Author Bio: Benjamin Disraeli was one of the foremost critics of working conditions in Britain. He was an English novelist and politician that served as Prime Minister from 1867 to 1868 and 1874 to 1880. The excerpt below comes from his most famous work, Sybil, which describes the brutal working and living conditions in the factory towns around the country.
Speaker: See above.
Date/Context: This excerpt was written in 1845, right as the Industrial Revolution in Britain was becoming prominent. During the early seventeenth century, the Industrial Revolution began in Britain. Basically, the increase in manufacturing efficiency allowed urban society in the country to flourish. With that came an influx of workers from rural areas that were taken advantage of by the ruthless industry owners. Until reformers like Disraeli came along, the conditions that these poor workers experienced were atrocious and dangerous. Disraeli's work is a major call for reform from this era.
Summary: The excerpt provides a description of a mine in England. Everyone emerges from the mine covered in soot and coal and dressed in harsh clothing meant for men. The language that the author hears is rough. The long days, which range from 12 to 16 hours in length, contradict the Society of Abolition of Negro Slavery's work. Children emerge last from the mine, and it is revealed that they not have the most strenuous work, but work the longest hours within a state of dark solidarity. Basically, the mine workers are enduring a punishment that was meant for criminals.
Key Quotations:
"See, too, these emerge from the bowels of the earth! Infants of four and five years of age, many of them girls, pretty and still soft and timid; entrusted with the fulfillment of responsible duties..."
Wednesday, May 20, 2015
A Vindication of the Rights of Women
Author Bio: Mary Wollstonecraft (1759-1797) was an English writer, philosopher, and women's rights activist. Although her most famous work remains A Vindication of the Rights of Women, written in 1792, she was still prolific in other areas of literature as well, writing novels, treatises, cookbooks, children's books, and even a history of the French Revolution. After giving birth to her first child out of wedlock, Wollstonecraft married philosopher William Goodwin, to whom she birthed a second child, Mary Shelley; Shelley would go on to write one of the most well-known and well-respected novels of the nineteenth century, Frankenstein. Wollstonecraft died ten days after Shelley's birth and was largely forgotten until the emergence of the feminist movement at the turn of the twentieth century. As a woman herself, Wollstonecraft's gender no doubt fueled her positions. Her femininity did not hinder her progress, but rather catalyzed it. She not only crafted a revolutionary viewpoint that viewed females as equal to men but created one to which many women connected. Her husband, Godwin, also likely influenced much of her work, for he was a renowned left-wing philosopher himself who believed in anarchism as the best form of government. For the most part, Wollstonecraft is a reliable narrater, offering solid and coherent evidence for her arguments.
Speaker: See above.
Date/Context: At the turn of the nineteenth century, women did not have many rights in government. Wollstonecraft's piece was published in 1792, some three years after the start of the French Revolution which served as a basis for much of this work. Many other British writers used the French Revolution as a means of creating debates in areas such as representative government to human rights. Many of these British writers actually supported the French Revolution, for it bore many similarities to their own Glorious Revolution in 1688. Most argued that the French Revolution, because it limited the power of the monarchy's power, was a good thing for France. Regardless of this liberalism, however, some were not so keen to societal advances. Charles Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord wrote a pamphlet to the National Assembly of France in which he stated that women were better off accepting their limitations and being educated in "the paternal home." Essentially, he argued against the formal education of women. This pamphlet impelled Wollstonecraft to take action and served as inspiration for A Vindication of the Rights of Women.
Summary: The beginning of Wollstonecraft's piece addresses a "what if question," in which Wollstonecraft ponders all of the good things women could accomplish (be physicians, politicians, etc.) if granted a right to education. She then states that intelligence and education last far longer than beauty, and that even after beauty fades, the work created as a result of a solid education will still remain. She says that if men were to grant women this right to education, they would be more faithful mothers and wives (as well as better citizens). She states that the time to educate is now and that "truth must be the same" for both men and women. She says that education will vindicate women from the shackles of servitude and grant them "authority of reason." The conclusion of her argument states that until equality is created, morality will never truly be present. She alleges that if one half of mankind (women) if still chained to a lack of education, then society will never reach its full potential.
