Grant

12/23 || **Assignment**  Pope Alexander VI podcast || **File** media type="file" key="Pope Alexander VI.mp3" width="240" height="20" || **Comments**  || 2/8 || Google Map Assignment || media type="googlemap" key="http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msa=0&msid=206508821646691123307.0004b8396f44460ba0c80&hl=en&ie=UTF8&t=m&ll=41.244772,-42.1875&spn=114.449618,225&z=2&output=embed" height="480" width="640" align="center" || ||
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 * 12/31 || Photostory || media type="youtube" key="iL-3O1PdKGc" height="315" width="560" ||  ||
 * 2/9 || Alternate Reality Colonization || Grant Yu

// How would the geographic space as we know as the United States of America today be different if it had been colonized from West to East rather than East to West? //

Had the geographic space of modern-day America been colonized from west to east then the culture, political system, infrastructure, economic system, and social climate in the region would have developed in such a way as to reflect the way of life in East Asia.

One can infer that if the colonization of the geographic space of America began in the west then the process would have most likely been facilitated by an eastern Asian country. One can also assume that China, being the most technologically advanced and economically prosperous of all Asian countries for most of history, would have been the group to land in the region. If this was true, then the colonized region would have developed along a path extremely different to the one that it actually did. To begin with, the basic cultural beliefs governing China are completely different from those of Europe. The most important of these beliefs is the way the Chinese view the world. For most of history, the Chinese have viewed foreign countries and peoples as inferior barbarians. With such an attitude, the Chinese would have most likely made the region they conquered a self-contained colony that did not interact with the outside world. In addition, this would mean that mainland China would hold a firm grip over the territory and retain it as a colony for as long as possible (unlike America, which gained independence from Britain). When juxtaposed to the major role that the modern-day U.S. plays in the world, the effect(or lack of effect) that this alternate possibility of a Chinese colony uninvolved in world affairs would have on the world is inconceivable.

If China colonized the region of modern-day America then the political, social, and economic systems of the colony would be similar to such systems in China itself. Because no one could know what form of government or economic system China practiced in this alternate reality, lets make the assumption that a semi-Capitalistic/slightly Communist “mixed” system has been established in all of its territories. If this was true, then the colony would have evolved into a region defined by economic growth, relative political and social stability, and a centralized Chinese government with much authority. With a strict and powerful government, the citizens of the colony would probably not have the right to freedom of expression. However, the colony might undergo a sort of economic revolution or period of rapid industrialization at some point (as can be said with many countries in the real world). In other words, the colony would be neither a truly Communist or truly Democratic state.

Being a colony of China, this territory would most likely not have an organized/developed infrastructure for many years after its colonization. The colony- being a geographical extension of an alternate China that we have assumed to be similar to the China in real life- would have been characterized by many rural areas and a few highly populated urban areas. This would most likely change as time went on, though, and the leaders of China/the colony would deem it necessary to improve the infrastructure of the land in order to sustain economic growth. At this point in our alternate reality, the leaders of the colony/China might also deem it necessary to begin to establish firm political and economic relationships with foreign countries in order to “stay alive” in a in an increasingly interdependent world.

One can say without a doubt that if China colonized the region of modern-day America then the history of the world would be forever altered. ||  ||
 * 3/14 || Timeline || [|http://www.tiki-toki.com/timeline/entry/28905/Absolutism-and-Constitutionalism/] ||  ||