The Compelling Motives of European Imperialism Essay -- European Histo

The Compelling Motives of Imperialism The presence of Europe in Africa in the late nineteenth century was one of extreme power. The countries of France, Britain, and Germany had especially large claims to the African continent during this time. The motives of imperialism for these countries greatly define Europe at this time. Insatiable desires for economic markets, power and political struggles, the motivating belief in Social Darwinism, and the European idea of superiority were the driving forces at the European home front in the late nineteenth century. Many of the causes for imperialism in Africa were evident in Joseph Conrad’s turn of the century novel, Heart of Darkness. Successful domination of Africa was not attainable prior to the eighteen hundreds. The obstacles of travel and disease were too powerful to overcome. However, with the development of the steamship and the protection from malaria in the form of quinine, Europeans tackled Africa with a renewed energy (Sanderson â€Å"Imperialism notes†). A European council congregated in 1885 and drew up the Berlin Act, which was responsible for the carving of Africa into pieces of land for the major imperialistic powers in Europe (Lehmann â€Å"The Scramble for Africa†). Political and nationalistic rivals were fueled and each European power desired to prosper greater than their competitors did. Political goals were often achieved through imperialism. Countries competed for â€Å"strategic passages† and â€Å"overseas bases† in locations throughout Africa (Lehmann â€Å"European Imperialism). The goals of achieving the most power and wealth from various regions throu gh imperialistic measures were realized during the age of imperialism. A new source of economic resources for eve... ...rialism in the nineteenth century. Links and Works Cited: http://www.usd.edu/honors/HWB/1999/1999f/index.htm Clayton Miles Lehmann compiled this website. It is based upon Imperialism, with my attention to â€Å"European Imperialism† and â€Å"The Scramble for Africa†. There is also a map depicting the carving of Africa. http://www.angelfire.com/tx/sandersonAP/NotesImp.htm This website provides note-like structured description of European imperialism by Dr. Sanderson. It highlights reasons for imperialism and different areas that were imperialized. http://www.hcc.hawaii.edu/~patrick/151/africa.htm Patrick M. Patterson designed this website. A description of Africa before European imperialism is provided here. There are also explanations of the delay of imperialism and some causes of it. Conrad, Joseph. Heart of Darkness. New York: The Modern Library, 1999.

