World History Final Quiz

Not only am I amazed that I was able to read an entire history book in one semester, but I have to say that I’ve also learned so much.  I haven’t opened up a history book for over 30 years and before this class, could not tell you anything about it. Yes, it was that interesting….   So in a sense, this was like taking history for the very first time.

Although it felt like the chapters would never end, because of the reading tied in with the class discussions and activities, over the course of the semester I gained a solid base of understanding of the different eras in time.  From the Paleolithic, Neolithic, Ancient, Classical and Modern, and although many aspects of the particular eras have changed, so many things remained the same.  It’s like history repeating itself.  I liked how Professor Andrews compared and contrasted the key points in each era and our discussions about how each developed from one to the next. 

There were some topics that I was more passionate about;  such as the treatment of women and how even though we as a society have become so much more advanced; technology and otherwise, why not socially; why have we not learned to treat each other with more respect and dignity..  

Learning about the Muslim world and the Mongols made me realize just how much influence and power a few people can have over thousands.  And how people centuries ago used any and all means possible to achieve victory… I guess that hasn’t changed though.    Oh yeah, and Allah’s great vision for equality and respect for men and women.. sure, unless the women are disobedient, then you can beat them.   

I think I connected most to the Modern era, that’s probably because it was the most familiar to me.  In the last few chapters, I was really intrigued to learn about the Christmas truce of WWI.  I still can’t get over how an army of men can set aside all the emotional and physical effects of war, celebrate the holiday as though they were with family and then jump right back to killing each other.  Pretty amazing, what’s more, I would have never known that if I hadn’t taken this course.  `And then the rest of the chapters just got depressing; reading about the Great Depression, WWII, and the reign of Hitler. 

The class activities were great.  I really enjoyed when the class role played the EPIC of Gilgamesh.  I liked how the class was split up and acted out the different scenes.  This gave us the opportunity to have fun and learn from eachohter.  When we wrapped it all up at the end, the transition of the Mesopotamians from beast to civilization all made sense!  I also really enjoyed the class discussions; they made learning the course material interactive; informative; and fun.

Thank you Professor Andrews and classmates !

World History Reflection Ch 21-24

The Christmas truce of 1914.  This is the type of historical information that really sparks my interest.  And unless there is a man still alive to talk about it, how would we ever know?  The fact that right in the midst of WWI, German and British soldiers actually had a truce, exchanged gifts, played football in neutral territory; and then proceed back to killing each other amazes me.   

In reading about WWI, I never realized that if not for this war, the United States may have not become the Global Power nation that it is today.  Similar to when China pulled back and opened the gate way for Europe to take over huge territory.  The end of WWI brought about many changes, some good and some terrible.  On a positive note,   it makes me pleased to learn that social mobility was surfacing and that higher level jobs were available to commoners.  I’m particularly pleased to read about the progression of the women’s movement.   As well as an overall increase in consumerism.  Little did we know that in the decades to follow tragedy awaits; the Great Depression and the crash of the stock market..

If that’s not bad enough,  look at the destruction one man can achieve.. Yep, I’m talking about Hitler.. What a jack ass… this man created such genocide; I just don’t know how he slept at night..  which leads us to WWII, I knew that this war was far worse than the Great War  or WWI but it saddens me to learn that the total estimated death toll was 60 million or 6 times that of WWI.  More than half were civilians (due to new technology; bombers, jet fighters; atomic weapons).  More than 40 percent of the total deaths were in Soviet Union.  This is due to Hitler’s racial war, he was destined to destroy all of Russia; with “unprecedented, unmerciful, unrelenting harshness” (Ways of the World p. 649).  One of my good friend’s mother and family had to flee from Russia and grew up in China during the German invasion.  

The chapter on the Rise and Fall of Communism was quite interesting.  In reading about communist feminism I was surprised to learn that communist countries were in fact the ones that pioneered forms of women’s liberation, I was sure that this would have started in the West.  As I read through the chapter, it angers me to think about US involvement in various wars such as the Korean and Vietnam.  None of our business.  These wars ended in fruitless bloodshed of thousands of Americans. 

Its interesting comparing the freedom struggles between India and South Africa.  While India’s fight for freedom let by Mohandas Gandhi had a religious focus, South Africa’s led by Nelson Mandela was focused on race, ethnicity and ideology.  And most of all the end of apartheid.  It doesn’t seem logical that white settler minorities (a mere 20% of the entire population) had total control over South Africa.  What’s worse, these people were not even in their own Country.  I can’t imagine what it was like for the Country’s black African majority to have to follow these ridiculous segregation “pass” laws in their own Country.  Then you have the Islamic law of Iran which was to promote moral purification of the country under state control.  Discos and bars were closed, alcohol was forbidden, boys and girls had to attend separate schools, women were required to wear a veil and loose fitting clothing to conceal their figures.  After reading this chapter , I have to say, we as Americans just don’t know how fortunate we are to have freedom.  Some of the things that other Countries are fighting for, we just take for granted.  Certainly puts things into prospective.  

