Chap. 16,17,18,19

Globally speaking, the Atlantic Revolution was quite significant.  Occurring in "North America, France, Haiti, and Latin America.  Not surprisingly, additional taxes and the French monarchy seeking "new revenue from it landowners" contributed to the American and French Revolution.  Some distinctions of the Atlantic Revolution are that, "they were closely connected to each other."  Influence of the European Enlightenment emphasized the "notion that human political and social arrangements could be engineered, and improved by human action." Refreshing ideas of liberty, equality, free trade, religious tolerance," were just some of the many notions that were arising.  Interestingly, the impact of the Atlantic Revolution was inspiring to other countries to make an effort to "abolish slavery, extend the right to vote, develop constitutions, and secure greater equality to women." All of these aspects including many more have made the Atlantic Revolution more significant.

In discussing Revolutions the Industrial Revolution had a profound impact on society socially, and economically.  The Industrial Revolution, while propelling society into a more modern, faster paced time, also shoved old behaviors and ideals such as agriculture out of the way.  Most surprising is the huge jump in numbers when comparing old and new technologies.  For example, "52 million pounds of cotton in 1800 compared to 588 million consumed in 1850." The dominance of the Industrial Revolution dramatically affected society socially also.  In destruction came creation. "It destroyed old ways of living, but left them free to discover new ones."  This balance did not develop or occur without definite fear and struggle for new ways of establishment.

Another interesting topic discussed in the reading is that of women's roles in Colonial economy.  Women played a large part in planting, harvesting and weeding.  They were also in charge of food production and were usually allocated their own fields.  Despite these high demands and massive labor, women were subordinate to men.  Women coped by seeking closer relationships with their families instead of their husbands and took advantage of their abilities by creating "labor-saving crops and self-help associations.  Despite being controlled they were able to rise above.

In chapter 19 and interesting turn of events takes place especially concerning the China and Ottoman Empire. Once dominant, rapidly shifting global power made them "informal powers" and despite being able to sustain independence with their government, were unable to "create industrial economies or strong states required to fend off European intrusion and restore their former status in the world.  Although change is constantly occurring and is unstoppable, it is still amazing to see how even the most dominant of powers can be overrun.

Late Classical Era...Chap. 9,11,12

Unfamiliar with Islam, I found chapter 9 interesting and informative.  Key aspects that I found especially interesting were the Bedouins and their recognition of their ancestors, a variety of gods and nature spirits and their "highly expressive oral poetry." There value of personal bravery and group loyalty is also fascinating to me.  These aspects were basically the glue that held their community together.  A second aspect of Islam that I am unfamiliar is that of the just and moral side of Islam or "umma."  I had never heard of umma before and did not realize that it was a community of all believers "replacing tribal, ethnic, or racial identities." A third aspect is that of the Jihad.  Hearing this term used in the news I now understand that the Jihad is "an internal personal effort of each believer against greed and selfishness, a spiritual striving toward living a God-conscious life.

In reading about Pastoral societies characteristics of this society and the role of women are two aspects that I found interesting.  As a pastoral society the economy was generally less productive because they supported smaller populations. This also makes sense because they were a people of mobility and constantly moving so settling down and forming a more productive foundation would be wasteful in a sense.  Unlike other societies, women in the pastoral society were offered a higher status, had a greater role in public life, and fewer restrictions.  They were also more involved in the production of everyday activities and children. An observed equality is a nice aspect of this society.

Another area that I have not been familiar with except in middle school that caught my interest is that of the Aztec Empire.   I did not realize how unstable the empire was or the fact that "conquered cities or peoples were required to deliver textiles, clothing, food, jewelry and supplies to the rulers.  In comparison, the Inca demands on their conquests were based more on labor or "mita" everyone had to work for the state.  Specialists or "chosen women" "were removed from their homes as young girls and trained in inca ideology.  In return elaborate feasts were pisrovided.

