90s topics

George HW Bush

Bill Clinton

Branch Davidians, Waco, TX

World Trade Center Bombing

OKC Bombing

Columbine

Whitewater - Lewinsky

Gangs

OJ Simpson

Rodney King riots

Matthew Shepard

Gardner Museum Heist

Dolly

World Wide Web

80s TV Shows

The TV shows of the 80s represent the decade because shows emphasized family values and close ties. The Cosby Show emphasized the value of family as the family is always seen together and always settling their disputes peacefully and comically. This show also was unique in its portrayal of a high-class African-American family, showing the increase of acceptance in society. I enjoyed The Cosby Show for its unique, family-friendly humor and its relatability. Another show of the 80s that emphasized the importance of close relationships was Cheers. This show depicted a feel-good environment in which friends could hang out and joke around with each other. The fact that the show takes place almost entirely in a bar makes the bar seem almost like a safe haven for the friends. This safety and reliability appealed to Americans at this time because of the uncertainty and danger that loomed over them in the form of nuclear war. I thought Cheers was a very funny show and reminded me of one of my favorite modern shows, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia. Additionally, The A-Team worked comedy and action together into a nice mixture, giving Americans a reliable group that always got the job done. This show also relates back to the feeling the America needed a strong hero or group of heroes in this time of uncertainty. The humor injected into The A-Team broadened the audience that would view the show. I liked the suspense and action in this show along with Mr. T's ridiculousness.
In Sci-Fi, few shows really took off and became popular in the 80s. Of course, Star Trek: The Next Generation was immensely popular, mainly because it gave people a show that they already knew they loved just with new plots and characters. The episode I watched, the whole crew of the Enterprise gets infected with a virus that makes them act intoxicated. This episode relates to the society at the time as they felt that their lives were out of their own control because of the nuclear attack that could come at any moment. Also on the sci-fi front, Misfits of Science, although short-lived, was very entertaining and displayed teenagers as being multifaceted and intelligent, just as movies like The Breakfast Club portrayed. I really enjoyed this show as well and wished we could have shared it with the class.

80s movies

The movie that best represents the decade is War Games. This movie fictionalizes the constant feeling of an impending nuclear war. The computer in the movie illustrates the insecurity over increasing technology and the fact that war is inevitable and virtually unstoppable once it has begun. The horrors about war continued in Platoon. This movie was a graphic reminder of the horrors of the Vietnam War, perhaps as a caveat to avoid further wars, especially nuclear war with the Soviets. Platoon showed the destruction and brutality of which Americans could be capable. War Games was an interesting concept but the dialogue was shallow and the jokes were somewhat corny. I thought Platoon was very eye-opening, although graphic, and I (for lack of a better word) enjoyed learning a different perspective of the Americans' actions in Vietnam.

In addition to war movies, another group of movies we watched were about high schoolers. The Breakfast Club, Fast Times at Ridgemont High, and Ferris Bueller's Day Off all portrayed high schoolers in a more multidimensional way than they had been shown previously. As younger and younger students started to protest against wars and make their voices heard, movies started to realize the large audience that they had been excluding. Especially in the Breakfast Club, high schoolers are seen as multidimensional and not as one stereotype. I loved the Breakfast Club because it showed the many different kinds of high schoolers and their interactions with one another. Ferris Bueller's Day Off showed a high schooler that everyone admired for being free-spirited and rebellious. This movie is one of my favorites as well as it depicts a high schooler that every teenager wants to emulate.

We also watched a hodge-lodge of other movies including Batman, Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark, and Back to the Future. Batman and Indiana Jones expanded on the theme of good vs. evil in reference to America vs. Soviets and democracy vs. communism. These movies fictionalized this conflict in order to help people relate to these problems. Back to the Future represents the nostalgia felt by the audience of the 80s to return to simpler times.

