Environment and Religion (blog #21)

The second half of this chapter focuses on the spread of religious ideologies and the negative impact humans started to have on the environment in light of the industrial revolution and the spread of industry that was reliant on burning fossil fuels around the globe. Personally the environment and religion have always been hot buttons for me; first because this is the only planet we have and it was intended for the survival of all species, not just humans, and second because people should have the right to believe in whatever god or religion they chose. Although religion is still a hot topic in the global community today, I feel like environmental degradation and protection presents a more immediate and intense focus within our local and global communities. Strayer illustrates that movements concerning the protection of natural resources and the use of alternative fuel products have become more common in the twentieth century, but they have not had as much impact as they would have liked. Many have started to criticize the idea of global warming because they argue that predictions made about when ice caps would melt and glaciers would disappear have not been entirely accurate; however, it is challenging to say if the original predictions were wrong or if policy changes and changes in behavior resulted in a slowing of the disappearance of ice caps and glaciers. Environmental degradation and protection have been a growing concern within America since the beginning of European colonization; though concerns were mostly voiced by natives the idea of sustainability did start to spread among the colonizers. Despite long-lasting concerns and controversies policy changes, regulation and behavior has changed very little over time and is still very far from where it needs to be.

It's all about the Benjamins! (Blog # 20)

This chapter was frustrating to me because it highlights one of, in my opinions, the worst side effects of capitalism, the pursuit of money at all costs. The chapter explains “reglobalization” in a post-WWII world; with the United States becoming the leader in the world capitalism quickly spread across the world. Reglobalization was characterized by the “the accelerating circulation of goods, capital, and people”, and it had many pros and cons. Some of the pros include, “life expectancies expanded almost everywhere, infant mortality declined, and literacy increased” (Strayer, 789). Unfortunately it also came with many cons, the worst in my opinion is the greed for more capital even at the expense of others. This greed is most demonstrated in the practice of “foreign direct investment” in which a company in one country sets up factories in another country to take advantage of cheaper resources and labor. “Rich countries sought to take advantage of cheap labor, tax breaks, and looser environmental regulations in developing countries” (Strayer, 786). The spread of capitalism led to a new type of domination and control over underdeveloped countries and furthered the gap between the rich and the poor; this had many considering the United States an “informal empire”. It is my belief that the practice of “foreign direct investment” is an immoral act that not only hurts vulnerable people in lesser developed countries, the environment and in return the country that is sending their factories to other countries. For example the United States has become too reliant on other countries for goods and resources with the majority of our goods being imported from other countries. Capitalism has the power to be a good system if it was combined with a sense of morality so that people and the environment wouldn’t suffer in the name of financial gain; money is not more valuable than life, not even money.

The end of the empire (Blog # 19)

Two things I found really interesting about this chapter. First was the idea that the British stated to set up policies in place that allowed the colonized countries to have more direct control over their politics and economics before nationalist uprisings occurred; this was done by “gradual political reforms; investments in railroads, ports, and telegraph lines; holding elections; and writing constitutions” (753-754). The book even says, “To some observers, it seemed as if independence was granted by colonial rulers rather than gained or seized by nationalist movements” (754). Obviously they didn’t enact these changes to willingly give up complete control of these colonies, if they had the transition wouldn’t have taken so long or so many lives. This concept is mentioned in detail at least twice in this chapter and it made me wonder how the decolonization would have taken place if the British hadn’t already started to make changes giving more power and involvement to the natives.

Second, this chapter mentions that independence and democracy were not automatically going to fulfill all of your expectations; the process was long hard and complicated. Most of the colonies that were trying to gain independence were faced with too many obstacles (economic, racial, ethnic, class) to make a peaceful and easy transition from a government that held all of the power to being a part of a new government and finding an equal ground for all citizens within a colony. It seemed to me like people were too quick to give up on democracy because within the first nine years they didn’t achieve everything they were hoping to, major social/political/economic changes take time to enact and enforce anywhere; especially when a government is facing major internal conflict.

