Module 8 - Ch 23

2) What factors contributed to economic globalization in the second half of the twentieth century?

There were a large amount of factors in total that helped contribute the economic globalization of the second half of the twentieth century. First and foremost, the capitalist victors of World War II where completely determined to avoid returning to the conditions that took place during the depression era., Additionally, the implementation of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund help lead the way for globalization in the post war era. The system that these funds developed promoted relatively free trade, stable currency values linked to the US Dollar, and high levels of capital investment which are all major factors that supported globalization. Technology also played a major factor in accelerating economic globalization more than ever before. The internet played a major factor that was needed for communication for global economic interaction. Ultimately, this economic-globalization was made possible by a number of technological advances as well as a fear of repeating mistakes from the past.

8) What distinguished feminism in the industrialized countries from that in the Global South?

The second wave of feminism that arose in these industrialized countries had placed a large emphasis on employment and education. Women began to become aware of their own oppression and began to look down upon the historical patriarchal domination. Additionally, women of the west brought into discussion issues involving sexuality, lesbianism and celibacy, believing that these ideas all deserve the same respect as heterosexual marriage. However women in the Global South faced different experiences than these women in the West, because their oppression was not directly related to their gender. Many of these women did not support the concerns that started European and American feminism. Women's rights movements in the Global South took shape around a wide range of issues, not all of which were only gender based. This was the main difference between the feminism in the industrialized countries and that of the Global South. 

10) From what sources did Islamic renewal movements derive?

The were multiple factors in which Islamic renewal movements were driven by. There was a growing number of Muslims that wanted to renew and create a religious and political order. The main thing that gave these movements strength were the enormous disappointments that had accumulated in the Muslim world by the 1970's. These disappointments came from conquest and colonial rule, awareness of the huge technological gap between Islamic and European civilizations, the disappearance of the Ottoman Empire, and the retreat of Islam for many to the realm of private life. Many leading figured began to insist that the Quran and Sharia law provided a guide for all of life. Additionally, Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood advocated that government will act in conformity to the law and Islamic Principles. Ultimately, by the 1970's ideas and organizations that favored Islamization of the private life had widely spread across the Islamic world, expressing itself in many ways.

module 7

Clarissa Ellwein

Prof. Andrews

16 April 2020

here is the google doc link to my essay because the blog is formatting it oddly.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1DP8ce85QwmV_bro6E0QpIL-OvPA8AVguYCvVLatTf4I/edit?usp=sharing

Module 7- Pandemic Essay

All throughout the history of the world global pandemics have existed. Wherever there is a large population of humans, the possibility of pandemics arising and spreading drastically amongst a population is always in the picture. Even in the advanced society we live in today, full of technology and medical knowledge, we still are forced to face pandemics. Currently, we are in the midst of a global pandemic, something that I personally thought would never happen in my lifetime. However, we are fully submerged in this pandemic with all the signs pointing that this will be around for a while. The Corona Virus is going to leave a lasting impact on the world as we know it and it will be forever rooted in the history of the world.

In order to write an essay about global pandemics, one must first describe what exactly a pandemic is. The official definition as described by the Center for Disease Control is that: “A pandemic is a global outbreak of disease”, further  the CDC says that pandemics happen when, “a new virus emerges to infect people and can spread between people sustainably” (cdc.gov). A disease does need to effect and spread upon the whole entire globe in order to be considered a pandemic. Going off of the definition of the CDC it specifically says that pandemics are global. When diseases spread across a certain group of people, this is considered an epidemic. The official definition of an epidemic is, “an increase, often sudden, in the number of cases of a disease above what is normally expected in that population in that area” (cdc.gov). Therefore, the example of smallpox spreading across the Native American population after contact with Europeans would be considered an epidemic.As one can clearly see the Corona Virus fits the exact definition of a pandemic. It is easily spreadable and has affected all regions of the globe. Although Covid-19 is a novel disease that nobody has ever seen before, there have been multiple pandemics throughout the history of the world that have left drastic impacts on the world. One of the most recent examples of this is  The Spanish Flu. The Spanish Flu began in January of 1918 and lasted all the way until December of 1920, so this lasted almost 3 years. Like most flu viruses, it was expected to only be deadly to the very young and the very old, however this flu virus resulted in a much higher death rate than expected in young adults. It is believed that this disease started among the soldiers during World War 1. It was very easily spread because of the extremely close quarters that the soldiers were living in. Additionally, the malnourishment of the soldiers definitely weakened their immune system, making them more susceptible to the extreme symptoms of this disease. Overall, the Spanish Flu was a very prominent and deadly pandemic. Spanish Flu infected 500 million people globally which was about 25 percent of the world's population at the time. The death toll of the flu is not exact but it is estimated to be between 17 and 50 million people.

