Saturday, December 19, 2009

Motives for British Imperialism

Motives for British Imperialism:
  1. According to Halstead, why was Slavery in decline during the 1800’s? How did this effect British Imperialism?
    A: Slavery was in decline because Britain was attempting to end it after they realized with their type of economy having slaves was no longer beneficial. The British were attepmting to imperialize inorder to reduce the amount of slaver.
  1. According to Halstead, what did not have an influence on Britain’s Imperialism? Why? Do you agree with this? A: The obligation to establish power was not a factor because Britain already was the most powerful country. Britain had a strong, robust navy and a very industrialized economy, making it a sturdy and powerful country. I believe that governments and countries desire more power. I think that it should stand as one of the factors that influenced imperialization of Britain.

  2. How does Halstead’s belief differ from that of Richard Cobden and other’s economic reasons? A: Halstead says that Britain wanted to imperialize inorder to branch out to the less fortunate countries. He says it is an appendage of Britain's foreign policy while others lean towards the truth which they think its is used more for security(a.k.a. money).

  3. What are Halstead’s final reasonings on motives for British Imperialism?
    A: British imperialism during the period of the "new imperialism" was motivated by
    several factors: national security, protecting free trade, protecting commercial routes,
    competition for markets and spheres of influence, settlement, colonization, diplomacy, andideology.

Saturday, December 12, 2009

"White Man's Burden" By Rudyard Kipling

1. What does Kipling mean by "the White Man's burden?”

Kipling meant that "the White Man's Burden" is to Christianize the native people of the land that the colonies were to take over. He thinks that it's the White Man's destiny to rule all of the land and eventually turn one from savage person into a civilized person.

2. How does Kipling justify imperialism?

Rudyard Kipling justifies Imperialism by saying, in line 4, that it is "your captive's need" . In addition to that Kipling also says, in line nineteen, that they are going to "Fill full the mouth of Famine,". Rudyard makes Imperialism seem like a difficult task and that the White Man should be rewarded and praised for his hard work.

3. Why might such justification be so appealing?

This justification is appealing because at the time, Imperialism has become very rough and aggressive. This made all the cruelty from the settlers towards the natives in the colonies justified. It allowed the White Man basically, to feel that it was their right or that it was not wrong to treat these people wrongly.

4. Why was religion used as a justification over money, capitalism, the greater good and political strength?


Religion is used as a justification because they say that God intended the White Man to rule over all the natives. They also say that the natives are sinners and demons and the White Man will Christianize them and turn eventually grant them eternal life instead of being sentenced to damnation.

Sunday, November 29, 2009

SAQ's- Unit 2

Section 1

Q) Why was England primed to start the Industrial Revolution?


England was prime to start the Industrial Revoultion because it had many qualities that would allow it to succed. England had natural resources, they may not have had a bunch, but they did have some of each. this was helpful because to industralize England needed coal, oil, steel, cotton, ect. Also England had to use what land and resources they had effiently. so they needed to make up new ways to do this. Another feature that England had was its many water ways. These helped beacuse the industries used the waterways and canals to transport goods out of england. also their many prots helped them to import goods...




Q)How did crop rotation help support the growing population?

Crop rotation supported the growing population because it increased the amount of food that was made in each season. In crop rotation the crops were moved from each patch to another after a few seasons so that the farmers would not have to wait for thier soil to be good to plant again. instead they were always planting something. they roated the crops from intesive soil to no intensive soil. this allowed the farmers to keep growing food. So because of farmers awlays putting out crops they were able to support a growing population.

Section 2


Q)How did working conditions change after the Factory Acts?

The working conditions in England changed only after the factory acts were passed. the factory acts made the conditions of the children and women better. THey said that no child under the age of 8 could work 12hrs or more. also they said that women and girls were not allowed to work in mines anymore because it would damage thier reproductive systems and damage thier organ needed to take care of the babies. this made the working conditions better rather than allowing children work for ridiculous amoutns of time and become deformed and die.




Why did socialism appeal to so many during the Industrial Revolution?

Socialism appealed to many during the Industrail Revolution because it had this thought that the lower class would take over the upper class because the lower class were the ones who worked. The people liked this idea expecially thoes in the proletariate class.

