I am doing my report on The Great Depression. Each of my grandmothers grew up as children during The Great Depression. My mothers mother Claire grew up in the Mission District of San Francisco. Her father lost his job and they ultimately lost their house. My fathers mother Virginia grew up in a close knit community in Brooklyn, New York. Her father also lost his job. They were forced to accept government assistance, waking up at 5:00 A.M. to stand in line for milk. She watched the close knit neighborhood where she knew everybody transform itself as tent cities moved into the vacant lots next door. I thought it would be interesting to interview both Grandmothers to see the similarities and differences in how they experienced this time.
The questions I chose to ask are below:
1.) Where did you live during The Great Depression?
2.) What happened that first made you aware of The Great Depression?
3.) About how old were you?
4.) How did it affect you personally at this time?
5.) What government programs were you aware of?
6.) How long was your father out of work?
7.) How did you feel about the quality of your life?
8.) Were you aware of the problems that were going on in the banking system?
9.) Do you think things are better now?
I tried to keep the questions the same for both of my grandparents. Obviously, as I asked questions and the differences became evident I asked further questions on some of these subjects. One example is asking further questions about the "Hoover Cities" that sprung up around my Grandma Gin's neighborhood.
Tuesday, June 26, 2012
Monday, June 11, 2012
Ch 11 thru 13
One has to wonder how different the world would be if China had continued it's large maritime expeditions. The willingness of foreign leaders to offer tributes to open opportunities for trade with China speaks to its wealth and adcancements. The Chinese fleet, which was much larger then Columbus', could have populated the America's. The Chinese felt themselves to be self-sufficient and with the death of Emperor Yogle "...the chief patron of the enterprise"(p372) abruptly ended it's maritime voyages.
Many of Chinas superior technologies had already traveled across the silk roads and expanded further During the reign of the Mongolian Empire. The Mongolin Empire did not leave it's influence in the form of religion. Instead it used relay systems which allowed the rapid transmission of information from one side of the empire to the other. The Mongolean Empire brought togethe the peoples of East Asia, Europe and Islam.
Unlike Islam, the Mongolean Empire and the many empires before them 15th century China was not interested in imperialism. There was a push toget back to the Confucian ways of doing things. The Ming Dynasty brought back the examination system, restored acres and repaired infrastructure which had deteriorated during Mongol rule. "During the fifteenth century, China had recocered and was perhaps the best-governed and most prosperous of the worlds major civilizations."(P371)
As China returned to it's confuscian belief system Europe was also returning to it's classical thinkers with the beginning of the Renaissance. The Renaissance began in Italy around 1350 and ended around 1500. They revisited classical Greek traditions and felt that they were removed from "the religous world of feudal Europe"(p373). Art excelled during the Renaissance. It was the time of Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo and Raphael.
The Ottoman Empire lasted from the 1300's to the early twentieth century. The power of the empire made the Turks the "dominant people" of the Islamic wolrd, ruling now over Arabs"(P379) . The Ottoman Empire took control of Constantinple in 1453 destroying what was left of Christian Byzantium.
Many of Chinas superior technologies had already traveled across the silk roads and expanded further During the reign of the Mongolian Empire. The Mongolin Empire did not leave it's influence in the form of religion. Instead it used relay systems which allowed the rapid transmission of information from one side of the empire to the other. The Mongolean Empire brought togethe the peoples of East Asia, Europe and Islam.
Unlike Islam, the Mongolean Empire and the many empires before them 15th century China was not interested in imperialism. There was a push toget back to the Confucian ways of doing things. The Ming Dynasty brought back the examination system, restored acres and repaired infrastructure which had deteriorated during Mongol rule. "During the fifteenth century, China had recocered and was perhaps the best-governed and most prosperous of the worlds major civilizations."(P371)
As China returned to it's confuscian belief system Europe was also returning to it's classical thinkers with the beginning of the Renaissance. The Renaissance began in Italy around 1350 and ended around 1500. They revisited classical Greek traditions and felt that they were removed from "the religous world of feudal Europe"(p373). Art excelled during the Renaissance. It was the time of Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo and Raphael.
The Ottoman Empire lasted from the 1300's to the early twentieth century. The power of the empire made the Turks the "dominant people" of the Islamic wolrd, ruling now over Arabs"(P379) . The Ottoman Empire took control of Constantinple in 1453 destroying what was left of Christian Byzantium.
