tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5181616371521138814Sun, 26 Jul 2015 17:37:25 +0000World HistoryAncient HistoryTeaching HistoryAmerican HistoryEuropean HistoryHistory Quizzes + PuzzlesJewish HistoryBritish HistorySecond World WarHistory of ScienceWorldohistoryA blog designed to expand and examine the dynamic world of history. Courtesy of Gavin Kanowitz. Sister Blog www.worldoreason.blogspot.comhttp://worldohistory.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.com (Worldoreason)Blogger235125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5181616371521138814.post-4221352919044553343Sun, 26 Jul 2015 17:37:00 +00002015-07-26T10:37:25.370-07:00Ancient HistoryEuropean HistoryWorld HistoryThe Western World in 300 Events: Event 12 - Civilizations of Asia MinorAnatolia (or Asia Minor) roughly corresponds to the Asian part of Modern day Turkey. <br />The region was originally known as the Land of the Hatti and was dominated by various civilizations during the Bronze Age. The Hatti and the Hurrians were the original powers in the region but there was substantial influence by the Akkadians and their later descendants the Assyrians. In and around 2000BC the powerful Hittite Empire emerged and grew to become a rival of the Egyptian, Assyrian and Mittani Empires. <br /><br />The Hittities played a major role in driving the Iron Age, had a sophisticated language and a well organized military that were noted for their use of chariots. By 1180 BC the Hittites were in decline and various tribes – most notably the Lydians, Lycians, Phyrigians, Galatians and Cilicians would exert their authority in this territory. In the latter part of the Millennium before the Common Era both the Persians and the Greeks would play an important role in both the demographics and politics of the region which would continue to feature in the evolving dynamic of the West.<br />http://worldohistory.blogspot.com/2015/07/the-western-world-in-300-events-event_26.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Worldoreason)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5181616371521138814.post-8386888376136680125Sun, 26 Jul 2015 17:34:00 +00002015-07-26T10:34:37.665-07:00Ancient HistoryEuropean HistoryWorld HistoryThe Western World in 300 Events: Event 11 - The Bronze AgeHistorians characterize the Bronze Age as the time period between 3300 and 1200 BC. It was preceded by the Neolithic Stone (and transitory Copper Age) and succeeded by the Iron Age. Bronze, an alloy formed from the smelting copper and its combination with tin. Metal work and the emergence of writing were key features of this period that characterized Anatolia (Turkey), the Caucasus, Elam/Sistan (Pre-Iran), Egypt, the Levant and Mesopotamia in the Middle East. In Europe proper Bronze Age culture was expressed in the Aegean, Beaker, Srubna and Urnfield Cultures amongst others. The Chinese Longshan and Shang Dynasty were essentially Bronze Age cultures as well.<br />Trade was key to the proper functioning of these societies with Bronze playing a vital role in such a regards. <br />http://worldohistory.blogspot.com/2015/07/the-western-world-in-300-events-event.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Worldoreason)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5181616371521138814.post-415638574749395610Sun, 26 Jul 2015 17:33:00 +00002015-07-26T10:33:35.302-07:00Ancient HistoryEuropean HistoryWorld HistoryThe Western World in 300 Events: Event 10 - The Egyptian Middle KingdomKnown also as the Period of Reunification the Middle Kingdom encompasses the XIth and XIIth dynasties and was dominant in Egypt between 2000-1700BC (contemporary to Hammurabi). Its two greatest monarch were the Pharaohs Menuhotep II and Senusret III (also known as Sesostris). The former was the founder of the kingdom who reigned for 51 years and consolidated the power of the city of Thebes that would serve as his capital. Senusret III was a military pharaoh who waged war with the Nubian territories south of Egypt and set up a strong administrative system that centralized control of the outlying regions as well as the military.<br /><br />Block art was popular during the Middle Kingdom and the deity Osiris (god of the Nile) grew to prominence as an added indication of the importance of the annual flooding so critical to the civilization. <br /><br />Like the Old Kingdom the Middle Kingdom gave way to a period of decline, most likely caused by internal strife and revolt by the noble families. Historians have called this the Second Intermediate Period.<br />http://worldohistory.blogspot.com/2015/07/the-western-world-in-300-events-event-9_26.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Worldoreason)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5181616371521138814.post-1669590225512761274Thu, 16 Jul 2015 01:54:00 +00002015-07-15T18:54:23.091-07:00American HistoryEuropean HistoryTeaching HistoryWorld HistoryWhat makes Western Civilization successful?1. Rule of Law<br />2. Charity<br />3. High Standards of Education<br />4. Rationalism<br />5. Individual Freedoms<br />6. Private Ownership of Property<br />7. Checks and Balances<br />8. Cultural Ethos and Shared History<br />9. Democracy<br />10. Flexible Labour Markets<br />11. Scientific Innovation<br />12. Medicinehttp://worldohistory.blogspot.com/2015/07/what-makes-western-civilization.