History of Japan Essay

1. What are the key features of the Tokugawa settlements that were worked out under Ieyasu and Iemitsu? What is the rationale behind this system? In what ways might it be considered `centralized feudalism`? The Tokugawa settlements that were worked out under the rule of Ieyasu and Iemitsu were mainly forms of centralized feudalism.   The Tokugawa period, particularly the Ieyasu Shogunate, was based on a strict class hierarchy.   This was based on the old structure created by Toyotomi Hideyoshi (Bryant 2005).   It was comprised of the warrior-caste of samurai who were at the top of the hierarchy and they were followed by the farmers, the artisans, and the traders. The key feature of the Ieyasu Shogunate was the implementation of the feudal military dictatorship by Tokugawa Ieyasu.   This system of â€Å"centralized feudalism† was the key tool which helped the ruling body in restoring political and social order after a long period of warfare and chaos.   The system was such that there were feudal lords who controlled their own domains but they subject however to the whims of the Shogun who was characterized as the defacto ruler for Japan.   The ascension to Shogun was hereditary and thus led to the control by the Tokugawa Shoguns from the 1600s to 1868 (Sadler 1937). Tokugawa Ieyasu was able to gain control of the entire country through this method.   Though once a Daimyo himself, he soon became a Shogun and began exercising power over the 250 other daimyos all over Japan.   This was the centralized system that the Tokugawas were able to establish and relevant to this system was the â€Å"Alternate Attendance System† or the sankin kà ´tai (Sadler 1937). This system simply meant that every daimyo had to live every alternate year in the capital city of Edo under the penalty of permanently living in the city and leaving his life and heir behind in case such a task was not fulfilled.   Needless to say, this had immense implications for the history of Japan.   It meant that there were huge transfers of wealth since the daimyos had to finance their trips.   It also led to the fostering of a sense of loyalty to Edo as every daimyo after 1700 felt drawn to Edo as a native of the city (Sansom 1961). The situation was not so different during the time of Tokugawa Iemitsu who was the grandson of Tokugawa Ieyasu (Bryant 2005).   Iemitsu’s rise to power was predicated by the abdication of Hidetade in his favaor.   Hidetada installed all of his advisors and veteran daimyo in the service of Iemitsu but soon after, Iemitsu appointed most of his childhood friends and was soon able to carry on the installation of a strong and centralized form of administration similar to that by his grandfather Tokugawa Ieyasu.   While there were those who opposed such an act, Tokugawa Iemitsu simply removed all opposition and remained in power (Sansom 1961). The reason that these periods were considered as â€Å"centralized feudalism† was the fact that though there were different domains that were ruled by the daimyos, all power still emanated from the Shogun (Bryant 2005).   The Shogun ruled under the authority of the emperor and in fact ruled over most, if not all, of the activities of the realm.   This was eventually overthrown and replaced during the Meiji Renewal. 2. How would you characterize Meiji Japan`s economic development? In what ways was it distinctive? What role did the state play? Meiji Japan’s economic development was characterized by the Meiji Renewal which was a series of events that led up to major changes in Japan’s political and social structure (Beasley 1995).   The arrival of the Black Ships of Commodore Matthew Perry ushered in a direct response from the Shogunate and thus the Meiji restoration began.   It was during this same period that Japan established itself as an Imperial Power. The foundation of the Meiji Renewal was the formation of the Satsuma-ChÃ… shÃ… « Alliance between SaigÃ…  Takamori, who was the leader of the Satsuma domain and Kido Takayoshi, who was the leader of the ChÃ… shÃ… « domain (Jansen 2000).   Initially brought together to challenge the ruling Tokugawa Shogunate and installing the emperor into power, the Satsuma-ChÃ… shÃ… « Alliance succeeded in altering the political structure of Japan.   The two leaders, SaigÃ…  Takamori and Kido Takayoshi, were supported by Emperor KÃ… mei (Beasley 1995). The distinct characteristic of this period was the fact that it ushered in the industrialization of Japan (Jansen 2000).   It also led to the emergence of Japan as an island nation that possessed military power by the year 1905.   The slogan for Japan during this time was fukoku kyohei, which translates into â€Å"Enrich the country, strengthen the military.† The manner in which this Renewal was accomplished was by creating a group in which all the power was consolidated against the remnants of the Edo period government, the shogunate, daimyo, and the samurai class.   Thus the Meiji Oligarchy was formed.   During this period, the Tokugawa lands were seized and placed under the direct control of the government.   Some of the Daimyos who protested such an act eventually relented and returned their domains to the Emperor which lead to the creation of a central government in Japan for the first time in its history and also allowed the new centralized government to exercise direct power throughout the entire realm (Beasley 1995). The pivotal point came in 1871 when all the Daimyos were brought before the emperor and it was decreed that all domains were now to be returned to the Emperor (Jansen 2002).   These â€Å"returned† domains were converted into prefectures that were under the control of a government appointed governor. The next step came in the abolition of the four divisions in Japanese society that had previously existed.   This led to the abolition of the Samurai class, which at that time numbered nearly 1.9 million, and led to the development of the Japanese military which was now open to peasants (Beasley 1995).   Nationwide conscription was now established in order to fill in the ranks left by the former Samurais and every male was mandated to serve in the new armed forces of Japan for four (4) years upon turning 21. The state therefore played a very critical role in all of this as it was under the state that the abolition of traditional political structures was engineered and the abolition of the social classes was commenced.   The establishment of a strong Japanese Imperial Army also played a great role as it provided the state with the power that it needed in order to institute the reforms that is sought to implement (Jansen 2000).

