Chapter 17 - Documents

In today's reading it was on documents about the Industrial Revolution. A document is a written, or a printed primary source that provides information or evidence. I enjoy reading documents more than reading the text because I get to have a better understanding of the people's situation in the past. The documents focuses on a certain topic and expands useful evidence and information throughout the reading. One of the documents that caught my attention is the Visual Sources: Art and the Industrial Revolution. The Industrial Revolution not only changed in politics, literature, and economy, but also in the work of visual artists. Not many people appreciate and notice the art work. The pictures that are shown in the documents are about the Industrial Revolution technologies. By the mid-nineteenth century, the Industrial Revolution and a growing global empire had generated for many people in Great Britain feelings of enormous pride and achievements. The exhibition, held in London, was housed in a huge modernistic structure made of iron and glass and made within nine months. This exhibition attracted more than six million guests and contained 14,000 exhibits from all around the world. The first art is called "The Machinery Department of the Crystal Palace". This illustration illustrates the iron rail factory and the high class families are being educated by the teacher. In the second picture, "The Railroad as a Symbol of the Industrial Era". This shows a middle class family in a railroad compartment, returning home from a vacation. The view out the window shows a telegraph lines and St. Paul's Cathedral, a famous feature of the London landscape. There is a reason to why the artist put the background as that and I believe the artist wanted to illustrate that the family is on their way back home to Britain. The last picture is called "Inside the Factory". This is a great illustration because it basically sums up the lower class lifestyle inside the factory. It presents a strongly contrasting image of factory life in this photograph of women and children at work. I noticed how there are only one men in the factory and he is the instructor. Lewis W. Hine was the one who took this photo and interviewed the children. When he asked one young girl her age, she responded: "I don't remember. I'm not old enough to work, but do just the same." A twelve-year-old boy told Hine that he wants to learn, but can't because of work. Compared to the children in the Railroad they look a lot happier than the ones working in the factory. The women and children look depressed and forced to work like they have no options. When looking through these pictures I feel heartbroken towards the children and women because they are being treated poorly. Young children should get their education but they are too busy work at a young age in order to help with their families. Not to mention that they get paid half of what the men are getting. Overall, the Industrial Revolution was the transition to new manufacturing process but also a changing lifestyle towards the women and children.

Chapter 17 - Revolutions of Industrialization

The Industrial Revolution was a period from the 18th to the 19th century where the major changes focused in agriculture, manufacturing, mining, transport, and technology. Overall it had a profound effect on the socioeconomic and cultural conditions starting in the United Kingdom, then slowly spread throughout Europe, North America, and eventually the world. It was also the major dramatic change in the world where humans learned how to dominate the natural environment and extract wealth from it and eventually influenced all in some way. Starting in the later part of the 18th century, there began a transition in parts of Great Britain's previously manual labor and machine-based manufacturing. It started with the mechanization of the textile industries, the development of iron making techniques and the increased use of refined coal. Trade expansion was enabled by the introduction of canals, improved roads and railways. During the Industrial Revolution era there was a girl named Ellen Johnson known as the "Factory Girl". Ellen was born in 1835 to a working class family in an industrializing Scotland. She worked in a variety of textile mills throughout her life, lived as a single mother, and became a published poet. Ellen's father, a stonemason, decided to emigrate to America. Her mother, however, refused to join him and remarried an abusive man who forced Ellen to start working in a factory. This caused Ellen to have the thought of running away from home multiple times. At the age of 16, Ellen successfully ran away to Airdire, where she made some friends and stayed for six weeks. There, Ellen earned the reputation of a "fallen woman". During that time she gave birth to her daughter, Mary Achenvole. She was not ashamed, but rather proud and found new hope in pursuing poetry as a way of making money. She also began to write poetry for the "penny press", inexpensive newspaper of the region. On another note, the "Factory Girl" came from a poor family and worked her way up to be someone important. She used her skill and interest and did what she enjoys the most. Ellen reminds me about the sisters at Notre Dame because it is a similar situation. Summing up Hallmark Seven talks about developing holistic learning communities which educate many. Ellen was once a factory girl and became a poet writer. She educate many people through her art of works by writing and telling stories about her childhood.

