The Influence of Religious History in the Middle East :: Essays Papers

The Influence of Religious History in the Middle East For the past 5 months I have been studying the religious history of each country we have become apart of. My project consists of tracing the religious developments in each of the four countries and the role religion plays in the social, political, and moral elements in each destination. I explored the history of the nation and what major figures or events shaped the religious scope of each respective country. I learned about each religion while I was in each country and made connections of how their culture is shaped by this religious aspect. Observations I had about these societies will be correlated to their religious development and will be compared to our society in America. My goal was to understand the influence of religion in a society. This was a great opportunity to observe this influence since all respective nations are very representative of the monotheistic religions. This plan was beneficial to my ME studies concentration as well as my history major. To prepare before my journey I had taken a course on the Orthodox Church at St. Olaf and have also read Introduction to the Orthodox Church by Fr. Anthony Coniaris. My preparation in this particular faith has been ongoing since birth. The preparation for Islam has consisted of a small introductory book given to me by neighbors in my dorm who practice Islam. It had given me a good foundation to build upon. The Internet was used to prepare for learning about the Jewish faith. The Encyclopedia will give me a background on each country before I left. Also the completion of Understanding the Contemporary Middle East gave a great foundation to build on. In this final presentation I will leave out the dates and specifics that have made up my previous speeches and focus on how the culture is influenced by their history. History is not all about memorizing dates and old dead people. It is about understanding and analyzing information that ultimately shapes the world around us. All the dates will do for you is make it easier to remember an ATM code, that's about it. How many people say that "they hate history classes.. but.. they love the history channel?" Lots of people, because history is fun when you do something with it. When you take the information and create explanations for why certain cultures perceive things the way they do, you are doing what historians do, and are enacting the true purpose of history, to make connections of past and present, and linking people that are separated geographically and also culturally.

Chinese Ccot Essay

CAC Global trade patterns and domestic economic affairs was significant to the world. It affects how well the country is running and makes it under control. Global trade patterns and domestic economic affairs has changed and continued in China from 500 to 1750. As time progressed, trade patterns and the economy became sophisticated and prominent. Many people began to depend and on the economic issues. Currency has changed into silver which became a huge demand. Today, the global trade patterns and domestic economic affairs is the way due to history. Due to unfortunate circumstances involved changed in currency and a look of diffusion, Chinese economy shifted a bit. As China developed lost contact with foreign regions and faced different conflicts, they changed trade patterns and domestic affairs. From the time period of 500 to 1750, the change and continuity of the use of Silk Road/Indian Ocean basin, the use of currency, and exporting goods stimulated in the global trade patterns and domestic economic affairs. China has prospered from the Silk Road from a long period of time. Once the Silk Road was established, it led to establishments of other intricate network of trade routes. It was a trade route across land masses which connected East, South, and Western Asia. Trades on the Silk Road was a significant factor in the development of the great civilizations and it helped lay foundations for the modern world. Many goods such as jewelries, spices, medicines, textiles, and etc were traded. The Silk Road was a source of cultural and economic diffusion between Asian and European societies. The Silk Road was always active and it became very prominent in the later years. However, due to bubonic plague (Black Death) that traveled, many merchants died and got ill. Also, there were many bandits there who stole stuff so many people started to not use the road. Also, soon, the maritime trade got popular so many people got involved in the seafaring trade in the ocean. The Silk Road became less used and slowly lost fame. Due to the diffusion that went in and out, it’s disconnection had a significant fee on China. China lost contact with foreign people and lost relationship with the outside world of global ideas, cultures, and technology. China especially became limited in foreign affairs with the Europeans. Not many people traded and not many people came into the Silk Road so it led to the downfall of China’s economy. The continuity that occurred was that the Silk Road was still being used. Even though all these disasters were occurring, people were still using the Silk Road to trade and to traveling. China depended and used the barter system for a long period of time. The barter system was trading item for an item and relying on interpersonal relationships for business. However, under the Ming dynasty, the currency was changed into silver. Silver was being imported and exported from many regions into China, where thriving domestic economy demanded increasing quantities of silver. The demand of silver was so high that Europeans exchanged silver for Chinese gold which they got more profit from in Japan. The Ming dynasty in China only accepted silver and nothing else. All taxes were to be paid with silver and traded with silver which led to the frantic demand of silver. The monopolization of silver led many people to get silver because only silver was accepted. However, the silver became overpriced since it was used as currency which led the Ming dynasty to not release silver in public. his lack of circulation had a huge impact on the economy which led to the downfall of the Ming dynasty. The change in currency damaged the Chinese economy so the currency changed. However, they used the currency to make the economy running by changing currencies. From the time period from 500 to 1750, China always has been manufacturing and producing their own needs. They imported goods they didn’t have or things that couldn’t be grown in their region but it wasn’t common. Also, China always been exporting because of the amount of resources they had(huge). Their goods changed as time progressed and they imported/exported different goods. The Chinese people exported luxury times, slaves, jewelries, corn, and etc from different time periods. However, they were always exporting goods which circulated and stimulated the world economy today too. China supported silver during the Ming dynasty which became in very high demand. China exported large amount of goods of luxury items in order to pay for the silver. The continuity that occurred was always has using the Indian Ocean Basin for trade and exporting goods. It was their maritime trade route which has been continuous like the Silk Road. Chinese cargos constantly roamed around the Indian Ocean Basin. exporting and selling goods all over the world, stimulating the world economy. China’s global trade patterns and domestic economic affairs changed and continued from 500 to 1750. China always had resources and goods available. China didn’t have to import often because most of the products were often produced or grown in China. However, China exported tons of things under the Indian Ocean basin. Not only did they only use the Indian Ocean Basin but also the Silk Road. The Silk Road was an important factor in trading and in diffusion. However, due to diseases, maritime trade, and bandits, the Silk Road lost fame. The change of in currency into silver under the Ming dynasty also had a big impact on China’s economy. These factors had a significant impact in the circulation of global ideas, traditions, and technology. These factors also led to the change and continuity of global trade patterns and domestic economic affairs from 500 to 1750.

