Irish Language Presentation

Dublin Airport

Ireland, Scotland, Wales.  The Celtic Nations. The original Gaelic speaking nations.

Ogham Grave Marker

Celtic Region and It's Expansion

Viking Era. 

Viking Settlements in Ireland

English Earldoms in Ireland.  Removing Irish as the language of the aristocracy.  English is now the language of  local leaders and anyone with business or political aspirations.  

Douglas Hyde. First President of Ireland and founder of The Gaelic League.

Gaelic Revival! Gaelic League flyer.

Google Endangered Language Project.

Week 6 Blog

Key Points from Chapters 14, 15, and 16

Chapter 14: European Empires in the Americas

The European Advantage...
Geography provides a starting point for explaining Europe’s American empires.  It was countries on the Atlantic rim of Europe (Portugal, Spain, Britain, and France) that led the way to empire in the Western Hemisphere. They were simply closer to the Americas that any Asian competitor. Like the Asian and Arab powers whose lands and trading partners were rich in resources, Europeans were forced to look far outside their borders. And unusual advantage that the Europeans had over their Native Americans was their germs and diseases. Native Americans had no immunity to these new diseases and saw their population decreased dramatically and allowed Europeans to outnumber natives within a few decades.

Settler Colonies in North America.. 
The British colonized New England, New York, and Pennsylvania. They were the last of the European powers to establish a colonial presence in the Americas; a full century after Spain, and the land that they acquired was widely regarded in Europe as the unpromising leftovers of the New World. Although they brought English culture with them the Puritans of Massachusetts and the Quakers in Pennsylvania, sought to escape aspects of old European society rather than to re-create it, as was the case for most Spanish and Portuguese colonists. Unlike the Catholics of Spain the Protestant English colonists were less interested in spreading Christianity among the native peoples. It is ironic that for most of modern history the resources, wealth, and power lay in the South American continent but in the 19^th and 20^th century that balance shifted to North America through the United States.

Chapters 15: 

Spain and the Philippines...
Spain was the first to challenge Portugal domination of Southeast Asia and the Indian Ocean. In the early 16^th century they establish themselves on what would become the Philippine Islands named after the Spanish King Philip II. Instead of a trading post empire the Spanish sought to set up colonial rule and imported Spanish customs and Catholicism.  Spanish rule would continue until the 19^th century where was lost to the United States in the Spanish-American War.

The East India Companies...
Both the British and the Dutch set up private commercial trading companies known as the British East India Company and the Dutch East India Company. They received charters from their respective governments granting the monopolies on trade in the region and the power to make war as well as govern of conquered peoples. The Dutch established themselves in Indonesia and the British in India. In the second half of the 18^th century these trading post empires slowly evolved into more traditional colonial societies.

Chapter 16:

Western Christendom Fragmented: The Protestant Reformation...
The Reformation, started in 1517 by German priest Martin Luther, shattered the unity of the Roman Catholic Church which is in the cultural and organizational foundation of Western European civilization. Luther’s theological protest would be potentially revolutionary, as he believed salvation came from faith alone, and neither the good works of the sinner nor the sacraments of the Church could bestow.  Though the Reformation was religious, it encouraged a skeptical attitude toward authority, and tradition, and successfully challenged the immense power of the Pope and the established church.

 Science and Enlightenment...
Enlightenment came to describe Europe in the 18^th century. During this time the divine right of kings is questioned and English philosopher John Locke offered principles for constructing a constitutional government. Also during this time the French writer Voltaire commented sarcastically on religious intolerance. His own religious beliefs were based in deism, which believe in a rather abstract and remote deity who created the world but did not intervene throughout history or can’t do with natural law. Science and enlightenment challenges related and for some to road religious belief and practice, although enlightenments primary goal with the idea of progress and that human action could be improved.

