...The 15th and 16th century global cultures impacted the development of humanity in three ways. Exploration, religion, and politics which were major aspects of the culture during the 15th and 16th centuries. Through exploration, the Europeans began taking many more slaves and bringing them back to North America. Martin Luther’s 95 Theses paved the way for secularism during the renaissance. In terms of politics, governments were shifting towards more progressive systems which eventually led to civilians being represented in choices made by their government. This emboldened the citizen to accomplish higher achievements. The Age of Exploration began in the end of the 15th century and ended in the 18th century. The Age of Exploration brought together...
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...Kelly Tharp English 190 21st March, 2011 Downfall of Monarchy in Nepal Once declared “The most peaceful country in the world”- Nepal, is now facing the extreme political crisis ever in its history. It dates back to the Maoist’s insurgency from 1996 to the Royal Massacre and ultimate downfall of monarchy from the country. Maoist, in the name of maintaining equality among the poor and the rich, started a digression of no reason, which resulted in the war among the Royal Nepal Army and the Maoist Army. Then after, it feels like somebody put an evil eye on our peace. When one thinks of the cause of this major disappointment, everybody laments on the day, June 1, 2001. June 1, 2001 goes down to be the saddest day in the history of Nepalese politics. It was the day when the most loved, most respected personality in Nepal of all time, King Birendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev, was gunned down along with his family members. This day is the day that every Nepali remembers and weeps considering the political crisis that has been occurring in the past few years. During these 10 years after the massacre, there were some moments of hope of everlasting peace in Nepal. However, most of the times, Nepalese are being overshadowed by the danger of losing their identity in the world. The entire major crisis in Nepal began with the “Royal Massacre”. Moreover this is supposed to be the first and major step in the downfall of monarchy in Nepal. It was June 1, 2001 at 9:15 p.m., when this horrific...
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...Voltaire is the pseudonym taken by François-Marie Arouet as a writer and poet in France. The circumstances around Voltaire’s 1694 birth still remain a bit cloudy. While record shows Voltaire and his older brother Armand being raised in the middle-class house of a notary and minor bureaucrat named François Arouet, Voltaire insists throughout his life that his real father was the officer and songwriter Rochebrune. Voltaire’s mother died when he was seven, regardless of who you asked. He gained his education from the Jesuits. Here, his passion for the literary began. Soon he grew to question the philosophy of his teachers, causing the skepticism he is so well known for in his writing to flourish. He soon joined several liberal and radical thinking groups of the time, but these actions soon lead to his banishment from Paris. He began writing elsewhere and, after the success of his first play, Oedipe, he adopted the pseudonym, Voltaire. Soon Voltaire’s writings would grasp the intrigue of even the royals and he would become a court poet to Queen Maria Leszczynska. Being as liberal as he was, Voltaire was constantly embracing the new philosophy and religious thinking that was brought about by Enlightenment thinking. After a bit of time in the Queen’s company, Voltaire found himself exiled to London after getting into a quarrel with a man of nobility over a woman. Depressed by his new surroundings at first, Voltaire would soon come to very much appreciate the English culture. He went...
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...Vítor Moura Introduction The French Revolution marks a turning point in world history and it is often said that it changed politics forever. Therefore, it is no surprise that its importance also reached the main literary movement of that time. Although not all of the poets were directly influenced by the Revolution, some of them were affected indirectly by the mood that ran across Europe. In this essay I will show that connection, influence and involvement between those writers and the revolutions; the one that happened in France and the one that could have happened in England. First Generation Romantic Poets First of all, it is essential to understand what the French Revolution was and why it happened. Without going into the details, we can say that it started in 1989 in an attempt to overthrow the monarchy in France and replace it with a republic. After a period of three years of tension and indecision, a republic was proclaimed in 1892 and in the following year King Louis XVI was decapitated. This was followed by the dictatorship of Robespierre and the Jacobins, the Directorate, and culminating in Napoleon Bonaparte’s dictatorship. The Revolution shook Europe all over defying order and everything old; it gave birth to new ideas that inspired European society, from music to philosophy and literature. Meanwhile, on the other side of the English Channel, the empire was being governed by a Monarchy controlled by the House of Lords in a system installed by the Glorious...
