Richard Ruiz History Blog

Mikhail Gorbachev and the end of Communism

2007-05-10T10:17:00.000-07:00

Mikhail Gorbachev helped to open the soviet union by modernizing their economy and introducing a market economy to Russia. This led to other countries establishing a market economy of their own and become independent. Glasnost was a program to try to get rid of tthe corruption and political abuse in the Soviet Union. Perestroika was an economic program.

Collapse of Communism

2007-05-10T10:03:00.000-07:00

Communism collapsed in eastern europe because there were not that many goods to go around the econonmy was becoming weak and many of the people wanted there freedom. The citizens tore down the Berlin wall because they wanted to unify there city. The collapse of the soviet union changed the world because the treat of a nuclear war was decreased and the United States became the world's only superior power.

Creation of Israel

2007-05-08T09:14:00.000-07:00

Zionism is basically the establishment of a Jewish State. When Israel was created there were many problems even a war. This all happened because countries such as Jordon,Syria, Lebanon, Iraq and Egypt didn't want to share the holy land with them.The dispute was between the Jewish Israeliains and Arab Palestianians, both claim the right to the land of Israel/Palestine. there had been much violence between both sides. Both group claim the land based on historical,ethnicity, religion and culture. Israelis has sovereignty over most of the land, because they won 2 major wars against arab armies

Nelson Mandela and Apartheid

2007-05-02T09:52:00.000-07:00

Apartheid is a system of racial segregation which was used by the South African government from 1948 to 1994. Under this system people didn't have the same right as white people. Non-whites were classified as Bantu ( black ), colored ( mixed ), or Indian. This system separated the whites from the other races and made them the superior. Nelson Mandela did not agree with this form of government. He fought to change this. He became a cultural icon of freedom and equlitiy because he tried to remove the form of government in Africa and eventually did. Nelson Mandela was admired so much by the authors of the sites and articles because after his realse from prison he wrote a book of his life which was really good. Also, he made afria a equal nation

African Independence

2007-05-01T09:22:00.000-07:00

During 1955 Africa had only like 5 independent countries. That is how little there independence was. As the years pasted there independence did increase and by 1975 there were around 20 countries who won there independence. As you can see the big change in Africa made it a independent area. People such as Blaise Diagne and Moise Tshombe helped them win there independence.

Neolithic Revolution

2007-04-25T09:50:00.000-07:00

The Neolithic Revoluton was the 1st agricultural revolution. It changed the way that humans live. All of the use of agriculture in these days allowed people to establish permant setlement, social classes, and new technologies. Also settlements by some early groups in the valleys of Nile,Yellow, and Indus river resulted in some great civilization in Egypt, China, India, and Mesopatamia.

The European Union

2007-04-24T09:14:00.000-07:00

The European Union is an intergovernmental union of 25 states in Europe. This union was established in 1992 by the Treaty on European Union. It is one of the largest economic and political entities in the world. This economic union was successful and grew into other economic unions. Now the EU has many of its own establishments such asa parliament, military, and various organizations and committees that help maintain cooperation and trade between the EU member nations. This union was a good thing because it prevents war between nations such as England, Germany, France, and Italy. They are now together economically, politically, socially, and militarily. There is not much of a chance that these nations will be going to war any time soon.

Film Lesson "The Right Stuff"

2007-04-17T14:24:00.000-07:00

In this movie the Russians were competing against the Americans to see who could get spacecraft into space first.During the movie the Americans made many attempts to beat Russia but failed. Russia was the first to get a spacecraft into space first but the Americans were the first to get a man on the moon so no one really won. A scene that i will remember the cold war is when the United States were testing out the spaceships and many of them will explode. It showed us how desperate the U.S was for winning the space competition against Russia.

Cuban Missile Crisis

2007-04-17T14:06:00.000-07:00

The Cuban Missile Crisis was a time when the U.S heard news that the Soviet Union was placing nuclear weapons in Cuba and the U.S was doing as much as they can to stop this because they were getting into problems with 2 communist countries.This event was considered the hottest momment in the Cold War because it was the closest to becoming a nuclear was in this period.When Kennedy heard what was happening in Cuba he immediately formed the ex-comm, a group of 12 of the most imortant advisors to handle the situation.

