Guernica
Pablo Picasso was a Spanish painter who helped define art of the 20th century. Although he started off painting in a more realistic style, he soon became known for his large, abstract paintings and sculptures. His style was soon copied the world over.
Guernica is, perhaps, his most important piece. This oil painting is 25 feet long and 11 feet tall. It is mainly black and white and shades of gray.
This painting was made in 1937, following the Spanish Civil War. The Spanish Civil War devastated the county and brought fascist leader Francisco Franco to power.
During the Civil War, Hitler helped Franco by sending Nazi bombers into Spain. On April 6, 1937, Nazi warplanes destroyed the Spanish city of Guernica, killing over 1500 people. The bombing lasted for over two hours and foreshadowed the tactics that Hitler would use in World War II.
Pablo Picasso was horrified by this bombing and his painting, Guernica, was the result. This is an anti-war painting and depicts civilians and animals affected by the bombing. In fact the bulls and the horse are important images in Spanish culture.
The ground is littered with bodies and a woman reaches up to the sky, as if begging for mercy.
The painting is considered so important, a copy hangs in the United Nations building in New York City.
Guernica is, perhaps, his most important piece. This oil painting is 25 feet long and 11 feet tall. It is mainly black and white and shades of gray.
This painting was made in 1937, following the Spanish Civil War. The Spanish Civil War devastated the county and brought fascist leader Francisco Franco to power.
During the Civil War, Hitler helped Franco by sending Nazi bombers into Spain. On April 6, 1937, Nazi warplanes destroyed the Spanish city of Guernica, killing over 1500 people. The bombing lasted for over two hours and foreshadowed the tactics that Hitler would use in World War II.
Pablo Picasso was horrified by this bombing and his painting, Guernica, was the result. This is an anti-war painting and depicts civilians and animals affected by the bombing. In fact the bulls and the horse are important images in Spanish culture.
The ground is littered with bodies and a woman reaches up to the sky, as if begging for mercy.
The painting is considered so important, a copy hangs in the United Nations building in New York City.
The Mona Lisa
She may be the most recognizable face in the world. She was painted by Italian artist Leonardo Da Vinci in around 1503-1506. It is rather small: 30 inches tall by 21 inches wide. It is painted in oil paint on a wood panel.
The Mona Lisa was painted during a period of time in Europe called the Renaissance. The Renaissance represented a "rebirth" of Greek and Roman ideals and creative explosion where artists became superstars: Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Raphael, Botticelli--all were household names.
Mona Lisa was a real person, and the painting represents the ideal of Renaissance womanhood. It shows the realism of capturing the human form.
But it is her smile that has captured the imagination of people all over the world. It is a slight--ever so slight---smile. But that smile has held a fascination for people over the last 500 years.
The Mona Lisa was painted during a period of time in Europe called the Renaissance. The Renaissance represented a "rebirth" of Greek and Roman ideals and creative explosion where artists became superstars: Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Raphael, Botticelli--all were household names.
Mona Lisa was a real person, and the painting represents the ideal of Renaissance womanhood. It shows the realism of capturing the human form.
But it is her smile that has captured the imagination of people all over the world. It is a slight--ever so slight---smile. But that smile has held a fascination for people over the last 500 years.
THE DISCUS THROWER
This was one of the most famous statues of the Greek and Roman period of time. In fact, copies of this statue were made and sold for hundreds of years.
The original statue was made of bronze and sculpted by Greek artist Myron around 460 BCE in Athens.
The statue depicts the athleticism and grace of a discus thrower. The Olympics were fist held in Ancient Greece and athletic themes are often found in art of this period. The body is s typical of Greek art in the "Hellenic Period" in which the body represents an idealized form. This means that bodies were depicted to be the perfect representations of human bodies--an ideal that might not have existed in the real world.
The statue represents the Greek idea of SOPHROSYNE. The Greeks believed in harmony and grace--and that there should be a "balance of all things." The underlying form found in the statue is geometric: two concentric circles.
The original statue has been lost to history. But there are numerous others--copies made in the Greek and Roman periods showing that this statue was revered among people in both Greece and Rome.
The original statue was made of bronze and sculpted by Greek artist Myron around 460 BCE in Athens.
The statue depicts the athleticism and grace of a discus thrower. The Olympics were fist held in Ancient Greece and athletic themes are often found in art of this period. The body is s typical of Greek art in the "Hellenic Period" in which the body represents an idealized form. This means that bodies were depicted to be the perfect representations of human bodies--an ideal that might not have existed in the real world.
The statue represents the Greek idea of SOPHROSYNE. The Greeks believed in harmony and grace--and that there should be a "balance of all things." The underlying form found in the statue is geometric: two concentric circles.
The original statue has been lost to history. But there are numerous others--copies made in the Greek and Roman periods showing that this statue was revered among people in both Greece and Rome.
**GLOBALIZATION**
Globalization is something that has been happening since the beginning of civilization. Globalization is the the connections humans make through trade and the culture that is created as a result.
Today, globalization is truly a "global" event--with entertainment, music, sports, brands and corporations used by all sorts of people all over the world.
Globalization began occurring during the ancient world. Wax seals made in the Indus River Valley have been discovered in Mesopotamia. This shows that those two civilization had been in contact with each other through trade. Greek culture was spread by Alexander the Great and influenced culture in the Middle East and India.
