What Did I Learn About Afghanistan?

Unit One Recap, Revisit, and Reflect

I can speak for our whole class when I say that everyone learned something about Afghanistan. Whether it was food, military, people, etc., there is definitely many things to learn about this not so wonderful place. My research was on the women living in Afghanistan, nothing specific, just women and girls in general. The things they go through...

...Afghan woman burn themselves to get away from abusive husbands

like this photo, both her and many others are hurting themselves to get away from men. Husband or not, men in Afghanistan believe that women are slaves. They are locked up, beaten, or even raped on the streets. Men are not strong punished or not punished at all, they are just set free...which is unfair to anyone. Also, under the Taliban, the women we forced to listen to them and follow their rules. They were not allowed to do basically anything. Women who weren't in "dress code" were whipped, beaten, or verbally abused by the Taliban. This so called "dress code" was wearing a burqa. This item of clothing must cover your ankles and cover your face. A thin slit or screen would cover the eyes and face. I have myself worn a burqa, as my history class knows, and to me I felt like I wasn't suppose to speak. The burqa, under the Taliban rule, couldn't be brightly colored. This just enforces the whole idea of not pretty and be quiet theory of mine.Even though the Taliban was taken from power, they still roam the streets of Afghanistan. If they enjoy other people's pain? I don't know how they work, but they need to be stopped.

I felt I was to be quiet while wearing this, I don't know what it was...

More recently, they had an election. The people of Afghanistan re-elected President Karzai. According to an article I've read Karzai is okay with the fact, United States President, Barack Obama is sending 30,000 more troops over to Afghanistan, and that the Taliban agreed to "escalate the eight-year war." Afghanistan is becoming a worse place to live as we know it, it will soon turn into a big hole in the earth's crust. The war is still going on, and we, the U.S., are in hope for it to end soon. Both presidents are trying to do what is best for their countries. As long as Afghanistan can stand, I want to go there myself and let the people there know, hope is present.

Afghan President Karzai (left) U.S. President Obama (right)

In my opinion, everything happening in Afghanistan is something hard to deal with. Every little child, every small animals, every grown man and woman, see people blown up. They see houses and schools engulfed in flames. They are living in something we might know as Hell. A big fiery pit of death with no end. Afghanistan is in a situation where no one can see or find hope. If I was there as a local Afghan I might not want to leave, if it was possible. If it was possible, maybe not even then. People in Afghanistan may have no hope for the future, but they can still be proud of what they still have. Nationalism plays a big part in some of these people's lives. Not wanting to go because they are proud of where they live. They stand for there country even if they aren't out on the battlefield showing it.

Are you proud of your own country? Would you leave everything behind?

Who Was Jared Diamond?

Unit Two Recap, Revisit, and Reflect

Unit two is about guns, germs, steel, Jared Diamond, and his theory of geographic luck. Guns, people started to discover new technologies and guns were one of them. Along with guns was steel, people made steel swords instead of copper or bronze swords. Steel was a tougher metal that wouldn't bend or dull as easily as all other metals. Germs? Germs were used on accident and on purpose in many ways to destroy many people

....this is Jared Diamond

Diamond had this theory of geographic luck. It is basically saying where ever you live, what you have is what you got because you live where you do.... if that makes any sense i don't know. This theory ties into many people. People that live in New Guinea or Africa. Small or large countries, some people are drowning in poverty because of where they live. The climate in certain areas can effect the way people grow crops or do their chores. Also domestic animals, some areas have certain kinds of animals only, while other places have animals from all around the world. South America has llamas and Spain has horses. America is a mix of everything. Animals that are domesticated included the following, llamas, camels, water buffalo, reindeer, cows, goats, sheep, pigs, yaks, donkeys, horses, dogs, sheep, oxen, and more. People though, had more than just animals, they had found steel.

steel swords were carried by men as a casual thing

malaria was one major disease then and now

Steel swords were produced and used in The and for wars.people who used bronze who used bronze swords didn't win. Weapons made of steel can be made sharp and kept sharp for a longer amount of time. Having a dull sword doesn't work very well, you might end up with only a weapon that you can hit people with. Another major player was disease. Yes, germs, spread by accident and/or on purpose to rid cities of all inhabitants. Malaria and small pox were only two of the many diseases spread and killed many. Areas like South America and the Incan people suffered from some factors like people in Africa. Disease killed many and was very unfortunate.