Chapter 16 - Atlantic Revolutions, Global Echoes

The Atlantic Revolutions were a revolutionary wave in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. This revolutionary was associated with the Atlantic World during the era from the 1770s to 1820s. There are four revolutions; The North America Revolution, The French Revolution, The Haitian Revolution, and The Spanish American Revolution. During the Echoes of Revolution the main focus was on the abolition of slavery, nations and nationalism, and feminist beginnings. From 1750-1850 was a century of revolutions. Political revolutions occurred in North America, France, Haiti, and Spanish South America. The Columbian Exchange accelerated cultural diffusion and led to radical ideas. Majority of the ideas were inspired by the Enlightenment thinkers. By 1750, the Atlantic basin was the center of cultural, intellectual, and biological exchange. The enlightenment ideas shared through newspapers, essays, pamphlets, and books. When people start reading these articles, it made them to began believing they could finally shape the world around them. The abolition of slavery occurred during 1780 to 1890, a transformation in human affairs as slavery and widely practice. The Enlightenment thinkers in the eighteenth-century Europe had become increasingly critical of slavery as a violation of the natural rights of every person, and the public pronouncements of the American and French revolutions about liberty and equality. The Haitian Revolution was followed by the three major rebellions in the British West Indies, all of which were harshly crushed, in the early nineteenth century. Secular, religious, economic, and political came together in abolitionist movements, most powerfully in Britain, which brought growing pressure on governments to close down the the trade slaves and then to ban slavery itself. Around 1807, Britain ban the sale of slaves within its empire and also in 1834 liberate those who remained enslaved. In 1888, Brazil was the last to bringing more than four centuries of Atlantic to an end. Planation owners actively resisted the onslaught of abolitionists. Near the end of the Atlantic slavery, it marked a rapid turn in the world's social history and in the moral thinking of humankind.

Foundresses' Week Student Lunch with the Sisters

During lunch with the sisters the students ate and talked about courage, life and the NDNU Hallmarks. I think this event is a great way to have the students get involve with the campus and community. I had an interesting talk with one of the sisters. It was a good feeling to talk to another person I did not know because I was telling her about my life and goals. She was like an advisor for me because she gave me advices and guide me to the right direction. At the same time I was learning about the foundresses' sisters Julie Billiart and Franchise Blin de Bourdon how they all started the foundation. Learning about the sister's accomplishments inspired me to do what it takes to achieve my goals. Other than interacting with the sisters I also talked to the professors and staffs at NDNU. It was a great way to meet new people and eat tasty food. Overall the environment was a positive vibe and it was a great experience to have.

Julie Billiart & Francoise Blin de Bourdon

The two sisters whom found Notre Dame de Namur are Julie Billiart and Francoise Blin de Bourdon. Julie Billiard was born in 1751 in Cuvilly, France and attended a small school in her village. Soon she had to stop going to school and start working to help support her family. Throughout her childhood she loved to help so she helped in the fields with the hay making and enjoyed speaking to the other villagers. Unfortunately, Julie lived through the horrors of the French Revolution and became paralyzed for 23 years due to a shock after her father's shop was broken into and merchandise was stolen and ruined. Lucky her great friend, Madame Pont, brought Julie to chateau at Gournay-sure-Aronde. However, the revolutionaries were hunting for Julie and she hid in a hay cart. During this time, Madame Baudoin introduced Julie to Francoise Blin de Bourdon, who was to became a close of friend of Julie and the co-foudress of the Sisters of Notre dame de Namur. Francoise was born in 1756 in Picardy, France. Unlike Julie, Francoise was educated first by governesses and later at the Benedictine and Ursuline schools. Prior to the Revolution, as Vicomtesse Blin de Bourdon, Francoise had devoted her life to the good management of her estates and to caring for the poor and sick. After the death of Robespierre, Francoise was freed from custody and her friend, Madame Baudoin, brought Julie Billiard and her niece, Felitite to Amiens. Francoise helped Julie by reading and feeding her. Francoise and Julie became great friends and became the two foundresses' sisters at Notre Dame de Namur. Before I did not know much about the fundraises' sister, but now after reading and going to Notre Dame de Namur University I learned about what the sisters had accomplish. The University serves the students and the community by providing excellent professional and liberal arts programs. The school itself is a diverse and all together a learning community that challenges each member to carefully apply values and ethics to their personal experiences. The sisters created a learning and developing environment to the University and inspired many people the core values of having  a community, diversity, excellence, goodness, integrity, and serving. These are all great aspects to have and I believe when people follow this then they will be successful in life. What I have been observing when I got to the campus is the excellent professors, advisors, and staffs. They all work hard to encourage students to be successful after graduation.

Chapter 16 - Atlantic Revolutions, Global Echoes 1750-1914

We are shifting gears from the Enlightenment to the American Revolution. The American Revolution started in 1775 to 1783, where it was known as the war of independence who was carried by the American colonies against Britain influenced political ideas and revolutions around the world. This war was between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies on the North American continent. The war was the culmination of the political American Revolution, by which the colonists overthrew British rule. In 1775, Revolutionaries captured and controlled each of the thirteen colonial governments, set up the Second Continental Congress, and formed a Continental Army. The following year, they formally declared their independence as a new nation, the United States of America. In 1778, European powers would fight on the American side in the war. Meanwhile, Native Americans and African Americans served on both sides. Throughout the war, the British were able to use their naval superiority to capture and occupy coastal cities, but control of the countryside largely to avoid them due to their relatively small land army. Early in 1778, after an American victory at Saratoga, France entered the war against Britain; Spain and the Netherlands linked as allies of France over the next few years. Finally, the Treaty of Paris in 1783 ended the war and recognized the dominance of the United States over the territory surrounded by what is now Canada to the north, Florida to the south, and the Mississippi River to the west. Yet another war to bring peace to the world. What would the world be if there was no war to be fought? Would there be treaties to set boundaries? 

