Geography 152
Spring, 2004

January 14: Began the class by asking the following questions: (1) What is the most populous country in the world? (2) In what country in the Middle East are the Jews and Palestinians basically at war? (3) What is the dominant religion in India? (4) One province in Canada has voted twice on the issue of whether or not to secede from the rest of Canada. What province is this? (5) What U.S. state produces the most fruits and vegetables? (6) Most of the Amazon rainforest is in what country? (7) Apartheid, a very harsh policy of racial segregation, was dismantled in the country of ___ in the 1990s. (8) Most of the accused hijackers associated with September 11 were from what country? (9) It was only a decade ago that the now independent country of Kazakhstan was part of what country? (10) In October of 2000, an environmental disaster occurred in Martin County, Kentucky. The associated problems have still not been completely resolved. Some say it was the worst ever single environmental disaster in the southeastern U.S. What happened?

Why are these questions geography questions? (because of the emphasis on the spatial). Reviewed syllabus. Homework: Read pages 4 -17 in the textbook.

January 21. Expect a short review quiz on the assigned textbook material. Here are the questions: (1) How are Physical Geography and Human Geography different? (2) There are a number of geographic subdisciplines. For example, ___ geographers study spatial patterns and processes within cities and the ways in which urban areas interact with surrounding suburban and rural areas. (3) ___ has to do with the many (and fast) linkages and flows around the world. Trade, transnational corporations, international migration, and other trends are part of this phenomenon. (4) Life in Iran is based upon religious values. In other places, the way of life is informed by values that do not derive from any one religious tradition; this is called ___. (5) English is an important language of international trade. Thus, it is an example of a/an __. (6) Biologically, humans are all one species. Biologically, how many races are there? __ key: (1) Physical geography and human geography are different sides of the same coin. In physical geography, the emphasis is on earth's physical phenomena and the impact of the earth on humans (and vice versa). Human geography (GEO 152 is a human geography course) is focused on how the imprint of humans on places around the world. (2) urban (3) globalization (4) secularism (5) lingua franca (6) biologically, we are all the same race.
Homework: Please read the rest of the chapter. Globalization – increasing interconnectedness of people and places through converging processes of economic, political, and cultural change ….. primarily ECONOMIC.
Modern world order – often go back to Bretton Woods Conference toward the end of WWII (GATT – now WTO; IMF; World Bank). 1973 – critical point of change: crisis for industrial capitalism; 4X oil prices in 1973; rise in inflation, falling profits – recession; political volatility (1973 war in Israel, Afghan war 1979, Indonesia, Vietnam, Cambodia); money as a commodity decoupled the real economy from the money economy; faith in the “free” market and anti-interventionist philosophy; job loss as the profit motive led to off-shore; government disinvestment in city arts/culture (e.g., libraries) as tax rates declined for rich and corps; currency devaluations (e.g., Mexico); and, in some places, loss of urban populations. Today, the new global economy is characterized by: Global communication systems link regions instantaneously; transportation systems move goods quickly; transnational corporations (e.g., Wal-Mart); international financial institutions (think of off-shore money through Bermuda); global agreements that promote trade (NAFTA, WTO, and FTAA, which is being negotiated); Market economies replace state-controlled economies; privatized firms formerly operated by governments; plethora of consumer goods and services; and international division of labor. Who likes this? The most powerful people/countries  in the world encourage/like economic globalization. These powerful people argue that the world’s poor countries will gradually catch up with rich countries; as part of this argument even sweatshops are okay … at least they’re jobs. Who might not like what’s happening? In US, one wage could support a family – blue collar. Many of those jobs have been lost. The service sector jobs do not generally pay very well. The poor people in poor countries of the world and people throughout the world who care about environment and social justice are concerned about the realities of economic globalization. According to the UN, in terms of social conditions, 60 countries worse off now than 30 years ago. The richest 20% consume 86% of resources (so poorest 80% consume 14%).
January 26:  Economic globalization will ostensibly improve everyone's life, over the long term. At present, that is not happening. In fact, growing inequity is apparent in countries around the world. To gauge well-being, several measures are used: GDP, PPP, HDI, and GDI being common ones. Make sure you understand these measures. Students watched about 45 minutes of a video entitled "Six Billion and Beyond". During the 1900s, the earth's population increased from 2 billion to 6 billion. A major point of the video dealt with the importance of improving women's life, that the focus of population efforts needs to be on increasing women's choices rather than just on contraception. Another underlying theme had to do with balancing the rights of the individual with what the earth can sustain. To illustrate and discuss these points/themes, viewers were presented six case studies. Mexico City is a megacity of 18 million. By 2015, there will be 26 such megacities. Mexico is strongly Catholic and often, questions about birth control cause a conflict between "faith and life". Even so, the total fertility rate in Mexico has dropped from seven to 2.5 children in the past 30 years. At least some of the young people are concerned about lack of opportunities in the future. In Mexico, 40% of the population is under 15 years old. Half are sexually active, and 1/3 use birth control. Public education about condom use, sexually transmitted disease, and other sexuality issues is provided. We saw a bit of the February 1999 conference in The Hague, Netherlands where Hillary Clinton spoke of lifting up lives, rather than just worrying about numbers. Kenya's population has increased five-fold since 1948. Over half of Kenya's women have their first child prior to their 20th birthdays. Only 20% of young adults finish high school and the unemployment rate hovers around 70%. Many women in Kenya are the breadwinners for the family (e.g., many must spend 3 hours per day just gathering firewood and water). Many women want smaller families, but only half of the women who want smaller families have acess to contraception. In fact, many times men make the decision about contraception and as one young bride put it, they can be very stubborn. The birthrate would go down if women had their first baby later and if the babies were spaced more widely. Today, 1/6 of young adults in Kenya are HIV positive. Public education, including youth centers to help, is ongoing in Kenya. As one educated African woman noted, however, there are so many problems in Africa that the spectre of HIV is just another problem. How do you prioritize all the problems? In India about 63% of the women are illiterate and, even today, 2/3 of the girls don't go to high school. Half are married by 18 and have their first baby by 20. Girls are valued less than boys from day one. We saw three young women who are counseling pregnant women and working for social improvement. They believe in the importance of education for women and are working for progress in their comunity (Delhi). In the rural areas, conditions are worse for women. About 70% of Indian women live in rural areas; the TFR is over 4. They are trying to cope with an increasingly degraded environment. In 40 years, India will become the world's most populous country. In China, we saw a prosperous urban family. Population controls were put into place in 1979. The basic policy is one child per urban family, two per rural family, and three per minority family. Today, about 20 million babies are born each year, 5 million of which are born without permission. A very steep fine is imposed on unapproved births. Outwardly, many agree with the policy and point to the fact that average income has nearly tripled in the past 20 years. Those who remember the 1959-1961 famine, during which 30 million died of starvation, are happy about the improvements since the days of Mao's "Iron Rice Bowl". Mao promised everyone enough to eat, from cradle to grave, but not much more than "just enough". Still, 70% of the population lives in rural areas where the people are very poor. These families feel that they must have a boy to survive. Abortion and sterilization are contentious issues. As a final note, the population quotas have now been dropped in 32 counties as an experiment. Italy is actually losing population. In 1958, one million children were born. In 1998, only 500,000 were born. There are more people over 60 years of ago than under 20 years old. The accelerated aging of the population is a function of the very rapid change in the status of women. The average woman is 30 years old before her first baby is born. By that age, many will not have a second or third baby. For the birth rate to rise, there will have to be changes in the economic, cultural, individual, and collective psychology of the country. The United States, with 4% of the population, consumes 25% of the resources used each year. An American consumes 30-50 times more resources as a person in a developing country. The number of vehicles in our country is growing three times as fast as the population. We are converting 160 acres of land per hour to urban uses. We would need at least two more planets for everyone to live as we do in the US. Homework: Answer the following questions. Bring your responses to turn in on Wednesday. (1) In the developing world, __ is currently the largest city. By 2015, there will be 26 megacities. (2) In Mexico, many woman face a conflict between faith and life. Briefly explain this conflict. (3) In what country did we see Hillary Clinton speaking? (4) The population of the African country of __ is five times that of 1948. What are two of the specific population problems faced? (5) In India, the population is now about 1.1 billion. What is one of the women's issues that must be addressed in order to reduce the rate of natural increase? (6) In the 1950s in China, during a program called __, couples were encouraged to have many babies. Today, that has all changed. In the rural areas, couples can usually have a maximum of __ baby(ies). What happens if a baby is born without permission? (7) In the country of __, more people are over 60 years old than are under 20.
(8) The United States, with a population of 285 million, has a population problem too. Explain what that problem is.

January 28: Population issues revolve around numbers AND level of consumption. Terms: (1) total fertility rate: the average number of children a mother has during her life. (2) infant mortality rate: the most important single demographic statistic; the number of babies per 1000 born who do not live to their first birthday. Highest rates are in countries with war or other serious problems. (3) Crude birth rate: the number of births per 1000 population. (4) Crude death rate: the number of deaths per 1000 population. (5) Annual rate of natural increase: the number of births/1000 minus the number of deaths/1000, converted to a percentage. (6) doubling rate: the length of time it takes for a place to double its population. If the annual rate of natural increase is steady from year to year, you can closely approximate the length of time by dividing 70 (the constant) by the annual rate of natural increase. World's birth rate is 22. World's death rate is 9. World's annual rate of natural increase is 1.3%. World's doubling rate (if the 1.3% is maintained) is 54 years. If that happens (not likely), the world's population will be 12.6 billion in 2058. (7) Population pyramid: graphs showing the number of males and females in each age group. (8) demographic transition: A model based upon Europe's experience. Prior to the Industrial Revolution, both birth rate and death rate were high. Then, with some improved public health measures, the death rate began to decline. The population exploded. Then, with more urbanization, options for women, and education, birth rate began to drop. Today, birth rate and death rate are again low. We read the vignette that begins chapter 2; embedded in this little story were issues of immigration, cultural globalization, economic globalization. Culture is learned behavior (not innate), shared behavior (not individual), that is held in common by a group of people, empowering them w/ way of life. Cultural imperialism is the active promotion of one cultural system over another. Cultural nationalism is the process of protecting and defending a certain cultrual system against diluting or offensive cultural expressions while at the same time actively promoting indigenous culture. One of the ways to protect culture is via language. Language families are the first order grouping of languages into large units based on common ancestral speech (for example, both English and Hindi are in the Indo-European language group).
A well-known English dialect is American English (now dominant) and British English (used to be dominant). A lingua franca, for example English, is a language of business, trade, and politics. Religion is often culturally important. There are Universalizing religions, such as Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, Mormonism. There are also Ethnic religions, with ties to the landscape, such as Judaism, Hinduism, animism. Geopolitics describes/explains close link between geography and political activity, and focuses on the interaction between power, territory, and space, at all scales. The nation is a homogeneous group of people, who identify as one. A state is a political territory, recognized by the world community, with laws, an economy, and so on. A nation-state is a relatively homogenous cultural group with its own political territory. A centrifugal force is a disunifying force (such as civil war) and a centripetal force is a unifying force (such as language). International organizations link together states for a specific purpose, but does not affect the sovereignty of each state (e.g., the United Nations). Supranational organizations link together states for a specific purpose, but each state is required to give up some of its sovereignty (e.g., the European Union).
Homework: Remember the map quiz on Monday. If you didn't get the study information, please drop by my office. For Wednesday (not Monday, as I told GEO 152:001), know the key terms on page 112.
February 2: Map Quiz. Key to the map quiz: Afghanistan (D1); Brazil (P2); Canada (Q1); China (A2); Colombia (D3); Congo (A1); Cuba (Y1); Ethiopia (E3); France (X1); Guatemala (T1); India (J2); Indonesia (F3); Iran (K2); Iraq (F1); Israel (V2); Kuwait (X2);  Mexico (W1); Nigeria (E2); Pakistan (N2); Russia (M1); South Africa (O1); Ukraine (P1); United Kingdom (B1); Venezuela (T2);Vietnam (Z1). We began the chapter on North America. Students broke into six groups to discuss the following: pages 56-64 (down to "the changing social composition"); 64-74 (down to "globalization and the economy"); 74-83 (down to "race and ethnicity"); 83-92 (down to "measure of human well-being"); 92-101 ("Great Plains"); and 101-110. Points to remember: (1) the Pacific Plate continues to slip to the northwest and the North American Plate to the southeast, causing the earthquakes of the Pacific coast. (2) The first settlement in North America is believed to be Poverty Point in Louisiana; it dates back 3700 years. (3) Because of disease and conflict, the Native American population dropped from 18 million in 1492 to 400,000 in 1907. Today, reservations cover 2% of the U.S., but over 20% of Canada.(4) European settlers were moving west of the Mississippi River by the 1840s, sending less expensive and less densely populated lands. (5) Americans are the most mobile people in the world, with 1/5 relocating every year. (6) Canada and the U.S. are both federation and representative democracies, with similar legal systems. The border between our two countries is the longest undefended border in the world. (7) While agriculture employed 90% of North Americans in 1790, today less than 2% of the population is engaged in agriculture. Corporate agriculture provides cheap food, but food with many hidden costs. (8) The interstate highway system, begun in the 1950s, greatly favored the private automobile over mass transportation. (9) Since the 1960s, the United States has lost much of its manufacturing sector and, in general, union jobs. The number of service sector jobs has increased dramatically, but many of the workers earn only meager wages. (10) NAFTA (the North American Free Trade Agreement) is an extremely important trade agreement that went into effect on January 1, 1994. It has affected many lives in Canada, the U.S., and Mexico. (11) Canada tries to protect its workers from economic adversity in various ways, most notably by providing free health care to 100% of its population. (12) Over 80% of North Americans are urban. (13) The largest minority group in the U.S. is now Hispanic (or Latino). (14) While Americans tend to think that the nuclear family is the norm, only 25% of American households fit this category. (15) The North American population is aging, and will soon put a serious economic strain on younger people. (16) With only 5 percent of the world's population, North Americans use inordinate amounts of resources and generate wastes at high levels. The United States has the largest number of plant species in the world, but also the largest number of plants headed toward extinction. The Ogallala aquifer, North America's largest underground water source, is being rapidly drawn down by overuse. (17) Canada is ranked higher than the United States in terms of both human development (overall) and gender development (specifically). We will discuss the subregions of North America on February 4.
February 4: Key to "key term" quiz: (1) B; W (2) X (3) Y (4) Z (5) K (6) E (7) D; C1 (8) Q (9) P (10) S. Students watched a 25 minute clip of a 1995 film entitled "Canada" (available at the Lexington Public Library, Northside branch). (1) In the province of Quebec: Montreal (French influence that creates an ambience found nowhere else in North America); Quebec City (in 1985, designated as a World Heritage Site because of its 17th and 18th century architecture; it is the capital of Quebec) (2) Ontario: Ottawa (although a notorious work camp, in 1857 Queen Victoria selected it as the capital of Canada, it was renamed Ottawa; here one finds the Parliament where 295 MPs make laws, the Canadian Supreme Court, and the Museum of Civilization); Toronto (Canada's biggest city); Algonquin Park (3 hours north of Toronto; a nice place to see the fall leaves and to engage in winter activities) (3) Manitoba (in 1870, the Red River area became the province of Manitoba): Churchill (Canada's only Arctic seaport; no roads, only train and plane access; polar bear capital of the world; use a "Tundra Buggy" to travel without further damaging the fragile tundra; Winnipeg (the capital of Manitoba; saw itself as the Chicago of north; the Exchange District is the old historic business district) (4) Sasketchewan: prairie; between 1900-1914, 3 million Mennonites, Dutch, Ukrainians, Czechs, Poles, etc. came to claim the free 160 acres per family; in 1932, archaeologists arrived to study a 6000 native site in Wanuskewin Heritage Park - the Cree had an oral tradition, not a written language (5) Alberta: while many associate Alberta with Calgary, cowboys, and rodeos, it is also home to a 70 million year old graveyard - in Dinosaur Provincial Park, one can see dinosaur skeletons in place; in Alberta, the Blackfoot used to drive buffalo over cliff at Head Smashed-in Buffalo Jump; Lake Louise, in the Canadian Rockies, was once covered by vast sea (6) British Columbia: Vancouver Island (in Pacific Rim National Park, on one trail the trees, although very old, are dwarfed, and on the other, cedar trees are gigantic - sometimes 20 meters around; Broken Root (this is an archipelago of over 100 islands, each very small; it is here that one of the North America's largest concentrations of bald eagles is found); Queen Charlotte Islands (this part of Canada escaped the last Ice Age; it is here that a native people called the Haida are found; they were almost wiped out in the 1800s by the Europeans - and they are now disappearing); Vancouver (largest city in British Columbia; Museum of Anthropology).(1) New England and Canada's Atlantic Provinces: This area is North America's culture hearth (governance, architecture, town lay-out). From this region, the British culture diffused throughout North America. (2) Quebec is the traditional French-speaking province of Canada. Twice in the 1990s, voters decided to not secede from mostly English-speaking Canada (both times the vote was close). The largest city within Quebec is Montreal. Prior to the 1970s, the English-speakers were economically dominant. In the 1970s, the majority French-speakers passed laws requiring signage to be in French. In what was considered a discriminatory environment, many of the English-speakers left Quebec for another province. These laws have been somewhat relaxed, but French still dominates the landscape.  (3) The Industrial Belt (economic core). This area, including what we generally refer to as the Midwest, got coal from Appalachia, oil and gas from Pennsylvania, water from the Ohio River, and iron from Minnesota to fuel the production of steel, autos, and other products. As the US deindustrialized, this region became known as the Rust Belt, because the old empty factories were rusting. The economy is now restructuring and a new generation of lighter industry is coming in.(4) the Southeast: associated with the old plantation agriculture of cotton and tobacco, many of the plantations ruined the soil and today little cotton is grown in the Southeast. It is here that one finds a concentration of Baptists, in the Bible belt. (5) the Great Plains: it is here that one finds wheat, corn, sorghum, barley, oats, and the feed lots that produce much of the meat we consume in the US. Because of its huge agricultural productivity ($20 billion per year) and its role in feeding us and the world, this area is known as the "Breadbasket". This is also the site of the 1930s Dust Bowl, during which a combination of low precipitation, winds, poverty brought on by the Depression, and poor farming methods, resulted in soils blowing away and people packing up and moving out. The Great Plains is our Breadbasket because we began using (big time!) water in the Ogallala aquifer. This groundwater source stretches from South Dakota to Texas (174,000 square miles) and is North America's largest source of underground water. The water started being drawn in the 1950s/ Today, 11 million acres are irrigated from its waters. Unfortunately, it is anticipated that, by 2020, the water level in the Ogallala will have dropped 23%. This is an issue that you will probably have to deal with in the future.
