Response to Saritas presentation

Hey, Sarita!

I think that you have a great idea going on there!. I also took religion this summer and found it interesting. I was interested to learn the difference between Islam and the people who use Islam for malicious actions. learning about different cultures is very important especially at a young age, this way kids learn how to respect each other and embrace their differences. I enjoyed looking and reading you presentation. 

Response to Tony’s presentation

Hello Tony,
I really enjoyed reading your letter. We are indeed witnessing division; it is an awful problem that has been going on for many years. I really like have you dated back to 2000 BC and explained everything form there on, it really puts many things into perspective. We are facing very difficult times and I also feel like our higher ups have failed us yet once again. Great letter.

“Coronavirus: Why Africans should take part in vaccine trials.”

Anne Mawathe. “Coronavirus: Why Africans should take part in vaccine trials.” BBC. May 18, 2020. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-52678741

How has learning World History this summer grown your ability to understand or appreciate the article?

How you would have read the article 3 months ago. Do you think you read it differently now? In what way?

The article “Coronavirus: Why Africans should take part in vaccine trials” outlines the importance of Africans to take part in the coronavirus vaccine trials. Of course this has been followed by an uproar of people against using African people as guinea pigs—“there is evidence that pharmaceutical companies have carried out trials in parts of Africa, with little regard to ethics or even simple respect for human life” (Mawathe, 2020). Nevertheless, scientist like Ugandan researcher Catherine Kyobutungi affirms that things have changed. She argues that the process of testing is more rigorous and transparent—“there are safeguards at the individual level” (Mawathe, 2020). However such reassurance are often deafened by “fake news” on social media—theories about a plot to carry out harmful vaccinations on black people with the aim of killing them. On the other hand, Africa has many expert scientist but due to underfunding scientist go to work elsewhere. Many licensed drugs come out of clinical trials in richer countries in North America and Europe, meaning that their effectiveness for use in Africa goes unchecked. This poses a huge risk to Africans because they can be left out of a viable vaccine in addition to not knowing if the makeup of the vaccine works with their genetic makeup. 

Three months ago and now I would have still appreciated the information of this article, still this is a very controversial topic. Additional research needs to be done to conclude the claims that human testing in Africa is safer and transparent. Due to the history of racial inequality, racism, and segregation I can see why many are against any type of trials in Africa. Yet, we have to take into consideration that not all bodies are the same, our genetic makeup is different.  Certain countries face different circumstances and thus vaccines work differently. 

“Turkey turning Hagia Sophia back into mosque divides social media.”

Umut Uras. “Turkey turning Hagia Sophia back into mosque divides social media.” Al Jazeera. July 11, 2020, https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/07/turkey-turning-hagia-sophia-mosque-divides-social-media-200711104417533.html

How has learning World History this summer grown your ability to understand or appreciate the article?

How you would have read the article 3 months ago. Do you think you read it differently now? In what way?

The conversion of Hagia Sophia back into a mosque has caused controversy. While others cheer with approval, others disagree with the decision. “Hagia Sophia was built as a cathedral in the Christian Byzantine Empire and was converted into a mosque after the Ottoman Empire conquered Constantinople in 1453 and changed the city’s name to Istanbul” (Uras, 2020).  Those who were in favor of the conversion of Hagia Sophia back into in mosque believed that the “chains [had] been broken” and that the spirit of the Ottomans has been revived in the hearts of the Turks. While those who opposed it believed that Hagia Sofia should have been kept for all religions and backgrounds—“Hagia Sofia is timeless and not limited to religion. It belongs to history and humanity” (Uras, 2020).

If I had read this article three months ago I would have not understood it at all. I would have not been familiar with the Byzantine Empire, Constantinople, and the Ottoman Empire. The Ottoman Empire conquered Constantinople in 1453 marking the end of the Byzantine Empire this victory allowed Ottoman rulers to see themselves as successors to the Roman Empire. “The Byzantine Empire encompassed much of the eastern Mediterranean basin while continuing traditions of the Greco-Roman world, though on a smaller scale, until its conquest by the Muslim Ottoman Empire in 1453” (Strayer, p. 410). The Ottoman Empire lasted from the fourteenth to the early twentieth century (516). This empire represented the emergence of the Turks as the dominant people of the Islamic world.  “Many academics and secular-minded intellectuals [believed that] religion was headed for extintion in the face of modernity, science, communism, or globalization” (Strayer, p.1042). Knowing some background history most certainly helped me appreciate and understand this article. It would be hard for me to decide if I am in agreement with the conversion or if Hagia Sophia should be a historical landmark for humanity; both are of great importance. 