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Worldoreason)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5181616371521138814.post-7559761878254854883Thu, 16 Jul 2015 01:50:00 +00002015-07-15T18:50:43.854-07:00Ancient HistoryTen Greatest Roman Emperors1. Augustus<br />2. Trajan<br />3. Constantine<br />4. Marcus Aurelius<br />5. Vespasian (wasn't great for the Jews though)<br />6. Aurelian<br />7. Hadrian<br />8. Antonius Pius<br />9. Septimus Severus<br />10. Diocletian (although some would debate this)<br /><br />http://worldohistory.blogspot.com/2015/07/ten-greatest-roman-emperors.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Worldoreason)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5181616371521138814.post-7004581912393850544Mon, 13 Jul 2015 02:00:00 +00002015-07-12T19:01:34.218-07:00History of ScienceWorld History50 Milestones in the History of Science - In chronological order (more-or-less)In chronological order (more-or-less)<br /><br />1. Science of Agriculture (Irrigation, Plant and Animal Domestication).<br />2. Greek's develop the concept of the Atom.<br />3. Euclidean Geometry and the Mathematics of Conics.<br />4. Aristotle formalize logic.<br />5. Greeks conceptualize the concepts of change and motion.<br />6. Birth of Diagnostic Medicine - Hippocrates<br />7. Determination of the circumference of the Earth, distance to the moon and the distance to the sun.<br />8. Law of the Lever<br />9. Archimedes and the concept of buoyancy<br />10. Arabs expand work on Optics.<br />11. Madgeburg Experiment - Concept of the vacuum.<br />12. Copernicus and the Heliocentric revolution<br />13. Brahe and the changing heavens<br />14. Invention of the Telescope (First Refracting then Reflecting)<br />15. Galileo and the Birth of the Experimental Method - Inertia + Free Fall + Simple Harmonic Motion + Projectile Motion<br />16. Mineral Science develops under Agricola.<br />17. Vesalius and Modern Anatomy/Physiology<br />18. Kepler's Three Laws <br />19. Newton's Law of Universal Gravitiation<br />20. Newton and the Dispersion of White Light <br />21. Paracelsus and the Field of Toxicology<br />22. Newtonian Synthesis of Terrestrial and Cosmological Science<br />23. Newton's Three Laws of Motion - concepts of Impulse, Momentum, Action + Force.<br />24. Invention of the Calculus (Differential/Integral)<br />25. Invention of the Microscope<br />26. Birth of Cartesian Geometry. Synthesis of Trigonometry and Algebra.<br />27. Pascal's work on Pressure.<br />28. Mathematics of Probability<br />29. Fermat's Principle<br />30. Vector Algenra (and Calculus)<br />31. Foucault's Pendulum (Rotation of the Earth)<br />32. Comet Periodicity<br />33. William Harvey and the Circulatory System<br />34. Linneaus and the Taxonomic Classification system<br />35. Antoine-Laurent Lavoisier and oxygen as the driver for combustion (extension on the work of Priestly).<br />36. Huygens Wave Theory<br />37. Cell Theory<br />38. Mathematics of Differential Equations (Laplace, Euler etc)<br />39. Benjamin Franklin's work on distinct charge<br />40. Dalton and the Early Periodic Table<br />41. Bernoulli and Fluid Mechanics<br />42. Buffon and advances in Natural Science<br />43. Hutton - Modern Geology and Gradualism<br />44. Cuvier and Catastrophism<br />45. Jenner and the rise of Immunization Theory<br />46. Volta and the first electric battery<br />47. Charles Coulomb and the Electrostatic Force.<br />48. Sadi Carnot and the Ideal Heat Engine<br />49. Oersted discovers magnetic fields around current carrying conductors<br />50. Weather Patterns - Coriolis Effect.<br /><br />http://worldohistory.blogspot.com/2015/07/50-milestines-in-history-of-science-in.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Worldoreason)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5181616371521138814.post-45018264710484806Mon, 13 Jul 2015 01:56:00 +00002015-07-12T19:01:21.329-07:00Ancient HistoryEuropean HistoryA Few Olympic Games Facts and Figures<strong>First Ancient Olympic Games:</strong> 776 BC Olympia, Greece.<br /><br /><strong>Last Ancient Olympic Games:</strong> 393 AD Olympia, Greece - banned by Roman Emperor Theodosius from then on - Games were seen as a Pagan relic.<br /><br /><strong>First head of the International Olympic Committee (IOC):</strong> Frenchman Pierre Baron de Coubertin was its first head and a key figure in the revival of the modern games.<br /><br /><strong>Olympic motto:</strong> <a class="mw-redirect" title="Olympic motto" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olympic_motto">Citius Altius Fortius</a> - Faster, Higher, Stronger.