February 9: (6) Continental Interior: associated with low population densities, rugged terrains (such as the Rocky Mountains), and cold temperatures. One finds thin soils, lots of lakes (in Canada), and conifer forests. (7) Pacific Northwest: includes British Columbia and the northwestern US states. Here, one finds the Tongass, a temperate rainforest, the magnificent Sequoia and Redwood of California and the stately Douglas firs of Washington, Oregon, and British Columbia.Until fairly recently, many Pacific salmon (coho, steelhead, king, chinook, sockeye) began their lives in a tributary to the Columbia or some other stream. When they were big enough, they swam downstream to the Pacific Ocean. Finally, after living in the Pacific for a few years, they came back upstream to the place of their birth. As they approached, they turned red, became very sluggish, spawned (laid eggs, fertilized eggs), and died. Unfortunately, today most of Washington's wild runs of Pacific salmon are gone. They are gone because of deforestation (with silts up the stream - and salmon can't spawn in silty streams - and heats the water - the shade is removed), dams (which salmon are chewed up in), and other factors. Salmon is plentiful in the grocery store because of Atlantic salmon that are raised in pens off the coast of Washington. Concerns center around possible escape and in-bredding with the remaining Pacific salmon, spread of disease, and pollution/contamination from manure, excess food, and antibiotics. (8) Southwest: this part of North America has ties to both Mexico and the US. This area was first colonized by the Spanish and the Spanish influence is still seen/heard in language, signage, architecture, and faces. Dry southern California is the country's biggest producer of fruits and vegetables and a major producer of milk and beef for the same reason that Los Angeles is now the country's second largest city - both were able to tap water from elsewhere and bring it to serve their needs. Beginning in the 1920s, Los Angeles began buying water in the Owens Valley. The water is sent 300 miles by canal to LA. Along the mighty Colorado River, huge dams and reservoirs maintain steady supplies of water. Hoover Dam, our country's largest dam, is just to the west of the Grand Canyon (the huge reservoir behind it is called Lake Mead). Just to the east of the Grand Canyon is Glen Canyon Dam (the reservoir behind it is called Lake Powell).
Kentucky: Kentucky became a state in 1792. At that time, old growth forests (forests that have not been cut in a wholesale manner; virgin forests) covered much of the state. Tall grass prairie and savanna (woodland with grasses and canes) and wetlands were also common. Today, the population (according to the 2000 census) is 4.041 million. There are 120 counties. The Commonwealth's rocks were formed during the Paleozoic era (570-245 million years ago). During the early part of this period, Kentucky was completely submerged under water. During part of the period, Kentucky was south of the equator in the tropics. At the end of the Paleozoic, the Appalachian mountains were built. The highest peak today is Black Mountain, at 4145' (it is in southeastern Kentucky). Coal has been commercially mined in Kentucky since 1820, the first commercial mine being in Muhlenberg County (western KY). In terms of coal tonnage, Kentucky is #3 (after Wyoming and West Virginia). Kentucky is one of the US's premier areas of biodiversity. We no longer see the gray wolf, American bison or Eastern cougar in the wild, but black bears are here and coyotes were first seen here in the 1940s. Kentucky also has some old growth forest remaining. One of the largest old growth forests in the eastern US is in Kentucky. It is Blanton Forest, a State Nature Preserve, which includes 2500 acres of old growth in Harlan county. Other, much smaller patches of old growth dot Kentucky. We have sinkholes and caves in Kentucky because of our karst topography. The limestone bedrock has, over a long time period, been dissolved by a very weak
carbonic acid carried by water. One of the results is Mammoth Cave, at 350 miles the longest cave system in the world. It is recognized by the United Nations as a World Heritage Site and is also an International Biosphere Reserve. There are 90,000 miles of streams in Kentucky. The 1.5 million acres of wetlands present in 1792 have been reduced 85%.
About 25 million acres of land in Kentucky is farmed; there are 88,000 farms (the 4th in the country in number of farms). The main reason for so many farms is tobacco. There is an earthquake hazard in Kentucky. The New Madrid, the fault line which runs down the Mississippi River, will probably make itself known within the next 25 years. The earliest evidence we have of Native Americans in Kentucky dates back 13,000 years. During the Paleoindian periods, the people were migratory hunters and foragers. By about 11,000 years ago, many were settling and a number of sites, especially in Western Kentucky, have been studied. Starting about 3000 years ago, the period of the Woodland Indians began. They grew sunflowers, squash, tobacco, and other crops. Some were mound-building (e.g., in the Bluegrass) and some were not. More recently, the Cherokee (part of the Trails of Tears goes through Western Kentucky), the Chickasaw, and the Shawnee have been in Kentucky. In-class quiz: I asked that you compare and contrast 1792 Kentucky with 2004 Kentucky. For a good answer to the question, review the material above. Homework: Begin reading Chapter 3.
February 11: Middle and South America. Middle America includes Mexico and Central America. Central America includes the countries of Guatemala south through Panama. The islands of the Caribbean are divided into the Lesser Antilles (the small islands) and the Greater Antilles (Cuba; Hispaniola, which includes Haiti and the Dominican Republic; Jamaica, and Puerto Rico). We watched a film in the Legacy series entitled "The Burden of Time." A great civilization, the Mayan of Central America and southern Mexico invented writing independently of the old world. Their pyramids equaled the finest monuments of ancient Egypt. Rather than savages, they mastered science, math. And, even though they had had no contact with non American cultures for 1000s of years, they shared with the Chinese the idea that humans have a duty in understanding nature. Other commonalities with China include use of jade, divination, and the burning of prayers. They also had an all-consuming obsession with time. We are told that Mexico City is the largest city on earth, that its people have continued to struggle with the two conceptions of civilization: that western and recent ideas brought by Columbus in 1492 and the ancient and native. Actually, the spiritual conquest of the people has never taken place. They are still keeping faith with "their ancient futures." We then went to the Guatemalan highlands, the Quiche Maya, where most are still Indians and still speak their indigenous languages. Here, people's home regions are identified by designs woven into their clothing. For example, the bat, symbol of the Mayan underworld, is the emblem of one of the towns. In these areas, the people hold on to their ancient heritage. In fact, manuscripts from the last kingdom of Quiche Maya are still held by a peasant family. We learn about the Popul-Vuh, which is the holy scripture of the Mayan. In this holy book, human beings were given memory and the responsibility to bear time's burden. We then get to see part of a sacred ceremony that involves traditions drawing from both Catholicism and Mayan. We meet the Day Keeper, the guardian of the Mayan calendar. This priest, the "Mother-Father", uses beans for divination. The yearly cycle is 260 days (the gestation period for a human baby). He says that "if we make an enemy of the earth, we make an enemy of our own body." We then see children playing among very large stone statues. These statues were erected by the Olmecs, in about 1000 BC. Michael Wood comments that one can feel the sensibility radiating from their art - the stoic, inner strength to bear any burden. We then travel to Teotihuacan, the first true urban center in this part of the world (its ruins are northeast of Mexico City). This city was the "place where men became gods." It was the center of a trading empire. The great Pyramid of the Sun was made of lava (the placement of this pyramid was at the place where the people believed the first ancestors emerged). Underneath it is a seven prong chamber. The lay-out of the city has cosmic symbolism. We then travel to Copan, in Honduras. From the 5th to the 9th centuries A.D., this city of public plazas and sculptures fared well. A hierglyphic stairway, 50 feet wide by 108 feet high, tells the story of this civilization. It was dedicated in 755 A.D. and is the longest single written inscription in pre-Columbian America. In the winter of 820, the last king died and the dynasty ended. The city reverted to jungle. Tikal, the "place where the count of days was kept," was deserted about the same time. Soon all the Mayan cities were gone. The Mayan collapse is a great mystery. Perhaps the land became exhausted. With the collapse of the Mayan civilization, we shift the focus back to the Valley of Mexico. Tenochtitlan, the precursor to Mexico City, was the home of the Aztecs. Their art gives some insight into their fierce spirituality. For example, an Aztec "earth goddess" status was quickly reburied after being excavated so as not to affect the young people. It had a dark and potent magic. The Aztecs believed that the gods needed blood and hearts to help them fight the forces of darkness. Without the blood, the sun would cease to rise. As a result, 10,000 people could be sacrificed over a four day period. Michael Wood tells us that only the scale of the killing was different; that all religions have used sacrifice. The Aztecs, though, raised solidarity with the universe above all else. The night that Cortes arrived in Tenochtitlan corresponded with a prophecy that said a god would return from exile in the east. On the night the city fell, the it began to lightly rain. Then an omen appears. It was a light with a shower of sparks that circled over the town, then to the middle of the lake where it disappeared. The people knew what it meant and they watched in silence. Antigua (in Guatemala) was the new capital built by the Europeans. Behind the facade of pretty buildings was the greatest genocide in history. When the Europeans came, there were perhaps 55 million people here. One century after the conquest, up to 90 percent of the population had died as a result of violence or disease. Some Europeans were horrified, feeling that the native people had been betrayed, that no attempt to protect their human rights was made. The Liberation Theologists were the Catholic priests who stood up to defend the indigenous rights. The people believed that catastrophe would strike every 256 to 257 years. The Spanish, knowing this, attacked the last Mayan city, Flores, on March 13, 1697. It took the Spanish one day to destroy the 12 temples. They marched uphill after destroying the city and celebrated with a mass at the top of the hill. We are told that the true burden of time revolves around the knowledge that catastrophe repeats in cycles. In 1954, 257 years later, the Guatemalan government was overthrown, 40,000 died and one million were displaced. Over the years, the European elite built Parthenons, monuments to western dominance, all over Guatemala. Today, the conquest of the west over the non-west continues with the push of consumer products. In the last segment, we saw indigenous people involved in a sacred ritual. The new keepers of time would be designated. They have tended a secret universe, hoping one day to live again in their own history, in their own time. At the conclusion of the film, students were asked to write down the meaning/significance of the following: Mayan, Mexico City, Quiche Maya, Popul-Vuh, Olmecs, Teotihuacan, Copan, Tikal, Tenochtitlan, Aztecs, Antiqua, Flores, Day Keeper. For good responses, review the film notes posted above.
February 16: Note to GEO 152:001 -- I had materials to return, but forgot to lay them out for you to pick up. The materials may be helpful as you study, so please come by 221 Moloney Building and get them. The folders will be in the basket on my door. Please take out the folder contents and put the empty folder back in its proper place. Thanks. Class began with a discussion of news in Middle and South America. Hotspots are Haiti, Colombia, and Venezuela. The Spanish and Portuguese subdued most of Middle and South America, beginning in the late 1400s. Even today, while indigenous languages are spoken in the highlands and other remote areas, nearly 1/3 of the population speak Portuguese and 2/3 speak Spanish. Portuguese is spoken in Brazil. The slave trade, known as the triangle trade, began with guns and other goods to trade being loaded in Europe. The ships traveled to east and central Africa, trading the goods for humans. The people were shipped across the Atlantic and traded for goods, such as gold and silver. The gold and silver filled the coffers of Europe, making Europe very rich at the expense of others. Case study of Mexico: Today's population is 104 million, with 9% Europeans, 60% mestizo (mixed Euro/Amerindian blood), 20% predominantly Amerindian and 10% full-blooded Ameriindian. There are 31 states, with a federal district (Mexico City). Vicente Fox, inaugurated in December, 2000, is the president. As we learned in last Wednesday's film, Cortes conquered Tenochtitlan. In 1521, Cortes colonized Mexico. In 1821, it became an independent country. In 1900, about 3000 rich families owned half the country; the inequity was great. The Mexican Revolution, led by Zapata (who was fighting for better lives for the peasants), began in 1910. In 1917, Mexico developed a new constitution; this constitution established the ejido system of land tenure. Under the ejido system, the federal government held title to the land, but gave rights of use to communities or villages. Thus, the ejidos were communal holdings. A significant amount of land was, over the years, incorporated into this system. In 1992, in anticipation of the enactment of NAFTA (the North America Free Trade Agreement), the constitution was amended to allow privatization of land and resources. On January 1, 1994, NAFTA went into force. On that day, the Zapatista rebellion began. The Zapatistas come from Chiapas, the poorest state in Mexico. This southern state is largely Mayan and suffers from lack of educational opportunities, lack of health care, and so on. The Zapatistas, armed sometimes only with sticks carved to look like guns, were/are fighting (more with words than with bullets) for land reform, dignity, self-determination, control of their resources, and preservation of their way of life. They were fighting against neoliberalism, which is unfettered, free trade, without controls. Northern Mexico is also greatly impacted by NAFTA. As a result of NAFTA, the number of maquiladoras (by definition, "assembly plants") has risen from a few, with 3000 employees in 1965 to 2136 plants with 497,000 workers in 1995 and over 4000 plants with over 1 million employees today. The wages are very low, far below living wages. Companies pay little tax, so the infrastructure (streets, schools, hospitals, garbage collection, etc.) is woefully inadequate. In Cuidad Juarez, the largest of the maquiladora cities, young female workers live in fear of abduction and murder. It appears that the Juarez police may be involved in the murders. Moving south, the middle of Mexico is known as its waist. This area, which includes Mexico City, holds half of Mexico's population. Mexico City is at 8000' elevation, with mountains surrounding it. While it used to be very beautiful, the heavy automobile traffic and industrial pollutants have made it the world's most polluted megacity. The groundwater has been drawn down 20-30 feet since the mid 1980s and, as a result, land subsidence is a major problem. The groundwater is also polluted. Moving to the Caribbean, Cuba is a country with which almost all Americans are familiar. Cuba used to be like an extension of the U.S. Americans would travel to Havana, Cuba for entertainment, much as people go today to Las Vegas. In 1953, Castro attempted to destabilize the government. The attempt was unsuccessful and he and his brother, Raul, were sentenced to prison. In 1956, they were granted amnesty and went into exile in Mexico. Late in 1956, they again attempted to overthrow the government. In 1959, with help of Che Guevara, Fidel Castro assumed power. At first, the US government accepted him as a liberal. The US-Cuban relationship soured when Castro confiscated American lands and investments. At this point, the elite and middle class fled to Miami. The peasants and workers supported Castro. When the US broke off diplomatic relations in 1961, Castro turned to the USSR for protection, technical aid, loans, military hardware, and markets. In 1961, the US used Cuban exiles in an attempt to overthrow Castro; this failed coup d'etat is known as the Bay of Pigs. In 1962, US spy planes saw launch sites for USSR rockets being built. In 1963, the Cuban Missile Crisis brought us close to nuclear war. Fortunately, our leaders (JF Kennedy and N Khrushchev) negotiated as good diplomates do and defused the situation. Thus began a period of successful negotiation of non-proliferation of nuclear weapons. Meanwhile, in Cuba, the number of teachers was rising, free education from nursery through university was open to all, all medical services were provided free, and so on. Health, life expectancy, and literacy all went up. With the collapse of the USSR, many thought that Cuba would collapse. It didn't, although life is hard. The Cubans turned to organic agriculture (using oxen and traditional farming methods), bikes, spare parts, and making do. Today, the dual economy (peso and dollar) has meant that many professionals can make more working in the dollar economy (e.g., as a taxi driver) than in the peso economy (e.g., as a physician).
February 18: Test 1 ... On the test, you will have 12 multiple choice questions (2 points each), 46 fill-in-the-blank questions, with a word bank (1 1/2 points each), 1 short answer question that you need to compute (3 points), and one essay question (you will be able to choose from three questions) (4 points).
