History Information Portal

Five Facts about Aztec people

2012-01-29T03:16:00.000-08:00

Five Facts about the Aztecs

The Aztecs were the last people to dominate Mexico before the arrival of the Spanish.

They waged continual war to capture prisoners to sacrifice to the gods and to demand tribute from neighboring states.

Soldiers were rewarded with elaborate costumes to show how many prisoners they had captured.

The last Aztec ruler was Montezuma. He believed a rumor that the Spanish commander Herman Cortes was the god Quetzalcoatl in human form and invited him to his palace.

Bad mistake-the Spaniards took Montezuma prisoner and conquered his empire.

Reddy's

2011-05-16T20:20:00.000-07:00

History of Reddy's

Reddy community found all over Andhra Pradesh and the neighboring states. In Andhra Pradesh, the Reddy’s are considered traditional village headmen. The duties of headmen included the collection of tax, guarding the village and basically representing the village in dealing with outsiders or even the government. Physically they are very well built and strong, 'solid farmer stock' according to some english observers, and they retain a residual military -aristocratic tradition. Several members of the community are very wealthy landowners and businessmen, but most are small farmers.

According to manu, the four varna grouping (loosely called caste) brahman-kshatriya-vaisya-sudra are all aryan. They differ in their duties, rights etc but are ALL 100% arya according to manu. (the rest of you fallen aryans dont figure ;-)

Roots of the Reddis:

The Reddis do not constitute a ethnic group, really. There are several strands which go to make the Reddis of today. They appear to be basically Deccan plateau inhabitants, which includes Maharashtra, Karnataka and Andhra. Another point to note, in several areas the term Reddi was treated as a sort of title for anyone who was appointed as village headman. Usually this meant a soldier, who got along fine with the other headmen. Gradually the descendants would be absorbed into the larger Reddi grouping.

The earliest reference we have to anyone resembling the Reddis are the Rathis and the Maha rathis before 200 BC. These kings ruled over small principalities in the Deccan plateau area of Maharashtra, Karnataka and Andhra before the Satavahanas and mauryas. They have left coins in northern Andhra Pradesh, also in Kurnool district, and near Pune etc. The coins are found in the levels between the megalithic and satavahana levels in excavations. The term Rathi might refer to "one riding a chariot" (Ratha=horse drawn chariot in prakrit and old sanskrit). A grander Rathi king might be called Maha rathi. Actually this "Rathi" can be traced directly to the people riding horse drawn chariot during the time of the rgveda and avesta ( 'rathaesthar' in avestan), but I dont have any specific evidence linking today's Reddis so far back in time. Could be some connection, of course.

The Satavahanas intermarried with the maharathis. Sri Satakarni married Naaganika Devi, daughter of a maha rathi.(221 -198 BC). The Satavahanas ruled over Malwa and parts of Gujarat as well and clashed with the Sakas -Pahlavas (scythians and pallavas) but eventually intermarried with them. The Deccan was covered with thick forests, only scattered areas were under agriculture, and that too likely slash and burn primitive agriculture. Castes and communities were still forming. Even feudalism hadn't really developed in those days, the tribal structure was slowly dissolving with the influence of Buddhism. So one shouldn't take the caste thing too seriously.

The Reddis in the Telangana region were active in the kakatiya kingdom. (AD 1000-1223). They were knights and barons and subordinate kings who ruled regions, in turn they had to pay taxes/ a part of the plunder and organise troops for campaigns. Several large dams and lakes and large sized wells were constructed by the reddis of the time, and they still serve their purpose as planned a thousand years ago.

After the kakatiya kingdom broke up, many Reddis migrated to coastal Andhra---Addanki and Kondaveedu, and later Rajahmundry on the Godavari and founded their own independent kingdoms which flourished between 1325-1448 AD. Komati Prolaya Vemareddy , son of Komati Prola reddy founded this kingdom . There are foolish elaborate explanations of why the name Komdi or Komati was their surname (apart from silly fake legends, there is an attempt to discover some "jain goddess".)

One actual very simple reason, which sems to have escaped scholars, is Komdi or Komda is a name of a tribal deity Kumara, Kumra, Kartikeya, Mayura, Mora, Velan, Murugan--- the warlike son of Siva. A merchant community called komati also is derived from this ancient name, while they have very little to do with reddis. There is one more derivation --from Kumuda , Khumdi, Cimmerian which also rings true.

While the area and extent may not have been large, these Reddi Raja states are historically significant because Telugu literature got a strong impetus. Vemareddi has left many inscriptions, the well preserved ones detailing the repairs he made to temples like Srisailam and Ahobilam and Drakshaaram.

During the Vijayanagar empire (roughly 1300 -1600 AD) too they were prominent especially in Rayalseema, where they became independent zamindars or landholders and were constantly engaged in clan feuding. (the feuds continue to this day). The Rayalseema reddis are closely related to the landlord Gowdas of karnataka and the Reddiars of Tamilnad. There are also a few Reddi principalities which managed to survive independently between large warring states, in Mahabubnagar district (Old Palamoor) like Gadwal and Wanaparthi. The Reddis around these areas have a tradition they are descended from ancient Chalukya ancestors.

Reddis are also prominent in Nellore and Chittoor district also. ---(some claim they are descended from pallava ancestors, but proof is lacking). In these areas, during British times they often visited closeby Madras, took to modern education in the Madras presidency, and also joined the military.

In the Golkonda region, all during the Turkish rule and recent Nizams too , the Reddis continued to be headmen, village policemen and tax collectors and farmers. The larger Reddi landlords were styled as Desais and Doras.

( and continued their bitter nine-hundred year old rivalry with the Velamas, another feudal clan. This rivalry also exists to this day in rural areas). Several Reddis were noblemen during the Nizams time, too.

