mohammed23blog

[mohammed23blog]

Ancient Chinese Artifact’s Legacy

There were many artifacts in Ancient China that have left behind a legacy, but three specific artifacts left behind a lasting legacy, the impact of which is still felt today, these artifacts being: alcohol, gunpowder, and the mechanical clock. These artifacts left behind a defining legacy, differing only by whether that impact was negative or positive, and in some rare cases, both. These three artifacts were created/invented in Ancient China, and were vastly improved upon and tweaked as time went on. These artifacts helped and improved life in Ancient China, but also had negative effects for the civilization, as well as for other civilizations.

                 There is debate amongst historians on who exactly invented alcohol and the exact date, but according to legend, the earliest records of alcohol being produced was in 2000-1600 BC, by Yi Di, and Yu Kang. Subsequent to this, beer with an alcohol content of 4-5 % was the common drink and was also offered to spirits.

Alcohol has left behind a devastating legacy, as it has left a negative impact on the world and continue to be a negative factor, as opposed to it having limited positive impact. Alcohol was used in modern medicine for the first time in 1963, as antiseptics, disinfectant and antidote. Ethanol, methanol and ethylene are by-products of alcohol and are also used medicinally. In Ancient China, alcohol was used only for consumption and as an offering. This caused civilians to be in a drunken state which can lead to negative results. Alcohol has continued, throughout the ages, to be a negative thing and has only been a positive factor when used in medicine. Alcohol (or ethanol) was adopted by the Greeks later on in wound care as an antiseptic. The romans used it to brew a drink called ‘cerevisia’. The romans specifically drank a lot on special occasions or festivals which led to many problematic incidents.  Today, Alcohol is the root cause for many illnesses and death.

                 Gunpowder is perhaps the most significant artifact as it has left behind a legacy that has shaped civilizations as well as destroyed them. It had a strong impact on Ancient China and its neighboring civilizations when it was first invented and played a huge role in expanding the civilization. It had positive and negative effects depending on whose perspective u looked at it from. Gunpowder was used in warfare by the Ancient Chinese in various ways, and gave them an advantage over their enemies and granted them victory, so it was positive for the Chinese, while it was negative for the victims as they suffered losses and death.

Gunpowder was an accidental discovery, as alchemists during that period were in the search for an elixir that would grant immortality. It was in this impossible search that, an unknown alchemist (his name has been lost to history) stumbled upon the mixture that is now known as gunpowder. The Chinese wanted to keep this a secret, as it was a huge advantage for them, so they banned the sale of saltpeter (which was an essential ingredient in making gunpowder) to foreigners, However, the secret of gunpowder was leaked through the Silk Road to the rest of the world, where it had a profound and rippling effect on the entire ancient world.  Gunpowder is used today in the same way as it was used in those ancient times-in warfare and violence- in the shape of guns, cannons, bombs etc. The only difference is that it is now more advanced but the underlying principle is the same. Gunpowder was also used in celebrations by the Ancient Chinese in the form of fireworks, and this tradition is still done today, by many different ethnicities.

                 The mechanical clock has let behind a very positive and lasting legacy, and has impacted the world greatly. It would be hard to imagine life today without a clock to tell time, but this simple machine has left a defining impact on the world. The world's first clock was invented by a Buddhist monk and mathematician from the Tang dynasty (618–907 CE) named Yi Xing. His clock functioned by having water drip steadily on a wheel, which caused a full revolution every 24 hours. Later, a more sophisticated clock was developed by Su Song, an astronomer of the Song dynasty (960–1279 CE). He is seen as the father of the modern clock.

The clock allowed Ancient China and other civilizations to keep track of time in an accurate fashion. The clock is still used today and has been improved upon in the from of watches, round clocks, time on phone, but the idea and principle is the same. The clock has continued throughout the eras, to show accurate time and has changed only in shape and form.

                 These three artifacts have left behind a defining legacy, where two were positive and negative, but mostly negative while the third left behind a positive legacy. These artifacts continue to impact the world today. While they were created/invented in Ancient China, they were adopted and vastly improved upon and tweaked as time went on by different civilizations. These artifacts helped and improved life in Ancient China, but also had negative effects for the civilization, as well as for other civilizations. They played a role in the rise and fall of other civilizations as well.

  Bibliography:

Asia for Educators, C. U. (n.d.). China in 1000 CE. The Song Dynasty in China | Asia for Educators. http://afe.easia.columbia.edu/songdynasty-module/tech-experiment.html.