Key to test (question #2 begins with "Which of ...") (1) a (2) b (3) d (4) d (5) c (6) b (7) a (8) c (9) d (10) b (11) c (12) c (13) ua (14) bb (15) bc (16) ka (17) wb (18) gb (19) cd (20) me (21) pb (22) db (23) tb (24) ta (25) ha (26) dc (27) tc (28) ca (29) qa (30) sd (31) if (32) cg (33) bd (34) ie (35) ea (36) ce (37) mg (38) ig (39) tg (40) ic or id (41) ib (42) kb (43) mf (44) ia (45) cc (46) th (47) la (48) za (49) na (50) ba (51) ub (52) sa (53) mc (54) qb (55) pa (56) sc (57) te (58) mb (59) 30 per 1000 minus 10 per 1000 = 20 per 1000 or 2%; annual rate of natural increase = 2. 70 divided by 2 = 35 + 2004 = 2039 (population to double) (60-62). I gave credit for a wide variety of ideas and opinions.
Key to test (question #2 begin with "There are ...") (1) a (2) b (3) a (4) c (5) d (6) b (7) b (8) d (9) d (10) c (11) c (12) c (13) gb (14) cd (15) me (16) pb (17) db (18) ua (19) bb (20) bc (21) ka (22) wb (23) ha (24) dc (25) tc (26) ca (27) qa (28) sd (29) if (30) tb (31) ta (32) cg (33) mg (34) ig (35) tg (36) ic, id (37) ib (38) kb (39) mf (40) ia (41) cc (42) th (43) la (44) za (45) na (46) ba (47) ub (48) sa (49) mc (50) qb (51) pa (52) sc (53) te (54) mb (55) bd (56) ie (57) ea (58) ce (59) 30 per 1000 minus 10 per 1000 = 20 per 1000 or 2%; annual rate of natural increase = 2. 70 divided by 2 = 35 + 2004 = 2039 (population to double) (60-62). I gave credit for a wide variety of ideas and opinions.
Please note: If desired, you may retake this test during the test make-up periods (see syllabus for dates). I will regrade and average your two scores.
February 23:  I began the class by reading part of an article in which Brazil's President said "..that US-directed free-market policies had made the 1990's a 'decade of despair' for Latin America, from which it had yet to recover. They comprised a perverse model, he said, fueling poverty and ignoring social responsibility. Mr. Chavez, more graphically, decried the global economic system as an 'infernal machine that produces more poor people each minute.' Mr. Bush would do well to heed such protests, for economic differences have a way of becoming political ones. Revolt is in the air in the backyard. Yet this is not simply about right versus left. It is about right versus wrong." (taken from "Damned Yankees" January 15, 2004, The Guardian). To try to understand the background of these statements and whether or not they are justified, students worked in groups on "Economic and Political Issues" (pages 134-140). After group discussions, I asked each student to write down the economic phases in Latin America and comment upon the applicability of The Guardian's article. The following description was written by one of your fellow students. This is the type of narrative I was looking for: "It all began with European colonialism beginning in the 16th century. When countries like Spain came over and saw all the wealth, they took the land from the inhabitants for themselves. They extracted all the resources they could, but all the profits were invested in Europe. As this continued, industry and farming that was built up profited Europe. People that worked were as good as slaves. Eventually, some countries tried to change this, reclaiming industry in their countries for themselves. This met with corruption and a financial debt crisis. The IMF lent money, but on their own terms - the SAPs. This cut back on social funding for the people. Now this continues as these countries try to get out of debt. They are now under the control of big business."
South America's population is 357 million (compared to 316 million in North America) and is 78% urban (compared to 75% in North America). Legacies from the colonial period include: language (2/3 Spanish, 1/3 Portuguese), religion (Roman Catholic), land tenure (latifundia, tropical plantations), ethnicity (strongly European in parts of South America), and government practices, legal systems, social structures, economic systems, and settlement (2/3 on rims).
Case study of Colombia: (1) Bogota is the capital, but Medellin is the murder capital of the world because of cocaine.
(2) Coca: traditionally chewed to fight fatigue, thirst, hunger, cold (Andes), and for medicinal and religious purposes.
Commercial production began in the mid 1970s; Colombia is now the world’s largest producer (80% of USA supply). 600,000 acres of tropical forest have been destroyed, but family farmers, with less than 3 acres can earn $2600 a year (vs $650/year for the most profitable legal crops, such as avocados, oranges). The US involvement includes: War on drugs, aerial spraying has pushed drug cultivation into remote and previously undisturbed areas. (3) Civil war: Dates back to 1940s – populists vs ruling oligarchy. In the 1960s, left wing guerrilla forces were created: 1964, the FARC with 15,000 troops and in 1966, ELN. In 1980, narcotraffickers, wealthly elite funded their own private militias. Today, right wing paramilitaries (5000 troops) and government forces (130,000 troops) are also involved in the war. (4) In addition, Colombia has oil: 500 mile pipeline keeps being bombed; has destroyed livelihood, etc. (5) Colombia is experiencing the worst economic crisis of its history: 1999 economy shrank 5%; 20% unemployment; 57% poverty; and increasing malnutrition.
Case study of Brazil:  Brazil is South America's largest country; ½ area of South America; 5th largest country in the world (in population – 175 M – and in territory). The northern 2/3 is Amazon  and the southern 1/3 is highlands. Brazil has 26 states and federal district of Brasilia (construction began 1956, moved from Rio in 1960). Brazil is very inequitable: richest 10% own 2/3 of land; richest 10% control over ½ country’s wealth; poverty up 50% since 1980; poorest 20% of population lives in most squalid conditions of anywhere on planet; at least ½ of all Brazilians suffer from chronic malnutrition. This is ironic since Brazil is a leading agricultural exporter of soybeans, coffee, citrus (OJ), and meat. The big farms in the south are very mechanized and don’t need much labor. Those who are pushed off the farms generally go either to one of the large, dangerous cities or to the Amazon, in particular the states of Para and Rondonia.
February 25:  We began our study of Europe by looking at a series of maps. Europe became wealthy and experienced a population boom as a result of wealth that flowed in from elsewhere (see map on 188). Today, while the population is stable or in slow decline, Europe is densely populated and rather small (Europe's land area is 2.2 million square miles compared to the US's 3.7 million square miles; its population is 582 million compared to the US's 293 million) (see the map on page 191). The map on page 190 illustrates the military buildup of the United States and the USSR. NATO was formed to produce military/security response The European Union, a Supranational organization, is an important organization to which most European countries either belong or hope to belong (see map on page 183 and table on page 212). Today, Europe is experiencing an influx of migrants from North Africa, Turkey, the Balkans, and the former USSR. Some are angry, believing that the migrants are taking away their jobs (see the map on page 202).
Case study of Northern Ireland: In the 19th century, Great Britain took over Ireland as a colony. Many English, Scots, and Welsh went to Ireland as Britain offered them nice tracts of land. In the middle 1800s, the potato famine struck, killing many. Others migrated to the US. At the same time, Britain required the Irish to continue exporting crops to England. In 1921, England granted Ireland independence, but held onto Northern Ireland as a Protestant protectorate. Irish resistance to partition led to British intervention in governing and patrolling Northern Ireland. Violence was particularly bad in the 1970s and 1980s. The two sides are the Irish (Catholics, who call themselves Republicans because they align themselves with the Republic of Ireland) and the British (Protestants, some of whom belong to the Orange Order, and celebrate William of Orange's 1690 defeat of the Catholic King James at the Battle of the Boyne; they are often referred to as Loyalists). A Good Friday Agreement, between the Irish and Britain, was hailed as the great hope for Northern Ireland, but that enthusiasm for a speedy settlement has been repeatedly dampened. We watched a film entitled "Mirror Mirror" that looks at the British/Protestant nationalism and violence directed at the Irish Catholics. Nationalism can be defined as "devotion to the interests or culture of a particular country or cultural group; the idea that a group of people living in a specific territory and sharing cultural traits should be united in a single country to which they are loyal and obedient." For the Protestants in Northern Ireland, they are loyal to the British crown, to Queen Elizabeth and the Queen Mother (the Queen Mother has died since this film was made). July 1-12 of each year is marching season for the Protestants who are members of the Orange Order. The Orange Order goes back to King William, from the House of Orange. He was a Protestant who fought and defeated the Catholic King James in the 1690 Battle of the Boyne. Each year, the Protestants like to rub it in that the Catholics were defeated. We see the pageantry of a commemoration of the 5500 Ulstermen who died on July 1, 1916, in the WWI Battle of the Somme. In the second largest housing estate in Europe, we watch the working class boys make a mountain of pallets for their bonfire, practice their music for the big day on the 12th, and paint the curbs in the British colors of red, white, and blue. Religion and nationality are all woven together. We see parts of a paramilitary's funeral. He was killed as he attempted to toss a grenade. We hear that the paramilitary men, who stand guard on the roofs, will "kneecap" (shoot you in the thigh, calf, or even in the knee) you if you are caught stealing or otherwise causing mischief. We see the results of some of the rioting that shook Belfast for several days. We travel through the very green countryside south of Belfast to a little British village called Market Hill. Here we see the big Lambeg drum that has much symbolic meaning to the Protestants. We drive through "Bandit Country", see a place where several Protestants were killed by Catholics, and hear the bitterness felt by British Loyalists who feel that they have been abandoned by the United Kingdom. As the road trip continues, the crossing into the Republic of Ireland is nothing. There is no barricade, no big sign, nothing. People just cross the bridge and there you are. Our narrator goes to a Lambeg drum competition and notes that, for 300 years, the rhythm of the drum has never changed (a metaphor for these traditions of the Orange Order). On Sunday, the elders are in church listening to the preacher warn the congregation against "Popish error and despotism" and about being a "slave of sin". We then see the youngsters with an effigy of the Pope, which they take to the top of the pallets. At midnight, the bonfire is lit. It is certainly the biggest bonfire I have ever seen. The crowd roars its approval when the "enemy's" flag goes up in flames. Our narrator comments that the hatred of brothers runs deeper than that of strangers. The final scene is of the parade on July 12th. There is happiness, pageantry, and all the celebratory things, but there is also the feeling of fear. The Protestants are afraid of becoming the minority, they are afraid of the British abandoning them, they are afraid that the British already don't care. Students answered the following questions as they watched the video. See the narrative above for the correct answers. (1)This video illustrates some of the ways in which nationalism plays out. Explain what nationalism means. ____ (2) In Belfast, Northern Ireland, July 1-12 is “Marching Season”. During this period, Protestants who are members of the ____ Order (so named in deference to King William) parade and celebrate the Protestant victory over the Catholics in the 1690 Battle of _____. (3) In the video, we saw a commemoration of the 5500 soldiers from Ulster who died on July 1, 1916, during the WWI Battle of the ____. (4) In talking about the Protestant paramilitary, the boys mention “kneecapping”. What does this mean? ____ (5) Where is “Bandit Country”? ____ (6) What musical instrument symbolizes liberty, heart, and the British tradition? ____ (7) At midnight on July 11th, the bonfires are lit. What was burned at the top of the bonfire we saw? ____ What did you think about this? ____ (8) Is Northern Ireland an independent country? ___ If not, what country is it a part of? ____ (9) What are the Protestants afraid of? ____ (10) Why is the video named “Mirror Mirror? (your opinion) ____
March 1: (1) The United Kingdom of Great Britain includes Scotland, England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. It is tied for second most populous country in Europe, with 60 million. France also has a population of 60 million. The most populous is Germany (82 M). From 1949-1990, Germany was split into a democratic West Germany and a communist East Germany. Within East Germany lay East Berlin (communist) and West Berlin (democratic). The Berlin Wall was built in 1961 to halt movement across this border. The wall came down in 1989, symbolizing the end of European communism. There are five microstates: (a) San Marino (n. Italy, near Florence), oldest country in Europe, a republic since 301 AD; 24,800 people; 24 square miles; (b) Liechtenstein (e. of Switzerland) – constitutional monarchy, independent since 1719; 31,900 population (c) Andorra (e.-central border between Spain and France) – parliamentary co-principality; indep since 1278; 70,000 pop; 180 sq. mile (d) Vatican City; 108 acres; 771 pop and (e) Monaco (SE France); 30,500 pop; 370 acres. (2) Europe is very urban - 71% overall population in towns and cities, with 84% n. Europe, 79% w. Europe (3) Primate city = largest city by far, exemplifies culture of nation-state. Paris is a good example of a primate city. Its original SITE was on an island in the Seine River; its SITUATION, that allowed it to become a primate city, was good agricultural lands, waterways, and roadways in the hinterland. (4) Physical divisions of Europe: (a) Western uplands: older mountain building than Alps – so lower elevation, e.g., Scottish highlands, Scandinavia (Sweden, Norway), Iberia (Portugal, Spain) (b) North European lowlands: Most densely populated; most < 500’ elevation; Netherlands is below sea level, enclosed by dikes, much reclaimed from sea. Traditionally – intensive farming around lots of villages (farmers commuted to nearby fields) – even today, no dairy belt or wheat belt – different crops close. Rivers include Seine (Paris), Rhine (Germany), Danube – sources in Alpine system. (c) Central uplands: Hills, small plateaus; forest-clad slopes, fertile valleys; and majority of productive coalfields. (d) Alpine: Rugged, relatively young still active, earthquake-prone. Includes Alps, Pyrennees (Spain-France), Appennines (Italy), Dinaris (Balkans), Carpathians (e. Europe). Sources of great rivers of Europe. (5) Western civilization: (a) Ancient Greece: Presence of city-states, intercity leagues. Peak was in 4th century BC. Accomplishments included: architecture, art, literature, education, and continuing influence on government, politics (civil society). Conquered by Rome 146 BC (b) Imperial Rome (Rome = 1 M population at peak). 2nd century AD (117 AD) – greatest expanse, from Britain to Persian Gulf to Black Sea to Egypt. Never a larger European area unified as under the Romans. Accomplishments included: engineering, political/military organization, effective administration, long-term stability. The fall of Roman Empire – 5th century AD (476 AD) because of environmental factors,
internal fragmentation, government corruption, and unable to defend itself against attacks of tribes from north and central Europe. (6) Subsequent to the fall of the Roman Empire, Arab-Berber Moors conquered large part of Iberia and later Ottoman Turks extended Islamic empire. Feudal fragmentation extended over much of Europe for 1000 years (500-1450); this period is known as the Dark and Middle Ages. (7) Renaissance – 1450 AD – rebirth of Greece, Roman culture.(8) Mercantilism (16th to 18th centuries) characterized by competition w/ other Euro powers; protectionism; quest for gold and silver; colonialism, led by Spain, Portugal (Middle and South America were colonized). (9) Agricultural Revolution involved: sustained population increase b/c of new crops (potato, maize); new methods of soil preparation, soil rotation, cultivation, harvesting, etc.; increased pop + more farm labor than needed; different ideas about farming, which led to the enclosure laws. The excess laborers went to urban areas. The Industrial Revolution, which began in England, was built upon this surplus labor. Raw materials came in from colonies and finished goods went out to colonies. (10) Today, Europe (along with USA, Canada, Japan, Australia) is still in a center of wealth; it is the core. The poorer countries (the suppliers of raw materials, cheap labor) are known as the periphery. (11) In Europe, while many languages are spoken, 95% of the people speak an Indo-European language. The Basque are unique, speaking a language of which all other members of the language family have died. The religion of Europe: South – Roman Catholic, North – Protestant, East - Eastern Orthodox. Only Albania is redominantly Muslim. (12) Much of Europe is arable land. It is also an industrial powerhouse. Exports exceed imports by a ratio of almost 2:1. The industrial areas are concentrated near coal production areas and thus generate large amounts of nitrogen oxide and sulfur oxide. These pollutants combine with water to form nitric acid and sulfuric acid; they acidify precipitation - thus, acid rain. The areas just to the east of major industrial areas, such as Poland, are most impacted by acid rain. The acidity kills trees and aquatic life. Students answered the following questions. You can find the correct answers in the narrative above. (1) The United Kingdom of Great Britain includes England, Wales, Northern Ireland, and__.  (2) The most populous country in Europe is__. The oldest country in Europe is a microstate, located near Florence, Italy. It is__. (3) Paris began as a Roman city. Its original site was on an island in the__ River. (4) Name one country that is located in the North European lowlands?__ (5) Ancient Greece was conquered by__ in 146 BC. (6)__, from the 16th to 18th centuries, was characterized by competition with other European powers for riches. Colonial expansion, led by the Spanish and Portuguese, also occurred during this period. (7) Explain how the Agricultural Revolution and the Industrial Revolution were connected? (8) Poland’s forests are terribly impacted by acid rain. Why is acid rain such a problem in Poland?