As religions moved from where they began to other places in the world, they changed. For example, Christianity was influenced by Judaism and the ancient Persian religion of Zoroastrianism.
Buddhism, which began in India, added Chinese features when it moved to China.
Globalization increased with the Age of Discovery starting in the 1400s. The opening up of North and South America after Columbus caused a boom in trade and a huge movement of people, plants and animals across the world. Corn, a plant found only in the New World, soon starting being grown in Europe, Africa and Asia. Horses, unknown at the time in the New World, became the mode of transportation used by Native Americans once the animals were brought by Europeans.
This event was known as "The Columbian Exchange" and it created the modern world. Boats began criss-crossing the hemispheres like never before. People began moving to different locations across the globe.
The Columbian Exchange led to a change in food production across the globe. The chili pepper, for example, was first grown by people in Mexico. It is now a main ingredient in food in India, Thailand, South Korea and China.
The trade in sugar became one of the first global industries. Unfortunately, this caused another global industry as well: the African Slave Trade. As a result, millions of people from Africa were kidnapped and brought to the New World and other places across the globe.
Slavery has not ended, however. In fact, because of globalization there are more slaves in the world today than at any other time in our history.
The Industrial Revolution, which began in England in the late 18th century, increased globalization. In order to make things, companies needed raw materials. They began traveling all over the world to get those materials.
It is no different today. All you need to do is look at the cell phone in your pocket. Ingredients and labor used to make that cell phone has come from all over the globe.
The electronic industry is made up of multinational corporations which have an influence all across the world. Samsung, for example, is a corporation located in South Korea. But it has offices in every major nation and gets the materials for its phones and televisions from all over the world.
Soccer is a global sport, although it has it's origins in Europe.
Fast-food, once just a part of American culture, is now recognized all over the world.
Musicians and entertainers have fans all over the world.
Americans movies are watched everywhere.
Check out the following images related to globalization:
Today, globalization is truly a "global" event--with entertainment, music, sports, brands and corporations used by all sorts of people all over the world.
 |
| Seal from the Indus Valley Civilization Public Domain. |
As religions moved from where they began to other places in the world, they changed. For example, Christianity was influenced by Judaism and the ancient Persian religion of Zoroastrianism.
Buddhism, which began in India, added Chinese features when it moved to China.
Globalization increased with the Age of Discovery starting in the 1400s. The opening up of North and South America after Columbus caused a boom in trade and a huge movement of people, plants and animals across the world. Corn, a plant found only in the New World, soon starting being grown in Europe, Africa and Asia. Horses, unknown at the time in the New World, became the mode of transportation used by Native Americans once the animals were brought by Europeans.
This event was known as "The Columbian Exchange" and it created the modern world. Boats began criss-crossing the hemispheres like never before. People began moving to different locations across the globe.
The Columbian Exchange led to a change in food production across the globe. The chili pepper, for example, was first grown by people in Mexico. It is now a main ingredient in food in India, Thailand, South Korea and China.
The trade in sugar became one of the first global industries. Unfortunately, this caused another global industry as well: the African Slave Trade. As a result, millions of people from Africa were kidnapped and brought to the New World and other places across the globe.
Slavery has not ended, however. In fact, because of globalization there are more slaves in the world today than at any other time in our history.
The Industrial Revolution, which began in England in the late 18th century, increased globalization. In order to make things, companies needed raw materials. They began traveling all over the world to get those materials.
It is no different today. All you need to do is look at the cell phone in your pocket. Ingredients and labor used to make that cell phone has come from all over the globe.
The electronic industry is made up of multinational corporations which have an influence all across the world. Samsung, for example, is a corporation located in South Korea. But it has offices in every major nation and gets the materials for its phones and televisions from all over the world.
Soccer is a global sport, although it has it's origins in Europe.
Fast-food, once just a part of American culture, is now recognized all over the world.
Musicians and entertainers have fans all over the world.
Americans movies are watched everywhere.
Check out the following images related to globalization:
 |
| Source: http://www.indexmundi.com/blog/index.php/2013/02/25/the-presence-of-mcdonalds-across-the-world/ |
 |
| Source: http://www.altenergyshift.com/gallery/image/143-globalization-starbucks-vs-mcdonalds-infographic/ |
**THE ENVIRONMENT**
Two events in the history of the world greatly changed the Earth's environment: the Columbian Exchange and the Industrial Revolution.
The Industrial Revolution started in Europe in the late 1700s. The Industrial Revolution changed the world by creating machines and factories. This caused many changes, including urbanization (the growth of cities) and pollution. Urbanization caused cities to grow faster than at any other time. This is a process that continues to this day.
Climate change can lead to more severe weather, the growth of deserts, rising sea levels and the spread of disease. Countries have attempted to deal with climate change by signing treaties, such as the Paris Climate Agreement and turning to more environmentally-friendly sources of energy, such as solar power.
Take a look at the following charts, highlighting some of the environmental problems facing the world today.
**HUMAN RIGHTS**
The idea of human rights hasn't been around for a long time. It wasn't until a period of time called the Enlightenment when the word "rights" was used. This is the time period of the 1700s when many documents were written, such as the Declaration of Independence.
In 1948, the United Nations wrote the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which lists 27 rights that all human beings have. These rights include freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom of movement and more.