Catholic Social Teaching 5 & 6 (blog #18)

I really enjoy reading this article about Catholic social teaching; I feel like they focus their teachings around very important factors of society life that are intended for the betterment of all members of a society. I completely agree with John XXIII’s idea of socialization, I believe we are all interconnected and have a moral obligation to help those around us that are in need. I am not surprised that his idea was met with such an uproar from his peers, as we have discussed in class nobody wants to have their “stuff” taken away from them to be “given” to someone else, but it’s not like John XXIII was saying that all private property is subject to be expropriated, there were certain conditions that had to be met, “if these tracts of land are “extensive, unused or poorly used” and if these ownership patterns “bring hardship to peoples or are detrimental to the interests of the country, the common good sometimes demands their expropriation” (no. 24)” (92). There is no reason to hoard land or property that you don’t need or use when it can be detrimental to the survival of someone else; it reminds me of a child who has a doll that it’s not playing with but as soon as another kid wants to play with it the first kid throws a tantrum because now all of a sudden they want it. I think this theology about private property is a legitimate way of thinking and it makes sense in society, especially in areas where resources are scarce, as long as it is used with reason.  I also didn’t realize that the Church was so adamant and concerned with labor unions and worker’s rights. I found section six to be very enlightening into why the Church believes proper and efficient workers unions are so vital to the society as a whole, “Work represents a positive opportunity to collaborate with others, to develop particular skills, and to contribute distinctive individual talents to the wider society” (97). I also liked how they compared labor and work to being co-creators with God, it just adds an extra benefit to working.

Communism (Blog # 17)

What was most interesting in this chapter, in my opinion, was the idea that communism came about as a solution to end suffering for the majority (peasants and women) of the population could not support themselves. This becomes even more apparent when communist and nationalist parties begin preaching equality, financial stability, prosperity, and freedoms to those who do not currently have any. I found it interesting that in every one of these movements rights were promised for women, a class of people who were used to having nothing, and to those living in rural areas. Though these parties openly preached these equalities and freedoms they were typically never upheld, even those rights that were enacted were eventually and usually quickly taken away. Communism was supposed to be the countries answer to the economic and political struggles these countries were facing at the time, instead it led to more destruction and death. I also found it interesting that the collapse of both China and the Soviet Unions communist parties were due to their own reforms rather than by outside, or Western, influence. It seemed to me while reading this chapter that they wanted some Western benefits and policies while staying strictly Communist; however this is a mix that cannot be made which was evident by the bloody and violent upheavals in the Soviet Union and the change to Capitalism in China.

World war, depression and the rebalancing of Global Power (blog #16)

What I found the most interesting in this chapter was that it showed how actions in one country directly effected another. First through war, and than through the great depression that plagued so many countries after the war. I never realized how closely the end of the war contributed to the depression that ravaged so many countries, nor did I realize that the depression was something that many countries around the world were facing at the same time. This chapter clearly defined and laid out causes of the depression and showed how they were all linked together. Most of the countries that faced a depression after the war were those who gained economic prosperity during the war; usually due to the high demand for certain goods during WWI. When the war ended many of the goods that were in demand lost their value and were no longer needed on the large scale that they were prior to the end of the war. This meant that entire factories were shut down, imports and exports were significantly reduced in several countries and thousands were left without a job. All of those who gained financial independence and security during this time lost it during the depression. What was even more interesting was that those countries who benefited from growing financial independence also lost the demand for luxury items like silk which than created a chain reaction around the globe. It was really interesting to me to see how we are all interconnected throughout the world and how what happens in one place can effect people half way around the globe.

