Erin's AP Euro

Yale Art Gallery Field Trip

2008-05-23T15:36:00.000-07:00

Two works that my tour group viewed at the Yale Museum Art Gallery were the “Blam” oil on canvas, which was created by Roy Lichtenstein in 1962 and the “Untitled” felt statue, which was constructed by Robert Morris. Both of these pieces of artwork depict different aspects of life such as war.
The print, “Untitled,” composed of all of the different sizes, lengths, and shapes of felt cutouts caught my eye in a startled and surprised fashion. At first I was almost annoyed that the artist would actually have the nerve to overuse the privilege of his “artistic license” to throw random pieces of felt carpeting together and actually consider it art! But as I kept passing by the carpet structure, I couldn’t help but think of why the artist would have selected those materials to create a compact piece of art. The perspective that I gained as I observed this work was that Morris was trying to convey the different stages, types, and walks of life, as well as the various social classes of society within our changing world. Without all of the different jobs and roles that people take and that citizens play within not only our country, but around the world as well, we as a world would not be able to function. This can be related to aspects in our history class discussions that we’ve had over the course of the year, such as when we read the novel Ordinary Men. In the “imaginary” world that the Nazi men were enclosed in, it was believed that the Jews as well as other classified types of individuals were not essential to the life that existed on earth and that they did not belong or deserve to live. The roles of these fellow citizens were considered worthless and minute. What the Nazis and in particular what Hitler did not understand and fathom correctly, was that a perfect society does not exist and theoretically never can or will, especially if one removes a whole layer or species of life from within the larger picture within society itself. Everybody must count and contribute in order to succeed and thrive together as one whole world in life. This statue does not portray an aspect where one piece of cloth over dominates any other parts of the pieces of the other various smaller pieces of cloth. Yes, they may be a little bit larger or significant in size or length, but just like in life, not one person can solely dominate the world alone. Like this work of art, there has to be some symbolism of uniformity where there are several levels of elements that build upon one another and thrive together in order to accomplish and establish a specific role and or purpose that this is trying to portray. The grey color of the carpeting is rather nondescript, which signifies that when given a grey slate in life, one must build upon it and create one’s own distinct individuality so that uniformity does not take over society. One must stand on their own two feet and not let others overpower them and overrule their dreams or beliefs. It is because of individuals such as Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King, Jr. that many citizens have their own freedom today, because they chose to stand their own ground despite the fact that they had to face demeaning consequences. They were selflessly willing to risk their own lives for the future lives to come.
The vibrant and catchy piece of pop art known as “Blam,” is a very influential painting of artwork that really stood out in Yale’s art gallery. It not only symbolized a popular form of art that was being utilized within the early 1960’s, but it also revealed the evils as well as the perils of war and the inevitable violence and tragedy that unfortunately followed along with it. I commend Roy Lichtenstein for taking the time and effort to produce this incredible Benday dot technique, which happened to be popular in commercial printing in order to make large-scale paintings come to life with comic-strip imagery. I really appreciate “Blam” because I feel that the quotation “a picture speaks a thousand words” sums everything up for this work of art. When one stares at this painting even just for a fraction of a second, it becomes quite clear that it portrays the symbolism of both war and death. Ever since planes were invented and were inserted into wartime combat, numerous quantities of soldiers overseas at war have died from plane crashes and invasions. This action picture captures the force, heat, pain, and bravery as well as fear that have been sacrificed tremendously time after time decade after decade, generation after generation when one’s life is taken away. The stars that are located on either side of the wings on the airplane’s wings represent patriotism and the fact that our soldiers have been and still continue to give up their lives for the betterment of ours. In return for their dutiful service and hard work as well as their dedication, society must not only respect, but remember the acts and atrocities that they have had to endure for the betterment of our country. By portraying this painting in a comic strip art form, it is easier to remind the public of what went on everyday in combat on the other side of the world, while the Americans lived safely at home. Sadly it is still the same scenario today, not just in America but throughout the world as well.