“Is it Time to Embrace the Anthropocene? The Anthropocene requires that humanity take responsibility for preserving the earth and its species.”

Ganesh Chakravarthi. “Is it Time to Embrace the Anthropocene? The Anthropocene requires that humanity take responsibility for preserving the earth and its species.” The Diplomat. February 11, 2020. https://thediplomat.com/2020/02/is-it-time-to-embrace-the-anthropocene/

How has learning World History this summer grown your ability to understand or appreciate the article?

How you would have read the article 3 months ago. Do you think you read it differently now? In what way?

Chakravarthi argued that “[t]he idea of the Anthropocene is not new. It is a proposed geological epoch, similar to the ice ages of the yore. But in this case human beings and their actions impact the earth in far greater magnitudes than all of nature combined.” There is no doubt that the earth has been going through environmental changes since the beginning of agriculture (even before) to the industrial revolution and continue today. There have been many activists fighting for climate control as well as many who oppose it. However, Anthropocene is different in that instead of looking at a geological epoch or common signals across the world that show the shifting mechanisms, Anthropocene is more of a paradigm shift that focuses in the human mindset.  “It is a shift comparable to the scale of Copernican thought, which put the earth as just one component in a vast, incomprehensible universe” (Chakravarthi, 2020). This article also mentions how human actions have irreversibly altered the natural evolution cycle. Actions such as radioactivity from nuclear tests, the immeasurable amount of plastics in our ecosystem, and soil nitrogenation that has increased manifold over natural cycles. Additionally, many type of animal species are going extinct—“unless we resolve to preserve the many species, process, and biodiversity that make up our earth, we may not live to see a safe future for generations to come” (Chakravarthi, 2020). 

Three months ago I would have read this article and taken everything as fact without further research. Although the information provided in this article resonates with me, I would now do more research to eliminate any biases that I might have. Looking back at what I learned in world history this summer solidifies some of the information in this article. Our very actions have indeed changed the environment. Something very simple as farming and raising animals have after-effects—“[Even the] Paleolithic people acted to alter the natural environment substantially. The use of deliberately set fires to encourage the growth of particular plants certainly changed the landscape (Strayer, p.22) . During the enlightenment period there were new developments in ideas—astronomy, science, inventions, laws, wars and revolutions. Then, during the industrial revolution the world saw a major increase in population, which generated an increase of living standards which in turn led to the depletion of natural resources—“Human beings have even affected the atmosphere and the oceans as carbon dioxide and other emissions of the industrial age have warmed the climate of the planet in ways that broadly resemble the conditions that triggered earlier extinction events” (Strayer, lix). The use of chemicals and fuel in factories resulted in the increase of air and water pollution and an increase in the use of fossil fuels. Therefore, when I read this article I am able to appreciate the information more because I have some knowledge of how our actions from the past have impacted our world today. 

chap 23

 In what way(s) do you see the historical developments described in this chapter continuing to evolve in our world today?

This chaptered focused on four main topics—the transformation of the world economy, the emergence of global feminism, the response of world religions to modernity, and the growing awareness of humankind’s enormous impact on the environment (all of this still continues today). The acceleration of international economic transactions that took place in the second half of the twentieth century continued into the twenty-first century and we are still witnessing this today. Additionally, technology continues to evolve and contribute immensely to economic globalization. The second-wave feminism—women’s rights movement was revived in the 1960s. This movement demanded equal rights in employment, education, the right to control their own bodies, and the end of patriarchal domination. In the year 2020, we continue to see women fighting for these rights. Also, religion continues to be a big topic—fundamentalism. Global warming also continues to be a continuing topic; the sustained increase in average temperatures of the earth’s atmosphere is worrisome. Thus, environmentalist dedicate themselves to protect the earth’s national life-support system—it promotes a lifestyle that it is not dependent on pollution caused by human activity and aims to preserve the untouched parts of Earth. Many of the preceding topics will continue to evolve in our world today. 

Chap 22

In what way(s) do you see the historical developments described in this chapter continuing to evolve in our world today?

