Thursday, February 27, 2014

The Russian Revolution

Respond with a substantive comment on the following question. Then, before class begins tomorrow (2:15 pm), respond to at LEAST two (2) of your peers. The more you engage, the more credit you will receive for the assignment.

What were the substantive changes to the Russian government which Lenin made? What were the root causes of Lenin's Bolshevik Revolution? Compare and contrast with Marx's original Communist ideology: what similarities or differences exist?

Friday, February 14, 2014

International Tensions

Read today's textbook assignment and answer the following question in a detailed post. Before 12 noon on Saturday, respond to AT LEAST 2 of your peers, engaging in debate and discussion. The more you engage, the more credit you will receive.

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The further along we go in the course, the more we encounter globalization in every facet: international politics, society, economics, culture, etc. We are about to embark on a heretofore unexplored part of globalization: global war. Based on your interpretation of the reading, how were the colonial conflicts in Africa between European powers a primary cause of twentieth century global war? Were they more or less important than European-based conflicts such as France vs. Germany, Liberalism vs. nationalism/conservatism, or East vs. west (think about the Crimean War)?

Wednesday, February 12, 2014

The Paris Commune, 1871

Read the PDF on the Commune and answer the following question in a detailed post. Before class begins on Friday, respond to AT LEAST 2 of your peers, engaging in debate and discussion. The more you engage, the more credit you will receive.

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Analyze the connection between the Paris Commune of 1871 and the French Revolutions of 1848 and 1871, using the PDF reading (as well as the textbook if necessary). Was the Commune the foretold Marxist Revolution from the Communist Manifesto? Why or why not? Should we consider the Commune a revolution of oppressed peoples or a civil war between upper and lower class in France?

Thursday, January 9, 2014

Nineteenth-Century Art

Read the Delacroix journal excerpts on the Portal and respond to the following question. Also, you MUST respond to at least one other peer on the blog. You have until 12 noon tomorrow (Friday, 10 January) to complete this post assignment.

(1) Delacroix states that progress is a negative force in nineteenth-century France. Art and philosophy have contributed, in his opinion, to a decline in civilization. This type of degeneration is called "cultural decadence," where art becomes destructive, ugly, and poorly formed, but is nonetheless celebrated. Is all progress destined to become decadence? Do all civilizations eventually collapse under the weight of their culture (i.e., Ancient Rome, Absolutist France)?

Thursday, December 19, 2013

The Congress of Vienna

Respond to one (1) of the following questions. Make sure you remember to respond to AT LEAST two (2) of your peers's responses as well!

(1) How did Great Britain as the "victor" at the Congress of Vienna in 1815? What factors led to its dominance in the nineteenth century? Should we consider Great Britain to be the world's first "superpower?" Was there are risk of strategic overstretch for Great Britain? Explain why or why not.

(2) According to P. Kennedy, the Congress of Vienna created an "international system" (pg. 143) among the "Great Powers" after 1815. But, as we discussed, Napoleon was trying to create an international empire during his rule. How is the Balance of Power different or similar to Napoleon's Empire? Consider economics, politics, war, and international relations.

Sunday, December 8, 2013

French Revolution

We have seen the social ranks in French society (aristocrats, bourgeois, workers, and peasants) each play a role among the causes of the French Revolution. Which was the most important of the four in setting off the events of 1789 - 1792 and why?

Thursday, October 24, 2013

How did Parliament effect James I and Charles I's religious and political decisions? What would have occurred if Parliament was not present during these situations?