Mary said 2/2...

Hi guys, so as usual today was another fun filled class. To start off class, Connelly walked in fashionably late, carrying his huge cello on his back and his backpack on his stomach. After a good laugh we started the worksheet that the sub gave us. It was two readings, one which was a poem that focused on white mans burden and the other focused on black mans burden. White mans burden was when then white people felt they were superior and had a responsibility to change the "non-civilized" nations. The poem was written by a British poet and it was a response to America taking over the Philippines after the Spanish-American war. The poem further explained white mans burden and how the white should go into other nations and civilize the people, since they are seen as naive, barbaric and child-like. White people believed they're culture should be imposed on the conquered people, and their goal was to take over politically and economically. They also wanted to be seen as friendly and trying to help, and they did not want to be seen as a threat. The whites did help the conquered countries to an extent, by giving them food and helping with their sicknesses, but in the end the conquered people did not want to be changed, they liked their culture and customs as they were. The whites attempt to change these countries did not succeed because the indigenous people did not want to adapt new customs, they just wanted to stay unchanged. This poem justified European imperialism because the Europeans believed they were helping and improving mankind.


The second reading was another view of imperialism written by Edward Morel, another British journalist in the Belgian Congo. Black mans burden was basically the black people of Africa having to survive what the white people put them through. Slavery, disease, intense work, and abuse towards the people of Africa has mad their life miserable. They are obviously against imperialism since it has caused them nothing but trouble. There is no escape for the Africans, and the consequences cause not only physical effects, but it is also killing the soul and breaking their spirits. Their land has been invaded, families destroyed, and then they are put into a harsh life of slavery. Disease and climate also has a negative effect on the African people. The Europeans brought in diseases such as measles, smallpox, and syphilis and the Africans had no cures for these sicknesses. Also, the climate was very hot and dry which also led to deaths. Between the hard, intense work, diseases, hunger, and the climate Africans suffered from imperialism.


That pretty much sums it up for today so the next person to blog is Amanda...Feel better Ms. Separ