Chapter 15 - The Scientific Revolution and the Enlightenment

In this section it talks about the Scientific Revolution and the Enlightenment. Throughout reading the concept question is why did the Scientific Revolution occur in Europe rather than in other countries for instance China or the Islamic World. The Scientific Revolution appeared during the early modern period, when developments in mathematics, physics, astronomy, biology and chemistry changed views of society and nature. The Scientific Revolution began in Europe towards the end of the Renaissance period and continued through the late 18th century, leading the intellectual social movement also known as the Enlightenment. While the Europeans was trying to attempt to spread the Christian faith others were trying to understand the tradition of the Christian faith. By the 20th century, technologies and science had become a widespread that it largely lost its association with European culture and turned to the chef symbol of global modernity. Such as Buddhism, Christianity, and Islam, modern science became a universal worldview, open to all who could accept its establishments and its techniques. Medieval Europeans thinkers thought differently. They thought the earth was stationary and at the center of the universe, and around it revolved the sun, moon, and stars entrenched in ten spheres of transparent crystal. The major thinkers and achievements of the Scientific Revolution began with Nicolaus Copernicus (1473-1543). He thought about the sun and solar system that the earth was involved with. The next well know thinker is Isaac Newton (1642-1727). He studied about calculus and the formulated concept of inertia and laws of motion. When reading this section a question I had was what does it mean by modern. In my opinion, I think when the writer uses the term modern means that it is slowly shifting to the new era with all the technologies, art, and science. The Scientific Revolution was the start of the science and mathematization. This Enlightenment made a huge impact in today's society.

Chapter 15 - Cultural Transformations 1450-1750

Ursula de Jesus was born in a wealthy Spanish colonial city of Lima, Peru in 1606. Ursula is the daughter of Juan Castilla and Isabel de los Rios. Isabel de los Rios was a slave leaving Ursula to inherit her mother's status. As a child, Ursula has entered a life at the lowest rung of Spanish colonial society. Due to the fact that her mother was a slave Ursula was luck to have a second chance to have a better life. Her mother's owner was a wealthy  aristocratic woman and around eight years old Ursula lived under her mother’s owner. Ursula was sent to live in the home of her mother's owner and was raised with a reputation for piety and religious visions. Years later, Ursula accompanied a third woman into the Convent of Santa Clara, where Ursula spent the rest of her life with. She also found a place for herself in the world of colonial Peru and Latin American Christianity. Ursula became a slave herself and found herself attending to the personal needs of her mistress and practicing common women labor such as cooking, cleaning, and attending the sick. Even though she was a slave, her mistress was in the high status and allowed Ursula to dress well. During that time, Ursula was known to have a reputation of vanity within the convent and liked to dress well. Ursula saw herself as self-centered, temperamental and vain. In 1642 was a turning point in Ursula's life. When she was out washing her clothes at a well she fell over and lost balanced. She prayed and prayed and lucky she gained her balanced back. For the remainder of her life, Ursula de Jesus sought a life of religious spirituality. In 1645, one of the nuns of the convent purchased her freedom. Although she was denied the ability to become a nun because of her race, she remained at the convent as a donada. She stated that she experienced divine visions, particularly with the souls in purgatory who sought her intercession to gain their release. Throughout her life time, she was notable for her mystical visions and her claims of communicating with the souls of those who died and went to purgatory. She felt she had the ability to do so because of her near death experience. A diary of her visions and life experiences was created between 1650-1661. Throughout Ursula's personal journal she recorded complaints about the demanding nuns and how she was spat upon and ridiculed. She endures an excessive amount of work and chores when compared to the other pampered nuns. Despite the fact that Ursula de Jesus was freed slave and completely devoted herself to serving God was never able to come out of the hovering shadow of discrimination. She was still treated differently for her Afro-descent and dark completion. Often times she showed her vulnerability in her diary when she questioned God why did she have to be the one who suffered. In the end, Ursula died in 1666 and her funeral was attended by many people. She was buried beneath the chapel of the convent she had served.  

When reading this documentary in the textbook about Ursula de Jesus background story made me interested in learning more about the religious about Christianity. At first I have never heard of her name before, but after reading the question I have for Ursula that what motivate her to start journaling about her daily life. Surprisingly her owner was not mad about Ursula doing this. In what ways did Ursula shape her own life and overall the historical forces.