Life in the Chiaroscuro Essays

Life in the Chiaroscuro Essays Life in the Chiaroscuro Paper Life in the Chiaroscuro Paper The novel depicts the political situation in Milwaukee in 1904 to be very corrupt and dishonest in every way. Police officers would not put people in jail because â€Å"there was no evidence† when there was clearly evidence that they would just ignore. The government was corrupt in the sense that the elected officials would do things to benefit themselves and their friends who help them. Everyone in the police force would look out for those people who the mayor told them to look out for. This is why those who were supposed to be in jail, are not. The high up officials who were part of the corruption had the means to destroy anyone who went against them. They had the power to do whatever they wanted and never suffer any type of consequence. I think that this is an accurate portrayal of corruption and politics in Milwaukee in this time period because there are very many similarities in the book and what actually happened. David Stuart Rose served five terms as mayor in Milwaukee. His corrupt mindset was held in office for 10 years. â€Å"He was elected in 1898 until 1906 and again in 1908-1910. He suggested improving the port by building docks off of Jones Island. He said that the rivers were becoming inadequate to meet the demands of trade. He was rumored to have accepted $50,000 from an electric utility but he was never found guilty in court. He was known for his corrupt administrative. He allowed brothels and casinos to operate even though it was against Milwaukee rules. While he was mayor, police were asked to turn â€Å" blind eye† upon the request of City Hall. After people started to realize what was going on, he was eventually elected out of office and a Socialist was elected in. Emil Seidel was the first Socialist mayor of Milwaukee in 1910. The book also depicts politics in 1904 in Milwaukee accurately because in the book, it says that Theodore Roosevelt makes a speech and is shot in the middle of it. Without leaving to seek medical help, he stood there and finished his 90 minutes speech. Theodore Roosevelt really did give that speech in Milwaukee. John Schrank also, in fact, shot him because he thought that a president should not serve more that two terms. Schrank was caught and spent the rest of his life in a mental hospital. After Roosevelt was shot, he went on with his speech and said, â€Å"Friends, I shall ask you to be as quiet as possible. I dont know whether you fully understand that I have just been shot; but it takes more than that to kill a Bull Moose. But fortunately I had my manuscript, so you see I was going to make a long speech, and there is a bullet there is where the bullet went through and it probably saved me from it going into my heart. The bullet is in me now, so that I cannot make a very long speech, but I will try my best. Some of the goals of American Socialist reformers in the early 1900’s were â€Å"low-cost housing, workers compensation, old-age pensions, public ownership of municipal services, and labor reform. † These goals compare to the goals of the American Socialist reformers in the novel because the reformers in the novel want to take care of corruption and get the mayor out of office. They want things to be better for everyone living in Milwaukee, not ju st the mayor and his friends. The American Socialist reformers wanted better pay, better jobs, and better benefits for workers. They wanted to prove to the people of Milwaukee that they do not need David Rose to be in power. They wanted to show that a socialist can do just fine in office, if not better than Rose. The American Socialist reformers were still not very popular so they wanted to gain popularity with the people. â€Å"While the Socialist Party was on the rise in America, it was still fairly limited in strength. Eugene Debs would never be president. As for the mayor, I was not so sure. † The role that ethnicity and race play into the novel is that people were segregated and treated differently by society as a whole. On Jones Island, it was mostly Polish and German people known as Kashubes. They were far away from the city life, living on technically a peninsula all by themselves with almost no visitors going there. They were not wealthy at all and lived in houses â€Å"so close together that you could, if you so chose, stand on one rickety porch while shaking hands with someone standing on the porch next door. † Another way ethnicity and race play into the novel is when Benjamin’s father told him when he was a boy that â€Å"you’d best avoid the wrong sort of people. Gamblers, politicians, and negroes. His father thought that in order to succeed and to stay out of trouble, he must avoid those types of people. When Benjamin walked into Slaughter’s Turf Cafe, he noticed that the people in there are the exact people who his father told him to avoid. This book is very valuable to Milwaukee because people who actually live there everyday should know what happened in their own backyard. The way basically the entire government in the city of Milwaukee was corrupt is a bit disturbing. The way things used to be politically was completely corrupt and there is no doubting that. I found the book to be extremely interesting and I loved learning about what happened in a city that is so well known in today’s society. I’m sure that the people of Milwaukee who read this book are very shocked to know what happened in the city they live in. I would expect that even the people who are not very interested in history, found it to be very fascinating to learn about what happened before their time. This book is also very valuable as a supplement to the study of American history in general because we, as Americans, should know and understand the way things used to be. It is important to learn about corruption in the government because corruption was part of the reason why some of the movements were started. It is also important because through corruption, people started to realize that the people they were voting in were only helping themselves. This made people start thinking more on whom they wanted in office and what issues they wanted changed. Putting the supernatural aspects aside, A Life in Chiaroscuro is a believable and compelling story depicting life in a typical American city. I think it is like a typical American city because back in the 1900’s, corruption was not an uncommon thing. Corruption was everywhere in many cities especially big, major cities. The government did not necessarily want to take over everything in a city. They wanted to do things to benefit themselves. There is a part in the book that shows that elected government officials link themselves to important businessmen to help themselves out and their friends. â€Å"In the midst of it all, the mayor lines his pockets with bribes from the industrial sector, particularly from John Beggs. In big cities during the 1900’s, there were many people involved in corruption. There were elected officials, police officers, businessmen, and even just wealthy people who wanted to become wealthier. This is a perfect example of the people in the book and what they did to become more powerful and wealthier than they already were. [ 1 ]. Ferguson, Paul-Thomas. A Life in Chiaroscuro. Rock Isla nd, Illinois: Paul-Thomas Ferguson, 2008. Print. [ 2 ]. mule (Civil War). Wisconsin Historical Society. Wisconsin Historical Society, 1996. Web. . [ 3 ]. Kestenbaum, Lawrence. Index to Politicians: Rose. The Political Graveyard. Lawrence Kestenbaum, 1996. Web. . [ 4 ]. Ferguson, Paul-Thomas. A Life in Chiaroscuro. Rock Island, Illinois: Paul-Thomas Ferguson, 2008. Print. 30. [ 5 ]. Rogina, Jeffries L. It Takes More Than That to Kill a Bull Moose: The Leader and The Cause. About Theodore Roosevelt: President and More, from The Theodore Roosevelt Association. The Theodore Roosevelt Association, June 1998. Web. . [ 6 ]. Norton, Mary Beth, David M. Katzman, David W. Blight, Howard Chudacoff, and Fredrik Logevall. A People and a Nation: A History of Mary Beth Norton, Carol Sheriff, David M Katzman, David W. Blight, Howard Chudacoff. Google Books. Suzanne Jeans, 2008. Web. . [ 7 ]. Ferguson, Paul-Thomas. A Life in Chiaroscuro. Rock Island, Illinois: Paul-Thomas Ferguson, 2008. Print. 149. [ 8 ]. Ferguson, Paul-Thomas. A Life in Chiaroscuro. Rock Island, Illinois: Paul-Thomas Ferguson, 2008. Print. 32. [ 9 ]. Ferguson, Paul-Thomas. A Lif e in Chiaroscuro. Rock Island, Illinois: Paul-Thomas Ferguson, 2008. Print. 65. [ 10 ]. Ferguson, Paul-Thomas. A Life in Chiaroscuro. Rock Island, Illinois: Paul-Thomas Ferguson, 2008. Print. 155.