WWI Reading-Reflective Response

2008-03-20T19:22:00.000-07:00

A few ideas that were presented in my chosen reading (relating to the creation of masks for the WWI soldiers) that were new to me were about how two artists created masks of soldiers’ faces who were seriously deformed to depict their facial features the way they were originally before they were injured in WWI. This was a very new concept to me and I was surprised as to how successful and life changing the masks were to the victims, and how the masks remained in good condition over an extended period of use. Despite the fact that the masks had only one facial expression, it helped boost the veterans’ self esteem, and helped mitigate the feelings of shame, horror, shock and depression by the victims and their families regarding the soldiers’ scarred and deformed faces. The amazing deeds that both Wood and Ladd practiced were so selfless and courageous. Instead of shunning the shattered soldiers, they decided to take a stand to help them benefit from such a despicable tragedy by opening their hearts and utilizing their artwork skills to make a difference for their lives, so the soldiers could heal and recuperate from the war. This unique act of kindness portrays the theme of ‘art coming to life’.
The article lead me to examine the bigger picture of history much differently because when you learn about war, people tend to focus on the what happens to the land, the government that is formed, and the overall well-being of the society that results. We tend to get caught up in the more material issues and forget about looking at the most important aspect of the result of war…the soldiers who fought to make a difference and those who are impacted. We tend to forget about the actual citizens who were involved that risked and sacrificed their own lives for the sake and betterment of others. It isn’t fair and even though war may not always be right or just, we must remember all of the innocent people who placed their lives on hold for the sake of ours by risking all that they had. These people that put their lives on the line for us must live with the painful cold-blooded memories, images, as well as horrible injuries of war for the rest of their lives.
Yes, there are several lessons and/or events of the WWI period that could be applied in a contemporary setting. One major lesson would be that no matter how advanced our medical studies and practices are today, war never changes and it is just as ugly and dangerous as it was almost a century ago. The decapitation of facial features that happened in WWI still occur today and unfortunately there will always be veterans who will have to live with the loss and social burden of their physical as well as their emotional deformities. We could all learn a life lesson from these soldiers as well as from the doctors and artists who helped contribute to making the soldiers’ post-war worlds a little bit more peaceful by returning their self-respect, dignity and confidence they once had. By enhancing the masks that were made, the artists and physicians went against the social norm of society and rather than scowling at the poor hurt soldiers, they aided them with the proper support and self-confidence that they were not able to find on their own. Whether it’s a mask of the past, or plastic surgery of the present, making a difference in the lives of our freedom fighters is an obligation of our society.

