Chapter 18 module 2

1) What was distinctive about European colonial empires of the 19thcentury?

       The distinctive characteristics that the European colonial empires of the 19th century had a huge variety of different things about them that made them fairly unique and stand out more than other empires. They controlled majority of the countries in the Western Hemisphere and from what you can see if you look at the European colonization, they had control of almost half of the map due to their powerful armies, ways of commerce, and economic power. Some of the empires that colonial empires had taken over and colonized upon were the  Philippines, India (spice trade), Vietnam, and continued to take over more and more throughout the western hemisphere. Them having this much power compared to other empires is what made them ultimately stand out with all their power and rule. They also separated or "racially discriminated" against certain countries they conquered such as african americans and indians specifically because of how dark they were which is the most common form of racial discrimination that has lived all through history. they were also participating in the class system where they would be on top because they were lighter and much more rich compared to everyone else and gave less opportunity and less treatment to those below them.

2) The young boys with severed hands in the picture titled “Colonial Violence in the Congo” on page 803, were among the victims of a brutal regime of forced labor undertaken in the Congo during the late 19^thand early 20^thcenturies. Such mutilation as punishment for their villages’ inability to supply the required amount of wild rubber. Discuss… what would you share in a class discussion group about this photo?

     After seeing this photo, it showed me how horrible the european colonials were and how the treatment of black people still reflects today in some aspects. It was a horrible and traumatizinng time in that era seeing how even the young boys were treated with no respect what so ever and having to go through that at such a young age with no sympathy and remorse of how the european colonials treated them. I wouldn't want to see such horrible history like that ever be repeated again. Their methods for producing only benefited the colonials but was horrible for the people being enslaved by them and it was not right in any way. Taking it back in history you can tell that were no sense or morality instilled in people back them causing them to act horribly with no morals or remorse.

3) How were the lives of African women in particular altered by colonial economies?

African women lives were altered by being given the simpler more "domestic" responsibilities of a simple house wife and having the chance to be looked at differently in a way. The women's domestic responsibilities consisted of doing planting, weed cutting, and harvesting. Their house wife duties were to typically prepare food and take care of the children while the men had the hardest jobs going out. Women were expected to feed and provide for their own families. Women then started to become more independent and started advocating for themselves. They started to get better at providing, planting, and finding ways to create more. They also had to help the men in towns and help provide at certain times. They also began to learn how to bring in their own money by selling and trading with the amount of resources they provide and grow at their own homes. With their responsibilities increasing this was the start of the women becoming independent showing what they can do without the help of men and showing them they can equally provide and be capable.