Constitutional Convention essays

Constitutional Convention essays Comparing essays from John Roche and Richard Hofstadter Since the beginnings of the Constitutional Convention, the Founding Fathers of our great country and their motives, during the time of the writing of the constitution, have been questioned and analyzed. This still holds true to this century. Two historians, John P. Roche and Richard Hofstadter, have both published essays giving their interpretations of what happened during that time in our countries history. Although both of thee essays were written within twenty years of each other the historians give two very different views on the events of the Constitutional Convention. Richard Hofstadters The American Political Tradition and The Men Who Made It shows a history of our nation that we do not usually see interpreted. He believes that the Constitution was written by men who were not looking to create a government for the people, they looked to create a good political constitution to control him [the people]. This idea is only further proven by the words of the Founding Fathers themselves. The people of the newly founded United States wanted a democratic government. However, according to Hofstadter: Democratic ideas are most likely to take root among discontented and oppressed classes, rising middle classes, or perhaps some sections of an old alienated and partially disinherited aristocracy, but they do not appeal to a privileged class that is still amplifying it privileges This idea that democracy is only meant for the classes whom do not have much power is one that affected the ideas of the convention greatly. It was due to the fact that of all the men present only half a dozen... were not sons of men who had considerable position and wealth. Even though these wealthy would have considerable power in a non-democratic government they agreed that the people should not be without a voice in the government. Hofstadter ...