March 3: Atlas essay
Russia and the countries of the former U.S.S.R. During the Soviet period, there were 15 Soviet Socialist Republics (e.g., Kazakh S.S.R., Ukainian S.S.R., Russian S.S.R.). After the break-up of the Soviet Union, 15 independent countries emerged. Russia is the most powerful of the 15. Several are in Central Asia (Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan), others are nestled in the Caucasus Mountains (Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan), and still others are in eastern Europe (Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Belarus, Ukraine, Moldova). (1) Russia is the largest territorial state in the world (twice as big as the next largest, which is Canada). The population is currently 143 million (compared with the US's 285 million). The population is concentrated west of the Ural Mountains. As of July, 2003, Russia's birth rate is 10 and its death rate is 14, so Russia is currently losing population at the rate of -.4% per year. The life expectancy is dropping. In the 1960s, males lived an average of 66 years; today, life expectancy for males has dropped to 58-62 years. Some fear that Russia's population could be as low as 80 million by 2050. (2) A number of factors play into Russia's population problem. (a) Immigration is down. (b) Disease is hitting very hard. There are about 125,000 new cases of tuberculosis (TB) annually. If there is a disease rate of 40:100,000, we're talking about an epidemic. Russia's rate of TB is 76:100,000. About 10% (100,000) of the prison population has TB, of which about 30,000 cases are the untreatable, deadly form. About 10,000 uncured TB patients are released from prison each year, many with the drug-resistant form. Sexually transmitted disease (STDs) are also problematic: the death rate from syphilis has increased 44-fold since the Soviet collapse and HIV infections rose 250% from 1999 to 2000. Maternal mortality (death during childbirth) is 2.5 times Europe's average (44:100,000). There is also a lack of antibiotics and medical supplies/equipment/facilities. (c) Seventy percent of pregnancies end in abortion. (d) The suicide rate is one of the highest in the world (40:100,000). (e) The number of registered alcoholics has doubled since 1992 (2.2 million, of which 110,000 are children 12-16 years old). (f) While some have become very rich in the last few years, most Russians live in poverty. In Moscow (the capital), 50% live below the poverty line; the average salary is $280/month. The average Russian's income is $67/month. (g) Some say that life expectancy has declined in Russia because of a lack of personal hope for the future. (h) The environment deteriorated very badly during the Soviet years; today, many are exposed to radiation, toxic waste, and pollution. A case, with international ramifications, is in Ukraine. Ukraine has traditionally been the breadbasket of this region. Wheat, rice, corn, hops, flax, tobacco, hemp, fruits, vegetables, cattle, and you name it grows here. However, parts of Ukraine along with parts of Belarus are sorely contaminated as a result of the explosion of Reactor #4 at the Chernobyl Nuclear facility. This explosion/fire occurred on April 26, 1986 during an obviously poorly managed "safety" experiment. The fire burned for 16 days. Kiev, the capital and home to 4 million, received a heavy dose of radiation. Evacuation was slow. We watched a video entitled "Chernobyl". The nuclear power plant came on line in 1977. After the explosion in 1986, villages were evacuated and demolished. In the early 1990s, an additional 100 villages were scheduled for demolition. After the explosion, about 135,000 were evacuated. Nine tons of nuclear fuel escaped in the fire, with one ton of radioactive fuel settling on the site itself. The radiation was so high that it would kill a human in less than one hour. Workers were supposed to work no longer than 60 seconds and then get out. The official death count was 31. The other three units at the nuclear power plant eventually came back on line, because of a desperate need for electricity. The last unit (#2) finally closed down in December of 2000. Today, there is a 19 mile "exclusion zone" around the site. People must stop at check points and get permission to enter and must be checked for contamination on the way out. What happened in April, 1986 was a situation where xenon gas began to be produced. It made the reactor sluggish. Control rods were withdrawn (down to 6-8, but 43 is the acceptable minimum number). As the control rods were withdrawn, steam was created. Fewer electrons were absorbed. The power went up, more steam, few electrons absorbed. Coolant water that should have been injected, wasn't. The plant went to 100 times the safe maximum power in four seconds. Two explosions occurred. In the aftermath, six managers were sent to prison for criminal negligence. The RBMK nuclear power design was also discredited; no new nuclear power plants of this design will be built. A concrete sacrophagus was built around the reactor. Those who fought the fire in the first hours died - or nearly did. There is a continuing threat of cancer. One who was sickened noted that the Soviets were initially in denial, but that now the injured are getting some treatment. We went to the city of Pripyat, from which 60,000 were evacuated. While a few may be returning, it is unwise as the radiation levels are quite high. The children who were in the daycare center spent 36 hours in the town before it was evacuated. In their schoolyard, trees have mutated. At an abandoned greenhouse, experiments on plants that don't take up the radiation are underway. In the nearby forest, the radiation levels are the highest of anywhere outside Chernobyl. In neighboring Belarus, life has changed forever because of the ever-present radioactive cesium. After the explosion, people's roofs were replaced, walls washed down, soil treated and deeply tilled. Today, the children are kept in school 12 hours each day so that they won't be exposed to so much radiation. Decontaminated food is provided. The playground has been decontaminated, but just across the fence the radiation levels are high. The woods are forbidden. Most of the cesium that people get comes from milk. Milk must be sent to the state dairy for decontamination before drinking. Children and adults get periodic monitoring, to assess tissue radiation levels. The children's levels are low, and the adults tend to test higher. One man, who didn't follow the guidance of what to eat and not eat, had high levels of radiation in his body (he didn't seem to care too much). These villages outside the 19 mile zone, where monitoring occurs and people are told what to and not to eat, are called villages of "rigid control"; there are 720 of them. Thyroid cancers will appear in the future. As many as 250,000 more people may have to leave their homes. One scientist said that Chernobyl had had a catastrophic effect on the environment. Lives are in turmoil, there will be deaths in the future, much of the land is unusable - it is, in short, "monstrous". Update: estimated 4,000 deaths among those who took part in the hasty and poorly organized cleanup; 70,000 people disabled by radiation, according to government figures. Overall, 3.4 million of Ukraine's 50 million people, including 1.26 million children, are considered affected by Chernobyl, and many may not show the effects for years. Currently, 100,000 to 200,000 have remained or returned to live within the 19 mile zone which is still highly radioactive. Overall, more than 8000 have died. About 2000 have been diagnosed with thyroid cancer. In the next ten years, another 8,000 to 10,000 new cases are expected. Homework: Select one of the 8 critical thinking questions on page 286. Write down your response and bring it to class.
March 8: Russia was a colonial empire; it absorbed adjacent territory. For many years, Russia was ruled by a Czar (Tsar); the last being Nicholas. In 1917, there were two revolution. In the first one, the Czar and his family were killed. The second was the Bolshevik Revolution. This was a populist revolution. After the revolution, the ideas of economist Karl Marx (Marx wrote that labor would continually be replaced by capital until they revolted) became part of a visioin of a communist state, where all would share wealth and resources equally. Lenin was the creative force behind this plan. In 1922, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics was established, with Stalin as the ruler (Lenin was never officially the leader of the USSR). Lenin died in 1924 and Stalin (who died in 1953) became a tyrant, responsible for the deaths of many millions of their own people. The economy was centrally planned and "Russification" was the reality (Russification involved sending Russians throughout the USSR to assume positions of power). After Stalin died, Khrushchev was the leader (1953-1964), followed by Brezhnev (1964-1982), Andropov (1982-1984), Chernenko (1984-85), and finally Mikhail Gorbachev, beginning in 1985. Gorbachev, a communist, introduced the ideas of glasnost (openness - of the media, etc) and perestroika (restructuring of the economy - privatizing some state-owned businesses). During Gorbachev's time in office, the USSR collapsed (officially on December 25, 1991). The reasons for the collapse are still debated. U.S. policy probably played a role in the country's demise: Reagan's military build-up, the proposed missile defense system, confronting the Soviets in regional conflicts (most especially Afghanistan), and rapid advances in US technology. Internal U.S.S.R. dynamics also played key roles: economic decline and the impacts of glasnost and perestroika. In addition, the international community is now learning that the U.S. sabotaged the U.S.S.R. economy with technologies that would badly malfunction. Computer technologies caused a massive natural gas explosion, the biggest non-nuclear explosion/fire ever seen from space. Yeltsin came into power as the U.S.S.R. collapsed; the economy also collapsed. Some became wealthy because of illegal activities. Putin, the President of Russia, is quite concerned (per a 2-11-02 BBC article) that organized crime still controls large parts of the country's economy. Contract killings of businessmen, government corruption, and unpunished crimes are common. Russia is located at high latitude. There is virtually no natural barrier against the cold Arctic air. The winters are long, dark, and bitterly cold in most of Russia. The summers are short and the growing seasons limited. East of the Ural Mountains is Siberia, a word that means "sleeping land". The coniferous forests that extend over vast reaches of Siberia are called the taiga. North of the taiga is the tundra, the treeless plain along the Arctic short where mosses, lichens, algae, fungus, and some grasses are able to survive. In southeastern Russia is Lake Baikal. It contains the world's largest volume of fresh water, is the deepest body of fresh water, and is 400 miles long. It is one of the world's oldest and most biologically diverse lake habitats. Of its 1000+ species of plants and animals, almost 3/4 are endemic (meaning that they occur nowhere else on earth). The world's only freshwater sponge, a freshwater seal (the nerpa), and species of transparent small fish (gobies) that can survive the tremendous pressure in the lake's depths are some of the endemic species.
March 10: (1) The U.S.S.R. broke into 15 independent countries. The largest of these countries is (Russia). One of the countries in Central Asia is (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan). (2) Russia is losing population. Some fear that the population may decline to 80 million by 2050. One of the reasons is disease. With an infection rate of 76:100,000, (tuberculosis, or TB) is a disease of particular concern. Many of the cases cannot be treated. What is another factor that contributes to the population decline? (abortion, environmental problems, loss of hope for the future, alcoholism, lack of medical supplies) (3) The breadbasket of the former USSR was (Ukraine). In 1986, a nuclear power plant at (Chernobyl) exploded and burned for days. Describe the aftermath of these catastrophic accident. (see narrative above) (4) In 1917, two revolutions occurred in Russia. During the first, the ruler, called the (Tsar or Czar), was dethroned and killed. The second was called the (Bolshevik) Revolution. After this revolution, a charismatic visionary named (Lenin) utilized the ideas of Karl Marx to envision a new system of government. (5) Why did the USSR collapse? Some point to the introduction by Mikhail Gorbachev of the concepts of (glasnost - openness) and (perestroika - restructuring), but others point to the U.S. role is its demise. Explain this line of reasoning. (see narrative above) (6) East of the Ural Mountains is (Siberia), the sleeping land. The treeless plain along the Arctic shore is called the (tundra). (7) In southeastern Russia, one finds Lake (Baikal or Baykal). About ¾ of the species around this lake are (endemic), meaning that they are found nowhere else on earth. (8) The (Aral) Sea, once the world’s fourth largest inland sea, has been devastated by cotton production. This sea is in Central Asia.
Began study of North Africa and Southwest Asia. It is odd for a region to be configured in such a way, so there must be good reasons. One of those reasons is climate (see Figure 6.2 on page 292). In this very dry area, population is concentrated along the coasts, Iraq, Turkey, and the Nile River. Two ancient culture hearths, Mesopotamia (which lies within today's Iraq) and the Nile, are present in this region. The Fertile Crescent, an area of early plant and animal domestication, is here as well. Looking on a map of religions, it is apparent that Islam is practiced most widely in this region. As one goes south on the continent of Africa, the prevalence of Islam declines and Christianity increases. The majority of the Muslims are Sunni, but a majority are Shi'ite (or Shia) in Iraq and Iran. Islam is one of the world's three great monolithic (belief in one god) faiths. All three of the great monolithic faiths spring from this region, and all are related. The oldest is Judaism. From it came Christianity and Islam. Students broke into groups to discuss critical thinking questions 1, 2, and 6 (on page 335). Some points to remember: (1) theocratic means that the political leader is also the religious leader; (2) an Islamist, as opposed to a Muslim, is a fundamentalist (3) a secular state is one in which the affairs of the state and the affairs of religion are kept separate (4) While religion does play a role in conflicts in this region, often it is a minor role. Resources (e.g., petroleum), strategic advantage, and rights to land are often the most important factors.
March 22: Beginning during Roman times, Jews dispersed throughout the world; this dispersion has come to be known as the Jewish Diaspora. By the late 1890s, Jewish nationalism (known as Zionism) was on the rise; conferences were held to debate the creation of a state for the Jews. While there were a few thousands Jews living in Palestine in the 1800s, more Jews began to migrate to Palestine after WWI. At the time, Palestine was under a British mandate (i.e., it was a British colony) after the fall of the Ottoman Empire. During WWII, the British put quotas on the number of Jews who could immigrate to Palestine. After WWII, the United Nations was created. In 1947, the United Nations proposed two countries between what is today Jordan and the Mediterranean River. The Jews were to receive 55% of the territory and the Palestinians 45%. The Jews accepted the partition, but the Arabs (Palestinians and other Arabs) rejected it, seeing the Jews as colonizers. War ensued, officially beginning May 15, 1948, the day after Israel declared its independence. When it was over, over 10,000 of the Jew's 600,000 people were killed. The toll for the Palestinians was much higher, however. The Palestinians call this war "the catastrophe." Many fled to squalid refugee camps. Only 20% of the Palestinians remained in Israel at the end of the war. Pushing the Palestinians out of their own land fueled the ideology of the right to return. This idea of return is at the core of the conflict (for the Jews - a return to the Promised Land; for the Palestinians - a return to their traditional villages). Nationalism (Jewish nationalism, which is called Zionism -- and Palestinian nationalism) plays a tremendous role, with control of LAND the hoped-for outcome. Some Palestinians keep keys for years to homes that long ago were destroyed by the Israelis. This conflict over God/history, right of return, land (including the major issue of the Israeli settlements in Palestinian territory), and conflicting claims of sovereignty over Jerusalem (Jerusalem is holy to the Muslim, Jew, and Christian) has resulted in wars (1948/49, 1956 - Sinai, 1967 - 6 Day, 1973 - Yon Kippur, 1982 - Lebanon) and two intifadas - 1987 and now (2000-today). Headway toward peace, cemented by the 1993 Oslo Accords (signed by Palestinian Arafat and Israeli Begin) ended when an Israeli extremist killed Rabin in 1995. The Palestinians have been treated horribly by Israel. Humiliation, along with settlements, roadblocks and checkpoints, guns and tanks, and now a vast wall are used to control the lives of the Palestinians. For many Palestinians, hope is gone. In this situation, people become desperate. Desperate people become dangerous. The second intifada began when Ariel Sharon visited the Temple Mount in 2000. He was already widely despised by the Arab world and this visit was seen as provocation. The Israeli police opened fire on Palestinians throwing rocks. The Israelis even killed Israeli Arabs, who are citizens of Israel. These Arabs, who make up 20% of the population of Israel, were treated as the enemy. We watched a film entitled "The Road to Palestine" (LCC Library DS 119.7 R558 2002). Robert Fisk, a BBC journalist takes us with him from his home base in Lebanon. Many Palestinians, who fled in 1948, live in Lebanon. He speaks with a Palestinian who was 13 years ago when his family fled. He drew a map of where the family home should be, but he has not been allowed to see it for 45 years. Next, we see an encampment of Hamas. These Islamic fundamentalists have established a small Islamic republic in southern Lebanon after having been driven out of Palestine. Hamas' aim is to liberate Palestine (including today's Israel). They believe they will win, as they have Allah. Hamas does not support the US-brokered peace plans. Mr. Fisk sets out to travel from Beirut, Lebanon to Israel, a trip that should be a 3 hour drive. Because the border has been closed since 1948, he has to fly to the island of Cyprus and then travel to Israel. As the passes through the checkpoint to enter Gaza, he comments that destitution and bitterness lie ahead. In Gaza City, an Israeli-imposed curfew has restricted Palestinians to their homes. After some problems with the Israeli soldiers, he takes a veiled, pregnant Palestinian woman to the hospital; she is not in labor, she is just terribly stressed. Israeli soldiers are looking for a Hamas gunman and when they find him, they kill him and destroy 17 buildings nearby. A man in one of the destroyed homes says that he must help his neighbors and himself, and then Allah will help him. We then see Palestinians protesting the death of the Hamas gunman. They shout "justice, power, liberty!" Next, we see two Hamas members delivering food to the family of a man who they killed for reportedly collaborating with the Israelis. Interviewing one of the Hamas men, Robert Fisk is told that the war is one of faith, not nationalism. After dark, during a protest, some Palestinians are shot. One died, with a bullet to the brain. His family takes his body before the Israelis can come to get it. Next, Mr. Fisk interviews a Jewish settler. The Jewish man says that, according to the Torah, the land was given to the Jews, not to the Palestinians and so it doesn't matter how long the Palestinians have been there. A Jewish woman says that the state of Israel is based solely upon a Biblical claim. We see Jerusalem and the Jewish settlements ringing the city; the eastern part is very strongly Muslim and the Israelis are afraid to go there. One Palestinian family hangs on to their land, even as huge bulldozer level the land just adjacent to them. While they have titles from both the Ottoman and British periods, this family has been told to leave the area. They have legal representation to try to change the outcome, but they will almost certainly lose. The land is only for new immigrants (including a family from France) and Israeli soldiers. Next, Mr. Fisk travels to Acre to find the home of the Palestinian man who lives in Lebanon. He finds it, and also finds that a Jewish family has been living in it for over 40 years. The man is a Pole who survived the Nazi Holocaust. He was from Trzebini in southern Poland. He also draws a map. Robert Fisk goes to the town, where Jews no longer live. He travels to the place where the man's mother was killed. A Jewish cemetery on the route has been desecrated. At Treblinka, where his mother died in 1943, one now finds a symbolic rock garden. We are left with that image and the complexities and contradictions of the Jew/Palestinian issue.
