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3 Things I Learned...

          I learned about the evolution of expansion ideals from Glory, God and Gold to Commerce, Christianity, and Civilization.

         I learned about the different types of control that were exhibited and the effects it had (for example, Asia was raised up, while Africa was suppressed)

         I learned the difference between a protectorate, a colony, a sphere of influence, and economic imperialism, and how to apply those terms to modern times as well as the past.


2 Things That Interested Me...

          It was really neat to learn about the different justifications for imperialism, such as egocentrism and such. It's funny to think that entire countries can become so full of themselves that they truly believe their way is the only right way, and it's also good to learn the pros and cons that come out of thinking like that.

          I liked learning about the different types of imperial conquests and the forms that they can take. I hadn't really understood any of that before, but it's very clear now, and it's cool to be able to apply that knowledge.


1 Question I Still Have...

          What was the 'white man's burden' exactly? I understand the basics of what it entailed, but I really want to know exactly what Mr. Kipling was thinking of when he wrote it.

Spotlight On... The Sepoy Mutiny

The Sepoy Mutiny started because of the religious beliefs of the sepoys in British service. They believed the cow to be a sacred animal, and so would not eat it. When they were given new muskets that were made using fats and oils from cows (and would be required to rip open the packets with their teeth to reload), they rejected the idea and mutinied. The mutinies started on May 10th, 1857, and spread quickly. The rebellion was surpressed, but had it not been it would have been very bad for the East India Company's business, and bad for England, by extension. The Sepoy Mutiny is also known as the Indian Rebellion of 1857 and India's First War of Independence.

US Event - The Civil War

The American Civil War is probably one of our country's most famous historical events, and the basics of it are well known: It was the Union against the Conferacy, fighting over a number of things, but primarily over slavery. The war lasted from 1861 until 1856, and ended with a victory for the Union, and the country coming back together after the famous surrender at Appomattox Courthouse.

During the war, the Confederacy held out hope for being saved by a European power, like England or France. However, the Union forces blocked any useful help they could, so the international involvement in the war was minimal.

There were a number of advances and interseting things that came out of the Civil War, such as the photography by Mathew Brady, the Underground Railroad, and Lincoln's famous Gettysburg Address.

US Event - Women's Suffrage

Women's suffrage wasn't really brand new in the 1800's and 1900's, but it started to become a very big deal in America at the time. Europe had already had many attempts at rights for women, such as Olympe de Gouges' Declaration of the Rights of Women and some of the movements that came out of the Industrial Revolution, but in 1848 a convention was held (The Seneca Falls Convention) to demand more rights for women. The cause received even more attention and debate when black men got the vote in 1869 but women were still powerless.

This time period saw the rise of many famous ladies, such as Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Lucy Stone, and Julia Ward Howe. While the famous Nineteenth Ammendment wasn't put into action until 1920, many women still found ways to vote in other elections in their states, and to show that women should have a voice in their government.

People in the News - Leopold II of Belgium

Leopold II of Belgium was the king of Belgium from 1865 until 1909. He is chiefly remembered for his control of the Congo Free State, which he founded (with the aid of Henry Morton Stanley). However, he was not a good ruler for those people, as he ignored almost all of the regulations and agreements the Berlin Conference had set up, and ran things in Africa with only the goal of personal gain. The people were treated brutally, and it was common for a hand or foot to be chopped off if a worker was not collecting enough rubber or such. He was indirectly responsible for the deaths of over a million people, but was eventually forced to relinquish control of the Congo.

People in the News - Cecil Rhodes

Cecil Rhodes was a man who was very concious of the changes going on in the world and how to utilize them. He was an American who established not only a mining company, but also a new state in Africa. The mining company was the De Beers Company, which used to market 90% of the world's diamonds (that number is around 40% today). He named his new state after himself, calling it Rhodesia. Today, it is known as Zambia and Zimbabwe. The Rhodes University in South Africa is also named after him, as well as the Rhodes Scholarship, which is funded by some of his profit from the diamon mines.

Throughout his life he utilized imperialism to expan his fortune and gain more territories for Europe in Africa. He sought to build a railroad from Cape Town to Cairo, and while that plan never quite came through, it was a wonderful idea, and would have been quite profitable. He was very interested in accessing mineral deposits, and besides helping Europe to gain land in Africa, he also helped them to secure a good number of mineral deposits that were able to be mined.

People in the News - Matthew Perry

Matthew C. Perry was born to a naval captain, and his military life just escalated from there. By 1809 he was in the United State's Navy, and spent time assigned to many different ships for many different battles and duties. He was in high demand, and was even offered a post in the Russian Navy, which he declined. He is most famously known for opening up the way to get to Japan again, and for his claiming of the Key West territories.