PART 1: Atlantic Revolutions, 1750-1914 / Industrial Revolution / European Colonization 1759-1914
INTRODUCTION
The scientific revolution was followed by the Enlightenment, a period of "human reasoning." This "human reasoning" eventually prompted nationalist revolutions against totalitarian kings and emperors.
Our own American Revolution succeeded in 1781, creating the United States of America in 1787, while the French Revolution, inspired by the American revolution, was not as successful. There was, however, a successful slave revolt, in what is now called Haiti. By 1826, a number of Latin American states had successfully revolted and won their independence from European rulers as well.
The late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries saw the expansion of European empires throughout the world, principally due to the Industrial Revolution. Because the industrial revolution began in England, the British empire benefitted and expanded rapidly. The empire provided raw materials for production in Great Britain, and protected markets for the items they produced..
Other empires grew as well, as the industrial revolution eventually reached them. The commercial endeavors of these empires left lasting legacies for today's global commerce.
The rise and fall of these empires had tremendous consequences for the societies they ruled. This in turn inspired independence movements and the creation of new nations in the twentieth century. This is particularly true for Africa. Be sure to notice the maps in this section, especially Map 18.2, and its discussion of the "scramble for Africa."
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STEP 1: Reading
Read Chapter 16-18 in the textbook (Ways of the World),
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STEP 2: Podcast
Listen to this short podcast about Simon Bolivar: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jx2twgOGyEk
Think about the discussion questions below as you listen.
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STEP 3: Banana Republics (Optional)
Read this article about the "Banana Republics". Where did the name "Banana Republics" come from?
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/where-we-got-term-banana-republic-180961813/
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STEP 4: The Industrial Revolution: Dr. Hook's slide lecture (Optional)
This is optional but will help explain Chapter 17 about the Industrial Revolution.
Click on this link. Then click on "Slide Show" and then "From Beginning." Be sure to turn up your sound!
Week 13 Slides.Industrial revolution. with lecture.pptx
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FOR YOUR INFORMATION (Optional)
Robots and AI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rnBAdnNIIXk
Robots designing robots
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HX6M4QunVmA
A virtual graduation ceremony in Tokyo college:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KVunt0cOWf0
Robotics in fashion - replacing human workers in garment factories in third world
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OsSDI8wWAyQ
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STEP 5: European colonialism
Watch Dr. Hook's slide lecture. Click on this link. Then click on "Slide Show" and then "From beginning," Be sure to turn up your sound!
Week 13 Slides. Colonialism.with lecture.pptx
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STEP 6: Map analysis
Analyze Map 18.1 and Map 18.2 in Chapter 18 in the textbook. Try to answer these questions:
- Which European countries colonized the most countries?
- Which colonized the fewest?
- What do you think is meant by the "scramble for Africa"?
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STEP 7: French colonialism 1750-1950
In this section, read or watch at least one article, video, or book review:
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How French colonization shaped Algeria's future (June 18, 2016)
https://www.dailysabah.com/feature/2016/06/18/how-french-colonization-shaped-algerias-future
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Algeria appoints new government amid political crisis (2/1/2020)
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- Watch this 1-minute video: "Paris goes ballistic as Algeria fans celebrate"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-JcgwDb7w8g
And read the first two paragraphs of this article: "World Cup 2014: Algeria-France would be a truly historic showdown"
Discussion question: Who did Algeria defeat in the 2014 World Cup? Why did Algerians celebrate in Paris, France?
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In the video, look for the Algeria flag:
Here is the French flag. How are they different?
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- Have you heard of the author, Frantz Fanon? Have you read his book “The Wretched of the Earth”? Do a little research and share with the class something you find interesting about his writings. Here is a description from Amazon:
“The Wretched of the Earth is a brilliant analysis of the psychology of the colonized and their path to liberation.”
https://www.amazon.com/Wretched-Earth-Frantz-Fanon/dp/0802141323
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OR Frantz Fanon's "A Dying Colonialism"
" A Dying Colonialism is Fanon’s incisive and illuminating account of how, during the Algerian Revolution, the people of Algeria changed centuries-old cultural patterns and embraced certain ancient cultural practices long derided by their colonialist oppressors as “primitive,” in order to destroy those oppressors..
https://groveatlantic.com/book/a-dying-colonialism/
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STEP 8: Class Discussion
Finally, go to the Discussion Board and click on "Week 4 Discussion: Revolutions and Colonial Encounters"
HINT: If you check the top box and then hit "Collect," you can see all the questions for the week at once..