Section 3

Q)What effect did the Cotton Gin have on the slave population on the South?

The cotton gin effected the slaves in the south. This invention by Eli Whitney was a great help to the platation owners but a terrible thing for the slaves. This machine took out the seeds from the cotton which allowed production to go faster. so before this machine came out the slaves that picked the cotton had to keep up with the ones that took the seeds out, so it wasnt very hard for them to do this. But now they had to keep up with a machine that went very fast. so the farmers bought more slaves to pick the cotton to keep up with the cotton gin,but if thoes slaves couldnt keep up they would be punished. so the cotton gin increased the population of slaves but thier fate would be worse.


How did advancements in medicine lead to population growth?

Becasue of the advancement in medicine the population grew. This happened becasue there were more ways to keep the towns sanitized and prevent sickness. Louis Pasture figured out how to pasturize milk and get all of the germs out of it. Also he made the 1st vaccine. so becuase of these new devlopements less people were deing and therefore population growth.

Section 4


Q)How did the transportation industry change family structure and life?

The transportation industry change the structure of the family life because the families could now move father away. this was possible becuase transportation was more widespread and it was more convient for famlies to see eachother. also the families would become more nuclear beacuse it costed less to maintain and they took up less space.


Q)Why did living conditions in the cities improve during the era of Mass Society?

the living conditions improved during the era of mass society because the government wanted ot be on the people's sidde so that they would get thier vote. so they put restrictions on work as well as improving the conditions in which they worked.

Section 5
Q)What was the goal of the British Labor Party?

the goal of the British Labor Party was to redistribute the wealth. also their leader Keir Hardie wanted the British to have the rights of wokers increased and thier sole pupose was to benefit the public. they were a political party so that they were able to get these actions going.


Q)How did Laissez Faire economics spur the growth of Labor Unions?

Laissez Faire economics supred the growth of labor unions because it was the idea the the government should not interfere with the operation of the economy. this was wanted by the people who ran the factories because it allowed them to employ workers and have them work for ridiculously long hours and without the Labor Unions the workers wouldnt have gotten any benefits and work would be terrible. so because of Laissez Faire economics the people wanted more rights which out of this came Labor Unions.

Section 6



Q)How was Japanese society able to industrialize so rapidly?

The Japanese society industrailzed so rapidly becasue the were a homogeonous society. This meant that they had a society that spoke the same langueage and had the same culture. this meant that they were more together as a society. this helped because when the decided to become industarlized they all went for it and there wasnt much of a problem in changing.



Q)How was the industrialization of England, Japan & Russia different?

The industrailizations of all of Engladn, Japan, and RUssia are different because of the way they did it. In Japan it was done without force and all the people wanted to do it. In RUssia they wanted to do it but were forced into it by Stalin and it wasnt very pleasnt. And in England it was done with almost evryone's approval.

nd more often.

Sunday, November 8, 2009

Industrial Revolution: Journal Entry

December 12th, 1882
Violet Hodges
Age: 9
Job: Seamstress

Dear Journal,

I am 9 years old now. My birthday was yesterday. I live with my mama, my papa, and my three siblings: Heather (13 yrs), Peter(2 yrs), and Rosemary(6 mths).

Today was going to be another tiring day as usual. I woke up at 4 am to go to work at the factory. My sister Heather and I walked there. We were running late. I didn't get to eat breakfast. I haven't in a very long time. Once I got to work I started to work on the dress that i had started yesterday. Someone was staring at me. It was the man in the uniform. He kept yelling at me because i was looking out the window. My sister whispered for me to quit it because we really need the money. Outside the window i saw some boys and girls, just like me, playing in the street. I felt
emotions that i have never experienced before. I was angry and jealous of those kids. That man beat me with a stick for not working. My punishment was unfair. I didn't get my usual half hour lunch break. He made me work straight through it! My stomach growled. My hands and back ached. I wish i could go out in play like those other kids. But i bet they would stare at me. I have a hunched back and my arms aren't in proportion to my tiny body. I worked long and hard until Heather told me it was time to leave. We had been dismissed. Our shift was done. It's 6pm.
My days are so terribly long. I used to only work 10 hours a day. Since Thomas Edison invented the light bulb, I work 14 hours a day with only two short breaks: one for lunch and one for supper. Some days i have no breaks. Today I never got a break. My wage is only 20 cents a day, but most boys younger than me get 25 to 30 cents. I don't understand why. Mommy and Daddy say I have to work or we will be living on the streets.