“Life can only be understood backward, but it is lived forward” (Strayer, p. 1010) I really liked this quote from the book as it holds much truth. We always tend to look at the past to be able to move forward, but do we take the lessons from the past seriously? This chapter spoke about freedom, independence, and economic wealth, I see a lot of these topics continuing to evolve in our world today. Many of the historical events of the past century are still developing today—“the United States’ role as a global superpower and its wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the fate of democracy in Latin America and the Arab world, the rise of China and India as economic giants, the position of Islam in Turkey and Iran—al of these are unfinished stories…” (Strayer, p. 1010). Something that we are still witnessing today is the demand for racial equality—“I have fought against white power domination, and I have fought against black power domination. I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons live together in harmony and with equal opportunity” (Strayer, p. 975). With that being said, we are still witnessing many events that started in the 20^th century evolve and continue to take shape in the 21^st century. I believe that these events will continue to develop over many years to come.  

Past and present pandemics presentation

https://spark.adobe.com/video/mVXUalPLsCEdj

Chapter 21

Why did communist regimes generate terror and violence on such a massive scale?

An adapting concept of "enemy" came to include not only surviving remnants of the old pre-revolutionary elites but also, and more surprisingly, high-ranking members and longtime supporters of their respective communist parties who had allegedly been corrupted by bourgeois ideas. Refracted through the lens of Marxist thinking, these people became class enemies who had betrayed the revolution and were engaged in a vast conspiracy, often linked to foreign imperialists, to subvert the socialist enterprise and restore capitalism. Additionally, large-scale purges took place in light of these fears, including the Terror in the Soviet Union and the Cultural Revolution in China.

Chapter 20

In what ways did World War I mark new departures in the history of the 20^th century?

The destruction of life and property brought by the war led to widespread disappointment among European intellectuals with their own civilization. Also, the political map of Europe was radically altered with the collapse of the German, Russian, and Austrian empires; this created space for new nations in Central Europe. In addition, in Russia, the strains of war triggered a vast revolutionary upheaval that launched world communism. Moreover, the treaty of Versailles brought the war to a close—established the conditions that generated the Second World War.

World War I also led to the creation of new military tactics and weapons—Trench Warfare, use of propaganda, use of planes, tanks, and submarines. There were also social changes—women began to work in ammunition factories and the women suffrage movement came to a halt temporarly. 

4th of July

From 1776 to the present day, July 4th has been celebrated as the birth of American independence, with festivities ranging from fireworks, parades, and concerts to more casual family gatherings and barbecues. On July 2nd, the Continental Congress voted in favor for independence in a near-unanimous vote. On July 4th, the Continental Congress formally adopted the Declaration of Independence, which had been written largely by Thomas Jefferson. Though the vote for actual independence took place on July 2nd, from then on the 4th became the day that was celebrated as the birth of American independence. 

Thinking back on the European Powers and their ideas of imperialism, I can not help but think of the picture of the octopus looking creature on page 790. To know that we were once under one tentacle and to know that we were able to become independent is fantastic. However, I do not quite agree with how the events took place—Europe invading the Americans and killing thousands of Native Americans. I understand that it is about conquering the land, gaining power, and building new nations, yet, it all comes with a deadly price. 

Today (2020) many are against celebrating 4^th of July (at least from what I have read on my social media feed). Many claim that we are not free until we have reached equality and justice for all. I do agree that there is still injustices, there is still people who feel that they are not really free. Many are angry at “America” and I do not blame them one bit. 

The Black Death

The Black Death arrived in 1347 in the port of Messina in Sicily the case mortality was 100%. Many tried to flee in hopes to find safety away from the Pestilence, yet, this only served to spread the infection. The Black Death moved northwards through Europe and it reached the Arctic Circle by 1350. Interestingly, even in the 14^th-century health officials implemented similar measures to the ones that we have today—There was a 40 day quarantine period; also Italy entry was denied for travelers if they had come from a town that had suffered an epidemic. In addition, to inspecting travelers upon arrival, the authorities required proof that all of the towns which they had traveled through were completely free of plague. When a pandemic erupted, the people who displayed symptoms were removed to emergency primitive isolation hospitals; the family of the infected were locked in the house, across was daubed on the door and a watchman was appointed guard the house.

I have learned that we inherited many of the infection control ideas from past pandemics even from the 14th century.

Personally it has been rough dealing with this pandemic. I am a school pediatric nurse and I have not worked since the closure of schools. I am home with my kids and we try to make the best out of our situation.