The Reddis of all the various regions mentioned have different traditions and notions and do not seem to have very much in common with each other : they have more in common with other communities of their regions. Given the background one would expect they are all feudal reactionary upper caste bigots : not so, they were prominent in reform activities too. In medieval times they were enthusisatic backers of Saivite and Vaishnavite reform movements too. In south coastal areas --guntur, for instance--- reddis intermarried with Brahmins and others under the influence of saivite reformers. In Telangana area they used to wed girls from other communities but the offspring wouldn't bear the clan name. In north Andhra Pradesh, during the communist-led Telangana people's movement against the feudal Nizam state in the 1940's, there were many comrades from a Reddy background. Eventually, a large number of Reddis went into business especially construction and films and have made a name for themselves in the field. --Nagi reddi , etc. Don't forget Kalabandhu Subbiramireddy. In recent times they are prominent in the world pharmaceutical industry too, like Dr Anji Reddy. Dr. Neelam Sanjiva Reddy was a President of India. (etc etc, many others too long to list. Generally they are embarrassed if listed.)

While the older generation of Reddis had a feeling for the "land" and flair for farming, and leadership of the villages, nowadays there is a rapid change in rural areas: the younger Reddis are losing interest in rural life (not just farming, but the ramifications like district politics) and migrating to the cities, becoming urban professionals and businessmen. Fairly large numbers have migrated to the USA. They are prominent in Telugu organisations in the USA. Australia and NZ also seem to be attracting Reddis.

Other Angle

Reddy lso transliterated as Raddi, Reddi) is the name of a socio-economically and politically dominant caste found in South India. Caste endogamy is still observed. They formed part of the ruling class of ancient Telugu society. There was Reddy dynastykings in the 14th century. The community still enjoys impregnable social status and political power.

Reddys regard Andhra Pradesh as their homeland and telugu is their mother tongue,however they form an intricate part of the of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Maharastra society as well and are proficient in those languages too. Many Reddys migrated to tamilnadu centuries ago and have formed a distinct community that is completely incorporated nto andhra culture and doesn't necessarily feel a closer affinity to their Andhra cousins. However, marriage between Andhra and gulf people is still common. Reddiar is a Tamilianised version of Reddy. Sri RAMA (Sri Vishnu), Sri Krishna and Lord Shiva are by far their most popular deities.

Origin

Regarding the origin of the term and specific caste there are various theories:

The oral traditions of Reddys state (first Reddy is a charioteer who impressed the king with his courage in the battle and own some lands) that Reddy is a corruption of Ratti meaning chariot or charioteer and their ancestors were charioteers for the Rashtrakutas. The Reddys may have been early practitioners of agriculture and farming. "Reddy" is derived from the Telugu word "redu" which means farm land. Some linguists surmised the word Reddy originated from the medieval term Rattodu, which is derived from Rashtrakutudu. The Rashtrakutas employed wealthy local farmers to head villages and collect taxes in the empire and conferred the title of Reddy. The usage of the word Reddy specifically was first seen in the inscriptions made during the Renati Chola times (7th century CE) ).

Another theory relates the Reddies to the Rathis, who ruled over small principalities in the Deccan plateau before 200 BCE and before the Satavahanas and Mauryas. The Rathis left coins in northern Andhra Pradesh, Kurnool district, and near Pune. The coins are found in the levels between the megalithic and Satavahana levels in excavations.

Early history

The Rashtrakutas were initially the elite troops of the Chalukyas. They founded an empire after the Badami Chalukyas faded from the scene. After the Rashtrakutas declined we find inscriptions of the succeeding Kalyani Chalukya]]s in Andhra Pradesh, in which Reddys were mentioned (900 CE). They were soldiers appointed as Chieftans of villages in Medak district by the Kalyani Chalukyas. Some of the names mentioned are Mini Raddi and Kati Raddi. The inscription mentions the name of the appointee, the authorized appointer, the important personages of the areas and surrounding villages. Ratnagiri fort was built by potu sri chenna reddy and was captured by Muslim rulers in maharastra . Ratnagiri reddy's migrated to Adilabad and karim nagar in early 19th century.

Kakatiya period

After the decline of Kalyani Chalukyas at the beginning of the 12th century, Prola II (1110-1158 CE) declared himself independent from the Chalukyas and established the Kakatiya dynasty. Prola used the title of Reddi[3] in his inscriptions. Early inscriptions by the Kakatiyas indicated that they arose from the Chaturavarna. Rudramma Devi's daughter married a Chalukya prince or a Kota prince, her grandson was the famous Pratapa Rudra. Only since his birth did the Kakatiyas claim to be Warriors. By the early 14th century the Kakatiya Empire was under threat from the Delhi Sultanate. Kakatiya emperor Pratap Rudra agreed to pay tribute, but then withheld the payment and this provoked the final and fatal attack in 1323 CE. King Pratap Rudra was captured and committed suicide by drowning himself in the river Narmada while being taken to Delhi. The Telugu country was plundered and subjugated. This marked a watershed in the history of the Reddys. The Reddys who had been predominant in the Telangana region migrated to the coastal areas after the fall of Warangal. The brother of Pratap Rudra escaped to the Orissa region and founded a kingdom in Bastar. The royal family of Bastar claims descent from Kakatiya Annam Deo.

Reddy dynasty

The Reddy dynasty ruled some parts of the coastal Andhra Pradesh about 60years. Andhrula Sanghika Charitra, Suravaram Pratapa Reddy, (in Telugu)</ref> Reddys became independent after the martyrdom of Musunuri Kapaya Nayak[5] at the hands of Recherla Velama kings in the battle of Bhuvanagiri (Bhongir in Telangana region). Komati Prolaya Vema Reddy was the first king of the Reddy dynasty.[6] The capital of the kingdom was Addanki which was moved to Kondavidu and subsequently to Rajahmundry. His reign was characterized by restoration of peace, patronage of arts and literature, and all round development. Errana, the translator of Ramayana, lived during this period.