Sunday, June 3, 2012
Part Three
I am grateful that we have moved into the classical/postclassical era in part 3 of our book. The paleolithic and neolithic eras are interesting but without written words so much is unknown. As we moved into the ancient era and now into the classical/post classical era i enjoy that there are so many lessons to be learned from our ancestors.
It is interesting to see how the main trading locations for the silk roads and eventually through the Sahara desert by Camel had such a large affect on the wealth and diversity of Eurasia and Africa. A sea based trading system was created using the predictable monsoon currents. It connected people from China to Africa. Trading was used primarily for luxury goods. This is important to note because, at the time, people still produced for their own consumption. It was unlike the modern world, in that few people actually sold their own labor.
Besides the trading of luxury goods; there was a trade of ideas and religious beliefs. In this way Buddhism spread from India to China and throughout Asia. The Swahili civilization on the coast of the Indian ocean adopted Islam after being exposed to it by Arab traders. Chinese achievements such as paper making, silk production, the magnetic compass, ship building and movable type spread "as the movement of traders, soldiers, slaves, and pilgrims conveyed Chinese achievements abroad"(259).
Slavery continued during the classical era. Originally, most slaves were women. I was unaware that originally in Europe most slaves were from the Slavic speaking regions. That the word "slave" comes from the word "slav".
The shift in power between the Orthodox and Catholic churches were very interesting for me to read. Raised Catholic, I enjoy reading about our history. I was unaware how this shift in power happened as Western Europe began to resemble Europe as we are c familiar with it. I have to wonder how different the world would seem if Byzantium's Orthodox church and it's love of Greek thought had been the dominate Christian religion. Similarly, as I read ahead into chapter 11 I was surprised to see how from the very beginning there was a rift between Islam and Judaism. Again, I have to wonder how different the world would be if the two religions had not disagreed.
I am grateful that we have moved into the classical/postclassical era in part 3 of our book. The paleolithic and neolithic eras are interesting but without written words so much is unknown. As we moved into the ancient era and now into the classical/post classical era i enjoy that there are so many lessons to be learned from our ancestors.
It is interesting to see how the main trading locations for the silk roads and eventually through the Sahara desert by Camel had such a large affect on the wealth and diversity of Eurasia and Africa. A sea based trading system was created using the predictable monsoon currents. It connected people from China to Africa. Trading was used primarily for luxury goods. This is important to note because, at the time, people still produced for their own consumption. It was unlike the modern world, in that few people actually sold their own labor.
Besides the trading of luxury goods; there was a trade of ideas and religious beliefs. In this way Buddhism spread from India to China and throughout Asia. The Swahili civilization on the coast of the Indian ocean adopted Islam after being exposed to it by Arab traders. Chinese achievements such as paper making, silk production, the magnetic compass, ship building and movable type spread "as the movement of traders, soldiers, slaves, and pilgrims conveyed Chinese achievements abroad"(259).
Slavery continued during the classical era. Originally, most slaves were women. I was unaware that originally in Europe most slaves were from the Slavic speaking regions. That the word "slave" comes from the word "slav".
The shift in power between the Orthodox and Catholic churches were very interesting for me to read. Raised Catholic, I enjoy reading about our history. I was unaware how this shift in power happened as Western Europe began to resemble Europe as we are c familiar with it. I have to wonder how different the world would seem if Byzantium's Orthodox church and it's love of Greek thought had been the dominate Christian religion. Similarly, as I read ahead into chapter 11 I was surprised to see how from the very beginning there was a rift between Islam and Judaism. Again, I have to wonder how different the world would be if the two religions had not disagreed.
Monday, May 28, 2012
Section 2
I don't know where to begin when blogging about section two. Section one dealt with the Neolithic and Paleolithic eras. Strayer reminds us of the incredible length of human history before modern day governments and hierarchies. Section two spans a shorter time period but is filled with a much more overwhelming amount of information.
Our class discussion regarding the Mesopotamia region and the excerpt from the "Epic of Gilgamesh" was incredibly interesting. It's story of sex, beer, relationships with nature and one another was expectantly familiar. I left class wondering if it is true that history continues to repeat itself or if the similarities are more indicative of human nature. If it is indicative of human nature I wonder how far we have come since that time.
Section two of our book moves away from the ancient civilization of Mesopotamia and into the "Second Wave" civilizations. It shows a diverse history of competing civilizations and dynasty's as they rise and fall. The foundations of our own civilizations, religions, social hierarchies and struggles were built during this Classical period.