ALCOHOL: FRIEND OR FOE? A HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE. (n.d.). https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Rachel-Hajar/publication/253815638_ALCOHOL_FRIEND_OR_FOE_A_HISTORICAL_PERSPECTIVE/links/565d4fb408ae1ef929820a86/ALCOHOL-FRIEND-OR-FOE-A-HISTORICAL-PERSPECTIVE.pdf

 Chinese Alcohol, Chinese Spirits. (n.d.). https://www.chinadaily.com.cn/life/2010-10/27/content_11692216.htm.

 Find and share research. ResearchGate. (n.d.). https://www.researchgate.net/.

 Is It Legal to Ship Gunpowder? Shipping School. (2021, March 11). https://www.shippingschool.com/is-it-legal-to-ship-gunpowder/.

  No. 120: Su-Sung's Clock. (n.d.). https://www.uh.edu/engines/epi120.htm.

 Subscribe to free Email Newsletter. Chinese Alcohol, Chinese Spirits. (n.d.). http://en.chinaculture.org/chineseway/2010-10/27/content_398362.htm.

 Szczepanski, K. (n.d.). How China Invented Gunpowder. ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/invention-of-gunpowder-195160.

 T, B. (2020, August 7). How Alcoholism Affects Society. Verywell Mind. https://www.verywellmind.com/impact-on-society-63268.

 Wikimedia Foundation. (2021, April 28). Alcoholic drinks in China. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alcoholic_drinks_in_China.

  .

[mohammed23blog]

The Decline of The Han Dynasty(Ancient China)

Many factors contributed to the decline of the han dynasty in ancient China, but there were three artifact that were critical in bringing about its decline: taxation problems, the Yellow Turban Revolt, and natural disasters like locusts, plague, earthquakes and floods. “Small farmers were the most stable tax base, local elites, who owned large estates, contributed less wealth and energy to the empire. Most of the small farmers gave up their land in order to work for their local elites on their estates either, or as unwilling debt slaves. The rich were able to increase their productivity while the smaller farmers were able to avoid paying taxes. This resulted in the empire having less and less money to deal with other problems.”[1] The Yellow Turban Revolt was significant in bringing about the decline of the Han Dynasty. “The Yellow Turban Revolt was a peasant rebellion, which was brought about by numerous outbreaks of a lethal plague throughout the 170s and 180s. The deaths of the people was blamed on the emperor, believing that he had the power to stop their suffering. However, the emperor was, understandably, unable to provide a cure for the plague, but on top of that, he placed heavy taxes on the people. The peasants now started believing that they might find a magical cure by turning to faith healers. Amongst these faith healers was, Zhang Jue, who was very successful and gained a huge following. By 184, Zhang Jue turned his movement into a violent uprising and led his followers to revolt against the Han. The rebels were defeated by the imperial army, but peasant rebellions continued to flare up over the next decade.”[2] Natural disasters also played a role in bring about the downfall of the han dynasty. These natural disasters included: cattle plagues, locusts, droughts, floods, and earthquakes. The empire was strong enough to combat these issues for almost two hundred years, but over time the expenses became too much. This resulted in the empire being torn apart into three kingdoms by warlords, by 220 CE.

[1] Campbell, Dennis. The Fall of the Han Dynasty. Khan Academy. Accessed May 03, 2021.https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/whp-origins/era-4-regional/41-systems-collapse-betaa/a/read-the-fall-of-the-han-dynasty-beta#:~:text=The%20Han%20Empire%20quickly%20broke,officially%20ending%20the%20Han%20Dynasty.

[2] Campbell, “Fall of Han Dynasty”

 Bibliography

End of the Chinese Han Dynasty (189-220 AD): Decline & Fall. Totally History. (2011, December 6). https://totallyhistory.com/end-of-the-han-dynasty/.

 Szczepanski, K. (n.d.). What Brought Down the Great Classical Civilization of China? ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/why-did-han-china-collapse-195115.

Khan Academy. (n.d.). READ: The Fall of the Han Dynasty (article). Khan Academy. https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/whp-origins/era-4-regional/41-systems-collapse-betaa/a/read-the-fall-of-the-han-dynasty-beta#:~:text=The%20Han%20Empire%20quickly%20broke,officially%20ending%20the%20Han%20Dynasty.