Incan Empire ruins

More recently, people in marashoni, kenya, are losing homes, losing food, losing all hope of something good to come along. People in this region of Africa are natural born forest dwellers. They have hunted game, honey from beehives, and now are being driven away by others. They depend on these animals and the animals resources to live. Thier "geographic luck" isn't very good, so hunting is all they have.

People in Africa sometimes have to hunt for food

In my opinion, Jared Diamond is a great man. He does was his instincts tell him to do, when he is following his mind and soul he is discovering things. These things some people have dreamed of seeing, things people didn't believe exsisted, he is a good man. He cares about people and has spent much time figuring out why that people living in such terrible conditions are living that way and not living in the highest hill in California.

Do you believe in Jared Diamond's theory of geographic luck? Where does everyone stand in the world and is there hope?

What was the 2nd Industrial Revolution?

Unit 3 Recap, Revisit, and Reflect

This section we learned is all about urbanization, industrialization, and the second industrial revolution itself. The late 19th, early 20th centuries were a time of invention. The second industrial revolution, more people came forward with amazing but out of this world inventions. Henry Ford, guess what he made... a refrigerator.... no but good guess. He was the founder of that little car company everyone might know as FORD! Wow, a little idea of his and still is a big thing today, the car, or they might have known it as the horseless carriage. He wasn't the only person with a good idea. Thomas Edison and his light bulb, Micheal Faraday and the dynamo, steel, chemicals, assembly lines. Things were getting done, getting made, and people were changing how things worked.

that car went from horseless to....

.....too horsefull, a mustang could have over 550 horsepower

Many inventions were not the only things roaming around in this era. Urbanization and industrialization played a big part. This was basically people getting cleaned up, realizing bad hygiene was killing more people than disease itself and that sometimes you had to move from farm areas to the city to get to work. Joseph Lister and Florence Nightingale both saw that dirty hospitals were more of a death trap than a health facility. Florence opened the first nursing hospital and insisted better hygiene practices should be taken. Joseph's practice was to wash your hands and sterilize your tools before a surgery to prevent infections. Hospitals were a serious threat, if you were injured and sent to a hospital you were usually poor. High class people would stay home and recieve a better treatment.

hospitals were just dirty beds for you to die in

If you could go anywhere in the world and live there for a week, where would it be? Well I myself would want to go to Europe. Europe is such a beautiful place, and its home to london, berlin, madrid, some of the most amazing cities in the world. I would go to Barcelona, Spain. Why? hmmm, barcelona is near the ocean and I am in love with any coastal area. Many people take cruises or just a day out on the boat, and I've heard some of my family say the oceans of Spain are some of the most beautiful they have ever seen. I would very much like to enjoy that myself. But, by some recent articles I've read should this be the place for me? It seems there was a parade, a celebration turns into a battle between rioters and the police. Teargas grenades were set off... fire rose from the streets in Barcelona...doesn't sound like people enjoy a little celebration.

just a little ocean-side resort to get away from everything

In my opinion, industrialization and urbanization helped everyone move on. Sometimes people even today are a little skiddish to move on to the next big thing. We achieved that light bulb. We achieved man on the moon. Just because something might seem a little farfetched doesn't mean it's a terrible idea. Always keep your mind open to new possiblities. Who knows we could be living on that little rock that isn't a planet anymore, ya know pluto? We might find something on pluto that could cure cancer... something on mars to show us life is possible... something past space that no one has ever seen before. People tell you to think outside the box... I guess there is only one box. How about you make your own box, your own ideas, try something new, and see if it works

What will you find next? Are you going to be a part of the next revolution and make a change?

Nationalism, From Concert to Competition?