Versailles Conference

2008-03-19T19:43:00.000-07:00

The total experience of the Treaty of Versailles Conference process definitely enhanced my understanding of the political, social, and economic issues facing the world in the aftermath of the Great War. Having the opportunity to perform hands-on related tasks of learning how to conduct and produce a treaty helped me develop a much clearer perspective of what the treaty was truly all about as well as increasing my understanding of the complex relationships between the countries that were affected. Being able to reenact this crucial era was very challenging and intense, however very helpful and beneficial as well. Every person in each group was held accountable for their own research and networking with their fellow country delegates, as well as making sure that any political hostilities or relationships were appropriately kept under control, well organized, and strictly maintained. I was able to gain a clearer picture of how government complies with completing and accomplishing its specific tasks such as forming alliances and creating specific strategies that need to be carried out successfully in order for one’s country to gain anything in return. In order for this treaty to have worked successfully each group member needed to research their own country as well as the other countries that were involved. This was done so that each delegate had an insight of what occurred so they would make certain that they could apply their background knowledge in a way that could be incorporated into a modified treaty that would work to many countries’ own advantages and benefits, without repeating the mistakes that had been carried out before. Despite the fact that each and every country had their own specific set of motives and objectives to accomplish, just like in the real treaty, not everyone was satisfied or was receiving exactly what they would personally preferred. Besides having to deal with the heavy-duty political issues and obstacles that were often thrown at each country, the social and economic problems were very difficult as well. This made it very crucial for good networking skills to be utilized so that countries had backup support as well as other options to use if they were placed into difficult situations.
An aspect that I found particularly engaging throughout this whole process was the forming of alliances with other countries such as two of the Big Powers, as well as keeping a stable and reserved reputation of your own country so that you were well received, trusted, and respected by your fellow delegates. I enjoyed privately talking to other delegates from other delegations and negotiating on different circumstances in return for rewards, such as trade and supporting specific votes in return for others. I also really enjoyed how you could unexpectedly “turn” on any of your allies if you had to in order to gain benefit from them, regardless of the consequences imposed on them. China being a minor contributor to this treaty as well as a non-enemy provided us much leeway with smaller countries’ allies, and we were able to receive greater support in order to regain independence from our sole enemy Japan. We depended on our strongest, faithful, and most dependable ally Great Britain. We both shared an equal understanding and a reciprocal alliance where we were able to help support one another’s votes to help gain greater control, safety, land for more trading ports and joint military support. Just as China depended on other countries to help gain control over Japan, more significant countries such as France and Great Britain greatly depended on us for support in voting to pass certain rulings that were crucial to aiding to their success. Negotiating with other countries was not very difficult because China was far less involved with the greater issues in the war as well as the treaty itself. The only country that we did not negotiate with was Japan. Our sole focus was to have other Pacific territories support us and at least gain the support of two of the ‘Big Powers’ countries, ultimately delivering successful results. As for the nations who were larger in geographic size and who were more involved with the escalating issues and problems that had resulted, it was a far more difficult for them to agree with each other and reach an appropriate compromise. Being truly engaged in this process lead to much harsher consequences faced if the more significant nations didn’t “play their cards out right” and react smartly to very contentious topics that could potentially have changed their country’s well being just by the difference of one vote.
There were problems left unresolved due to the fact that all of the nations were only given one school day to completely debate, share, piece together, and vote on all of the crucial topics that were brought up during the conference. So yes, there were some issues and topics that were left either unsettled or in distress for the sake of time management. There were certain portions of the treaty involving The League of Nations where topics were neglected or not fully thought through to the best ability, such as the section on the League of Nations Army. Some of the decisions resulted in unethical actions and unresolved issues that were not handled appropriately. Despite this, all of the Nations generally handled themselves as well as the treaty very conscientiously, and a fair amount was accomplished for a one-day conference.
If I could change one significant ruling in the treaty, it would be in the area of limitations relating to the size of armies per the significance of each power. Even though China did not play as large of a role in the conference as did the bigger powers, China deserves to have an army of at least one million men because China gained even more land in this treaty and has one of the largest populations represented in the treaty. If China only has 500,000 men supporting and fighting for its immense expanding country, how is it supposed to properly defend itself in an adequate manner? The current amount of men that are charged to protect China is completely unreasonable and does not ensure stability. Due to China’s small size of three delegates, no one was able to negotiate any war reparations in return for damage caused by the war. Minimally, China should have received some form of compensation for their suffering and inconvenience.
A topic that I would like to raise in the post-conference class discussion would be to compare the results of the treaty relative to individual countries’ expectations for their outcome. This would help demonstrate how successfully each nation benefited from this experience and what they could have done differently to manage their strategies in a more efficient and effective manner. This would give delegates of each nation insight and understanding of what was gained and lost by each country relative to the ‘big picture’ results of the treaty.

"There Isn't Any Such Thing as the Past"

2008-01-29T19:52:00.000-08:00

“History is mostly, it seems to me, a lesson in proportions” (David McCullough). This quote is a very strong and insightful reflection on the subject of history. What David was trying to convey to us is that we should keep an open mind and learn from the lessons of numerous topics, perspectives and eras of history. One must be able to look at both the positive and negative aspects that historic events have had on life-that the people of the past were living their lives in the present, just as we are doing now. There is no such thing as the past, we are still learning and continue to learn from the wisdom of previous generations, and utilize their knowledge to make strategic improvements for the future. Without the previous forefathers, artists, philosophers, engineers, and evolutionists, we would not have made nearly the progress that we have been able to achieve today. History prepares us and guides us for the future.

David McCullough’s interview with Roger Mudd opened my mind in how to study and understand history. History is such a broad topic of wonder, accomplishment, imagination, innovation, creation, and possibility. We shouldn’t always focus on all of the “great” people in history who were accepted by society but also the people who actually made a difference, regardless of their particular value system. David gave me such a positive intake on what has occurred over time and how it’s really crucial that one learns about our predecessors who set the standards for society, how society has evolved over time and how much we have grown (or regressed) as a society. This has motivated me to consider a double major in education as well as in U.S. history. I desire to learn more and to discover new facts revealing greater wisdom and new opportunities. History helps one to grow as a person and to expand one’s horizons. Having the opportunity to discover, ponder, and explore new challenges with a foundation provided by lessons of the past gives me a sense of fulfillment that I wish to share with others in an educational and learning environment.