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...eventually switched his career from being a stay-maker like his father to that of a customs official. In 1768, he was assigned to Sussex where he lived for the next six years. Throughout his traveling years from place to another, Paine made sure he educated himself. He bought books and scientific equipment from his scanty earnings and attended lectures. In 1770’s he found his first case and he indulged himself in this cause with a passion. Excise officers throughout Britain were appealing for better salaries and so Paine joined...
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...Joey Abualrob American Revolution Persuasive Essay The American Revolutionary War forever changed the idea of a government “of the people, by the people, and for the people” and took the first steps in bringing an end to the world’s last great true empire. The reasons the Americans decided to break free from Great Britain are numerous, but the British Empire’s sense of superiority was the most important reason. Also important was the failure of the British Parliament to address the needs and growing discontent of Americans weary of “taxation without representation.” Colonists also began to oppose rule from Britain because of ideas developing in new intellectual schools of thought like the Enlightenment. King George III’s arrogance was well founded in the 1760s, but it led to poor decision making. Early in his reign, the British had resoundingly defeated France in the Seven Years’ War to become the dominant power both in North America and on the Asian subcontinent. This dominance clearly created a false sense of security and as the British Empire continued to grow, its central authority, or ability to control its ever-expanding colonies, weakened significantly. Great Britain’s failure to recognize its weaknesses and its foolish decision to respond to every colonial expression of discontent with a tightening of the noose effectively sealed it into an everescalatingspiral of conflict. The conflict could have been avoided and King George III could have...
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...1789 and ended in the late 1790’s with the ascension of Napoleon Bonaparte. This period in European history is one of the most bold and iconic periods in the west and through it came many things of significant historic value. During this period, French citizens radically changed and redesigned their country’s political landscape, a system of century old institutions such as absolute monarchy and the feudal system. This revolution first grabbed the attention of the world due to what it promised as its outcome, human rights and broad-based political participation. Its most famous slogan pledged “Liberty, Equality, and Fraternity” for all. (595) Like in the American Revolution, the French Revolution was brought on by the ideas of enlightenment, in specific, the ideas of popular sovereignty and inalienable rights. The movement played a pivotal role in shaping modern nations. Although it failed to achieve all of its goals and at times degenerated into violent bloodbaths, the French Revolution did however show the world something, the power inherent in the will of the people. The beginnings of the French Revolution can be looked at as starting shortly after the American Revolution due to the French’s involvement. The French’s involvement in the American Revolution was a costly one, and piled along with the frivolous spending of King Louis XVI, the country was on the verge of bankruptcy. While food was running low, disease and bread prices were continuing to rise with no...
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... I) Since the beginning of mankind the world has been under various ruling powers with only one goal in mind. A) This led to the rise of monarchies with their kings and queens, the socialists with their presidents, and the communists with their tsarist rulers. B) In 1985, Mikhail Gorbachev brought upon the world the idea of Glasnost', which led to the changing of the largest ruling power in the world to a new power benefiting everyone. II) The Former Union of Soviet Socialist Republics before Glasnost'. C) Different styles of Soviet government from the early 1900s up to 1985. 1) Leninism to Stalinism to Khrushchev to Brezhnev. D) Coups and the Great Purge III) What lead to Glasnost' and what it is. E) In 1986, Gorbachev dismayed at the slow process of reform being conducted in the country proposed to the citizens of the USSR and the entire world a two new ideas to help bring reform to the country in a much more radical direction. F) Gorbachev called for a glasnost’ (openness or candor) in the media and culture. IV) Changes within Russia and Foreign changes. G) Banned works and speaking out are no longer dangerous crimes against the state. 2) Criticizing the government led to the formation of a large number of independent nationalistic movements in the USSR. 3) Scholars and scientists are allowed to share their findings with others. H) Multiple treaties signed to end decades of heated...