<br /><br /><strong>Sports at the First Modern Olympic Games (Athens 1896):</strong> <a title="Athletics at the 1896 Summer Olympics" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Athletics_at_the_1896_Summer_Olympics">Athletics</a>, <a title="Cycling at the 1896 Summer Olympics" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cycling_at_the_1896_Summer_Olympics">Cycling</a>, <a title="Fencing at the 1896 Summer Olympics" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fencing_at_the_1896_Summer_Olympics">Fencing</a>, <a title="Gymnastics at the 1896 Summer Olympics" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gymnastics_at_the_1896_Summer_Olympics">Gymnastics</a>, <a title="Shooting at the 1896 Summer Olympics" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shooting_at_the_1896_Summer_Olympics">Shooting</a>, <a title="Swimming at the 1896 Summer Olympics" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swimming_at_the_1896_Summer_Olympics">Swimming</a>, <a title="Tennis at the 1896 Summer Olympics" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tennis_at_the_1896_Summer_Olympics">Tennis</a>, <a title="Weightlifting at the 1896 Summer Olympics" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weightlifting_at_the_1896_Summer_Olympics">Weightlifting</a>, and <a title="Wrestling at the 1896 Summer Olympics" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wrestling_at_the_1896_Summer_Olympics">Wrestling</a><br /><br /><strong>First Modern Olympic Games with female competitors:</strong> Paris (1900)<br /><br /><strong>Number of Countries at Beijing Olympics (2008):</strong> 203<br /><br /><strong>Newest Country at the Olympic Games:</strong> Marshall Islandshttp://worldohistory.blogspot.com/2015/07/olympic-facts-and-figures.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Worldoreason)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5181616371521138814.post-5441320466792169807Mon, 13 Jul 2015 01:55:00 +00002015-07-12T18:55:05.761-07:00Ancient HistoryWorld HistoryThe Western World in 300 Events: Event 9 - Code of HammurabiDating back to 1754 BC the Code of Hammurabi is one of the oldest deciphered law codes that exist. The code was produced during the reign of Babylonian king Hammurabi and consists of 282 Laws dealing with contracts, liability, property damage, divorce, sexual behaviour and paternity. Punishments are scaled and more importantly standardized but are nevertheless severe by today’s barometer with a strong emphasis on an eye-for-an-eye philosophy. This appears to have influenced later Mosaic Law. <br /><br />The code was discovered by archaeologists in 1901 and is written in the Akkadian cuneiform writing. It is currently on display in the Louvre in Paris and appears on a diorite stele (slab) that resembles an index finger. There are several replicas of the code that exist elsewhere.<br /><br />Like most ancient codes the Hammuabi stele is given credence on a celestial level as evidenced by a depiction of the god Shamash (god of Justice) giving authority to Hammurabi - an early deference to the divine right of kings.<br />http://worldohistory.blogspot.com/2015/07/the-western-world-in-300-events-event-9.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Worldoreason)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5181616371521138814.post-4783557434488652786Mon, 13 Jul 2015 01:51:00 +00002015-07-12T18:53:47.102-07:00Ancient HistoryWorld HistoryThe Western World in 300 Events: Event 8 - The Egyptian Old KingdomThe Old Kingdom existed between the 27th and 22nd century BC. It was centred on the Nile River and extended southward from the Mediterranean Sea to the town of Elephantine in Upper Egypt. Dynasties three to sixth are included in the Old Kingdom that had at its capital the city of Memphis. Egyptologists believe that the era was defined by prosperity and relative freedom from outside invasion. It is also the period in Egyptian history when independent states fell under the control of the pharaoh who ruled over these administrative territories termed Nomes through the instrument of the Nomarchs (semi-feudal governors).<br /><br />The pharaoh Djoser was the first king of the Old Kingdom and his reign was characterized by the workings of his influential vizier Imhotep. Egyptian views regarding the cycle of time developed during the third dynasty and the architecture is noted for itsStep Pyamids such as the one located in Saqqara.<br /><br />However it was the fourth dynasty that is associated with the brilliant feats of civil engineering. The Great Pyramid at Giza (dedicated to the pharaoh Khufu), the Khafre Pyramid, the Sphinx, the Bent and Red Pyramids and the Pyramid of Menakaure were all built during this dynasty. <br /><br />The Fifth and Sixth dynasties had their fair share of building projects as well but there seems to have been a greater shift toward the construction of temples associated with the god Ra. <br /><br />Despite its focus on trade (particularly in ebony, myrrh, frankincense, gold and copper) the Old kingdom went into decline at the end of the long reign of Pepi II. Civil war ravaged the countryside and this was compounded by a severe drought. The period that followed the Old Kingdom was known as the First Intermediate Period that spanned the seventh to eleventh dynasties.<br /><br />http://worldohistory.blogspot.com/2015/07/the-western-world-in-300-events-event-8.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Worldoreason)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5181616371521138814.post-5286614293275675185Mon, 13 Jul 2015 01:34:00 +00002015-07-12T18:49:17.026-07:00Ancient HistoryWorld HistoryThe Western World in 300 Events: Event 7 - The Unification of Ancient Egypt – The Rise of the Left arm of Western CivilizationTogether with Mesopotamia and the Minoan civilization Ancient Egypt looms high as an early progenitor for the West. Centred on the Nile, Ancient Egypt like the Indian Harappan civilizations and the Chinese Xia dynasty was a river-based culture (the former was founded on the Indus River, the latter on the Yellow River.