The Opium Wars

The Opium wars were about when China and European countries fought over a drug called opium that took about 3 years from 1839 to 1842. Opium was a drug from India. Opium was one of the first drug wars in the world. The reason of the Opium wars were because China wanted to isolate themselves outside their country. Europeans especially Britain wanted to trade with China. Europeans saw that tea from China was a great product and they liked the China's tea. China only let the Europeans access to the port and that's when China adapted from Western civilizations. Europeans gave the drug opium to them.

China was so addicted to opium that it was a heroin and morphine and the Chinese made a law that it was illegal because the drug affected many people in China. The Chinese would confiscate it and destroy the opium and buy no more of it from the Europeans. During the Opium wars China would get defeated a lot because of the highly equipped Europeans. It was called Opium wars because China got mad at the Europeans for bringing a drug to their country and they stopped trading the Europeans tea. Europeans got mad also for not getting tea from the Chinese. All because of a drug it was called the Opium wars.

In the war Europeans attacked the Chinese with their gunboats and cannons. The Chinese were not prepared for the war and only had swords. The Chinese's weapons were no match for the Europeans advanced technology and weapons. The British defeated China. China signed two Treaties called Treaty of Bogue and Treaty of Nanjing. They finally got peace and China was able to legalize opium. Also Europeans were able to have five ports in China.

Film lesson: "Mountains of the Moon"

In Global History class, we recently just watched the documentary film, "Mountains of the Moon." The film was about the Europeans' exploration of South Africa and their search of the source of the Nile. During their quest, they faced various hardships and conflicts. Richard Burton and John Speke lead the group of people for several days through Africa. They faced long hot days in the deserts, and rocky roads with scarce food and water. During the night and day, they had to be careful of the wild animals that wondered in Africa and unknown insectsEuropeans were also stopped many times by Africans tribes with threatening spears. To survive in the depths of Africa, they had to resist from any conflicts that would scar their journey.
Then finally Richard Burton, John Speke, and their crew found the source of the Nile. Its the third largest lake in the world and they named it Lake Victoria. At the time, that was the Queen of Britain's first name, so they named their discovery after her, and the name stuck till this day, Lake Victoria. People might think that it's strange that its name Lake Victoria because hundreds of people who lived in Africa had already knew of this lake and its existence, so why do these Europeans come out of no where and get to chose the name of it.
The Europeans went into Africa and had the advantage of advanced technology. They had guns while Africans had spears. They also had scientific tools such as microscopes and telescopes. African have never seen people of white colored skin before, or had they seen the goods they began along with them.
Over time, Europeans conquered Africa. It was easy to conquer because of the knowledge that Africans had on modern technology. Europeans soon invent the machine gun and took control. Africans were powerless with their spears against the Europeans. that might cause infection or disease.

Nationalism and the Creation of Italy

The word Nationalism derived from Nation. A Nation is a group of people of (usually, but not always) the same race, history, culture, language and geographical territory. Nationalism is the belief that every nation has the right to rule independantly the land that they lived on for the whole history. Nationalism is sometimes confused with Patriotism which means loyalty to your country.

Nationalism is the reason why some nations exist, it is also why some Empires were broken up. Italy was once ruled by Austria, but the people wanted change so during 1848 the people had rebelled. People wanted to make Italy a nation. A prime minister named Camillo di Cavour helped unite Italy and gain its freedom as a nation.

Simon Bolivar and Latin American Revolutions

Simon Bolivar was a famous military leader and a famous liberator. He helped many South American countries become free from Spain's grasp. Simón Bolívar was born in Caracas on July 24 1783 to don Juan Vicente Bolívar y Ponte and doña Maria de la Concepción Palacios y Blanco. He went to school in Spain and was very bright. Bolivar started a revolution that led to Venezuela's independence on July 5th, 1811. After freeing Venezuela from Spain's grasp he continued and freed many other South African countries. He established the Colombia, in which he granted himself president. Bolívar became President of Gran Colombia from 1821 to 1830, President of Peru from 1824 to 1826 and President of Bolivia from 1825 to 1826. Simon Bolivar was considered the greatest revolutionary hero for South America.

The French Revolution

1) Everyone was critical of the king, noble and clergy has an easy life style. They didn't have to pay tax for lands

2) In 1789 the French would grumble about the taxes to the king. They already have very little money, and they would have to pay a lot of taxes.

