Sucker punched by Muhammad Ali

Humanitarians,

Today, after discussing the last Obama State of the Union America, we answered any questions you may have had over your reading on Latin America. It wasn't long, but there are some important take-aways from it:
1. the creoles, once they take power from the Spanish/Portuguese have no idea how to rule, and while they like democracy in theory, have no desire to share power with anyone else, especially the mestizos/mulattoes/indigenous/freed slaves.
and
2. the idea of a caudillo. These dictators, with total power yet unexplainable popularity and charisma, will basically become the norm in Latin America from here on out. When we come back here during the Cold War and we have leaders like Juan Peron, Auguste Pinochet, and Salvador Allende, they are taking their cues from the caudillos of the 1800's.

Pinochet

Juan Peron

After our discussion over the WHAP reading, we finished up our conversation on the decline of both Imperial China and the Ottoman Empire. By the end of WWI, both of these super old empires will be defunct; China will be embroiled in a civil war between the Nationalists and the Communists and the Ottoman Empire will become Turkey.

Tomorrow, on to Russia and Japan!

A few reminders....no school Monday! YAY! Tuesday, chapters 7-9 of TFA should be read. Wednesday of next week, Imperialism Quiz. Everything we've learned from the first day back through tomorrow will be fair game. Make sure you plan on coming to tutorials if you have any questions.

Sadly, this week has been filled with really influential celebrity deaths, so I would like to take a moment to remember David Bowie and Alan Rickman

First, Bowie

Ah, the great many faces of David Bowie. 

Please enjoy the following clips of the musician and actor:

And then some Alan Rickman, we love you, always:

That's all for today. Cancer sucks, and I want to go back to 2015, when we had these dudes. 

- cbg