Chapters 14, 15 & 16

Chapter Fourteen tells how the modern empire building impacted existing peoples and places. I found this chapter difficult to read because it contained stories of the exploitations that were carried out against the people who were in the way of another’s advancement. For instance, before the arrival of Europeans into Mesoamerican and Andean zones, there was an estimated 60 to 80 million people living in the area and after the contact with domesticated animals and diseases brought by Europeans and their slaves, the population fell by 90%. That information is astonishing. Another example is the devastation of the indigenous people of the Caribbean islands. Within 50 years after the arrival of Columbus the population vanished. A bit of information that I was unaware of was the use of slavery for the production of sugar in Brazil and Caribbean. It wasn’t that I was unaware that the use of slaves existed but not to the extent of the vast numbers. Brazil and the Caribbean used 80% of the slaves that were captured from their homes in African for sugar production. Not only were the slaves subjected to the atrocity of slavery but they were forced to work in dreadful conditions which resulted in a 5 to 10% death rate. It is very disheartening that the people of the era found this horrific act acceptable.

Chapter 15 begins with an interesting story about Vasco da Gama, a Portuguese mariner. Vasco da Gama witnessed the profits made by cinnamon, nutmeg, mace, cloves, pepper, silk, cottons and jewels as they were traded in Muslim Egypt. Da Gama decided to circumvent the Muslim participation in the trade by sailing through the unarmed Indian Ocean where they established fortified bases. The Portuguese officials partially blocked the Red Sea route to the Mediterranean and required all vessels to purchase a pass to day duties from 6 to 10 percent on their cargos. That story is unbelievable. If I decided to go to the local park and collect tolls from people who wished to enter, my story would resemble the Portuguese.

When I read about how Japan ruled their state and local authorities it was “déjà vu.” The Tokugawa shoguns used silver profits to finance their military to defeat hundreds of rival feudal lords and unify their country. The shoguns joined with merchants to form a market-based economy and invest in agriculture and industrial enterprises, and they also worked hard to protect the forests, attempted to have fewer children, used contraception and abortion. The outcome of Japan’s slowing down their economy was a substantial conservation program.

I am always saddened when I hear about the killing of animals. When gatherers and hunters killed animals to use for their clothing, it was understandable but when animals are killed for the use of luxury items I am saddened. Fur-bearing animals were almost put into extinction so humans could flaunt their wares.

I enjoyed reading about the Reformation. Martin Luther’s belief that the good works of a sinner or the sacraments of the Church would not get you into heaven. His conviction was that faith, a free gift of God, was graciously granted to his needy and undeserving people. I believe that Martin Luther’s religious beliefs are so true. My religious upbringing was in a small town Catholic Church in Northern California. Every Saturday afternoon my mother would coral her four children and take us to confession and then the following Sunday morning we went to mass. If we missed mass, it was a mortal sin and if we missed confession we could not receive communion until we repented our sin. As an adult, faith is still important in my life but my beliefs are no longer rigid. I believe what is important in life is being a good person and treat people how you would like to be treated.

I have attached a photograph of St. Paul’s I took in Macao which was one of the fortified bases of the Portuguese during the early Modern Era. St. Paul’s was built from 1582 to 1602 by the Jesuits, the cathedral was the largest Catholic church in Asia at the time, and the royalty of Europe vied with each other to bestow upon the cathedral the best gifts