March 24: Review of North Africa/Southwest Asia: (1) Why are North Africa and Southwest Asia lumped together as one region? The region is primarily desert, primarily populated by adherents to the Islamic faith, and most countries share a dependence upon petroleum (2) Shaped somewhat like a boomerang, the area known as the __ (Fertile Crescent) passed through today’s Iraq. This was an important area of plant and animal domestication. (3) As with Catholics, Protestants, and Eastern Orthodox Christians, there are various branches of Islam. The majority of Muslims are __ (Sunni), however, the majority of Muslims in Iraq and Iran are __ (Shi'ite or Shia). (4) A/an __ (theocratic) state is one in which the political leader is also the religious leader. Iran is an example. (5) In addition to religion, what are two other factors that contribute to conflict in North Africa/Southwest Asia? (Please refer back to your text for the discussions of how politics, outside influence, and petroleum contribute to conflict.) (6) For centuries, Jews dispersed throughout the world, seeking a safe haven. This dispersal is called the Jewish __(diaspora). Jewish nationalism, called __(Zionism), rose in the late 1890s. After WWII, the United Nations proposed that the territory of __(Palestine) be divided into two countries: 55% for the Jews and 45% for the Arabs.  (7) We watched a film entitled “The Road to Palestine.” Write a one paragraph summary of the film that includes the following terms: Lebanon, Gaza, Hamas, Palestine, soldiers, settlements, and Treblinka. (please refer to the narrative above.)
Sub-Saharan Africa: (1) Political map: Much of Sub-Saharan African is a high plateau, most over 1000’. The Rift Valley, in eastern Africa, is an area of lakes caused by tectonic activity (Madagascar and the Red Sea are also the result of tectonic activity). In the Rift Valley, one finds the famous Mt. Kilimanjaro. The largest country in land area is Democratic Republic of Congo (875,300 square miles). (2) On climate map, one sees the Sahel (the semi-arid band on the southern border of the Sahara Desert). The Kalahari desert is in the south. One also finds tropical and temperate climates. Southeastern South Africa has the same as Kentucky. (3) Population: most populous country is Nigeria (131 M). Lagos, Nigeria is most populous city (may be the 3rd most populous city by 2025). (4) Commodities map: Many countries in Sub-Saharan Africa are essentially dependent upon one commodity. It is not good to be reliant on one commodity – if prices drop, nothing to back it up. (5) Debt & Trade map: Many of the countries import more than they export balance. This is partially responsible for large external debts; in some countries, the national debt is 5 times the Gross National Product. For compariosn, the U.S. National Debt is $7.1 trillion (rising $2 billion per day since 9-30-03; each citizen’s share = $24,298.89) and GNP is $8.3 trillion (so, our national debt is 86% of our GNP). Students broke into groups of two to read news from Africa and find connections to the news story in the textbook. (a) Botswana: issue of HIV/AIDS. Many pregnant women are afraid to be tested for HIV and are therefore not getting the antiretrovirals that might help them live longer and save their babies. (b) Zimbabwe and Nigeria: White farmers in Zimbabwe have been driven out. Nigeria is trying to get some of these farmers to come to Nigeria to farm. (c) The World Bank is lending $4.9 billion for projects in west Africa. (d) March 8th is International Women's Day, but in Africa, few women have much to celebrate. On idea to help women is to provide small loans so that they can start small businesses. (e) The countries of Africa are now being encouraged to infuse more aid and funding to small farmers, as a way of ensuring food security for the continent. (f) In South Africa, once white-only universities are now primarily serving black students. (g) Anthropologists may have found evidence that a human-like species was able to control fire 1.5 million years ago. (h) In northern Nigeria, the polio vaccine is seen as a plot to make women infertile; as a result, some children have contracted polio. (i) A tremendous number of people in Sub-Saharan Africa are extremely poor. At the same time, much of the aid intended for the people has purportedly been siphoned off by corporate interests. (j) While the world's population is not declining, the rate of increase is falling. Because of HIV/AIDS, life expectancy in some African countries may drop to 30 years by 2010.
March 29: (1) Sub-Saharan Africa was traumatized by: (a) Triange slave trade (Europe to Africa to the Americas and back to Europe), from 1500 to the early 1800s, depopulated west Africa, Brazil was the single largest destination; (b) colonialism: at the November 1884 through February 1885 Berlin Conference, European countries decided how they'd divide Africa. The ensuing rush to colonize Africa and its resources came to be known as the Scramble for Africa. By 1895, almost all of Africa was colonized. The decolonial period was at its peak about 1960. (c) economic globalization, neocolonialism, and the debt crisis are disastrous today. (d) corrupt governments, kleptocracies (governments that steal from the people) have greatly hampered progress. (e) disease, such as HIV/AIDS, has reversed progress, lowering life expectancy and debilitating whole countries. (2) Case studies: South Africa. The indigenous people are the Khoi San, the small remaining population is now primarily in the Kalahari Desert (Blaine was right - this is the setting of The Gods Must be Crazy). In 1652, Dutch who came to be known as Boer or Afrikaners colonized. [Zulu also entered South Africa at about the same time.] In 1806, the British took Capetown and in 1833 they abolished slavery. In 1910, the country became the Union of South Africa with Afrikaans and English as the official languages. There are 3 Afrikaners for every 2 British so Afrikaners came to power and, in 1948, institutionalized Apartheid (separate development of the races); Apartheid was similar to our Jim Crow laws, but more encompassing. Blacks (76% of the population) were forcibly removed to "homelands." The white population (13% of the total) kept this system in place for several decades, sending Nelson Mandela to prison for life (he was convicted on charges of terrorism). In the late 1980s, it was apparent that the system could not sustain itself much longer. The President (an Afrikaner named deKlerk) let Mandela out of prison and the Apartheid laws were dismantled. Almost ten years ago (in April 1994), all adults in South Africa were allowed to vote for the first time ever. Mandela became president (1994-1999). (3) Case study: Democratic Republic of Congo (used to be Zaire); population is 51 million; TFR is 6.4; IMR = 128; and GNP/capita = $110. The First African World War is now being fought there. The Kongo Kingdom ruled from the late 1300s through the 1600s; it was destroyed early 1700s.
At the Berlin Conference, the Congo became the personal property of Congo King Leopold II’s (Belgium). For a couple of books about this period, see Joseph Conrad's 1902 Heart of Darkness and the much more recent King Leopold’s Ghost: A Story of Greed, Terror, and Heroism in Colonial Africa. In 1908, the Congo formally became a Belgian colony. The Belgiums used military force to force natives to exploit their resources: ivory, rubber, copper, etc. In 1960, the Congo became independent with Lumumba as the first prime minister. Lumumba was taken during a coup a few days later and killed on January 1961. Civil war lasted until 1963. In 1965, Mobutu (a kleptocrat) came into power and changed name to Zaire. He welcomed capital, so he was good for commercial interests: plantations – cotton, peanuts, coffee, sugar cane, palm oil, rubber; and rocks/minerals: uranium, manganese, tin, copper, cobalt (world’s #1), diamonds (#4), coltan (#1). Opponents were sent to concentration camps. There was high unemployment and the IMF directly controlled economy after 1980. On May 11, 1990, student protests led to over 100 students being killed by the military at Lubumbaski University. There were strikes and protests demanding Mobutu's resignation. In 1992, there was inter-ethnic strife, banks closed because of lack of funds, inflation rose to 16,500%, and it was one of 10 poorest countries in world. In 1995, opposition forces formed alliance led by Laurent guerrilla leader Kabila. Shortly after Mobutu stepped down and Kabila came to power, Kabila was accused of tribalism. So, in 1998, opposition forces took up arms and the conflict spread, with Angola, Zimbabwe, Namibia on Kabila's side and Uganda, Rwanda against Kabila.
On January 26, 2001, Laurent Kabila was killed; his son, Joseph Kabila, is now in power. In March 2002, peace talks were ongoing but as of today, at least 3 million have died (hunger, disease, violence) and 2 million displaced. Before watching the film about the First African World War in Congo, just a little background on Rwanda. In 1994, a genocide resulted in at least 800,000 deaths over a period of 100 days. The Hutu majority tied to eliminate Tutsis (the Tutsis had gotten all the advantages under Belgian colonial rule). We watched a film entitled "War in Congo: An Overview" with Ted Koppel. After the 1994 Rwandan genocide, 900,000 refugees poured into the Congo city of Goma. Most were Hutu, and most had nothing to do with the killing, but in amongst the refugees were up to 90,000 Interhamwe (those who kill together) Hutu militia. The people gathered around the river and 50,000 died in the first month as a result of disease and polluted water. On February 27, 2002, 300,000 refugees poured from Goma into Rwanda, as volcanic lava covered the town. In other Congo villages, people are driven into the forest as they try to escape the war which has taken 3,000 lives each day for the past 3 years. The aerial view of Congo is pleasant, but in the forests are armies and at least 3 rebel groups, all very dangerous. We then see ordinary people trying to make enough money to eat. They are getting commodities to communities on a homemade scooter. Next we see a young fighter who is now in a POW camp; he is suffering from malaria. The POW camp may seem like a sanctuary, but it really isn't. Many of the Hutu killers are confined within its walls, but there are so many Hutu that they must be released and reintegrated into society. Although Congo was featured in the movie "Gorillas in the Mist," tourists don't come to Congo anymore; it is entirely too dangerous. At one of the country's parks (which has been closed since 1998), the visitor center is now a repository for skulls of elephants and gorillas. The park manager says that, in 1996, there were 258 gorillas; today there are 130. The 350 elephants have all been killed. These creatures are not seen as treasures, but solely as food. We see a newly built village in a pretty area. Actually, the people here are refugees. They have planted crops and hope that the military people will protect the crops at harvest time. The village isn't an official refugee camp, so aid isn't routine. The children are all malnourished. After a few more words about the pollution in the lake, we go to an isolated village called Shabunda. On this day, corn, beans, and cooking oil are coming in (along with the journalists to document what is going on; attention leads to outrage, which leads to money). The Italian priest tells us that, when food aid didn't come, he went and demanded it. The people will perish without UNICEF. It was the first aid in 3 months and future aid was uncertain. In this village, all the women had been raped, primarily by a rebel group called the Mai Mai. The local authorities are no help. Three of the women are interviewed about their experiences. The rapes were brutal and the women are certain that no man will ever want to marry them. They are also sure that they have a disease, such as AIDS; they don't know, however, as there is no testing and no medicine. It is estimated that at least 60% of the Mai Mai are HIV+. Many of the people have diseases; 3 of 4 babies die before the age of 2 in some of these areas of the eastern Congo. There is no medicine, so little ones die of malaria and even TB. After telling their stories, the women say they have spoken candidly because they want the white people to know and to do something to help them. One might wonder why the people need food aid to begin with; this is, after all, very rich agricultural land. The war has made it impossible to grow food. We hear from a Hutu couple, the only ones who have survived in Shabunda. In the last segment, another Italian priest tells of Tutsi killing, in revenge, Hutu men, women, and children as they tries to flee. He said that he understands the anger of the Tutsi, but that they must be just.

Some presentations that you may attend (others will be added throughout the semester): * April 7, 5-6:15 pm, LCC Auditorium, Craig Williams, "Marching for Peace in Times of War" * April 8, 7 pm, Gaines Ctr's Bingham-Davis House, film "Las Madres: The Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo" * April 10, 11 am, Wildflower Walk, Raven Run, $1, call to pre-register (272-6105) * April 11, 2 pm, Wildflower Walk, Raven Run, $1, call to pre-register (272-6105) * April 12, !Nai + Dr. Udvardy, UK Classroom Building 110 (more info: moonbeam1029jkt@yahoo.com) * April 14, 5-6:15 pm, Doug Alexander, Heifer International, LCC Auditorium * April 17, 10:30 am, Eagle Lady, Raven Run, $1, call to pre-register (272-6105) * April 17, 12 noon, Wildflower Walk, Raven Run, $1, call to pre-register (272-6105) * April 17, 8:30 pm, Stargazing, Raven Run, free, call to pre-register (272-6105) * April 18, 2 pm, Wildflower Walk, Raven Run, $1, call to pre-register (272-6105) * April 20: 4:00 pm in Young Library Auditorium, "The Continuing Crisis in Japan" * April 20, 7 pm, Kentucky Theater, film "Kabul Kabul" * April 20, 7-8:30 pm, Arboretum, $4, "Spring Lawn Care" * April 24, 10 am - 2 pm, Arboretum, "Arbor Day" * April 25, 8-11 am, Bird Tour, Raven Run, $1, call to pre-register (272-6105) * April 26: 3:30-5 pm, location TBA, "College of Agriculture's First Study Trip to China, 20 Years Ago"

March 31: Test 2 key for GEO 152:001: (1) a (2) b (3) d (4) d (5) c (6) d (7) b (8) c (9) a (10) c (11) d (12) a (13) b or d (14) a (15) b (16) c (17) ja (18) ic (19) ag (20) sg (21) rd (22) md (23) fb (24) pf (25) sc (26) za (27) ua (28) cc (29) pa (30) ob (31) ie (32) ha (33) si (34) sd (35) id (36) re (37) se (38) td (39) bb (40) tb (41) rc (42) oa (43) bf (44) la (45) hb (46) nb (47) bd (48) kd (49) cg (50) na (51) ab (52) af (53) ma (54) gc (55) rb (56) mc (57) ia (58) bc (59) lc (60) ka (61) ib (62) be (63) sh (64) gb (65) pc (66) ac (67) sa (68) ce (69) fa (70) ga (71) bg (72) ad
Test 2 key for GEO 152:002: (1) b (2) a (3) c (4) d (5) b (6) d (7) b (8) c (9) a (10) c (11) d (12) a (13) b, d (14) a (15) b (16) c (17) ac (18) sa (19) ce (20) fa (21) ga (22) bg (23) ad (24) ja (25) ic (26) ag (27) sg (28) rd (29) md (30) fb (31) pf (32) sc (33) za (34) ua (35) cc (36) pa (37) ob (38) ie (39) ha (40) si (41) sd (42) id (43) re (44) se (45) td (46) bb (47) tb (48) rc (49) oa (50) bf (51) la (52) hb (53) nb (54) bd (55) kd (56) cg (57) na (58) ab (59) af (60) ma (61) gc (62) rb (63) mc (64) ia (65) bc (66) lc (67) ka (68) ib (69) be (70) sh (71) gb (72) pc
April 5: South Asia: The countries, as identified in this textbook, are Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives,
Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. Review the Table 8.1 on page 432: which country has the highest GDP per capita, the highest literacy rate, the highest score on the HDI? Read the Vignette on page 396. (1) On BBC, today's news from South Asia includes: India credit card scam; gang buying data; Nepal Maoists kill 9 police; Sikh holy book flown to Canada; Sri Lanka’s new government could jeopardize peace with Tamils; and South India’s suicide rate of 10-19 year olds is the highest in the world (14.5:100,000 world rate) 58 per 100,000 (boys) and 148 per 100,000 (girls), hanging and poisoning via pesticide are the most common methods. (2) The political divisions: 28 states and a federal district (Delhi). (3) The population: 1921 = 251 M; 1921 to 1931, 28 million were added; 1991 to 2001, 175 million added; 2001 population = > 1 Billion. The population is clustered along Ganges (Ganga) in the north, Bangladesh very dense; Pakistan along the Indus, southeast India. (4)  The caste system, while illegal, ranges from the dalits (harijans or untouchables, who are BELOW the caste system) to the Brahmin. If you look at South Asian diaspora, who is moving: the elite or the poor? See page 402; brain drain to North America and Europe; indentured servants to countries of North Africa/Southwest Asia, Africa, and Southeast Asia. Jobs are moving (offshoring) from North America and Europe to India: manufacturing and high-tech centers (service centers, computer software). (5) Female literacy: the text says 43.5% overall, but in northern villages the literacy is much lower (< 20%). (6) An exception is the southwest Indian state of Kerala: 29 million population on area < 10% area of CA (CA’s 2000 population = 35.4 million); 25% unemployment; and per capita income is below the national average. But, Kerala is the land of coconuts, very beautiful, near 100% literacy, lowest birthrate in India, TFR = replacement, infant mortality rate = 17, diversity = Hindu, Christian, Jew, Muslim , long history of social justice, highest age at marriage, longest life span, free education, more females than males. Social scientists debate how Kerala has accomplished this standard of living. Possibilities: socialist governments have invested in people (free education, free health care, etc.); long tradition of matriarchy, and fishing, rather than farming, culture had involved women in the businesss world. (7) Religion plays extremely important cultural role. Hinduism: ~ 2000 BC – world’s oldest major religion (earliest surviving documents ~ 1500 BC); about 1500 BC the Aryans invaded from the north and pushed the indigenous dark-skinned Dravidians south. The Aryans probably originated the caste system (based, originally, upon skin color). Today, the caste system is not based upon skin color, but upon occupation and other factors. The Brahman (the priest, teacher caste) is at the top, followed by Kshatriya (warrior), Vaisya (merchants), Shudra (agrarian), and below caste – dalits (untouchables). There are 2 scriptures = Vedas (old) and Upanishads (newer). Hindus, while very diverse in beliefs, show a respect for life, believe in rebirth – reincarnation, believe that the soul emancipated by duty (dharma) … knowledge, devotion, believe in karma – deeds, conduct – previous life. In many ways, Hinduism is a tolerant faith. A person can find philosophical justification for almost any ethnical norm. Hinduism is tied to the Indian landscape. The Ganges River, though polluted, is the most sacred river in India. Many embark on pilgrimages to the Ganges. (8) Dowry, see textbook definition. Sons are prized and daughters are liabilities. In Hindu belief systems, women cause pollution and harm unless married. Some couples get high tech ultrasound and if the fetus is a girl, abort her. It is sometimes said that killing a baby girl at birth is kinder to them than a life of tears. In some areas of India – 120 men for 100 women (expect 105 men for 100 women at birth and within a few years 100 men for 105 women). In 1961, Dowry Prohibition Act was passed; the law has failed. Dowry is often a year’s salary or price of a house. “Kitchen accidents” occur with some regularity. Between 1988 and 1993, over 20,000 wives murdered or committed suicide because they couldn’t meet demands for more dowry. In 1995, over 7000 of this type of fatality was reported by Indian government.