The Life of Madame de Pompadour, Royal Mistress and Advisor

Madame de Pompadour (December 29, 1721–April 15, 1764) was a French noblewoman and one of Louis XV’s primary mistresses. Even after her time as the king’s mistress came to an end, the Madame de Pompadour remained an influential friend and advisor to the king, especially as a patron of arts and philosophy. Fast Facts: Madame de Pompadour Known For: Beloved mistress of King Louis XV who became an unofficial advisor to the king and an influential leader of the artsFull Name: Jeanne Antoinette Poisson, Marquise de PompadourAlso Known As: ReinetteBorn: December 29, 1721 in Paris, FranceDied: April 15, 1764 in Paris, FranceSpouse: Charles Guillaume Le Normant dÉtiolles (m. 1741; separated 1745)Children: Charles Guillaume Louis (1741-1742), Alexandrine Jeanne (1744-1754) Early Life: The Reinette Jeanne Antoinette was the daughter of Francois Poisson and his wife Madeline de la Motte. Although Poisson was her legal father and the husband of her mother, it is more likely that Jeanne’s biological father was Charles Franà §ois Paul Le Normant de Tournehem, a wealthy tax collector. When Jeanne Antoinette was four, Francois Poisson had to leave the country due to unpaid debts, and Tournehem became her legal guardian, thus giving even more credence to the rumors that he was her real father. Like many girls from families of means, Jeanne Antoinette was sent to be educated at a convent when she reached the age of five. The education was excellent, and she proved to be a popular student. However, she became ill and returned home four years later. Her mother took her to a fortuneteller, who predicted that Jeanne Antoinette would win the heart of a king. From that point on, those closest to her began calling her â€Å"Reinette† (a diminutive, or nickname, meaning â€Å"little queen†). She was educated at home by the best tutors. Tournehem arranged for her instruction in all the subjects deemed necessary for a woman’s education, in order that she might one day attract the interest of the king. Wife and Socialite In 1740, Jeanne Antoinette married Charles Guillaume Le Normant dÉtiolles, the nephew of her guardian Tournehem. Upon their marriage, Tournehem made Charles his sole heir and gave Jeanne Antoinette an estate (one situated near the royal hunting grounds) as a wedding gift. The young couple were only four years apart in age, and they did fall in love with each other. Jeanne Antoinette promised she would never be unfaithful—except for the king. They had two children: a son who died as an infant, and a daughter, Alexandrine, who died at the age of nine in 1753. As a stylish young married woman, Jeanne Antoinette spent time at many of the elite salons in Paris. She encountered many of the figures of the Enlightenment and, in time, began hosting her own salons at her Étiolles estate, which also attracted many leading figures of the day. Educated and curious, she became a notable and witty conversationalist in the company of these people. By 1744, Jeanne Antoinettes name was being mentioned at court, attracting the attention of Louis XV. Her estate was adjacent to the king’s hunting grounds in the forest of Sà ©nart, so she was permitted to watch the royal party from a distance. To get the king’s attention, however, she rode directly in front of his group—not once, but twice. The king took notice and sent her a gift of venison from the hunt. The king’s official mistress died in December 1744, leaving the position vacant, and Jeanne Antoinette was invited to Versailles to the masked ball celebrating the engagement of the Dauphin. At the ball, Louis publicly unmasked and declared his affection for Jeanne Antoinette. Becoming the Royal Mistress In order to be properly introduced at court, Jeanne Antoinette had to have