The Scramble For Africa

"The Scramble for Africa" was mostly about the European countries racing to colonized territories in Africa. The Europeans nations were the ones that set borders on the continent of Africa. It began in 1881 with France, when it moved into Tunis. After many years of ignoring the continent of Africa, Europe felt that it had to put influence of the countries of it. The countries involved in the Scramble for Africa were Britain, France, Belgium and Germany. Britain's colonization of Africa began when the Suez Canal was built through Egypt. This canal was opening opportunities for the British to take over Africa. Little by little they began to conquer East Africa, but they wanted to expand upward for diamonds and gold. It took the British two wars to defeat the Boers, who were Dutch, to conquer African territory. The French's main concern for colonizing Africa was for its resources. After their defeat in the Franco-Prussia War, they wanted commercial gain and prestige so the wanted to move eastward. Belgium was one the most important reasons why they titled this the "Scramble for Africa." The King of Belgium just wanted to pt his flag on territory and was willing to pay any amount of money for it. Belgium contributed it most sense of urgency for land during the "Scramble for Africa." Germany joined the "Scramble for Africa very late. They barely got any land. The Africans left used and conquer. They felt as if the imperialist were taking over what was theirs and had no say in anything.

Film Lesson: "Mountain of the Moon"

In the film "Mountains of the Moon" British explorers were set on an adventure to discover the source of the Nile River in Africa. Africa is a very large continent and the Nile River was right smack in the middle of the continent. Africa was also surrounded by many deserts, like the Saharra Desert which is located in the Northern part of Africa. The Saharra Desert was about the size of the United States. So the English explorers had to go from England and go all around Africa until they were in the eastern part of Africa. In the journey from England to Africa, the English explorers lost many men due to sickness. One common sickness was malaria. From there, they went inland into Africa in search of the Nile River. The explorers faced many hardships when the went inland into Africa. The tribes in Africa are very territorial, so when the saw Richard Burton and his explorers enter on their territory, they would attack them. The only way Burton and his explorers were to enter the land of the tribes was if they bought gifts for them.

One of the explorers had located a river and belived that it was the source of the Nile. They weren't completely sure but they were correct. The source of the Nile is named Lake Victoria after the British Queen. It is no surprise the English explorers named the river they discovered after the English Queen. That is why the lake was named Lake Victoria.

The English explorers had many advantages towards conquering Africa. They had very advanced technology at that time like machines guns and guns. The English people could easily defeat the Africans tribes with these weapons. Eventually, the English began to take over. Currently, South Africa is occupied with people who's ancestors were English.

The Meiji Restoration of Japan

The Meiji Restoration of Japan refers to the restoration of the emperor's power and the revolutionary changes that simultaneously occurred with the Meiji's emperor's rule throughout the years of 1868-1912. The power of the Tokugawa shogunate weakened Japan. The country of Japan never even thought foreign trade policies until Commodore Matthew Perry arrived at the coast of Japan. When he arrived he wanted to set up a deal for opening up trade relations with the United States. They were very doubtful that they would accept the offer due to the major damage that Britain had done to China. China just wanted to be an isolated country from the World. But sights of a Pacific coast trading center looked attractive to Japan. The American politicians looked at the ports as a way for Americans to reload and unload their ships.

The deals between Japan and Matthew Perry were not really deals, as Matthew Perry forced Japan to sign the treaties using military force. Japan is an archipelago. An archipelago a chain of islands. The Japanese were shocked at the ships with no sails that Perry was running. The military force that Matthew Perry bought to Japan was greatly superior to Japan's, and Japan had no other choice than to grant the United State's wishes. On March 31, 1854, a treaty was signed between Japan and the U.S. Continuous unfair treaties were put upon Japan by the British, the Russians and the Dutch, all abusing the Japanese's military. Due to the "pushing around" of Japan by other countries, sent the economy of Japan going downward. With no Industrial Revolution, Japan's economy had set itself for unfair trade balance, and the economy was in a dire need of fixing it as soon as possible.

