French Colonies as Significant as English?

France was a massive superpower or Europe and the entire world, they possessed a lot of land and controlled huge portions of the new world.

Throughout the many conflicts, and advancements of Europe, and as they advanced, many the new world was colonized. In our history class, we learned a lot about the colonization of the new world, by Spain and England. But France also controlled a lot of land, possible more so then Britain.

It was named New France. And its territory stretched from Canada to the Gulf of Mexico. New France was bordered by the thirteen colonies and Spain’s North American land.

The early exploration began in 1523, when Giovanni da Verrazzano convinced the king to allow and expedition to the new world. With his discoveries, he allowed a passageway for France’s empire to extend to the new world.

New France was divided into five colonies with separate administrators, similar to royal governors system. Canada, Acadia, Hudson Bay, Newfoundland and Louisiana.

New France’s colonies prospered by fishing, farming and fur trading.

Eventually, this land became settled and was littered with garrisons and fortresses. The might of France was truly strengthened but these additions.

Quebec city, and internationally known name was also created in the time of New France’s colonization. Pierre Dugua, Sieur de Mons and Samuel de Champlain founded the city of Quebec with 28 men. With just this few amount of men, Quebec was raised.

It is hard to imagine so many well-known colonies, like Boston and Quebec created and built with just a handful of people, slowly accumulating over the course of decades.

The history of New France is important to our history class, because France was noted as a powerful country, and deemed worthy of the name superpower. We learned a lot about the thirteen colonies, and the South American Spanish colonies. We also just recently started learning about the French Indian war, so it new France connects to our studies of the evolution of America.

Information and pictures found on Wikipedia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_France

King Charles and the Cavaliers.....on TV?

For my last blog post I discussed the exterior architecture and features of Downton Abbey’s Highclere Castle, but for this post I want to talk about the art found inside the castle. The 8^th Earl and Countess of Carnarvon occupy and operate this castle when filming for the TV series is not going on. The Carnarvon family has been living in this castle since the 1800s and has acquired many interesting and unique art pieces to promptly display around the massive castle. Lady Carnarvon said, “There are 15th century Italian embroideries in the Music Room, and 18th century silk bed hangings, and 400 years worth of European and English paintings and furniture throughout the castle. Not to mention those 5,000-year-old antiquities from Egypt.”

  

The one piece of art that stands out to me the watch while watching the TV program is the large Anthony Van Dyke painting on King Charles I in the state dining room. This portrait, dating back to 1635, shows King Charles and all his cavalier glory as his rides his horse into battle.

Photograph of the Dining Room in Highclere Castle
http://gracie-senseandsimplicity.blogspot.com/2013/02/downton-abbey-house-tour.html

This connects to history class because we just learned about the British civil war. We learned how parliament didn’t like how Charles was running the country and felt they had certain privileges that he was disobeying and how it started a civil war. We learned that King Charles and his supporters (the cavaliers) fought the parliament and their supporters (the roundheads with leader Oliver Cromwell). We know that the Roundheads won so to speak and thus starting the era of Cromwell and the Commonwealth.  

I like how they incorporated such an important part of England’s history in a TV show through art. I do however find it a bit peculiar that they would pick him when he lost the war and eventually beheaded. It shows that even though the cavaliers lost the war and England spiraled into a period of commonwealth, Charles still has some supporters even centuries after he was executed.

Source:

http://www.highclerecastle.co.uk/about-us/history-of-highclere-castle.html

Henry VIII Had a Seventh Wife?

King Henry VIII is one of the best known kings of England, and is not only known for being the king, but is also famed for his six wives. However, it is has now been emerged that Henry VIII had a seventh wife too.

In an article published in Tudor Matrimonial Studies, a historian revealed that Henry VIII married Anne Mourgan in 1538, less than a year after the death of his former wife Jane Seymour.

Historians believe that Henry and Anne got married in secret because they were fearful of the public opinion. However their marriage did not last long and Anne immigrated to the Low Countries, even without formally ending their marriage.

At first historians were scared to publish their findings in fear that they would ruin the rhyme:

King Henry the Eighth,

To six wives he was wedded.

One dies, one survived,

Two divorced, two beheaded.

Texts from a letter written by Henry VIII to Anne Mourgan at the time of their marriage was published for the first time and revealed Henry’s love for Anne who he calls “my sweete flowere.”

The Marriage of Henry and Anne took place at a crucial time. The king was probably grieving the loss of his wife Jane Seymour, but had not married Anne of Cleves, whom he married in 1540.

Henry’s six other wives are more popular than Anne Mougan was because Henry and Anne secretly got married and never legally got divorced. Therefore there are no documents that completely state that Anne and Henry were once married. However, letters, and quotes from the past have supported Historian’s belief that Henry did in fact have a seventh wife. 

