The Opium Wars

The British had traded with India. But with India it was more like the British had a lot of control.On the other hand, the way the British traded with China was more like the Chinese was making a lot of money off of the British. The British were tired of this so instead of just buying a lot of materials from the Chinese they decided to buy but also SELL.

This isn't a horrible idea. However, the British decided to sell drugs instead of good materials that the Chinese would've wanted. This drug was opium. Plus this also started because of the modernization that was occurring the East. China was a nation that wanted to be kept alone and isolated. But because of the new technology China had to open up to new ideas. Or be left behind.

It was called the opium war because that was the drug being sold to the Chinese. This drug was probably the first drug to be so addicting. And so destructing.

China was completely changed due to the drugs. Things changed a lot for the way China was run economically, relationships between people, and the government. This had to be stopped so a war started.

Britain won. During the war, Britain used gun powder and things like canons. They obviously beat the Chinese since they were advanced. Due to so many years of isolation, China lost a harsh defeat. While the British had ships doubled the size of the Chinese, their ships were also much stronger and not made of wood.

"The White Man's Burden"

The poem "The White Man's Burden" is by Rudyard Kipling. This poem was written due to the Spanish-American war and the way the Americans took over the Philippines. "The White Man's Burden" means all of the trouble that the Americans had to go through to "save" the Philippines. They believed that everything they were doing was helping the people of the Philippines and that it was up to them to help them. Since the Americans were "superior". They believed that they NEEDED to teach everyone how to be like them.


I think that most people understand what Kipling is trying to stay. But dont agree with him. Maybe some do. But thats probably opinions people can fight back and forth about.

The poem was written in 1899 but i think it still connects with today. Most people believe that we are in Iraq to help. That it is a "burden" to have to take care of the people in Iraq. They also believe that our idea works in their society, just as good. But thats not the way it is. It doesnt have to work like that in every society.

I think "The White Man's Burden" will basically be something Americans feel forever. Even when they are wrong. Even when we should be staying in our own territory. I guess we believe, that we are right even we are totally wrong.

"The Scramble for Africa"

Africa wasn't just invaded by Great Britain. Africa was invaded by many European nations. Which is what the title "The Scramble for Africa" is all about. This title means all of the European nations fighting and racing for a lot of African land. Which led to new divisions in Africa. The divisions we see today on the African map are divisions made by the European nations.

The main Europeans nations involved in the scramble were Britain, Belgium, France, Spain, Germany, Portugal and Italy. Britain conquered most of the South and East parts of Africa. Belgium conquered most of the middle of Africa. France conquered most of the northern parts of Africa. Germany was pretty much spread out in the Mideast of Africa, in the west and the south of Africa. Spain conquered a very small part of Africa in the north to the very west. Portugal conquered in the South. Italy conquered northern and eastern parts of Africa. Like the map all the way on top.

All of these nations wanted resources they couldn't get in another places and that they could get for cheaper prices or no prices at all. Just war. They wanted resources like coal, wood and ivory. They also wanted more land. Especially to spread out imperialism. They especially wanted, like any other nation, land. More land for themselves. Since leaders are so greedy.

They were able to conquer Africa so easily because Europe had many advantages in technology. They were able to have more weapons than the Africans. Africans had things like spears, and old weapons. But Europeans had things like gun powder (rifles), canons and other weapons. Even though these were a lot of advantages, they didn't know Africa like Africa's own people. But there was a problem for the Africans. They were dived into their own groups and in the end the English people hurt them badly because they were so divided.

When the English came they divided Africa into their own places. Spain could have divided land with France how they wanted to. Not how the Africans asked them to. Europeans could care less. As long as they had what they wanted. In the end, all of the different traditions each African group had were changed. It wasn't the same anymore. Now it was what the Europeans wanted.

Film Lesson: "Mountains of the Moon"

(The picture to the left is Lake Victoria in Africa.
The source of the Nile River.)

The movie "Mountains of the Moon" is about Europe taking over Africa. Europe needed more materials and space to expand their industrial revolution. Materials such as ivory, wood, coal, land and more. Since Africa was nearby they were able to conquer easily,as well for other reasons. It wasn't very easy but Europe had many advantages and disadvantages. In the end, Europe won.

The hardships that Europeans faced would have scared me not to ever go back. Europe might have been technologically advanced but they had to understand they didn't have the benefit of knowing the land memorized and easily. Its always best to fight in you own territory. Its always best because you know who's around you and you don't have to worry about whats on the other side of the mountain. You can also have allies when your "home". Which makes everything easier.In new territory, you are an enemy to everyone that doesn't recognize you.

In the movie, Richard Burten gets a spear thrown at his face. The spear pierces a hole from cheek to cheek. Making holes in both cheeks. John Speak has two sticks stabbed into both his legs. Not only that but a bug also crawls into his ear. The tactics to help these two man with their problems looked more painful then the problems they went through.To get the bug out of Speak's ear they had to put something like candle wax in his ear.But that was so painful that Speak decided to stab his ear.

Europeans had to deal with Africans traditions.If they got into trouble their African friends had weird ways to help them out.They had to get use to it. They also didn't have that many Africans allies, the Europeans had more enemies than allies. Which made them fight for themselves when Africans invaded their territory.

It isn't strange, that there is an African river named after an British Queen. Well at least if you know enough about history you wouldn't find it strange. Its like asking, "Isn't it a coincidence that there's a place in England called 'York' and a place in America called 'New York'?"It isn't a coincidence, its just when the English took over they named a place in America after a place in England. Just like when Britain invaded Africa they decided to name a river after they "discovered" it, well at least to the Europeans they did.