William Wordsworth and Robert Browning Essay Example

William Wordsworth and Robert Browning Essay Example William Wordsworth and Robert Browning Paper William Wordsworth and Robert Browning Paper Literature basically has various genres which originate from the rise of different literary geniuses. Poets do not just follow other poet’s method in expressing their thought and their ideas. Poetry is more of a poet’s expression of his feelings towards his observations of the happenings in his environment thus a form of literary expression. It only means that the type of poetry method that a poet applies could tell of the period to which he lived. No account of poetry and its various forms is complete without reference to the relationship of certain poetry to the time to which it is created. The art of poetry definitely reveals the imagination of men living in a society at one time in history. Robert Browning and William Wordsworth lived at almost the same era however their works are quite distinctive from each other. It is not hard to distinguish Browning’s work from that of Wordsworth due to the methods they employed in their poems. It just important to analyze what makes their works identifiable and different from each other. Wordsworth is considered as a romantic poet while Browning is a social-realist. The origin and the components of such basic methods of literature should be explained and tackled well in order to understand the difference and similarities of the two poets. In English literature, the Romantic period is considered to begin with Wordsworth. He offered new definitions and new insights into what originally constituted poetry (21st Century Universal Encyclopedia). In terms of origins and influence, Romanticism was more widespread since no other artistic change has such comparable variety (Brians). It is one of the two major artistic philosophies of the Western culture. This movement began in 1770 and in 18th century, it transformed almost all forms of literature including poetry. It has its origins in the social changes of the 18th century, in a new awareness of nature as it was probed by science in a reaction against industrialization and in intellectual support for radical political ideas. This shows a renewed interest in medievalism (21st Century Universal Encyclopedia) as well as the artist’s role in the changing world. Romanticism calls forth opposing movements. It calls for change and it was even successful in the way it changed history. Though emotions like terror and rage are also seen in the Romantics, the most popular emotion was love. The inspiration for this emotion is the relationship between pair of lovers. Unlike at present in which love is identified with sex, it was treated in a cynical manner by the Romantics (Brians), the reason why though the theme of most arts during that time was about boldly speaking of emotions, it was accepted and recognized. Social realism is a basic method in literature which is defined as a truthful and historically concrete representation of reality showing the revolutionary development (21st Century Universal Encyclopedia) and it aims towards illustrating and explaining the unlikely part of life because it does not exist to amuse but to show the effects of poverty, immorality and war (Free Essays). Its roots lie in the 18th century and it aimed at social transformation (Social Realism) and is rather defined by the message it conveys more than the style. Majority of works at this period were reflection of their hard work, their religion, legacy of the revolution (Grove Dictionary of Art as quoted in Social Realsim). Scholars tend to distinguish Romantic and Victorian poetry but as observed, the Victorian is just a later stage of Romantic which is evident by fact that wild, passionate, and other intense emotions exemplified in the Romantic is continually shown in all forms of Victorian literature and arts (Brians). William Wordsworth sought to put an end the reigning practice of neoclassic poetry (Norton 239 as quoted by Moore). He began the Romantic Movement with his collection of Lyrical Ballads in collaboration with Samuel Taylor Coleridge. He is best-known as poet who reawakened his readers to the beauty of nature. Through his works, he described the emotional fervor and perceptive insights from which naturally beauty aroused (21st Century Universal Encyclopedia). His works are focused on the nature, children, the poor, common people, and used ordinary words to express his personal feelings (William Wordsworth).