[mohammed23blog]

A Conquerors Decree

“O People of Northern Vietnam, I am Emperor Wu of Han, the 7th Emperor of the Han dynasty. This is my imperial decree. We have conquered your land, so now you must learn to live among us. You must learn our ways and values and adopt them. We are strong believers in Confucianism, and value family-ties very strongly. The father is the head of the family and has total authority over the rest of his family. He will arrange his children’s marriage and decide on his son’s careers. Children must obey and respect their parents and elders. Women are expected to obey their husband and mother-in law. When a woman marries, she leaves her parents household and joins that of her husband’s. Women cannot own property or receive education. Education is only reserved for the elites of our society, as it is their privilege. The curriculum consists of The Four Books and The Five Classics. The Four Books are: The Great Learning, The Doctrine of The Mean, Confucian Analects and The Works of Mencius. The Five Classics are: The Book of Poetry/Songs, The Book of History, The Book of Rites, The Book of Changes and The Spring and Autumn Annals. Our government is autocratic and is run solely by me, The Emperor. To support me I have my impressive imperial administration. I issue edicts that declare my royal will and must be followed. I handle the Kings and noblemen and appoint government officials. Our government is divided into three branches: the civil branch, the military and the censorate. The civil branch is headed by the chancellor, the military branch, by the supreme commander, and the censorate branch, headed by the imperial counselor. Beware! We despise corruption and are very cautious of it. Succession is passed through the male line to my most favorite son, or the oldest son of my wife, the empress.

        Bibliography

China Ancient Education. China Ancient Education, History of Education in China. (n.d.). https://www.chinahighlights.com/travelguide/ancient-education.htm.

 Encyclopedia.com. (2021, May 28). ." Gale Encyclopedia of World History: Governments. . Encyclopedia.com. 15 Apr. 2021 . Encyclopedia.com. https://www.encyclopedia.com/history/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/han-dynasty#:~:text=The%20Han%20dynasty%20was%20governed,and%20the%20censorate%20(auditor).

 Family life. - Han Dynasty01. Google Sites. (n.d.). https://sites.google.com/site/handynasty43/home/the-han-achievnents/family-life.

Www.chinaeducenter.com. (n.d.). History of Education in China. History of Education in China - China Education Center. https://www.chinaeducenter.com/en/chistory.php#:~:text=During%20Han%20dynasty%2C%20the%20first,was%20spread%20all%20over%20China.

[mohammed23blog]

Ancient Chinese Artifacts

The crossbow's ability to be effective in long-range combat, the way paper made writing easier, and how the invention of gunpowder revolutionized the way warfare was conducted were the most historically significant developments in the ancient civilization of China.

The crossbow changed the way battles were fought and won. Its usage required know-how for both its construction and effective use, which gave China a major advantage over their neighbours.

The crossbow, which was created in 221 BCE and was made of either metal or bronze, made killing a little more impersonal. The increased range allowed crossbowmen to attack the enemy from a safe distance, even though there might have been natural obstacles that previously would have stopped them from engaging in battle. The crossbow remained a significant aspect of Chinese warfare all the way into 19th century CE.

The creation of paper (in 2nd century CE) had far reaching results. It significantly helped spread literature and literacy all over Europe, and eventually the world, through making books cheaper and more convenient to use. It had many other uses in addition to being used for books and writing: packaging for delicate items such as medicine and as wrapping paper, to make hats, armour, and also used for windows.

Paper also led to the innovation of paper money (900’s CE), which is still widely used today. Prior to paper money, the barter system was used, but could sometimes be ineffective as two parties could sometimes not reach an agreement, but the introduction of paper money solved that and eventually made the barter system obsolete.

 The invention of gunpowder in china was an accident. In the search of immortality or an elixir of life, scientists (around 850 AD) discovered a mixture that explodes when exposed to fire. It was first used for fireworks, but then slowly began to be used in warfare as a deadly weapon. Flying fire arrows were arrows with a burning tube of gunpowder attached to the shaft. They were like miniature rockets, which propelled themselves into enemy ranks and exploded with a bang. Gunpowder was also used in hand grenades, poisonous gas shells, flamethrowers and landmines. Gunpowder is still used today, and has had quite an impact on the entire world, for good or bad.

                  Bibliography:

 Cartwright, M. (2021, May 20). Crossbows in Ancient Chinese Warfare. World History Encyclopedia. https://www.worldhistory.org/article/1098/crossbows-in-ancient-chinese-warfare/#:~:text=The%20crossbow%20was%20introduced%20into,(481%2D221%20BCE).&text=The%20crossbow%20was%20a%20major,and%20Sung%20empires%2C%20in%20particular.

  Cartwright, M. (2021, May 18). Paper in Ancient China. World History Encyclopedia. https://www.worldhistory.org/article/1120/paper-in-ancient-china/.