Industrial Revolution Documents

2007-12-20T19:10:00.000-08:00

After reviewing the Industrial Revolution primary source documents, I have a clearer perspective and visual impression of the events during that specific era. This type of exercise portray0ed both the positive and negative aspects of society. New innovations were being discovered, more jobs were being created, and there were more opportunities and ways to make a living for the citizens away or at their homes. For others, government was removing value from their lives. This was especially true for the citizens who were considered to be lower class, who were expected to work excessive hours, whether they were adults or children, in unsafe conditions, and were only paid a very miniscule amount of income. Industrialization was under way and the economy was starting to flourish with new technological advancements. What this type of exercise can teach us about history is that it has both positive aspects as well as flaws. By studying and learning about both, we can learn from the mistakes that were made to ensure that we avoid repeating them in the future. We also benefit from the advancements that were made and can learn from those positive innovations. The study of history is so broad and far-reaching, creating many different perspectives. Learning about these helps us look at ‘the total picture’ and observe everything that occurred, good and bad. Without the people who lived and experienced life before us, we wouldn’t have a frame of reference to learn from and therefore the ability to improve different aspects of life that we are privileged to have in our society today.
From participating in this exercise, I observe history differently. After analyzing the industrial revolution through written documents, as well as through pictures, they illustrate how far our society has progressed since this era. We are fortunate to have all of this history documented so that we can use the knowledge acquired as a foundation to create even more successful innovations and generate even more creative and potentially innovative ideas. Pictures definitely speak a thousand words and I found the documented images more powerful than just reading the different types of documents. ‘High Society’ and leaders of government should have been held accountable for the abuses of lower class citizens. While huge families were having to sacrifice their rest, time, children, and their health everyday, wealthy government officials and their businessmen were living extravagant lives outside of the city away in private mansions living the good life, while letting their fellow citizens suffer. By looking at the whole picture, we can reflect on the past and how issues should have been handled. By brainstorming for new outcomes and ways to manage society, we can make certain that no one in our present day and future society has to endure the harsh, hazardous, and despicable working conditions of the European citizens in the nineteenth century.

A few questions that I have that were left unanswered are:
• Did the government ever formally establish any permanent child labor and safety laws that would have helped protect the young children that were working for the long hours in the treacherous working conditions?
• Why wasn’t there any enforcement of the government inspectors checking these working conditions and making sure that the people’s safety was being insured for the betterment of the working class?

It is very upsetting to see people who lived in those conditions. It’s unjustifiable and should have never been allowed. It’s one thing to start out on a new journey when one must expect to deal with the dips and unexpected twists and turns that will be endured along the way and to conform to the given situation. However, it’s another thing to take advantage of someone who’s considered “below yourself” and make him or her suffer and sacrifice for you unnecessarily.

Napoleon's Legacy

2007-12-15T08:46:00.000-08:00

Napoleon Bonaparte’s most important legacy was his establishment of the Napoleonic Code. In 1800 Napoleon assigned four renowned jurists the task of consolidating all of the French civil law into one set of laws. Napoleon knew that the existing laws were confusing, inconsistent, and chaotic to the French people, as they were dependent on local customs and granted special favors and privileges to selected citizens. The Civil Code, which was enacted in 1804, was a sole code that replaced hundreds of localized codes that existed under the monarchy. Renamed the Napoleonic Code in 1807, the Code was based on some earlier French laws, Roman law, and Germanic law that had been used in northern France. The Napoleonic Code confirmed most of the revolutionary objectives, by recognizing the equality of all civilians before the French law and the removal of privileges based on birth. Individual citizens were able to select their own job professions and employment in the service of the state was based on capability rather than social position or affluence. The Code confirmed the right to property acquired during the Revolution and terminated the manorial obligations of the peasants, eliminating feudalism and serfdom. Freedom of religion was also restored. Prohibiting strikes and various trade unions protected the interests of employers. While the “Civil Code” clearly reflected the revolutionary objectives for a consistent legalized system, it reversed the advances made by women during the Revolution as it reaffirmed the paternalistic character of French society. Women and children were legally reliant on their husbands and fathers.
Napoleon was able to extend use of the code to the lands outside France that he controlled, including northern Italy, a portion of the German states, and the low countries of Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg. The code was successfully implemented in other regions such as Spain, Latin America, and in all of the other European nations, with the exception of England, where the Common Law was adopted. Indeed the Napoleonic Code was a model for successive laws during the nineteenth century in twenty-four countries. The state of Louisiana and the province of Quebec have derived many of their laws from the Napoleonic Code. This code provides the structure for the legal system in France today, which portrays how influential and resilient it has been for French society as well as many others. The ideals of the French revolution have endured long after Napoleon’s demise as a result of this body of law.

