The Industrial Revolt!

The Industrial Revolution that occurred during the 18th and 19th century forever changed the production of goods and the labor used to create it. There are many factors that led to these monumental developments and thus many inventions that ultimately changed the landscape of the worldwide workplace. The biggest lead in to the industrial revolution was the agriculture revolution that took place in Europe leading up to the industrial revolution. The biggest impact of the agricultural revolution was efficiency. Combining better tools, fertilizers and crop rotation practices, people were able to produce more food with fewer workers. This newfound effectiveness led to a huge population explosion were win a 100 year period, the European population nearly doubled, thus creating a larger consumer/labor force. My biggest interests lie in the most significant byproducts of the industrial revolution and their impact on the history of the world, as well as my daily life. Often the leader of the times, England represented the home and birthplace of the industrial revolution. The changes that occurred in England would lead to tremendous strides in the socioeconomic and cultural environments throughout Europe. A few of the biggest developments and innovations to come out of the industrial revolution included a better organization of labor, better working conditions, better standard of living and my favorite tangible invention: the steam engine. The steam engine, which was first patented by James Watt in the late 18th century, proved to be possibly the best addition to efficiency in the workplace. The mechanical energy produced by the steam engine led the way in converting England and Europe’s previously manual labor intensive industry towards a machine powered manufacturing industry. The source of power for the actual engine is coal. At this point in time coal became a necessity as a building block of energy. The steam engine provided the ability for workers to use a central source of mechanical power rather than diversified man-power. The engine was a reliable constant source of power and created a new pace of work. As a stationary object the steam engine helped streamline the workplace. When the engine was put on wheels, it made the workplace more mobile. The development of the steam operated locomotive would result in a revolutionary change in transportation. The steam engine led to advances in not only industry and transportation, but also military and even space exploration. It is quite possible that the standard combustion engine may not have even come about if not for the steam engine. What other byproducts of the industrial revolution changed the way we live today?

The Napoleonic Complexity.

A very interesting topic that we discussed in class this week dealt with the differing public views of Napoleon Bonaparte. Beloved by many and despised by even more, Napoleon trampled over the fine line on which he walked, in regards to his reputation; you either loved him or you hated him! I find it quite amusing that a guy who wreaked devastating havoc externally and within his own country was still loved by so many. Napoleon put his ego ahead of the lives of his soldiers; he lost nearly 1 million French servicemen. The soldiers whom survived were deserted after defeat as Napoleon bolted back to Paris to handle some "personal" affairs. All this said, after Napoleon was exiled and subsequently returned, he was able to corral back his troops (who were sent out to stop him) and take back military control of the country. Once back in control, he proceeded to lead more young Frenchmen to their deaths (hindsight is 20/20). Understandingly, Napoleon was not very well like outside of France. We saw through the caricatures the extremely negative light which was shone upon Napoleon during and after his reign as "emperor" of France. The illustrations used strong symbolism and representations to describe Napoleon's impact on Europe. Animal symbolism was often used in the representation of Napoleon. He was often depicted as the sly fox. Why a fox? Possibly it represented his his shady actions and unstable persona. Another motif used was the fitting depiction of Napoleon as the devil. I think this is a lot more effective because it is a direct challenge to his motives and a straightforward comparison to the personification of evil. Why was he loved by so many and completely hated by more? How was there such a large discrepancy in the public view of Napoleon after he did such horrible things to both foreign countries and his own people?

enlighten me!

To begin, I must state that I come from a very open family and an independent upbringing. I come from the school of thought based on the pursuit of knowledge as a great virtue in life. In my opinion, the accumulation of knowledge induces individual thought which often brings upon an enlightenment of sort. The “Age of Enlightenment” (as it occurred in the 18th century; often referred to simply as “the Enlightenment”) is something that really sparks my interest because of its direct relation to my life. I feel very strongly about this period because it not only represents an exceptional breakthrough in the way of thinking possessed by mankind but because many of its values and ideals transcend time. The enlightenment stands as one of the most important modern intellectual revolutions. It brought about change that has affected the political, religious and social landscape of the entire world. The enlightenment came about during a time of censorship and intellectual repression. The principals of questioning and reasoning which flourished at the time enabled the “philosphes” to use this reasoning to directly address the problems they encountered in daily life. The progress in the development of education at this time paved the way for modern education. The enlightenment also brought upon a drastic change in the church’s relation to politics and social hierarchy. I feel that each and every one of us goes through our own personal enlightenment when we develop and mature from children to adults. During the enlightenment, questions of authority were raised. During our own developmental years, when we reach the capacity to understand such issues, we often direct our “enlightening” questions towards the division and dissemination of power in our own lives. Still in many countries outside our own, censorship is at extremely heightened proportions and thus certain enlightenments are continuously being by the either the oppressive ruling minority or the controlling majority. It is very important to never be complacent with mediocrity or oppression. Always question, always strive to make a difference and never be afraid to make an attempt to right the wrongs!

Day One.

After a long, arduous journey, I have finally arrived in Blogland. Whew.