The advancement in technology helped a lot. This gave the Europeans advantages in a big thing, WEAPONS. The Africans had their spears and things like that. But Europeans had things like gun powder and canons. For transportation they had things like ships. Europeans were decades ahead of Africans. This helped a lot. Not just with the people of Africa but also with the animals of the jungles.

In the end, Britain was able to conquer easily because of their technology. They also spread diseases. Europe wasn't just one nation. It was a lot of nations against Africa. they were able to divide land easily, by hurting those that didn't want to be divided. When the Africans were divided it made it easier for the English to conquer them since they didn't have each other anymore. The Africans were probably scared to trust anyone, since they were probably with different people. From different African groups, with different African traditions.

The Meiji Restoration of Japan

Matthew Perry was a United States naval officer who negotiated with the Japanese for several months. The Americans wanted to open a port, where they could trade with this isolated country. Americans also needed the supplies to run their ships, so they needed help anyways. The Japanese were very impressed by the technology that the Americans had. This opened their eyes to new ideas. Which started the modernization of Japan.

The Americans had things that the Japanese never had seen. They had massive ships, rifles, cannons, a ship run by steam and many other things. To Japan these were like futuristic ideas. Many Japanese people didn't want to open up to these ideas. But their Emperor Meiji realized that his people couldn't stay uneducated forever. He decided he needed to modernize his country.

The Japanese signed the Treaty of Kanagawa which allowed many things between Americans and the Japanese. The Americans benefited a lot from this Treaty. They received a lot of help with their ships from Japan. The Treaty stated:

1. Alliance between the United States and Japan.
2. Opening of two ports to American ships at Shimoda and Hakodate.
3. Help for any American ships around the Japanese coast.
4. Permission for American ships to buy supplies, coal, water, and other necessary provisions in Japanese ports.

Although the Americans benefited a lot so did the Japanese. Japan now had two ways to trade with other countries as well. This helped with the modernization of Japan.

Japan adapted many ideas as well. From the German they adopted the ideas of a centralized government. They also adopted ideas such as education, industrialization, advances in technology and more countries to trade with. This also started battles with neighboring countries. Such as China, Russia and Russia. Japan also now had railway and shipping lines, telegraph and telephone systems, and factories making things like sugar, glass and textiles.

The Meiji Era changed in ways that the society pyramid didn't matter anymore and nationalism sprung out full throttle. Japan now had new industries and technologies. Even when it came to voting Japan now had ideas of letting males vote. But only if they were wealthy. They were becoming a lot like America.

Now Japan is one of the most advanced countries in the world. Probably the most. With inventions that top most of the American inventions. It's ironic how it worked out. Americans gave them the boost to start their modernization and they are now basically ahead of us. Japan also had an advantage that its an archipelago. An archipelago is a large group of islands or chain. Like, Hawaii. Since it has so much water surrounding it, it can have many harbors that help when it comes to trade.

In the end, my opinion is that its good Japan didn't stay isolated. I'm sure they praise the Emperor Meiji. Without him Japan wouldn't be as advanced as it is today.

Karl Marx and Communism

Karl Max didn't like the way the industrial revolution had the people of Europe living. He didn't accept the idea of capitalism. He showed the workers that they should be getting their very big share, just like the owners were. They had to do the same stupid routine everyday and most of the conditions in the factories weren't that great or safe. He definitely proved his point. Communism sounded like a great idea to the workers. This way they were able to get their own piece of the pie.

Communism is a form of government where property is shared and everyone has common property. That way everyone can be equal and no one will be devastated that the work they put in never paid off. Of course, this doesn't work for the people that actually do more work then others but they had to deal with it.

Marx wanted communism to take over the world so that everyone would be equal. He believed that capitalism would cause destruction. People that worked really hard would one day want to be on top. He thought that a bloody revolution would start if the workers didn't get what they wanted. So either way they could go the communist way or just revolt. He thought the communist way would be better.

For Marx, the "bad guys" were the owners of the factories and land. The "good guys" were the workers, or the proletariats. He believed that the "bad guys" were the owners since they believed in capitalism. They of course believed in it since capitalism was on their side. The "good guys" were the workers. Since they agreed with his ideas. Plus his ideas would work in their favor.

Communism was a form of government for many nations after Marx. His ideas of fairness was a bright one to many people. It does make a lot sense, but it truly only makes a lot of sense when you're the one that is on the bottom of the social class. It would be pretty weird to find someone who likes to work harder then others and still get the same amount as the laziest person in his community. Don't you agree?

Karl Marx and the Industrial Revolution

Karl Marx made a world wide revolution. He changed a government and showed new ideas to the people of Europe. His believes were different from those who thought it was okay to have long hours of work just because you were poor and lived in dirty cities. He was born into a family with two religions. He worked really hard in school even though he also remembered to have fun. He married in 1843 and moved with his wife to Paris. There he became a journalist.

Paris was becoming a very unfair industrial city. He started to see the side of capitalism. He didn't like how the industrial cities were being run. Since he really liked philosophical ideas he was determined. He was determined to change the way Paris and other industrial cities treated their workers.

Marx didnt enjoy the way the workers were treated. They worked really long hours to end up with a really low salary. The money coming in was really only for the owner of the factory. This was capitalism. People working for owners that get most of the profit. He thought everything should be fair that way everyone would be happy. Workers shouldnt have given up their money for the land owners, they should have been able to split it.

The anger that Karl Marx went through when he saw how bad the people were being treated, made him come to the decision that the people should make a communist government. Communism is a equal government where everyone can own their own things. Most things are fair in a communist society. Even though Marx promised the people a place where they can control the government more, most communist governments are ruled by the government officials.