What's in a Name?

The Age of Discovery or The Age of Exploitation?

Due Wednesday, October 4, 2017

Many historians feel that the years from 1492 to 1700 traditionally called the Age of Exploration and Discovery should be renamed the Age of Exploitation and Imperialism. In this blog, you will join the argument that scholars have been debating over the past three or more decades and present your opinion on this issue.

Some historians maintain that it was the “desire” to venture forth across the Atlantic Ocean and ascertain what laid beyond the horizon that brought about the Age of European dominance. Meanwhile, other historians maintain that is was the blatant manipulation and extension of European control in the new lands that allowed Europeans to gain world-wide dominance.

In your initial post, you are required to present evidence which demonstrates whether the era should be called the Age of Exploration & Discovery or Exploitation & Imperialism. No you can not claim it is both! You must make a choice on one or the other!

Do not repeat or use an event or person that has already been used by another student unless you are making a contrary argument!

Columbus Letter to the King and Queen of Spain 1494

 Lecture 2: The Age of Discovery

The Age of Exploration: 1492-1650

First European Exploration and Exploitation

Columbus, The Indians and Human Progress

Two Documents from the Reign of Philip II

A Short Account of the Destruction of the Indies (1542)

Please feel free to use other sources but remember that Wiki’s are never an acceptable source!

Napoleon: Patriot, Revolutionary or Dictator

 Due Monday, March 3, 2014

Napoleon Bonaparte was many things to many people during his lifetime. To many Frenchman then and now he was a true patriot to the cause of French nationalism. Still others considered him an heir to the revolutionary spirit and zeal of the French Revolution. Finally there are those (particularly his enemies!) who consider him nothing more than a petty tyrant who left a path of destruction and death across the landscape of France and Europe.

So what was Napoleon; patriot, revolutionary or dictator? For this blog, each student must make an historically based judgement of Napoleon Bonaparte and his legacy upon France and Europe. You must post a choice for one of the three (patriot, revolutionary or dictator) and then defend your selection. Remember no defense is ever complete without the use of supporting facts! The following links may help you in your quest in answering one of the questions that historians to this day still debate!

Napoleon as Military Commander
http://www.napoleon-series.org/research/napoleon/c_genius.html

Napoleon Bonaparte: French revolutionary or military dictator?
http://www.helium.com/items/311645-napoleon-bonaparte-french-revolutionary-or-military-dictator

Napoleon and the French Revolution
http://www.napoleonbonaparte.nl/html/body_nap_and_revolution.html

Napoleon as Spin-Doctor and Mythmaker
http://www.napoleon-series.org/research/napoleon/c_spindoctor.html

The Legend of Napoleon
http://www.napoleon-series.org/reviews/general/c_hazareesingh.html

The Revolution, Napoleon and Education
http://www.napoleon-series.org/research/society/c_education.html

The Civil Code
http://www.napoleon-series.org/research/government/c_code.html

The Concordat of 1801: Napoleon Bonaparte Makes a Deal With Pope Pius VII
http://www.napoleon-series.org/research/government/c_code.html

Documents of the Continental System
http://www.napoleon-series.org/research/government/diplomatic/c_continental.html

Treasures of Napoleon
http://www.napoleonexhibit.com/

The Enlightenment and the Creation of the United States

Due December 1,  2017

Each member of the founding generation looked at the American society around them in the terminology and philosophy developed during the Age of Reason. The “founding fathers” of the United States of America were all students of the philosophes and purposely set about developing the fledgling nation based upon these ideas.

In this post, you must demonstrate how at least one idea or philosophe helped influence the creation of the newly formed American nation. Remember not to repeat the elements of a fellow blogger's post; unless you bring a new or unique perspective to the information. Also, remember to use illustrative historical details to strengthen and develop your post.

Links that may be of assistance include:

Voltaire
    http://www.positiveatheism.org/hist/darrow5.htm
  
     http://www.kirjasto.sci.fi/voltaire.htm

Rousseau
    http://www.lucidcafe.com/library/96jun/rousseau.html

    http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/Rousseau-soccon.html

Montesquieu
    http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/montesquieu-spirit.html

    http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/montesquieu/

Locke
   
    http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/locke/

    http://www.utm.edu/research/iep/l/locke.htm

Hobbes
    http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/hobbes-moral/

    http://www.iep.utm.edu/hobmoral/

Adam Smith
    http://www.lucidcafe.com/library/96jun/smith.html

    http://www.econlib.org/library/Enc/bios/Smith.html

Renaissance: Beginning of the Modern Era?

  
Due Thursday, September 15, 2017

Most historians consider the Renaissance to be the beginning of the Modern Era in human history. They argue that the Renaissance brought about a rebirth in the dissemination and depth of human knowledge. In this week’s blog you must either support or refute this belief by giving historical evidence to present to your fellow bloggers. Each blogger is responsible for developing and supporting a new example (no repeats) in answering the prompt.

The following links may be of assistance but feel free to do further research.

Lecture 4

The Renaissance

Medici: Godfathers of the Renaissance
    
History of the Renaissance

The Renaissance: The "Rebirth" of Science and Culture
     
The Renaissance Period
   

Most of these links have further links, so please take full advantage of these resources.

 

The Reign of Terror

The Reign of Terror: A Perversion of the Revolutionary Ideal or 

A Continuation of the Revolutionary Zeal?

Due December 18, 2017

With foreign armies  from Austria, Prussia and England threatening the borders of France (and Paris) and with civil war erupting in the Vendee, the Great Committee of Public Safety needed to take drastic and immediate action. The question is were the twelve men on the infamous committee continuing the work of the French Revolution or were they drifting of into an oligarchy or dictatorship?

In this week’s blog, you must defend or reject the goal(s) of the Great Committee of Public Safety as either a continuation of the philosophy of the French Revolution or just a blatant attempt at consolidating power in the committee.

The following links may prove to be beneficial in your post:

Justification for the Use of Terror
http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/robespierre-terror.html

For the Defense of the Committee of Public Safety
http://marxists.anu.edu.au/history//france/revolution/robespierre/1793/defense-committee.htm

The History Guide
http://www.historyguide.org/intellect/lecture13a.html

Historywiz: The Reign of Terror
http://www.historywiz.com/terror.htm

Maximilien Robespierre
http://www.age-of-the-sage.org/historical/biography/maximilien_robespierre.html

Robespierre
http://www.nndb.com/people/832/000092556/

Robespeirre speech on the Festival of the Supreme Being
http://www.historyplace.com/speeches/robespierre.htm

Twelve Who Ruled by R.R. Palmer in the French Revolution iBook (thumbnail biographies of the twelve members of the Great Committee of Public Safety)

As always, remember to utilize different information than your fellow bloggers in your initial post.