A right is simply the respect that all people should have on the basis that they are human beings. Many rights are listed as "freedoms." These rights are considered to be inalienable---that is, they cannot be taken away by anyone.
One of the very first times that rights were identified was during the Persian Empire. King Cyrus the Great issued a series of laws in 539 BCE. These were written down on the Cyrus Cylinder and declared that people have the right to choose their own religion.
Discussions of rights became a big focus of the Enlightenment and led to revolutions against kings. As a result, democratic governments were created, such as in the United States.
Today, issues involving human rights are widespread. Human rights tend to be more protected in countries that have democracies.
Below is a short list of current issues regarding human rights in the world today:
Child labor
Refugees
Political prisoners
Slavery
Gender equality
Reproductive rights
Religious freedom
Internet freedom
Censorship
Genocide is one of the biggest violations of human rights. Genocide is the killing of people based on religion, ethnicity or race. The term was created after World War II because of the Holocaust--when Germany killed over 6 million Jewish people.
The map below has several of the genocides of the last 100 years.
Here are some other charts relating to human rights issues:
You will find more statistics at Statista
Freedom on the Net scores are based on a scale of 0 to 100 with 0 representing the best level of freedom on the net progress and 100 the worst. The 2016 ratings reflect the period of June 1, 2015 through May 31, 2016.
In 1948, the United Nations wrote the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which lists 27 rights that all human beings have. These rights include freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom of movement and more.
A right is simply the respect that all people should have on the basis that they are human beings. Many rights are listed as "freedoms." These rights are considered to be inalienable---that is, they cannot be taken away by anyone.
 |
| The Cyrus Cylinder By Prioryman (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0) or GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html)], via Wikimedia Commons |
Discussions of rights became a big focus of the Enlightenment and led to revolutions against kings. As a result, democratic governments were created, such as in the United States.
Today, issues involving human rights are widespread. Human rights tend to be more protected in countries that have democracies.
Below is a short list of current issues regarding human rights in the world today:
Child labor
Refugees
Political prisoners
Slavery
Gender equality
Reproductive rights
Religious freedom
Internet freedom
Censorship
Genocide is one of the biggest violations of human rights. Genocide is the killing of people based on religion, ethnicity or race. The term was created after World War II because of the Holocaust--when Germany killed over 6 million Jewish people.
The map below has several of the genocides of the last 100 years.
Here are some other charts relating to human rights issues:
**WAR AND CONFLICT**
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| American soldiers in the First World War U.S. Army/Public Domain |
War has not always been a part of the human experience. Before the Neolithic Revolution--when human beings learned how to farm some 8,000 years ago--there is little evidence of human beings fighting each other.
Why did human beings ever start to go to war?
Because of property. When humans began to live in villages to farm, they started to own land. Money was soon created and people used war to gain land and money.
Fighting and warfare has almost always been tied to the taking of land and property.
There are several types of war that have been used throughout history:
1. Conventional War: This is the most common of all war in which countries formally announce war against another country with an army.
2. Total War: This is when a war includes all aspects of society and is conducted by using everything a country has. In this type of war, rules of war are broken and cities and people are targeted. World War I and II are prime examples.
3. Civil War: This is a war when people in a country go to war against each other. In the United States, the American Civil War was fought between the North and the South over issues regarding slavery. Most modern states have experienced civil war in one way or another. Civil Wars are currently happening in South Sudan, Syria, Afghanistan and Iraq.
4. Guerrilla War: This is a type of war fought by small groups against larger, more technologically advanced armies. In this type of war, the smaller group hides and sets traps for the larger army. The Vietnam War is an example of guerrilla warfare.
5. Cyberwar: This type of warfare involves the use of computers and the internet to attack the computer systems in other countries. The spreading of computer viruses and the hacking of computer networks are the main activities in cyberwarfare. In 2016, hackers in Russia broke into various components of the U.S. election system. To see a map of current cyberattacks, click here.
Sometimes in war weapons of mass destruction are used. These weapons include chemical weapons, such as mustard gas that was used in World War I and sarin, a toxic nerve agent that was used most recently in Syria. Biological weapons spread disease among populations. The Mongols famously catapulted bodies infected with the bubonic plague over city walls, for example.
Nuclear weapons are the newest type of weapon capable of inflicting mass destruction. Developed first by the United States in World War II, two of these weapons were used on the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Japan. Today, there are 9 counties that have nuclear weapons.
This graph shows the trend of war from 1945 to 2014:
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| Source: Slate Magazine (http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/foreigners/2014/12/the_world_is_not_falling_apart_the_trend_lines_reveal_an_increasingly_peaceful.html) |
Currently, renewed conflicts in Syria, Afghanistan and central Africa has dominated the news. Warfare is a fact of life in many war-torn areas. Civilians suffer the most in modern war because cities are often targets. In World War II, more civilians died in war than did soldiers.
Check out the map below for current global conflicts:
**TERRORISM**
![Robert J. Fisch [CC BY-SA 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRBb8zwQh6bqea1PdNI8NTY6r_n-MPqkjt8EA7ox7hV97BRBZOaiNCYAwoP0ZVqmdlt-lNzYs9MLfb9zwSGCjymqrLUVwKmHUHGrKESMUkp5yQGRb5cnugvASIBZD4xY_cTXayc2vjuj_k/s1600/256px-UA_Flight_175_hits_WTC_south_tower_9-11.jpeg "Robert J. Fisch [CC BY-SA 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons") |
| Terrorist Attack of September 11, 2001 |
But terrorism has been around for a long time.