All in all it is fascinating to see how different societies and Empires find and develop the glue that holds them together.

Chap 7,8,10

Throughout the course of the three chapters a couple of aspects really stood out to me. To begin with, trade was extremely important and had a huge impact on the lives of many people.  Trade not only encouraged individuals of the working class to specialize in particular products but also sell them in distant markets.   Trade for some became a social mobility, allowing for those of elite groups the opportunity to distinguish themselves from commoners by having prestigious goods such as silk, tortoise shell, and jade.  T.rade also transformed political life. The wealth accumulated from taking trade created and sustained states.  Trade also became the vehicle for the spread of religious ideas, technological innovations etc.
Another important area of discussion is the role of women.  Chinese homes became the primary site of textile production and women were making a large contribution to the household. In the Song dynasty the role of women was characterized by subordination under Confucian beliefs.  Women and men needed to be separated in every domain of life. "The duty of husbands to be resolute and wives to be docile." What is interesting is that a mans masculinity and horseback riding capability was overshadowed by a new admiration for a man who had "refined pursuits of calligraphy, scholarship, painting, and poetry.  Feminine qualities of a women were emphasized such as the weakness and delicacy, and were viewed also as a distraction to men and their "permissible and introspective life."  Binding of the feet also became a rite of passage even though they often underwent extreme pain from broken bones to maintain a delicate small appearance and in order to fit into small intricately woven slippers.

Early Classical Era

After reading chapter 3 a few key elements discussed really captured my attention.  To begin with it is interesting to see the impact warfare had on Roman society and the influence on the appropriate roles of men and women in society.  With Rome becoming a "warrior society" it is interesting to see men defined as a soldier and property owner and having absolute control over women children and slaves in private life.  I also find it slightly frustrating that a woman's participation in warrior culture was included only if she was bearing "brave sons" and instilling the warrior culture in their values.  Another detail that is interesting is the differing viewpoints of the Romans and the Chinese regarding the development of their empires.  The Romans wanted to build something new, the Chinese wanted to "restore something old."  One of the states in China "Qin" also adopted a political philosophy called "legalism" which advocated clear rules and harsh punishment as a means of enforcing the authority of the state.

In continued reading in chapter 4, Legalism is once again visited. Legalist thinkers felt that "the solution to China's problems lay in the rules and laws, clearly spelled out and strictly enforced..."only the state and its rulers could act in their long-term interest.  In contrast, the Confucian answer to the problem of China's disorder was very different. In the Confucian view moral example of superiors was the key to restored social harmony, not laws and punishments.  Family life is also central to the Chinese culture drawing special attention to ancestors.  In Confucian thinking, family be was also came a model for political life, "miniature state."  Family was also "rigidly patriarchal."  Gendered concepts that Heaven is associated with things male, and things associated with Earth female.  Confucian ideas were reformist, but were "consistently presented as an effort to restore a past golden age. In comparison to Legalist and confuscian ways is Dao or "The way" a notion referring to "the way of nature, the underlying and unchanging principle that governs all natural phenomena."

 

Chapter 5 presented some interesting information about the Caste system and its origins and how in both China and India such a system determined social status and religious or cultural traditions defined these inequalities as natural, eternal, and ordained by the gods. In comparison to Caste system is the issue of slavery and its roots.  I found it fascinating that "early domesticating of animals provided the model for enslaving people in the Roman Empire.  Also interesting, the Greek attitude toward slavery.  "it was a terrible thing to become a slave but a good thing to own a slave."

I also found the discussion of "Meroe" very interesting. In particular the comparison of how Hatshepsut was portrayed as a women in male clothing but how Meroe queens appeared in sculptures as women with a prominence and power equivalent to their male counterparts.  Along the Niger river  the Caste system is again mentioned in villages that specialized in cotton weaving, potters, leather workers and griots.  These castes were developed  and members passed their jobs and skills to their children and could marry only within their own group.

Overall, these chapters gave me some new found insight.