 The final chapter!  I was most interested in reading about Globalization, as the rest of the chapter seems to be similar to what we have studied in the previous chapters.   I imagine that Globalization is necessary in order to expand the Country’s Global relationships with other Countries, and I am fine with importing and exporting of goods as every Country specializes in something that each of us require to thrive.  However, I am opposed to the US outsourcing jobs;  India for example (A World Economy p 725) and this is why.  There are thousands of Americans right now that are in need of work!!!  Not only is it wrong to deprive our own people of a means to survive, it is happening all because of some corporations bottom line…  it is also morally wrong to pay employees of these foreign Countries “sweat house” wages just because you can.  It is also frustrating from a customer’s perspective, in which  I have firsthand experience.  The organization where I work recently laid off the entire IT department and outsourced to a company in India, the communication barrier makes it almost impossible to effectively resolve issues in a timely manner.  

World History Reflection ch 17-20

 The American Revolution: interesting to know that the American experience was not the revolution itself, but instead the existent emergence of the colonies and the independence from Britain.   Was this the hope and model of the human race?  Sure, except for the black slaves and women…

The Haitian revolution on the other hand was epic in that they had the only successful slave revolt in world history; they became equal, free independent citizens.  That makes me feel

On the coattail of the Haitian revolution opened the door to additional echoes of revolution with the goal of crushing oppression and inequality; Abolitionists sought to end slavery, Nationalists hoped to end disunity and foreign rule and feminists to do away with male dominance.

The feminist movement of course sparks my interest; I have mixed emotions about this I’m glad that women finally found their voice butt it makes me angry that it took so long to find it… The twentieth century!  Interesting that Elizabeth Cady Stanton published a Women’s Bible, in which she omitted the parts that were offensive to women.  At some point I may delve a bit deeper into this, sparks my curiosity.  There is always an opponent in the crowd.  It’s silly though the reasoning that they used, they really thought that by going to school and having a life outside of the home would cause reproductive damage???  Oh my gosh, don’t read that book, may cause birth defects..  They even claimed that women were selfish and how could they be willing to sacrifice their home and “nation” … and these are the same men that fought for our independence and helped build our Country..  What’s wrong with that picture..

The Industrial Revolution: after reading the chapter, one thing that stands out to me that I wasn’t aware of is that the steam engine was a very important invention, and that in the twentieth century industrial revolution became global.  I actually feel that it paved the way to our current global economy.  I wonder, if the industrial revolution would have never transpired, where would we as a society be right now, would we still be hunting and gathering???…

Great Britain was the first Industrial Society,  In 1800 the British Textile consumed 52 million pounds of cotton,  in 1850 they consumed 588 million pounds, it’s amazing that within a matter of fifty years, the amount of cotton has increased by over 500 million pounds, could it be because by 1891 it went from agriculture society to industrial only?  I was surprised to know that by then only   8% of the National income was created by agriculture.  Because of the industrial revolution the population of people that were once farming were now working in the factories.  I think this had a huge long term impact on our farming systems today. 
   
There was an overwhelming abundance of forced labor in the twentieth century, I was alarmed to learn that in French Africa all natives were legally obligated for statue labor; they were round up like cattle and brought off to work.  What really stood out was the harsh cruelty and abuse that was administered to the people in the Congo if they did not collect enough rubber.  The photos of these poor boys that literally had their hands severed because they did not meet the expectations.  It certainly puts things into prospective, as rough as it appears that things can be, it hardly holds a candle to how rough people had it back then.  Even though there is still an enormous amount of struggle to survive, it’s comforting to know that there has been major milestones around labor, compensation, working laws.

Ways of the World Reflection ch 14-16

Christopher Columbus, what’s to celebrate?  After learning more about what his true intentions were, I agree with Winona LaDuke, president of the Indigenous Women’s group, that he was a perpetrator of genocide.  His quest for gold proved to be unsuccessful, he had to fill up his ship with something, so instead he captured, tortured, and enslaved the native people of the Americas.  He also took women and children as slaves for sex and labor.  What a eye opener for me, as a child growing up, the only memories I have of Columbus was  that of his journey to America,  when landed was greeted by the native people, embraced each other and sat down for a huge and elaborate feast together.. wow…. What really happened was the total opposite..  Why would our classrooms omit such truths about our history?? 