80s music post 2

The music of the 80s returned to lyrics that protested American systems, wars, and policies. The popularization of hip-hop allowed hip-hop artists from different social classes and regions to express different concerns. Some artists did not come from low-class environments, such as Run-DMC, and their songs were merely for expressing materialistic and sexual desires such as in "It's Tricky" and "Walk This Way". Other hip-hop artists expressed the views of the decade by expressing their dislike for the American system in regards to the financial situation in which they were raised, many coming from low-class families. For example, "The Message" by Grandmaster Flash expresses discontent for the American system during this decade. For the most part, music in the 80s, just like music in the 60s, returned to protesting wars in which America was involved. Songs such as "99 Luftballoons" by Nena illustrated people's concerns of the threat of nuclear war. "Nikita" by Elton John also depicted American's issues with the Cold War. A growing tension with the Russians was shown in the aptly named "Russians" by Sting. This song best illustrates the sentiment of the decade by showing the Americans' relationship with the Russians and the anxiety it caused throughout the nation.

80s music post 1

          The major difference between 80s and 70s music came from the development of technology. This technology led to the development of a new genre: hip-hop. Hip-hop spread rapidly with groups such as Run-DMC and began to represent different social groups and different regions. Hip-hop developed through the ability to scratch records and to rhyme verses. In the 80s the music industry transitioned from cassette to CD, illustrating another use of increased technology. I somewhat enjoyed this new hip-hop genre as it is different than the hip-hop/rap of today that I don't really like.
          As in the 70s, the rock genre continued to split in the 80s. Metallica morphed heavy metal into thrash metal such as in the song "Hit The Lights". I like a lot of Metallica stuff except for when they get too heavy. Mainstream rock also continued with Van Halen and Aerosmith, two very successful and very talented bands. Of the 80s rock, Guns 'n Roses has to be one of my favorites. Of course their songs "Welcome to the Jungle" and "Sweet Child 'o Mine" are unbelievable and became very popular in the late 80s. Their guitar riffs and unique vocals make them very popular. Another change to the rock genre from the 70s came from Pat Benatar songs such as "Love is a Battlefield" as women emerge on the rock scene for the first time. Alternative rock, one of my favorite genres, with songs such as "Jane Says" and artists such as REM, also developed in the 80s.
The best development of the 80s was the "death" of country music, one of my least favorite genres. Listening to Alabama's "Mountain Music" and "Love in the First Degree", however, aren't as terrible as modern country. Maybe because the lyrics are more about appreciating nature and life instead of the country songs that focus on gaining pity for their sad lives. The country music in this decade also somewhat combined with pop to diverge away from the more twangy outlaw country music.
Pop and R&B also continued to expand in this decade. Madonna, MJ, and Prince rocked the pop scene expanding their popularity by becoming accessible to MTV and producing my personal favorite, Madonna's "Papa Don't Preach". New Kids on the Block started the American boy band image focusing less on instruments and more on lyrics and pretty faces. Of course my (and my parents') favorite of this genre and time period are U2 and Bruce "The Boss" Springsteen. These pop/rock groups focused on guitar and classic rock and roll. The lyrics and guitar riffs of U2 and Springsteen are enough for me to never get sick of listening to their music.
As technology improved and equipment such as synthesizers became less expensive, electronic music gained a larger following. Songs such as "Mr. Roboto" seem to completely disregard instruments and meaningful lyrics and instead focus on synthetically manufacturing music. Despite the arguable illegitimacy of this type of music, I actually thoroughly enjoy electronica music because of the upbeat and fast-paced beats.

80s topics

Reagan
Assassination attempts
Challenger explosion
Live Aid
Iran Contra
US Bombs Libya
Fall of Berlin Wall

70s Movies

The movie that best represents the 1970s is Star Wars. Star Wars was a one-of-a-kind movie that utilized all the new technology that became available at the time. Star Wars appealed to a younger demographic and was one of the first movies that was an actual blockbuster, reeling in tons of cash. It represented the 70s as an escape from the real world by creating a sci-fi world that people could relate too. It also represented the 70s' sentiment of needing a hero in their society, like Luke Skywalker is in Star Wars. Star Wars also reflected the corruption in government that is prevalent in the 70s through Nixon and Watergate and the Pentagon Papers. Star Wars proves to be an iconic movie that lives on forever and ever.

