Asia's Current Events:
In Hanoi, on July, 2012, Vietnam and Mexico formed a trade and investment forum. The Prime Minister of Vietnam, Nguyen Tan Dung, was a chairman at the event. This proved to the Mexican Foreign Ministry that Vietnam is ready to become close economic trade partners with Mexico and others West of Vietnam. Vietnam trades footwear, seafood, garments, electronics and coffee to Mexico and Mexico trades machinery, electronics and cattle feed to Vietnam. Each year this trade has brought in more and more money to both countries. Currently their trade agreement is only strengthening now that Mexico will soon join the Trans- Pacific Partnership Agreement. It is predicted that this trade agreement will prosper throughout the years and improve the countries economies.
These similar news articles can connect to the many trade agreements we have learned about this course. This includes slave trade in Africa to America and Latin America, Britain and India's trade agreement with many goods, and Japan trading manufactured goods to Europe for raw products. I also beilieve that Vietnam is so eager to make these trades because they are in a trade surplus with Mexico. This is just like China is with Europe. China trades tea, porcelain, jade and silk for silver from Europe. China is trading more than what they are recieving from Europe so they have more money. Vietnam is trading footwear, seafood, garments, electronics and coffee to Mexico for machinery, electronics and cattle feed from Mexico. Mexico is still benefiting greatly though because earlier in history their economy was not that great.
These similar news articles can connect to the many trade agreements we have learned about this course. This includes slave trade in Africa to America and Latin America, Britain and India's trade agreement with many goods, and Japan trading manufactured goods to Europe for raw products. I also beilieve that Vietnam is so eager to make these trades because they are in a trade surplus with Mexico. This is just like China is with Europe. China trades tea, porcelain, jade and silk for silver from Europe. China is trading more than what they are recieving from Europe so they have more money. Vietnam is trading footwear, seafood, garments, electronics and coffee to Mexico for machinery, electronics and cattle feed from Mexico. Mexico is still benefiting greatly though because earlier in history their economy was not that great.
- http://vietnambreakingnews.com/2013/02/mexico-values-vietnam-latin-america-trade-and-investment-forum/#.UZxCc5ASaNZ
- http://english.vov.vn/Economy/VietnamMexico-trade-on-the-rise/260371.vov
Japan vs. America - Music
In many ways, pop culture in Japan and America is very different. For example, just search some Japanese game shows and you will see that they do a lot more to the contestants either inappropriately or painfully. I chose to compare Japanese music vs American music. Though Japan listens to many American artists, they do make their own music too. I compared the most popular song of the week in Japan to the most popular song of the week in America. They are VERY different. As you can see, a rap artist is dominating the charts in the U.S. while, a very happy and fun artist is ruling the Japan charts. The music videos themselves are also very different. Kyary Pamyu Pamyu's video is filmed at a set with a square headed DJ, some dancers with Japanese character faces and some fluffy monsters. Macklemore's video is filmed as many as nine different locations and has better special effects. Overall, both songs must be great and these artists are loved by their country.
Kyary Pamyu Pamyu- Invader Invader (Japanese)
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis-Can't Hold Us Featuring Ray Dalton (American)
Web Archaeology- China
China is a very old country with many artifacts. One of these artifacts is the oracle bone scripts. The oldest bone script was found in the Shang Dynasty's capital, Anyang, around 1200 BC. Oracle bones are short inscriptions on an ox scapulae or turtle plastrons. Some say the Chinese has used this oracle bone writing from 1400- 1000 BC. This scripture resembles Chinese characters today.
Oracle bone scripts were a form of writing and a oracle to communicate with ancestors. The Shang Dynasty valued their ancestors and strive to keep them happy in their afterlife. Most of the oracle bones had simple questions like, "What will the weather be like tomorrow?" This primary source can be used to conduct research on the modernization of Chinese characters and writing themselves. You also can research the various ways people present offerings and worship (honor) their ancestors throughout China, and the rest of the world. You can compare the question's asked before to the question's asked now. For example, I don't think they would try to predict if the Patriots will win the SuperBowl, (One of the main reasons they wouldn't is because that is such and obvious question, YES).
Oracle bone scripts were a form of writing and a oracle to communicate with ancestors. The Shang Dynasty valued their ancestors and strive to keep them happy in their afterlife. Most of the oracle bones had simple questions like, "What will the weather be like tomorrow?" This primary source can be used to conduct research on the modernization of Chinese characters and writing themselves. You also can research the various ways people present offerings and worship (honor) their ancestors throughout China, and the rest of the world. You can compare the question's asked before to the question's asked now. For example, I don't think they would try to predict if the Patriots will win the SuperBowl, (One of the main reasons they wouldn't is because that is such and obvious question, YES).