What is terrorism? Terrorism is when a group uses violence in order to make people afraid.
What is terrorism? Terrorism is when a group uses violence in order to make people afraid.
The term was first used during the French Revolution when the leader, Maximilien Robespierre, famously stated in 1793, "Let terror be the order of the day." During what became known as the "Reign of Terror," the government of France rounded up and killed over 60,000 people.
Terrorism goes back even further. The Assyrians in the ancient Middle East used terrorism, too. They attacked villages and lined the walls of cities with the skins of people they killed.
Most terrorism is political in nature. That means that groups use terrorism in order to cause a change in government.
For example, several groups used terrorism in Russia in the 1800s in order to get rid of the Russian king, who was called a Tsar. In 1881, a terrorist group called "The Peoples' Will" successfully assassinated Tsar Alexander II in a bombing in St. Petersburg.
The Irish Republican Brotherhood and later the Irish Republican Army used terrorism against England in an attempt to bring Independence to Ireland and Northern Ireland.
Religion is often used as an excuse for terrorism. But, it should be noted, that no religion actually supports terrorism:
- In 1946 a Jewish group bombed a hotel in Jerusalem, killing over 90 people
- Terrorism is often used by Islamic groups such as the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) and Hamas against Israel.
- In the Central African Republic, a Christian group calling itself Antibalaka has attacked local Muslim populations.
Of course, the biggest terrorist groups is ISIS, or the Islamic State. This group is waging war in various Middle Eastern countries in order to establish a government under Islamic law. They are responsible for many terrorist attacks, most notably the Bataclan Massacre in Paris and the Manchester Bombing in England. Often, ISIS uses suicide bombers to carry out their attacks.
Many countries have experienced terrorism from groups in their own countries. For example, in the United States, the Ku Klux Klan was established to scare African Americans and keep them separate from others in society. In addition, terrorist activities have been conducted by groups wanting to end abortion or stop animal abuse and whaling.
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| 45 Years of Terrorism (1970-2015). Courtesy of the the Global Terrorism Database https://www.start.umd.edu/gtd/ |
Globalization
Click here to listen to this page narrated:
Globalization has been an on-going process since the moment human beings created civilization. Globalization is the the connections human make via trade and the culture that blends and diffuses as a result.
Today, globalization is truly a "global" phenomenon--with entertainment, music, sports, brands and corporations having global influence and recognition.
Globalization began occurring during the ancient world. Wax seals made in the Indus River Valley have been discovered in Mesopotamia, demonstrating that those two civilization had been in contact through trade. Greek culture was spread by Alexander the Great and influenced culture in the Middle East and India.
As religions moved from their places of origin they acquired characteristics of cultures in other parts of the world. For example, Christianity was influenced not only by Judaism but also the ancient Persian religion of Zoroastrianism.
Buddhism, while originating in India, acquired distinctly Chinese features when it moved to China.
Globalization, as a process, became "global" with the Age of Discovery in the 15th century. The opening up of North and South America after Columbus caused a boom in trade and an unprecedented movement of not only people, but plants and animals across the world. Corn, a New World-only crop, soon starting being grown in Europe, Africa and Asia. Horses, unknown at the time in the New World, became the mode of transportation used by Native Americans once the animals were brought by Europeans.
This event was known as "The Columbian Exchange" and it created the modern world. Boats began criss-crossing the hemispheres like never before. People began moving to different locations across the globe.
The Columbian Exchange led to a change in food production across the globe. The chili pepper, for example, was first grown by people in Mexico. It is now a main ingredient in food in India, Thailand, South Korea andChina.
The trade in sugar became one of the first global industries. Unfortunately, this fueled another global industry as well: the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade. As a result, millions of people from Africa were kidnapped and brought to the New World and other places across the globe.
Slavery has not ended, however. In fact, because of globalization there are more slaves in the world today than at any other time in our history.
The Industrial Revolution, which began in England in the late 18th century, further spurred globalization as the need for raw materials drove corporations to gather these materials from other places, often at the point of a gun.
It is no different today. All you need to do is look at the cell phone in your pocket. Ingredients and labor used to make that cell phone has come from all over the globe.
The electronic industry is made up of multinational corporations which have an influence all across the world. Although Samsung, for example, is a corporation located in South Korea, it has offices virtually in every major nation and sources its materials from all over the world.
Soccer is a global sport, although it has it's origins in Europe.
Fast-food, once just a part of American culture, is now recognized all over the world.
Musicians and entertainers have global appeal.
When Hollywood makes movies, they gear the movies not just to American audiences, but for global audiences as well.
Through technology that was created through globalization, the world in which we live today is connected unlike any time before.
Check out the following images related to globalization:
Globalization has been an on-going process since the moment human beings created civilization. Globalization is the the connections human make via trade and the culture that blends and diffuses as a result.