**Revised 70s music**

In the 1970s, punk was another genre of music that gained popularity at the time. This music was followed by kids who believed they were part of the "counter-culture". These were mostly middle-class white kids. Punk music was basically just angry screaming with anarchical messages. Anyone could do it, so people were forming punk bands left and right. The punk listeners felt that they were misunderstood by society and so wanted to be noticed in society by dressing radically different from everyone and wearing unique hairstyles. Through their music, they showed their discontent and disenchantment with the US government. These sentiments were probably on the basis of feeling lied to by the government through Watergate and other such scandals. Punk music eventually died out because of the inability and refusal of punk music to go mainstream.
The music of the 1970s also saw new developments in rock, country, R&B, and disco. In the 70s rock began to split into different sub-genres such as southern rock and heavy metal. Led Zeppelin became and remain wildly popular as an example of heavier rock. Lynyrd Skynyrd emerged as the classic example of southern rock, wielding a twangy guitar and catchy lyrics. All these rock artists elaborated on the developments made in the 60s: mostly good lyrics and guitar solos. Increased technology in the 70s also helped improved music recordings in general. Continuing with the folk movement in the 60s, singer/songwriters such as Elton John contribute to a softer type of rock with a sweet acoustic guitar and piano. I enjoyed almost all of these styles of 70s rock. Boston and the Eagles are two bands that I enjoyed the most. I liked how they had more of a focus on lyrics than bands such as Black Sabbath whose lyrics are questionable whether they are even saying words and the guitar is too gritty.
Country music also developed into calm crooners and rebellious outlaws. Willie Nelson led this outlaw country as he sings about whiskey and heartbreak. Country was never my favorite genre and this holds true for 70s country as well.
Disco, R&B, and soul served to provide people an escape from their everyday lives by providing songs that encouraged dancing and mostly focused on love and happiness. To add on to these 60s genres, funk was also added to the mix with hits such as "Dance to the Music" and "Play that Funky Music Whiteboy" which obviously encouraged dancing and focused on rhythm and bass much more than the actual lyrics. I enjoyed these songs that were upbeat and groovy.
In general, the music of the 70s expanded on the innovations of the 60's musicians and morphed to reflect the people's sentiments at the time. The heavy metal and punk that became prominent during this decade reflect the discontent and cynicism felt by much of the people during the time of Watergate and a untrustworthy government. On the other hand, funk and disco and R&B became popular because of the women's and minorities' recent victories in the field of civil rights. These groups were happy and showed it through their fun, upbeat music.

70s music

Music during the 1970s was mostly dominated by disco which illustrated the uprising of the previously overshadowed groups in society: blacks, homosexuals, and women. Disco was most prominent in late-night clubs which additionally shows the escapism that is felt by the society of the time due to Vietnam and an unsatisfying government. The music in the 70s focused on catchy beats that people could dance to. Most of the music was about a DJ mixing records and not about the actual lyrics in the songs.

70s TV Shows

"All In The Family" was a funny show that reflected the average family from the 1970s. Archie Bunker represented the older generation who was resistance to change and content with the government of the time. His son and daughter represent the discontented youth of the time who wanted a new and better government and had differing views on social problems. The treatment of Edith by Archie shows the typical objectification of women in the household.
"The Muppets" was a unique show that was entirely new during its time period. The absurdity and outlandishness of the show illustrates the 70s society's desire to escape from their current lives due to the Vietnam war and government incompetence. "The Muppets" also appealed to the culture of the time by featuring celebrities in every show, which attracted audiences of all ages.

70s slideshow

Nixon and watergate
Kent state
Saigon
Iranian hostage crisis
Three Mile Island accident
End of Vietnam war
American Indian movement
Roe v. Wade
Technology

60s Movies

The movie that best represents this decade is Pink Panther. This movie represented the sentiment of the 60s of people feeling they needed more order in their life, which was represented by the detective Jacques Closseau. Although he solved crimes in an unorthodox way, he eventually brings the criminals to justice. The Pink Panther also adds humor to the classic detective movie showing that humor is also a big craving the people of the 60s had. Their combined need for order and light-hearted humor shows the troubled times of the decade and the way that the Pink Panther perfectly feels those needs.

Review Topics from 60s slideshow

• RFK assassination
• The riots at the Democratic Convention
• Why are LBJ's ear lobes so big?
• Legos

Pop Culture and Society

Pop culture reflects society at the time.

60s music

The music in the sixties went through major transitions as the sixties progressed. At the onset of the decade, most music was about love and happiness featuring acoustic guitar and vocals. As the sixties went on, music turned more somber and abstract as drugs and heartbreak wove their way into the musicians' styles. The electric guitar was also starting to become more prominent with vocals and back up vocals remaining popular. 

