Questions:
1. Nineteenth century novels can, for the most part, be considered very reliable primary documents. Although they are not extremely specific they have an "atmosphere and accuracy of detail which make them historical records of the first importance."
2. Life for a middle class Russian Landowner was not bad. They lived in a calm, not poor, but not rich, society, alongside their families. Everything was pretty good and there was no extreme poverty for those who owned land.
3. The life-style for Consul Tienappel was very rich and has very high standards. He owned and sold alot of land and was able to invest in several joint-stock companies, therefore making him rather wealthy.
4. The French working class lived in very close quarters and had many duties pushed upon them. This caused very much stress upon the working class. Their houses were not in the greatest conditions but yet not as bad as others throughout Europe.
5. Saying furniture was a luxury in Ireland during the 19th century is an understatement because there were only "10 beds for nine thousand people."
6. The British peoples rapid spread across the country caused suburbs to spring up. They stayed away from major industrialization in cities. The suburbs were generally occupied by the wealthy and the merchants.
7. In the middle and upper class there were entirely different forms of diets. Neither was healthy but they were completely opposite. The poor and middle class could often not afford good foods and ate "black bread and cabbage," while the upper class ate as the French did. This consisted of several different meals throughout the day with several different courses in each.
8. The role of most European females in 1870 was a career position which was deemed appropriate for women. These consisted of nurses, teachers, and secretaries.
9. The decline in family sizes during the last half of the nineteenth century was largely due to the lack of family time. Females began to switch from house careers to actual jobs which caused more time away from the family. Men usually worked long hours every day and it largely limited the house life.
10. Social and economic changes improved women's lives by allowing them much more freedom in society. Instead of being labeled as house wives and mothers, they were then aloud to work in more professional settings and had access to more education.
11. Newspaper production was brought down by taxes, along with censoring that the government imposed. Therefore they were less accurate and less affordable.
12. The right of freedom of press aloud for the mass circulation of newspapers. Also the reduced newspaper prices made them more available to the general public.
13. The increased interest in spectator sports and other leisure activities was most likely brought about by a general comfort in the progression of the country. As urbanization and industrialization began to settle in, many felt more comfortable in their lifestyles and were better off.
Monday, September 24, 2007
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
Government Oversight Part II
Questions:
5. Religion certainly slowed down the process of creating public education throughout Europe. This was because "bitter controversies" sprung up over the placement of churches in education. "Since the Middle Ages almost all European education had been in the hands of the various churches." However, education began to lack in those hands and the demand for it became bigger and bigger. The churches argued whose hands education should be in, and those who opposed religion thought that it should be state run instead of religion-based.
6. It was in a country's best interest to ensure all of it's citizens' children free education because it helped pull children from the working class and move them up into a position where it was possible for them to become skilled craftsmen and higher class workers. This meant that they could get more money and be in a better social class.
7. What Lord Shaftesbury meant when he stated, "We ask but for a slight relaxation of toil, a time to live and a time to die," was that there was too much work being placed upon workers. Instead of spending every waking moment working tediously, to break from it, and "relax the toil." Life is too short to be spent under the constant stress of long hours of work.
8. As governments switched from a laissez-faire mentality to a more "democratic" way, they began to take control of public utilities. They began to realize it was time to step up and attempt a change to their cities and countries, which suffered from very poor conditions. It was, in fact, necessary for the government to due such because nothing was getting done without this occurring.
9. Compulsory insurance was definitely in a country's best interest because it was an easy way to please the "socialism of the working man." That way there was a good way to advance in the realm of welfare for the working class citizens. This also caused a large increase in civil services for the countries which used compulsory insurance.
10. a) Better factory and working conditions.
b) More involvement in citizens lives - civil services.
5. Religion certainly slowed down the process of creating public education throughout Europe. This was because "bitter controversies" sprung up over the placement of churches in education. "Since the Middle Ages almost all European education had been in the hands of the various churches." However, education began to lack in those hands and the demand for it became bigger and bigger. The churches argued whose hands education should be in, and those who opposed religion thought that it should be state run instead of religion-based.
6. It was in a country's best interest to ensure all of it's citizens' children free education because it helped pull children from the working class and move them up into a position where it was possible for them to become skilled craftsmen and higher class workers. This meant that they could get more money and be in a better social class.
7. What Lord Shaftesbury meant when he stated, "We ask but for a slight relaxation of toil, a time to live and a time to die," was that there was too much work being placed upon workers. Instead of spending every waking moment working tediously, to break from it, and "relax the toil." Life is too short to be spent under the constant stress of long hours of work.