Today, globalization is truly a "global" phenomenon--with entertainment, music, sports, brands and corporations having global influence and recognition.
|
| Seal from the Indus Valley Civilization Public Domain. |
As religions moved from their places of origin they acquired characteristics of cultures in other parts of the world. For example, Christianity was influenced not only by Judaism but also the ancient Persian religion of Zoroastrianism.
Buddhism, while originating in India, acquired distinctly Chinese features when it moved to China.
Globalization, as a process, became "global" with the Age of Discovery in the 15th century. The opening up of North and South America after Columbus caused a boom in trade and an unprecedented movement of not only people, but plants and animals across the world. Corn, a New World-only crop, soon starting being grown in Europe, Africa and Asia. Horses, unknown at the time in the New World, became the mode of transportation used by Native Americans once the animals were brought by Europeans.
This event was known as "The Columbian Exchange" and it created the modern world. Boats began criss-crossing the hemispheres like never before. People began moving to different locations across the globe.
The Columbian Exchange led to a change in food production across the globe. The chili pepper, for example, was first grown by people in Mexico. It is now a main ingredient in food in India, Thailand, South Korea andChina.
The trade in sugar became one of the first global industries. Unfortunately, this fueled another global industry as well: the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade. As a result, millions of people from Africa were kidnapped and brought to the New World and other places across the globe.
Slavery has not ended, however. In fact, because of globalization there are more slaves in the world today than at any other time in our history.
The Industrial Revolution, which began in England in the late 18th century, further spurred globalization as the need for raw materials drove corporations to gather these materials from other places, often at the point of a gun.
It is no different today. All you need to do is look at the cell phone in your pocket. Ingredients and labor used to make that cell phone has come from all over the globe.
The electronic industry is made up of multinational corporations which have an influence all across the world. Although Samsung, for example, is a corporation located in South Korea, it has offices virtually in every major nation and sources its materials from all over the world.
Soccer is a global sport, although it has it's origins in Europe.
Fast-food, once just a part of American culture, is now recognized all over the world.
Musicians and entertainers have global appeal.
When Hollywood makes movies, they gear the movies not just to American audiences, but for global audiences as well.
Through technology that was created through globalization, the world in which we live today is connected unlike any time before.
Check out the following images related to globalization:
|
| Source: http://www.indexmundi.com/blog/index.php/2013/02/25/the-presence-of-mcdonalds-across-the-world/ |
|
| Source: http://www.altenergyshift.com/gallery/image/143-globalization-starbucks-vs-mcdonalds-infographic/ |
Environment
Click here to listen to this page narrated:
With the beginning of civilization, human beings have altered the Earth's environment to a great extent. Due to the creation of cities and farmland, deforestation--the removal of forests--was one of the first environmental changes to occur. The growth of the Roman Empire, for example, saw huge declines in forests in Europe and North Africa. As a result, there was an increase in malaria, a mosquito-born illness, throughout the Roman Empire.
Two events in the history of the world radically changed the Earth's environment: the Columbian Exchange and the Industrial Revolution.
Following the "discovery" of the New World by Europeans in 1492 came the largest movement of plants and animals across the globe. Plants that did not exist in the eastern hemisphere soon became common place, such as corn and potatoes. In addition, horses, cattle and pigs were brought to the new world from the old, dramatically altering the lives of indigenous people in North and South America. The change to the world was so great that we could never go back to the way it was before as plants, animals and even microbes have become common in areas where they had never existed before.
The Industrial Revolution, starting in Europe in the late 18th century, further changed humanity by introducing machines and factories to human society. This caused many changes, including urbanization (the growth of cities), pollution, and new economic systems. Urbanization, in particular, altered the human landscape as cities grew faster than at any other time. This is a process that continues to this day.
The Industrial Revolution grew on the the use of fossil fuels, especially coal and later petroleum. As a result, the presence of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has increased dramatically over the last 200 years leading to global climate change. Since 1880, the Earth's average temperature increased by about 1.4 degrees Fahrenheit. How do scientists know that the excess carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is related to the burning of fossil fuels? Carbon produced by fossil fuels does not have radioactive isotopes due to the fact that the coal had been in the ground for millions of years. Therefore, it is very different that the carbon that humans and animals exhale. Carbon molecules can be counted and the trend is that non-radioactive carbon has been increasing at a dramatic rate and this increase correlates to the increase in the earth's temperatures.
Climate change can lead to more severe weather, desertification, rising sea levels and the spread of disease. Countries have attempted to deal with climate change by signing treaties, such as the Paris Climate Agreement and turning to more environmentally-friendly sources of energy, such as solar.
The modern world has many environmental challenges. These challenges include the use of pesticides, loss of biodiversity, acidification of the oceans and urban pollution.
Take a look at the following charts, highlighting some of these issues.
Two events in the history of the world radically changed the Earth's environment: the Columbian Exchange and the Industrial Revolution.
The Industrial Revolution, starting in Europe in the late 18th century, further changed humanity by introducing machines and factories to human society. This caused many changes, including urbanization (the growth of cities), pollution, and new economic systems. Urbanization, in particular, altered the human landscape as cities grew faster than at any other time. This is a process that continues to this day.
Climate change can lead to more severe weather, desertification, rising sea levels and the spread of disease. Countries have attempted to deal with climate change by signing treaties, such as the Paris Climate Agreement and turning to more environmentally-friendly sources of energy, such as solar.
