In Prisoners of Geography, Tim Marshall argues that geography constrains and shapes all nations and their leaders. Their actions are limited by mountains, rivers, seas, and concrete. He argues that to really understand world events, one must also consider geography. Physical characteristics affect the strengths and vulnerabilities of regions. In his book, Tim Marshall examines Russia, China, the Middle East, Latin America, the United States, Africa, Western Europe, Japan and Korea, and Greenland and the Arctic. In his examination of Latin America, he notes that bringing “Old World” knowledge and technology does little to improve a region if the geography is counterproductive. In the chapter on the Arctic, Marshall examines the Arctic’s unforgiving environment and the indisputable effects of global warming in the region. Marshall’s main point through the chapter on Latin America is that Latin America is proof that Old World’s knowledge and technology is not a guarantee for success if the geography doesn’t allow it. He notes that geography helped the United States become a great power and geography also ensured that the Latin American countries would never rise to become a threat. Marshall also mentions that early politics further hindered the development of Latin America. Although most Latin American countries speak Spanish and have similar cultural aspects, they are prevented from truly coming together …show more content…
However, I would argue that bad politics had a more debilitating role than geography. The geography, in my opinion, was equivalent to a bad blow, the but politics and intervention were what really doomed Latin America. Latin America’s borders were drawn by people with little knowledge about the area and little concern about the original inhabitants. But I do agree with Marshall, Latin America has miles to go before it can hold its own against world
This book “A History of the World in Six Glasses” by Tom Standage focused mainly in the region of Europe. I believe the reason the author decided to write it this way because most of the modern history took place in an old world. Even though he mentioned other sections of the world throughout the book, he did not take as much time to write about them as he did with Europe. The part of the world in which the author does not focus his attention is mostly in Latin America. He does not concentrate on how Latin Americans culture took in everything that was happening in the world and diffused them together to establish their culture.
Not only that, but Asia at this time was the powerhouse of the world and dominated trade. By 1492, Europe was on the verge of economic explosion. Africa and America were relatively quiet in the global economy
Braford E. Burns began writing The Poverty of Progress as a historical essay arguing against the “modernization” of nineteenth century Latin America. Burns argues that modernization was preformed against the will of the majority and benefited a small group of Creole Elite, while causing an exponential drop in the quality of life for folk majority. Burns supports his research through a series of dichotomies. Within the first twenty years of the nineteenth century the majority of Latin America gained independence from Spain.
As we saw in Hawaii, the United States jumped into the sugar farming and tourisms, removing the voice and votes, since the corporate businessman came first. This was also without fair consent, and was to be investigated by President Cleveland. Yet in Panama, we witnessed a major change occur with United States interaction; we saw the decline of yellow fever. With the aid of Doctor Gorgas, the village people were given a sanitary sweep, wiping out most mosquitos and dropping the infection rate heavily. With Panama’s approval, the Panama Canal was also constructed, creating an economic opportunity for Panama as well as making travel and trade between the United States and Asian nations quicker.
Growing up, I have always had an interest in geography and thinking about different countries and what makes them the way that they are. I have not been in a geography class since middle school and Human Geography was a class that made me think about things I have never thought of before. The readings of both Kropotkin and Mackinder brought up very interesting points, some that conflict and others that agree. Each author writes in a way that stimulates and makes you think about geography and certain topics in different ways which I find to be very rare in writings from this time period. Discussing Kropotkin’s and Mackinder’s general ideas, points they disagree or agree on, and my own views on the topic will all be discussed in this final paper.
In David S. Landes book, The Wealth and Poverty of Nations, he decides to take a historical approach on the reasons behind why some people remain poor and how others are so rich by trying to comprehend the reasons that lead to advances in economies and modernization in certain regions around the world over the past few decades. In other words by asking how we have come to where we are today in the sense of making, getting and spending. Throughout the book, Landes talks about how we live in a world filled with inequality and diversity therefore leading to classifying those who are poor and unable to afford medical health care living in the North and the wealthy in the South. David S. Landes aim was to basically make people aware of how it is actually geography that is responsible for this division between countries that have caused a lot of hardship for the unprivileged people by making it impossible for them to improve economically as a result of their geographical location on the map.