<br /><br />As the lifeblood of Egypt the Nile was the location of vast agricultural based city states that paralleled those of the Tigris-Euphrates basin. However until the arrival of Menes c.3100 BC they were largely divided into Lower and Upper frames of influence. Who Menes was is still a source of debate? Some historians argue that he was the proto dynastic pharaoh Narmer. Others believe that he was a first dynasty pharaoh Nor-Aha.<br /><br />The name Menes is attributed to the writings of the Egyptian historian Manetho who lived in the 3rd century BC. In addition there is some disagreement concerning the date of unification of Egypt but the 3100 BC figure seems to be a common figure in use. While the uncertainty may become less nebulous over time what cannot be denied is that the unification of Egypt would lay down the foundation for a civilization that would play a key role in the dissemination of ideas, technology and political capital for the next three millennia to follow. http://worldohistory.blogspot.com/2015/07/the-western-world-in-300-events-event-7.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Worldoreason)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5181616371521138814.post-8730780626892314844Mon, 13 Jul 2015 01:33:00 +00002015-07-12T18:49:03.480-07:00Ancient HistoryWorld HistoryThe Western World in 300 Events: Event 6 - The Akkadian EmpireIt was the first Empire to emerge within the Mesopotamian civilization and covered an area about the size of modern day Turkey. The founder of the Empire was king Sargon (name means true king) the Great who ruled between 2334 –2279 BCE. The Akkadians were a semitic people and the Empire bought together the Semites and the various Sumerian groups. Sargon imposed the Akkadian language on a number of groups including the rival Elam and although the Empire lasted for two centuries (it collapsed around 2154 BCE) it appears to have been provided the foundation for both the Assyrian and Babylonian Empires that followed. The Akkadian Empire was centred on the city state of Akkad and followed the Sumarian religion with its deities: Anu (heaven), Enlil (air), Enki (freshwater and male fertility) and Ninhursag (goddess of the Earth http://worldohistory.blogspot.com/2015/07/the-western-world-in-300-events-event-6.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Worldoreason)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5181616371521138814.post-1648936618852812100Sun, 28 Jun 2015 16:20:00 +00002015-07-12T18:45:12.960-07:00Ancient HistoryJewish HistoryWorld HistoryThe Western World in 300 Events: Event 5 - The Epic of Gilgamesh and the Birth of LiteratureDating back to the 21st century BC the Epic of Gilgamesh is regarded as the first great work of literature. The poem is a product of Ancient Mesopotamia and consists of two halves that span twelve tablets. The first half tells the story of the wild beast Enkidu and his adventures with Gilgamesh. Part two details Gilgamesh’s jouney to find the secret of eternal life following the death of Enkidu. Included in the second part is the tale of Utnapishtim and the Great Flood which is believed to have served as the inspiration for the flood narrative in Genesis. The Gilgamesh epic has made its way into popular fiction and has clearly influenced both biblical and classic literature as well. It tells a similar story to Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, has parallel advice similar to that of the Book of Ecclesiastes, eludes to a Nebuchadnezzar-type Babylonian king and has an uncanny similarity to the works of the Greek bard Homer. http://worldohistory.blogspot.com/2015/06/the-western-world-in-300-events-event_71.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Worldoreason)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5181616371521138814.post-5725958999330940802Sun, 28 Jun 2015 16:15:00 +00002015-06-28T09:15:25.747-07:00American HistoryIts just my opinion : Ten Greatest Rock Stars of the 1950s1. Elvis Presley 2. Chuck Berry 3. Buddy Holly 4. Jerry Lee Lewis 5. Little Richard 6. Bo Diddley 7. Frankie Valley 8. Richie Velez 9. Bill Halley 10. Big Bopper http://worldohistory.blogspot.com/2015/06/its-just-my-opinion-ten-greatest-rock.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Worldoreason)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5181616371521138814.post-5520890451998589062Sun, 28 Jun 2015 16:13:00 +00002015-07-12T18:45:36.433-07:00Ancient HistoryWorld HistoryThe Western World in 300 Events: Event 4 - Mesopotamian City StatesCity States evolved to protect the Agricultural domains. Most were controlled by kings or ruling elites but were highly influenced by a priestly class who legitimized their existence by claiming direct (or feigning) contact with the gods. Mesopotamia (the land between the rivers ie. The Tigris and the Euphrates) was the earliest one of these city state civilizations to flourish and together with the Egyptian Nile based culture most impacted the Western World. <br /><br />The earliest Mesopotamian city was Ur that appeared to have been founded as early as 6500 BC and abandoned about 500 BC. It was located in the flood rich South Mesopotamian. Like the other cities of the time it was surrounded by a wall, had roads and streets and a sewer system. It prospered greatly during a time when all sea traffic entering Mesopotamia had to pass through this port city. Ur’s greatest ruler was the king Ur-Nammu who ruled between 2047 and 2030 BC. He built