The dynasty declined due to the wars with Recherla chiefs and Gajapathis of Orissa. In later years, Reddys had to be content as vassals of Golconda Muslim kings.

Golkonda period

The Reddys continued to be Chieftains, village policemen, tax collectors and farmers in the Telangana region, throughout Turkish rule and under the Nizams. The Reddy landlords styled themselves as Desais , Doras and Patel. Several Reddys were noblemen in the court of Nizam Nawabs. During the communist led Telangana people's movement against the Nizam state in the 1940s many Reddys actively took part in the struggle.

British period

Reddys in general and especially the ones in Nellore and Chittoor districts took to modern forms of agriculture early, helping them to increase their wealth and also were one of the first communities to place importance in education because of their proximity to Madras (Modern Chennai).

Recent history

Their recent history is quite distinguised as you can tell from the list of prominent members. Their political preeminence is being challenged from other castes but are still an influential component of Telugu society and politics. In addition to their traditional farming occupation large sections have taken up various professions including industry, business, real estate, construction and films.

Role in politics

Influenced by their long tradition of being village headman and Zamindhars, Reddys continue to be very active in local, state and national politics. Particularly in the state of Andhra Pradesh, a number of former chief ministers belong to this community. The list of chief ministers include [sambireddy [Bezawada Gopala Reddy]],Neelam Sanjiv Reddy, Kasu Brahma Ananda Reddy, Marri Chenna Reddy , Kotla Vijaya Bhaskar Reddy and Y.S.RajaSekhar Reddy who collectively ruled the state for more than 30 years after the formation of state in 1956. Neelam Sanjiv Reddy served as a President of India

Some important years of Chinese history

2011-05-04T08:20:00.001-07:00

Some important years of Chinese history(AD)

1.610 AD: - The Grand Canal, built to carry trade between north and south china, is completed; it runs for 1770 km (1100miles)

2. 1000AD: - Science and technology flourished under the Song dynasty.

3. 1275 AD: - Venetian explorer Marco polo arrives at the court of Kublai Khan, Mongol emperor of china

4. 1368 AD: - A Peasant ruler, Zhu Yuangzhang, over throws the Mongols and becomes the first Ming emperor.

5. 1644 AD: - Manchu (Mongolian) warriors seize Bejing and establish the Qing dynasty (Until 1911).

KAMMA

2011-04-29T01:26:00.000-07:00

KAMMA
The most influential community in Andhra Pradesh today is the Kamma, or Chowdhary community.
In a numerical ranking (by population size) they would probably be fifth or sixth, but they are concentrated in some areas like Krishna, Guntur, Southern parts of the Godavari river delta, Nizamabad in Telangana and some places of Rayalseema like Anantapur.

Roots of the Kammas:

1. The early "kamma" section could be immigrants into these parts later than 100 AD, probably part of the great kaambhoja migrations from central asia along with the Saka Pallavas who clashed and ultimately merged with the Satavahanas. It has to be remembered the caste thing was not rigid then: Buddhism was prevalent. The pallavas
settled in Guntur-Nellore areas. (for further details, read the inscriptions of the early pallavas).

2. The next stream seem to be from Northern Uttar Pradesh/Haryana area, during the period when large parts of Andhra pradesh region were coming under the plough for the first time. Forests used to be cleared, a frontier outpost was built round a small temple, the "agraharam" village was given by the kings to brahmins imported from far away lands. Their job was to popularise agriculture in the area to the hunting and food gathering peoples.
In several places the so called backward tribals picked up education very rapidly and intermarried too. According to one theory Kammas are descended from the foreign immigrant aryas (i.e. brahmins and the warriors and the other people who had a patriarchal system) and the local independent minded tribal warrior girls following a 'matriarchal' social pattern, where women are important and not the men : the head of household is the woman's
brother, while the husband is still considered to be of another clan. This is possible, for the later Kammas maintained a military connection and the girls are still of independent mind.

3. Another theory is that kammas are one of the buddhist era trading communities who regularly travelled between krishna delta and Uttarapatha via Gujarat Rajasthan ( Malwa) and Haryana. There were several well-established and powerful trade guilds and castes.

All these might be correct, but the evidence is indirect and we have little concrete direct proof. So one can't take these as hard proven facts.

The term Chowdhary refers to tax collection of a fourth of the farm produce. While it was said to be introduced during maratha times, it seems to have become fairly popular all over

India

, and we find "choudharies" in haryana and bengal as well. But it was a revenue post, and sometimes the head of the local merchants' and traders'
guild is also called chowdhary. Possibly the kammas took up trade and business, as explained.

In coastal Andhra area, with the English development of the river Canal system, the river delta Kammas turned to capitalist farming (compared to small scale peasant farming earlier) and other businesses. They run huge sugar, chemical and cement factories, the film industry, cultural institutions, newspapers, etc.

In the Krishna district kammas were active in the struggle against feudal (kamma) landlords and several joined the Communist party. The kammas fully backed the struggle against the feudal Nizam and several gave their lives, too. (The top leadership and backers of the Telugu Desam party are Kamma, claims to the contrary not to be believed. It is true the TDP today is bascially a party of the "backward castes" ie small farmers, though.).

AMAZING FACTS

2011-04-23T06:55:00.000-07:00

AMAZING FACTS

When Ying zing became king of Qin, China was divided into seven warring states. He conqured them all and declared himself Qin Shi Huang (the First Emperor)

of china in 221BC

He determined to make

China

a single state

He orders the construction of an earth barrier stretching more than 1,600 km (1,000 miles) to keep

out invasions – the beginning of great wall of china.