3) This picture is saying that the peasants do all the work and lift the King and nobles and clergy up. They carry the burden of maintaining the feudal lords and clergy. The peasant is on the bottom and the other two are the Clergy and feudal lords. The quote means that the peasants hope that this abuse will end soon.

4) The french lives horrible. They always have to please the king, do this and that for him. They had to give the 20kg of wheat and 3 chickens as feudal dues to one lord and even more to the kings tax collectors.

5) Yes, it does explain why they resented the rich. The wealthy men and women has to do very little and gained a lot of money. Poor men and women has to pay stocks and pay for taxes with only $750-$200 a year. All the peasant money was given away to the wealthy.

6) The peasants would be most influenced by his words, He is trying to say 1 man can't control over 1000 people.

7) I think that the pamphlet was banned because they knew that if the people saw this they would rebel. The rich and clergy wanted to ban it because they knew that the only reason they were so rich and had so much power was because of the peasant's.

John Locke and "The Enlightenment"

The rights Jefferson was talking about is all men are created equal. Rights of Life, Liberty and the pursuit of happiness. No, man has more rights without anymore. Were all balanced, and equal.

Where does the government get its powers? The government gets the power from us, the people, us the equal men and women. We can like the government one day and not the next. We can take it down, we can get a new government. We rater have Safety and Happiness. As long as the foundation stands, we can decide who goes in, and who comes out. Us, the people control the government.

Jefferson got most his idea's from John Locke, and he influenced the democracy.

Copernicus and the trial of Galileo

The reason Galileo was put on trial is because, the Church didn't agree with what he believed. They also made him kneel on the ground to take back what he has believe in. Galilo believe the Copernican planetary system.

Copernican planetary system, where the all the planets orbits around the sun. The church didn't believe this, they believe that the sun orbits around the planets. If he disobeyed he will be put into house prison for life. He has disobeyed. The very next day, they put him on house arrest.

There has been many argument between the church and Galileo. Saying which theory has came first, but there is only correct answer. One of the theory say that, the Sun orbits around the planets. The other day that the sun is in the center of the universe, and the earth orbit around it. Which one is correct? Apparently the Sun orbiting around the earth is a joke. The correct answer is that the Sun is in the middle and the planets orbits around it. The heliocentric theory has come first, and also the correct answer.

Scientific Revolution: The Scientific Method

The scientific method is a method of figuring something out. Its to solve a question. This method was used by Greeks and Romans to solve questions. This method contains a question, research, hypothesis, Procedure/Method, Data, Observation, and Conclusion. Each a everyone single one has a meaning to it, also each and everyone you answer your one step away from getting the answer to the questions.

Question - Ask a questions.

Research - Gathering information.

Hypothesis - An educated guess, guessing if your answer to your question is correct or incorrect.

Procedure/Method - Take down everything your doing, step by step.

Data - The information you have collected to help you solve your question.

Observation - Write down what you notice that happen during the test.

Conclusion - Write down if your Hypothesis was correct or incorrect.

Using all these steps, it should be able to make you solve your question. The Greeks and Romans used this to solve question. These steps worked as a charm. In 1-5th Grade they made us do Science project, these projects were base on the Scienific Method. I have to think of a question and solve it like the steps above. In the end, I would have the answer to the question. These method help alot. Try it!

Evolution vs. Creation

Until this day, no one can prove which theory is correct, Evolution or Creation. I personally think both of them is correct depending on how I think of it. Let me start with Evolution and then go on to Creation.

Dawrins Theory of Evolution talks about how things evolve to others, which is correct. Many water animals have legs before they started to evolve. For example manatees had hind limb back then, but nowadays they don't. So, I believe as time past things change. Humans too, Humans are mammals, scientist thinks that we are evolve from monkeys, because we look very similar to them. Were like a chain, we grow and change to others, it takes thousands and hundred of years. Its all about time, back then there's no such things are computer, radio and TV. Look at us now, were all using computer, radios, and TV's. Were changing as we speak now.

As in for Creation, its true too. If you think way out of the topic. What created earth itself? Before things evolve, something had to be created. It can't of just been like, I'm god, Boom, human exist. If you think out the topic again, I think were all related, no matter how people argue. What created the earth? What created us? For example, My parents made me, and their parents made them. So, on and so forth. But, whats the beginning of this whole chain? It had to be 1 item before this whole chain started to build. Creation had to create something before evolution comes into hand.

So, as you can see, I think both is correct. But, no one will ever know. Since, it depends on what people believe. Some people think God exist, and some people don't. Its your choice to decide which is correct and which is wrong. So, is it Evolution or Creation, You decide!