Sources:

http://www.historyextra.com/news/henry-viii-%E2%80%9Chad-seventh-wife%E2%80%9D-claims-historian

http://www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/walker/exhibitions/henry/graphics/intro_henry.jpg

Slavery Still to This Day



Slavery is a big issue in the world still to this day. There is still forced labor happening all around us and that is a problem. Slavery has been abolished since the 19^th century in the US too. It may not be in the same form as back then, but it still exists in a modern way.

http://redthreadmovement.wordpress.com/2011/08/05/chalk-it-up/

Some of the countries where it is happening are North Korea, China, India, Russia, and Iran. All of these countries depend on forced labor for their economy. Some forms of slavery are child slavery, forced labor, trafficking, and bonded labor.

Child slavery happens often through violence, abuse, threats, prostitution and pornography. Many of the child domestic workers work for long hours in hazardous and abusive environments. This often is for little or no pay.

http://forcechange.com/58557/abolish-child-slavery-in-india/

Forced labor happens when people are forced against their will or threatened to do work. Forced labor affects millions of people worldwide. Some forms are agriculture and fishing, domestic work, construction, manufacturing, prostitution, and market trading.

 http://raimd.wordpress.com/2009/09/24/harvest-season-means-forced-labor-for-uzbek-children/

Trafficking happens when transporting people away from the communities in which they live and forcing them to work against their will using violence, deception or coercion. Some examples are domestic work, agricultural work, catering or packing and processing.

http://internationalpoliticalforum.com/human-trafficking-im-not-liam-neeson-what-can-i-do/

Bonded labor is a form of debt slavery that is created when an individual begins to work for another person who holds a debt from that worker. They work long hours laboring in quarries, brick kilns, agriculture and as domestics. They are tricked or trapped into working for very little or no pay and usually the debts are passed through generations.

http://thehiddentranscript.com/2012/12/13/issue-3-nunez/

In history class, we’ve been learning about the Enlightenment period. This period is where reason, logic, individual freedom, and human rights became key for everything. Thomas Jefferson was one of the important Enlightenment thinkers.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Separation_of_church_and_state

He thought that every man is created equal. Slavery was also around at this time in the US. Jefferson still had his own slaves even though he believed that individual freedom and rights should be provided for everyone. People of this time believed that this time period should improve the society and humans. Some people still had to live as slaves though, just like modern day.

Sources: http://www.antislavery.org/english/slavery_today/what_is_modern_slavery.aspx
http://www.antislavery.org/english/slavery_today/child_labour.aspx
http://www.antislavery.org/english/slavery_today/forced_labour.aspx
http://www.antislavery.org/english/slavery_today/trafficking.aspx
http://www.antislavery.org/english/slavery_today/bonded_labour.aspx

Same Actions Different Century

While reading a CNN article I stumbled upon an article that wondered me. Currently there is a war going on. It doesn’t involve America, but were still involved. There is currently Russian troops invading Ukraine. This a is a sick attempt of what we have seen so much in history, invading a country to gain more land. After only 3 weeks after hosting the Olympics, a time of peace and love of sports, Vladimir Putin sent 30,000 troops to the Ukraine border. During this years class in history, we have noticed many different countries try to do this. One that I most remember is the Spanish Armada. The Spanish Armada is similar to the attacks by Vladmir Putin. I read about the Spanish Armada in our textbook and the website shown below.The BBC link I took notes on was very helpful. It clearly showed the events that occured. What is the Spanish Armada? The Spanish Armada was an attack of England by boat. Spain, led by King Philip who was catholic, wanted to attack and gain control of England, who at the time was protestant. The current leader of England, Queen Elizabeth would not allow her country to be took from her. Not only was it a war over religion, Elizabeth’s sister, Mary, said if she were to come to throne, Philip were to come to power. Elizabeth had her beheaded. This was years before the armada, but you could say it gave Philip a grudge. So Spain got there ships ready, and they set sail for England with 130 ships. When they arrived in England, English ships chased them up the channel. The English sent burning ships at the Armada, and caused them to sail away. The Spanish soldiers were left in the Netherlands! After this, they tried sailing back to Spain by going north of Scotland. They encountered bad weather and some ships crashed. Only half of the armada returned to Spain. Many people said that it was weather that caused them to win, not the superiority of the English. Vladimir Putin was very much like King Philip of Spain. Both don’t like whats going on in another country, religiously. Will this be the last war based on religion? Of course not, because there will always be more than one way to live, and some people try to change your views and how you live your life. The English and Ukraines are similar too. Both are living perfectly happy, and want to be undisturbed. Sadly, in todays case, more lives will be affected. We study history so we don’t repeat the past. In today’s world, we shouldn’t have wars over race, religion, or skin color. In our case, the Spanish armada and Vladimir Putin both tried to get others to change religion. If it weren’t for people like Barack Obama and queen Elizabeth, who try to stop these attacks, earth would be a more war-struck world. Both leaders had different religions and both were in different centuries.

citation: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ee/Tall_ship_Christian_Radich_under_sail.jpg bibliography: http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/british/tudors/adams_armada_01.shtml

While the news is starting to fade the Arab Spring shows striking similarities to the Renaissance. One crowning achievement of the Renaissance was the questioning of authority. People began questioning what they were told to believe, what they were suppose to do, and what they were suppose to be. Individuality was valued and every person was told that they had the ability to find their own purpose. Leadership became true leadership and not total domination of the people. Borders between classes shrank and it shaped the world into what it is today.

