Film Lesson: "Mountains of the Moon"

In the Film "Mountains of the Moon" Explorers John Speak and Richard Burton explored Africa. They faced a lot of hardships in their expedition in Africa. An example, is that they had trouble gaining the trust of the people they hired. Many of them ran away and betrayed them in the middle of the expedition. Another hardship they faced is the deceases the bugs carried like Malaria. Richard Burton also caught a decease that weakened his legs. The Europeans named the source of The Nile after a British queen. Its strange because an African lake is named after a British queen. its because the Europeans thought they discovered the Source first but the Native Africans already named it. That was the Europeans began imperialism. The Europeans had a lot of technological advantages. Like guns and powerful weapons. In a scene, Speak and Burton gave a handgun to a tribe's chief. The chief was amazed of the gun but the others were scared. Another technological advantage is that they had telescopes that allowed them to see things from far away. it was easy for Europeans to conquer Africa because of their weapons and ships. Their army had advantage and it was easy to take over the country.

imperialism Project

We did the imperialism project to learn how the Europeans went around the world controlled of middle east, North and South America, parts of Asia and Africa. countries like France Spain Great Britain Italy Germany and Belgium. They had gold silver copper cotton tea canons and some slaves.

Karl Marx and communism

Communism is the doctrine of the conditions of the liberation of the workers also know as Proletariat. The proletariat is a class in society which lives from the sale of its labor and does not draw profit from any kind of capital. There was one person who hated the treatment of the proletariat by the bourgeoisie(or factory owners/landlords), his name was Karl Marx.
Karl Marx didn't like capitalism. He imagined a world where everyone could be treated equally. He didn't want social classes to exist, he wanted every person to have the same amount of everything. Karl Marx believed that the governments wouldn't exist anymore because of the equal sharing and responsible society. Marx's idea was a great, but when it was brought out to the world people failed to accomplish what Karl Marx wanted communism to be.

Marx believed that the good guys were communists(or the workers) and the bad ones were the people who wanted capitalism(or the Factory workers and the land lords) . He thought that his ideas were the ideas of the future. a good example is Russia.

Karl Marx and The Industrial Revolution

Karl Marx felt that the hard working people in factories and farms should have control of everything instead of the factory owners or the landlords. He didn't like the way the Industrial Revolution was turning out to be. The Industrial Revolution was the reason Karl Marx decided to united the workers to go against the laws of the factory owners and landlords. That action was the beginning of Communism. Karl Marx believed that if workers had a same job they would get paid equally. He was an inspiration to many. Communism still exists today and it all began off one man trying to improve workers laws during the Industrial Revolution.

Nationalism and the Creation of Italy

Nationalism is the belief that nations will benefit from acting independently rather than collectively, emphasizing national rather than international goals.We can show nationalism by speaking our nations language, by wearing our countries colors. A way to show we are nationalistic is when we celebrate our Independence on the 4th of July. Another way is when we celebrate Thanksgiving in November because the Pilgrims and the Natives. by simply saying the pledge every morning in school and saluting the pledge you show nationalism.

The creation of Italy is a great example of nationalism. Italy wasn't a free country. a part of Italy was ruled by Austria in 1815. nationalism brought the people of Italy together to unite and be free. the group called "young Italy" which was led by Giuseppe Mazzini were some of the ones that help unite Italy. Camillo di Cavour was another leader that help led Italy to nationalism. then he helped Napoleon the Third, when he went to war against the Austrians and won the northern part of Italy. Another leader was Giuseppe Garibaldi. he united the northern part of Italy. Because of all this man Italy became one nation with the help of their leaders and their people.

Simon Bolivar And Latin American Revolutions

Simon Bolivar was born in Caracas,Venezuela in the year 1783. He fought for Liberty. Simon Bolivar is named El Liberator and the George Washington of South America. He was famous because of his victories over the Spaniards won independence for Bolivia, Panama, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela. Bolivia is named after Simon Bolivar because in the year 1824 he led the Peruvian forces to fight for their independence and was elected President in 1825. He then made southern Peru into a new republic and was named Bolivia in his honor. The French Revolution led by Napoleon Bonaparte was what influenced Simon Bolivar's quest for Revolution. Seeing what Napoleon accomplished, He says that he wouldn't stop untill the Spaniards are defeated. He had some defeats But he eventually won the Revolutions and freed Latin America from European power. He died in December 17, 1830 of tuberculosis.

John Locke ant "The Enlightenment"

The Enlightenment thinker John Locke was one of the most famous Enlightenment thinkers. His ideas influenced Thomas Jefferson by making the U.S. Constitution. Jefferson believed that all men were created equal. Also that every person had the right of life, liberty and happiness. John Locke said that the people were born with natural rights. The government gets its power by the vote of the people. The people are able to change or put an end and introduce a new government.

Copernicus and the Trail of Galileo

There are two theories about the Solar System. They are the geocentric and heliocentric. The heliocentric theory is said that the sun is stationary and that the planets revolve around it. On the other hand, the geocentric theory was believed b the catholic church which said that the Earth was the center of the universe and the planets and the sun revolved around it because they thought the earth was special. The geocentric theory came first because the church made the followers of the Church believe in the theory. The heliocentric theory came out of the Scientific Revolution ans was the cause Galileo was sent to trail. The heliocentric theory is the correct theory because The sun is stationary and the planets revolve around it.

The trail of Galileo was a famous trail in the Scientific Revolution time period. This trail was in 1633 because Galileo was opposing the Geocentric theory so the Church send him to trail and Galileo was sentenced to House arrest. Galileo believed that the sun was the center of the universe and that the planets revolved around it , which is the heliocentric theory and the Church believed in the geocentric theory which was that the sun was the center of the universe and the other planets revolved around it.

Scientific revolution: the scientific method

The Scientific Method is the strategy we use to solve a theory or question with tests. The scientific method has the following procedures: observation, hypothesis, predictions, and tests. Scientists use the scientific method to conduct tests or experiments by having a theory or a question. Then make a hypothesis and predictions. Next, a scientists has to make tests to see if the hypothesis is correct, if not they had to make another hypothesis and predictions of the test and repeat the procedure if the hypothesis isn't correct. finally conclude the theory or question with an answer.


An example using the Scientific method is the theory of Charles Darwin. He made his hypothesis and predictions. Darwin traveled to find information to proof his theory on evolution. He tested his hypothesis and predictions. Darwin also observed all the prediction. for example finches and the different type of becks can grab different amount of food.

Evolution Vs. Creation

The on going debate on how living organisms came to exist stems from two different theories ; The scientific explanation of Evolution and the religious explanation of Creation. The theory of Evolution was explained by Charles Darwin and other scientists. Charles Darwin's theory of evolution is based on 5 inferences. The inferences are Variation, Completion, Offspring Genetics and Natural Selection. Organisms ass said by Charles Darwin have a common ancestor. There are variations in every population and organisms compete for limited resources such as water, space and food. Organisms are able to produce more offspring that are able to survive. Organisms are able to pass genetic traits on to their offspring. Organisms that have favorable traits are able to survive and reproduce more offspring this is called Natural Selection.

On the other hand the Theory of Creation is seen in the Bible. The bible says That God made the Earth and heaven. Then the day and night. Next the plants and animals. Finally, created man and woman and gave them all the authority to control everything on Earth and to produce more offspring.

In my opinion I believe in both theories, because if creation didn't exist then living organisms wouldn't be able to evolve and change in characteristics and physical change.