Another prominent pandemic that has affected the world is the Black Plague. This was a bacterial infection that peaked in Europe from 1347-1351. This pandemic has been known as the most fatal pandemic in all of human history. It is said that this disease most likely originated in Central or East Asia. It was then spread on the Silk Road and then through fleas living on rats it was able to spread all across Europe, Central Asia, and Africa. This was a deadly disease that spread extremely fast through Europe  because of the poor sanitary conditions. It is estimated that the Black Plague could have killed up to 60% of the population in Europe, killing up to 50 million people. This is one of the most commonly known pandemics that people study because it left a lasting impact on the globe.

Ultimately, it can be seen that global pandemics are just a natural part of human history. My experience with the coronavirus pandemic has most likely been better than the experiences of the people who had to face the Spanish Flu and Black Plague. It is indeed a crazy time filled with so many unknowns about what the future holds, but I am lucky enough to be in a safe home with all my family and all the necessities. While people who have lived through pandemics in the past did not have technology to keep them updated with all the latest news as well as multiple platforms to interact with their friends and family, I am lucky enough to have this easily accessible. Ultimately, as we navigate through this difficult time, it is also a chance to take a step back and realize that we are fortunate to have what we do. My 2020 experience with covid-19 has been a roller coaster ride but it has truly taught me alot about life. 

Works Cited 

“Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, www.cdc.gov/.

History.com Editors. “Black Death.” History.com, A&E Television Networks, 17 Sept. 2010, www.history.com/topics/middle-ages/black-death.

“Principles of Epidemiology.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 18 May 2012, www.cdc.gov/csels/dsepd/ss1978/lesson1/section11.html.

The 1918 Influenza Pandemic, virus.stanford.edu/uda/.

Module 6 - Ch 22

Chapter 22 focuses on the decolonization and gaining of independence that colonial empires received in the twentieth century.

3) What international circumstances and social changes contributed to the end of colonial empires?

There were many international circumstances that contributed to the end of the colonial empires. First of all, the world wars very much weekend Europe, this lead to the sense of European moral superiority completely disappear. In the past, they had this moral superiority, but now they had nothing backing that up. Additionally, the United States and the Soviet Union were very much opposed to the colonial empires and since they were very strong this opposition resignated strongly.  The United Nations also adapted an anti colonial platform. One of the strongest factors was the fact that in these colonies western-educated elites has risen up through the colonial world. There was no longer a connection between the European empires being the only way for their progress, and were strongly leaning towards independence.

4) What obstacles confronted the leaders of movements for independence?

The leaders of the movements of for independence faced many obstacles during the fight for independence. These leaders had to organize political parties, plot their strategies, recruit members to assist them, and negotiate with both each other and the colonial power to ensure the transition to independence. Additionally, some regions such as South Africa some leaders also coordinated military operations. Although there was a common goal of independence amongst the anti-colonists, these groups still struggled with one another over questions of leadership, power, strategy ect... The movements for independence did not mean that these anti-colonists worked perfectly with one another. They still faced the same conflicts internally that independent counties do.

15) What obstacles impeded the economic development of third-world countries?

The obstacles that impeded the economic development of third world countries were prominent and left a lasting impact on the futures of these countries. This attempt at economic development that took place in these countries divided classes, religious groups, and ethnic groups, while all in the presence of rapid population growth. The colonial rule that held them back for so long only provided small foundations of modern development to these very newly independent nations, so many of them were not ready for the challenges that come with running a nation. Ultimately these third-world countries had very literal leverage in the midst of the rest of the global nations, so this hindered them significantly. It was very difficult for these leaders of the nations to know what to do and what strategies to pursue.

Module 5 - Global Pandemics

All throughout time, disease has been around. Wherever there are living things, disease is around and this is the inevitable reality of life. The current situation that we are living in is representative of a true pandemic. Although it is the first global pandemic we have experienced in our life time, it is definitely not the first pandemic that existed in the history of the world. The historical pandemic that I found in my research and that I will be talking about today is the Spanish Flu.

The Spanish Flu began in January of 1918 and lasted all the way until December of 1920, so this lasted almost 3 years. Like most flu viruses, it was expected to only be deadly to the very young and the very old, however this flu virus resulted in a much higher death rate than expected in young adults. It is believed that this disease started among the soldiers during World War 1. It was very easily spread because of the extremely close quarters that the soldiers were living in. Additionally, the malnourishment of the soldiers definitely weakened their immune system, making them more susceptible to the extreme symptoms of this disease.