Looking Ahead: Science in the Nineteenth Century
During this time Charles Darwin publishes his famous work “ the origin of species” as well as “ the descent of man” which shattered traditional religious views as outlined that life was in constant motion and that over millions of years new species of plants and animals were continuously emerging and becoming extinct. At the same time Karl Marx cultivated a view of human history that likewise emphasized change and struggle. The views of enlightenment had begun to fade as individuals of all species were viewed as though caught in vast systems of biological, economic, and social conflict.

Week 4 Blog

Key Points for Chapters 11, 12, and 13.

Chapter 11: The Transformation of Arabia...
In 622 when Mohammed and his followers received opposition in Mecca they immigrated to the more welcoming town of Medina.  Medina was a city of Arabs and Jews, and thus Mohammed anticipated a warm response from Jews and Christians based on a common monotheism and prophetic tradition.  But when some Jewish groups aligned with his enemies, Mohammed acted harshly to suppress them, exiling some of them and enslaving or killing others.  The prophet now redirected Muslims to pray towards Mecca when they had originally been told to pray towards Jerusalem.  This declared Islam and Arab religion, though in theory still open to all.  Unlike the Christians of the Roman Empire who were primarily subordinate, the Islamic community was a state and soon a huge empire at the beginning of its history.  Mohammed unlike Jesus or Buddha was a political and military leader able to implement his vision of an ideal Islamic society.   The Islam brought peace to the warring tribes of Arabia and united them under one state.  A after the death of Mohammed in 632 AD the Islamic/Arab empire stretched from Spain to India penetrating both Europe and China and governing most of the lands in between.  Originally as regarding Islam as a religion uniquely their own and discourage conversion.  By the middle of the eighth century however they came to view it as a universal religion and began seeking converts.  Jews and Christians were seen as “people of the book,” and given protected status. 

Chapter 12: The Mongols in China...
The Mongols ruled China for 70 years from 1209 to 1279.   The Mongols adopted many aspects of Chinese lifestyle including taxation, administrative practices, and use of their postal system.   The Mongols however did not become Chinese, nor did they accommodate every aspect of Chinese culture.  Inside the new capital they established a forbidden city, where the royal family could continue their agrarian lifestyle.  In by the mid-14^th century the Mongols were forced out of China and after this brief rule the Mongols returned to their home in the steppe Valley.

The Mongols in Persia...
This Mongol takeover was far more abrupt than the extended process of conquest in China.  The first invasion was led by Genghis Khan himself and was followed some 30 years later by a second assault under his grandson.  This conquest was more destructive than that of the song Dynasty in China, this offense is against Persia and Iraq had no precedent in their history, although Persia had been repeatedly attacked, the most recent was from Turkic peoples, but they had been Muslims.  The Mongols however were infidels in the eyes of Muslims, and the victory came as quite a shock and entity expansion of Islamic rule.  This Mongol victory also had a degree of ferocity and slaughter that had never been experienced by the Persian people.  The Mongols were not driven out of Persia rather they and their Turkic allies simply disappeared, through assimilation into the Persian society.

Chapter 13: European Comparisons: State-Building and Cultural Renewal...
Like China Europe was also in a rebuilding process after the plague.  This period saw the city-states of Spain, Portugal, France, England, and various German principalities learn to tax their citizens more effectively and create a more effective administrative structure and creation of armies.   It also saw a renewed cultural blossoming, known in European history at the Renaissance.  Influenced by classical models, Renaissance figures were more interested in capturing the unique qualities of particular individuals and describing the world as it was then in portraying or exploring religious truths.


European Comparisons: Maritime Voyaging...
This period saw the voyages of Vasco de Gama, Christopher Columbus, and many others.  Unlike China’s naval explorations Europe had no single unified empire, and this rivalry between its many states would drive the Europeans to the ends of the earth for goods and glory.  The European elite also sought to set up merchant communities across the world for taxation, trade, and profit.   Chinese withdrawal from the Indian Ocean cleared the way for Portuguese explorers to enter the region, had Vasco de Gama encountered a Chinese fleet European and world history would surely be changed.   Europe’s agriculture based on wheat and livestock, were also driving forces for acquiring new foreign lands.