April 8: Students took a quiz on the key terms on pages 449-450; make sure you know what the following are: agroecology, Arya (Aryan), Brahmins, brain drain, bride price, Buddhism, caste, Chipko movement, communal conflict, dowry, fatwa, Green Revolution, Harijan (Dalits), hearth, Hindustani, Indian diaspora, Indus Valley civilization (Harappa), Islam, Jainism, jai, Kshatriyas, microcredit, Moguls, monsoons, Parsis, purdah, regional conflict, religious nationalism, Shari'a, Sikhism/Sikhs, subcontinent, Sudras, Taliban, Vaishyas. History: The earliest civilization we know of is the Indus Valley Civilization (in today's Pakistan, along the Indus River). This was the Harappa civilization and Mohenjo Daro (a sophisticated city built 4500 years before present) is its most famous city. The Aryans invaded 3500 years before present). Muslim Moguls invaded 1000 years before present. In 1687, the British East India Company entered in Bombay. By 1820, England was in control of almost all of India. India's textile industry dismantled and poverty increased. Under British occupation, tensions between Hindu and Muslims rose as the British fueled tensions and then acted as the “benevolent” intermediary. At the time, India had 562 princely states, with rulers called maharajas (the British allowed them to stay in power). In 1940, the first formal demand for partitioned state came. India became independent on August 15, 1947. South Asia was partitioned into India and East/West Pakistan. Many fled: 6 million Muslims to W. Pakistan and 1 million in E. Pakistan; 6 million Hindus from W. Pakistan and 3.5 million from E. Pakistan. Still, today there are 106 million Muslims in India (11% of India’s population). In January, 1948, Mahatma Gandhi was assassinated. Nehru was the first Prime Minister, 1947 to 1964. The class watched a film entitled India: Land of Spirit and Mystique (LCC Library DS 414.2 153). This film was made in 1988 and some things, most notably the situation in Kashmir, has changed since the video was filmed. The film begins by noting that India's landmass is half that of the U.S. The Director of Tourism says that everyone in India has an equal opportunity (which, of course, is not true in India or anywhere else). The country's boundaries were drawn by British. It is the birthplace of Hinduism (80% of the population are Hindus) and Buddhism (<1% of the population are Buddhists). The Buddha is Siddhartha Gautama, who the film says lived in northern India, near Benares (Varanasi), which lies on the banks of the Ganges River. [Note: Many dispute this claim and say that the Buddha was actually born and lived in today's Nepal, in Lumbini. This is the site of the ancient city of Kapilavastu.] The Ganges is the geographical center of the Hindu faith. Hindus believe in reincarnation and eventual salvation (that frees Hindus from the cycle of reincarnation). Hindus cremate their dead. They have the caste system, which became illegal after independence. The Ganges has the power of salvation. Along its banks are "ghats," very wide steps leading to the river. The Muslims, 12% of India's population, are more regionalized in India. They believe in one god (Allah); their holy city is Mecca and their holy book is the Koran. Many of the Muslims in India are Sunni. If one goes to Kashmir, the Muslim women wear black veils. Muslims eat meat and bury their dead. The cemetery is viewed differently than it is in western society. In 1947, South Asia was partitioned into India and West & East Pakistan (West Pakistan later became Pakistan and East Pakistan became Bangladesh). Another faith is the Ba'hai. In the 1980s, the Lotus Temple was built in Delhi. This beautiful structure represents the petals of the lotus flower opening (the lotus is the spiritual flower of India). Some call this building the "Taj Mahal of the 20th century." It is open to all faiths. Recorded history of India goes back to 2500 B.C., with the Indus Valley civilization. The Moguls ruled from 1527 to 1707 AD. The two great Mogul rulers were Akbar (who built the city of Agra) and Shah Jahan (who built the Taj Mahal). Behind the building of the Taj Mahal is a love story. In 1612, Emperor Shah Jahan married. His wife had 14 children and then died in childbirth. The Taj Mahal was built as a tribute to her. In later years, Shah Jahan's son dethroned him and imprisoned him at the Agra Fort. After the fall of the son, Shah Jahan was buried in the Taj Mahal next to his wife (thus the Taj Mahal is a mausoleum). The Agra Fort and the Taj Mahal are the most visited places in India. The Agra Fort has a 70' high wall, which is 1.5 miles in circumference; only monkeys can scale the walls. About 25 miles west of Agra is Fatehpur Sikri, the late 16th century fortress of Akbar; it was capital of the Mogul emprie for a short time. The capital then moved to Agra. Later, the Europeans came. The Portuguese sailed to India in 1498. Then came the British, who were firmly in place by the early 1800s. The British exploited India for its resources. In the 20th century, Mahatma Gandhi, who was trained in Britain as a lawyer and had lived in South Africa and defended the Indians who lived there, led peaceful nonviolent resistance in India. He moved back to India in 1915. He shunned western ways, spinning his own textiles and living very simply. He served several terms in prison for nonviolent resistance. His most famous resistance began on March 12, 1930 when he and followers marched to the sea. Twenty-four days and 241 miles later, as resistance to the British-imposed salt tax, he made salt from the seawater. Others followed. Gandhi was again arrested. Shortly after World War II, independence came. It was agreed that Hindus would be the majority in India and Muslims would be the majority in Pakistan. Nehru became the first Prime Minister of independent India, but Gandhi was the father figure of India. He was assassinated on January 30, 1948. Today, an eternal flame marks the site of his cremation in New Delhi. India is the world's largest democracy. According to the video, rural people are fascinated by technology, but people do most of their work by hand. Handwork allows more to be gainfully employed. In agriculture, the old system of oxen and human labor still dominates. In Bombay (Mumbai), cotton grown in India was loaded and shipped to the United States during our country's Civil War. Agriculture's biggest problem is water and the dependence upon the monsoon. In the Kashmiri state of Srinagar, beautiful and high quality silk and wool carpets are woven. Many of the carpets tell a story. Each stitch is assigned a number, which is repeated in the pattern. Some of these carpets take as long as four years to produce. Carpet making is a traditional economic activity associated with certain families. Others in Srinagar make houseboats, with intricate carvings. As one said, you can "do a lot with your hands if you have the patience." Many of these houseboats are used for tourists; everything is made by hand. There's a Indian room (the lotus) and a Mogul room (the peacock). The town exudes old world Asian charm; it assaults the sense. The people shop for food on a daily basis. Transportation is via foot, animals, buses, and a few cars. In the winter, men carry smoke pots (nicknamed "Kashmiri wife") with coals that burn for hours and keep their hands warm. The Himalayas surround Kashmir. Going into the mountains, one can see wild monkeys in the pine forest. Gulmarg, a mountain town, lies at the base of India's only ski hill. Then we briefly go to Delhi where we see a snake charmer, accompanying the comment that people make their living anyway they can. It is common to see barter and small enterprise in the streets of Delhi and elsewhere. In 1727, Jaipur was designed. It has both an old city (known as the "Pink City") and a new city. The most famous building in the old city is the Palace of the Wind, built of pink sandstone. In this city in a desert state, one sees camels, pedicars, and other means of conveyance. One is considered very lucky to own a camel or elephant. Goats and cows wander the streets. The cow, the most revered of animals in India, is usually unscathed in traffic. We do see a cow pulling a lawnmower. Here, we see colorful cloth in the process of block printing. Upon completion, the cloth will hang in the desert air and probably end up in North America or Europe. On three sides of the city are rugged hillsides with forts. It is easy to see the Mogul influence. Also in the state of Rajasthan, in Udaipur, one finds the beautiful lake palace, where one of India's Maharajas (kings) ruled during the feudal past. The Maharajas were very wealthy and had very showy palaces. Today, the Maharajas have only symbolic power, but often are still quite wealthy. The lake palace is now a motel, probably the most luxurious on India. The only way to get to the motel is to go by boat across Lake Pichola. Next, we go to the Deccan Plateau and the Ajanta and Ellora caves. In these caves, discovered by British hunters in 1819, are 2000 year old religious and cultural drawings and artifacts. In the series of caves are 34 temples, living quarters and meeting halls. In the caves is evidence of Buddhist, Jain, and Hindu occupation. One particularly impressive statue is that of Shiva; about 3 million cubic feet of stone were removed to produced this statue. Many carvings and statues of Buddha, including daily life statues, are found throughout. Frescoes, made from a plaster of clay and cow dung, depict the religious principles of Buddha and daily life. The caves are a wonder of ancient art. In the state of Madhya Pradesh, 85 temples were built in three clusters 1000 years ago. Twenty-five remain, some of which are in excellent condition. The temples have spires or a series of spires. Probably the most interesting feature are the small figures that surround the spires. These erotic sculpture speak to a period of sexual expression, during which sex coincided with religious and philosophical values. Many come on pilgrimages to the temples. We are then told that India has made great strides in education. We see children at their morning prayers. The classroom includes a blackboard and stone floors on which the children will sit to learn language, math, reading, and science. As power outages are common, homework is often done by candlelight. Finally, we go back to New Delhi and the Ba'hai Temple. New Delhi, a well-planned 20th century capital, is the hub of Indian democracy. We see India Gate, a memorial to the 90,000 Indians who died in World War I, the Northwest Frontier Operation, and the 1919 Afghanistan Conflict. Old Delhi is quite different from New Delhi. As many as 8 cities were built here over time. The 7th wonder of Hindustan is the 234' tower (dating from 1200 AD), built by the first sultan of Delhi. Old Delhi is congested, with spice traders, tea, spicy cuisine. The Red Fort, built of sandstone from 1638 to 1648, was built by the builder of the Taj Mahal to be the capital building, but it never was. Its arches were designed for passage via elephant back. There are also many western-style buildings on the Delhi skyline. In Bombay (Mumbai), which is half-way down the Arabian Sea coast, we find the most westernized city in India. Victoria Station is the rail hub, a remnant of British rule. Bombay is the gateway to India and, in addition to its commerce and universities, it is the center of the Indian film industry. More movies are made here than in any country (600-800 annually).
April 12: Review (see above for the correct responses): (1) In the caste system, the __(the priest caste) are at the top and the __ (also known as the untouchables) are actually below the caste system. (2) In the southwest of India, one finds the state of __. This state, the land of coconuts, claims a near 100% literacy and some of the world’s most progressive social policies. (3) The dark-skinned Dravidians are the first inhabitants of South Asia with which we are familiar. In 1500 BC, invaders from the north subdued the Dravidians; the invaders were the __. (4) The most sacred river in India is the __. (5) By the early 1800s, the country of __ had firm control of South Asia. When independence came, in 1947, the Indian landmass was divided into __ and __. (6) The magnificent Taj Mahal is in the Indian city of __. (7) The world’s most famous proponent of non-violent resistance is __. His most famous act of resistance involved what? __ (8) A traditional trade in Srinagar, in the state of Kashmir is __. Another trade is houseboat building. (9) In the Deccan Plateau of Central India, one finds a series of caves with beautiful Buddhist, Jain, and Hindu statues, carvings, and frescoes. What is the name of one of the caves? __ (10) The capital of India, built in the 20th century, is __.
East Asia (see map on pages 452-3). The countries of East Asia are: China, Japan, North Korea, South Korea, Mongolia, Taiwan. (1) In the news: (a) Chinese hostages seized in Iraq (April 12); (b) also Japanese hostages; captors threaten killing them if Japan doesn't pull out of Iraq. The government is not bowing to demands, Cheney supports Japan's decision, but many of the Japanese do not. (c) China’s is experiencing a new industrial boom, with lots of building and banks are lending too much money. The Chinese government is warning of a boom and bust cycle. (2) Translating Chinese characters into the Roman alphabet: Wade-Giles: gave us (a) Peking, (b) Mao Tse-tung, (c) Yangtze while Pinyin gave us (a) Beijing, (b) Mao Zedong, (c) Chang Jiang. In Pinyin, "Q" has a "ch" sound (thus, Qina) while "X" has a "sh" sound. In Chinese, the last name is first, so Mao Zedong's last name is Mao. (3) The People: China is about the same size as the U.S. but the population is almost 5 times that of the US (1.3 billion versus 285 million). The majority of the people live in eastern China. The density is comparable to how it would be in our country if over 1 billion people lived east of the Mississippi River. Almost 1 billion speak Mandarin. While the Chinese languages are written the same, they are spoken differently. The ethnicity is 94% Han. There are 55 national minority groups, with a total population of 55-65 million. The Tibetans (who are Buddhist) is a major minority group. (4) Political divisions: China's internal divisions are not states, but provinces and autonomous regions (like the former USSR). China is a hybrid country: politically communist and economically capitalist. (5) Culture Hearth: China, along the Yellow River (Huang He) was a culture/agricultural hearth: by 8000 BC, rice, beans, millet and other crops were being cultivated; by 6000 BC, villages, the plow, and irrigation systems were in place. Fine, blown-in soil, called loess, has made agriculture successful, but loess is erodes easily. As a result, the Yellow River carries a very heavy load of silt (thus the name "yellow" river). (6) Philosophical leader: Confucius (551-479 BC) is  China's most influential philosopher and teacher (he is not a religious leader). He advocated the rights of poor to education, human virtue not godly connections, family as foundation of Chinese culture. The Mandarin system grew from Confucian ideas (the Mandarins were intellectuals of the Confucian Classics who administered the Chinese empire). Confucius was part of the Axis Age (a period of time during which many of the world's greatest thinkers were alive.) (7) Dynasties: China had a series of dynasties over a 4000 year period; for a significant period of time, China was the world's most sophisticated culture. The dynasties ruled from 2200 BC to 1911 AD. The first dynasty was the Xia (neolithic technology and first use of irrigation). Next came the Shang (beginning of Chinese writing),
the Zhou (Confucian ideas, many innovations), Qin (ruler from whom China's name comes), Han (innovative period, with trade along the Silk Road, the period from which the ethnic group name comes), Sui (massive public works projects), Tang (golden age of spiritualism and the arts), Song (known for government organization and technological innovation), Yuan (cultural isolationism), Ming (defensive fortifications, science/technology), Qing (a foreign minority rules, population problems, war, European incursion). The Qing (or Manchu) dynasty, which ended in 1911, collapsed partially because of the 1839-1842 Opium War. The British were importing opium into China, as a way of opening up trade. A war ensued, which the British won. Europeans further opened up China to opium, among other things. Dynasties to remember: Xia, Qin, Han, and Qing. In small groups, students discussed critical thinking questions #6 and 8 at the end of the chapter.