The modern world has many environmental challenges. These challenges include the use of pesticides, loss of biodiversity, acidification of the oceans and urban pollution.
Take a look at the following charts, highlighting some of these issues.
Human Rights
Click here to listen to this page narrated:
Human rights are a relatively new concept in world history. It really wasn't until the Enlightenment of the 17th and 18th centuries when the word was defined and used in various documents, such as the Declaration of Independence and the Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen.
In 1948, the United Nations adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which lists 27 rights that all human beings have, which includes freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom of movement and more.
A right is simply a standard of behavior and respect that all people have on the basis that they are human beings. These rights are considered to be inalienable--that is, they cannot be taken away by anyone.
One of the very first times that rights were recognized by governments was during the Persian Empire. Cyrus the Great issued a series of laws and recognitions regarding the rights of people within his empire in 539 BCE. These were written down on the Cyrus Cylinder and declared that people have the right to choose their own religion.
Discussions of rights became a big focus of the Enlightenment and led to revolutions against absolute monarchs and the establishment of constitutional democracies.
Today, issues involving human rights are widespread. War and globalization have diminished the protection of human rights in many areas. Human rights tend to be more protected in countries that have established democracies.
Issues involving human rights are complex and varied. Below is a short list of current issues regarding human rights in the world today:
Child labor
Refugees
Political prisoners
Slavery
Gender equality
Reproductive rights
Religious freedom
Internet freedom
Censorship
One of the biggest violations of human rights is genocide. The term was created after World War II to give a name to what occurred during the Holocaust. However, genocides--the killing of people based on religion, ethnicity or race-- has occurred throughout history. And continues to occur today.
The map below has several of the genocides of the last 100 years.
Here are some other charts relating to human rights issues:
You will find more statistics at Statista
Freedom on the Net scores are based on a scale of 0 to 100 with 0 representing the best level of freedom on the net progress and 100 the worst. The 2016 ratings reflect the period of June 1, 2015 through May 31, 2016.
Human rights are a relatively new concept in world history. It really wasn't until the Enlightenment of the 17th and 18th centuries when the word was defined and used in various documents, such as the Declaration of Independence and the Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen.
In 1948, the United Nations adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which lists 27 rights that all human beings have, which includes freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom of movement and more.
A right is simply a standard of behavior and respect that all people have on the basis that they are human beings. These rights are considered to be inalienable--that is, they cannot be taken away by anyone.
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| The Cyrus Cylinder By Prioryman (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0) or GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html)], via Wikimedia Commons |
Discussions of rights became a big focus of the Enlightenment and led to revolutions against absolute monarchs and the establishment of constitutional democracies.
Today, issues involving human rights are widespread. War and globalization have diminished the protection of human rights in many areas. Human rights tend to be more protected in countries that have established democracies.
Issues involving human rights are complex and varied. Below is a short list of current issues regarding human rights in the world today:
Child labor
Refugees
Political prisoners
Slavery
Gender equality
Reproductive rights
Religious freedom
Internet freedom
Censorship
One of the biggest violations of human rights is genocide. The term was created after World War II to give a name to what occurred during the Holocaust. However, genocides--the killing of people based on religion, ethnicity or race-- has occurred throughout history. And continues to occur today.
The map below has several of the genocides of the last 100 years.
Here are some other charts relating to human rights issues:
War and Conflict
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Anyone who has ever studied history knows that war makes up a large part of the human story. Believe it or not, however, the incidence of war has actually gone down in the last 100 years, in spite of the two world wars of the last century.
War has not always been a part of the human experience. Prior to the Neolithic Revolution--when human beings learned how to farm some 8,000 years ago--there is little evidence of human beings engaging in large-scale fighting.
Then why did human beings ever become war-prone?
The answer lies in property. When humans began settling down into villages to farm, they started to claim land. Economic systems developed which led to the creation of money and, consequently, in the desire of others to accumulate wealth and power. War became a means to that end.
Fighting and warfare has almost always been tied to the acquisition of land and property, in one way or another.
There are several types of war that have been used throughout history:
Conventional War: This is the most common of all war in which state governments formally announce war against another country or government. At one time it was customary for governments to make announcements prior to going to war. This type of warfare usually does not involve nuclear, biological or chemical weapons.
Total War: This is a type of war that affects all aspects of country and is conducted by any means possible, breaking rules of war and often targeting civilians in the process. World War I and II are prime examples.
Civil War: This is a war within a country when members of a society go to war against each other. In the United States, the American Civil War was fought between the North and the South over issues regarding slavery. Most modern states have experienced civil war in one way or another. Civil Wars are currently raging in South Sudan, Syria, Afghanistan and Iraq.
Guerrilla War: This is a type of war fought by small groups using unconventional tactics, such as sabotage, hit-and-run raids, and use of civilians as soldiers. Usually, guerrilla warfare is used by small groups against larger, more technologically advanced adversaries. The term was first used in the fighting by Spanish insurgents in 1808 against Napoleon's army in Spain. The Vietnam War is also an example of guerrilla warfare.
Cyberwar: This type of warfare involves the use of computers and the internet to attack the computer infrastructure in other countries. In terms of warfare, this is the one type that has increased int he last decade. The spreading of computer viruses and the hacking of computer networks are the principle activities in cyberwarfare. In 2016, hackers in Russia broke into various components of the U.S. election system. To see a map of current cyberattacks, click here.
