Tuesday, March 27, 2012

Napoleon: Who Had the First "Short Man's Complex"

Napoleon Bonaparte

Napoleon Bonaparte was born in the town of Ajaicco on August 15, 1969. He was the second of eight children in his family. Napoleon Bonaparte went to a religious school in mainland France to learn French, and then was enrolled into a military school. From an early age he was taught about war, and how to become a military leader. During the French Revolution, Napoleon Bonaparte became a military and political leader and created a powerful legal reform called the Napoleonic Code. Between 1804 and 1815, he was the Emperor of the French but is most famous for his lead in the wars against France called the Napoleonic Wars. His war success made him disliked by many, but he is known to be one of the best military leaders of all time. After many wars and battles he was captured and sent into exile to Elba. After escaping from exile, he returned to his noble spot of honor but soon was defeated at the Battle of Waterloo. Although he was said to die of stomach cancer on May 5 1821, it has been argued that he would have been a victim of arsenic poisoning.

Questions
a) What was it like to live in France when your person did? What was it like socially and politically? How did the time period affect your person and how did they in turn affect everyone else?
Well, during Napoleon's life in France, prior to his exile I would like to imagine everything is as it is portrayed in The Count of Monte Cristo. However, I don't believe that's the case. France was in a state of extremes, there existed two main castes in society, the extremely wealthy, and the extravagantly impoverished. The arts were extremely popular in Europe, and it was what is sometimes referred to as the "Chivalrous Age." Socially, I kind of just explained the whole chivalry, dueling, arts-participating, extravagance of it, politically, Napoleon is the essence of politics for his era. He rose through his ranks in the military and finally became emperor, though he did not strike a very gallant figure unless standing on a box. That is before he was exiled to the Isle of Elba, after which the kingship/kingdom (whichever the word is) was reinstated, wait for it.... until Napoleon came back and reattempted a revolution. Politics truly became a bit of a turmoil during these years of uncertainty, with many loyalist factions forming between the crown and the emperor. He clearly had a huge affect on the country, he ruled as a self proclaimed emperor for life, and as an almost military dictator. He ruled severely, but from the research I've done seemed well liked and to have ruled very justly.
b) Name a few ways that your person changed history. How did his or her thoughts and actions affect the way people thought 50 or 100 years later? Elaborate.
One of Napoleon's biggest legacies is Bonapartism In French political history, Bonapartism has two meanings. The term can refer to people who restored the French Empire under the House of Bonaparte including Napoleon's Corsican family and his nephew Louis. Napoleon left a Bonapartist dynasty which ruled France again; Louis became Napoleon III, Emperor of the Second French Empire and was the first President of France. In a wider sense, Bonapartism refers to a broad centrist or center-right political movement that advocates the idea of a strong and centralized state, based on populism. Another large impact was the negative impact Napoleon left on the economy, for the next generation or two France was largely bankrupt and in debt and it's economy was in a depression.

c) Using the French skills that you have, write one paragraph in French from your person's perspective.
Je m'appelle Napoleon Bonaparte. Je suis tres petit. C'est vrai. Je veux etre grand, mais je ne peux pas cultiver. C'est tres triste :((((((((. Je ne sais pas faire avec moi. m'aider s'il vous plait!!!!@!@!@#!@#@#!@#!@#

Blaise Pascal: A Revolutionary Mathematician





Blaise Pascal was born June 19, 1623in Clermont, France. Although he ended up having three other siblings, he was the only boy. After his mother's death, his father moved him and his three sisters to Paris. Pascal was homeschooled by his father; however his father insisted he not learn math until the age of 15. Pascal was eager to educate himself in the realm of mathematics though, and found ways to learn geometry by age 12. By 14 Pascal joined his father in various meetings where he eventually presented several geometry theorums. In 1640, Pascal had his first work published: Essay on Conic Sections. After working on it for three years, Pascal finally invented the first digital calculator. The invention of the digital calculator was copmpletely revolutionary and its use is evident through out even modern times. For Pascal personally, 1646 was a year of great transformation, several major events and circumstances all factored into Pascal movement into an extremely religious man. In 1677 Pascal had the major scientific discovery that a vacuum existed about the atmosphere. Pascal has made numerous mathematic and scientific discoveries, invented many tools which started development to what are now major modern day devices. Several of his discoveries lead to further discoveries by other great thinkers, such as Sir Isaac Newton's work relating to the binomial theorum. Sadly, at the age of 39 a growth in Pascal's stomach travelled to his brain, which ultimately caused his death. The amount Pascal discovered and accomplished his simply mind blowing; however the fact that he achieved all of this before he turned 40 is simply incredible!