Cha

Week 3 Blog

Key Points from Chapters 8,9, and 10. 

Chapter 8: The Silk Roads were Eurasia’s extensive networks of exchange with its many people and cultures.

The Growth of the Silk Roads...

As the major civilizations of Persia, China, Rome, and Byzantines prospered so did the Silk Road.  With a successful empire policing its boarders the Silk Road was allowed to flourish providing the exchange of goods across Eurasia.  In the 13^th and 14^th centuries the Mongol Empire nearly controlled the entire road.

  Disease in Transit...

With goods came many diseases from lands where the people afflicted had no immunity or history treating.  The most famous occurrence being the bubonic plague that swept through Europe in 1346 AD killing 1/3 of its inhabitants.  Other outbreaks of small pox, measles, and anthrax had serious consequences for the Chinese, Romans, Persians, and the Native Americans.

Reflections: Economic Globalization—Ancient and Modern

The world of third wave civilizations was a more balanced, multi-centered world than we see today.  Different civilizations had a more equal footing in global affairs and economically.  Could we be seeing a change today as our own world economies become more connected and equal?  

Chapter 9: 

The Reemergence of a Unified China...

After the collapse of the Han dynasty in 220 AD many of China’s inhabitants migrated south toward the Yangzi river region.  And by 1000 AD 60% of its inhabitants lived in southern China. This migration saw the terrible destruction of China’s old growth forests and the migration of many of its native species of animals. 

Making Buddhism Chinese...

Buddhism originally enters China from the Silk Road.  Buddhism takes hold after the fall of the Han dynasty in 200 AD, and like so many religions, captures the hearts and minds of the people when they needed it most.  Some of the original Indian words and concepts were changed to be more understandable to the Chinese.  The term dharma, referring to Buddha’s teachings was changed to Dao, or the way.   The Indian concept of “the husband supports wife,” was changed to “husband controls wife.” 

Chapter 10:

·      In the Wake of Roman Collapse: Political Life in Western Europe, 500-1000

Germanic peoples who the Romans deemed barbarians, Goths, Visigoths, Franks, Lombards, Angles, and Saxons – now emerged as the dominant forces in Western Europe.  They would see a decline in literacy, road and building repair, and a general decline in social order.  Charlemagne ruled an area that included France, Belgium, the Netherlands, and parts of Italy and Germany from 768-814.   

·      In the Wake of Roman Collapse: Society and the Church, 500-1000

In the absence of a supreme ruler like Rome before, serf life or serfdom became a common form of life at this time.  Unlike a slave a serf was not the property of the lord and could live with his or her family – but he did have to make various forms of payments from working the lords fields to providing coin or livestock.  The serf would then receive whatever protection the lord could provide – and in a increasingly dangerous world this was a huge asset.  Charlemagne saw to the conversion of the Visigoths and other Germanic peoples but other religious leaders had a more covert way of converting these people.  Pope Gregory famously instructed missionaries in England not to destroy the temples and places of worship only the idols inside so the native people would still be familiar with the religious site. 

·      Accelerating Change in the West, 1000-1300

During the preceding 3 centuries Europe was prone to many invasions from all areas but these conquering/conquered people had begun to adapt and settle into a new life.  Europe’s population was thought to have gone from 35 million in 1000 to 80 million in 1340.  This gave way to a massive deforestation and urbanization of the continent.  During this time we also see a consolidation of power not seen since the Roman times were regional monarchs begin to appear – as well as a renewed sense of state.

·      Europe Outward Bound: The Crusading Tradition

Europe’s outward expansion in made most evident by a series of holy wars or crusades beginning in 1095 and continuing for nearly 4 centuries.  The crusades solidify the rift between eastern and western Christianity and only adds to anti-Semitic and anti Muslim thought at the time.