8. As governments switched from a laissez-faire mentality to a more "democratic" way, they began to take control of public utilities. They began to realize it was time to step up and attempt a change to their cities and countries, which suffered from very poor conditions. It was, in fact, necessary for the government to due such because nothing was getting done without this occurring.
9. Compulsory insurance was definitely in a country's best interest because it was an easy way to please the "socialism of the working man." That way there was a good way to advance in the realm of welfare for the working class citizens. This also caused a large increase in civil services for the countries which used compulsory insurance.
10. a) Better factory and working conditions.
b) More involvement in citizens lives - civil services.
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
Government Oversight
Questions:
1. Lord Melbourne of Great Britain's view of government differed from Lois Blanc, a French author's, point of view. Melbourne looked at the "powers of the state and of the government within the state [as] very limited." He believed that as more laws were passed they would begin to interfere with the lives of the citizens in the state. Blanc however, thought much the opposite. He believed that the government should serve as the "supreme director of production" and should be regarded as such. Government in Louis Blanc's point of view was an all powerful structure under which every served, while Melbourne though of it as an interference.
2. Laissez-Faire - An economic belief which opposes government regulation of commerce beyond the minimum necessary for a free-enterprise system to operate according to it's own economic laws.*
3. Governments began to pull away from the ideology of laissez-faire due to "changing circumstances." Population and production growth as well as trade-union strength increasing caused more governmental and social problems. Therefore, many turned to the government to solve these problems, making Europe more and more democratic.
4. Medical science improved public health in extraordinary ways. It brought about a "much deeper understanding" of diseases and illnesses which plagued many. It also helped in the realization of unsanitization and pollution, which was the cause for much of the disease spreading among the poor.
*definition from www.dictionary.com
1. Lord Melbourne of Great Britain's view of government differed from Lois Blanc, a French author's, point of view. Melbourne looked at the "powers of the state and of the government within the state [as] very limited." He believed that as more laws were passed they would begin to interfere with the lives of the citizens in the state. Blanc however, thought much the opposite. He believed that the government should serve as the "supreme director of production" and should be regarded as such. Government in Louis Blanc's point of view was an all powerful structure under which every served, while Melbourne though of it as an interference.
2. Laissez-Faire - An economic belief which opposes government regulation of commerce beyond the minimum necessary for a free-enterprise system to operate according to it's own economic laws.*
3. Governments began to pull away from the ideology of laissez-faire due to "changing circumstances." Population and production growth as well as trade-union strength increasing caused more governmental and social problems. Therefore, many turned to the government to solve these problems, making Europe more and more democratic.
4. Medical science improved public health in extraordinary ways. It brought about a "much deeper understanding" of diseases and illnesses which plagued many. It also helped in the realization of unsanitization and pollution, which was the cause for much of the disease spreading among the poor.
*definition from www.dictionary.com
Sunday, September 16, 2007
European Working Conditions & Agriculture (cont.)
Questions:
7. Across Europe farming changed in many ways from the Middle Ages to around World War I. The methods in which farming was done changed dramatically over the years. Inventions and science helped spur an entirely new way of growing and harvesting crops. Also, much more was learned about the crop cycle and how certain plants grow better and more fruitfully. Also, in the Middle Ages, generally land was owned by the, "kings, noblemen, or the Church; " however, by the time of World War I the owners of the agricultural land were generally the poor and the peasants.
8. European governments had to face alternatives in order to deal with the foreign products being imported into their country. They could either, "do nothing" and let the foreign countries to, "swamp their home agriculture." This meant that food prices would be lowered and their population would rise in standard of living. Or, the second alternative was to protect their own crops by imposing food tariffs on imported products. Britain's choice to do nothing made it so that their agriculture, "once the most flourishing in Europe," suffered extremely from 1875 to 1900. They became utterly dependent on foreign supplies by 1914. France and Germany however, had a thriving agricultural sector in their countries which made it possible for, "more than a third of the labor force to be employed," due to their choice of imposing taxes on imports.
7. Across Europe farming changed in many ways from the Middle Ages to around World War I. The methods in which farming was done changed dramatically over the years. Inventions and science helped spur an entirely new way of growing and harvesting crops. Also, much more was learned about the crop cycle and how certain plants grow better and more fruitfully. Also, in the Middle Ages, generally land was owned by the, "kings, noblemen, or the Church; " however, by the time of World War I the owners of the agricultural land were generally the poor and the peasants.