Unit 4 Recap, Review, and Re-Invent

What is God's name is nationalism? I learned that basically, nationalism is just pride for your country, devotion for your country. Strong nationalism, take pride in your country's customs, beliefs, and traditions. When and where did nationalism emerge? This whole "pride" thing, came about in the 1700's in France and Spain. But in reality this theory of liking your country and being proud of your country became big in the 1800's. All of Europe decided "Oh, Hey! Let's care about what we do and how we do it!" Nationalism helped Germany?! Whoa! Okay, so, along time ago back in the day Germany wasn't Germany, it was just a bunch of little states. This little German empire had to pull there stuff together and work as one to keep their land. One by one, German states were being taken. In order to stop THIS MADNESS they needed that pride, that belief in themselves that Germany was awesome... which they were, by the way, cause Germans rock! No, but seriously, Germany needed to stop Bismarck (man with a back-up weapon on his head) from annexing anymore land.

Otto von Bismarck

How 'bout them puppet shows? Wow, bad English, How about those puppet shows we did in class? Pretty intense if I don't say so myself. My group, Kirby, Julia, Bethany, and I, did a show on Bismarck, the Iron Chancellor, V.S. the church and socialists. Our show had Bismarck on the best paper television, invented by Kirby. As the new Chancellor, he targeted two groups of people as a threat to the new German state.... the Catholics and Socialists. He wanted the catholics to be more loyal (NATIONALISSMMM) to the state than to their church.... He wanted socialists to be gone, gone forever, soooo Bismarck as his big bad self passed laws that dissolved socialist groups, banned meetings, and had their newspaper shut down. The catholics and socialists weren't happy at all about Bismarck's plans for them. The nationalism in this section is not for pride in their country but more for pride in their beliefs. In section four, nationalism isn't so nice to other empires. Too many people wanted too many different things. Two different rulers.... people fighting over what they want.... people fighting because of pride in their territory or empire.... and sometimes nationalism isn't a good thing.

angry puppet man pete... who 'heart's socialism

In my opinion, nationalism as an ideology is a good thing! Showing pride in your country and believing in your... beliefs... and liking your traditions is a wonderful thing. Everyone should show a little pride in something, why not start with where you live, what you do and how you do it. Being more useful to the world right now, probably not.. but it can be expanded upon. Having pride in your country or territory.. or even your home... being proud of how you live is something everyone should feel. I am proud of my home and of how I live. I know how I live is right. How about you? You should help yourself, and help other live right so they can have pride, too.

Are you proud of how you live? What are you doing to help others live with pride?

What I Learned in Semester 1 was...

Unit 5... no... Review Units 1 through 4

Semester one was filled with LOADS of sugary goodness.. cooking class? no, history class. Now, honest to goodness, I was the one who always hated history class. But turns out I just needed support and some funky way of learning things. History was always the frustrating, boring class. Same everything, take notes.... memorize dates, wars, people, blah blah blah.... stale, dry, boring facts that no one cares about. It happened in the past why can't it stay in the past? Well, I learned that a history book isn't all just about the past, it is today in the pasts words. Someone might say history class is for learning past mistakes so we don't make them today. Well, I guess even the great rulers of past days didn't pay very good attention in class. Anything in a history book, someone could point out today in a different scenario.

I want everyone, hence many hands, to find history today

Somethings people aren't aware of or don't care for...poverty existed a couple hundred years ago... what do you see now still in some areas of the world, oh what's that? Poverty!? Yeah, it's still there, and sometimes people need to take a step back and see what they can do to help certain places like that. How about that Afghanistan? I never knew about how the Taliban controlled women in such a way that they did, and still kinda do. I always knew the Taliban was bad men and what not, but how they treated others was terrible. Jared Diamond? That is one amazing dude right there! He went to those countries of poverty and tried to DOOOOO something. He was confronted with the situations those people go through, he saw first hand, what some children go through in hospitals. He said it himself, you don't know you actually care until it happens right in front of you. Nationalism, caused problems but also strengthened other places.. is it bad or good? hmmmm....one more thing... most important thing of all... I learned that the man named Otto von Bismarck.... wore pointy hats!!!! no... just kidding... wasn't just the facts, I learned history was more fun than I thought.

Are you bored of being bored in history?... make it fun... it's possible. (: