Week 6 Journal Entry

The Introduction to Part 5 was a very interesting read as it challenged perceptions on the direct relation between "modern" development and European nations. It discussed European centrality and how it developed over the years. This is a result of the three revolutions that took place: the Scientific, French, and Industrial revolution. Eurocentric geography and history are still used today, this unprecedented power Europe enjoyed went unchallenged to a certain extent, which is why it is evident in the 21st century. Timezones and names of geographical regions around the world are Eurocentric. I enjoyed reading the "Countering Eurocentrism" part as the arguments were valid and gave an interesting perspective on Eurocentrism itself.

Voltaire's predictions seem very accurate as we look back to the Atlantic Revolutions which started off by the North American Revolution. This revolution was the catalyst to many revolutions at the time, the first being the French Revolution which started a few years after the North American Revolution ended. The French aided the North American rebels during their revolution, and many of its delegations returned to France with a more "republican view." That launched the French Revolution that emphasized liberty and social equality to all members of its society. It was a rebellion against the aristocratic nature of the French government under Louis XVI. The French Revolution strongly influenced the colony of Saint Domingue in the Caribbean, this was known as the Haitian Revolution. Several years after that, the Spanish American Revolutions took place, these revolutions were when different South American Colonies gained their independence.