the famous ziggarut (massive raised structure that resembles a step pyramid with its terrace like form), many temples and improved on the region’s irrigation system. <br /><br />At the height of its power Ur’s population was estimated to be around 65,000. However this dropped substantially following periods of droughts and sacking by nomad groups. By 500 BC it was abandoned as power in the region shifted to the Northern Mesopotamian city of Babylonia. Nevertheless Ur features prominently in Biblical history. In the Book of Genesis Ur Kadashim is identified as the birthplace of Abraham and it is mentioned in Nehemiah as well. Ur was not the only Mesopotamian city of note. Eridu, Lagash, Nippur, Sippar and Uruk also played key roles in the regional history. http://worldohistory.blogspot.com/2015/06/the-western-world-in-300-events-event_62.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Worldoreason)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5181616371521138814.post-7551074160189649325Sun, 28 Jun 2015 16:10:00 +00002015-07-12T18:46:46.095-07:00Ancient HistoryEuropean HistoryWorld HistoryThe Western World in 300 Events: Event 3 - The Agricultural RevolutionConventionally the Agricultural Revolution is taken as ground zero in the birth of civilization. By regimenting and increasing food production yields the revolution freed up time for other human endeavours. This included the wholesale development of various artisan pursuits that in turn galvanized a technological revolution that continues today. In one could argue that the revolution was in a sense the fore bringer of our modern world. However the shift toward planned farming (which in the west involved the domestication of wheat, barley, rye and oats and various livestock) was not without its disadvantages. Some feminists see it as the beginning of patriarchy for one. Others argue that it was destructive towards the environment, resource draining and over reliant on a societal hierarchy that at times promoted slavery. It cemented the idea of territory making war an inevitable outcome. While some of these features endured many were more consistent with the early stages of an evolving dynamic. The Agricultural Revolution cemented the success of our species, freed us from the shackles of subsistence living and opened up the potential that is so evident across the landscape of human achievement. http://worldohistory.blogspot.com/2015/06/the-western-world-in-300-events-event_25.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Worldoreason)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5181616371521138814.post-6662338224398085412Sun, 28 Jun 2015 16:07:00 +00002015-07-12T18:47:38.511-07:00Ancient HistoryEuropean HistoryWorld HistoryThe Western World in 300 Events: Event 2- Hunter Gatherer ArtOur hunter-gatherer ancestors were more sophisticated than popular culture would have you believe (Yes the ‘me man…. you women’ is somewhat of a stereotype). They trapped animals, developed an arsenal of tools, buried their dead, utilized fire on multiple levels, understood the practicalities of nature, made art and survived in defiance of nature’s many curve balls. They also worshipped their deities who were often related to the supernatural forces that appeared to govern their world. <br /><br />Female fertility was key (and may be related to a larger belief in an Earth mother goddess). It ensured the survival of the clan and this too was reflected in the art. The Venus figurines, of which the Venus of Willendorf is the most famous, epitomizes this belief. Dating back to a time between 25,000 to 28,000 years (Paleolithic Period – Late Stone Age), this 11-cm tall statuette of a woman was designed as a symbol of fertility and childbearing. However there were others as well.<br /><br />One piece of art that has not been well publicized is the Lion Man of the Hohlenstein Stadel, Germany that is believed to be the oldest animal-shaped sculpture in the world (dating back 40,000 years) and depicts what is believed to be an anthropomorphic deity. The Art of the Hunt is seen in the cave paintings at Lascaux and are thought to be 17,300 years old. Another examples of hunt art include the Mammoth spear thrower that was found in Tanet-Garonne, France and dates back to a time 18,000 years ago. <br /><br />It seems as though humanity has an innate desire to create art and that is certainly a wonderful characteristic of our species. While the judgement of art is no doubt subjective the compulsion is universal and in the long run western civilization has been the better for it. http://worldohistory.blogspot.com/2015/06/the-western-world-in-300-events-event_28.