Life is so unfair.

Love,
Violet




My five points:
1) Long work hours
2) Unfair wages
3) Deformities/Rickets
4) Edison's invention...how it allowed factories to stay open longer.
5) Nuclear Family.

Sunday, October 11, 2009

Declaration of the Rights of Man


The Seventeen Articles of the Declaration of the Rights of Man:

1. Men are born and remain free and equal in rights. Social distinctions may be founded only upon the general good.
Translation: All men are born with the same freedom and rights, and that can only be changed when one does something against the greater good.


2. The aim of all political association is the preservation of the natural and imprescriptible rights of man. These rights are liberty, property, security, and resistance to oppression.
Translation: The goal of all political agreements is to maintain or protect the natural and inalienable rights of man.


3. The principle of all sovereignty resides essentially in the nation. No body nor individual may exercise any authority which does not proceed directly from the nation.
Translation: Basically it is saying that only authorized personel or government officials of the nation have a say in politics.


4. Liberty consists in the freedom to do everything which injures no one else; hence the exercise of the natural rights of each man has no limits except those which assure to the other members of the society the enjoyment of the same rights. These limits can only be determined by law.
Translation: You have the freedom to do as you please, but once you harm someone else in anyway that freedom ends.


5. Law can only prohibit such actions as are hurtful to society. Nothing may be prevented which is not forbidden by law, and no one may be forced to do anything not provided for by law.
Translation: Basically it is saying if it is not forbidden by law, no one can stop you from doing it.


6. Law is the expression of the general will. Every citizen has a right to participate personally, or through his representative, in its foundation. It must be the same for all, whether it protects or punishes. All citizens, being equal in the eyes of the law, are equally eligible to all dignities and to all public positions and occupations, according to their abilities, and without distinction except that of their virtues and talents.
Translation: So in summary, Everyone under the law is equal, and the man is only limited by himself. A man's limitations are of his innate abilities or disabilities.


7. No person shall be accused, arrested, or imprisoned except in the cases and according to the forms prescribed by law. Any one soliciting, transmitting, executing, or causing to be executed, any arbitrary order, shall be punished. But any citizen summoned or arrested in virtue of the law shall submit without delay, as resistance constitutes an offense.
Translation: The law is the only thing that can justify if a man should be accused, arrested or put in jail. The citizens or the people must be aware of the consequences that will follow with breaking the law.


8. The law shall provide for such punishments only as are strictly and obviously necessary, and no one shall suffer punishment except it be legally inflicted in virtue of a law passed and promulgated before the commission of the offense.
Translation: The people can only be punished by the law.


9. As all persons are held innocent until they shall have been declared guilty, if arrest shall be deemed indispensable, all harshness not essential to the securing of the prisoner's person shall be severely repressed by law.
Translation: A man is innocent until proven guilty. The man will recieve treatment as if he is an innocent, unless he refuses to comply with the law.

10. No one shall be disquieted on account of his opinions, including his religious views, provided their manifestation does not disturb the public order established by law.
Translation: One is entitled or has the right to have his own opinions, religious views, as long as it does not disturb the people or go against the law.


11. The free communication of ideas and opinions is one of the most precious of the rights of man. Every citizen may, accordingly, speak, write, and print with freedom, but shall be responsible for such abuses of this freedom as shall be defined by law.
Translation: Just like the 1st amendment of the american bill of rights in the constitution, This is stating that one has the right or the freedom of speech and press, but only to a certain extent.


12. The security of the rights of man and of the citizen requires public military forces. These forces are, therefore, established for the good of all and not for the personal advantage of those to whom they shall be intrusted.
Translation: The military is subject to protect the nation and the people within it.


13. A common contribution is essential for the maintenance of the public forces and for the cost of administration. This should be equitably distributed among all the citizens in proportion to their means.
Translation: A tax or payment that is determined by the people or their representatives is essential to pay for the military and must be paid by everyone.