After Japan got their act together, they modernized greatly. A mandatory state of government was instilled and the state funded elementary leveled education. They translated Western textbook and believed that this system would raise national pride. The Japanese also developed their own way of writing. These system developed a sense of national pride, would help people in the future and also helped maintain the love for the Emperor.

Karl Marx and Communism

Karl Marx one of Communism's most beneficial people. He began the idea of Communism because he was very against Capitalism. Capitalism is a type of economic system where the success of the company was run privately and functioned for profit. On the other hand, Communism is a form of socialism that abolishes private possessorship. It is also a political theory which favors a classless society. In order for Communism to begin, Capitalism would have to be eliminated.

Marx had formed a group called the Communist League. Along side is friend Friedrich Engels, he wrote the Communism Manifesto. He explained how the lower classes would always rise up and create a whole new society. The Communism Manifesto was written to explain the course of action, as well as threaten the governement, that the proletarian Revolution to overthrow Capitalism and get rid of the class structure. Marx wanted the society to be a classless society. Communism was the thought that everyone was common. The working class would eventually own all the Capitalist property and it would benefit the proletarians drastically. Karl states that there would no longer be a need for a government because there would be no classes.

Karl was constantly harassed because of his Communist ideas. He believed that the worker of the factories should run the government, but the communist governments were very strict. Marx ended the Manifesto with very famous words which I mentioned in my previous blog: "Let the ruling classes tremble at a Communistic revolution. The proletarians have nothing to lose but their chains. They have a world to win. Workers of the world unite!"

Karl Marx and The Industrial Revolution

Karl Marx was a German philosopher and very famous political activist. He was a philosopher, political economist and was known for creating the idea of Communism. Marx's rise to popularity began during the Industrial Revolution. He was shocked at the sight of the workers. The conditions were terrible and the workers were being treated very poorly. They were making products that weren't theirs and depended greatly on money wages. He voiced his thought saying that the factory owners would own the factories instead of the landlords. He encouraged the workers to unite and revolt.

This was the when the period of Capitalism began to arise. Capitalism is a type of economic system where th e means of production, distribution and exchange of wealth is run under private companies or corporations. Landlords began to lose power and other people, such as merchants, eventually rose to power. During the Industrial Revolution, children worked 12 hour days and the conditions in England were damaging and dangerous to one's health. The streets were dirty. Families could only afford to live in ONE room and were very crowded. Many children died because of diseases and undernourishment. Capitalist gained much political power.

A man named Adam Smith wrote a book about Capitalism and his views about it. He was for it, but Karl Marx had a very different idea. He believed that the workers of the factories were disassociated "from the fruits of his own labors." He wanted to change that but first he has to get rid of the Capitalist system. This bought upon the idea of Communism. Communism was the thought that everyone would be common. Karl wanted to put an end to Capitalism. He exclaimed that wealth should be diffused "from each according to his abilities, to each according to his needs."

When the kicked Marx and his family out of France because of his ideas, he went to Belgium, where he formed a small group called the Communist League and wrote his Communist Manifesto. In the Manifesto, he explained, how always in history, the lower classes of any system would always rise up and created a whole new society. He also explained how the real value of the product was the labor put into it. Marx kind of threaten the government saying that communist had a better understanding of class struggles and said they would start a revolution and take over the government. The proletarians, or the workers, would take away all the private property of capitalist. The plan for such a project would be used to benefit the proletarians. During the communist phase of the Revolution, the workers controlled mass production and Marx said that there would no longer be a need for government because all the classes would disappear.