Beverly Hillbillies

Unlike most of my classmates, I thoroughly enjoyed Beverly Hillbillies. Some references to 60s movies stars went over my head but most of the humor was timeless and hysterical. Jed Clampett's cluelessness and the whole family's out-of-placeness makes for a great, funny fish out of water story. Although Beverly Hillbillies has many similar aspects to modern day sitcoms, the show is very unique and has no real counterpart in modern day television. This show reflects the sentiments at the time because it shows how many people of the 60s were wanting to improve their social and economic status and Beverly Hillbillies represents this theme in a new and novel way.

What Is Pop Culture?

Pop culture is the collection of ideas, attitudes, and media that affect everyday life in a given culture. This collection must be in the mainstream of the culture because it must be what is popular at the time, hence popular culture.

Tokugawa Ieyasu Promotional Video

Link to Video: Tokugawa Video

Tokugawa Ieyasu's biography

Nick Fahey

Tokugawa Ieyasu

Tokugawa Ieyasu was born in January of 1543 in Mikawa, Japan with the name Matsudaira Takechiyo. His father, Matsudaira Hirotada, daimyo of the Mikawa clan, was only 17 and his mother, Odainokata, 15, when Takechiyo was born. Takechiyo was born into an era of constant turmoil between the Imagawa clan and Oda clan. Most of Takechiyo’s family allied with the Oda clan, but his father chose to ally with the Imagawa clan. Because of Hirotada’s alliance with the Imagawa clan, he reached out to Imagawa Yoshimoto, leader of the Imagawa clan for help and protection against the Oda clan. Yoshimoto would agree to help Hirotada only if he sent his son, Takechiyo, to Sunpu as a hostage. Hirotada agrees to this demand and gives his son up. Takechiyo is only six at the time. The leader of the Oda clan, Oda Nobuhide, learns of this plan and kidnaps six-year-old Takechiyo on route to Sunpu. Nobuhide threatens to kill Takechiyo if Hirotada does not sever all ties with the Imagawa clan. Hirotada refuses to break his alliance with the Imagawa, saying that letting his son die will only prove that he is completely loyal to the Imagawa clan. Needless to say, Nobuhide does not follow through with his threat and allows Takechiyo to remain alive. Hirotada dies when Takechiyo is only seven and, soon after, Oda Nobuhide dies of disease, causing the Oda clan to start to fall apart. Yoshimoto took advantage of this weak moment in the Oda clan and sent armies to border forts controlled by the Oda. It was in one of these battles that an Imagawa general bargained with Oda Nobunaga, Oda Nobuhide’s son, and retrieved Takechiyo back as a hostage. 

In 1556, Takechiyo became of age and changed his name to Matsudaira Jirosaburo as was the custom. He then got married at age 16 and again changed his name to Matsudaira Motoyasu. At age 16, Motoyasu is sent into combat for the first time against the Oda clan. He fought his first battle at the Siege of Terabe and then succeeded in a strategic deliverance of supplies to a guarded fort. In 1560, the leader of the Oda clan was a brilliant man named Oda Nobunaga. Partially due to Motoyasu and his forces, Yoshimoto, who was still in the lead of the Imagawa clan, advanced on the Oda clan and engaged Nobunaga’s army in the Battle of Okehazama in 1560. In this battle, Nobunaga launched a surprise attack on Yoshimoto’s army, killing Yoshimoto in the process. As the Imagawa clan was now leaderless, many of the clan’s leaders joined forces with the Oda clan. Motoyasu was among them. 