He feared only one thing death. He travelled the islands of

Japan

in search of a magic elixir to give him eternal life.

It took 7,00,000 men and 36 years to build his massive tomb. It is 60m (164 ft) and is said to contain a replica of his capital city.

Second French revolution

2011-04-16T06:55:00.001-07:00

Second French revolution

Per the Charter of 1814, Louis XVIII ruled

France

as the head of a constitutional monarchy. Upon Louis XVIII's death, his brother, the Count of Artois, ascended to the throne in 1824, as Charles X. Supported by the ultra-royalists, Charles X was an extremely unpopular reactionary monarch whose aspirations were far more grand than those of his deceased brother. He had no desire to rule as a constitutional monarch, taking various steps to strengthen his own authority as monarch and weaken that of the lower house.

In 1830, Charles, presumably instigated by one of his chief advisors Jules, prince de Polignac, issued the Four Ordinances of St. Cloud. These ordinances abolished freedom of the press, reduced the electorate by 75%, and dissolved the lower house. This action provoked an immediate reaction from the citizenry, who revolted against the monarchy during the Three Glorious Days of July 1830. Charles was forced to abdicate the throne and to flee Paris for England. As a result, Louis Philippe, of the Orleanist branch, rose to power, replacing the old Charter by the Charter of 1830, and his rule became known as the July Monarchy.

Nicknamed the "Bourgeois Monarch", Louis Philippe sat at the head of a moderately liberal state controlled mainly by educated elites. Supported by the Orleanists, he was opposed on his right by the Legitimists (former ultra-royalists) and on his left by the Republicans and Socialists. Under his rule, privileged groups were favored, and elitism resulted in the disenfranchisement of much of the middle and working classes. By 1848 only about one per cent of the population held the franchise. Even though France had a free press and trial by jury, only landholders were permitted to vote, which alienated the petty bourgeoisie from the high bourgeoisie. Louis Philippe was viewed as generally indifferent to the needs of society, especially to those members of the middle class who were excluded from the political arena. Early in 1848, some Orleanist liberals, such as Adolphe Thiers, had turned against him, disappointed by Louis Philippe's opposition to parliamentarism.

Alexis de Tocqueville had observed, "We are sleeping together in a volcano . . . A wind of revolution blows, the storm is on the horizon." Lacking the property qualifications to vote, the lower classes were about to erupt in revolt.

Events of February:-

On February 26, 1848, the liberal opposition came together to organize a provisional government, called the Second Republic. Two major goals of this republic were Universal suffrage and Unemployment relief. Universal male suffrage was enacted on March 2, giving France nine million new voters. As in all other European nations, women did not have the right to vote. However, during this time a proliferation of political clubs emerged, including women's organizations. Relief for the unemployed was achieved through National Workshops, which guaranteed French citizens' "right to work". By May, 1848 the National Workshops were employing 100,000 workers and paying out daily wages of 70,000 livres.[5] In 1848, 479 newspapers were founded. There was also a 54% decline in the number of businesses in Paris, as most of the wealthy had left; there was a corresponding decline in the luxury trade and credit was unobtainable.

The End of the Revolution in France

Politics continued to tilt to the right, and the era of revolution in

France

came to an end. Louis Napoleon's family name of Napoleon rallied support, and after sweeping the elections he returned to the old order, purging republicans and returning the "vile multitude" (Thiers) to its former place. By the December 2, 1851 coup, he dissolved the National Assembly without having the constitutional right to do so, and became the sole ruler of France. Cells of resistance surfaced, but were put down, and the Second Republic was over. He reestablished universal suffrage, feared by the Republicans at the time who correctly expected the country-side to vote against the Republic, Louis Napoleon took the title Emperor Napoleon III, and the Second Empire began.

French revolution of 1789

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French revolution of 1789

Movement that shook France between 1787 and 1799, reaching its first climax in 1789, and ended the ancien régime.

Causes included the loss of peasant support for the feudal system, broad acceptance of the reformist writings of the philosophes, an expanding bourgeoisie that was excluded from political power, a fiscal crisis worsened by participation in the American Revolution, and crop failures in 1788. The efforts of the regime in 1787 to increase taxes levied on the privileged classes initiated a crisis. In response, Louis XVI convened the Estates-General, made up of clergy, nobility, and the Third Estate (commoners), in 1789. Trying to pass reforms, it swore the Tennis Court Oath not to disperse until France had a new constitution. The king grudgingly concurred in the formation of the National Assembly, but rumours of an “aristocratic conspiracy” led to the Great Fear of July 1789, and Parisians seized the Bastille on July 14. The assembly drafted a new constitution that introduced the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen, proclaiming liberty, equality, and fraternity. The Constitution of 1791 also established a short-lived constitutional monarchy. The assembly nationalized church lands to pay off the public debt and reorganized the church (see Civil Constitution of the Clergy). The king tried to flee the country but was apprehended at Varennes. France, newly nationalistic, declared war on Austria and Prussia in 1792, beginning the French Revolutionary Wars. Revolutionaries imprisoned the royal family and massacred nobles and clergy at the Tuileries in 1792. A new assembly, the National Convention—divided between Girondins and the extremist Montagnards—abolished the monarchy and established the First Republic in September 1792. Louis XVI was judged by the National Convention and executed for treason on Jan. 21, 1793. The Montagnards seized power and adopted radical economic and social policies that provoked violent reactions, including the Wars of the Vendée and citizen revolts. Opposition was broken by the Reign of Terror. Military victories in 1794 brought a change in the public mood, and Maximilien Robespierre was overthrown in the Convention on 9 Thermidor, year II (in 1794 in the French republican calendar), and executed the next day (see Thermidorian Reaction). Royalists tried to seize power in Paris but were crushed by Napoleon on 13 Vendémaire, year IV (in 1795). A new constitution placed executive power in a Directory of five members. The war and schisms in the Directory led to disputes that were settled by coups d'état, chiefly those of 18 Fructidor, Year V (in 1797), and 18–19 Brumaire, Year VIII (in 1799), in which Napoleon abolished the Directory and declared himself leader of France

