What happened to change it?

We recently looked at pre-European Africa and examined the idea of families the study of Agriculture and civilization. The intricate societies, languages and culture. The idea of African religions and their impact on culture, hierarchies and the development of infrastructure.

We deconstructed the term Eurocentric and the idea that Europe developed Education, history, progress, beauty, religion advancements in science and the idea the anything good and normal comes from Europe.
The idea that Europe means Power.

We agreed to look at the Atlantic African slave trade and when the indoctrination of African began and the powerful slave mentality initially impacted Africa and Africans.

Roots and the story of Kunta Kinte was a powerful example of the history above. His village had strong social infrastructure and culture. Kunta had a strong family with a mother and a father. He had to complete a 'Rite of Passage' into manhood. He eventually was captured and taken to a Slave ship sailing to the United States. He saw what happened to those Africans who had become sick and died along the way. He was also involved with an unsuccessful rebellion aboard the ship. Eventually he landed in the new world and was sold into slavery.
Fiddler was an African who was strutted by the master to socialise Kunta into Plantation life. He soon realised that the desire to be free was powerful for those who had tasted it before.

Notes from class May 27th to May 31st

Examining John Henrick Clarke

Please see an earlier post about ancient Africa and a discussion by John Henrick Clarke.

Agriculture and the birth of civilization

This is the handout. Be aware that you'll need this information for the next quiz thus week.

Jamaica's Global debt issue

You should review the information from the 'outslip' I gave you last week. It'll help you with the test coming up this week. Yesterday's class was about global economics and it's effect on developing countries. We went through some of the issues from the Life and Debt documentary such as the devaluing of currency, IMF loans and their stipulations, Free Zones and the like. We also discussed political systems and their effect on populations and the world.
Remember the questions regarding the decisions a leader might have to make to stop the downward financial spiral their country might fall into after social or economic global trauma.

Quiz today on 'Life and Debt', the IMF, World Bank and Jamaica's economic distress

Today we had a quiz on the documentary 'Life and Debt', it covered issues pertaining to the situation countries find themselves in when borrowing money from these entities. The quiz was basically multiple choice, true and false and matching. This quiz tested you on what you don't know about a subject rather than what you know. Hopefully everyone was present and ready to take the quiz.
-DW

Jamaica's life and debt

Watching the video Life and Debt allows us the opportunity to examine how economics can create an almost slave like dependency situations for developing countries.
The shackles of debt through the devaluing of currency, loan restrictions, and unequal trade balances created by the IMF places Jamaica in the center of a spiral of despair.
Jamaica isn't the only country caught in this negative relationship. Many of the poorer developing countries throughout the world are in similar circumstance.
The question asked was, 'Why are you here?' The answer is becoming more evident as we explore how the living conditions in many countries makes it nearly unlivable.

Why are you here? Life and Debt

With many of the Harvey students coming from 'developing countries' it is important to understand why you're here in Canada today? What were the 'Push and Pull' factors that forced your parents or grandparents to leave home to come to a new country?
The documentary 'Life and Debt' examines Jamaica's economic problems from the time of their independence. These factors may be the cause of many people leaving home to come to Canada for a better life. The documentary is an example of what many developing countries experience when dealing with the IMF and the World Bank.