... pre-colonial period had a stable economy. Self-sufficient agriculture, flourishing trade and rich handicraft industries. Subsistence farmers, organized in small village communities carried on agricultural operations in India. “Landlords were not landowners; they only had the right or privilege to collect taxes from the peasants” (Rothermund, page 1). A village was more or less a self-sufficient economic unit and its business contacts with the outside world were limited to payment of land revenue (generally in kind) and the purchase of a few necessary things from the town nearby. The farmer raised only t ...

... around Benares (at Sarnath). His era in general was one of spiritual, intellectual, and social ferment. This was the age when the Hindu ideal of renunciation of family and social life by holy persons seeking Truth first became widespread. Siddhartha Gautama was the warrior son of a king and queen. According to legend, at his birth a soothsayer predicted that he might become a renouncer (withdrawing from the temporal life). To prevent this, his father provided him with many luxuries and pleasures. But, as a young man, he once went on a series of four chariot rides where he first saw the more severe forms of human suf ...

... was taking a major step in that direction. On September 22, Lincoln announced the freeing of all slaves in areas not in Union control. Although the proclamation did not free all slaves everywhere, it was the action that would push Congress to pass the thirteenth amendment in 1865. The amendment, ratified later in 1865, stated that "Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude . . . shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction." It seemed democracy had triumphed by giving freedom to slaves, but the amendment was not complete. It only stopped slavery, and made no provisions ...

... and government denials that there is such a thing as . Although the Persian Gulf conflict ended in 1991, some eighty thousand veterans of the war are still suffering from unexplained health problems including chronic fatigue, joint aches, memory loss, rashes, bleeding gums, tumors, and intestinal and respiratory illnesses. They attribute their suffering to wartime service in the Gulf, though past Pentagon investigations concluded that there was no evidence to link their ailments to wartime risks such as oil-well fire smoke, vaccines, or chemical agents. Originally, the cause of these various symptoms was assumed to b ...

... the novel is “Power corrupts, but absolute power corrupts completely.” This is a good theme for the novel and the Russian Revolution because it proves that even the ones you think you can trust are corrupted by the power they possess. Old Major is a boar who helps point out to the animals that no animal in England is free. He continues to tell the animals that everything they produce is stolen by man, who does not produce but only consumes. The animals in return get near nothing, just enough to keep them away from starvation. Old Major gave many speeches to the farm animals about hope and the futur ...

... religion. He argued with priests, slept in fields, and spent days and nights trying to find followers. His first followers were mostly young people and women. Besides freedom of religion, they wanted freedom of speech, worship and assembly, refusal to go to war or take oath, and equality of the sexes and social classes.3 In England, between the years of 1650 and 1700, more than 15,000 Quakers were fined and/or imprisoned; 366 were killed.4 The reason why the Quakers were put through such torture was because their beliefs and culture was different from the Anglican Church. At that time, any religion that was practic ...

... society in the 18th century. Lines of distinction between classes were tightly drawn, and opportunites for social advancement were very few. The economy was not growing as fast as it should have been. Then needs of an increasing population were not being met. Governmet was inefficient and unrepresentative. Economic problems made the heavy tax exempt but neary so, while the peasents and middle classes were subjected to greater and greater burdens. Crops falied, and trade was stagnant. The people could no longer be taxed, but the government faced bank- ruptcy unless new revenues were found. The only sou ...

... and foreign trade, and gives women more rights. Nevertheless, the Empire remains stricken in poverty over slow reforms and the overbearing presence of feudalism. 1825-1861 The feudal system begins to fail when the goals and desires of the common peasant cannot be achieved through such an archaic doctrine. Various successive Czars attempt social reforms which do not leave an impact on the country's well-being. In December of 1825, an uprising from the populace occures when they demand changes to the economic system. With the development of the American, French and Spanish constitutions, the serfs now deman ...

... and steam. As he was wandering through Glasgow Green he struck upon an idea that would revolutionize the steam engine. This idea was "that in order to make the best use of the steam it was necessary that first, that the cylinder should always remain as hot as the steam which entered it; secondly that when the steam was condensed, the water of which it is composed, and injection itself, should be cooled down to a 100 degrees, or lower where it is possible." This method did not work at first, but in 1765 he discovered "that if a communication were opened between a cylinder containing steam and another ...

... took place primarily between 1750 – 1850. It was a time of dramatic change in Britain. Due to the increase in national wealth, generated by economic growth the gap between rich and poor was becoming wider. ‘Many wealthy people took the convenient view that this social order had been ordained by God and should not be interfered with.’ People before the Industrial Revolution manufactured goods in their own home, which was gradually phased out by factories. This meant for some a job in a factory under very harsh conditions and for others it meant unemployment, which led to idleness and also poverty. ...