NATO and The Warsaw Pact

2007-04-12T14:10:00.000-07:00

North Atlantic Treaty Organization, or NATO, is a defensive military alliance formed in 1949 by 10 Western European nations the US and Canada due to the Berlin Blockade which rose Europe's fears of Soviet aggression. The Soviet Union saw NATO as a treat and started it's own alliance which was called the Warsaw Pact. It included the Soviet Union, East Germany, Czechoslovakia, Poland, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, and Albania. The East Germans built a wall to separate East and West Berlin. The wall represented a world divided into rival camps. But there were some countries that didn't want anything to do with the alliances such as India and China, who distrusted the Soviet Union.

Film Lesson " Night and Fog "

2007-03-25T13:21:00.000-07:00

Some of my reactions of Night and Fog were horrible. The acts against againt the Jews were inhumane . It was horrible to see how the bodies of the Jews were. It was a very powerful movie because it showed us how life was during that time. I believe that the Hollywood version illustrates the Holocaust more effectively because it shows us how the Holocaust was in detail.

Film Lesson " Schindler's List "

2007-03-25T13:09:00.000-07:00

Schindler's List showed us how terrible the acts against the Jews were. It showed us the camps they were put in, the ghettos, how they were killed, how they were all separated, and how families were destroyed. The image that would stay with me the most is the part were the Nazi's take away all the children at the camp.

US Atomic Bombing of Japan in 1945

2007-03-25T13:00:00.000-07:00

I think that the US atomic bombing of Japan in 1945 should be number one because it was a headline which had alot of controversy revolve around it. There is only one story that might be as big or even bigger than the US atomic bombing and it's one that i was around for which is September 11. I think that the list is alright the way it is I wouldn't change it because those were the big headlines at the time they might not be something that I could catorigize myself because I didn't witness them.

Germany at War - WW2

2007-03-25T12:41:00.000-07:00

Propaganda is the information or material spread to advance a cause or to damage an opponent's cause.The poster illustrates that Germany destroyed Great Britain which is the graveyard, and shows how the Germany's large fist is turning its attention to the Stalin and the Soviet Union, palnning in taking them out . The statement in the poster for the invasion of the USSR is like security, which is represented as the baby in a cradle and prosperity (living space for Germans).

Mustafa Kemal and the Modernization of Turkey

2007-03-02T17:48:00.000-08:00

Mustafa Kemal was Turkey's first president and founder of its republic. He is one of the greatest leaders in the world due to all of the reforms and changes he made for his country. As a commander in the 1920's the victories he had over his invaders gave his nation great independence. Also as president he made reforms politically, socially, legally, economically, and culturally. Mutafa gave women more rights, made a new language for his nation, and improved education. Secular is to be concerned with world issues rather than spritual ones.

The Treaty of Versailles

2007-03-02T17:46:00.000-08:00

The Treaty of Versailles was the peace treaty signed by Germany and the Allied powers after WW1. This treaty affected Germany in many ways. The nation lost much territory and had severe restrictions put put on its military operations. It put full responsibility of the war on Germany and Germany had to pay reparations to the Allies. Also, all of territories of Germany in Africa were declared to the League of Nations. I think that many historians say that the Treaty of Versailles led to the rise of Fascism and Adolph Hitler because caused the feeling of betrayal and like bitterness among Germany.

The Opium Wars

2006-12-13T15:37:00.000-08:00

The Opium War was a conflict between Britain and China which lasted for about 3 years and was over Britain's trade of opium in China. The opium wars stared because the Chinese did not like that Britain was selling to a drug that did much harm and was even illegal in Great Britain. So, they tried to put a stop to this but Britain did not like the idea and started a war. Of course Britain won because they were more advanced and had strong firepower over China. China not only lost but had to make the drug legal and lost much territory.