April 13: 5-6:15 pm, OB 304, make-up test
April 14: Today, Liu Guo Qiang, who speaks English at Tianjin University, spoke about China. The following is a compilation of two lectures (to GEO 152:001 and GEO 152:002). Chinese characters can be spoken in different ways; there are four tones. Here are the Pinyin spellings of a few words: he (river), chun (spring), xia (summer), qiu (fall), and dong (winter). He said that the media has become more sophisticated over the past 30 years. The reports coming out of China "can be confused." Some hear that China will become a rival to the U.S., while others say that China may collapse. China spans 50 degrees of latitude and 60 degrees of longitude. It is 3230 miles from west to east and 3480 miles from north to south. China is slightly larger than the United States, and the world's third largest country in terms of territory (after Russia and Canada) [note: Most atlases show the opposite: that the U.S. is slightly larger than China. He included Taiwan as part of China's territory. Believe me, Taiwan would not agree that their country is part of the People's Republic of China.] China's area is similar to that of Europe; it is 1/15 of the total land surface of the earth and 1/4 of Asia's. The bordering seas are: Bo Hai, Yellow, East China, and South China Sea. China has 5000 islands, with Taiwan being the largest (he noted that Taiwan is currently under the control of the KMT - the Nationalists). While China is large enough to pass through four time zones, there is only one time zone: Beijing time. Hong Kong SAR (Special Administrative Region) is a port city, with 6.67 million people living on over 400 square miles of land (very dense population). Hong Kong was a British colony from 1842 until 1997, when via a 1984 agreement, the British agreed to give Hong Kong back to China. The Chinese central government is responsible for defense and foreign affairs. Hong Kong can keep its own currency (the Hong Kong dollar) and capitalist market system for 50 years. Macao was a Portuguese colony since the 16th century. It lies in the delta of the Pearl River and includes two small islands. It is much smaller than Hong Kong (6.6 square miles) with 438,000 people. Via a l987 joint declaration, sovereignty reverted to China in December 1999. He said that Taiwan is one of 23 Chinese provinces (again, this is a highly disputed contention) and is an "inalienable" part of China. Taiwan has 22 million people living on 14,000 square miles. Japan occupied China from 1895 to 1945. At the end of WWII, Japan left. When the Communists won the civil war in 1949, the People's Republic of China was established. Chiang Kai-shek (the Nationalist leader) retreated to Taiwan. The Nationalists call Taiwan the Republic of China. Up until 1971, Taiwan held a seat in the United Nations. In 1971, the United Nations recognized China as the "sole legal China." Since 1992, government contacts between China and Taiwan have opened up. Beijing (which used to be known as Peking) became the capital of the People's Republic of China (PRC) in 1949, but it been the national capital for over 800 years. It has many important sites, including the Forbidden Palace and Tiananmen Square. China has 23 provinces and 5 autonomous regions. It is mostly Han who live in the provinces and minorities (e.g., Hui and Tibet) who live in the autonomous regions. The Han, who live mostly in eastern China, speak Mandarin. China's four largest cities, called municipalities, are under the direct control of the central government (rather than a province). These cities are: Beijing, Shanghai (China's largest city), Tianjin (Mr. Liu's city, a city of 10 million is near Beijing), and Chongqing. China has plateaus and plains, lakes, and rivers (the most important rivers being the Yangtze, the longest river in Asia and the third longest river in the world; and the Yellow, China's civilization hearth). China's most famous wild animal is the Giant Panda. Only 1000 are left in the wild; these live in a small area. Much of their diet consists of bamboo shoots. At birth, they are very small (100 grams), but can grow to 6 feet and 350 pounds. Chinese have had an adverse impact on the environment: soil erosion, desertification, air and water pollution. China is one of the world's longest continuous civilizations. China had dynasties for centuries, beginning with the Xia (2200-1750 BC, a dynasty descended from the Yellow River civilization). During the Zhou (1100-771 BC, according to most texts, the Zhou reigned from 1027-221 BC) dynasty, China became known as the "Middle Kingdom" because the Zhou were from the middle of the empire. One period during the Zhou was called the Spring and Autumn period (722-481 BC); this was China's golden age. It was during this time that the ideas of Confucianism and Daoism began to take hold. During the Qin (221-206 BC) dynasty, China had its first emperor (to that point, they had been kings); the Qins conquered and united China, and began the Great Wall. During the Han dynasty (from which the Han ethnicity comes), the Silk Road to Baghdad and Central Asia was first established; parts of Vietnam and Korea were invaded, conquered, and incorporated into China. During the Sui (581-618 AD), the Grand Canal was constructed and reconstruction of the Great Wall occurred. The Tang dynasty (618-907 AD) was one of the greatest in China's history. China's territory expanded and it was the golden age of literature and the arts. The Yuan (1264-1368 AD) was a Mongol (non-Chinese) dynasty. During this period, Marco Polo visited China and served in the court for 10 years. During the Ming dynasty (1368-1644), the Great Wall was fortified and the Forbidden City built. The Qing (Manchu) dynasty (1644-1911) was the last dynasty and the second time that non-Chinese (this time the Manchu) had ruled. The Manchu conquered Mongolia and freed China from the threat of invasion by land. Taiwan was incorporated. Significant historical events include the Opium War (1839-1842), during which the British defeated the Chinese and forced China to sign an unfair treaty. The treaty gave Hong Kong to the British. In 1911, the Qing dynasty fell. In 1912, the Republic of China was founded, with Sun Yat-sen at the President. In 1937, WWII, the war with Japan began. From 1934-35, Mao embarked upon the Long March, which saved the Communists from defeat by Chiang Kai-shek. From 1946-49, the Nationalists (led by Chiang Kai-shek) and the Communists (led by Mao Zedong) were engaged in a civil war. In 1949, the Nationalists were defeated and the PRC was established (October 1, 1949). The Great Leap Forward was a Mao campaign to increase the level of industry and agricultural production in China. The goals were national self-sufficiency, labor intensive methods, and collectivization. He acknowledged later that he made a mistake (the reason: millions of people died of starvation). In 1963, China severed ties with the USSR because China thought that the USSR had lost sight of the true communist principles. From 1966-76, the Great Proletariat Cultural Revolution, a political campaign to rekindle revolutionary spirit, occurred (this was actually a horrible period of purging anyone considered to be subversive; again, millions died during a period of almost total chaos and terror). In 1972, President Nixon visited China. In 1976, Mao died. In 1977, Deng Xiaoping (the little giant) became deputy prime minister and called for economic reform. In 1979, China and the U.S. established diplomatic relations. In 1989, the pro-democracy student demonstration occurred in Tiananmen Square (several hundred peacefully protesting students were killed, many were run over by military tanks). He said that the Chinese really didn't know what happened, but the outside world did. The Chinese people put a lot of emphasis on their history. He outlined overarching Chinese ideas as: (1) historical consciousness: With a history of several 1000 years, Chinese look to history for the wisdom to understand the present and future. Chinese have long historical memories. Politicians, scholars, and common people all use examples from history to justify action in the present and future. For example, the 11th century government reform continues to inspire leaders today. Chinese like to watch historical dramas on TV. Chinese history is a source of national and local pride. (2) Nationalism (not the same thing as the Nationalist party that was defeated by the Communists): The 19th and 20th centuries were full of pain for Chinese and the painful memories pushed the people toward nationalism. They don't forget how they suffered at the hands of stronger foreign powers (e.g., the British during the Opium War and the Japanese during their invasion that ended in 1945). As a result, Chinese find it hard to view the world as a safe place for China. They don't take international respect for granted and strengthening the Chinese government is very important. (3) Environmental limitations: Children are taught to be proud of China's size and resources, but on a per capita basis, there are actually severe limits. (4) China's status as a developing or developed country: If one goes to the metropolitan areas (like Beijing or Shanghai), the country appears to be very developed. Most of the people live in poor, rural areas and must be considered developing. So, while China's economy is growing very quickly, the overall size of the economy is smaller than that of the U.S. and the average Chinese is much poorer than the average American. The average income of an urban Chinese person is $653 year (5000 yuan urban and 2000 rural; 8.3 yuan = $1 US). He said that most Chinese don't follow any religion, that Chinese are experiencing a belief crisis. People don't talk about religion, but there are some practicing Buddhists (mainly in minority areas) and Christians (on the east coast). The Chinese government doesn't encourage religion, in fact, a Chinese "may not be happy" if a person is too forthcoming about religion. If a Chinese is a member of the Communist party, belonging to a faith is not an option.
 6:30-7:45 pm, AT 113, make-up test
April 19: Current Events Essay;
East Asia: The Yangtze (Chang Jiang) River flows from Tibet to the huge city of Shanghai, which lies at its mouth. The biggest ships can carry cargo 1100 kilometers up the Yangtze, while smaller ships can travel over 2500 kilometers up this 6500 kilometer river (over 350 million live in the Yangtze river basin). Shanghai, because of its strategic location at the mouth of the Yangtze, has been a trading port for over 1000 years. Development was restricted during the early years of communist rule, but now development is underway once again. In 1843, the British negotiated a trade agreement with Shanghai (well, really, the British won the Opium War of 1839-1842) and established a settlement in the city. Mixing of west and east occurred in Shanghai. In 1937, the Japanese invaded. In 1949, the Nationalists were driven from power and China became a communist country. Development was held back in Shanghai so other places could grow. But, Shanghai is the "head of the dragon" and it is now rebuilding. Because of the shortage of land, the old traditional homes are being torn down. The displaced people are being resettled in high-rises. In 1990, Pudong began to be developed. Fertile farmland in Pudong, across the bay from Shanghai, is being converted to urban uses. Upstream from Shanghai is the Three Gorges dam.When completed in 2009, this dam will be the world's largest. It will be over 1 mile across, 600' high, have a reservoir almost 400 miles upstream, cost up to $75 billion, displace 2 million people, and wreak havoc on the environment. Ostensibly, the purpose of the dam is to generate electricity and to control flooding (although it will be difficult to do both). Unfortunately, the Chinese were unsuccessful in a previous attempt to dam the Yangtze, per this quote from the Utne Reader: "In the early 1950s, the Chinese government began building a network of 62 dams along the Yangtze River. It was an act of savage ambition, even during that era of proud, happy dams. America had Hoover, Egypt had Aswan, but this 62-dam Chinese whim was something else altogether, particularly considering that the Yangtze is the third-largest river in the world, a muddy brute and an unpredictable killer. But China persisted, and the dams were completed successfully. The whole system performed perfectly until August 4, 1975. That was the morning it started to rain. The rain turned into a typhoon, which caused a flood. On the night of August 7, all 62 beautiful new dams broke, one after another. They let loose in a fast row, like buttons on the Incredible Hulk's shirt - pop! pop! pop! pop! - all the way down the river. The last dam to fall that night was a monster called Banqiao, the pride of the fleet. Banqiao had been constructed under Soviet supervision and was called the Iron Dam because it was officially indestructible. When the flood wave reached Banqiao, it crumbled in a pathetic instant- taking down with it a string of workmen who had just been sent out across its crest (in the dark, in waist-deep water) to build with sandbags a last line of defense against the river. Tens of thousands of people died in the immediate aftermath; a hundred thousand or more died in the following months from famine and disease. That's what happened the first time China tried to dam the Yangtze River. It was so much fun they just had to try it again." The positive aspects of the Three Gorges dam: tame flooding, reduce reliance on coal, reduce air pollution, promote economic growth, improve navigation, ease pressure on railroad. The negative aspects: 1.9 million to be displaced, cost up to $75 billion, archaeological and many other sites to be lost, hazards to the bottom of the water, extinction possibility, earthquake possibility, siltation inevitability, water quality problems.
We watched a short film ("The Power of Place") about China's other major river, the Yellow River. Lanzhou, a city of 2.6 million, lies along the Yellow River. The Yellow River is swift upstream, but flows more slowly by the time it reached Lanzhou; people have forded the river at Lanzhou for centuries as they traveled along the Silk Road. This is a dry area and we saw the stone fields that will be used for about 8 years. The stones hold in moisture. The process for enriching the soil and planting is very tedious. In Lanzhou, one finds Han and about 80,000 Muslims. Spice, fur, and wool are important/traditional commodities for the Muslim traders. We visited the home of a Muslim trader; it is modern. He and his family have the same lifestyle as the Han neighbors. Next, we saw a special school, where Arabic is taught, for the Muslims. An elderly Muslim man, living in a traditional house built around a courtyard, attends the mosque five times a day for prayer and studies the Koran. At the schools in Lanzhou, Muslim and Han children study together. Wherever a child lives in China, the same standardized curriculum is taught.
Review quiz: (1) There have been two attempts to translate Chinese characters into the Roman alphabet. “Beijing” is a translation using the __ system. (2) The most spoken Chinese dialect is __. The majority population identifies themselves as __. (3) It is said that China is a hybrid country. Explain this statement. (4) Where is China’s culture hearth? __ (5) China’s most influential philosopher and teacher is __. (6) The first Chinese dynasty began 2200 BC; it is the __ dynasty. The last dynasty, which ended in 1911, is the __. (7) Wednesday’s speaker was Mr. Liu Guo Qiang. He said that China is slightly bigger than the U.S. Others say that the U.S. is slightly bigger than China. Why the discrepancy? (8) The island of __ was taken by the British as a result of the Opium War. In 1997, it reverted back to China. (9) In 1949, the Communist leader, __, defeated the Nationalist leader, __. The Nationalist leader retreated to Taiwan. (10) In what city is Tiananmen Square? __ (11) In the film, “Power of Place,” we learned about the mighty __ River. At the mouth of the river is China’s largest city, __. Across the bay from this city is a new industrial development called __. On this river, the world’s largest dam is being built. This dam is called the __. What are the two purposes of the dam? __ and __
Southeast Asia: The countries in this region are: Brunei (constitutional monarchy), Burma (Myanmar) (provisional military), Cambodia (multiparty democracy), Indonesia (republic), Laos (communist), Malaysia (constitutional monarchy), Philippines (republic), Singapore (republic), Thailand (constitutional monarchy), and Vietnam (communist). From "Cultural Biases Make Heavy Baggage" (Karen Osman, World Ark. Fall 2000): "Our tour bus stopped on a busy highway in Philsanulok, Thailand, so we could look down on the River Nan, 20 feet below us. It was morning rush hour. Cars, motorbikes and bicycles whizzed by at alarming speed, many of them loaded with an unbelievable number of passengers. Honking, coughing and sputtering, they made a terrible din and choking pollution. I turned my back on them and sat down to watch the tranquil river scene. On the riverbank, an old man worked in a small vegetable garden. His two dogs stood watch, snarling and making feints at us foreigners. The man didn't lift his head but continued weeding, obviously used to tour buses and camera-wielding tourists. On the river were several neat but dilapidated houseboats. A plank was placed between two of them so that people could come and go without stepping to the shore. A young woman, graceful and intent, glided across to her neighbor's house. Several women had gathered to cook something in a communal pot. The sound of their laughter lifted gently over the noisy traffic. The river rolled in peace around a young man bathing in the water. It all looked natural and, somehow, much more real than I, with my camera, my malaria pills and my bottled water. A tap on the shoulder interrupted my reverie. 'Doesn't this break your heart?' asked one of my travel companions. The developed world rushed in and crowded out the peace. Was my heart breaking? Well, yes. But not for the old man, the young woman and the bather. My heart was breaking for my own limitations. Sure, there were no microwaves, VCRs and innerspring mattresses on those houseboats. I would bet those women weren't cooking prepackaged, homogenized, pasteurized, artifically-colored, genetically enhanced food. They probably didn't know Liz Claiborne from Christian Dior. Their perfume came from fragrant flowers, artfully arranged around spirit houses and ancestor shrines. I could think of worse ways to live. Was I romanticizing? Perhaps. But, you see, without enough shots to keep even the most flagging drug company solvent, I could not bathe in the River Nan or eat from that cookpot. In my world, one does not interact with Earth, one subdues it or wards it off. For my efforts, I have a longer life span, more money and a better education than the women of Philsanulok. I also have a hole in the ozone that belongs to me and, if I keep on destroying, I may never see another mountain lion. I live in a world where it's a rite of passage to sever ties with one's family and brag that you don't know your neighbors. Old people don't raise vegetables on riverbanks. They live alone, or in nursing homes. I don't bring flowers and ask God to bless my planting. I don't plant. I know that physical want and lack of health care destroy both body and spirit. I also kow it's sad to live in a world where other people are tools for one's use and the Earth is only something on which to build. Watching life flow by on the River Nan, I recognized poverty in both lifestyles. I understood how what we tourists pack in our bags blinds us to our own neediness, even as travel heigtens our awareness of others' poverty. So from now on, I'll be careful about what I pack and even more careful about what I leave behind. I shall grope for the planks in my own cultural eye before I point to the splinters in the eyes of others. Only then can East and West, rich and poor, old and young truly see one another and share with one another the riches each has to offer."
April 21: Students worked in groups to find the following information: (1) what is the climate? (2) who colonized the country? (3) what is the largest city? (4) what are the agricultural land uses? (5) what are some of the environmental issues? (6) what are some of the political/economic issues? (7) what is the religion? (8) how does the GDP for females and males compare? (9) how do female and male literacy rates compare? (10) in terms of the income of the richest compared to that of the poorest, how equitable in your country?