It’s not enough that CC invaded the native Indian land, enslaved, tortured and murdered, but also came the disease for which the native people were not immune to that killed nine tenths of the population.  In fact one Governor quoted such conditions as “good hand of God” at work (Ways of the World p 407) this so there can be more room for the Europeans…  these are human lives we are talking about, not some irrelevant population of insects.. very  disappointing

Interesting that back in the colonial societies of Mexico and Peru, there were 7 men to 1 woman, resulting in mixed race population of Spanish men and Indian women.  The Indian women welcomed this as a form of security for their children in that they would not receive the same treatment as they did.

 Even though the Portuguese had a clear opening for their ships to reach and fortify the various bases at several key locations along the Indian Ocean, they insisted on using force in obtaining these bases from the small and weaker states such as Mombasa, none were spared, not even the smallest of child. I thought we were suppose to learn from past history and progress, this is no different than the acts of Ghingas Khan and the Mongols… except instead of by land,  by sea… after failing to dominate the ocean, the people assimilated, learned the local languages, became part of the trading culture of the East.  If you can’t beat them, join them?

Unlike the Portuguese, the Spanish used small scale military action, gifts, favors to chiefs and Catholic religion to accomplish a blood free takeover.  I’m glad that they tried to act in a more humane manner.

Hmmm.. The Dutch were no better than the Portuguese…….used slave labor to produce nutmeg crops…

The Atlantic slave trade; it makes me sick to think of the 11 million people taken from Africa; stripped from their home, their family; their freedom; some to become slaves and tortured; others to die on the way – the owning and exchange of human beings, who in their right mind would even come up with such an idiotic idea, and actually think it would create progress and positive change..

What’s more disturbing is reading that officials of Africa themselves were involved in the slave trading…  

Although born and raised as a Catholic, I never really understood the message that was given during mass.  I agree with some that the Catholic Church is a cover up for corruption; money; and sexual abuse by the priests.   Interesting to know that the Europeans brought with and spread Catholicism to the societies that it conquered.

Research Project

My research paper is going to focus on the history of homosexuality and gay rights.  I am very excited to meet and interview a gentleman who is legally married to a same sex partner and who has lived through an era of acceptance, non acceptance and change.

Questions:

Have you ever felt discriminated against in your profession due to your sexual orientation?

How has Proposition 8 affected your life?

Do you feel that you have the same rights in your marriage as the marriage between men and women?

Over the years do you think that there has been an increase in social acceptance and respect for same sex couples?

Can you describe a situation in your life when you have been discriminated against?  

How have the events around the assassination of Harvey Milk and George Moscone played a role in your life?

Ways of the World Reflection ch 11, 12, 13

I didn’t realize just how many of the world’s population are Muslims.  1.2 billion people, or a whopping 22% of the world’s population reported at the beginning of the twenty first century!!

I feel that Allah had this great vision; creation of a whole new society based on sharing of wealth, disexploration of the poor; removing corruption in business; abuse of women; and neglect of widows and orphans which was delivered through the messenger Muhammad. 

I was angry to learn that once  Muhammad died, this vision turned into power and conquer by the Islamic/Arab Empire.  They began to translate the original word of Allah to justify their actions by stating that God gave them the victory, enabled them to take countries by force, giving rise to a more powerful empire than ever. 

Which leads us to September 11^th and the jihad

I was not surprised to read that after only twenty five years post Muhammad’s’ death civil war broke out Muslim against Muslim

Do women ever get a break?? Allah’s great vision for equality and respect for men and women.. sure thing, except for when women are “disobedient”, then you can beat them,

It was interesting to learn about Allah’s great vision with regards to women.  On one hand, if they did not “obey” the man, they were allowed to get beat.  On the other hand, in a marriage, women were expected to enjoy sexual satisfaction and could actually sue for divorce if they have not had sexual relations for more than four months..  LOL… too much..  The more I read, the more I feel sick to my stomach.. Bottom line, women in all societies, over thousands of years, and to this day are in some form or another are looked upon as weak, inferior, less intelligent; second class human beings..

Is it all because deep down inside men are afraid to acknowledge that women are more powerful??

Ultimately it made me glad to learn that some good did come out of the Islamic world; like Arab physicians diagnosing many diseases; development of medical treatments, and even surprised that the first hospitals were developed within the Islamic world. 

Afro Eurasian world

 It was interesting to read about the Mongols and compare the Pastoral Nomads to the Mongols in agriculture civilizations.  In the pastoral nomad civilization society’s women were held with higher regard.  They had fewer restrictions and greater roles in public life as oppose to their sister roles in the agricultural civilizations    

Was it genuinely more freedom, or more involvement all around due to small and widely scattered encampments less populated.  They were a herding society; use of livestock rather than agriculture to survive   fascinating that these nomads were able to survive primarily on livestock

Chinggis Khan the charismatic leader or the notorious tyrant??   It appeared as though his mission in life was to make war, conquer, and continue to build a stronger army, the measure of his success as a leader….. I wonder why he never developed intellectually, socially?  Lacked sophistication; regalness, kept nomadic roots;  no valid goal only to kill torture make suffer men women and children.. and or turn them into slaves

For such a charismatic and powerful leader very surprised that he didn’t leave a big foot print behind, the many civilizations that he defeated the people did not reap any benefit;  only the feeling of defeat, subordination and exploitation.  Eventually swallowed up by Chinese and Russian empires.

The Plague !!

Although Europe was spared from Mongolian conquest, the plaque which infiltrated Europe by way of the vast Mongol trade routes destroyed an estimate of  between one and two third of the European  population.  Just horrible..

Time to rebuild…

The world of the fifteenth century was all about rebuilding.  In the after math of the plague, both China and Europe successfully recovered..

I thought that the Aztecs had an interesting cyclical understanding of the world.  They held the sun central to all life and feared endless darkness; they felt that the sun required life-giving force found in human blood in order to maintain cosmic order. In order to feed this sun, they held massive sacrificial rituals.

Another interesting  Aztec symbolism involved  sweeping !!  As odd as it may seem, the Aztecs valued sweeping as  powerful and sacred act with symbolic significance as an “act of purification and a preventative against evil elements penetrating the center of the Aztec Universe – the home”  (Ways of the World ch 13, p 388) .   I find it fascinating that such a simple act can be held in such high regard…

World History Reflection 2

After delving into the second and third wave civilizations;  I was rather surprised to read that as far back as the 500’s B.C.E. the Persian empire had in place its own government system; monetary system (standardized coinage) and taxes.  They even had a Persian postal system.   

I was impressed that the people of Greece were able to put their rivalry with other city-states aside every four years to participate in the Olympic Games, this tells me that they were not all power and greed. 

There were many thinkers and philosophies of the Classical Era.  With this came a vast array of religions.  In learning the different types; from Zoroastrianism in Persia, Daoism in China to Christianity in Palestine; although I was born and raised as a Catholic; I have found Buddhism to be the most interesting and spiritually liberating.  I actually had the opportunity to visit a Buddhist Church about a year ago.  The experience was extra special because the service that I attended was in honor of Nirvana Day, the mind liberating state of being free from suffering.  The entire journey was great, from the church’s massive roof top, similar to a Chinese tea house, to the overwhelming scent of incense, to the continuous sound of bells chiming, to the flurry of gold in and around the Onaijin (alter). 

As I sit in quietness, in this peaceful temple, all of the thoughts running through my mind of the day’s tasks that wait suddenly disappear, and I am in complete peace, if only for a moment.  All at once, this sudden burst of chanting commences, it is almost startling. We were all asked to stand and open up our programs to Gatha, Long Ago in India.  We all began to sing, I felt the spirit in the room, all of the members together in harmony.  It was an Ah Ha moment for me, one in which I have never felt in any other church service that I’ve ever attended.  I felt good about myself, where I was in the present, I felt a warmth from the people around me even though they were complete strangers, and most of all I felt a sense of belonging.  It was a very spiritual moment.  I was never really attached to my Catholic upbringing, not because it was bad, but because I didn’t understand. With Buddhism, it is all so clear to me, the enlightenment and the awareness and the spiritual power is from within.

Although, as I reflect, I’ve found that Buddha and Jesus were very similar in their message.  They both spoke of personal transformation and letting go of internal pain and suffering. 

Eurasian social hierarchies 500 B.C.E. and the caste system.  When you compare the caste system back then to the caste system of today, nothing has really changed.  It’s all based on wealth and power.  When I think of the case system of today, I see three layers.  The people with money, no matter what religion, race, or name, are on the top.  The middle class, mid size house, two kids, both parents working family occupy the second layer.  The poor, homeless, unfortunate folks of society occupy the bottom.  And to some extent, I feel that there is still the dominance of men over women and inequality in each layer.  Unless there is a drastic World change, this will be the wave of the next 100,000 years.  Sad but true.