Sentence Variety (Portfolio 6) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Sentence Variety (Portfolio 6) - Essay Example e. More quickly than expected, the economy may recover if home values climb. 1. Looking wearily into the cameras of US government photographers, the Dust Bowl farmers represented the harshest effects of the Great Depression. 2. The Trans Alaska Pipeline was completed in 1977 and sine then it has moved more than fifteen billion barrels of oil. 3. Habitually, Mr. Guo dresses in loose clothing and canvas shoes for his wushu workout. 4. Throughout a firefighter training maze, a number of obstacles are strategically placed. 5. Ian McKellen is a British actor who made his debut in 1961. He was knighted in 1991. He played Gandalf in the movie trilogy The Lord of the Rings. S7-2 Requiring patience and precision, making architectural models is a skill and an art that illuminates a design. Architects come up with a grand and intricate vision and draftspersons convert that vision into blueprints. Following the blueprints, the model maker then builds a miniature version of the structure. Working in traditional materials like wood, clay and paint, modelers also use newer materials like Styrofoam and liquid polymers. Modelers also still use cardboard, paper and glue, and some prefer glue guns, deformable plastic, and thin aluminum and brass wire. In the early stages of model building, the modeler may seem to be making a small mess but in the end, has completed a small-scale structure. Architect Rem Koolhaas has insisted that plans reveal the logic of a design, arguing that models expose the architect's vision. Art designed by the model maker makes this vision real. My Favorite Past time Soaking up the sun, laying poolside and lathered up in suntan oil, one of my favorite past times happens every summer. Though I wish I could visit water parks all year long, there is a few set months out of the year for me to partake in the splashing of water, enjoying the warmth of the day's weather. As a young child, I can recall visiting a water park every now and then with my parents or o ftentimes, my friends and their parents. Today, it still takes me back to simpler days of leaving all cares behind me and just enjoying some rest and relaxation. Now that I am older, I get somewhat annoyed by the young screaming children as I hope to just enjoy my peace and warmth. However, I realize that I too was once one of those giddy squealing children, excited by the mist of the water sprinkling umbrellas among other features of the water park. I can recall the long slides and the anxiousness I had when I climbed into the enclosed tube slide, sliding downward awaiting the huge splash on the other end. I remember chasing the other kids while the lifeguards yelled, â€Å"Stop running!† I remember the fearless feeling I had when I first took the climb up those never-ending steps of the ladder to the top of the high dive, knowing I could not back out without looking like a chicken. Back then, it was exciting and a place of a child's bliss. Today, it has a different meaning. Now, when I visit water parks, I hate to be the big 'ol kid that still is anxiously awaiting my turn on the slide. However, I do it anyway. I like the wave pool still because, thought I no longer splash through it shrieking, I can sit on the water's edge and stay cool while working on my tan. I no longer run giddy underneath the sprinkling umbrella, screaming at the top of my lungs but instead laugh at the young ones that will someday look back and cherish memories similar to the ones I do now. I actually want

Lecture summary Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Lecture summary - Essay Example A complete shutdown of such activity is not recommended but there sure is space to carry out such activities in line with conservation of the forests and ecosystems. Luckily, small sized forests that are not considered for major cultivation, hence, are conserved. A way to address this issue is to cultivate coffee on shade-grown farms. There are many added advantages for such cultivation. Firstly, it delivers a long list of forest products. These products include fruits. Medicines and lumber apart from coffee. Shade grown coffee farms not only address social and economic need, but also meet a large list of ecological essentials. Forest covers are maintained with the use of shade grown coffee and it minimizes erosion when compared to other coffee cultivating methods and agricultural systems. The leading examples being pasture for cattle grazing and sun coffee. Agro forestry provides a natural habitat to many birds. It is believed that birds not only reduce pest but also enhances its quality by bringing the damage to a minimum level. The retention of nutrients and the chemistry of the soil also has a great impact of the quality of coffee produced. Around 5- 10% of the retail price of coffee goes to the farmers while the most coffee growing areas are 50 developing nations of the world. The corporate sector sector controls most of the coffee cultivation and around two fifth of the coffee market is controlled by big corporates giants such as Nestle, Sara Lee, Kraft and P & G. Theses corporate giants are also responsible for controlling more than three quarters of the US coffee market. Farmers in areas like Gautemala are paid extremely low for picking coffee berries. On a average $2.50 is paid for picking 100 pounds of coffee berries. Hence, fair trade policies are essential and should be