"The White Man's Burden"

2006-12-13T15:26:00.000-08:00

The poem is trying to say that white people rule because they feel that they have to do it. They think that they have to be more superior than others, that they have to be the best. Yes, I do believe that the US is still imperialistic today. They are still living the white man's burden today. A great example of that is what is going on in Iraq. The US is taking it over and destroying it little by little.

The Meiji Restoration of Japan

2006-12-11T15:22:00.000-08:00

Mattew Perry " bullied " the Japanese into signing a trade treaty because after what Britain had done to China they kind of isolated themselves. The negotiations been Perry and the Japanesse were considered bulling because Perry used his advance ships to try to scare the Japanesse. Perry's ships that used no sails is what impresses the Japanesse. After a revolution in Japan a young boy who was renamed Meiji became the new emporer of Japan. Japan started to adapt to western ways and customs.

Karl Marx and Communism

2006-11-14T16:36:00.000-08:00

Communism was a system in which everything of production, land, mines, factories, railroads, and business were owned and controled by the people. Karl Marx wanted communism to take over the world because he believed that the Industrail Revoution enriched the wealthy and impoveridhed the poor. According to Marx the workers were considered to be the good guys and the factory owners and the industry were the bad guys.

Karl Marx and the Industrial Revolution

2006-11-14T16:13:00.000-08:00

No, I do not think that Karl Marx liked the Industrial Revolution. He didn't like the working conditions that the people had during that time . Also, he believed that the workers ,not the landlords, should control the factories and the farms. These events during the Industrial Revolution inspired Karl Marx to create communism because he wanted the workers to control the way they work.

Industrial Revolution - Child Labor

2006-11-14T15:55:00.000-08:00

For the children that worked during the Industrial Revolution life was very harsh. The children began to work at a very young age for example some started to work at the age of five. The smallest children would the the most dangerous jobs,they would be used to go under the machines while it was operating to fix it or the collect cotton. Children would inhale toxic air throughout their working day. They worked long days for example they started at 5 in the moring to like 9 or 10 at night with little time for lunch. They were often extremely tired cause of their days.

Industrial Revolution-Inventions

2006-10-31T05:23:00.000-08:00

There are five inventions of the Industrial Revolution that I think are the most important. They are Jethro Tull's seed drill, the flying shuttle, the spinning mule, James Watt's steam engine, and the Water Frame.Jethro Tull's seed drill was an invention that allowed farmers to plant seed in well spaced rows. The flying shuttle was a shuttle that moved back and forth on wheels and allowed workers to get work done fast. The spinning mule was worked with a mule and it made tread more stronger and finer. Jame's Watts steam engine was a steam engine which got four times as much power from the same amount of coal. The water frame was an invention in whichspinning could be done by a machine instead of a person, so owners could spin more cotton. These inventions I think are the most important because they made life easier for Europeans and Americans. It also allowed them to things faster and increased business.

Geography of Latin American Revolutions

2006-10-24T16:08:00.000-07:00

Their was a connection between the revolutions. The French and American Revolutions came first and they both influenced the Latin American Revolutions. The French, American, and Latin Revolutions do have something in common, they all fought for independence and against their government.

Nationalism

2006-10-24T15:45:00.000-07:00

Nationalism is when a person respects and obeys their country. Some things that people do to display nationalism is support their country no matter what ( wars ). Also, people fight for their country for example to join the military. Some thing I do to display nationalism is I have respect for my flag and and I pledge to it.

Simon Bolivar

2006-10-17T05:22:00.000-07:00

Simon Bolivar is so famous because he was the leader of many independence movements in South American countries which include Ecuador, Peru, Panama, Columbia, Venezuela, and Bolivia (which is named after him). These movements are known as Bolivars Wars. To honor Bolivar for everything he fought for Bolivia was named after him. He helped to free the northern part of South America from Spanish rule. Also, he fought for independence in Latin America.

Latin American Revolution

2006-10-13T05:12:00.000-07:00

During Latin American Revoutions native people decided to fight for independence. The people of the Latin American were rebeling against their government because they didn't wan't to be under Spanish rule anymore. The French and American Revolutions influenced the Latin American Revolutions..