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Worldoreason)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5181616371521138814.post-8203098620064948654Sun, 28 Jun 2015 16:03:00 +00002015-07-12T18:48:30.255-07:00Ancient HistoryWorld HistoryThe Western World in 300 Events: Event 1 - The Hunter Gatherer PeriodChampions of the primitive often see the Hunter-Gatherer Period (HGP) in human history as some type of ideal. A shangri-la where humanity lived in blissful co-existence with their environment, where resources were rarely strained and the fight for territory was at most ephemeral. <br /><br />More detailed studies of hunter-gatherer societies that exist on the periphery of the great civilizations reveal that this ideal does not agree with observed actualities but there are nevertheless many positives that are associated with this lifestyle. Simplicity, an egalitarian social-ethos, kinship in smaller bands and a focus on the fundamental of human existence are a few that spring to mind. <br /><br />In a world where persist as the optimum for a substantial span of time. The longevity of the HGP (by some accounts 1.8 million years if you go back to Homo Erectus - but in terms of Homo sapiens sapiens 70,000 years or so) are testament to this reality. <br /><br />The term HGP is somewhat of a misnomer as many humans survived during this time period by scavenging and foraging. Nor were the hunting methods as clean as mythology would have one believe. In fact persistence hunting, involving long distance running may have been somewhat of a norm and the basic foundations of wild forest gardening may have provided the transition into the agricultural revolution that would supersede the HGP. However what bought this period to an end in the west seems to have been a combination of overexploitation, unsustainable killing as well as the encroaching footprint of the Agricultural communities that started their expansion about 12,000 BCE. <br /><br />Will it return? (Perhaps in a post-apocalyptic scenario - The Walking Dead Series certainly hints at that). However it did provide the leg up for the Agricultural Revolution to follow and seems for all intent of purpose to be a necessary stage in the collective evolution of the neophyte western civilization. http://worldohistory.blogspot.com/2015/06/the-western-world-in-300-events-event.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Worldoreason)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5181616371521138814.post-5774305544966660535Sun, 19 Oct 2014 14:47:00 +00002014-10-19T07:47:32.768-07:00European HistoryMarie AntoinetteA lot of the bad publicity surrounding Marie Antoinette emanates from the smear campaigns directed against her by the Jacobins, although incidences such as the Diamond Necklace Affair and the Madame Deficit labelling clearly pre-date the Jacobin attacks. I don’t believe that she was bad person however she does appear to be both frivolous, naive and if I have to say so not particularly bright. Her love for her husband and children is admirable and she did seem to support Jacques Necker in his bid to bring the nation’s finances under control. Historians have debated for some time as to the degree of influence that she had on her husband but I do believe that she had a significant role in encouraging Louis XVI to make his ill-fated ‘Flight to Varennes’, a turning point in the fate of the monarchy as an institution. Her connection to the arch-enemy, Austria, was no doubt a legitimate concern for the revolutionary government, and did materialize into a real threat to France with the War of the First Coalition. I think that is reasonable to compare Marie Antoinette to Catherine the Great at least with respect to their origins in the political scene. Both were foreigners (Antoinette from Austria, Catherine from the Germanic States), both were married to weak kings (Peter III for Catherine, Louis XVI for Marie Antoinette), both arrived in countries with large populations, that had strong nobilities and a gigantic poorly treated peasant/serf /third estate class. Each nation was a key centre for a brand of rigid Christianity (Eastern Orthodoxy for Russia, Catholicism for France). Both countries had a very strong war driven monarch who in the not too distant past had resurrected their countries fortunes from the doldrums (Peter the Great for Russia, Louis XIV for France). Yet one of these women went on to greatness, Catherine, while the other, Antoinette, is associated with failure. It is tempting to blame this on spending but Catherine the Great was no fiscal conservative either. What I do believe was the big difference (other than their intellect) is that Catherine successfully ‘Russified’ herself from day one. She changed her name and dropped all connection to her German background. Antoinette did none of this and was always seen as a foreigner. So that when the revolution came it was natural that she should be vilified as an enemy of the state. If Marie Antoinette had stepped down from her pedestal on day one, it is possible that she may have become the People’s Queen, like Catherine and saved the nation from some of the bloodbath which was slated to occurhttp://worldohistory.blogspot.com/2014/10/marie-antoinette.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Worldoreason)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5181616371521138814.post-1606743821679589842Thu, 25 Sep 2014 12:26:00 +00002014-09-25T05:26:25.921-07:00World HistoryFirst World War Documentary.I just finished watching an incredible series documentary on the Great War. The Series is titled - The First World War and it is available in ten parts on You Tube. Each part is about 50 minutes long and it is based on the book by Hew Strachan. Below is the link to episode one. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qY3Sb8xiQ_c&index=1&list=PLC91A368FC30FFF95 http://worldohistory.blogspot.com/2014/09/first-world-war-documentary.