Empires in Collision (Blog # 15)

Something I found quite interesting about this chapter was how 3 seemingly similar countries can face the same challenges and can yet have three different outcomes. China and the Ottoman Empire were the two that had the most similar results after extreme pressure from the West, while Japan seemed to strive in the face of adversity and ultimately landed itself on the same playing field as the West. This chapter further illustrates the dominating and unforgiving oppression of Western influence and how the search for power and influence in the East led to many uprisings and diminished the political and economic power of those countries; at least in the case of China and the Ottoman Empire. Both China and the Ottoman Empire had a fully developed political, economic and social structure that for them seemed to work well. It wasn’t until the West, specifically Britain that destroyed these structures and left both China and the Ottoman Empire dependent on the Western countries. It is very frustrating to me when I hear about how our ancestors, and even people from other countries with no ties to myself, treated others for their own personal gain; to think of all those who were oppressed, forced into slavery and were killed in the name of progress makes me think progress is not such a noble cause. Although I don’t agree with all of Japan’s decisions during their time of Western pressure, I do find it fascinating and inspiring that they were able to not only repel Western pressures but build itself up enough to be seen as an equal; so much so that Westerners actually repealed their unfair treaties with Japan and re-wrote them to favor Japan as an industrializing nation. Something else I found really interesting was that in all three of these empires, women’s rights and equality were suggested, worked towards and then finally rejected. Unfortunately women would have to continue to wait for their opportunity at equality; sadly many are still waiting today.

Call to Action Day (Post 14)

For Call to Action Day my food and politics class and I went to Saint Anthony’s Padua Dining Room in Menlo Park. This is an amazing organization that has many food services that helps provide hot meals as well as bags of bread and groceries to those who are less fortunate. They provide a judgment free environment where individuals and families of any age or economic status can come and enjoy a meal with peers in a no questions asked atmosphere. While the nine paid staff members and the multitude of volunteers at Saint Anthony’s works very hard to provide a hot and nutritious meal for around 350 people per day, they also provide hundreds of take home bags filled with bread and other goodies for those who come to eat at the Dining Room. Although I didn’t experience this first hand I was also told about a series of several hundred lunches and grocery bags that get delivered from the Dining Room to individuals in need that are unable to make the trip into Saint Anthony’s each day.

While serving with Saint Anthony’s we prepared vegetables and other food products, helped prepare take home grocery bags, unpacked crates of food, served food and drinks, mingled with those attending Saint Anthony’s for food services and helped with clean up services. Three other people and I mainly did chopping of fruits and vegetables for various salads and entrees. We ended up chopping around 100 yellow bell peppers, 100lbs of Brussel Sprouts, 40 honeydew melons, 3 crates full of strawberries, and 3 bags of grapes. This job was slightly tedious at times but we were able to see the finished product which made performing the task more rewarding. While we were chopping and preparing food we were able to mingle with several of the long-term volunteers there who had some amazing stories of why Saint Anthony’s is meaningful to them and why they decided to volunteer their time there every week. When we were done with the prep work we were able to grab some food and sit and mingle with some of the other volunteers and those who come to the Dining Room for a hot meal; there were some really interesting people that I met there, some families and some individuals, which made this experience so rewarding.

What I really enjoyed about this experience was the sense of accomplishment I felt during and after completing my service project. So many people suffer from food insecurity in this country, and in our own backyards, so it was really nice to be able to help provide a hot meal for those in need; especially since it is very well the only hot meal these people are able to eat every day. It was also very rewarding to see how many other people selflessly volunteer their time to consistently provide these food services to the less fortunate every week. These volunteers worked so hard the entire time we were there and they worked like they were getting paid for it; it was incredible to see how fast and hard these volunteers work every day for no other reason but to help out families and individuals in their community.