Questions:
A.
What was it like to live in France when Blaise Pascal did? What was going on socially, culturally, politically, etc? How was Blaise Pascal affected by his time period and how did he in term affect everyone else?
During 1626 England and France went back and forth with several disputes, which eventually led to a very large naval expedition under the command of the Duke of Buckingham. During the time Pascal was living in France, Louise XIV was reigning as king. Several rich families of the time had servants to take care of the housework. Pascal lived in a time where there was a definite class system. The fashion of this time was all very lavish and extraordinary. "The General Crisis" was occuring during the 17th century, meaning this time was characterized by widespread conflict and shifts of power were not uncommon in Europe during this time. Pascal lived during the perfect time for making scientific discoveries. The Renaissance era was coming to a close and countless mathematical and scientific discoveries were being made, causing this era to be known as the Scientific Revolution. Pascal really embraced these times of great discovery and not only laid the foundation for other great discoveries and inventions, but he also built off of what other great thinkers of the time were presenting.
B
Name a few ways Blaise Pascal changed history. how did his thoughts and actions affect the way other people thought fifty or one hundred years later? Elaborate.
Pascal's discoveries have influenced mathematical and scientific knowledge from the 17th century to modern day. His work is still studied in class rooms acround the world and his theorums and inventions are applied by numerous scientists, physicists, and mathematicians. One of Pascal's earliest discoveries was Pascal's Law which describes the role of pressure in characterizing the state of a fluid. He also brought more knowledge to the subjects of pressure, as well as a vacuum. Pascal also discovered and explained what is known in math as Pascal's triangle. Wityh the intentions of honoring him, the SI unit for pressure was given the name Pascal. Blaise Pascal's achievements stretch far beyond his discoveries, they have paved the way for varies other ground breaking discoveries. For example, his work relating to probability theory is generally thought of as his most influencial contribution to math. It can be seen in the strategic side of gambling, as well as economics and actuarial science.
C
Write one paragraph, in french, from your person's perspective using "je".
Je suis de Clermont, mais j'ai vecu a Paris. J'ai trois soeurs. J'aime etudier les mathematiques et les sciences. Je veux apprendre plus tous les jours. J'entends souvent des nouvelles decouvertes! Je n'ai pas joue, j'ai etudie les mathematiques. J'aime faire des decouvertes!

Saturday, March 24, 2012

Louis Pasteur-The Pasteurizer!

     Louis Pasteur was born December 27th 1822, in Dole, France. He was born into a poor family, but he suprisingly gained degrees in Letters and Mathematical Sciences. He became a professor at the University of Strasbourg and shortly after he married Marie Laurent in 1849. They had 5 children but only 2 survived past childhood.
     He theorized many different scientific theories that are responsible for a lot of sanitation and precautions that we have today. These theories include why our gums can get diseased, why spoiled milk is bad, and the theory of vaccination leading to immunity.
     He won many honors for his studies of science including the Grand Croix of the Legion of Honor (1 of only 75) . He died in 1895, at the age of 73.

Questions:
1.What was it like to live in France when your person did? What was going on socially, culturally, politically, etc? How was your person affected by their time period and how did they in turn affect everyone else?

The French Revolution happened during his life, so I imagine it was pretty chaotic. He wasn't really affected by hit time period and continued to work on his studies and science.

2. Name a few ways that your person changed history. How did his or her thoughts and actions affect the way other people thought fifty or one hundered years later?

All of these are very significant to us now, he pretty much made the foundation for simple things including, but not limited to; toothbrushes, modern milk, and flu shots. Without him we wouldn't have the basis for sanitation. Before him, doctors did not even wash their hands or tools.

3. Using the french skills that you have write one paragraph in french about this person.

     J'ai m'apelle Louis Pasteur et je suis le scientifique. J'ai reussi plus de scientifique theories. Sans ce theories, tu vas etre malade. J'ai cinq enfant mais deux ne morte pas. :( J'ai reussi lait trop de aimable. Est-ce que tu aimes du lait? Aimes-tu en?

Friday, January 20, 2012

Zelda Fitgerald- muse of the Jazz Age



Born in Montgomery, Alabama Zelda Fitzgerald was the youngest of six children. She was very active as a child. She took ballet, swam, drank, smoked, and hung out with boys. At the time her her birth, she came into a world that was just starting to consider the possibility that
women might have the right to be independent citizens who are able to make their
own decisions. This later on helped her become a famous dancer, writer, and painter. After three years of intense training, she was diagnosed with schizophrenia and would go in and out of hospitals for the rest of her life.
1) Zelda Fitzgerald came to Paris with hopes of becoming a ballerina. She took lessons from a professional dancer for three years but later on had to give up her dream of becoming a ballerina because she was diagnosed with schizophrenia. After her breakdown, she was no longer allowed to dance, and fell back to writing as a way to creatively express herself. Two years later she became a painter. She would use oils, pastels, and watercolors to mainly express her love for dancing. She came back to the United States and later on died in a fire at Highland Hospital in Asheville, NC.
2) When Zelda got pregnant, she and her husband, Scott Fitzgerald took a trip to Europe. When Zelda came up with her dreams of becoming a ballerina, Paris was the place she wanted to go and found a professional dancer to teach her.
3)Zelda Fitzgerald had a thing for painting dancers. I respect that, knowing that she loved dancing and that she wanted to become a ballerina, but her health got in her way. If I had to quit swimming and become a painter, I would most likely paint swimmers and pools because that is what I am interested in and it is what I love. Most of her paintings are not appealing to me because I do not really care about dancing as she did.
4)Zelda Fitzgerald's work is very interesting, but I would not be one to go research more about her paintings. I think that it is great that she did what she loved, dancing, and pursued herself in that career. It is nice that after she was told she could not dance anymore, that she did not give up. She found other ways of expressing her love for dancinng.