The United States has always displayed a rich diverse culture, even before it gained its independence from Great Britain in 1776. European colonists were not the first groups of people to have lived in the America, as many indigenous groups have occupied this land hundreds of years before colonization. These indigenous groups played a major role in the makeup of Latin America and Caribbean, which is what made the Americas so diverse during the time of colonization. Academics Juan Gonzales and Paul Ortiz contribute to a current school of thought that discusses the role Latin and Caribbean Americans had in the development and liberation within the United Sates and across America. Many academics in this school of thought draw upon events like
A quote which describes this best is one by Uruguayan journalist Eduardo Galeano “Latin America is the region of open veins. Everything, from the discovery until our times, has always been transmuted into European— or later United States— capital, and as such has accumulated in distant centers of power. Everything: the soil, its fruits and its mineral-rich depths, the people and their capacity to work and to consume, natural resources and human resources” (Galeano,
As America became a great power, it has continued its legacy of territorial expansionism through neo-imperialist policies. Aside from acquiring land and expanding American territory, the United States has established policies that have allowed direct and often indirect military and political control, economic exploitation, and the introduction of American ideals. The U.S. has justified this form of colonialism by claiming that it is for mutual economic pursuits, the spreading of democracy, and the establishment of stable governments in developing countries. Despite America’s noble causes, American imperialism has caused many repercussions. The United States should cease to be an imperialist power as it is economically damaging to countries under its rule, costly to America, violates the fundamental American principle of self-governance, and exacerbates social and political situations in countries America has tampered with.
Harm de Blij’s Why Geography Matters: More Than Ever explains the necessity of geographic knowledge in today’s society and the need to further expand interactions within the United States and other countries. This novel expands on the economic, cultural, physical, and political geography of our nation. De Blij outlines on the importance of geographic thought by focusing on climate change, terrorism, the rise of states, and development in Africa.. I believe that while geography has proven to make a noticeable difference in the knowledge of our vast world, it will require an extensive amount of effort in order to make geography known.
(Document 8). Document 9 is written by Francisco Pizarro, who would naturally have a biased view towards conquering other countries, given that he is a conquistador. He talks about how his kingdom is greater than that of the people he encounters in South America (Incas). This represents some Europeans view of a desire for power and
The development of Mesoamerica and Andean South America had one major item in common and that was neither civilization had the strong political powers that ran previous empires such as the Roman. Other likenesses were the agriculture both empires flourished with crops of corn, potatoes and beans because these products thrived in a variety of soils and with different climates (Wallech, 2013). Many differences that these two civilizations differ from others is simply because of location and the rivers that separated them and the ability to move easily and share cultural beliefs and achievements, but no matter how much space is between civilizations there was always violence and the pattern of societies rising and falling ("Notes on Mesoamerican
In the chapter “Geography Matters”, Thomas C. Foster explains the effect of geography on a story. Geography contributes greatly to themes, symbols, and plot, and most authors prefer to use setting as a general area with a detailed landscape rather than a specific city or landmark. In Cormac McCarthy’s The Road, he does not reveal the actual region of America that the man and boy are traveling in, but describes the mountains and eventual beaches of their path. McCarthy might not have revealed their location because it might ruin the reader’s interpretation of the setting. For example, the pair come across a generic “gap” between mountains and this is a turning point because it confirms the man’s planned path to the south.
Many Latin American countries struggled to gain independence and resist European culture to form their own. Some academics, specifically the Uruguayan Jose Enrique Rodo, argued that only Northern European culture should be rejected and that their Latin culture was superior; while this differs from Martí’s view of building a strong national pride that embraces multiple races and cultures, it does align with the poem in that it emphasizes a pride in a culture that is different than the “master.”
Many of the more unrealistic parts of the essay can be seen as less of the ideological musings of one man and his hope for a united future and more the reflection of a colonial and racially charged violent past, disunity of Latin America and failure of Simon Bolivar's dreams, and the corrupt rule of the