Sisyphus and the Anger of Zeus - Portugal: The Endless Rise and Fall of a Prosperous Country
Sisyphus and the Anger of Zeus Portugal: The Endless Rise and Fall of a Prosperous Country Sophie Wulk ID no.: 262129 Pigeon Hole10 20.11.2003 Country File 1 Final Draft P. Calje "In Tartarum deportato ei luppiter laborem imposuit talem, ut umnibus vivibus summaque contentione saxum in cacumen collis volveret, quos cum as summum verticem produxisset, rursus deorsum post se revolveretur"1 (Gymnasium Kreienbüh)l Just like the endless task of Sisyphus, the history of state and nation building of Portugal is marked by steady highs and lows, especially in the pre modern period extreme successes take turns with total losses. The astonishing progressive country, that amazingly early establishes an independent monarchy and a flourishing economy, constantly has to struggle with external threats and pressures. After the reconquista or the liberation of Muslim domination, and independency from Spain it becomes the richest power in the world, nevertheless this potential decreases and Portuguese people experience the absolute breakdown. Although it is one of the oldest and geographically most stable nations of Europe, the instability of inner affairs and the constant external threat makes Portugal comparable to Sisyphus who, in the Greek myth, was punished by Zeus and had to roll a block of stone up a steep hill. Since the rock fell back every time when almost at
Between 1661 and 1684 French Foreign Policy Was Conducted With Skill and Success.' To What Extent Do You Agree?
Between 1661 and 1684 French Foreign Policy Was Conducted With Skill and Success.' To What Extent Do You Agree? 'Dragon's Teeth were sown in the 1680's.' (Wilkinson). If this historian's view is to be believed, Louis' foreign policy may have seemed a success at the time. However, the successes which Louis gained would have dire consequences later in his reign. However, is this a true depiction of the success of Louis' foreign policy? Although, before a depiction of how successful Louis' foreign policy was, the aims of Louis foreign policy must be ascertained. One of Louis' main aims was the security of France, most importantly to secure the border between France and the Spanish Netherlands. These 'lowlands' in the North East of France are hard to defend due to no natural barriers to invaders being present. Another aim of Louis policy was to maintain the Family tradition and mark a mark on European politics. Since Louis' family tradition was one of military victories and prowess, Louis would have to succeed on the battlefield in order to accomplish this goal. Another aim of Louis' foreign policy was for himself or a relative to secure the Spanish throne. Louis also needed to reform the army as when Louis came to the throne it was in disarray. So how successful was Louis in his aims? The first success of Louis foreign policy was the terms agreed at the Treaty of
Six inventions of the Industrial Revolution.
Edward Phillips 29.09.2002. Six inventions of the Industrial Revolution The first industry to mechanise in Britain was the cotton industry. The breakthrough was an innovation for weaving. Weaving Machines Until the early 1800's, almost all weaving was done on hand looms because nobody could solve the problems of mechanical weaving. In 1733, John Kay, a Lancashire clock-maker, invented the 'Flying Shuttle'. Using this, weavers could work much faster, so they needed more spun thread; it took 8 spinners to supply one weaver. This machine made all the movements for weaving but it often went out of control, and a number of attempts were made to invent a better spinning machine to increase the amount of thread available. In 1764 James Hargreaves invented the Spinning Jenny (see below). In the mid 1780's, an Anglican clergyman named Edmund Cartwright, developed a steam-powered loom. In 1803, John Horrocks, a Lancashire machine manufacturer, built an all-metal loom. Other British machine makers made further improvements to the steam-powered loom during the early 1800's. By 1835, Great Britain had more than 120,000 power looms. Most of them were used to weave cotton. After the mid-1800's, hand looms were used only to make fancy patterned cloth, which still could not be made on power looms. Spinning Machines For hundreds of years before the Industrial Revolution,
Essay on Henry James :"the Portrait of a Lady "
Essay on Henry James :"the Portrait of a Lady " How James Build the Identity of Isabel through the Book I will show how James build the Identity of Isabel through "the Portrait of a Lady "and how by doing that, he announces at the same time her mental death. James begins his novel with a situation and a character. He creates a situation ,and then he will place his characters in it and observes what will happen when a character is confronted with a new situation. It is the case of Isabel in Gardencourt and in Osmond's garden.. The two gardens described by James ;Gardencourt and Osmond 's garden (or Hill-top) illustrate two types of garden : one is fertile, the other sterile. Gardencourt is described as a loving ,colourful and beautiful place. It is a symbol of the Touchett's who are open and listening people. In Gardencourt nature is described as well arranged and fertile. In this garden many flowers and seeds are growing . In Gardencourt there is a feeling of privacy ,"The front of the house overlooking that portion of the lawn was not the entrance-front; this was in quite another quarter. Privacy here reigned supreme" (p.18). As soon as she arrived in Gardencourt ,Isabel is welcomed by the dog of the Touchetts.It gives right away a pleasant feeling to the reader . Gardencourt is described in positive term compared to Osmond's house. Each house is
Why was the unity of the Dutch Republic so short lived?
