Chapter 16 Part 2 and Documents
Chapter 16 Part 2
Echoes of Revolution
The American Revolution caused the British to exert greater control over its other colonies in India and China. Even today Britain's effect on China can still be seen. When I was in Hong Kong, I noticed that some people were speaking English and some stores looked really Western with English signs. Small revolutions erupted all over Europe. In Western Europe and America, all males were given equal rights by 1914. In Russia, military officers tried to create a constitutional state.
Enlightenment thinkers, inspiration from the American and French revolutions and people of religion made moral arguments against slavery. The fact that people began to see that slavery wasn't needed for economic success and the brutality of suppressing revolts from slaves combined with all the other ways of thinking formed abolitionist movements in Britain which forced the government to end slavery. Latin American countries and Russia followed Britain's example. However, the abolition of slavery wasn't easy as plantation owners benefited from slavery and slave traders profited from transporting slavery. Former slaves didn't have very many economic opportunities and they didn't share the same rights as whites.
The revolutions led people to organize themselves into nations as people began to identify with others who were of a similar culture and blood. The printing press created a common language and the weakening of religion eroded old identities. Nationalism drove states to compete for colonies in Asia and Africa. Governments instilled national loyalty through media and schools. Other forms of nationalism like civic nationalism believed that other people could become part of the dominant culture in a state. When I was in China a few years ago, I think the government was trying to promote nationalism by trying to get rid of all foreign words on their signs.
Feminist Beginnings
The French Revolution had the idea of rebuilding human societies on new principles and many women tried to include equal rights for both genders in the new societies. The modernization of societies had more educational and economic opportunities for women. Women had the time to participate in abolition and missionary movements. Feminism involved both Europe and America as women from both areas went to the same meetings and read each other's works. Suffrage movements in West involved peaceful protests to get into universities, freedom to control their own property and to get access to professions generally open to males. Those who opposed feminism claimed that women who were preoccupied with education and life would have problems reproducing.
Documents: Claiming Rights
The Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen is a lot similar to the U.S Constitution especially when it was explaining the rights of man. Some rights that I recognized were freedom of speech, innocent until proven guilty and men are born free and equal. The Jamaica Letters explained how they fought for their freedom from Spain as those from Latin America were forced to work in plantations for sugar cane, coffee and cotton. It explains how they were never in a position of power but they united to fight for their liberty. In What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July, Douglass claims that the Fourth of July doesn't belong to African Americans as the rights in the Declaration of Independence doesn't extend to African Americans. To African Americans, the Fourth of July is nothing but hypocrisy and deception because even though Americans are celebrating liberty and equality, African Americans don't share any of those. The Solitude of Self gives reasons for why women should be given equal rights to men. It explains how women should have their own individual lives and that they have the right to self govern themselves. Women can also handle anything that men can.
Echoes of Revolution
The American Revolution caused the British to exert greater control over its other colonies in India and China. Even today Britain's effect on China can still be seen. When I was in Hong Kong, I noticed that some people were speaking English and some stores looked really Western with English signs. Small revolutions erupted all over Europe. In Western Europe and America, all males were given equal rights by 1914. In Russia, military officers tried to create a constitutional state.
Enlightenment thinkers, inspiration from the American and French revolutions and people of religion made moral arguments against slavery. The fact that people began to see that slavery wasn't needed for economic success and the brutality of suppressing revolts from slaves combined with all the other ways of thinking formed abolitionist movements in Britain which forced the government to end slavery. Latin American countries and Russia followed Britain's example. However, the abolition of slavery wasn't easy as plantation owners benefited from slavery and slave traders profited from transporting slavery. Former slaves didn't have very many economic opportunities and they didn't share the same rights as whites.
The revolutions led people to organize themselves into nations as people began to identify with others who were of a similar culture and blood. The printing press created a common language and the weakening of religion eroded old identities. Nationalism drove states to compete for colonies in Asia and Africa. Governments instilled national loyalty through media and schools. Other forms of nationalism like civic nationalism believed that other people could become part of the dominant culture in a state. When I was in China a few years ago, I think the government was trying to promote nationalism by trying to get rid of all foreign words on their signs.
Feminist Beginnings
The French Revolution had the idea of rebuilding human societies on new principles and many women tried to include equal rights for both genders in the new societies. The modernization of societies had more educational and economic opportunities for women. Women had the time to participate in abolition and missionary movements. Feminism involved both Europe and America as women from both areas went to the same meetings and read each other's works. Suffrage movements in West involved peaceful protests to get into universities, freedom to control their own property and to get access to professions generally open to males. Those who opposed feminism claimed that women who were preoccupied with education and life would have problems reproducing.
Documents: Claiming Rights
The Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen is a lot similar to the U.S Constitution especially when it was explaining the rights of man. Some rights that I recognized were freedom of speech, innocent until proven guilty and men are born free and equal. The Jamaica Letters explained how they fought for their freedom from Spain as those from Latin America were forced to work in plantations for sugar cane, coffee and cotton. It explains how they were never in a position of power but they united to fight for their liberty. In What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July, Douglass claims that the Fourth of July doesn't belong to African Americans as the rights in the Declaration of Independence doesn't extend to African Americans. To African Americans, the Fourth of July is nothing but hypocrisy and deception because even though Americans are celebrating liberty and equality, African Americans don't share any of those. The Solitude of Self gives reasons for why women should be given equal rights to men. It explains how women should have their own individual lives and that they have the right to self govern themselves. Women can also handle anything that men can.
Comments
Post a Comment