a title. The king solved this by purchasing the marquisate of Pompadour and giving it to her, making her the Marquise de Pompadour. She became the king’s official mistress, living at Versailles in apartments near his, and was formally presented to the court in September 1745. Notably, she got along quite well with the queen consort, Marie LeszczyÅ„ska, and worked to have a good relationship with the royal family overall. Madame de Pompadour was more than just a mistress. Louis XV respected her intelligence and understanding of social nuance, and as a result, she functioned as an unofficial prime minister and advisor. She supported the First Treaty of Versailles, which created an alliance between former rivals France and Austria, and rallied support behind government ministers whose fiscal reforms helped France become one of the world’s wealthiest countries. Madame de Pompadours influence was not limited to the political sphere. Building on her years in the Paris salons, she championed scientific, economic, and philosophical exploration as well. Her patronage protected the growing theory of physiocracy (an economic theory that emphasized the value of agriculture) and defended the Encyclopà ©die, a fundamental text of the Enlightenment that was opposed by religious figures. Her activities and her common birth earned her enemies and made her the subject of malicious gossip, but her relationship with Louis and the royal family remained mostly unaffected. The King’s Friend and Advisor By 1750, Pompadour ceased being Louis’s mistress, in large part due to her many health problems, including recurring bronchitis, three miscarriages, and chronic headaches. Nevertheless, she maintained her influential position, since their relationship had become much more than just a sexual one. The king did not take a new official â€Å"favorite,† but instead installed a succession of temporary mistresses at a chateau away from court. According to most reports, his heart and loyalty remained with Pompadour. During this era, Pompadour turned her patronage to the arts, which she used to announce her loyalty to the king (through commissions honoring him) and to cultivate her own image. In 1759, she purchased a porcelain factory, which created many jobs and ultimately become one of the most famous porcelain makers in all of Europe. Pompadour herself learned to engrave under the tutelage of Jacques Guay and Francois Boucher, and she was a significant influence in the development of Rococo style. It is likely that she contributed a fair amount to the work of the artists under her patronage. In fact, some historians consider her an actual collaborator on many works. Death and Legacy Madame de Pompadours poor health eventually caught up to her. In 1764, she suffered from tuberculosis, and Louis himself cared for her during her illness. She died on April 15, 1764 at the age of 42, and was buried at the Couvent des Capucines in Paris. Because of her influence on French society and her unusual advisory role to the king, the Madame de Pompadours legacy has endured in pop culture, from the publication of biographies to an episode of Doctor Who to the naming of a particular diamond cut. Sources Algrant, Christine Pevitt.  Madame de Pompadour Mistree of France. New York: Grove Press, 2002.Eschner, Kat. â€Å"Madame de Pompadour Was Far More Than a ‘Mistress’.† Smithsonian, 29 December 2017, https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/madame-de-pompadour-was-far-more-mistress-180967662/.Foreman, Amanda, and Nancy Mitford. Madame de Pompadour. New York Review of Books, 2001.Mitford, Nancy. â€Å"Jeanne-Antoinette Poission, marquise de Pompadour.† Encyclopaedia Brittanica, 25 Dec. 2018, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Jeanne-Antoinette-Poisson-marquise-de-Pompadour.