14. All the citizens have a right to decide, either personally or by their representatives, as to the necessity of the public contribution; to grant this freely; to know to what uses it is put; and to fix the proportion, the mode of assessment and of collection and the duration of the taxes.
Translation: The necessity for the tax, the amount, how it should be collected and what it should be used for is decided by the people or their representatives.


15. Society has the right to require of every public agent an account of his administration.
Translation: Every official must keep a record of his administration and must be given to one upon request.


16. A society in which the observance of the law is not assured, nor the separation of powers defined, has no constitution at all.
Translation: In order for a society to function, it requires the laws to be enforced, a separation in powers must be definitive, and a constitution must be written.


17. Since property is an inviolable and sacred right, no one shall be deprived thereof except where public necessity, legally determined, shall clearly demand it, and then only on condition that the owner shall have been previously and equitably indemnified.
Translation: One's right to own or have property is natural. It cannot be taken by anyone but the law. The law can only take it if it is of a public need and if the one is completely and previously informed about it.

My Comment:
This picture reminds me of the Ten Commandments of Christianity. In this illustration,
The Declaration of the Rights of Man is using the image of the two angels to represent the protectors to the document. This may cause a conflict between the certain religion that is reflected and the ones that others may believe in. The "All-seeing eye" in the pyramid at the top can be seen as God's eye guiding the people in the right direction and watching over the people of the nation. In this case, the document and the visual representations that surround it may be an intentional way to encourage Christianity with the creation of the declaration.

Saturday, October 3, 2009

French Revolutions Terms

The Estates General-
The Estates General was a meeting in 1789. It was the first meeting since 1614 of the French Estates General. It was a general assembly that represented the French collection of peoples. This assembly showed that they were independent from the Crown. It led to the French Revolution.

1st Estate-
The first estate consisted of the entire clergy. The higher clergy was composed of people from families involed with the 2nd estate. The bishops of France were noblemen and the lower clergy. The Lower clergy consisted of monks, priests, and nuns, which made up about 90% of the first estate. The responsibilities of the clergy included: being in charge of the records between births, deaths, and marriages. The Clergy collected tithe and censored books. They also served as moral police, administered schools and hospitals, and distributed relief to the poor.

2nd Estate-
This estate consisted of nobles. The Nobles in French society had the rights: to hunt, to wear a sword, have a coat of arms, and to possess a fief or seigneurie. Nobles were not required to pay taille, a tax ordered by the king, unless it was on non-noble lands that they might have possessed. Only nobles were allowed to have certain military, civic, and ecclesiastic positions. The Nobles were required to honor, serve, and advise the king. They were also required to follow orders of their military services.

3rd Estate-
The third estate consisted of people who weren't in the first or second estate, the commoners. The commoners consisted of peasants, laborers, and the bourgeoisie. The laborers were paid very little money and the peasants didn't have any sort of a job.

Bourgeoisie-
The bourgeoisie were the more affluent members of the third estate. The Bourgeoisie were workers who earned their money. They usually were self-employed proprietors, small employers , entrepreneurs , bankers, or merchants.

Declaration of the Rights of Man-
This was a document created during the French Revolution which is stating that all the individual and collective rights of every man are universal. This declaration was influenced by the doctrine of natural rights. It is clearly stating that the rights of man are universal. The Declaration stated that all men without exception or citizens had the universal rights. I noticed that it didnt mention the rights of either women or slaves, just men.

Era of Mutual Discontent-
The subjects of society that weren't affluent, not of the clergy or nobility, and were members of the third estate, started to feel discouraged and unhappy. They all had the desire to make a stand to get the rights that they deserve.

National Assembly-
It was the first legislature established in the French Revolution in 1789. This was originally called upon or created to deal with financial crisis of the french, but it did not get any where close to solving that crisis because it did nothing other than argue about its own structure. The third estate assumed the role as the representatives for all the commoners, so it was granted double representation instead of just a small representation. Although they got double representation the assembly informed them that the voting would be influenced by the estates as a whole, not by the number of members, so double representation was did nothing for them in the means of a say in control or power.