Why was the unity of the Dutch Republic so short lived? Unity is a remarkable attribute for a country to possess; it induces stability, pride and prosperity. However the Dutch Republic has always been under scrutiny due to the fragility of its existence. Evidence for the divisions within the Republic are recurrent throughout the period, apparently "It was vital to know whether a Dutchman was an Amsterdammer or a Leidanaar or a Haarlemmer."1 It is clear from this that the separate provinces retained their separate identities, was a type of unity possible in this manner? And if so, was it this factor of detached unity alone, which prevented the Republic from maintaining any sort of unification? It is important to discover why the inhabitants of the republic never felt secure despite a largely prosperous and influential position within Europe, and furthermore, what factors affected the inability for, ultimately the Netherlands, but essentially the republic to unite and remain together. Established in 1579 and collapsing in 1795, the Dutch republic existed over two centuries within the Netherlands. Understanding the formation of the Republic is imperative in order to comprehend how unity or disunity occurred throughout its existence. The Union of Utrecht in 1579 was the starting point for the Republic, where the provinces of Holland, Zeeland, Utrecht, Gelderland, overijssel,
This autobiography is a public primary source published in 1781. It was written in 1766 by Rousseau during the pre-revolutionary period of the French society, a period close to the Seven Years' War, to present his chronicles
What kind of a primary source is this, and what strengths and limitations does it have as a source for studying the state of pre-revolutionary French society? This autobiography is a public primary source published in 1781. It was written in 1766 by Rousseau during the pre-revolutionary period of the French society, a period close to the Seven Years' War, to present his chronicles in a positive light for future readers as a means of defending his good name after he is gone. The strengths are as follows: Since the author is writing about himself, the information provided should be reliable and authentic as he witnessed the actual events. Being a well-known philosopher also helped to establish the credibility of this source. As a public source, it was under the pressure to be accurate. However, there is also a possibility of it harnessing an intention to mislead the readers to believe that the absolute system is bad as the source seemed to be written in a lop-sided opinion, where one is to be made believe that the Government was responsible for all the disasters that happened in France during that time. Since this document is an informal source, the author may have been motivated by his own political, emotional or personal agenda and may have written it from his own point of view instead of the actual events. Being only an extract, we do not know for sure how representative
Discuss how colonialactivity has led to the emergence of different varieties of English in the lastfew centuries.