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Worldoreason)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5181616371521138814.post-5839640184532048097Sat, 13 Sep 2014 23:02:00 +00002014-09-25T05:19:16.630-07:00American HistoryWorld History911 RememberedIt has been over thirteen years since Jihadists brought down the Twin Towers in New York. It's important that we in the West continue our fight against the Islamist barbarism in its many insidious forms. This includes being vigilant not only against the more obvious Jihadists (ISIL/ISIS, AL Q, Hezbollah, Hamas, the various Salafist groups, Boko Haram, the Brotherhood and others) but also those that operate by stealth such as CAIR, ISNA and the MSA.The radical left and many so-called progressives have helped empower some of these groups by muzzling free speech criticism and this has been extremely unfortunate. Obama appears to be waking up but his naivety on this front has cost America dearly. With Europe in the wake of demographic suicide the US is still the best hope for those who champion liberal democracy (although India may carry this mantra in the future)...but after six years of second rate leadership I just hope that it has not lost the belief that overall it is a force of good. http://worldohistory.blogspot.com/2014/09/911-remembered.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Worldoreason)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5181616371521138814.post-3574186829782007317Sat, 13 Sep 2014 22:57:00 +00002014-09-13T16:00:11.584-07:00American HistoryGreat SocietyWhile I admire Lyndon Johnson for his efforts in pushing through many of the important Civil Rights decisions in the US, his Great Society Vision has proven to be a disaster. Even with hindsight this is no surprise. At the core of the Great Society (GS) are values that are the antithesis to the fibre of what made the US exceptional and ultimately successful: individualism and self-reliance. The Great Society sought to redress the evils of the past by introducing group based discriminatory affirmative action programs, it also overextended the reach of government fostering a dependency that has been particularly hurtful to African-American communities. The rioting at Ferguson is a symptom of this failure, a more significant disaster has been the bankruptcy of Detroit and the financial collapse of municipalities controlled by snake oil salesmen from the Democrat Party, who see any deviation from the excesses of GS as racist. This is a modern day tragedy need and abetted by white liberals who can't see beyond their apparent guilt and continue to buy into a destructive narrative.http://worldohistory.blogspot.com/2014/09/great-society.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Worldoreason)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5181616371521138814.post-4446111609508040189Wed, 10 Sep 2014 22:34:00 +00002014-09-10T15:37:24.172-07:00European HistoryWorld HistoryWWI Thoughts - IIOne should not underestimate the role of David Lloyd-George in securing victory for the Allies in World War One. As British PM from 1916-1922 Lloyd-George tactfully agreed to many of the rational demands of organized labour. He championed a policy of conciliation rather than confrontation, preventing the Home Front from erupting with the same degree of violence that engulfed France, Germany , the Austro-Hungarian Empire and of course Russia. At Versailles the Welshman was under immense pressure to take a hardline stance against Germany but was constantly mindful of the repercussions that would endear. The British public wanted the Kaiser to hang for war crimes , France was obsessed with its future security and the Americans under Wilson needed to ensure that the debt owed to them by the Allies, for financing the war effort, would be repaid. Lloyd-George was caught up in this tangle but managed to secure the integrity of the British Empire (as well as the global domination of the British Navy) at a time when feelings of nationalism were running high. Lloyd-George was a unifier, he headed a coalition where his own party, the Liberals were in a minority, yet secured the political stability that Britain so craved during these turbulent times. His vital contribution to the nation should not be forgotten. http://worldohistory.blogspot.com/2014/09/david-lloyd-george.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Worldoreason)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5181616371521138814.post-4593673585674835242Sat, 06 Sep 2014 16:41:00 +00002014-09-06T09:41:19.388-07:00Teaching HistoryWorld HistoryWWI Thoughts - IIts been one hundred years since the beginning of the 'War to End All Wars' and the outcome of this great conflict is still very relevant today, While the war ended the Ottoman, Austro-Hungarian, Russian and German Empires it was also responsible for the rise of Fascism, Marxist-Leninism and Islamism. Vladimir Putin is an extension of the KGB apparatus that originated with Lenin's Cheka (during WWI) and ISIS - gains its intellectual capital (if you can call it such a thing) from the Wahhabism that challenged Turkish superiority in the Arabian Peninsula. As well American Intervensionism, which has critics on both the left and the right, can take as its champion Woodrow Wilson, who rejected the isolation of old to thrust America into the global theatre as never before. One would not be mistaken to conclude that the genesis of the US as a superpower has its origin in WWI not necessarily in a military capacity (where it swung the war against the Central Pact in 1918) but in its ability to finance the allied war machine. The American economic power house grew to adulthood in the Great War. http://worldohistory.blogspot.com/2014/09/wwi-thoughts-i.