Now let's backtrack to the Pre-Renaissance era. During this time kings, queens, and the Roman Catholic Church was everything in the eyes of the people. They were born to work until death. While those in higher classes lived wonderful lives the majority suffered. Now look at a country like Egypt where the Arab Spring took place. The former president Hosni Mubarak lived in a mansion with all the luxuries you could think of. His people had a life that was full of many more trials and tribulations. Blackouts constantly wiped out hospitals and cities causing major problems and even deaths. Crime had been rising steadily especially among poorer areas with no end in sight. People starved to death or died to preventable disease. There was suffering everywhere but leadership was focused on itself.

Once the Renaissance started everything changed. People saw each other as individuals with talent and skill, not simply members of a class. Leaders were followed if they did their job well and those who did not were replaced. The people knew that they had power and used it to increase the wonder of life for everybody. Life became a thing of merriment and joy. In Egypt the people have finally spoken. They decided that they deserve fair treatment and more rights being individuals not defined by their social standing. The future of these nations remains unclear but we can only hope that this time will be looked back on as fondly as the Renaissance.

Article:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-16212447

Image One:
http://images.alarabiya.net/3a/a7/640x392_71276_238810.jpg

Image Two:
http://larvalsubjects.files.wordpress.com/2013/05/renaissance-the-school-of-athens-classic-art-paitings-raphael-painter-rafael-philosophers-hd-wallpapers.jpg

Image Three:
http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01973/arab-spring_1973498c.jpg

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Why did it take so long for people to realize slavery/racism are wrong?

I recently read a story called To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee.  The book is about Harper Lee's childhood.   Many of the aspects in To Kill A Mockingbird match up with what her life was like growing up.  It was published in 1960.  The story takes place in the 1930's, right after the Great Depression ended.  The main character is Scout Finch.  The story follows her through her childhood with her older brother Jem and their neighbor Dill.  They live in a small town in Alabama called Maycomb(made-up town).  Many of the events that occurred in this book got me thinking about history class and what we were currently learning about in the Enlightenment unit

To Kill A Mockingbird is certainly an effective source.  It is a very popular story worldwide and it even won awards including the Pulitzer Prize and an Oscar.  The events that happened in it are true, and connect to what we are learning about in class.  Harper Lee wrote a very great book and it is definitely an eligible source to use for connections.

In history class, we have been learning about the Enlightenment.  It was a time period where new ideas developed and everything was supposedly improving.  However, as things might seem all happy and great...they weren't.  Indentured slaves were rebelling against their masters and this caused a huge problem.  Who was supposed to do all the hard work for people?  This is when slavery became a law.  Anyone who wasn't catholic that came to America could become enslaved.  Crazy right?

  White people started thinking differently.  Anyone who wasn't white was different or inferior.  Colored people were the most common victims of slavery.  People just saw them as animals and took control of them because the law allowed them to.  Racism also started developing.  People assigned meaning to how they looked.  If you were white you were pure and normal but if you were black, you were looked down upon and people would enslave you.  

How does this all connect with To Kill A Mockingbird?  When I was reading about Tom Robinson's trial, I was really disturbed.  Before he even stepped into the court room for the trial, he was guilty.  Tom Robinson was guilty because he was black.  The majority of people in the court room hated him because of his skin color without even knowing him.  He was a good man who worked hard for his family and helped everyone.  This was all taken from him because a white girl accused him of raping her.  There was no evidence and the trials of Mayella and her father were absurd. They were obviously lying because they kept changing their stories.  But none of that mattered because Mayella was white and Tom was black.  

Racism is shown in this story through the case of Tom Robinson.  If racism developed in the 1600's/1700's then why is it taking so long for people to realize it's wrong?  To Kill A Mockingbird was in the 1930's so that means people were still racist then.  In fact, today there are still racist people in the world.  It is taking too long for racism to end.  There is also still slavery in the world which is ridiculous because there are laws against it.  Overall, To Kill A Mockingbird connects with what we learned about in history because the enlightenment includes slavery laws and racism which are a big part of Tom Robinson's trial.

Sources:

"To Kill A Mockingbird."  1960.  Harper Lee.

"To Kill A Mockingbird cover."  Photograph.  Chamberfour.com  http://chamberfour.com/