Although I had a wonderful time and I wouldn’t complain about any aspect of my time spent at Saint Anthony’s, there were three things about the experience that I wish were a little different. First I noticed that certain volunteers had very particular ways of doing things, so when volunteers needed direction or correction in a task they tended to explain it in a harsh and somewhat confrontational way. This made it slightly intimidating for some of the volunteers to ask follow up questions about a certain task. Secondly I would have loved to be able to mingle and engage more with the families and individuals utilizing the services at Saint Anthony’s some of the volunteers were able to work the whole time with these people while my group was in the kitchen during the serving of lunch, so we were only able to visit with the few people who remained in the Dining Room once we were finished with our tasks. The only reason I felt like this would have been valuable is because when I think of community engagement projects the main aspect of it, to me at least, is the engagement with the community; despite the fact that my particular group were only able to spend about fifteen minutes talking and interacting with those who came to Saint Anthony’s we were able to hear so incredible stories and meet some amazing people. The last thing that was actually really upsetting to me was that a few of the people who came by for the free hot meal openly complained about the food that was being served. I did not see this personally, but in our debriefing we were told about a few people who became very upset because the food didn’t contain enough meat products or various other products that they would prefer. This was heartbreaking to me because so many people worked really hard to put together the meal that was provided and if you don’t have access to food on a regular basis you would assume that people would be happy just for a free meal. Everything there is made from scratch and with “fresh” ingredients, and the menus are prepared by a nutritionist to ensure that people are getting the most nutritional benefit from the meals provided.

Although this experience had a couple things I wish could have been improved upon, it was an incredible experience. We met so many amazing people both as volunteers and those utilizing the food programs. This was a very humbling experience and it really helps put my life and my struggles into perspective. I was so grateful for the opportunity to volunteer with Saint Anthony’s and I will most likely return in the future on my own time to continue to help support them in their mission of providing hot nutritious meals for their less fortunate neighbors.

Catholic Social Teaching in Action (Blog #13)

I actually found this article very interesting and inspiring. At first I found it interesting that the Catholic Church initiated change in international relationships since they seemed to have such a big role in the mistreatment and dominance of so many natives in underdeveloped countries. It reminded me of when England decided the slave trade was bad and started demanding that countries did not partake in the selling, keeping or of buying slaves. The reason it took so long for this idea to become widely accepted was because for so long England and supported and participated in the slave trade. I agree wholeheartedly with the idea of “mutual assistance among nations”, worldwide hunger and poverty is a big issue that requires widespread cooperation to fix. It is too easy for people to focus on their own personal surroundings and lose touch with the struggles of strangers, but it is important to do what we can to improve the standard of living for all. I think the Catholic Church represents a lot of great programs that actively work to provide economic, educational and physical health to those living in poor conditions without adequate access to food, water, medical aid and education. Hunger and poverty are not just matters for religious organizations; this is an issue that should be on everyone’s mind. As the article points out, “Despite the artificial divisions of people into races, religions, and nations, all are members of a single human family” and “all people have a moral obligation to care deeply about world poverty and to do all they can to address this scourge on our common humanity.”

The Eurpean Moment in History (Post #12)

          What I found the most striking about this chapter was the idea that the industrial revolution and the progress of technology colonial views and racial differences actually intensified. How is it that the enlightenment ideology of humanism and equality, that was becoming so popular and widespread at the time, were completely ignored in the treatment of migrant workers and those who could be viewed as “technologically simple”. With this new form of racism Europeans also used “science” to relate, or validate, ideas about racial differences. It really upsets me that at a time of such progress Europeans, and other developed countries, reverted back to primitive ideals of racial superiority. Progress at the expense of others, especially entire cultures and peoples, is never justified. Europeans felt the natural laws enforced “survival of the fittest” and they used this ideology to justify wars, death, and the mistreatment of migrant workers. It never ceases to amaze me that if you give someone just the slightest bit of power it tends to completely change their behavior, ideas and attitudes towards other, less powerful, individuals. For whatever reasons the industrial revolution began in Europe and led to many new technologies and markets, including machine guns and weaponry, but that does not justify European’s actions towards other cultures that were not as technologically advanced. There always seems to be this idea of “making savages civilized” but who is to say what is considered civilized? Just because certain cultures don’t use fancy machines and have advanced weaponry doesn’t mean they are not civilized or that their not advanced; what matters most is in the eye of the beholder. I actually value Native population’s connectedness to nature over westerner’s connectedness to technology; the important thing in life is to respect and appreciate the values and ideas of others. It makes me ashamed when I learn about some of the practices throughout American history, the deception and manipulation of those less “civilized” populations and the exploitation of resources and people. True humanistic and enlightenment ideas would argue that each person, despite the differences in their beliefs, is important and valuable; because of this they deserve equality and freedom.