Rise of Napoleon

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Napoleon Bonaparte was not born into power. Life for him began in August of 1769. Born to Corsican aristocrat parents his beginning was founded on a hatred for the country he would later reside over. Not quite nobility, one would assume that Bonaparte’s chance to rise was somewhat slim. He spent his early years in a military school in France and was considered an outsider, because most of the other students came from rich French families. It wasn’t until the French Revolution, when France was in dire straits, that Napoleon burst onto the scene. Some might say that France’s social and economic decline alone paved a clear path for Napoleon to rise to power. I beg to differ, citing many different reasons and circumstances as to why Bonaparte was able to pull off the power climb that he did. In this essay I will describe, evaluate and analyze the instances that enabled Napoleon to become Emperor.

Before Bonaparte became involved, France was in a war that divided many of its citizens. Although the war was not particularly protested, the basis for war was something that no one could agree on. Right royalists wanted war in hopes of reviving the rule of Louis XVI, the republican left’s ideas were strongly conflicting as they hoped the war would present a chance to overthrow the King and form a republic. The beginning of this revolution left France in a terrible state. Its army was not up to par as it had once been. People were not encouraged and willing to fight. On August 23rd a total mobilization of France was ordered, which meant that every able-bodied person would have some place in the army. All men would fight. Married men would forge weapons, even women and children would be given responsibilities such as serving in hospitals and tearing rags into lint respectively. This in fact helped improve the moral of the country. Soldiers for once had in their minds a valid reason to fight. In 1793 Louis XVI was beheaded and France became a republic, led by Robespierre and also ensued was The Reign of Terror. Just a year later, he was executed and France had even more troubles seeing as Austria, Spain, Prussia and Great Britain did not agree with the politics of the republic.
In times such as these, where France needed a “hero” so to speak, the country almost beckoned someone to come and inspire them. Someone who would be able to encourage the French people. Napoleon fit that criteria. In my opinion, I don’t think it was just a matter of circumstance which allowed Napoleon to spring onto the political scene. Of course, the state of France was a good platform for him to use, but one can not over look the obvious and outstanding characteristics of Napoleon himself. Those very close to him feared him, yet the majority of the population seemed to welcome his uprising. He represented all the promises the French people wanted to hear. After years of suffering they looked to him for hope of finally restoring peace and a unified nation. It is amazing that a single person as cunning as Bonaparte could have an entire nation fooled. While I don’t believe all of Napoleons intentions were misguided, I do assert that almost everything he did was self motivated to somehow increase his own self worth. If he were alive today I am sure any psychiatrist would classify him as being a text book narcissist. His own wife even feared him greatly. If not for her deteriorating financial situation, she probably would have never married him.
At the siege of Toulan, Bonaparte was promoted to commander of the artillery of the Army of Italy (which was the French army positioned in Italy at the time). With them he planned battles and acquired approval of Robespierre’s younger brother, which wasn’t necessarily a good thing. Many did not take a liking to the idea of anyone supporting Robespierre’s views and subsequently in July of 1794, Bonaparte was treated as a terrorist and detained. When he was released he returned to the Army of Italy. In 1795 he was stationed in Paris and he received a job in the Topographical Bureau. It was there that he met many people that would come to influence him. One such person was Paul Francois Barras and his mistress Josephine Beaharnais. Barras would become someone very close to Napoleon and Josephine, even closer, would become his wife. It’s the small things such as Bonaparte’s denial to be located with the military in Turkey that could attribute to his rise. Could it be said that had he been accepted to fight in Turkey, that he never would have crossed paths with Barras? Maybe or maybe not, but regardless he did and his relationship with Barras would prove to be a strong one.
When on October 4th many of the members of the Commune of Paris lined the streets, Napoleon took advantage of the situation. He immediately went to the Convention and it was there that some proposed Bonaparte to be the one to help save the republic. With Barras named the commander in chief of the Committee of Public Safety, Napoleon was put in charge of operations. Again, his politically influential friendships obviously helped him acquire this position. The following day in the afternoon Napoleon took full advantage of his new title, went to the streets and did away with the mobs of rebel royalists. While any other person in a situation such as this might have taken the time to think of a proper plan, Napoleon’s level headed impulsiveness clearly worked to his benefit, for shortly after this victory he was appointed commander of the Army of the Interior. A few months after that another promotion to commander in chief of the Army of Italy. There are a few guesses as to why Bonaparte was promoted. The popular one is that he had received a promise from Barras to lead an army if he could in fact defeat the royalists. Another colorful theory suggests that his title was a gift from Barras for taking his mistress, Josephine, off of his hands. Seeing how Napoleon was viewed as an intelligent man, I don’t understand why his quick rise was such a shock. After losing many battles and having a country at it’s wits end, it must have been a refreshing resurgence of patriotism to see someone take charge and use such swift action.
In 1796 when Napoleon did head to Italy, he was faced with a group of discouraged and malnourished soldiers. Other commanders had failed before him. It wouldn’t be a surprise if he failed too. Yet Bonaparte was energetic and optimistic. He greeted his new army with welcoming words, “Soldiers! You are ill-fed and almost naked. The government owes you a great deal, but it can do nothing for you. Your patience and courage do you honor but give you neither worldly goods nor glory. I shall lead you into the most fertile plains on earth. There you shall find great cities and rich provinces. There you shall find honor, glory, riches. Soldiers of the Army of Italy! Could courage and constancy possibly fail you?” This empowering speech almost makes me want to pick up arms and head out into the Alps. It was with this kind of determination that he won many of his wars. The fact that not only did he give inspiring talks, but he had strong physical demands of his army as well. They marched fast, long and with great endurance. After a year and a half of being in Italy, he nearly conquered most of the land. Even though most victories were not large, in the minds of his soldiers and France they were. This was the first time in a while they could bask in the glory of their triumph.