Key Quotations: "Would men but generously snap our chains, and be content with rational fellowship instead of slavish obedience, they would find us more observant daughters, more affectionate sisters, more faithful wives, more reasonable mothers--in a word, better citizens."
"There must be more equality established in society, or morality will never gain ground, and this virtuous equality will not rest firmly even when founded on a rock, if one half of mankind be chained to its bottom by fate, for they will be continually undermining it through ignorance or pride."
Speaker: See above.
Date/Context: At the turn of the nineteenth century, women did not have many rights in government. Wollstonecraft's piece was published in 1792, some three years after the start of the French Revolution which served as a basis for much of this work. Many other British writers used the French Revolution as a means of creating debates in areas such as representative government to human rights. Many of these British writers actually supported the French Revolution, for it bore many similarities to their own Glorious Revolution in 1688. Most argued that the French Revolution, because it limited the power of the monarchy's power, was a good thing for France. Regardless of this liberalism, however, some were not so keen to societal advances. Charles Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord wrote a pamphlet to the National Assembly of France in which he stated that women were better off accepting their limitations and being educated in "the paternal home." Essentially, he argued against the formal education of women. This pamphlet impelled Wollstonecraft to take action and served as inspiration for A Vindication of the Rights of Women.
Summary: The beginning of Wollstonecraft's piece addresses a "what if question," in which Wollstonecraft ponders all of the good things women could accomplish (be physicians, politicians, etc.) if granted a right to education. She then states that intelligence and education last far longer than beauty, and that even after beauty fades, the work created as a result of a solid education will still remain. She says that if men were to grant women this right to education, they would be more faithful mothers and wives (as well as better citizens). She states that the time to educate is now and that "truth must be the same" for both men and women. She says that education will vindicate women from the shackles of servitude and grant them "authority of reason." The conclusion of her argument states that until equality is created, morality will never truly be present. She alleges that if one half of mankind (women) if still chained to a lack of education, then society will never reach its full potential.
Key Quotations: "Would men but generously snap our chains, and be content with rational fellowship instead of slavish obedience, they would find us more observant daughters, more affectionate sisters, more faithful wives, more reasonable mothers--in a word, better citizens."
"There must be more equality established in society, or morality will never gain ground, and this virtuous equality will not rest firmly even when founded on a rock, if one half of mankind be chained to its bottom by fate, for they will be continually undermining it through ignorance or pride."
"The Indictment of Louis XVI"
Author Bio: This excerpt was drafted by Jean-Baptiste Robert Lindet, but was meant to be an extension of the opinions of the French people at the time. The charges brought against Louis XVI were not just support by Lindet, in fact, the entire Convention consulted on the charges. Basically, the author of this indictment would be the National Convention. The National Convention would go on to rule France from 1792 to 1795 after the execution of Louis XVI.
Speaker: The people of France are the speakers, however, the charges would be read by the Convention's secretary who is not specified in the excerpt.
Date/Context: The indictment was written in 1792, at one of the most climactic points in the French Revolution. Thus far the revolution had already broken out in 1789 and riots had occurred in Paris over food shortages. On a larger scale, this marks the end of the Age of Absolutism in France, in which the Bourbon family had held power for centuries.
Summary: The people of France accused Louis XVI of committing the following crimes to destroy liberty. The list of charges was as follows: attacking the sovereignty of France by suspending the assembly with violence, using troops to surround the republic while taking away the liberties of individuals, marching an army against Paris that only left after a clear loss, fleeing France while ordering the ministers and state officials not to sign any documents, falsely accepting and subsequently undermining the new constitution, allowing your brothers and allies to rally and only denying them after you knew that they could not harm you, attempting to bribe member of the General Assembly and Constituent, allowing France to become a disgrace, hiring the Swiss guard which fired on the French population first, and causing the flow of French blood.
Key Quotes:
"You caused the blood of Frenchmen to flow."