I am most interested in the Greek and Roman civilizations. I would love to learn more about teachings of Socrates, Plato and Aristotle. Strayer mentions Aristotle's government recommendation of a mix of Republic, Democracy and Monarchy which is what our government is currently based on. He discusses the view of women as inferior and that homosexual behavior was socially acceptable.
Strayer begins the section by asking if we are the next Roman Empire. Have things changed that much? I think this question is especially relevant right now. As special interest groups and the wealthy in our country continually shape our laws to fit their interests it is hard not to wonder if the income gap will become to wide. How long will it be before another country bypasses us as the worlds superpower.
Beyond all of this I enjoyed learning about the history of our current world religions. The beginning of Monotheism and the evolution of Buddhism and Christianity from it's original teachings. Slayer writes how their followers turned their leaders into gods. India's Caste system that continues to be a influential part of India's social system. China's system of class was more open to social mobility. During the Han dynasty students could become Elite officials by passing examinations. Although the Peasant class was the least wealthy they had more prestige then the Merchant class. In the America's the Mayans had their own writing and could predict eclipses of the sun and moon.
I really did enjoy section two of our book but the amount of material in this section has made this blog difficult to do. When you look closely at these societies there are so many interesting and diverse aspects of each of these civilizations. When you pan out they all suffered from many of the same problems. It brings me back to the "Epic of Gilgamesh" and leaves me wondering how far we have come. It is possible that we are just the next Roman Empire.
Our class discussion regarding the Mesopotamia region and the excerpt from the "Epic of Gilgamesh" was incredibly interesting. It's story of sex, beer, relationships with nature and one another was expectantly familiar. I left class wondering if it is true that history continues to repeat itself or if the similarities are more indicative of human nature. If it is indicative of human nature I wonder how far we have come since that time.
Section two of our book moves away from the ancient civilization of Mesopotamia and into the "Second Wave" civilizations. It shows a diverse history of competing civilizations and dynasty's as they rise and fall. The foundations of our own civilizations, religions, social hierarchies and struggles were built during this Classical period.
I am most interested in the Greek and Roman civilizations. I would love to learn more about teachings of Socrates, Plato and Aristotle. Strayer mentions Aristotle's government recommendation of a mix of Republic, Democracy and Monarchy which is what our government is currently based on. He discusses the view of women as inferior and that homosexual behavior was socially acceptable.
Strayer begins the section by asking if we are the next Roman Empire. Have things changed that much? I think this question is especially relevant right now. As special interest groups and the wealthy in our country continually shape our laws to fit their interests it is hard not to wonder if the income gap will become to wide. How long will it be before another country bypasses us as the worlds superpower.
Beyond all of this I enjoyed learning about the history of our current world religions. The beginning of Monotheism and the evolution of Buddhism and Christianity from it's original teachings. Slayer writes how their followers turned their leaders into gods. India's Caste system that continues to be a influential part of India's social system. China's system of class was more open to social mobility. During the Han dynasty students could become Elite officials by passing examinations. Although the Peasant class was the least wealthy they had more prestige then the Merchant class. In the America's the Mayans had their own writing and could predict eclipses of the sun and moon.
I really did enjoy section two of our book but the amount of material in this section has made this blog difficult to do. When you look closely at these societies there are so many interesting and diverse aspects of each of these civilizations. When you pan out they all suffered from many of the same problems. It brings me back to the "Epic of Gilgamesh" and leaves me wondering how far we have come. It is possible that we are just the next Roman Empire.
Sunday, May 20, 2012
Ways of The World Intro Thru Chapter 3
"Although often neglected by historians and history textbooks, this long period of the human experience merits greater attention..." (5)
Strayer points out that although Homo sapiens emerged on this earth 250,000 years ago the early beginning of civilizations as we know them did not exist until about 12,000 years ago. He feels that it is important to understand that for the majority of it's existence mankind lived without the cities, states, man-made boundaries, hierarchies and inequalities that exist today. He points out that what we may perceive as natural and necessary to the continuation of our species are actually concepts that have been around for a relatively small period of our history. By ignoring this long period of human history and viewing our early ancestors as "barbaric" and "uncivilized" we lose important lessons from a time where there was no slavery, deforestation, major wars, gender inequalities or ruling class.
During the Paleolithic era, beginning with the emergence of Homo sapiens, we existed as small groups of less than 20 people. These societies sustained themselves by gathering plants and hunting animals. Women were in charge of gathering plants which made up for a majority of the groups food supplies. Although there was no written language, it is possible to gain a better understanding of this lifestyle by examining The San of Southern Africa and the Chamash of Southern California. These societies resisted the expansion of agricultural and industrial influences and continued their gatherer-hunter way of life.