Discuss how colonial activity has led to the emergence of different varieties of English in the last few centuries. Introduction English is an international language. It is spoken in many parts of the world, yet with various degrees of differences in grammar, pronunciation or vocabulary. How do these varieties arise? When we take a close look at the history in the last few centuries, it is certain that the varieties of English have a close relationship with the colonial activity in this period. Until the late sixteenth century English was not spoken anywhere outside the British Isles. The spread of English beyond the British Isles resulted from the spread of the English-speaking people through colonial activity. As English-speaking colonies were established, English came into contact with indigenous languages of the pre-colonial population. Very often speakers in these communities tend to incorporate many linguistic features from their first language when speaking the new one. Besides, there was diversity in the language used by the English-speaking settlers themselves. Dialect levelling often occurred. As a result, pidgins and creoles developed and new varieties of English emerged. Different patterns of colonial activity and their effects on English According to David Graddol et al. (1996), there were three types of English colony, each of them having different
Does dieting work?
Would you agree that Louis stabilised France in the period 1815-1824? Louis XVIII did not stabilise France in the period 1815-1824, mainly because he was unpopular after the Restoration of 1815, even though he did introduce laws such as press censorship and the Gouvion St. Cyr. Louis was unpopular because he had been identified with the enemies of France. In 1815 some changes were made as apart of the second Peace of Paris, which were France been restricted to her pre-revolutionary borders, was forced to demolish key frontier fortresses, had to return the booty that Napoleon's army had gathered through their conquests and had to pay off a war indemnity. This second peace of Paris was a humiliation and unpopular, but Louis XVIII still agreed to it, which made him disrespected; therefore the allies were right in saying that it would be difficult for him to re-establish himself. Louis XVIII did not stabilise France to a great extent and this is demonstrated by the fact that the restored Bourbon Monarchy only lasted for 15 years before it was overthrown by Revolution. The Ultras and the White Terror were key matters at the beginning of the period that showed Louis XVIII difficulty in stabilising France. The Ultras were a large majority of young, inexperienced and extreme royalists that were consisted within the Chamber of Deputies. The number of Ultras increased in the
19th century marked an important phase in Indian history
Beginning the 19th century, the British started casting their net over India. Imperialism spread throughout the world in the late 19th century making India one of its victims. Many European countries used colonialism and trade as baits to get control over other countries of world. However, through the endless efforts and intelligent strategies carried out by the freedom fighters, India, eventually achieved freedom on August 15th, 1947. Many brave men and women rose, envisioning their country as independent and free. One of them was the Rani of Jhansi. She played an important role in freeing Awadh from the clutches of the British. Rani of Jhansi was born on November 19th, 1835, and was also known as Rani Lakshmi Bai. She fought against the injustice of British Rule over India. In recent times, she is also referred to as the "Indian Joan of Arc". (1) The East India Company led to the establishment of imperialism in 1600 in India. They were trading with India with monopolistic rights they got. In 1612, the British fought against the Portuguese and they extended their rights for trading spices, cotton, silk, sugar and opium. (2) In the 17th century, the French rulers, also, tried to establish trading companies in India and gradually expanded their commercial activities. Other countries like France, Netherlands and Portugal were also wanted to start trade with India. (3) In late
Absolutism - How did Louis XIV establish himself an absolutist state in Francein the 17th century?
Absolutism How did Louis XIV establish himself an absolutist state in France in the 17th century? The dictionary definition of the word absolutism is 'A political theory holding that all power should be vested in one ruler or other authority'. Louis XIV believed strongly in this and believed himself to be an absolute ruler. He used various ways to make his mark, beginning with the idea of absolutism as this was an attractive option when his personal rule began in 1661. He inherited this concept from his father and believed that he would be a superior ruler by following on this tradition. During the seventeenth-century, Louis constructed a great palace at Versailles, some twelve miles outside the city of Paris. It can be argued that Louis XIV had this palace designed so as to make visible the abstract political concept of absolutism, the idea that the king exercised absolute or unlimited authority over his lands and people. Louis' reign can be characterized by the statement known to him, "L'état, c'est moi" which translates, 'I am the state.' Louis sustained the nobility exception from taxes but forced its members into financial dependence on the crown. The provincial nobles also lost political power. He cut local authorities and formed specialised ministries, which only his professional ministers were a part of. When the first minister who was overseeing Louis VIX's