After his break from the Imagawa clan, Motoyasu set about rebuilding his Matsudaira clan that had become deeply fractured in the fighting. In 1564, Motoyasu defeated the forces of a warlike group of monks within the Mikawa province called the Monto. In 1566 Motoyasu finally changed his name to Tokugawa Ieyasu. Ieyasu remained an ally of Oda Nobunaga in many battles. At the same time, however, Ieyasu was striving to expand his own territory. He allied with Takeda Shingen in order in take over all the Imagawa territory. When this was accomplished, Ieyasu ended the alliance with Shingen and they began to fight each other. After Ieyasu faced a devastating loss to Shingen, he wisely did not let Shingen take advantage of his loss and retreated. Luckily for Ieyasu, Shingen died in 1573 and was succeeded by Takeda Katsuyori who was thoroughly defeated in a battle against Ieyasu’s and Nobunaga’s combined troops. When Ieyasu’s oldest son is accused in an assassination plot, Ieyasu names his third son, Tokugawa Hidetada, as heir. In 1582, Ieyasu learns of Oda Nobunaga’s death at the hands of Akechi Mitsuhide. Nobunaga is immediately avenged by Toyotomi Hideyoshi, who kills Mitsuhide. In 1583, a war for control over Japan breaks out between Hideyoshi and Katsuie. Ieyasu, however, stays out of this conflict. Hideyoshi eventually defeats Katsuie in the Battle of Shizugatake in 1583. Hideyoshi had proven himself as a powerful daimyo.

Tokugawa Ieyasu saw this as an opportunity to draw Hideyoshi into battle with him. However, after fighting for only a short while, the conflict ended in peace negotiations. Ieyasu then helped Hideyoshi attack and defeat the Hojo clan. During these battles, Hideyoshi offered to give Ieyasu the Kanto regions newly won in return for the five provinces already under Ieyasu’s control. Ieyasu accepted and had to move his headquarters to the rich Kanto region along with his soldiers and vassals, causing him to have to reform and pacify the Hojo samurai in the Kanto region. With Ieyasu in the secluded Kanto region, Hideyoshi attempted attacks on Korea as a precursor to his planned invasion of China. These attacks failed and with Hideyoshi in grave condition due to health problems, he got oaths from Tokugawa Ieyasu and four other regents that they would remain loyal to his heir, Toyotomi Hideyori, who was only five at the time of Hideyoshi’s death. After Hideyoshi died, Ieyasu almost immediately began making alliances with other daimyos, angering the other regents. Before long, two major factions appeared: one of daimyos led by Ieyasu and another of everyone opposed to him. In the Battle of Sekigahara, Tokugawa Ieyasu and his allies defeated the opposition led by Ishida Mitsunari. Now Ieyasu held all the power in Japan. With his power, he redistributed land, giving more land to daimyos who were loyal to him and taking land from daimyos who were not. Tokugawa Ieyasu also granted higher status to daimyos who had been loyal to Ieyasu prior to the Battle of Sekigahara. In 1603, Tokugawa Ieyasu officially received the title of shogun from the figurehead emperor, thus beginning the Tokugawa Shogunate which would last for another 250 years. The Tokugawa Shogunate saw daimyos retaining almost complete dominance over their regions but also maintained their allegiance to Ieyasu. Tokugawa Ieyasu established the system of “alternate attendance” in which daimyos had to spend part of each year at Ieyasu’s court, which allowed close surveillance of the daimyos. Ieyasu was immensely rich and welcomed English and Dutch Protestant traders but rejected Christian missionaries. Tokugawa Ieyasu only officially ruled as shogun for two years before abdicating his title to his son Hidetada. Ieyasu continued to be the effective ruler even after retiring. His last stand was the siege of Osaka in which he destroyed any last remaining shreds of resistance to his rule, ensuring the peace and longevity of the Tokugawa Shogunate for the next two and a half centuries. Tokugawa Ieyasu died in 1616 at the age of 73, perhaps due to cancer or syphilis. He was deified after his death with the name Tosho Daigongen.

Bibliography

"Gale Encyclopedia of Biography: Tokugawa Ieyasu." Answers.com. Answers, n.d. Web. 23 May 2013. <http://www.answers.com/topic/ieyasu>.

"Japanese History: Edo Period." Japanese History: Edo Period. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 May 2013. <http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2128.html>.

"Tokugawa Ieyasu (1542-1616)." BBC News. BBC, n.d. Web. 23 May 2013. <http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/ieyasu_tokugawa.shtml>.

"Tokugawa Ieyasu." Samurai Archives. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 May 2013. <http://www.samurai-archives.com/ieyasu.html>.

"Tokugawa Ieyasu." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 23 May 2013. Web. 23 May 2013. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tokugawa_Ieyasu>.