Varations in Industrial Revolutions (Blog #11)

Two things really surprised me about the last half of chapter 17. First was that, despite horrible working conditions and wages, no socialist party was able to take hold in the United States; and the party even became known as “un-American”. I understood how this was affected by the diverse population and the rapid economic growth, but it still surprised me that workers weren’t able to come together through common interest and benefit to improve their working and living conditions. I wonder how different American government and social life would be today if socialism took off during the Industrial Revolution.

                Secondly, I was surprised and somewhat impressed that the Tsar of Russia initiated changes within his political structure, especially the ‘freeing of the serfs in 1861’ (Strayer, 590). I can understand why he would want to catch up with the rest of the world but most governments were forced to make changes due to upheavals/strikes/revolutions. I wonder if he could have predicted the changes he would be forced to make after this if he still would have decided to initiate change within Russia. It is really unfortunate that these changes led to so many violent revolutions and caused so many hardships. The industrial revolution varied depending on the region that it was occurring; personally I believe it was most successful in Europe and the United States.

Industrial revolution (Blog #10)

Perhaps what bothers me most about the Industrial Revolution is its complete disregard for the environment and the people and animals that would suffer in the name of progress. I understand the need for alternative fuels to help account for the energy crisis due to rapidly growing populations, but I do not understand how this need could trump environmental protection; specifically of waterways and air quality. It is no surprise to me that this revolution led to water pollution that created waterways to be unusable. ‘The massive extraction of nonrenewable raw materials to feed and to fuel industrial machinery-coal, iron ore, petroleum, and much more-altered the landscape in many place. Sewers and industrial waste emptied into rivers, turning them into poisonous cesspools’ (Strayer, 568). This chapter made me question how different the world would be today if the Industrial revolution was created around a society that supported and cared for the environment as much as they did progress and capital. This revolution set the tone for other countries and the standards for progress; everything suffered at the hands of “human progress”, including humans. While not all aspects of the industrial revolution were harmful, for example it created the three social classes; it had devastating effects on those living in poverty as well as the environment. It was sad for me to see that India took to the industrial revolution after winning their independence from Britain and the death of Gandhi; even after Gandhi had spent so much time explaining the harmful effects that it would create for such a large nation to be as industrial as England. ‘Across the river from the site in New Delhi where Gandhi was cremated in 1948, a large power plant belched black smoke’ (Strayer, 567). This just goes to show how important progress is to humans all around the world.

Echos of the Revolution (Blog #9)

What I really liked about this entire chapter is that it illustrates how the American Revolution impacted the rest of the world, in regards to both personal and ideological revolutions.  It never ceases to amaze me how long it took for people to realize that equality and civil liberties should be extended to all people, women and those of color included. What surprises, or bothers, me the most is that the abolition of slavery had almost been ended around 1890, due to its success, while equality for women didn’t even really take off until the 1900’s. What was it about women that made educating them and letting them into politics that scared men so much? I don’t understand how white men could have fought for civil liberties for men of color, people not too early before that they enslaved, tortured and massacred, yet the women that lived by their sides were still considered inferior. (Not that I believe women are above those of color) I just don’t understand how their views of equality to all “men”, including those that they treated with such a lack of humanity, were not at the same time offered to their wives and daughters. Despite this fact I enjoyed reading about how creative the women were in getting their voices heard; specifically with the idea of “maternal feminism”, which was the idea that women had a right to protect the interest of their children which allowed them to have a voice in political issues. The idea that these women were willing to lay down their lives in resistance to political power during the Revolutions as well as their intelligence in legal matters should have been enough, in my opinion, to convince men that they were due their civil liberties as well.