"Louis, the French people accuses you of having committed a multitude of crimes in order to establish your tyranny by destroying its liberty."
Speaker: The people of France are the speakers, however, the charges would be read by the Convention's secretary who is not specified in the excerpt.
Date/Context: The indictment was written in 1792, at one of the most climactic points in the French Revolution. Thus far the revolution had already broken out in 1789 and riots had occurred in Paris over food shortages. On a larger scale, this marks the end of the Age of Absolutism in France, in which the Bourbon family had held power for centuries.
Summary: The people of France accused Louis XVI of committing the following crimes to destroy liberty. The list of charges was as follows: attacking the sovereignty of France by suspending the assembly with violence, using troops to surround the republic while taking away the liberties of individuals, marching an army against Paris that only left after a clear loss, fleeing France while ordering the ministers and state officials not to sign any documents, falsely accepting and subsequently undermining the new constitution, allowing your brothers and allies to rally and only denying them after you knew that they could not harm you, attempting to bribe member of the General Assembly and Constituent, allowing France to become a disgrace, hiring the Swiss guard which fired on the French population first, and causing the flow of French blood.
Key Quotes:
"You caused the blood of Frenchmen to flow."
"Louis, the French people accuses you of having committed a multitude of crimes in order to establish your tyranny by destroying its liberty."
Tuesday, May 19, 2015
"I Think, Therefore I Am"
Author Bio: Rene Descartes (1596-1650) was born in western France, but spent the last twenty years of his life in Holland. He studied law at a Jesuit school in Poitiers. After joining the German Wars, he had a vision for progress whilst being billeted in a German village. His vision was that of the success of all fields of knowledge using the mathematical method. His method of choice was deduction, in which smaller, more specific information could be drawn from a large generalization.
Speaker: See above.
Date/Context: This excerpt was written in 1637, during the period known as the Scientific Revolution. Basically, after Copernicus wrote his book explaining the heliocentric theory, interest in knowledge and science, which had been present prior to his work, exploded with discoveries. Many of the ideas and concepts are still relevant to. Sir Francis Bacon, in contrast to Descartes, brought forward a method of inductive reasoning while also establishing the Scientific Method still in use today. While there are numerous other examples of individual achievement, it is important to note that this movement was a catalyst in itself. As discoveries occurred, they spurred different branches of scientific inquiry and allowed the field of science and mathematics to grow immensely.
Summary: To begin this excerpt, Descartes states that a state is better government with a few strictly enforced laws than a multitude of relaxed laws. He then names the four precepts of logic that he followed in order to come up with his ideas. The first precept was that he did not accept anything as true if there was the slightest doubt that it might be false. This meant that he rejected most the assumptions that he previously held about the universe. Second, he states that it is pertinent to examine as many parts of a whole as possible in order to see the most detail. The third precept was that he would examine these parts in order of increasing complexity. For example, the most simple concept would be first and the most intricate would be last. Finally, he states that he will omit nothing from his quest for truths, for that would cause inaccuracies in his logic. Next, he states that he is devoted to the research of truth and has rejected everything that he has known to previously be true. Thus, he is only left with the simple truth, "I think, therefore I am." He then delves into the power behind this statement and how a perfect being, not himself, but God, allowed him think this. He finishes his excerpt with the forewarning that reason should prevail above all, for imagination can cause the acceptance of fake or unjust truths in the mind.
Important Quotes:
"I think, therefore I am"
Speaker: See above.
Date/Context: This excerpt was written in 1637, during the period known as the Scientific Revolution. Basically, after Copernicus wrote his book explaining the heliocentric theory, interest in knowledge and science, which had been present prior to his work, exploded with discoveries. Many of the ideas and concepts are still relevant to. Sir Francis Bacon, in contrast to Descartes, brought forward a method of inductive reasoning while also establishing the Scientific Method still in use today. While there are numerous other examples of individual achievement, it is important to note that this movement was a catalyst in itself. As discoveries occurred, they spurred different branches of scientific inquiry and allowed the field of science and mathematics to grow immensely.