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...INTRODUCTION All through the ages human societies have been plagued with tyranny and the abuse of power. Perhaps since the dawn of civilization and government, because long before democracy existed there were only absolute monarchies. People worked together to form the soundest methods of government. Eventually it would lead us to democracy. This cooperation is in our nature and a key factor that separates us from animals that rely solely on primal instinct. It is also human nature to yearn for absolute power and control. Suffice to say we are all greedy, prideful and envious of those above us in the social hierarchy (i.e. kings, presidents, and bosses). But once a member of the populace is exposed to this power over his fellow man, his senses and values have the potential to mutate and become tyrannical. Both male and females of any ethnic or cultural backgrounds are vulnerable to this anomaly and once affected are capable of inciting atrocities. Muammar Ghadafi was born into squalor to illiterate parents in a country dominated by European powers. He died in his palace at the hands of his own people. He gained and lost power during revolutions. The following documents Muammar Ghadafi’s decent into control, madness and the metaphorical abyss. EARLY LIFE Muammar al-Qaddafi was born in 1942 in the town of Surt , in western Libya . Raised in a Bedouin tent in the Libyan desert, he came from a tribal family called the al-Qadhafah. Both parents were nomadic Bedouin, and being...
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...It is commonly said that the only constant thing in life is change. In today’s world change is inevitable, even revered as the process for prosperity calls for it. There would not be a new and improved phone or car every few months without a high expectation for change. But it was not until the nineteenth century that this was so. The nineteenth century was the turning point for the world’s economies as, “the world was experiencing not only a dramatic change in industry [...] but also a transition to industry from agriculture.” This move from agriculture to industry showed how nations needed to modernize in order for the population to thrive. Just like today, during the eighteenth century, populations differed from one side of the earth to...
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...1/19/2015 Westminster system - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Westminster system From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia The Westminster system is a democratic parliamentary system of government modelled after the politics of the United Kingdom. This term comes from the Palace of Westminster, the seat of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. The system is a series of procedures for operating a legislature. It is used, or was once used, in the national legislatures and subnational legislatures of most Commonwealth and ex-Commonwealth nations upon being granted responsible government, beginning with the first of the Canadian provinces in 1848 and the six Australian colonies between 1855 and 1890. However some former colonies (e.g. Nigeria) have adopted the presidential system as their form of government. The Houses of Parliament are situated within the Palace of Westminster, in London. Contents 1 Characteristics 2 Operation 3 Role of the head of state 4 Cabinet government 5 Bicameral and unicameral parliaments 6 Criticisms 7 Ceremonies 8 Current countries 9 Former countries 10 See also 11 Notes 12 Bibliography 13 External links Characteristics A Westminster system of government may include some of the following features: a sovereign or head of state who functions as the nominal or legal and constitutional holder of executive power, and holds numerous reserve powers, but whose daily duties mainly consist of performing ceremonial functions...
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...Atlantic Revolutions, 1600-1825 The revolutions of the eighteenth century have their origins in political and cultural developments of the seventeenth century. Of course, they were also products of all of major developments the European conquest of the Americas, the rise of kingdom states and empires, the tremendous wealth that resulted from the expansion of global trade, and the development of colonial cultures and societies in the Americas. Scholars call these cultures and societies creole societies, because they blended elements of European, native American, and African culture and society. Developments in England, 1641-1688 But revolutions are also inspired by ideas, and ideas that we may take for granted today had much of their start in England. Political conflict in Great Britain was a common theme of the seventeenth century. In 1641, a civil war led to the execution of the king (Charles I), and the establishment of a republic, what was known as the Commonwealth. Politics and religion both played a part in the Civil War, with the English nobility and wealthy commoners (whose interests were represented in Parliament, England’s legislature) wanting a greater say in how royal revenues were raised and spent. This republic quickly became a military dictatorship, and the old king’s son (Charles II) was invited back. But when Charles II died, the next king soon ran into trouble with Parliament, who feared that this king, James II, wanted too much power for himself. So in...
