Britian Control in Canada and India

In 1619 the first outpost in India was made. The British were in India because it was close to Asia. In order to keep that good location and establish permanent trading the East India Company was created. In 1707 when the Mughal Empire collapsed the East India Trading Company took over India's economy. India became Britain's primary center of trades with Asia and their control spread to most of present day India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. In addition to the close trading with Asia the Indian population provided a massive buying market. Britain’s power and influence grew so much that in 1858 Queen Victoria declared India part of the British Empire. Britain would use the Indians to fight their wars for them. The British stopped all Indians from manufacturing their own goods. This forced the people to buy the goods that Britain presented and they took advantage of that by selling their poor goods that no one else would buy. India’s spices were taken over and tea the most British drink was first cultivated by the British in India. It wasn’t until August 14 1947 that India gained independence from Britain.

Adventurers came across the Atlantic Ocean looking for a shorter route to Asia. Instead they found the new world. North America had huge amounts of fish that Europe came to harvest. The land had fresh resource of animals for fur. Beaver felt just so happened to be in high demand for top hats. The Britain it was a whole new supply of resources. In Canada the Natives were the people affected. Diseases were brought with the Europeans and the Aboriginals were not immune like Britain. Between 1780 and 1782 and later in 1837 a small pox outbreak devastated many plains natives. The introduction to alcohol was sometimes used to take advantage of the natives when trading because the natives were not fully aware of alcohols affects and there decisions were impaired. Unfortunately like India, Britain also had the natives fight their wars. Tribes with Britain were told to fight tribes that had alliances with France.

Today Canada still has huge ties to Britain. The ruler of England is shown on our currency. Queen Elizabeth is head of the Commonwealth because she was invited to the first one by Pierre Trudeau, a Canadian Prime Minister. The Queen’s title in Canada is Queen of Canada and she plays a role in many ceremonies and is the symbol of our sovereign. The Queen however abides by the decisions of Canada’s government. Britain, Canada, and India all use Prime Minister as the title for their leader. Today Britain and India are on good terms largely to the state that India’s independence came. Thanks to Gandhi, who studied law in London, it was peaceful. Instead of fighting violently with Britain he encouraged things like boycotting British products. Britain would lose their economic gain from India and India would rely on their own resources and increase the spending at their own businesses. Gandhi shows up on much of India’s currency.

Sudan

In 1881 Britain was in control of Sudan. Egypt gained joint control over Sudan in 1899. The British wanted to bring modern technology to Sudan for modernization and teaching the People English traditions. In Sudan the north is inhabited by those with Arab descent while the south is made up of those with African origin.
The British thought the south wasn’t ready for modern influence and so they closed the area from all outsiders. Only a few Arabs controlled the laws and businesses and Christian missionaries ran the schools and medical clinics. The full separation that was made caused the Arabs to believe that Sudan was an all Arab country.
Sudan became independent in 1956 with Britain handing control over to the Arabs and the separation of north and south became no more. The Arabs began to impose Islamic culture and religion on all Sudanese people. Southern Sudan resisted becoming Islam and a civil war broke out. The result left the south depopulated and displaced.
What I don’t understand is why the British didn’t let Sudan become two separate countries because that was how they had treated them when they isolated the south. Like most countries in Africa the Europe was the one who had determined counties borders at the end of the 1800’s.

Potlatch

The potlatch is a ceremony where the host obtains a status that is based on how much they give to their guests. It was a big party with speeches, singing, dancing, feasting, and formal business. When the host shared food and gave gifts it show that he was wealthy enough to share. Potlatches could be used to celebrate important occasions, and was also a good time to peacefully celebrate and strengthen alliances. The potlatch is celebrated by many first nations cultures in the pacific coast.

A potlatch is almost like a birthday in my family. I invite friends and they bring a birthday present but I also give them presents. I have nice party favors to show that I’m thankful they came and that I appreciate their friendship. I’m also the one who provides all the food. I wouldn’t ask them to bring any that would be rude because I’m the host.

Weddings also seem to have some of the same traits as a potlatch. To show your statues you throw a beautiful wedding. The quality of food, decorations, and the wedding dress show your wealth and you are there to celebrate. Weddings also happen to include singing, dancing, speeches, and feasting.  

I think the only concept that the Europeans didn’t like about the potlatch is that you had to give things away. They liked to keep their wealth, not give it away. With the cultures that practiced potlatch they believed it helped distribute wealth to their people so everyone would gain as a whole.

My Canadian Wilderness

What kind of world?

I would really appreciate it if we were given at least an intact world. I wouldn't want to fight our fathers war that I had little say about it because I wasn't old enough. However I will be older when some of the consequences strike. In the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan children have suffered the most. They didn't get to say if they were willing to continue a war when they become of age, they didn't get to say if they wanted their homes attacked. My future is at the mercy of the choices of those in charge know. Look at the condition of the environment there are huge landfills, and pollution and all those adults who didn't have to care about the environment because it wasn't an issue then and know we are the ones who clean it up. I want a world that gives me every opportunity I can have. I like to research animals and by the time I have the opportunity to see a wild Polar Bear I may not be able to because they may be extinct by then. Who were those before me who made the choice that I would never see a dodo bird. Who knows maybe if they were still around I would. In a world that I would want to leave my future children would have to be one that they can see the immense beauty on earth to help them stay away from the evil. They deserve to see the good things in life that those before them took for granted because they were common and therefor uncared for.