He fought many battles while with the Army of Italy including Montenotte, Millesimo, Dego, and Mondovi. Most of the people in Italy looked upon Napoleon as someone who had set them free from Austrian rule, even though he looted their artwork and fortunes to pay his soldiers and himself. It was at this time it had been said that Napoleon truly found his inner calling. He had decided that he was destined to rise, to become a great leader. His fascination with becoming King of France bordered on insane, although his aspirations might not have been quite so high at the time. He said after his army defeated their adversaries at Lodi, “From that moment, I foresaw what I might be. Already I felt the earth flee from beneath me, as if I were being carried into the sky.” Returning to France only heightened his self assurance. His fellow Frenchmen looked up to him with admiration. Even though his knowledge in math wasn’t that great, he was still chosen as a member for the National Institute in the Mathematical Section. The treatment he endured surely only strengthened his ego, but this wasn’t enough. Napoleon never seemed to be satisfied, as if constantly pushing himself to the limits, believing that he could achieve so much more. This dissatisfaction led him to conjure up the not so new idea of taking over Egypt.
What the foreign minister to Louis XV had thought about, Napoleon now sought out to do himself. Since it was widely known that Egypt belonged to no one, he thought that is was best to gain control over this land before anyone else could get their hands on it. Not to mention what victory in Egypt could do for his political career. This deployment was an attempt at secrecy, even though the British knew something was going on and decided to send Sir Nelson and his convoy on a mission to find the French and destroy them where ever they may be heading. His ship was sailing twice as fast as Napoleon’s fleet. One foggy night he passed the French convoy unintentionally. Had the environment been different that evening would the two countries engaged in battle then? Would the outcome have been different? Regardless, Nelson’s ships ported in Alexandria only to find it empty so the British left. A couple days later Napoleon and his massive army arrived. They proceeded to over take Alexandria rather quickly then headed on ward towards Cairo. Bonaparte believed that he was coming under the Sultans authority to free the people of Egypt, but that was not the case. Turkey had already embarked on a war against France unbeknownst to Napoleon. While he fought his way to Cairo, the rest of Bonaparte’s fleet was met with a rude awakening at Abukir Bay. Nelson had learned of the French there and immediately ordered an attack. It was a battle that destroyed many ships and sailors, but possibly even more devastating was the fact that now Napoleon had no way back to his homeland. This battle, the Battle of The Nile, was the main cause the Sultan went to war with France. Even though it could easily be categorized as a defeat, these events proved to be empowering for Napoleon. Showing that his over inflated ego was still growing, grandiose ideas enveloped in his mind. The fallacy of victory, the bulletins he sent out proclaiming faulty casualty numbers; Did he truly believe himself to be a victor? The people of France fell under this belligerent general’s spell.
During the last month of the year 1799, Napoleon took it open himself to draft a new constitution. There was a process that usually ensued when doing this sort of thing, but Bonaparte could not wait. His desire was to conquer everything. In his mind it was the only possible way. Most people could not govern themselves. On December 25th the Constitution of the Year VIII was law and it named Napoleon as First Consul which gave him his first spot in politics. Generally he appointed ministers for every thing imaginable, basically giving him limited control over it all. He also is responsible for creating The Council of State, which its ideas were later used in forming some American politics.
Napoleon seemed at this time to be in his peak. By 1801 he had begun negotiations with Pope Pius VII in Italy to reinstate Catholicism in France, which led to the Concordat. It stated that the Church would not be given back property that was taken during the Revolution, that the First Consul would assign bishops and that clergy would be paid by the government. While it confused others, this was all part of Napoleon’s plan of having French rule in Italy. Around that same time a peace treaty was signed between England and France, stopping war for the first time in ten years. During this reform, the Louisiana Purchase was signed and the United States received its 18th state. Another reason one could assume this was the peak for Napoleon was that he created the Civil Code. This code changed the civility of France. Men grew stronger, while women grew weaker. But with this code came many others, which proved beneficial. The Code of Civil Procedure, which essentially unified law and under it every man was equal. I believe this was Napoleon’s last outstanding accomplishment before his downfall. Of course, he did go on to win many more battles, but before then his exterior began to crack and the ruthlessness and greed that corrupted his mind was evident.
The Napoleonic era coexisted with the Romanticism that swept through Europe. Napoleons once favorable public opinion, could now be tarnished by the words of authors and poets. One such writer, Madame de Staelwrote la Grande National which in essence offered that one nation could benefit from another. This displeased Napoleon and he had written to the Madame, “We have not yet reached the point where we have to model ourselves on the nations you admire. Your last work is un-French.” Later upon spending some time near Bonaparte she mentioned that the terror he inspired was inconceivable.
The harsh and unjust punishment demanded by Napoleon after an assassination attempt upon him proves my opinion of his character. He made the decision in haste that the Jacobins were responsible and subsequently had them deported or executed. The fact that some had credible evidence to disprove this theory did not matter. His judgement was impulsive and swift. Some of the qualities that helped him rise in the beginning now were traits of his overall apathetic demeanor. His delusions now ranked quite high. First Consul was not enough for him, he was still considered equal to his generals. Even though he was not exactly of noble birth, (he was hardly a Frenchman, his town had been taken over by France just three months before his birth) he still set his ambitions on the Crown and would stop at nothing to get it, including war. He met with a British ambassador to have a discussion and this once calculated mad lost his cool and was seething with rage. On May 18th 1803, England declared war on France.
Bonaparte’s political position was fragile. He learned of a royalist plot to do away with republicanism from Joseph Fouce. Of course this idea did not fit into Napoleon’s plans. His anxious suspicion got the best of him as he scoured to find out who could possibly be of royal blood to replace him. It almost seemed a random guess when he came up with duc d’Enghien, since there was literally no evidence to support Napoleon’s claims. Out of sheer greed for the throne and in my opinion jealousy, he had the young man kidnaped and murdered. Duc d’Enghien’s ultimate demise is depicted in The Age of Napoleon with the essence of a Shakespear tragedy. Fouche, who was a cohort in the kidnaping of the young royal, was quoted as saying, “It was worse than a crime-it’s a mistake.” When a Cardinal properly married Bonaparte and his wife, and he became Emperor. It was this point in my belief, that Bonaparte began his decline.
They say all genius borders on insanity, to which I firmly agree. It can not be contested that Napoleon was a calculating and intelligent man who brought France through a much needed revolution, but one has to wonder if his selfishly delusional ambition got in the way of what he could have become. Through his later actions he showed that he was not the “hero” France needed, but that France was the pawn in his scheme of getting to the top. I think the last line in J. Christopher Heralds historical novel sums it up best and to quote him, “There is nothing the dictators of the twentieth century could have taught [Napoleon], except perhaps the lesson that a dictator must never try to be emperor.”