This virus was very rapidly spread throughout the world because of the new presence of rapid transportation throughout the world. Additionally, with the soldiers returning back to their home countries after being all around the world, this rapidly spread the virus to all stretches of the world. It is believed that the Spanish Flu infection 500 million people globally which was about 25 percent of the worlds population at the time. The death toll of the flu is not exact but it is estimated to be between 17 and 50 million people. Some of the events that occurred during this pandemic are essentially similar to the events we are witnessing today during the Corona Virus pandemic. All citizens were ordered to wear masks, businesses were shut down, and make shift morgues were being made due to the mass number of dead bodies.

Overall, the Spanish Flu is known to be the deadliest pandemic in human history. Overtime, history has shown us that pandemics are an inevitable part of humans living in close contact with each other. As the Corona Virus continues to spread it has been made very clear that history does in fact repeat itself.

Module 4 - Fascism

Ch 20 Summary

Fascism was rapidly growing as the new political ideology between 1919 and 1945. This political style highly nationalistic and something that truly stood out to me was that this praised violence against the enemy. Additionally, fascists did not support individualism, liberalism, feminism , parliamentary democracy, and communism. Many people during this time period had lost faith in the capacity or liberal democracy and capitalism to protect them, therefore they changed their faith to believing in fascism. Many fascist governments took root in Austria, Hungary, and Romania. The countries were fascism achieved prolonged power were in Italy and and Germany - however this style of leadership would prove to have terrible consequences for Europe and the rest of the world.

Fascist government first took root in the newly formed unified state of Italy. Benito Mussolini was the face of this movement and came to power in 1922. The people of Italy who were fearful of communism backed Mussolini because he promised to finally bring order to the streets. Mussolini's regime disbanded independent labor unions and all opposing political parties. He strived to reach the give Italian society a new global mission.

Another fascist power that rose during this time period was the Nazi Party of Germany led by Adolf Hitler. With a struggling economy during the time after the first world war, many people turned to ideas of fascism because the country needed leadership during this time. Just like in Italy, Hitler quickly rose to power, outlawing all other political parties. Upon coming to power ruler implemented ideas of anti-semitism. Overtime, Hitler increasingly gained more and more power and the destructive Nazi Germany rose to full force.

Lastly, Japanese Authoritarianism paralleled that of both Italy and Germany. In the 1930's there was a great growth in nationalist thinking.. This was because Japan was struggling with an economic depression. Just like Italy and Germany, Japan developed a prominent imperial agenda which eventually collided with countries such as the US and Britain and would eventually lead to the beginning of a second world war.

Self Guided Research 

Overall, what I learned with my self guided research was very similar to the ideas portrayed in Strayers text. One definition if Fascism that truly stood out to me was that it is a form of political practice distinct to the 20th century that arouses popular enthusiasm by sophisticated propaganda techniques for an anti-liberal, anti socialist, violently exclusionary, expansionist nationalist agenda.
Fascism has many core elements such as the primacy of the group and extreme support of the natural leader. These ideas are extremely different from many other forms of government that were around during this time. Ultimately the economic goal of fascism is to achieve national self sufficiency, not relying on other countries.

I personally think that fascism is on the rise in the world today. Many of the actions of our current president Donald Trump, mirror some of the actions of the leaders of these fascist regimes in the 20th century. He does put economic ideals over the issues of race and poverty which I think is similar to some fascist tendencies. Additionally, he does not take accountability for many issues that occur because he is trying to protect his reputation, which is also similar to what the leaders of these 20th century fascist governments have done. Overall, many people can have different views on this topic, but I can see some fascist tendencies on the rise in the world today.

Module 3 - Chapter 19

Strayer's Chapter 19, Empires in Collision, talks about the conflicts between the empires in China, Europe, and the Middle East and the impacts that they had on each other.

2. How did Western pressures stimulate change in China during the 19^thcentury?

Western pressures stimulated China during the 19th century dramatically. China was forced to break away from their historical way of operating. There was quite the dramatic shift in the balance of global power that was clearly evident in China's changing relationship with Europe. China was forced to continue to import opium. Additionally, the pressures from the west forced China to set import tariffs at a very low rate. Hong Kong had to increasingly open more ports to Europeans. Foreigners were allowed to live in China and had the right to buy land. Historically, China was not open to accepting Christianity, however China began to open its doors to missionaries. Chinese businessmen mostly served in foreign firms, instead of developing as an independent capitalist class that was capable of leading China's own Industrial Revolution. China also lost control of Taiwan, Korea, and Vietnam. Ultimately the western powers along with Japan and Russia had much larger spheres of influence over China than in its historical past. Western powers had control over their water ways and could set up military bases.