Kwame Nkrumah on African Unity page 1112

Nkrumah's call for African unity reflects tensions between decolonization and the cold war, because it is a call for a nonviolent unification of the African continent. Nkrumah has undoubtedly seen the violence of the decolonization of many colonies and the impending destruction that could occur from the cold war tensions. Because of this, Nkrumah calls for a peaceful joining of the African states that will show the world that "greatness is not to be measured in stock piles of atom bombs." Nkrumah believes that if African states can peaceably unite and rise up as a respectable nation, other countries will see the effectiveness of nonviolence and will lay down their violent tendencies. He thinks Africa will be a greater nation than others because it will have risen up not through "fear, envy, and suspicion" but through "hope", "trust", and "friendship". It will not just show off its wealth and strength through nuclear arms races, but will rather have indestructible greatness because of its goodwill toward all mankind.

Conclusion of WWII

The major causes of World War II were Germany being disgruntled about their lack of territory after WWI and imperialist Japan needing resources and so invading China. I do not think the conclusion of the war resolved these things. At the end of WWII, Germany was once again split up and its territory distributed to the Allies. This approach to dealing with Germany did not work in the past but was still used anyway. In addition, the war left many European countries devastated and destitute and the same was true for Japan. After WWII Japan was left in debt and without resources once more. This loose end could have led Japan to invade China again for more resources.

Compare and Contrast Islamic Empires to China and Japan

One similarity between the Islamic empires and Ming/Qing China and Tokugawa Japan is that they both had small amounts of people traveling to other nations for trade or otherwise. This similarity stems from the fact that China began to become an isolationist nation and strongly discouraged any Chinese from leaving the country and killed most foreign merchants who landed in China. The partial isolationism in the Islamic empires came from a sense of grandiose over the European powers and they saw no need to visit Europe, as they felt they had nothing to learn from them. A difference between the Islamic and East Asian empires is the role of women. In the Islamic empires, although it wasn't explicitly stated, women had a significant role in politics as emperors' wives and concubines many times influenced the rule and sometimes controlled the rule of the empire. East Asian empires, especially China, continued on their trend of patriarchal dominance in which women had no say in any aspect of their life. This difference stemmed from the long standing tradition of male dominance in China and an adoption of Mongol customs within the Islamic empires.

Ottomans, Safavids, and Mughals

Bentley and Ziegler placed these three empires together because they exhibit some similar characteristics. They are all Islamic empires that are in the same general geographic location. They also took place around the same time period. This suggests that future chapters may be based on similarities in the empires instead of purely on geographic location. An additional thought is that the future chapters will be based on their modern connections and orientations as we get closer to modern time.

Fabian Fucan's attack on Christianity

Fabian Fucan's attack on Christianity had religious, cultural, historical, political, and social aspects. The religious aspects of Fucan's attack include the claim that the Law of Buddha and the Way of the Gods being destroyed by this European Christian invasion. Fucan also claims that the Europeans plan to come into Japan, throw out the native customs, and import their own cultures and customs into the country. Historical aspects include the fact that Japan has a long history of rulers receiving the right to rule through Gods and the Christian missionaries threaten to dissemble all that. Political aspects of Fucan's attack are that the Royal Sway will be dismantled and destroyed due to Christianity because the Royal Sway only exists because of the glory of Buddha. The social aspects are the fact that Christians act like martyrs to stand up for their faith and don't see death as a punishment. Fucan is inferring that this abnormality may cause native Japanese to not heed typical punishments.

China dynasties

Qianlong point of view

The point of view of this document is one of condescension. Qianlong has this point of view because he has been raised in isolation in the Forbidden City and is constantly told that he is the "Son of Heaven". He sees England as a lower, less-advanced nation who is not worthy of constant trade with his great "Celestial Empire"

History's predictive value

History is useful as a tool to predict the future because trends from the past can be analyzed in order to predict the future. Xin predicted the duration of the Ming and Qing dynasties quite accurately and I predicted the religion and gender of the two dynasties easily because of the constant trend from the early Chinese dynasties. Allie also accurately predicted the political structures of the two dynasties. These correct predictions of the "future" show that history can have a great predictive value.

Prediction accuracy

My predictions were correct!

Gender and Religion prediction

I think that the Ming and Qing dynasties will remain as extremely patriarchal societies in which men have the power over women. Patriarchy has remained constant throughout all dynasties so it will most likely not change. In terms of religion, Confucianism will remain in the dynasties in one form or another. Confucianism has been a big and constant aspect in all past dynasties and will continue throughout the future dynasties.

