Books
The Historical Interactions Between Britain and the Ashanti Kingdom in the 18th Century
The 18th century witnessed significant interactions between Britain and the Ashanti Kingdom, a powerful West African empire located in present-day Ghana. This period marked the emergence of British colonial interests in Africa, as well as the Ashanti Kingdom's attempts to protect its sovereignty and expand its influence. The relationship between these two entities was characterized by a complex interplay of trade, diplomacy, conflict, and cultural exchange. This article aims to explore the history of their interactions throughout the 18th century, shedding light on the key events, motivations, and outcomes that shaped their relationship.
Dansoh Lawrence AppiahPublished 12 months ago in History- Content Warning
Little Women
Annotated Introduction Louisa May Alcott's novel, "Little Women," has captivated readers since its publication in 1868. This beloved coming-of-age story follows the lives of the four March sisters—Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy—as they navigate the challenges and triumphs of growing up in Civil War-era America. Through their journeys, Alcott weaves a tapestry of sisterhood, love, and personal growth. In this blog, we will delve into the enduring appeal of "Little Women," exploring its timeless themes, memorable characters, and the impact it has had on generations of readers.
Muazzam shahzadPublished 12 months ago in History A Tale of Two Cities
Introduction Charles Dickens, the renowned British author, penned one of his most iconic works in 1859: "A Tale of Two Cities." Set against the backdrop of the French Revolution, this historical novel intertwines the lives of characters in both London and Paris. Dickens masterfully weaves a story of love, sacrifice, and redemption, capturing the tumultuous period with vivid descriptions and profound social commentary. This blog delves into the timeless appeal of "A Tale of Two Cities" and its enduring relevance, exploring the themes, characters, and historical context that have captivated readers for generations.
Muazzam shahzadPublished 12 months ago in HistoryThe Great Pyramid of Giza
Introduction • Introduction to the Great Pyramid of Giza and its significance. • Brief overview of its historical and architectural importance.
Faraz BasharatPublished 12 months ago in HistoryAncient Civilizations and Lost Cities
The remnants of ancient civilizations and lost cities continue to captivate our imagination. These extraordinary archaeological sites offer glimpses into the rich history and ingenuity of our ancestors. In this blog, we'll embark on a journey to explore some fascinating facts about ancient civilizations and the mysterious lost cities that have captured the curiosity of researchers and history enthusiasts worldwide.
Zenia SamsonPublished 12 months ago in History- Content Warning
American Youth in the Venceremos Brigade
In the late 1960s members of the Students for a Democratic Society founded the Venceremos Brigade with assistance from Cuban officials. The SDS formed the Brigade to show solidarity between the American left and the Cuban Revolution. Its main purpose was to challenge the United States government’s policies towards Cuba, especially the embargo emplaced after the 1953 revolution. This played out at a time when the Soviet Union was competing with China for who would be the locus of authority for the Communistic world. (1) The loss of the Soviet Union’s prestige as the world’s “vanguard of international socialism, decolonization, and the struggle for the emancipation of nations under Western imperialism” was due to the rise of the People’s Republic of China. (2) However, with the success of the Cuban Revolution came a new challenger to the title. It was due to Cuba’s success in stopping United States intervention that drew many Socialists to their cause. Many of these socialists came from the United States. It is by looking at diaries and interviews from the earliest American activists transported to Cuba that we will judge how effective they were as revolutionary instruments in Cuba. We will also look at how their pride, prejudice, and ignorance affected their group dynamics.
Atomic HistorianPublished 12 months ago in History The Great Leap Forward:(Part 3)
This is the third part in an experimental history series. You can read PART 1, PART 2 here. Rather than publishing my history paper as one large piece, I am breaking it up into a few smaller parts. I would love some feed back on my social media of which is better. Thank you, and enjoy.
Atomic HistorianPublished 12 months ago in HistoryThe Great Leap Forward:(Part 2)
This is the second part in an experimental history series. You can read PART 1 here. Rather than publishing my history paper as one large piece, I am breaking it up into a few smaller parts. I would love some feed back on my social media of which is better. Thank you, and enjoy.
Atomic HistorianPublished 12 months ago in HistoryThe Great Leap Forward: (Part 1)
This is the first part in an experimental history series. Rather than publishing my history paper as one large piece, I am breaking it up into a few smaller parts. I would love some feed back on my social media of which is better. Thank you, and enjoy.
