2-20-13 Reading

The ideas and development of the class systems and different types of classes has evolved over time. I found it interesting that because of the growth of different classes like the bourgeoisie. Also helped the growth of the market, commerce and it even increased a country's capital. After the bourgeoisie developed man people wanted to be a bourgeoisie. This is because they are considered people that rule. They would rule over towns, create large cities and as a result everyone wanted to hat power. "The bourgeoisie, during its rule of scarce one hundred years, has created more massive and more colossal productive forces than have all proceeding generations together " In other words the bourgeoisie were built up on productions and exchange. Because of the bourgeoisie the proletariat are formed. They developed because they struggled to complete with the bourgeoisie. Unlike the bourgeoisie the proletariat were consider as those who were not wealthy and or those who were peasants. As time grew on they became stronger as a group as their numbers increased ad they became concentrated in greater masses. It was interesting to learn that the civil wars that developed over time in societies were because the proletariat wanted to overthrow the bourgeoisie.

Chapter 18: Pgs. 527-556

The next revolution that took place was the industrial revolution. This revolution first took place in Europe. It was socking to learn that the industrial revolution both destroyed and created the British society. I was surprised to learn that industrial revolution destroyed society. This is because I only heard about all of the good things that came out of the industrial revolution and how it helped the economy of the British. The industrial revolution changed the old ways and tradition of British society. As a result they abandoned their old way of living and then created a new way of living for themselves. One think that was good about the industrial revolution was that the middle classes were able to grow and become wealthy. The middle class switched roles. The middle class now is made up of businessmen, doctors, lawyer, engineers, teachers, scientist and many other times of people. After the industrial revolution took place in Britain, it soon spread to other nations like the United States and Russia. The United States created the technique of mass production with the Model T. They were successful because Henry Ford created the assembly line. This was a great advancement during the industrial revolution. 

Chapter 17: Pgs. 507-525

The Spanish American revolution was a revolution that came much after the North America, France, and Haiti revolutions. I found this revolution interesting because it was similar to the American Revolution but at the same time completely different. They really did not have a local self-government and their movement for independence was not done quickly just like American Revolution, but they did have a strong separation of classes. As a result they took longer because of the conflict and dividing of classes, race, and religion. Unlike other revolutions what really drove the Spanish American revolution and the fight for independence was the peasants’ drive from hunger and high food prices. Another part of the chapter that I found interesting was about the abolition of slavery.  Because of the enlightenment thinkers people started to see that slavery took away people’s natural rights and equality. What is shocking but not surprising is that after slavery was abolished people still participated in the slave trade even though it was illegal. Also even today there is still slavery even though it is supposed to be illegal. Now a day it is just called by a different name instead of slavery. Also those who were once slaves and are now free they were still not completely free because of the restrictions that was put on them. 

SND Article

The foundresses of the Sisters of Notre Dame were Francoise Blin de Bourdon and Julie Billiart. Even though they many have come from two different social classes they both shared the love for helping people. Francoise came for a family of aristocrats and lived on estates with her grandparents. She was privilege with able to have a high education. When she was young she would come home and help her grandmother when she went to the village to help other families that were not as wealth as they were. Her grandmother would be remedies for those who were sick and food. Francoise then learned the importance of good nutrition. After Francoise reached her twenties she realized that she did not want to marry since during that time she is seeing he sibling getting married and moving away from home. Instead she decides that she wants to preserve her virginity. At St. Ursula, where she went to school, De Merici’s revolutionary vision was to allow the nuns to have a life and choose to keep their virginity and not have to be locked away. He wanted to allow them to have the freedom to explore life and enjoy it. I felt like this was very important and in the right step for change. This is the first time there is a thought to allow nuns to have that type of freedom. Later in her life she continues with helping others especially those who are of old age like her grandparents and parents. Unfortunately in her 20s or 30s she and part of her family was in prisoned.

            Unlike Francoise, Julie Billiart did not grow up in an aristocratic family, instead she was considered as a third estate. She was able to have some educations because her father owned a store and farm land. As a result she would then take time to help others like Francoise, but she should teach other students and educate them. She felt that it was important to give them an equal opportunity. Julie was able to go to school until her father’s shop was broken into and all of the valuable goods were stolen. As a result unfortunately Julie would then have to end her schooling and go and work on the farm. Yet she still found the time in order to teach those who were younger and did not have the opportunity to go to school like she did. In her twenties she was stresses and came down with a disease. She would probably be diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. Unfortunately at that time doctors would cure others by using leaches and as a result she became paralyzed from the waist down. Yet that still did not stop her from making a different.

            It wasn’t until 1794 when both Francoise and Julie met. After Francoise was released from prison she came and lived at her brothers. She then took Julie in her care at that time while renting out rooms. As a pair they were inspired to co-find the new order of the Sisters of Notre Dame. This is because of their passion to help others that were less fortunate as they were. 

Pgs: 504-507

The French revolution came shortly after the American Revolution. At this time the American Revolution what inspirational for the French enforce a change. After the American Revolution the French were on the verge of bankruptcy and when they saw the reforms that took place in the Americans they wanted to follow what the Americans did. Yet the French Revolution was much different the Americans. The French Revolution was started because of conflict in the French society. There became an issue in the social hierarchy because of the tax that was put into place. The main purpose of the tax was to tax those that were wealthy and limit the amount of tax that was placed on the poor. But that was not the case. Those who were wealthy did not want to pay the tax and refused. As a result the burden was place on the poor. This revolution “marked new stage in revolutionary violence.” This was known as the Terror. What I found interesting is that the French wanted to start from the beginning. Unlike the Americans who took the ideas of the British and changed them, the French want to start from scratch. As a result streets received new names, monuments were destroyed, there were no more tiles, and people considered one another as citizens. This was a huge change for the French and the right step in the right directions for them. 

Chapter 17: Pgs. 491-504

In this next part of the book, the author talks about the different revolutions that evolved and were created because of the scientific revolution. I was surprised to learn that many do not see Europe’s growth as a great achievement.  The book describes their achievement of creating the new world as more like luck. This is because when they took over the new world from the natives Europe had the diseases that they were immune to and the natives were not. Also Europe did not create the scientific revolution on their own they had help from the Islamics. The rise of the Europe’s power globally did not just happen by themselves but with help from other nations. Another thing that I found interesting was that the revolutions that came after the scientific revolution, happened because the scientific revolution. For example the American revolutions came shortly after it. This revolution was important because it was about creating change in the government or political system. What was key about the American revolution was that the colonies were able to gain their independence from Great Britain.