- Choose one of the discussion questions listed and hit "Reply" to answer it, or ask a question, or reply to someone else's posting. .
- This posting is required and is worth up to 3 points. (Only one response will be graded but feel free to have a "conversation" with your classmates!).
- NOTE: Remember that your post may be a response to someone else's answer. Think of it as "class discussion." But your answers should be at least 3 substantial sentences and demonstrate your engagement in the class.
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SUGGESTED DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
(1) How was the French Revolution different from the American Revolution? How was the Haitian revolution different from both of those revolutions? Why was the Haitian Revolution so significant?
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(2) Comment on the video in Step 2:
How did Simon Bolivar win independence from Spain for Latin American countries?
What impressed you most in this video?
What surprised you?
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(3) Why did the Industrial Revolution begin in England? How was industrialization different in the United States from industrialization in Russia?
Did you look through Dr. Hook's slide lecture?
- What did you think about the automobile assembly line? Do you think Henry Ford changed the world? Can you think of any other assembly lines?
- Do you think we are experiencing a fourth industrial revolution now? How does it affect your life?
- Do you think we will have a fifth industrial revolution? What do you think it will look like?
- How many industrial revolutions have there been? Are we in a "fifth industrial revolution" today?
If you like, watch this Ted Talk called "5th Industrial revolution: Humanity, Purpose, and Inclusivity" by Pratik Gauri and share your comments with the class:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RDiHaHPOVH0
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(4) Watch this TedTalk lecture (11:41 min.): "How the Industrial Revolution changed childhood"
https://www.ted.com/talks/dorsa_amir_how_the_industrial_revolution_changed_childhood
According to Dorsa Amir, and your own opinion, how has the industrial revolution changed childhood? How has child-raising changed? What do you think about “structured” time?
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(5) Why did an industrial revolution never really occur in Latin America? What is meant by "dependent development" (see textbook page 507)?
What is meant by the "Global South" that we hear about today? Here is an article about it: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/1536504212436479
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(6) Referring to Map 18.2 in the textbook, what do you think is meant by the "scramble for Africa"? Looking at Map 18.1 and Map 18.2, which European countries colonized the most countries in Asia and Africa? Which European countries colonized the least countries? Name at least two countries colonized by each of these: Great Britain, France, and Germany.
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(7) How did foreign investment change the economies of the colonies (starting with "Economies of Cash-Crop Agriculture" on page 527 in the textbook)? Referring to the photograph on page 530 what company invested in tea production in Ceylon?
What is in the news this week about Lipton Tea and Unilever?
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(8) What did you learn about "Banana Republics" from the textbook and the article in Step 3 that surprised you or you found interesting? Did this discussion change your image of United States trade for popular goods and food? Is it credible to call the United States an imperialist country in reference to the United Fruit Company?
Also consider this poem about banana republics by the revolutionary poet, Pablo Neruda:
http://www.writing.ucsb.edu/faculty/dean/Upload501B-Fall06/PabloNeruda.pdf
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Here is a 3-minute video of a Dole Banana "reefer" (refrigerated) ship from Honduras arriving in a Florida port. How many bananas do you think this ship is carrying?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6h_penJd6MA
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(9) What did you read or look at about French Colonialism in Step 7? Explain it briefly and share with the class something you found interesting or surprising.
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(10) Some people think the United States should be classified as an empire. Considering what we studied this week about empires, do you think the United States should be classified as an empire today?
Or think of the recent events in the Crimea and Ukraine, where Russia is trying to annex what they see as still Russian territory. Should we consider Russia a new, expanding empire today? Can you think of any other expanding empires today?