8. European governments had to face alternatives in order to deal with the foreign products being imported into their country. They could either, "do nothing" and let the foreign countries to, "swamp their home agriculture." This meant that food prices would be lowered and their population would rise in standard of living. Or, the second alternative was to protect their own crops by imposing food tariffs on imported products. Britain's choice to do nothing made it so that their agriculture, "once the most flourishing in Europe," suffered extremely from 1875 to 1900. They became utterly dependent on foreign supplies by 1914. France and Germany however, had a thriving agricultural sector in their countries which made it possible for, "more than a third of the labor force to be employed," due to their choice of imposing taxes on imports.
Thursday, September 13, 2007
European Working Conditions and Agriculture
Questions 1-6
1. One reason in which the European population increased so much by 1914 was the falling death-rate. This was caused by famine and plague, two large killers, loosing much power. Another reason for the increased population was that at the same time as the falling death-rate the birth- rate rapidly increased.
2. Europe :1750 - about 157 million (including Russians)
1830 - about 230 million
1880 - about 320 million
1900 - about 420 million
1960 - about 630 million
Britain : from 16 million to 45 million
Germany : from 24 million to 65 million
Russia : from 37 million to 140 million
France : from 27 million to 39 million
U.S.A : from 5 million to 92 million
3. The two major social groups during the late 1800s were the bourgeoisie and the proletariat. The bourgeoisie consisted of the "property-owning minority" which consisted of bankers, merchants, professional men, industrialists, and those who owned or invested in the new factories and industrial enterprises. The proletariat however were the low paid, hard working, factory workers who worked under the bourgeoisie.
4. Industrial workers had a strict set of rules to follow. One such was their 'necessary' working hours. "In the Lancashire cotton industry, a fourteen hour day, six days a week was commonplace.." In other places, hours were even longer. Another such rule dealt with how miners must greet the mining officials, or superiors. "Any infringement of these regulations, a contemporary reported, was punished by a fine and, on subsequent occasions by demotion to harder and worse-paid work. Mining boys received instead 4 to 16 lashes with a rope."
5. As mentioned above some of the worst working conditions facing factory workers were the tedious hours of work each day. However, a more immediate danger may be the accidental injuries that could occur due to poorly protected machinery. Many faced serious injury because of this carelessness.
6. The working class not only faced harsh conditions on their jobs, but also at home. The biggest issues were sanitation, inadequate water supply, and lack of cleaning. Many lived, crammed into tiny basements or one room houses with their entire families. They had to make due with what they had, which was, at the time, very little. Sickness often plagued the working class as well. The lack of sanitation in homes caused many to develop serious illnesses which they could not afford to find cures for. Therefore, many died on a regular basis at home.
1. One reason in which the European population increased so much by 1914 was the falling death-rate. This was caused by famine and plague, two large killers, loosing much power. Another reason for the increased population was that at the same time as the falling death-rate the birth- rate rapidly increased.
2. Europe :1750 - about 157 million (including Russians)
1830 - about 230 million
1880 - about 320 million
1900 - about 420 million
1960 - about 630 million
Britain : from 16 million to 45 million
Germany : from 24 million to 65 million
Russia : from 37 million to 140 million
France : from 27 million to 39 million
U.S.A : from 5 million to 92 million
3. The two major social groups during the late 1800s were the bourgeoisie and the proletariat. The bourgeoisie consisted of the "property-owning minority" which consisted of bankers, merchants, professional men, industrialists, and those who owned or invested in the new factories and industrial enterprises. The proletariat however were the low paid, hard working, factory workers who worked under the bourgeoisie.
4. Industrial workers had a strict set of rules to follow. One such was their 'necessary' working hours. "In the Lancashire cotton industry, a fourteen hour day, six days a week was commonplace.." In other places, hours were even longer. Another such rule dealt with how miners must greet the mining officials, or superiors. "Any infringement of these regulations, a contemporary reported, was punished by a fine and, on subsequent occasions by demotion to harder and worse-paid work. Mining boys received instead 4 to 16 lashes with a rope."
5. As mentioned above some of the worst working conditions facing factory workers were the tedious hours of work each day. However, a more immediate danger may be the accidental injuries that could occur due to poorly protected machinery. Many faced serious injury because of this carelessness.