Sisters of Notre Dame (blog #8)

Personally I found this article to be enlightening and inspiring. We don’t tend to think about, in today’s societies, the struggles that women faced throughout history mostly because the way men and women interact has drastically changed within our own societies; granted not all societies have changed the gender roles and gender equality. Especially when life at this time was so concrete for women, be a housewife or lock yourself away in a convent, the changes that these women made were considered radical and faced a lot of controversy. I think it would have been very easy for Francoise to indulge the lavish lifestyle she was born in to; I think what made it easier for her was the idea that she had seen firsthand the struggles of others which helped her remain humble even while dining at parties with such extreme dinner options. My favorite quote from her was where she talks about guiding purpose, “To find my happiness in procuring the happiness of others” (SND after Tomme 11). Both of these women had seen for themselves how the inequalities of their societies operated and the effect this had on individuals and societies; without this firsthand knowledge and experience the two may have never met and the Sisters of Notre Dame may not exist. I found their stories inspiring, it is difficult to stand up for others and dedicate your life to providing basic needs to those who are suffering but the rewards are endless.

Western Revolutions (Blog #7)

Something that has been a recurring irritation for me as we read through these chapters is the position and roles of women throughout the history of the world. It seems that no matter what women do to become educated or participate in history they are never seen as more then housewives; incapable of doing anything important. Throughout this chapter I found it repeatedly irritating how women, especially in France and Latin America, participated in revolutionary actions and fought for change in many different ways yet they failed to gain any liberties or benefits for their actions. I truly believe that slavery, racism and classism are all bad and should never be institutionalized within a society; however I am curious to understand why after the revolution people of color were granted civil liberties and rights while women were not. What made them so inferior to men? How could perspectives of those from a different race be drastically altered while those for women stayed the same? I feel like women, just like those of color, had to and still do work harder than white males in many ways yet they are not taken seriously or considered “smart enough” to participate in “male” duties or roles. For example in the French Revolution, women participated in the “major events of the Revolution” yet afterward they were seen as such a threat to men that the legislature shut down all of the 60 women’s clubs and some declared that, ‘women are ill-suited for elevated thoughts and serious meditation’ and one orator said, ‘women who aspired to do so were “denatured viragos” meaning not really women at all’. What is it about women participating in political matters that becomes so threatening to males, and why does it lead to such degradation of the female species?

The Scientific Revolution (Blog #6)

After reading the rest of chapter 15 I would have to say that I was highly surprised with how much conflict the scientific revolution created. Some seemed to embrace the new scientific ideas, while others saw it as a direct challenge to religious beliefs and traditions. Since this time religion and science have been viewed as opposites, or contradictory, if you believe in one you can’t believe in the other; but this is not the case. As we see in the reading many, if not all, of the early scientific thinkers had religious beliefs that became more confirmed over the course of their discoveries. For example the book talks about Galileo and how he attempted to illustrate how religion and science worked together, ‘Nor is God any less excellently revealed in Nature’s actions than in the sacred statements of the Bible’ (517). Or how Newton believed that knowledge of the planets, nature and the human body further illustrated the works of a more powerful being, ‘This most beautiful system of the sun, planets, and comets, could only proceed from the counsel and dominion of an intelligent Being’ (517). Despite the efforts of many of these early scientists some saw science as a direct threat to religious practice, while others saw it as disproving religion altogether. It bothers me how worked up people get over their beliefs, no matter what they are, that they are willing to publicly shame, humiliate or kill in order to protect and promote their own ideas and values. For example, burning Giordano Bruno at the stake for ‘proclaiming an infinite universe and many worlds’ and how the Church forced Galileo to publicly reject his own ideas of how the Earth rotates. It is my belief that science and religion go hand in hand, and should be working together to build a better understanding of our physical and spiritual world. There are many aspects of our world that can’t be explained through science or religion alone, so by working together it is my belief that we can gain a deeper understanding of ourselves, the natural world as well as the spiritual realm; the key is adaptability, acceptance and understanding.