Tennis Court Oaths-
These were a pledge that was signed by 576 out of 577 members of the third estate along with a few members of the first estate. This oath was signed on June 20, 1789 inside a tennis court building near the Palace of Versailles. The one deputy that was recorded to not take the oath was Joseph-Martin Dauch. The oath stood as a marker of significance as the very first time the French citizens stood in defiance against King Louis XVI.

King Louis XVI-
August 23, 1754-January 21, 1793. He was the only king of France known to be executed. King Louis XVI was charged for treason and died by guillotine. He was made fun of because had a hard time having children in the beginning. King Louis XVI was suspended and arrested during the Insurrection of August 10, 1792. He was tried by the National Convention. He betrayed his people and attempted to flee from the country.

Maximilien Robespierre-
He was an important person during the French Revolution. He was the man who argued for human rights and was known for being an excellent argumentative representative who would stand up for his clients. Earlier, He was against the death penalty, which was odd because he pro-execution of King Louis XVI . Robespierre believed that the king must be sacrificed in order for to save the Revolution. He strongly believed that by being the king in the first place, he was a living danger to the state.

Reign of Terror-
This was a period of time that occured for four years and two months after the span of the French Revolution. It was the conflict between Girondins and Jacobins. It was estimated that about 16,000-40,000 people died. Among them, Several important leaders were executed.

Jacobins-
A Jacobin was a member of the Jacobin club. The majority of the members belonged to the more commoners of society, such as small shopkeepers, artisans, and even servants. Their leader was Maximilien Robespierre .

Committee on Public Safety-
This committee was set up by the National Convention in July 1793. They were responsible for denunciations, trials, and executions under the committee. This committee was composed of nine members in the start, but later increased to twelve. It was responsible for thousands of executions, that were committed inorder to justify the safety of the public of France.

Girondins-
It was a political group that existed within the Legislative Assembly and the National Convention during the French Revolution. This group sybolized the Democratic Revolution's principle and had patriotic opposition towards the European powers that didn't have it.

"Common Sense" by Thomas Paine

My "Common Sense" Excerpts:

Excerpt #1:

"Society in every state is a blessing, but Government, even in its best state, is but a necessary evil; in its worst state an intolerable one: for when we suffer, or are exposed to the same miseries BY A GOVERNMENT, which we might expect in a country WITHOUT GOVERNMENT, our calamity is heightened by reflecting that we furnish the means by which we suffer."


Summary:
So basically Paine is stating here in this excerpt that society is key in every state or country, but government even in its prime time is necessary even though it can bring out the miseries of the people. He is also stating that suffering the miseries caused by a government would be expected in a state without a government which raises the tragedies or disasters by causing one to think of what they themselves have in their state compared to another making it worse.

Excerpt #2:

"....the ELECTED might never form to themselves an interest separate from the ELECTORS, prudence will point out the propriety of having elections often: because as the ELECTED might by that means return and mix again with the general body of the ELECTORS in a few months, their fidelity to the public will be secured by the prudent reflection of not making a rod for themselves. And as this frequent interchange will establish a common interest with every part of the community, they will mutually and naturally support each other, and on this, (not on the unmeaning name of king,) depends the STRENGTH OF GOVERNMENT, AND THE HAPPINESS OF THE GOVERNED."


Summary:
Here in this excerpt Paine is saying that the elected positions of a government must not separate their desires from the peoples. He is stating that the elected positions must be mixed up or re-elected to secure that the peoples desires are put first and that one man does not have too much control for a long period of time, keeping the government fresh and strong while keeping the people happy.

Excerpt #3:

" 'Tis not in numbers but in unity that our great strength lies: yet our present numbers are sufficient to repel the force of all the world. The Continent hath at this time the largest body of armed and disciplined men of any power under Heaven: and is just arrived at that pitch of strength, in which no single colony is able to support itself, and the whole, when united, is able to do any thing. Our land force is more than sufficient, and as to Naval affairs, we cannot be insensible that Britain would never suffer an American man of war to be built, while the Continent remained in her hands. "
Summary:
In this excerpt, Thomas Paine is saying that strength is not found in the size of a country or the country's population, but it in its unified system of government, military, and customs. He is telling the common people among the colonies that they must unite in order to gain their independence from Britain or else they will never have the power in one colony to defeat them in battle.