American civil war

2011-04-14T08:23:00.001-07:00

Conflict between the U.S. federal government and 11 Southern states that fought to secede from the Union.

It arose out of disputes over the issues of slavery, trade and tariffs, and the doctrine of states' rights. In the 1840s and '50s, Northern opposition to slavery in the Western territories caused the Southern states to fear that existing slaveholdings, which formed the economic base of the South, were also in danger. By the 1850s abolitionism was growing in the North, and when the antislavery Republican candidate Abraham Lincoln was elected president in 1860, the Southern states seceded to protect what they saw as their right to keep slaves. They were organized as the Confederate States of America under Jefferson Davis. The Northern states of the federal Union, under Lincoln, commanded more than twice the population of the Confederacy and held greater advantages in manufacturing and transportation capacity. The war began in Charleston, S.C., when Confederate artillery fired on Fort Sumter on April 12, 1861. Both sides quickly raised armies. In July 1861, 30,000 Union troops marched toward the Confederate capital at Richmond, Va., but were stopped by Confederate forces in the Battle of Bull Run and forced to retreat to Washington, D.C. The defeat shocked the Union, which called for 500,000 more recruits. The war's first major campaign began in February 1862, when Union troops under Ulysses S. Grant captured Confederate forts in western Tennessee. Union victories at the battles of Shiloh and New Orleans followed. In the East, Robert E. Lee won several Confederate victories in the Seven Days' Battles and, after defeat at the Battle of Antietam, in the Battle of Fredericksburg (December 1862). After the Confederate victory at the Battle of Chancellorsville, Lee invaded the North and engaged Union forces under George Meade at the momentous Battle of Gettysburg. The war's turning point in the West occurred in July 1863 with Grant's success in the Vicksburg Campaign, which brought the entire Mississippi River under Union control. Grant's command was expanded after the Union defeat at the Battle of Chickamauga, and in March 1864 Lincoln gave him supreme command of the Union armies. He began a strategy of attrition and, despite heavy Union casualties at the battles of the Wilderness and Spotsylvania, began to surround Lee's troops in Petersburg, Va. (see Petersburg Campaign). Meanwhile William T. Sherman captured Atlanta in September (see Atlanta Campaign), set out on a destructive march through Georgia, and soon captured Savannah. Grant captured Richmond on April 3, 1865, and accepted Lee's surrender on April 9 at Appomattox Court House. On April 26 Sherman received the surrender of Joseph Johnston, thereby ending the war. The mortality rates of the war were staggering—there were about 620,000 deaths out of a total of 2.4 million soldiers. The South was devastated. But the Union was preserved, and slavery was abolished.

Some amazing facts about Indian Epics

2011-04-09T10:26:00.000-07:00

All believe that Lanka in Ramayana is Srilanka.

But based on Valmiki Ramayana Lanka is not present day Srilanka (Ceylon).During those times Lanka was situated in the Indrana hills, also called 'Trikutia hill’, now surrounded by Hiran river (about 100 kms from what is now, Jabalpur) near Amarkarnataka in the vindhya mountains .The sagar (sea) mentioned in the original ramayana is the lake between the Indrana hill and Lanka of the Vindhyas, which is now a marshy land. The monkeys we read about in Ramayana were actually not monkeys but tribal people belonging to ‘Monkey tribes’ as the tribes in that area are called by the names of animals such as ‘Monkeys’,’ Serpents’, ’Jatayus’, ’Balus’ and ‘Vanaras’

All believe that Lanka in Ramayana is Srilanka.

Origin of caste system

2011-04-08T07:04:00.000-07:00

Andhra Pradesh is the birthplace of many castes. It is also home to many other castes and cults founded outside, but who found patronage here. The different schools of thought have rise to various caste movements, reform movements, and philosophical schools of thought. Here's a potpourri of topics on the castes of Andhra Pradesh.

Brahmins

Kammas

Reddys

Mala

Madiga

BCs

Group-A

Group-B

Group-C

Group-D

Table of Contents

Brahmins: According Sir S. Radhakrishnan, although used very widely, the term Brahmin is not a correct word . In the ancient Hindu texts, the word brahmana is used to indicate "absolute" or the "infinite spirit" of Lord Brahma. In the course of history, as the Varna or the caste system developed, the group of priestly people came to be known as brahmanas or Brahmins. In this section, the word brahmin is used to refer to the community of people known as brahmins in today's India. Introduction of Brahmins, Gayatri Mantra, List of Brahmins

Kamma or Chowdhury:

The most influential community in Andhra Pradesh today is the Kamma, or Chowdhary community. In a numerical ranking (by population size) they would probably be fifth or sixth, but they are concentrated in some areas like Krishna, Guntur, Southern parts of the Godavari river delta, Nizamabad in Telangana and some places of Rayalseema like Anantapur.