Atomic HistorianPublished 12 months ago in HistoryMaps of Knowledge
Looking for magic in Medieval and Renaissance German society can be difficult at times. The difficulty does not lie in a lack of magic, but rather, in the disunity between the societies recognized as being Germanic. This disunity makes the quest for such history much more expansive. Thus, one must expand their definition of what it meant to be German in these eras to all the lands that the various German peoples inhabited. Taking this expanded view, one realizes that Germanic influence spread from Greenland in the north to the Mediterranean in the south, and from the British Isles in the west to the Caspian in the east in the Medieval period. This area encompasses a wide range of cultures and thoughts that influenced Medieval and Renaissance German culture. This milieu forced the various Germanic peoples into conflicts with peoples from cultures as disparate as the Celtics, with their gods inhabiting every pebble and twig insight, to Mamelukes, who had accepted the monotheism of Islam. The Medieval and Renaissance eras found German society immersed in conflicts over who would be the cultural heart of Europe, thus it is logical that the church sought to conquer the souls of heathen European cultures, and to bring them under the heal of the Trinity. However, as those that bore the cloth were often the middle-born son of their family, their battle was to spill ink upon the page, as they were dissuaded from shedding blood on the battlefield. In this paper, we will explore the historiography of those who battled over canon, rather than with cannons, and how they framed the conversation around magic in German society during the Medieval and Renaissance eras.
Atomic HistorianPublished 12 months ago in HistoryBay of Pigs
When John F. Kennedy became President of the United States on January 20, 1961, he inherited every policy decision that Eisenhower had yet to carry out. (1) One of these was the planned invasion of Cuba to depose Fidel Castro and the 26th of July Movement. The Central Intelligence Agency had recruited and trained Cuban exiles to conduct the invasion. The operation became known as the Bay of Pigs Invasion after the point that the Cuban exiles made their landing. The planning of the invasion began with the 1959 defeat of Fulgencio Batista, the former president of Cuba. The CIA believed that the use of Cuban exiles would work because of their perceived success in the 1954 coup against President Jacobo Arbenz of Guatemala. In the 1954 coup against Arbenz, the CIA had used disgruntled Guatemalan military officers and Agency provided air support to aid in the coup. In the Bay of Pigs, there would be no such saving graces. The air and artillery support the US promised was either canceled or so delayed that Castro's forces easily repelled the invading forces. Additionally, the CIA had no understanding of the environment in which they were operating. In Guatemala, there had been differing factions to exploit within Arbenz's government. In 1961 Cuba there were no such factions left on the island. This was due to any that had opposed the 26th of July Movement fleeing the island in the wake of losing their benefactor. This meant that the invaders had no support to meet them once they arrived. This led to the spectacular failure that is now associated with the Bay of Pigs. By 1961, the CIA had grown confident enough in its abilities to conduct such an operation. However, they operated with undeserved confidence, as they had not learned how to conduct such operations in hostile nations. It is by looking at the CIA's overconfidence in their ability to pull off the Bay of Pigs Invasion that we see how Fidel Castro and the Cuban government were able to assert their sovereignty, and become a regional power despite the lopsided odds stacked against them.
Atomic HistorianPublished 12 months ago in HistoryFixing it in Post
In 1954, Jacobo Arbenz had been the President of Guatemala for three years. When Arbenz took power in 1951, he had no idea that continuing his predecessor’s crusade for Guatemala’s peasantry would draw him into the crosshairs of the United States government.(1) His predecessors had ruled Guatemala in the American business-friendly fashion expected by the United States government. Arbenz’s mild attempts to transform the Guatemalan economy from a feudalistic state into a capitalist one drew the ire of the United States government via the interests of U.S. businesses operating in the country.(2) For most Americans, greater threats to "national security" have overshadowed knowledge of Operation PBSUCCESS and the events surrounding the coup against Arbenz. In part, this is due to the rarity for the American education system to teach about the United States government’s involvement in Latin America beyond a few approved highlight-reel moments. This is further compounded by Americans seldom taking the time to learn about other cultures. And as governments are representative of the general population, in addition to the assumed exceptionalism of the United States, this has created a sense of institutionalized amnesia amongst policymakers. This willful amnesia has led to the forgetting of the actions of one administration by the next. This contrasts the experience in Latin America, where despite the large size of some nations, the interconnectedness is more apparent, and has created an atmosphere where it is harder to erase the collective memory. The preservation of memory in Latin American is further extended by the diaspora of political exiles. Amongst these exiles are the descendants of Jacobo Arbenz, who have worked to counter the mythmaking that has warped the American memory surrounding the 1954 coup against Arbenz. Furthermore, it is myths that make nations, and whoever controls a nation’s education controls its past, and thus a nation's future.
Atomic HistorianPublished 12 months ago in History