope's death he realized that Galileo was telling the truth and geocentric was nonsense and he gave Galileo his freedom.

Scientific Revolution: The Scientific Method

2008-09-11T06:41:00.000-07:00

Scientific Method
-The scientific method was a major part of the Scientific Revolution. Scientists began to use the scientific method to conduct their experiments. They refused to accept just one general idea or a theory. They tested their experiments over and over again to come up with their own conclusions.The scientific method has five basic steps to it:

1) Observe your surroundings.
2) Create a hypothesis or an educated guess.
3) Using your hypothesis make a procedure.
4) Testing the experiment repeating as necessary
5) Analysis of the conclusion.

- Aristotle was one of the greatest scientist of the world. He believed that objects that were heavier fell faster than lighter objects.However, 1,500 years after Galileo tested Aristotle's theory by going to the Leaning Tower of Pisa and dropped two stones; each of them were a different weight. His conclusion was that even though the stones weighed differently both of them fell at the same speed. He proved that Aristotle was wrong by using the scientific method.

Evolution vs. Creation

2008-09-05T06:44:00.000-07:00

Evolution
- The theory of evolution was introduced by Charles Darwin. He believed that humans and other animals changed slowly over time. He believed these species evolved over time because of the need of survival. He called it natural selection. In natural selection those who had an advantages survived and those who didn't died. Species that survived reproduced and their offspring now carried the advantage gene. For example, if certain birds developed a bigger beak they are able to carry more seeds and eat more. The birds with the smaller beaks will eventually die out. The evidence for Darwin's theory is that every species changed slowly and in a couple of years those species would look different.

Creation
- In the theory of creation is it believed that God had made the Earth in seven days. Those who believed in this theory are Christians and Jews. This theory is more religious and is described in the Book of Genesis. The Church feels that creationism is how we came to be in this Earth and how everything was created. They oppose the theory of evolution and even today creationism vs evolutions is the most conversational topic in the United States. Before Darwin's Theory came along nearly everyone believed that God had created us. During the 1900s it was banned from public schools in the United States. Though during the 1960s people began to teach both theories in school.

-My opinion is that I believe in both theories because there is some proof that we have evolved during millions of years. Being Christian, I believe in God and I think that he did create the universe and brought human life and animals to this Earth. I have faith in God and he does things for a reason. I believe that God meant for life on Earth to evolve and left evidence for Darwin to create his theory.

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2008-09-04T06:59:00.001-07:00

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