5. What lay behind the decline of the Ottoman Empire in the 19^thcentury?

There were ultimately many factors that led to the decline of the Ottoman Empire in the 19th century. The empire had a great decrease in size due to the expansion of Europe combined with nationalist movements. Additionally, the Ottoman Empire lost power to local authorities and war lords. Their military was greatly weakened and the once effective Janissaries, were no longer effective. Another factor that weakened the Ottoman Empire was that the west kept evolving technology wise, while on the other hand they were not. This created an increasingly larger technology gap. Ottoman artisans could no longer compete with the cheap European manufacturers. This led to urban riots that were protesting against foreign imports. Ultimately the Ottoman Empire became increasingly dependent on foreign loans which led to foreign control and the occupation of Egypt by the British. The situation in the Ottoman Empire was very much like China in which they had fallen into a position of considerable dependency on Europe. 

10. In what respects was Japan’s 19^thcentury transformation revolutionary?

Japan's 19th century transformation was revolutionary in many different ways. Japan's transformation dismantled the old Confusion based order by taking away class restrictions on occupation, residence, marriage, and clothing, while also dismantling limitations on travel and trade. Japan had a government that was now committed to a decisive break with the past. They were ready for great revolutionary change. There were many technological advances which allowed Japan to progress into becoming the world's most urbanized country. This ranges from agricultural advances to advances in technology such as electricity. This transformation was revolutionary for Japan because all of this was accomplished through the use of their own resources instead of through aquiring a massive foreign debt. The is what truly helped them get ahead of other and launch their own Industrial Revolution. Ultimately, Japan was able to grow out of their outdated and traditional ways and truly become acknowledged as one of the Great Powers of the world. 

Ch 18 - Module 2

* Chapter 18 focusses on the second wave of colonialism. This focuses on the colonial encounters in Asia, Africa, and Oceana. 


3. What contributed to changing European views of Asians and Africans in the 19^thcentury?

As the 19th century progressed, European views of Asians and Africans developed to an attitude of superiority over these other races. The Industrial Revolution, which began in Europe played a large role in Europe's 19th century expansion. The new wealth that Europe had come upon led to extreme arrogance of the Europeans that was also combined with the long standing belief that Europeans has religious superiority over Asians and Africans. Additionally, new modern science inflicted racism upon that effected the way Asians and Africans were viewed. This lens of racism was expressed in terms of science, so the belief was widespread. This European belief that they were superior and everybody else was inferior led to ideas that it was the Europeans duty to civilize these other inferior nations. Essentially, with the creation of the industrial age, Europeans became arrogant and looked down on every other culture that was different from them.

11. How did cash crop agriculture transform the lives of colonized peoples?

Cash crop agriculture transformed the lives of colonized people, because the flow of money had never been this prominent before. In some regions like the Burma and Gold Coast, colonial promotion of cash crops for trade benefited the farmers who participated in this crop for trade system. However, in other regions such as the Netherlands East Indies, the process of cash crop agriculture was forced upon the local population by the colonial powerhouses. This was a great burden upon the people and played a part in contributing to a wave of famines. Additionally, cash crop farming in the French-ruled Vietnam had important environmental consequences. It destroyed forests and swamp lands. This took away the fish that supplemented the local diets of people. Ultimately, cash crop agriculture had some benefits for local farmers in certain regions, but in other regions this cash crop agriculture was detrimental to the environment and local populations. 

13. How were the lives of African women in particular altered by colonial economies?

Prior to colonization, African women were responsible for planting, weeding, and harvesting along with food preparation and child care. The were active farmers, also having the responsibility to feed their own families. These women were also sometimes involved in local trading. Women, will still subordinate to men, clearly has some economic responsibility. However, following colonization, the lived of these African women started to become much different than their male counterparts. The men were more focused on cash crop producing while the females took over the role of managing the domestic economy and producing food for subsistence. This is because the role of cash crops forced the men to migrate to the cities, leaving these women to take on tasks that were historically male dominated. African men and African women lived in completely different worlds, with one focused on the cities and working wages, while the other was focused on village life and subsistence agriculture. Women would seek closer relationships with their families of birth instead of with their absent husbands. Overall, the colonial economies greatly changed the women's role in society and increased their role in production for their villages.