Considering the article you finished reading and annotating respond to the following questions:

1) Describe your thoughts on the rise of socialism & fascism in Italy at the turn of the 20th century.  What do you think about it?  What was most interesting or troubling about this historical era?


2) Do you think this type of political and social turmoil was inevitable in societies then and inevitable in societies today? Explain

The Padrone Giovanni (son of Alfredo Senior) began to describe the Italian farm laborers as nothing but Bolsheviks & dirty communists.  He began to tell his people that we need to look at these "Bolsheviks" in the same way the Catholic Church viewed the Saracens (Muslims) who invaded Jerusalem or like the Mongols under Genghis Khan who invaded all of Asia and parts of Europe over 1000 years ago.

He also stated that the Padrone class (landowners) needed to have just as severe a response as the Catholic Church did with the Saracen Muslims during the "Holy Crusades" and be determined to wipe them out.

Why do you think Giovanni felt it was best to paint this type of demeaning & foreign image of the Italian farm laborers - aka Peasants ?

What was his goal or objective? In other words what did Giovanni want his fellow Padrone landowners to think when they considered the peasant classes that began organizing & resisting?

What are the possible effects or consequences of his aggressive argument or perspective?

In the film 1900 we witness the emergence of organized violence being planned by the landowning Padrone class.  This turning point in the events taking place in Italy during the early 20th century is the emergence of fascism in Italy. 

What does this situation reveal about fascism & its starting point of using organized violence? What does this situation reveal about human behavior and societies?

In the film Vive ! Cuba we are taken into a local conflict between two Cuban families which stemmed from their beliefs about national loyalty, economics & social status.  The parents felt great disdain and anger towards each other.  One family thought socialist Cuba was honorable & good for all Cubans despite the sacrifices while the other family thought the system denied them their needs and wants and saw the communist socialist system as flawed pushing them to find a way out of Cuba.  

In the middle of the dispute were two children Malú & Jorgito who had their own ideas on where they wanted to be and how to act towards each other.   Eventually Malú & Jorgito separated themselves from the adults charged with caring and teaching them.  With their travels away from home we had a chance to see their behaviors towards each other.  We had a chance to witness their behaviors during times of ease & difficulty. 

What does this story teach us about human communities, socio-political systems or human behavior?  Explain why your ideas are important to understand.  How does it help us to see more clearly the way things happen in larger contexts (or personal contexts)?  

I took this photo at St. John cathedral because I found it interested on how is sculpture and  I got to see what some people used to wear. It looked like people put extra work on the sculpture and I like the little details that was on it.

I took this picture at St. John Cathedral because I like how it looked, it looked like is made out of gold and I wondered if it was heavy and how long they used it till they used a new bible book.

   
I choose this photo because it looked very interesting and it was artistically designed.  The bright colors really peeked out in the sun light . It was really big and definitely caught everyone's attention.

This architetual piece really caught my attention because the tour guide told our group that the bishop sat on this chair.  I learned that he had the highest authority in the cathedral and that all cathedrals served as the bishops office.

I took this photo at St John's Cathedral because the columns looked really tall (55 feet tall)and the tour guide told us that each column weighs several tons so that caught my attention and they come from Maine.

I took this photo because this was the bishop's chair. The bishop sat on this chair and the bishop had the highest power in the Cathedral. Also, the architecture is really nice and it was good to see the bishop's chair up close.

 

I choose this photo because its nothing i never seen before and its made of such beautiful metals and details  is on a whole new level. It had details about the type of church it was in. 

 i took this picture from my files because it was made out of metal from the early yeas of the war. This symbolizes what once guarded the kings and nobles. The sword is so precise that i can take it and cut it through armor or decapitate an enemy

                                                   I chose this photo because i was amazed of how they carved and shaped out the bible with the tools they have in the old ages. I also liked it because it's very well done and it's very shiny.

                                                  What caught my eye was that they had added a lot of detail to the books and pieces of their art work. Also the way they had the box to kinda stand up on it own there is maybe a meaning behind it.

        I chose this photo at St. Johns Cathedral because it is a stature coffin of a Bishop from the past. Its texture and creation was just amazing to look at, Its smooth texture of the body and the perfect craving of the words made this artifact amazing and very lifelike, as if the bishop still lives on.   

   
   I chose this photo from St. Johns Cathedral because it shows the beautiful big stain glass windows that when it was first made were for god to shine his light through the windows to light up the church, because he was believed to be seen before as a energy of light. The structure of the columns are so large and thick and just gave a good vision of how the church had to be laid up to be created. Also, the amazing golden cross and candle holders were just shinning so bright and made such an impact on everybody's eyes.

I chose this photo of St Johns the Divine columns because I recalled that the marble they were made of came from a quarry in Maine.  This reminded me of how difficult it must have been to build St John's Cathedral & other Cathedrals like it. I recalled from St John's history that these columns are 55 foot high surrounding the altar and each is made from a single piece of stone quarried in Maine.  Just these columns alone informs me that the people who built such architectural wonders must have been so dedicated to their craft & may have felt inspired by their religious faith. 

 This relief sculpture was so beautifully done like so many including Abraham Lincoln right next to the group of Martin Luther King & Gandhi.  I took this photo because it reminded me that St John's was not just a place to worship and remember Christianity & pray but to give thanks to those who tried to make this world a better & more humane place to live.  It also reminded me that St John's is an Episcopal church that is very open to new ideas and people from all walks of life.  They were very much involved in social justice issues such as the civil rights movement & standing up against oppression where ever in the world it may have been happening.  The relief of Lincoln tells us that the Episcopal Church must have been on the side of abolishing slavery.   Such a well done stone artifact that reminds us that we have one life & we can all do some good with our lives if we try.  When I saw the this artifact it felt like I was seeing the best of who we can be and hoped to achieve despite the darkness we see in the world.

Choose two of your photos from our October Saint John's the Divine Cathedral Trip

Comment on both photos

Was this a photo that was very artistic, made of stone, strange, or just something that seemed very interesting? Describe the photo and explain why you choose this photo to share. Be thoughtful about your recollections & ideas.

   What does the end of William Wallace's life teach us?  Be sure to provide an example or evidence from the film.

  Create one question you would like to know about the history of Scotland's rebellion or William Wallace

                                    Sir William Wallace - Late 13th Century 

William Wallace risked and sacrificed much as he attempted to stop the Tyranny (abusive/absolute power) of the English King Edward the Longshanks from ruling over the Scottish people.  What are two factors that motivated & inspired William?  Explain why each was a factor in motivating & inspiring him. 

Considering today's discussions and analysis what do you think was the most serious issue facing 18th century French society?  Provide evidence to support your response 

 

                                         

                                   A Peninsulare Posing 

    What do you think ?  Why did the Criollos Class come to despise the Peninsulare Class in colonial Latin America?

Interpret the quote...

be sure to back up your ideas with evidence from the film Apocalypto