Szczepanski, K. (n.d.). How China Invented Gunpowder. ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/invention-of-gunpowder-195160.

[mohammed23blog]

Limiting Factors and Human Impact on Coral Reefs

Coral reefs take in carbon dioxide molecules along with calcium ions to create their calcium carbonate exoskeletons. Now, with an insane amount of carbon molecules like carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide pollution which is created from human activity, this produces carbonic acid when diluted in the ocean and  is called ocean acidification. This lowers the pH levels in reef environment to inhospitable levels thus resulting in coral bleaching. Now coral bleaching does not mean that the coral dies, but it is under immense stress and could eventually lead to death.  Millions of species of fish like the lobster depend on coral reefs for protection from larger predators, and now the carrying capacity of the ecosystem  would be limited by the amount of Coral reefs(biotic element) available. If coral reefs slowly disappear, then the whole food chain of the marine biodiversity could be at risk!

[mohammed23blog]

Energy Flow Food Web

Seaweed is at the 1st trophic level, squids at the 2nd trophic level, and penguins at the 3rd trophic level.

[mohammed23blog]

Unsustainable ecosystem vs. sustainable ecosystem!

The Laurentian Great Lakes marine biodiversity has changed a lot in the past 200 years due to overfishing and certain harmful fishing practices.

LAKE SUPERIOR. ONE OF THE LAKES OF THE LAURENTIAN GREAT LAKES.  PHOTO CREDIT: Lake Superior Magazine

 The Lakes, before the issue of overfishing arose, was teeming with many different marine species such as the silver lamprey, lake sturgeon, American eel, goldfish, northern pike and lake trout just. This is just a small number of the species that live in the Laurentian Great Lakes, but over the years some of these species have gone extinct or are now close to extinction. Some fishing techniques have caused environmental abuse and most of the coral reefs and such have been destroyed. Now the smaller fish have almost no habitats to live and/or hide from predators thus also adding to the extinction process. The abiotic elements of the Lakes before overfishing was the sun, water, marshes, rocks, and dirt. The pre-overfishing biotic elements being: multiple marine species and abundant coral reefs. Now since the overfishing issue the biotic elements still include the same elements as before overfishing, but in a much less quantity. The abiotic elements after overfishing are also the same. 

Source: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1463498899000494

[mohammed23blog]

OVER-FISHING IS DANGEROUS!

Over-fishing is a huge problem these days. It is already having a huge negative impact on marine biodiversity and the coral reef ecosystem, and if it continues then it is gonna slowly impact us humans eventually. The marine biodiversity is affected greatly because every marine plant and animal depend on nutrients from their environment which sometimes means getting those nutrients from other marine organisms. An effective example would be the herring. The herring is an important source of food for the cod, and since the herring is over-fished it would affect the cod population since they have less and less herring to eat which would eventually lead to a decline in the cod population as well. If other species then depend on the cod as a source of food then... they’re affected too!   

A North Atlantic Cod. Photo credit: Wikipedia 

 So as you can see it’s a huge chain reaction. Lots of communities around the word depend mainly on seafood as it is a main part of their diet, especially those people that are surrounded or live close to water. If the marine population is in a decline then those people would have less or no seafood to eat thus resulting in starvation which could eventually lead to death.

Hiroshima, Japan. A fish dependent city. Photo credit: www.hisgo.com 

 Also many people depend on marine/fishing related jobs; like a shark hunter. Shark’s are also being over fished so if sharks are also decreasing in population then that shark hunter-having no sharks to hunt- would be out of a job! Then his family would be affected and they’ll become poor and may end up in poverty or even become homeless! 

The shark species is being threatened to extinction due to over-fishing. Photo credit: Inverse 

 So as you can see, over-fishing affects everyone. You can blame modern fishing technology and pirate fishers for this problem.

Statistics state:

- In over 40 years, there has been a decrease in the marine population due to over-fishing.

- Illegal and unauthorized fishing amasses to a total of 11- 26 million tonnes(12-28%) worldwide

- In the North East Atlantic and surrounding seas, 39% of the fish are over-fished.

To learn more about this topic visit http://marinesciencetoday.com/2014/04/09/impact-of-overfishing-on-human-lives/.  https://www.fishforward.eu/sl/facts-figures/  

To learn about how YOU can help stop over-fishing visit http://therevolutionmovie.com/index.php/open-your-eyes/overfishing/solutions/

[mohammed23blog]

Introduction

My name is Mohammed and I made this blog as part of an assignment for school. Science impacts my everyday life by having to study science in school everyday. I would not choose a career in science because I don’t like science too much.