Summary: To begin this excerpt, Descartes states that a state is better government with a few strictly enforced laws than a multitude of relaxed laws. He then names the four precepts of logic that he followed in order to come up with his ideas. The first precept was that he did not accept anything as true if there was the slightest doubt that it might be false. This meant that he rejected most the assumptions that he previously held about the universe. Second, he states that it is pertinent to examine as many parts of a whole as possible in order to see the most detail. The third precept was that he would examine these parts in order of increasing complexity. For example, the most simple concept would be first and the most intricate would be last. Finally, he states that he will omit nothing from his quest for truths, for that would cause inaccuracies in his logic. Next, he states that he is devoted to the research of truth and has rejected everything that he has known to previously be true. Thus, he is only left with the simple truth, "I think, therefore I am." He then delves into the power behind this statement and how a perfect being, not himself, but God, allowed him think this. He finishes his excerpt with the forewarning that reason should prevail above all, for imagination can cause the acceptance of fake or unjust truths in the mind.
Important Quotes:
"I think, therefore I am"
Monday, May 11, 2015
"I Have Made a Beginning of the Work"
Speaker: Sir Francis Bacon was born in 1561 and died in 1626. He was an English scientist consider the father of empiricism. During his life, he attended the University of Cambridge for law and science, worked as a lawyer, was knighted, and honored as a chancellor. He is most famous for the Baconian method, known today as the scientific method. His re-evaluation of scientific philosophy rejected Aristotle's ideas from Ancient Greece. He died of pneumonia without any heirs.
Author Bio: See Above.
Date/Context: This work was written in 1620. This places it in the midst of the Scientific Revolution occurring during the Early Modern Period. Basically, an emphasis was placed on education as many people strove to make advancements in science, math, and other areas. Bacon's work greatly influenced the period, as the scientific method that he devised is still used today. The start of the Scientific Revolution is generally believed to be with the publication of Copernicus's On the Revolutions of Heavenly Spheres in 1543. This revolution takes part in a greater movement known as the Enlightenment, which was a social movement of the time. This movement placed an emphasis on reason, analysis, and individualism over conventional power in Western Europe.
Summary: Bacon's excerpt states that he focuses purely on the facts of nature, in which he has developed a relationship between empirical and rational thoughts since the division between the two caused confusion. He has looked at both empirical and rational studies to correct their errors and learn from them. And, the states that he learns more from experiments than instruments alone. Experiments are more important for inquiry because they answer questions and create judgments using data without opinions. People that choose to look for reason and information must search for facts in the natural world. To conclude, Bacon states that he has created a foundation for science to build upon using his methods.
Important Quotations:
"And so those twin objects, human knowledge and human power, do really meet in one; and it is from ignorance of causes that operation fails."
Author Bio: See Above.
Date/Context: This work was written in 1620. This places it in the midst of the Scientific Revolution occurring during the Early Modern Period. Basically, an emphasis was placed on education as many people strove to make advancements in science, math, and other areas. Bacon's work greatly influenced the period, as the scientific method that he devised is still used today. The start of the Scientific Revolution is generally believed to be with the publication of Copernicus's On the Revolutions of Heavenly Spheres in 1543. This revolution takes part in a greater movement known as the Enlightenment, which was a social movement of the time. This movement placed an emphasis on reason, analysis, and individualism over conventional power in Western Europe.
Summary: Bacon's excerpt states that he focuses purely on the facts of nature, in which he has developed a relationship between empirical and rational thoughts since the division between the two caused confusion. He has looked at both empirical and rational studies to correct their errors and learn from them. And, the states that he learns more from experiments than instruments alone. Experiments are more important for inquiry because they answer questions and create judgments using data without opinions. People that choose to look for reason and information must search for facts in the natural world. To conclude, Bacon states that he has created a foundation for science to build upon using his methods.
Important Quotations:
"And so those twin objects, human knowledge and human power, do really meet in one; and it is from ignorance of causes that operation fails."