Wars can involve the use of weapons that most modern societies prohibit from war. These weapons include chemical agents, such as mustard gas that was used in World War I and sarin, a toxic nerve agent that was used most recently in Syria. Biological weapons are those which intentionally spread disease among populations. The Mongols famously catapulted bodies infected with the bubonic plague over city walls, for example.
Nuclear weapons are the newest type of weapon capable of inflicting mass destruction. Developed first by the United States in World War II, two of these weapons were used on the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Japan. Today, there are 9 counties that have nuclear weapons.
This graph shows the trend of war from 1945 to 2014:
Currently, renewed conflicts in Syria, Afghanistan and central Africa has dominated the news. Warfare is a fact of life in many war-torn areas. Civilians suffer the most as one aspect of modern war remains: civilians are targets. In World War II, more civilians died in war than did soldiers.
Check out the map below for current global conflicts:
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| American soldiers in the First World War U.S. Army/Public Domain |
War has not always been a part of the human experience. Prior to the Neolithic Revolution--when human beings learned how to farm some 8,000 years ago--there is little evidence of human beings engaging in large-scale fighting.
Then why did human beings ever become war-prone?
The answer lies in property. When humans began settling down into villages to farm, they started to claim land. Economic systems developed which led to the creation of money and, consequently, in the desire of others to accumulate wealth and power. War became a means to that end.
Fighting and warfare has almost always been tied to the acquisition of land and property, in one way or another.
There are several types of war that have been used throughout history:
Conventional War: This is the most common of all war in which state governments formally announce war against another country or government. At one time it was customary for governments to make announcements prior to going to war. This type of warfare usually does not involve nuclear, biological or chemical weapons.
Total War: This is a type of war that affects all aspects of country and is conducted by any means possible, breaking rules of war and often targeting civilians in the process. World War I and II are prime examples.
Civil War: This is a war within a country when members of a society go to war against each other. In the United States, the American Civil War was fought between the North and the South over issues regarding slavery. Most modern states have experienced civil war in one way or another. Civil Wars are currently raging in South Sudan, Syria, Afghanistan and Iraq.
Guerrilla War: This is a type of war fought by small groups using unconventional tactics, such as sabotage, hit-and-run raids, and use of civilians as soldiers. Usually, guerrilla warfare is used by small groups against larger, more technologically advanced adversaries. The term was first used in the fighting by Spanish insurgents in 1808 against Napoleon's army in Spain. The Vietnam War is also an example of guerrilla warfare.
Cyberwar: This type of warfare involves the use of computers and the internet to attack the computer infrastructure in other countries. In terms of warfare, this is the one type that has increased int he last decade. The spreading of computer viruses and the hacking of computer networks are the principle activities in cyberwarfare. In 2016, hackers in Russia broke into various components of the U.S. election system. To see a map of current cyberattacks, click here.
Wars can involve the use of weapons that most modern societies prohibit from war. These weapons include chemical agents, such as mustard gas that was used in World War I and sarin, a toxic nerve agent that was used most recently in Syria. Biological weapons are those which intentionally spread disease among populations. The Mongols famously catapulted bodies infected with the bubonic plague over city walls, for example. Nuclear weapons are the newest type of weapon capable of inflicting mass destruction. Developed first by the United States in World War II, two of these weapons were used on the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Japan. Today, there are 9 counties that have nuclear weapons.
This graph shows the trend of war from 1945 to 2014:
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| Source: Slate Magazine (http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/foreigners/2014/12/the_world_is_not_falling_apart_the_trend_lines_reveal_an_increasingly_peaceful.html) |
Currently, renewed conflicts in Syria, Afghanistan and central Africa has dominated the news. Warfare is a fact of life in many war-torn areas. Civilians suffer the most as one aspect of modern war remains: civilians are targets. In World War II, more civilians died in war than did soldiers.
Check out the map below for current global conflicts:
Terrorism
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To most Americans, terrorism is best represented by the attacks of September 11, 2001. This was the largest terrorist attack in U.S. history. Nearly 3000 people were killed.
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| Terrorist Attack of September 11, 2001 |
However, terrorism is not a new phenomenon. It has been around for as long as humans have organized governments.
Terrorism refers to violence--usually against civilians--by a group or government for the purpose of creating fear in order to push a political, religious or social goal.
The term itself was first used during the French Revolution when the revolutionary leader, Maximilien Robespierre, famously stated, "Let terror be the order of the day." During what became known as the "Reign of Terror," the government of France rounded up and killed over 60,000 people thought to be a threat to the revolution.
These acts go back even further. The Assyrians in ancient Mesopotamia used terror as a weapon of war, famously lining the walls of conquered cities with the skins of civilians.
Most terrorism is political in nature. That means that groups use terrorism in order to cause a change in government.
For example, several groups used terrorism in Russia in the 1800s in order to get rid of the Tsar and try to change Russia's government. In 1881, a terrorist group called "The Peoples' Will" successfully assassinated Tsar Alexander II in a bombing in St. Petersburg.
The Irish Republican Brotherhood and later the Irish Republican Army used terrorism against England in an attempt to bring Independence to Ireland and Northern Ireland.
Religion is often used as a justification for terrorism. But, it should be noted, that no religion actually supports terrorism, but groups use religion in order to justify its goals to bring about political change.