He was kicked out of Belgium and then from France again. His ideas were not accepted. He was constantly attacked, threaten and harassed. His ideas were not used in some Communist countries, but others took his thoughts into consideration. Karl believed that the worker of the factories should run the government, but the communist governments were very strict. Workers were still forced to work difficult jobs and the newspaper was forbidden to write anything that would go against the beliefs of the government. Anyone who was against the government, and expressed it, they would be treated terribly. He died in 1883 and only 11 people attended his funeral. His friend and supported Friedrich Engels, who helped him write the Communist Manifesto, attended.

He ended the Communist Manifesto with these great words: "Let the ruling classes tremble at a Communistic revolution. The proletarians have nothing to lose but their chains. They have a world to win. Workers of the world unite!"

Nationalism and the Creation of Italy

Nationalism means to be patriotic and to be loyal and devoted to their country. In every country, nationalism is expressed by what the citizens of that country do. For example, here, in the United States, we express nationalism on Fourth of July and we watch baseball, a pastime in America. Also, in public schools, every morning we recite the Pledge of Allegiance. Also, Puerto Ricans express there patriotic selves, by celebrating the Puerto Rican parade. I consider myself to be patriotic because I celebrate the Fourth of July. We light up fireworks as a symbol of freedom in the United States.

Before the country of Italy was united, it was ruled by many different people due to the fact the Italy was divided into Empires. The rulers of the Empires were not even natives of the land of Italy. The nation of Italy was growing apart and due to that they began to put limits on the requirements to being a ruler in Italy. One requirement was that you had to be Italian. That narrowed the amount of rulers to two rulers. They were Giuseppe Mazzini and Giuseppe Garibaldi. They both had different views. Mazzini thought that it would be better if Italy was separated into smalls states but Garibaldi believed that Italy would be better if they were united. He fought many battles in order to united Southern Italy together, while a count united the northern states of Italy together. These united states were then ruled by King Victor Emmanuel II. Nationalism erupted now that Italy was one whole nation. They were still many difference between Mazzini and people who wanted to unite Italy. Mazzini believed that people wanted to unite Italy for money and not the the unity of the people.

Simon Bolivar and Latin American Revolutions

Simon Bolivar was a famous Spanish man whose goal was to free a part of South America from the rule of Spain. His actions affected the following countries: Bolivia, Panama, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela. Bolivar was a leader of many movements involving independence throughout South America.

Bolivar was born in present-day Venezuela, but then went to Spain to finish his education. After that, Bolivar was in and out of Venezuela due to many incidents. He was part of the Caracas juntas which was a type of government where all the political power was depended on its military. When the leader of the juntas surrendered to Spain, Bolivar had to escape to Cartagena, Colombia. He gained military command in New Granada [present day Colombia] where he led the invasion of Venezuela. That began the Admirable Campaign. He was declared "El Libertador." Bolivar had taken over Caracas and later proclaimed the Venezuelan Second Republic.

After many battles, Bolivar traveled to Haiti in 1815. He requested aid from the Haitian President for the cause. The Haitian President provided Bolivar with aid in an exchange to free slaves. With the help of the President, Bolivar retreated back to South America to continue the fight for freedom against Spain. Bolivar helped New Granada win independence from Spain in 1819 after he won the Battle of Boyaca. In 1821, Gran Colombia, was created as a government, where Bolivar was the President. Many victories followed, and Simon ruled Ecuador and Venezuela.

Peru was partially freed from Spain, and Bolivar took it upon himself to fully free Peru from the Spanish, which he accomplished. Peruvian congressmen declared Bolivar dictatorship of Peru. As dictator of Peru, he reorganize the military and political systems. In 1825, in Peru, the Republic of Bolivia was created. He was honored by having a country named after him and he is one of the few men to have a country named after him.

Unfortunately, in 1827, civil wars broke out due to personal difference between the leaders of the countries of South America. The unity that Bolivar had fought for was destroyed. Bolivar died in 1830 due to tuberculosis. He had fought for many years for the freedom of the colonies from Spain. He accomplished his goals. Bolivar will aways go down in history as the great leader who fought and pushed through to free the colonies of Spain from their Mother Country.