Viewing Christopher Columbus As A Society

2007-10-12T11:56:00.000-07:00

After recently learning that Christopher Columbus contributed to the significant mass genocide of Native Americans and that he spread numerous diseases that were rampant throughout the Americas, I was alarmed and intrigued as to how our society views him. Since I was very young, I was always taught that Columbus was a very brave and intelligent man who discovered the Americas by "sailing the ocean blue." This is why we celebrate his accomplishments on Columbus Day. Obviously the information that I received as a child was not entirely complete! Despite the fact that it is very disturbing to believe that Columbus was actually the explorer who brought with him disease and destruction to Native Americans, I still believe that he had the best intentions of delivering positive economic development to the Americas. He had no idea that there would be humans native to the land he ‘discovered’, or conceive that the immune systems of the natives would be unable to defend against the viral infections brought by the Europeans. His intentions, as well as those of his fellow voyagers’, were not to kill but to explore and to conquer new uninhabited territory. Despite the fact that Columbus was not the first individual to discover the Americas, without the courage and guidance of Columbus and his inaccurate navigation skills, the Americas wouldn't have been developed and established as early as they were. Without his vision, part of North America might not have formed into the thirteen colonies and evolved into our present- day democracy. Columbus who was a very driven and valiant man, was bright, diligent, adventurous, and determined to take a stand for his country--to go on a quest to find the remaining frontier of Asia for the good of his countrymen. Instead, he successfully exposed a new frontier of the Earth to the people of the world and was able to introduce the Western Hemisphere to new future explorers and developers. His ‘discovery’ led to significant economic opportunities and expansion in the Americas with positive economic impact to Europe and their means of trade. This improved the social and economic conditions of Europe. Despite Columbus unintentionally bringing disease to the Americas, his life should be celebrated for the legacy of enormous contributions to the expansion, development, and abundance that we enjoy today.

King Henry VIII Trial

2007-10-08T15:27:00.000-07:00

After participating in the three day mock trial of King Henry the VIII regarding the issue of whether or not he was guilty of heresy, both the prosecution and the defense were successful at arguing valid points that helped support their evidence and the key facts. The prosecution's side was very clear in conveying evidence that King Henry deserved to be punished. He divorced his wives for unjustified reasons, killed many of his former friends and colleagues, and he went against the church disobeying the pope. Henry had stated that he never committed adultery, even though while he was trying to annul his marriage to Catherine, his mistress Anne was six months pregnant with his child. He was still technically married to Catherine, who had endured at least six pregnancies, not including their daughter Mary. When King Henry asserted that his first marriage to Catherine was not valid, the defense speculated that Catherine just wanted to remain on the throne for the sake of power. Actually Catherine was a very selfless and intelligent woman who was very well regarded and who offered a great deal to the king. This included strong military aid against France, since she was descended from a family who had more power than King Henry the VIII. Further why would Catherine lie about how her marriage not being consummated to Henry's older brother Arthur? Wouldn't it be quite obvious to Henry to discover this once he had married her? If he had discovered that Catherine was not a virgin, wouldn't he have annulled his marriage to her right away? Yet Henry insisted that Catherine was a liar and that she had consummated her marriage to Arthur. In fact, Pope Julius II had granted an annulment of Catherine's marriage to Arthur, on the grounds that the marriage had not been consummated, so that Catherine could marry Henry. Granting Henry an annulment meant that the sacrament of marriage had never actually existed between him and Catherine. If King Henry was allowed to annul his first marriage and marry Anne, then his own daughter Mary would be considered an illegitimate child with absolutely no rights or royal ties to the throne. Henry couldn't have married Catherine in the Roman Catholic Church, and then have annulled the marriage in his own church, because Henry founded the Church of England to bypass the Catholic Church and obtain his annulment. This action went against the Catholic Church and the pope, and it did have a legal or a moral basis. Pope Clement VII had to refuse Henry's annulment whether it was justified or not, because he was obligated to Charles V, the Holy Roman Emperor. Charles V would never allow the annulment to be granted since he was Catherine's nephew. The defense’s focus was emphasizing their belief that Henry VIII was not a heretic. They argued that Henry’s marriage to Catherine was not valid and therefore could have been annulled. They insisted that Catherine was lying because she wanted to remain on the throne for political reasons and for the power. The defense maintained that Catherine’s former marriage to Arthur was valid and therefore her marriage to Henry was incestuous and invalid. Several influential figures such as Galileo were asked to testify during the trial as to their beliefs and opinions regarding King Henry situation. The defense also tried to convey that the king was a higher authority than the pope by claiming that God chooses the king while the people choose the pope. Therefore the king had a higher status and reign than the pope. They also stated that Henry’s break with the Roman Catholic Church was justified and was the most appropriate course of action for the welfare of England.