Before the creation of Israel, for example, Zionists (those who wanted to reestablish a Jewish state in Palestine) used terrorism to draw attention to this goal. On July 26, 1946, a Jewish group known as Irgun bombed the King David Hotel in Jerusalem, killing over 90 people.
After the creation of Israel, conflicts arose between the Israeli state and the Palestinians with terrorism often the means by which groups such as the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) and Hamas tried to gain control over territory controlled by Israel.
In the Central African Republic, a Christian group calling itself Antibalaka has attacked local Muslim populations in an effort to extract revenge for a bloody coup that occurred in 2013.
Of course, the most notorious of terrorist organizations is ISIS, or the Islamic State. This group is waging war in various Middle Eastern countries in order to establish a unified government under Islamic law. They have taken responsibility for many terrorist attacks, most notably the Bataclan Massacre in Paris and the Manchester Bombing in England. Often, ISIS uses suicide bombers to carry out their attacks.
Although ISIS attacks are heavily covered by the media in the Western World, it should be noted that most of the terrorist attacks conducted by ISIS occur in Muslim countries where the majority victims are Muslim civilians. ISIS wants to overthrow current governments in the Middle East to establish a Caliphate.
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| 45 Years of Terrorism (1970-2015). Courtesy of the the Global Terrorism Database https://www.start.umd.edu/gtd/ |
Many countries have experienced domestic terrorism in which groups use violence for social goals. For example, in the United States, the Ku Klux Klan was established to intimidate African Americans and enforce segregation. In addition, terrorist activities have been conducted by groups wanting to end abortion or stop animal abuse and whaling.
Terrorism can generally be classified into several basic types:
- State-Sponsored terrorism: terrorist acts on a state or government by a state or government.
- Dissent terrorism: terrorist groups which have rebelled against their government.
- Left and Right-winged Terrorism: terrorist groups rooted in political ideology.
- Religious terrorism: terrorist groups which are extremely religiously motivated.
- Criminal Terrorism: terrorists acts used to aid in crime and criminal profit.
- Issue-Oriented Terrorism: terrorist acts to advance a specific issue.
Han China
In 206 BCE, the Qin Dynasty in China was overthrown by a new family, led by a man named Liu Bang. They were known as the Han and they established an empire in China that would last for over 400 years. Like Rome in Europe, the Han expanded its borders to create the largest empire in China up until that time.
The Han Dynasty organized itself around the teachings of the philosopher Confucius. In fact, Confucius is arguably one of the most important figures in Chinese history with an influence that can still be felt in China today.
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| The extent of the Han Dynasty in China. Public Domain |
Like other societies at the time, Han China had a highly structured society. At the top was the supreme ruler, the emperor. Since the belief in the "Mandate of Heaven" was embedded deep within Chinese culture, most people accepted his rule. But the emperor was not alone in ruling this large empire. China had an efficient bureaucracy, and the everyday management of the country was left to lesser kings, governors and government officials.
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| Confucius |
Confucius taught that everyone had a duty and responsibility to others in society. His philosophy stressed loyalty and tradition. One key element of Confucianism is the idea of filial piety, the respect all must show to members of their family.
Confucius was so important that in order to get a job with the government, you had to take an exam to show how much you know about the teachings of Confucius!
Out of all of the cultures during the classical age, China was the most technologically advanced. During the Han Dynasty, China began adding to a wall begun during the Qin Dynasty in order to protect its northern borders. The wall was a project that continued on and off for the next 1000 years, with dynasties adding to it and enhancing it over the years. In all, the Great Wall of China today stretches for over 5,500 miles.
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| This is a section of the Great Wall today. So many people died making the wall, the bodies were buried within the wall. It is often known as the "longest graveyard." (By Georgio (Own work) CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/)], via Wikimedia Commons |
The Han Dynasty is known for its many important technological innovations and inventions. One of the most important is the invention of paper. In addition, the Han developed the wheelbarrow, cast iron, acupuncture and hot air balloons.
The Han Dynasty was connected through trade to other regions of the world including, for the first time, to Europe. It was the trade of silk that connected China to the rest of the world. Silk was so precious that Chinese rulers made it a crime to give away the secrets of silk making.
Silk lead to the establishment of a trade route between Han China and Rome called the "Silk Road."
The Han Dynasty was connected through trade to other regions of the world including, for the first time, to Europe. It was the trade of silk that connected China to the rest of the world. Silk was so precious that Chinese rulers made it a crime to give away the secrets of silk making.
Silk lead to the establishment of a trade route between Han China and Rome called the "Silk Road."
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| The Silk Road was actually several trade routes that carried all sorts of good over land. The red lines represent the Silk Roads. |
Like what was to happen in Rome, the Han experienced some problems near the end of the empire too. They started to be attacked by nomadic invaders from the north. In addition, economic troubles plagued the empire. By 220 CE, the Han Dynasty was in deep decline and would soon be replaced by another empire.
Important Points to Remember:
Important Points to Remember:
- The Han Dynasty expanded China's border's through trade, diplomacy and military power
- Chinese society was organized under the ideas of Confucius, the most famous Chinese philosopher
- Silk was the most important item traded from China
- Han China was known for its many inventions and innovations, most notably the development of paper