6. The working class not only faced harsh conditions on their jobs, but also at home. The biggest issues were sanitation, inadequate water supply, and lack of cleaning. Many lived, crammed into tiny basements or one room houses with their entire families. They had to make due with what they had, which was, at the time, very little. Sickness often plagued the working class as well. The lack of sanitation in homes caused many to develop serious illnesses which they could not afford to find cures for. Therefore, many died on a regular basis at home.
Sunday, September 9, 2007
Public Health: Bad Housing
Housing:
During the mid-nineteenth century housing in England was near unbearable. Houses were made terribly, and people living in them were cramped and uncomfortable. Furnishings were bad and sanitation was definitely no better. Several accounts show this problem of sanitation. Bath Chronicle 17 June 1852 shows just how terrible things could get, "I swept maggots from under the bed with a broom, while with the handle of the broom I stirred up maggots from the bed itself." Such infestations were common during the time and had an obvious effect on the people which lived there. The same source states, "... on the bed was lying a little boy, naked except for a piece of cloth round its neck, thin and emaciated, evidently ill and apparently struggling for breath." Sickness plagued the poor which lived in such housing. In the Parliamentary Papers of 1842 there is a statement which says, "...the wife hungry - almost crying with hunger in rags."
The poor faced the worst of the housing situation. Some managed to escape from this fate, however. In Andrew Ure's The Philosophy of Manufactures, 1835, he talks about "Mr. T. Ashton's work people," whom he found to live, "... more richly furnished than any common workpeople's dwelling which i had ever seen before." These people were in small numbers though. "In Manchester, more than 57% die before they attain 5 years of age." (Source C) Many were cramped into very small spaces. Chadwick's Sanitary Report states "... each room is about three yards wide and four long. In one of these houses there are nine persons belonging to one family." This causes people to be, "four persons in one bed." Life in this sort of housing was very tough and peoples conditions were "borne down by the conditions of the house."
The thing that made housing so bad was the way they were built during the time. To avoid high costs many constructed so-called houses which were done fast and shabby. "In one place we saw a whole street following the course of a ditch, in order to have deeper cellars without the cost of excavations." Also many were, "built back to back without ventilation or drainage." Most were built of "rough stones and covered with ragged thatch," to make more affordable housing. However affordable it was, there was absolutely no safety involved. They were, "dilapidated" and badly done. Houses generally contained two rooms, which were a bedroom and a living room. Many lived in just one room and others lived in cellars. The style of housing during mid-nineteenth century England lead to sickness and death, due to the way in which they were built. Housing in general was quite intolerable for many of England's working class citizens.
During the mid-nineteenth century housing in England was near unbearable. Houses were made terribly, and people living in them were cramped and uncomfortable. Furnishings were bad and sanitation was definitely no better. Several accounts show this problem of sanitation. Bath Chronicle 17 June 1852 shows just how terrible things could get, "I swept maggots from under the bed with a broom, while with the handle of the broom I stirred up maggots from the bed itself." Such infestations were common during the time and had an obvious effect on the people which lived there. The same source states, "... on the bed was lying a little boy, naked except for a piece of cloth round its neck, thin and emaciated, evidently ill and apparently struggling for breath." Sickness plagued the poor which lived in such housing. In the Parliamentary Papers of 1842 there is a statement which says, "...the wife hungry - almost crying with hunger in rags."
The poor faced the worst of the housing situation. Some managed to escape from this fate, however. In Andrew Ure's The Philosophy of Manufactures, 1835, he talks about "Mr. T. Ashton's work people," whom he found to live, "... more richly furnished than any common workpeople's dwelling which i had ever seen before." These people were in small numbers though. "In Manchester, more than 57% die before they attain 5 years of age." (Source C) Many were cramped into very small spaces. Chadwick's Sanitary Report states "... each room is about three yards wide and four long. In one of these houses there are nine persons belonging to one family." This causes people to be, "four persons in one bed." Life in this sort of housing was very tough and peoples conditions were "borne down by the conditions of the house."
The thing that made housing so bad was the way they were built during the time. To avoid high costs many constructed so-called houses which were done fast and shabby. "In one place we saw a whole street following the course of a ditch, in order to have deeper cellars without the cost of excavations." Also many were, "built back to back without ventilation or drainage." Most were built of "rough stones and covered with ragged thatch," to make more affordable housing. However affordable it was, there was absolutely no safety involved. They were, "dilapidated" and badly done. Houses generally contained two rooms, which were a bedroom and a living room. Many lived in just one room and others lived in cellars. The style of housing during mid-nineteenth century England lead to sickness and death, due to the way in which they were built. Housing in general was quite intolerable for many of England's working class citizens.
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