Religion (Blog #5)

I found chapter 15 really interesting because it showed how different religions spread around the world and because it illustrated the instability of those religions. First I enjoyed learning about how the different subtypes of religions were formed and how they spread around globe. It seems to me like one of the biggest problems facing humanity today is the lack of understanding and tolerance for members of a different faith, and religious wars have been a part of human history forever. What amazes me the most about this, is that two religions can have similar views or beliefs about how to treat others, while at the same time they are murdering others simply for disagreeing with their religious practices. For example, the Christian religion teaches understanding and kindness to your enemy, yet Christians have been on the front line of many religious wars. I am a Christian who believes in God and I try, not always successfully, to be honest and kind to everyone regardless of their religious background, because I feel this is what’s right. Being cruel and unjust to others isn’t going to make them want to become Christians; it is most likely going to push them away from it. This doesn’t mean one has to agree with others on matters of religion, but it does mean that we should respect the beliefs of others. I found it really interesting that some religious groups forced conversion onto native populations with a surprisingly high success rate, mostly due to fear, while those who attempted to slowly persuade natives to convert ended up failing miserably; like in China. While many would consider the forced conversion a success, it is unclear how many of these forced conversions actually led to a legitimate faith.

Secondly I found this chapter to illustrate the instability of religion, since often one religion was altered either in order to accommodate the native people’s beliefs and practices or in response to public challenges of the existing religion. I don’t understand how it was so easy for people to change or alter their religion so many times. Religion is supposed to be somewhat concrete, at least with some idea of the basic structure of religion, but this chapter illustrated how easily it could be changed on a large scale. I know that, while alive at least, one will never know the truth about God, Heaven, Hell or sin, but if you are willing to persecute others for not adhering to all aspects of your religion you should probably have a solid understanding of what it is.

Human slave trade (Blog #4)

While I find the idea of slavery disgusting and inhumane, I found it interesting how the human slave trade worked within Africa and other countries. It was really surprising to me that individuals, including Americans, justified enslaving Africans because of their lack of stuff and because they 'have attributes that are quite similar to those of dumb animals' (480). This surprised me because in order to enslave millions of people, the Africans had to be dehumanized and "animal-like". What struck me even more was the idea that the African authorities were the ones who regulated the slave trade with other countries. I understood that many of the Europeans that traveled to Africa became ill because of their lack of immunity to jungle diseases, but what I didn't understand is how they could consider Africans dumb and animal like enough to enslave mistreat and even kill them, while others, with the same physical characteristics, were considered humanlike enough to do business with. It’s not like the African authorities were white or different looking than the slaves they were trading, so what made these authorities more human than the slaves?

Another point I found interesting was that America seemed to have a more strenuous and unforgiving lifestyle for the African slaves than any other country at the time. I never realized that other countries often freed their slaves after some time, or at least would consider children born to slaves as free people. In America life as a slave was cruel, dangerous and all children born to slave women were considered life-long slaves as well; generally it was ideal for slave women to bare children because it provided slave owners with “free” slaves. I never realized that of all those involved in the slave trade, America seemed to be the most inhumane, this thought not only made me disappointed but it made me ashamed of my ancestors. It is not a good feeling to learn that your country was founded on the backs of others, especially when these actions continue to cause hardships and racism within America, long after slavery has been outlawed. All I can hope is that with education of our past behavior, we can head towards a stronger and more united future.  

Trade in Asia and India (Blog #3)

While reading the first half of chapter 14, two things really caught my attention. First was the way the Portuguese set up a trade post empire, in order to take control of trade in the Indian Ocean. This really caught me off guard because rather than attempting to participate in the trade market, they decided to try and take it by force.  It is disturbing to me how easy it is for people to take advantage of others in the pursuit of money and power; however it made me happy to read that even with their aggressive actions they never dominated the trade, and they were quickly challenged by other countries like Spain.