Reddys:

After the kakatiya kingdom broke up, many Reddys migrated to coastal Andhra---Addanki and Kondaveedu, and later Rajahmundry on the Godavari and founded their own independent kingdoms which flourished between 1325-1448 AD. Komati Prolaya Vemareddy, son of Komati Prola reddy founded this kingdom . There are foolish elaborate explanations of why the name Komdi or Komati was their surname (apart from silly fake legends, there is an attempt to disc.

Backward Castes:

The Backward Classes community in Andhra Pradesh consists of 92 castes and these castes are categorized into four groups as follows:

Group-A (39 Castes)

Group-B (21 Castes)

Group-C (Harijan Convers)

Group-D (33 Castes)

Mala:

Madiga

Hai

2011-04-07T09:19:00.000-07:00

I want to provide information that is not available in the other sites of internet.My posts will be different

Development of sciences of modern India

2011-04-07T09:17:00.000-07:00

There is no important development of sciences in India in the medivial period.Again it is started in modern period.Aryabhatta and Brahma gupta the maths,Sir C.V.Raman the physics etc

Development of science in ancient India

2011-04-07T09:12:00.000-07:00

Actually Indians are very great in science from earlier times.Actually Vedas are full of knowledge of science,social customs,health,philosophy etc.But it is hidden in hands of few and not available to all'Kanada Maharshi' of India's ancient times described the existence of atoms.

Bronze age

2011-04-06T22:56:00.000-07:00

The Bronze Age on the Indian subcontinent began around 3300 BCE with the beginning of the Indus Valley Civilization. It was centered on the Indus River and its tributaries which extended into the Ghaggar-Hakra River valley, the Ganges-Yamuna Doab, Gujarat, and northern Afghanistan. The people of the Indus Valley are believed to have been by some as Dravidians, mainly the population of today's Southern India. But there are arguments on this concept.
The civilization is primarily located in modern day India (Gujarat, Haryana, Punjab and Rajasthan provinces) and Pakistan (Sindh, Punjab, and Balochistan provinces). Historically part of Ancient India, it is one of the world's earliest urban civilizations along with Mesopotamia and Ancient Egypt. Inhabitants of the ancient Indus river valley, the Harappans, developed new techniques in metallurgy and produced copper, bronze, lead and tin

Pre historic era

2011-04-06T08:11:00.000-07:00

Isolated remains of Homo erectus in Hathnora in the Narmada Valley in Central India indicate that India might have been inhabited since at least the Middle Pleistocene era, somewhere between 200,000 to 500,000 years ago. Most traces of the out of Africa migration along the shores of the Indian Ocean seem to have been lost. Due to flooding in the post-Ice Age period, recent finds in Tamil Nadu (at c. 75,000 years ago, before and after the explosion of the Toba volcano) indicate the presence of the first anatomically modern humans in the area.

The Mesolithic period in the Indian subcontinent covered a timespan of around 25,000 years, starting around 30,000 years ago. More extensive settlement of the subcontinent occurred after the end of the last Ice Age, or approximately 12,000 years ago. The first confirmed permanent settlements appeared 9,000 years ago in the Rock Shelters of Bhimbetka in modern Madhya Pradesh, India.

Early Neolithic culture in South Asia is represented by the Mehrgarh findings (7000 BCE onwards) in present day Balochistan, Pakistan. Traces of a Neolithic culture have been found submerged in the Gulf of Khambat in India, radiocarbon dated to 7500 BCE. The Edakkal Caves has one of the earliest examples of stone age writing. Late Neolithic cultures sprang up in the Indus Valley region between 6000 and 2000 BCE and in southern India between 2800 and 1200 BCE.

The north-western part of the Subcontinent has been inhabited continuously for at least two million years. The ancient history of the region includes some of South Asia's oldest settlements[10] and some of its major civilizations. The earliest archaeological site in the Subcontinent is the Paleolithic hominid site in the Soan River valley. Village life began with the Neolithic site of Mehrgarh, while the first urban civilization of the region began with the Indus Valley Civilization.

Known history of India

2011-04-06T08:03:00.000-07:00

The ancient history of India
The known history of India - the name in this context includes the areas now known as India, Pakistan and Bangladesh - begins with the Indus Valley Civilization, which spread and flourished in the north-western part of the Indian subcontinent, from c. 3300 to 1300 BCE. Its Mature Harappan period lasted from 2600-1900 BCE. This Bronze Age civilization collapsed at the beginning of the second millennium BCE and was followed by the Iron Age Vedic period, which extended over much of the Indo-Gangetic plains and which witnessed the rise of major kingdoms known as the Mahajanapadas. In one of these kingdoms Magadha, Mahavira and Gautama Buddha were born in the 6th century BCE, who propagated their Shramanic philosophies among the masses.
Later, successive empires and kingdoms ruled the region and enriched its culture - from the Achaemenid Persian empirearound 543 BCE, to Alexander the Great in 326 BCE. The Indo-Greek Kingdom, founded by Demetrius of Bactria, included Gandhara and Punjab from 184 BCE; it reached its greatest extent under Menander, establishing the Greco-Buddhist period with advances in trade and culture.

Introduction

2011-04-06T07:55:00.000-07:00

Hai guys.Me Hemsveeranki.I also want to provide you the information about history along with science information portal.