Sunday, May 10, 2015
Abdication of Charles V
Authors Bio- Charles the V was the Holy roman emperor and king of Spain (1519 -1556). He was a catholic Christian and the King controlled by Pope. He volunteer to retire in favor of his son Phillip II and brother Ferdinand who later became the holy roman empire. He died after two years of his abdication in 1558. Though always at war, Charles was a lover of peace. "Not greedy of territory," wrote Marcantonio Contarini in 1536, "but most greedy of peace and quiet."[8] Charles abdicated in 1556. The Habsburg Monarchy passed to Charles's younger brother Ferdinand, whereas the Spanish Empire was inherited by his son Philip II. The two empires would remain allies until the 18th century. Charles was only 56 when he abdicated, but after 34 years of energetic rule he was physically exhausted and sought the peace of a monastery where he died aged 58.
Speaker- See above
Date and Context- The speech was given in 1556 when Charles was 56 years old and tired from the protest an reformation.
Summary- The speech is what we called a retirement speech from a holy roman emperor. Being tired and incapable of holding his empire Charles decided to announce his voluntary abdication announcing his brother as the new holy roman emperor and his son Phillip the king of the Spain. In my view the decision of taking retirement is a very diplomat and a wise decision made by Charles which can be determined by his speech. He present himself to people as the follower of God and a Catholic believing the Ideas of church and stating the importance of the follower of the church. The disappointment of protestant reformation could easily determined by the tone of his speech and as he disagree the Martin Luther idea it is confirmed. He describes his struggles and the political consequences that he have to suffered in his time presenting himself as a good leader and as he thanks to people he announces the new holy roman emperor is his brother and the king of Spain will be his son who will serve people as he does.
Key Quotation-" I am determined to retire to spain, to yield my son Phillip the possession of all my states and to my brother the king of all the romans and empire".
Speaker- See above
Date and Context- The speech was given in 1556 when Charles was 56 years old and tired from the protest an reformation.
Summary- The speech is what we called a retirement speech from a holy roman emperor. Being tired and incapable of holding his empire Charles decided to announce his voluntary abdication announcing his brother as the new holy roman emperor and his son Phillip the king of the Spain. In my view the decision of taking retirement is a very diplomat and a wise decision made by Charles which can be determined by his speech. He present himself to people as the follower of God and a Catholic believing the Ideas of church and stating the importance of the follower of the church. The disappointment of protestant reformation could easily determined by the tone of his speech and as he disagree the Martin Luther idea it is confirmed. He describes his struggles and the political consequences that he have to suffered in his time presenting himself as a good leader and as he thanks to people he announces the new holy roman emperor is his brother and the king of Spain will be his son who will serve people as he does.
Key Quotation-" I am determined to retire to spain, to yield my son Phillip the possession of all my states and to my brother the king of all the romans and empire".
Economic Regulation: “The Maxim of All Polite Nations” Sir William Keith (I,510)
Author Bio: Sir William Keith was born in 1699 in Scotland and died in 1749. He served as the lieutenant governor of the colonies of Pennsylvania and Delaware from 1717-1726. He is said to have encouraged a young Benjamin Franklin to create the printing press in Philadelphia, and after William Penn died, he argued with his widow on how run the colony.
Date/Context: Economic Regulation was written in 1740, although there is no pre-reading paragraph to give me further information.
Summary: Keith begins the document by saying that America should do what is in the best interest of the “Mother State” (Great Britain). Without the Mother State, America would not exist. Because the document is titled “Economic Regulation”, I assume that Keith meant financial responsibilities America owed to Great Britain. He says “...we will proceed to consider some of the obvious regulations on the American trade, for rendering the colonies truly serviceable to Great Britain.” He gives four steps on how best to achieve this. The first step is that all American goods have to pass through Britain’s trade routes first so that they get “first dibs”. The second step states that all wool and linen should be bought from Britain only. The third step says that all American exports must be overlooked by Britain before taking them anywhere else. The fourth step states that are not allowed inter-colony trade.
Key Quotation: “Supposing these things to be done, it will evidently follow that the more extensive the trade of the colonies is, the greater will be the advantages accruing to Great Britain therefrom;...” (page 511)
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