The last ice age ended 16,000 to 10,000 years ago followed by a "global warming". Plants and animals who could not adapt to the warming climate died off. Many plants that could not survive during the ice age did well and became abundant. The human population grew during this time. Some communities began to settle and form villages. One interesting fact is that completely unrelated and distant communities began to settle into villages at around the same time.
As human beings began to settle into villages and into the neolithic era with the beginning of agriculture, populations began to grow rapidly. We began to domesticate plants and animals, exploit natural resources and build boundaries. Boundaries had to be defended. Disease spread from domesticated animals. Areas where plants did not grow easily gave way to "pastoral societies" who herded domesticated animals. Both herding and agricultural communities began to maintain order through lineage systems. "Many agricultural societies, in Africa and elsewhere, conducted their affairs without formal centralized states or full-time rulers, even when they were aware of these institutions and practices from nearby peoples." (pg51) Chiefdoms became another form of society. Although these chiefs "seldom use force to compel the obedience of their subjects." (pg 51) this way of life lays the framework for the idea of monarchies.
It was not until around 3500 B.C. that civilizations emerged. These new civilizations brought progress in the way of written language, tools, trade and the domestication of horses. At the same time the formation of cities and politics came with the beginning of social inequalities, disease and damage to the environment. The land and it's inhabitants became tools to be exploited by the rapidly growing human population. Today we look at early gatherer hunter societies as if they are barbaric but we seldom take the time to look at the lessons they offer in regard to quality of life. Strayer believes that it is a mistake to ignore our early history that, after all, makes up the large majority of human history.
Shauna Banks
Strayer points out that although Homo sapiens emerged on this earth 250,000 years ago the early beginning of civilizations as we know them did not exist until about 12,000 years ago. He feels that it is important to understand that for the majority of it's existence mankind lived without the cities, states, man-made boundaries, hierarchies and inequalities that exist today. He points out that what we may perceive as natural and necessary to the continuation of our species are actually concepts that have been around for a relatively small period of our history. By ignoring this long period of human history and viewing our early ancestors as "barbaric" and "uncivilized" we lose important lessons from a time where there was no slavery, deforestation, major wars, gender inequalities or ruling class.
During the Paleolithic era, beginning with the emergence of Homo sapiens, we existed as small groups of less than 20 people. These societies sustained themselves by gathering plants and hunting animals. Women were in charge of gathering plants which made up for a majority of the groups food supplies. Although there was no written language, it is possible to gain a better understanding of this lifestyle by examining The San of Southern Africa and the Chamash of Southern California. These societies resisted the expansion of agricultural and industrial influences and continued their gatherer-hunter way of life.
The last ice age ended 16,000 to 10,000 years ago followed by a "global warming". Plants and animals who could not adapt to the warming climate died off. Many plants that could not survive during the ice age did well and became abundant. The human population grew during this time. Some communities began to settle and form villages. One interesting fact is that completely unrelated and distant communities began to settle into villages at around the same time.
As human beings began to settle into villages and into the neolithic era with the beginning of agriculture, populations began to grow rapidly. We began to domesticate plants and animals, exploit natural resources and build boundaries. Boundaries had to be defended. Disease spread from domesticated animals. Areas where plants did not grow easily gave way to "pastoral societies" who herded domesticated animals. Both herding and agricultural communities began to maintain order through lineage systems. "Many agricultural societies, in Africa and elsewhere, conducted their affairs without formal centralized states or full-time rulers, even when they were aware of these institutions and practices from nearby peoples." (pg51) Chiefdoms became another form of society. Although these chiefs "seldom use force to compel the obedience of their subjects." (pg 51) this way of life lays the framework for the idea of monarchies.
It was not until around 3500 B.C. that civilizations emerged. These new civilizations brought progress in the way of written language, tools, trade and the domestication of horses. At the same time the formation of cities and politics came with the beginning of social inequalities, disease and damage to the environment. The land and it's inhabitants became tools to be exploited by the rapidly growing human population. Today we look at early gatherer hunter societies as if they are barbaric but we seldom take the time to look at the lessons they offer in regard to quality of life. Strayer believes that it is a mistake to ignore our early history that, after all, makes up the large majority of human history.
Shauna Banks
Monday, May 14, 2012
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