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...To what extent was the impact of the First World War responsible for the downfall of Tsarism in March 1917? In March 1917, Nicholas II abdicated and brought Tsarist’s three hundred year reign to an end. The issue of the Tsar’s downfall divides historians with two different viewpoints. The first perspective is that Russia was making progress, however it was solely undermined by the First World War in which the war caused massive losses, poor leadership and unloyality of the troops. The alternative view is that long term social, economic and political factors already existed because of the challenges of modernising the country. Together these problems contributed to the Tsar’s inability to maintain monarchy and support of civilians and led to the downfall of Tsarism. The first reason for the First World War being responsible for the downfall of Tsarism is that Russia suffered massive defeats very early on. The Tsar believed they could win the war against Germany really easily. However, they did not realise how powerful the German army was. In the Battle of Tattenburg tens of thousands were dead or wounded and within a week at the Battle of Masurian Lakes the Russian army lost another 100,000 soldiers. Morale decreased visibly, worsened not only by the shortages or bad transport system but by bad news from the front. Despite the occasional victories, Russia emerged in the war as ill-equipped, with the soldiers under-fed. The morale was so low that there were Russian soldiers...
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...RISE OF THE NATION STATE State, Nation, and Nation-state The present-day layout of the world’s political map is a product of humanities endless politico-geographic accommodations and adjustments. A mosaic of more than 200 states and territories separated by boundaries makes the world looks like a jigsaw puzzle. Human territoriality refers to a country’s (or more local community’s) sense of property and attachment toward its territory, expressed by its determination to keep it inviolable and defended. A state is a politically organized territory, administered by a government, and recognized by the international community. A state must also contain a permanent population, an organized economy, and a functioning internal circulation system (infrastructure). Since certain countries have internal divisions, the solution is to capitalize “State” (e.g. State of Florida, State of Uttar Pradesh India)). When used for the formally independent political units, the term country and state are interchangeable. A nation, by contrast, is a tightly knit group of people possessing bonds of language, religion, ethnicity, and/or other shared cultural attributes. Theoretically, a nation-state is a recognized country possessing formal sovereignty and occupied by a people who see themselves as a single, united nation. In only a handful of countries do state territories largely coincide with the distribution of people who feel they are part of one nation. Iceland, Portugal, Denmark, and Poland are...
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...The Bible Unearthed The departure is the subject of ''The Bible Unearthed,'' a fascinating book written by two Jewish archaeologists, Israel Finkelstein and Neil Asher Silberman. With an irenic spirit they join the debate, at times ugly and vicious, about the historicity of the Bible (by which they mean the Hebrew Scriptures, also known as the Old Testament). To this battle they bring an arsenal of scholarly research, field experience and well-chosen words artfully used. They also claim a ''new'' archaeological perspective, but it may be somewhat less than new. Parts of the proposal have been available for decades. Yet their particular thesis, as well as the impressive development of it, can only lead the reader to think anew. Near the end of the seventh century B.C. a young prince named Josiah, descendant of King David, acceded to the throne of Judah after his father's assassination. Described in the Bible as the most righteous of all the kings, he in time renovated the Temple in Jerusalem. The renovations turned up a scroll (perhaps the world's first archaeological discovery) that began a religious reformation. Called ''the book of the law'' in II Kings, it was probably an early version of Deuteronomy. How it came to be, and to be in the Temple, remains a disputed topic, though Finkelstein and Silberman believe it was written in the seventh century B.C. Obeying the commandments of the scroll, Josiah ordered a thorough purification of the cult of the Hebrew god YHWH (Yahweh)...
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