Indonesia: (1) tropical (the book shows monsoon, but really rainforest) (2) Netherlands, except for Timor (Portugal) (3) Jakarta (4) corn, rice, sugarcane, tobacco, coffee, and tea cash crops on Java; mostly tropical forest and shifting cultivation elsewhere (5) air pollution, severe ocean pollution, and large-scale mining (6) East Timor's very long struggle for independence resulted in 100s of 1000s of deaths; relocation of people from Java to other islands has not been well-received; clashes between Christians and Muslims; Anti-Chinese violence; protests in face of economic crisis (7) Muslim (8) GDP for males is about twice that of females (9) Male literacy is 91%; female is 80%. (10) The richest 20% are 5.6 times as wealthy as poorest 20%
Philippines: (1) tropical monsoon/rainforest (2) Spanish, and then the U.S. (3) Manila (4) tobacco, sugarcane, rice, coconuts, abaca, and corn cash crops (5) overfishing, deforestation, and flooding (6) major industrial areas (7) Roman Catholic (8) GDP of males is 1.8 times that of females (9) Male and female literacy is 95% (10) The richest 20% are 9.7 times as wealthy as poorest 20%
Thailand: (1) tropical savanna (2) no one (3) Bangkok (4) cattle, cotton, tobacco, cotton, teak, rice, and rubber cash crops (5) ocean pollution, air pollution, and overfishing (6) financial crisis made investment very risky (7) Buddhist (8) GDP of males is 1.6 times that of females (9) Male literacy is 97%; female is 93% (10) The richest 20% are 7.6 times as wealthy as poorest 20%.
Vietnam: (1) tropical savanna in the south and temperate in the north (2) French (3) Saigon (4) rice, cattle, and rubber cash crops (5) ocean pollution (6) sweatshop labor around Saigon (7) Taoist, Animist (8) GDP of males is 1.4 times that of females (9) Male literacy is 95%; female is 91% (10) The richest 20% are 5.6 times as wealthy as the poorest 20%.
Burma: (1) tropical monsoon/rainforest along the coast and temperate interior (2) British (3) Rangoon (4) peanuts, millet, rice, cotton, cattle, tobacco, and teak cash crops; tropical forests and shifting cultivation over large swaths (5) area of severely polluted ocean (6) military government (7) Buddhist and animist (8) GDP of males is 1.4 times that of females (9) Male literacy is 89%; female is 79% (10) information not available
Malaysia: (1) tropical monsoon/rainforest (2) British (3) Kuala Lumpur (4) rubber, tea, coconuts, coffee, spices, and oil palm cash crops (5) air pollution, ocean pollution, and overfishing (6) major industrial area (7) Muslim (8) GDP of males is 2.6 times that of females. (9) Male literacy is 91%; female is 82% (10) The richest 20% are 12 times wealthier than the poorest 20%
Cambodia: (1) tropical savanna, except for coastal (tropical monsoon) (2) French (3) Phnom Penh (4) pepper cash crops, with livestock grazing, tropical forest, and shifting cultivation (5) acid rain (6) none listed (7) Buddhist, Taoist, animist (8) GDP of males is 1.9 times that of females. (9) Male literacy is 80%; female is 53% (10) information not available
Laos: (1) tropical savanna in west and temperate in east (2) French (3) Vientiane [not listed in book] (4) tropical forests and shifting cultivation (5) acid rain (6) Communist country (7) Buddhist and animist (8) GDP of males is 1.5 times that of females. (9) Male literacy is 62%; female is 30 (10) information not available
This is a region that has been torn by conflict: Cambodia was a French colony (part of French Indo-China, along with Vietnam and Laos). About 90% of the people are Khmers (the rest are Vietnamese and Chinese). In 1970, the last king was ousted by the military. In 1975, the Khmer Rouge (communist Khmers), led by Pol Pot took over Cambodia. During their four year reign of terror and destruction, the Khmer Rouge sought to reconstruct Kampuchea (what they called Cambodia) into a rural society. The city people were forced into the country. Hospitals were emptied. Religion and family were outlawed. Children were "reprogrammed" to spy and report on rule-breakers. Out of a population of 8 million, as many as 2 million were killed (you might want to watch the old classic film called "The Killing Fields").
April 26: (1) Other conflicts: Burma (military, very repressive government), Laos and Thailand (were dragged into Vietnam War); and Philippines (In the south - Mindanao, Sulu, Basilan, Tawi-Tawi, Palawan - the Moro [what the Spanish called the Moors] National Liberation Front appeared in early 1970s, fighting for an independent Moro nation. In 1977, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front split off (it is more militant); the aim is a separate Islamic state in the southern Philippines. A ceasefire has held since 2003. Another Islamic group is Abu Sayyaf (Sword of God, in Arabic), the smallest and most radical of the Islamic separatist groups. They also say they want separate country; the government says they are a bunch of criminals. This group is on the United States' list of terrorists, with al-Qaeda links. (2) The economies of Southeast Asia include: (a) agriculture: rice paddies, rubber plantations (4/5 is produced in Southeast Asia), tea (world's 4th largest producer), palm and coconut oils. (b) industry: cheap clothing from sweatshops and mining (tin is the most important ore; Philippines produces the greatest variety of metals; and on West Papua [in Indonesia] one finds what is reputedly the world's largest goldmine.) (3) Much of the landmass is tropical. Here, lush rainforests are being destroyed for exotic timber; other forests are burned for tree plantations. Malaysia is now the world's largest exporter of tropical hardwoods and the country's goal is to be 100% "developed" by 2020. One of the big problems associated with this forest destruction is the loss of biodiversity. Many endemic species are found in Southeast Asia. Indonesia is the world's 2nd most important country in terms of biodiversity. Wallace's Line passes between Celebes and Borneo. Because of plate tectonics, the species found on the west side of the line are quite different from those on the east side. For example, on the west, one finds placental mammals and on the east, marsupial mammals. (4) Around the Pacific Ocean, one finds many tectonic plate boundaries. As a result, this is an area of high earthquake and volcanic activity. It has been given the name "The Ring of Fire" (or the "Circum-Pacific Belt"). Mt. Pinatubo (Philippines) erupted in 1991, the largest eruption in 50 years. The evacuation was successful, but the ensuing typhoon reactivated the ash, with caused roof collapse; 330 died.
(5) The Philippines is a mountainous, island group, slightly larger than Arizona. In 1542, the Spanish colonized and brought their religion; the country is Roman Catholic to this day (the only Roman Catholic country in Asia).After the 1898 Spanish-American War, the U.S.took control. The Japanese occupied in 1941. In 1965, the very corrupt Marcos becomes president and in 1972, he declared martial law. In 1986, he fled the country (to Hawaii) and died in 1989. In 2001, President Estrada steps down under charges of plundering 80 million dollars of state funds. In 2004, elections coming up on May 10; Gloria Arroyo (incumbent) is running. Manila is the capital. We watched a short film about the very poor of Manila. About 150,000 people, of which 1000 are children, survive by picking recyclables and reusables out of the world's largest garbage dump (called Smokey Mountain). The salvaged materials are worth millions and the work of these people is recognized as a public utility. Children are prized for this type of work, and are often exploited. It is estimated that 3-8 million Philipino children work without protections. Specialists from the ILO (International Labor Organization) are working to provide workplace protections for the children as well as alternatives. There's the "little house on the mountain," at the top of the heap, that provides a refuge for the children. Here, they can play a little and have a meal. Social workers are helping ensure that these children see that options, other than picking garbage, are available to them. The professionals who work with the children are hopeful and think that the parents are changing through the children. Of course, some have lost hope - as we saw a young person sniffing solvent from a jar. One man, who was the third generation to pick garbage, is now an ILO worker. His hope is that no future generations of children will have to work in Smokey Mountain. He hopes they will be able to get educations and have opportunities. Follow-up: In July, 2000, at least 218 died in a landslide at the Payatas landfill (6) Vietnam: The French entered Vietnam in the mid-1800s and consolidated the area as the Union of French Indo-China in 1887. Rubber, rice, and timber were controlled by the French. In the 1920s, an organized resistance to European rule began. During WWII, the Japanese occupied Vietnam. In 1945, France reentered Vietnam. By this time, a Vietnamese communist resistance organization was well developed in northern Vietnam. Ho Chi Minh became president of the separatist government in the north. The French went ahead and ceded the north to the communists but stayed in the south. A war between French soldiers and the Vietminh continued until 1954, when the French suffered a serious defeat and withdrew. At an international peace council, Vietnam was divided into two countries: North Vietnam (communist) and South Vietnam (democratic). Communist guerrillas in South Vietnam then fought to overthrow the new government and unite once again with the north. By 1962, the US was sending large numbers of military advisors. When JFK was killed in November of 1963, 23,000 Americans were in Vietnam. In 1964, US bombing of North Vietnam began. By 1965, thousands of US troops were involved in a ferocious ground war. In 1968 and 1969, half a million US troops were in Vietnam. By December 1968, a heavier tonnage of bombs had been dropped on North Vietnam than on Germany and Japan during WWII. Agent Orange and other herbicides were used to defoliate the trees of the triple canopy jungle; the use of this herbicide (containing dioxin) resulted in chloracne, cancers, and birth defects. By this time, many were protesting our involvement in Vietnam. We began pulling out. By 1972, there were only 42,000 Americans in Vietnam. A ceasefire was signed in 1973. In 1975, Saigon (in South Vietnam) fell to the Viet Cong. The name was changed to Ho Chi Minh City. Vietnam became a unified, communist country after all. During this war, the US spent $150 billion and destroyed 70% of the villages in the north. Over 58,000 Americans died and between one million, 200,000 in South Vietnamese army, 1 million North Vietnamese/Viet Cong, and 2 million civilians. This war scarred the baby boom generation very deeply and permanently. Why did we get involved? The Domino Theory, the idea that if Vietnam fell to communism the rest of Southeast Asia would follow, is always put into the equation.Others say that Vietnam really wasn't about Vietnam at all - that we never really cared that much about the country. What we did care about was our credibility and making a statement to our important allies that, in time of need, we would be there for them. The economic argument is not very good, since domestic spending declined. The military contractors and manufacturers did benefit economically.
April 28: Indonesia: Indonesia is the fourth most populous country in the world (219 million). It is the world's most populous Muslim country. Lying on the Ring of Fire, it is prone to volcanic eruptions; some of the most powerful eruptions in history occurred here. It is a developing country, with loans to pay off. As a result, the country is exploiting its natural resources (particularly the tropical rainforest). Tropical hardwoods are cut and shipped throughout the world. The remaining, non-valuable wood is burned and replaced with tree plantations (often eucalyptus). Nike makes shoes here and American oil companies drill here. The Freeport-McMoRan company operates the world's largest gold mine, on the half island called Irian Java or West Papua. An interesting phenomenon occurs here. There is an imaginery line, called Wallace's Line, that runs between the islands of Borneo and Celebes. To the west/north of this line, placental mammals are found. To the east/south of the line, marsupial mammals are found. This phenomenon occurred because of tectonic activity. Indonesia is also a country of many cultures. The country was colonized by the Netherlands (the Dutch) until 1942. Real independence came to the Indonesian archipelago (archipelago means an island chain) in 1954. Sukarno became president. Amid accusations of communist backing, his military commander, Suharto, staged a 1965 uprising that resulted in 700,000 deaths. General Suharto came to power, and even though he was a kleptocrat (stole from the people), he was reaffirmed over and over again as the country's leader. In 1998, economic unrest led to conflict between Indonesian and minority populations (especially the Chinese, who were resented for owning businesses and controlling a great deal of wealth). Many Chinese fled the country, others were killed, businesses were burned, and people protested. Thousands of students turned out in protest. Finally, Suharto resigned. His vice president, Habibie, came into power and promised elections. The people elected Wahid, who was unable to correct Indonesia's course. He resigned and Sukarno's daughter is now the country's leader. A long-running Indonesian error is the policy of resettling people from Java (the most populated island, and home to the capital Jakarta) to the less densely settled islands. Ethnic conflicts have resulted. Several ethnic or cultural groups have called for independence from Indonesia. The most significant of these calls for independence has come from the little half island of East Timor. East Timor, unlike the rest of Indonesia, was colonized by the Portuguese. In 1975, the Portuguese told the people of its colonized territories to prepare for independence. When the Portuguese pulled out of East Timor in 1975, East Timor declared independence. In December 1975, Indonesian troops invaded. Between 1/4 and 1/3 of the population was killed (the total population was about 800,000). Indonesian troops stayed on the island, repressing and killing the people. Why would Indonesia invest so much in keeping little tiny East Timor? Indonesia was/is afraid of fragmentation of the country; if East Timor can be an independent country, then some of the other dissatisfied groups may want independence too (which they do). There's oil and natural gas off the coast of East Timor, possibly worth billions of dollars. Initially, Indonesia was concerned about a socialist/communist influence in East Timor. Some have also said that racism figures in; the East Timorese are very dark skinned and have sometimes been depicted as "savages". Finally, in January 1999, Habibie announced that a vote would take place. In August, 1999, under the watchful eye of the United Nations, East Timorese voted overwhelmingly (79%) for independence. The United Nations assured the people that they were safe. In September, 1999, militia and Indonesian military personnel resumed their terror campaign. About 1000 died, a quarter million fled to refugee camps in West Timor, and East Timor's buildings and infrastructure were destroyed. The Australians came in and finally restored some semblance of order. Still, in September 2000, three UN staff were murdered and UN workers were evacuated. East Timor did not give up. Elections have been held to establish their government and the people went to the polls to elect a President. Xanana Gusmao, the guerrilla leader who was finally released from prison in 1999, was elected. East Timor, after all their sacrifices, finally became a country - on May 20, 2002.
The Pacific islands are grouped into: (1) Melanesia (the dark islands) borders northeastern Australia. The people are dark-skinned, have many distinct cultures and languages, and experience hot, densely vegetated landscapes. (2) Micronesia (the tiny islands) includes 1000s of small and scattered islands. The people are dark-skinned. The Marshall Islands are part of Melanesia. Marshall Islands: The US has conducted military tests and operations in the Marshall Islands since the end of WWII. Initially, the US used Bikini atoll, in the Marshall Islands, for testing nuclear weapons. The US conducted 67 nuclear tests between 1946 and 1958, with a total power 7000 times that of the bomb dropped on Hiroshima, Japan. The largest bomb, Bravo, was detonated in 1952; it was roughly 1000 times more powerful than the Hiroshima bomb. (3) Polynesia (many islands) occupies the greatest expanse of ocean. The inhabitants are lighter-skinned and are relative latecomers to the region. Easter Island (or, to the 1900 natives, Rapa Nui) is one of the islands. Some say it is "Earth writ small". About 400 AD, the first human colonists arrived and found a subtropical forest with abundant porpoises and seabirds. By 1200, the population may have been 7000 or as many as 20,000 (it has an area of 46 square miles). The people erected statues, weighing many tons. Trees were used as rollers to get the stone statues in place. Hundreds of unfinished statues were abandoned at the quarry sites and along the roads. By the end of the 15th century, the island's forests had probably been eliminated. Most of the land animal species were extinct and they could no longer hunt for porpoises because they lacked wood to build canoes. Crop yields declined because deforestation led to widspread soil erosion. In the end, the people probably turned to cannibalism. By 1700, there was severe population decline (the population was reduced to about 10% of its earlier figure). In 1722, when a Dutch explorer came upon the island on Easter Sunday, not a single tree stood on the island. There are two kinds of Pacific islands: (1) the high islands, most of which were formed by volcanic eruptions. The Hawaiian islands are examples. Today, a new Hawaiian island is being created. It is still under the surface of the ocean, so it is called a "seamount". When it breaks the surface of the sea, it will become an island. Often, these islands have fertile soil and can support crops and, therefore, humans. Some of these islands are attached to continents, but when the sea rose at the end of the last Ice Age, the islands were cut off from the mainland. (2) There are also low islands. Coral reefs often form around the coasts of high islands. Over geological time, the mountain wears down below sea level. A roughly circular ring of coral is left. In the middle (where the mountain used to be) is a lagoon. The little coral islands, formed in a ring, are collectively known as an atoll.  Australia: Australia has a population of 19 million, with most of the population near the coast. The British first colonized Australia for use as a penal colony. Today, the capital is Canberra, although the largest city is Sydney. The interior of Australia is mostly desert - called the bush or outback. It is here, primarily, that the native peoples of Australia live. These people, known as the Aborigines, probably migrated from Southeast Asia to Australia between 60,000 and 100,000 years ago. Fifty thousand year old evidence of occupance and 20,000 year old axes have been found. The Aborigines, while they probably had 200 or so distinct languages, did not write any of them down. Through oral traditions (stories, dances, song, art, rituals, etc.) the culture was carried from generation to generation. The creation myth of the Aborigines is called "Dreamtime", a belief that the Rainbow Serpent moved across the land and created everything. The Aborigines believe that spirits exist in everything, from the rock and water to the trees, crocodiles, and humans. All are connected in cycles and webs. This set of beliefs is an example of animism. To end the course, we watched a 13 minute film entitled "Animism: Living in the Dreamtime". The aborigines live in small communities in the Bush. The young have traditionally been taught by their elders, who are greatly respected for their wisdom. There are many sacred sites, some of which house evil spirits (for example, Mt. Kant). Everything on earth is divided into one of two categories. So, humans aren't a category all by themselves, they are grouped with water, certain fishes, certain trees, etc. We saw a ritual dance (called the Devil Dance) to ensure that humans continue to have power and be fertile. Watching an old women teach Aboriginal children the ancient skills, we are told that their culture will survive if they continue to teach and to practice. Finally, Culinderry Murray says that their culture will survive as long as the land is not taken from them. If the land is taken from them, then their culture will be dead.
May 3: Test 3 (GEO 152:002)
May 5: Test 3 (GEO 152:001)