Sporcle Review Quiz #2

Names and Terms

Sporcle Review Quiz #1

Explorer by Discovery
My username: nixdabom

Analyzing charts and graphs

The first graph shows how the population in Africa grew steadily from 1500 to 1800. The second graph shows the increase in the amount of slaves exported from the 16th century to the 18th century. The third graph shows the distribution of where slaves were exported. I find the first graph the most surprising especially when coupled with the second graph. The first graph shows how the population of Africa shot upward from 1500 to 1800. This is especially strange when you realize the second graph tells you that the slaves being exported from Africa increased exponentially. If thousands of slaves are leaving the continent then it is weird that the population still increased a good amount. One explanation for that would be that contact with the Americas and Europeans brought about a more balanced and nutritious food diet which allowed for a lower mortality rate.

Americas social hierarchy

VoiceThread review

The idea of VoiceThread is a cool idea but it could use a lot of changes. First of all, having the ability to create only a small amount of VoiceThreads (I think 5) before you need to pay for them is a major inconvenience especially since it took me 5 practice VoiceThreads to finally figure out how the app worked. Additionally, from what I've seen, when you comment on someone else's VoiceThread, the comment is automatically placed at the end of the project causing a sort of ambiguity as to what the comment was referring to. With a little work, this app could become somewhat decent.

Changes and Continuity in the Early Modern Era

In this era between 1500 and 1800, global trade and intercontinental contact will greatly increase. As technology and knowledge of the world increases, the amount of travel and interaction being done will also increase. In addition, Europe will start to become the leading power in global affairs and commerce. Europe will also begin to expand into the Western Hemisphere and establish colonies in America. Another difference is that regions where there were previously a low interaction with foreign people could suddenly come into contact with many outsiders. This could lead to turmoil and disruption as previously unknown diseases could ravage the population. One thing that will stay the same is China's growing sense of isolation. Additionally, goods, diseases, technologies, and cultures will continue to be spread from one society to the other.

Why Mythologize Columbus?

I think that historians have mythologized Columbus because they want someone to represent the founding of America. Although Columbus didn't actually discover America, people use him as a figurehead of the founding of our great nation, because they have no one else to use. Someone needed to be credited for the founding of America, so the credit landed on Columbus. From here, Christopher Columbus is easily mythologized and fantasized because Americans wanted the "founder" of our nation to be a fearless explorer and a generous leader. No one wants to accept the truth that the founder of America was a rich, snobby, corrupt murderer.

Rabban Sauma's Travels

Here is my Voice Thread project:

Wow! A Cool Voice Thread

Marco Polo and Ibn Battuta

I do not think that Marco Polo and Ibn Battuta were people typical of their time period. The map shows that they traveled throughout almost all of Eurasia and into parts of Africa. This amount of travel was probably uncommon for a typical person in their time period. Long-distance travel certainly increased during this time period but I do not think that everyone was travelling all over the world. Travel increased because nomadic empires such as the Mongols created safe roads and merchants and missionaries utilized these roads to spread trade and religion widely. Marco Polo traveled more than the average person because he was sent on diplomatic missions by Khubilai Khan. Ibn Battuta was a Muslim traveler who found Islamic government positions in many of the places he traveled to. Marco Polo and Ibn Battuta traveled more than is typical of our time period as well. Very few people can say they have traveled all the way from Western Europe to Eastern China and certainly not in with the methods that Marco and Ibn used for travel.

Oceania map

Reposted bibliography

I'm not sure what happened the first time:

"Jerusalem Captured in First Crusade." History.com. A&E Television Networks, n.d. Web. 10 Jan. 2013.

"The First Crusade, an Overview." The First Crusade, an Overview. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Jan. 2013.

"First Crusade." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 01 Oct. 2013. Web. 10 Jan. 2013.

"Sixth Crusade 1222 - 1244 - Timeline of the Crusades: Christianity vs. Islam." About.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Jan. 2013.

"Sixth Crusade." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 31 Dec. 2012. Web. 10 Jan. 2013.

"The Children's Crusades (1212)." The History Guide. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Jan. 2013.