The second part of this chapter that really interested me was the idea of England being behind in the trade market. In all of the history I’ve learned, England has been a major player in the trade market throughout the world. It was honestly intriguing to see them struggle just to be an active participant in Asian and Indian markets. I found the way in which the Dutch and England finally joined this trade market very interesting as well; instead of pirating, like the Portuguese and Spain, they made business connections and was granted charters to monopolize specific trade markets. Although this caused the exploitation and death of native land owners, this introduced a new way to think about trade relationships in the Indian Ocean. I never approve of the way in which people exploit others and their resources, but I found this section of the chapter very interesting because it allowed the reader to understand the similarities and differences between the different countries’ ways of gaining control of or participating in trade.

 

 

***Sorry this is late, I realized I was reading the wrong chapter on Monday and it was too late for me to reread the correct chapter. ****

Blog #2 Sugar cane and slavery (Blog #2)

     Growing up I found myself fascinated with learning history; I found it inspiring and enlightening, that is until I went to college and learned the side of history that was never revealed in my small home town school. It is overwhelming to think about the atrocities that humans can commit against other humans and living beings. There were three readings from the handout that really triggered an emotional response in me as I read.
      The first was the writing by Frederick Slare in 1775. Frederick Slare attempts to trigger an emotional response within the reader to not only "crave" sugar but to feel guilty about not wanting to use sugar. He "addresses" several popular concerns about sugar in a strictly emotional way, rather than providing evidence in the support of sugar. He attempts to convince the reader to consume sugar by appealing to women's desire for beauty and acceptance. The reason this triggered my anger is because this is the same thing I see in advertisements today; specifically with tobacco, alcohol and fast food. Although all of these products have been proven to be harmful when consumed, advertisements attempt to use emotional triggering to entice consumers to use those products. This really upsets me, because (at least with three products I mentioned above) they know that the product is dangerous and yet they attempt to seduce the consumer by promising to feel good, have fun or be beautiful. It has always interested me to see how different policies and procedures (including advertising) has changed from the past, or not changed for that matter. I always thought that advertising has become more ruthless over the years based on lack of accountability or originality, so it caught me off guard to see that it has been the same for a very long time.
     The second segment that interested me was the letter to parliament. This fascinated me because it is not often that I have seen someone illustrate the entire process of any product before, and I felt like this letter did a good job at that. It would be hard for someone who is a consumer to understand how the entire process works from planting the fields to selling the product in a store, so when they want to add a tax (duty) to the product they don't usually understand the impact this will have on the entire system. What really drew me into this section of the handout, was the way the author simply spelled out the process of sugar production as well as how and why each step of the process would be affected by the increased duty on sugar. One thing I have learned to hate about history is that it changes based on whose pint of view you are hearing. What I like about this is it seemed to take a 360 view of the sugar production industry (whether it actually did or not) and presents it in an intellectual way.
     The third and most emotional section of this handout to me was the account of slavery through the eyes and memory of Olaudah Equiano. This was a heartbreaking account of the living conditions of those living as slaves or indentured servants. This is the side of history that is rarely, if ever, displayed. I believe that it is the lack of these stories that has allowed for these injustices that occurred to go unpunished, and almost unnoticed, and it continues to justify these actions today. I think the most fascinating part of this section was on page 106 when he talks about how not all of the slave owners (plantation owners) treated their slaves and indentured servants with distain. What I found interesting about this is that many plantation owners seemed to justify their cruel and horrific actions towards their slaves with the idea that if they treated them better or gave them more freedom they would be uncontrollable. This however is not the case as we can see by Olaudah Equiano's account, those who were treated more humanely, though still living the life of a slave, lived longer and healthier lives and were at the same time able to complete more work than those living in horrific conditions.

Yay I am done! (Blog #1)

Yay, I finally got this to let me set up a new blog!!!! Long process, I am glad I could finally figure it out.