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Worldoreason)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5181616371521138814.post-5902705105499748298Sat, 06 Sep 2014 16:39:00 +00002014-09-06T09:39:43.833-07:00Teaching HistoryLike a Phoenix Rising this blog is backI am resurrecting this blog and will be taking it in a new direction. While I will post external source material where relevant...I am planning on using this blog as a conduit for expressing some of my ideas on world history as well. Readers are invited to post comments and debate is encouraged.http://worldohistory.blogspot.com/2014/09/like-phoenix-rising-this-blog-is-back.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Worldoreason)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5181616371521138814.post-7675034608753098994Sun, 28 Feb 2010 02:46:00 +00002010-02-27T18:51:41.082-08:00History Quizzes + PuzzlesWorld HistoryCanadian History QuizSource: <a href="http://www.citytv.com/toronto/citynews/news/local/article/18173--could-you-pass-this-canadian-history-quiz">Citytv</a><br /><br />1) Which country took control of Quebec away from France, by winning the battle of the Plains of Abraham?<br />2) Who was Canada's first francophone Prime Minister?<br />3) What term is used to describe the severe economic hardships of the 1930's?<br />4) In the 19th century, some inhabitants of what is now Quebec rebelled against the colonial government of the time. Who was the leader of that rebellion?<br />5) What was the name of the route to Canada taken by blacks escaping slavery in the US? 6) Name one group of Canadians who were evacuated from the West Coast during WWII because of their ethnic origin?<br />7) What Canadian city was severely damaged by a massive explosion in its harbour in 1917?<br />8) Which province was the last one to join Canada?<br />9) In 1944, Canadians joined in an event called D Day. What happened on that day?<br />10) Remembrance Day in Canada falls on November 11. November 11 was the last day of which war?<br />11) In what year were all Canadian women eligible to vote in federal elections?<br />12) Many of the early settlers of what is now New Brunswick and Nova Scotia spoke French and were resettled by the British government. What are those people and their descendants called? 13) The members of which ethnic group were once forced to pay a head tax to immigrate to Canada?<br />14) Name one of the wars in which Canada was invaded by the United States.<br />15) What is the name of the Metis leader who was hanged by the federal government in 1885? 16) What economic issue between the US and Canada dominated the Canadian Federal elections of 1891, 1911 and 1988?<br />17) What American war helped convince Canadians and their leaders to unite and form a federation in the north?<br />18) What name is commonly used to refer to the British subjects who fled to Canada during and after the American Revolution?<br />19) Name two countries Canada fought against during World War I?<br />20) What term is commonly used to refer to early French fur traders in Canada?<br />21) Name the Canadian who received the Noble Prize for Peace in 1957 for his efforts to peacefully resolve the Suez Crisis and then went on to become Prime Minister.<br />22) What is the name commonly given to the political and social movement that swept Quebec in the beginning of the 1960's?<br />23) Who was the first Canadian in space?<br />24) What year was Canada's constitution patriated from Great Britain?<br />25) Name a Canadian who received the Noble Prize for the discovery of insulin?<br />26) What is the name of the native people of Newfoundland who were hunted to extinction by Europeans?<br /><br /><strong>Answers:</strong><br /><br /><a id="1" name="1">1)</a> England<br /><a id="2" name="2">2)</a> Wilfred Laurier<br /><a id="3" name="3">3)</a> The Great Depression<br /><a id="4" name="4">4)</a> Louis-Joseph Papineau<br /><a id="5" name="5">5)</a> The Underground Railway<br /><a id="6" name="6">6)</a> The Japanese<br /><a id="7" name="7">7)</a> Halifax<br /><a id="8" name="8">8)</a> Newfoundland<br /><a id="9" name="9">9)</a> Invasion of Europe/ France/ Normandy<br /><a id="10" name="10">10)</a> World War I<br /><a id="11" name="11">11)</a> 1921<br /><a id="12" name="12">12)</a> Acadians<br /><a id="13" name="13">13)</a> Chinese Canadians<br /><a id="14" name="14">14)</a> War of 1812/Revolutionary/War of Independence<br /><a id="15" name="15">15)</a> Louis Riel<br /><a id="16" name="16">16)</a> Free Trade<br /><a id="17" name="17">17)</a> The Civil War<br /><a id="18" name="18">18)</a> Loyalists /United Empire Loyalists<br /><a id="19" name="19">19)</a> Germany/Austria/Austro-Hungarian/Turkey<br /><a id="20" name="20">20)</a> Voyageurs/Coureurs des bois<br /><a id="21" name="21">21)</a> Lester B. Pearson<br /><a id="22" name="22">22)</a> The Quiet Revolution<br /><a id="23" name="23">23)</a> Marc Garneau<br /><a id="24" name="24">24)</a> 1982<br /><a id="25" name="25">25)</a> Banting/MacCloud/Collip<br /><a id="26" name="26">26)</a> Beothukshttp://worldohistory.blogspot.com/2010/02/canadian-history-quiz.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Worldoreason)38