"Medieval Sourcebook: Chronica Regiae Coloniensis, S.a.1213 The "Children's Crusade", 1212." Internet History Sourcebooks Project. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Jan. 2013.

"Al-Kamil." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 01 Oct. 2013. Web. 10 Jan. 2013.

For people with iPads

If you have an iPad, you must download the Prezi for iPad app which is 100% free.
Once you have that app, click this link:
Unbelievably Creative Prezi

For people with laptops

Here is a link to my prezi:

Super Duper Prezi


Or to watch it directly on my blog:

Links and formal bibliography

Links:

http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/jerusalem-captured-in-first-crusade

http://www.brighton73.freeserve.co.uk/firstcrusade/Overview/Overview.htm

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

http://atheism.about.com/library/FAQs/christian/blchron_xian_crusades10.htm

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

http://www.historyguide.org/ancient/children.html

http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/1212pueri.asp

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al-Kamil

Bibliography:

"Jerusalem Captured in First Crusade." History.com. A&E Television Networks, n.d. Web. 10 Jan. 2013.

"The First Crusade, an Overview." The First Crusade, an Overview. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Jan. 2013.

"First Crusade." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 01 Oct. 2013. Web. 10 Jan. 2013.

"Sixth Crusade 1222 - 1244 - Timeline of the Crusades: Christianity vs. Islam." About.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Jan. 2013.

"Sixth Crusade." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 31 Dec. 2012. Web. 10 Jan. 2013.

"The Children's Crusades (1212)." The History Guide. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Jan. 2013.

"Medieval Sourcebook: Chronica Regiae Coloniensis, S.a.1213 The "Children's Crusade", 1212." Internet History Sourcebooks Project. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Jan. 2013.

"Al-Kamil." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 01 Oct. 2013. Web. 10 Jan. 2013.

Public Service Announcement

Hi everyone! To view our projects, you guys will all need to download the "Prezi" app. Believe me it'll be worth it

Sincerely,
Shams, Amit, Gabe, and me

Comment on Holly's blog

Dearest Holly, Here is a link I found with some information on the First Crusade through a Muslim's eyes, although the information is somewhat questionable and limited because it is a book review: http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/2000/472/bk2_472.htm
I like the idea of the twitter account. It's gona be amusing to read them all when you're done. Also, I found sweet search to be a useful search engine because it has mostly reliable sources. Good luck with the rest of your project!

Prezi Test

Project Continued

I believe the Prezi is coming along swimmingly for the most part. I'm a little bit stumped on how to show a Muslim's point of view but I'm close to figuring something out. I've done some research on the First Crusade and have come up with the following sources:

Book Review of The Crusades through Muslim eyes

First Crusade according to History.com

First Crusade from a questionable source

Wikipedia (gasp!)

I have used Google and Sweet Search to find these sources and have yet to try Bing or Yahoo. Venturing into the vast interwebs without the guidance of Google is a scary process. Some problems I'm having is finding information that I know is reliable and information that portrays the Muslim's point of view.

Project Start

Now that the essay is out of the way I can start focusing on this Crusades Project. Right now I am thinking of making a Prezi to illustrate a Muslim's view of the Crusades. My only hesitance is that I've never made a Prezi before but you have to start somewhere right? I couldn't really think of another creative way to do this project. I think my project is going to focus on the First Crusade in 1096, the Children's Crusade in 1212, and the Peace Crusade in 1229.

Thoughts about map

The textbook company omitted the details from the map because they must have not thought that they were important enough to include. In addition, added details could have made the map more crowded and harder to read. Also, putting more details into a map could have cost the company more money. When the details that had been omitted were added to the map, the map did indeed become more cluttered and harder to read. On the other hand, it gave much more information about the regions. Instead of a mere dot for Axum, the expansions and declines through different time periods were shown. Additionally, specific trade products are shown and where the products are coming from and going to.

Better African map

My African map

How I want my story told

I think I would want my story told through an epic poem or an entertaining song. In this way, people would be more likely to hear and remember my story and even become more intrigued by it, as listening to a song is more enjoyable and interactive than reading a dull book. In addition, it would be more likely that the story would be changed or adapted a little to make me seem more interesting. This could be a bad thing in the case of history being passed down through song, but it would be in my interest to sound like a more exciting person.