Sir Thomas More who represented my side, the prosecution, was successful in delivering a powerful opening statement with adequate support to rebut the defense’s position. Our side also succeeded in portraying King Henry as a self-centered and selfish individual. Our group demonstrated the witnesses’ bias relative to their testimony of objectivity. Our prosecution was direct, on task to the issues, and surfaced the truth regarding the behaviors, flaws and crimes of the defendants. Despite Biblical and testimonial challenges, we were resolute in our prosecution of what was right and just.

Further in-depth research on the case with analysis and defensive positions could have mitigated some of the challenges that we faced in court-particularly as it related to Biblical references. Strategic preparation would have served us well in supporting prosecution’s evidence during arguments. Awareness of proper decorum behavior in the courtroom, would have improved efficiency and effectiveness during the trial. A role- playing exercise to anticipate the opposition’s questions would have enabled us to prepare answers allowing our positions to be more convincing. It was difficult to cross-examine individuals that were not alive during the years of King Henry’s reign of power. At times, we offered commentary into the questioning that was irrelevant to the prosecution.

This exercise contributed to my understanding of the impact of The Reformation. Additionally, it provided perspective regarding the peoples’ opinions and positions on matters that was important during their lifetime. I learned of the secret opposition to the Roman Catholic Church that ultimately resulted in the Protestant revolution. ‘Application learning’ provided me with a better understanding on differing views and opinions.

Leonardo DaVinci

2007-09-12T20:07:00.000-07:00

In today's society it is extremely rare to find someone who is as highly knowledgable in over eight broad subject areas. From a young age, Leonard was very insightful and bright in a wide variety of subjects, arts, and crafts that comprised his palate of learning. Around the age of fifteen, Leo was already studying art and was apprenticed at the renowned workshop of Andrea del Verrochio. Leo was also given access to scholarly texts and was introduced to a wide variety of philosophies. Over the course of Leo's life he created numerous world renowned art prints and sculptures, such as the "Mona Lisa." As Leo grew and matured into a young man, he was given the opportunity to create and design weapons, buildings, and machinery. He also studied other topics such as nature, flying machines, geometry, mechanics, municipal construction, canals, and architecture. Many of his studies evolved into successful creations such as the submarine, a vessel that our navy continues to rely on today. Without his inventions, our current society would not have such war vehicles, since Leo laid the foundation to construct and develop them.
A great deal of Leo's time was dedicated to studying the sciences. He would explore and research his ideas by physically experimenting with his subjects and he would go out and explore the surrounding nature. In many scenarios, Leo locked himself in his workshop, so that he had the opportunity to cut open human bodies and ponder and test the theories of the human body and living things. His research was very controversial, since the Catholic church frowned upon violating the dead bodies of fellow humans. This made the process of experimentation very difficult for Leo. Leo was engaged to work on various projects for the Pope, who forbid him from dissecting bodies and physically studying human anatomy and physiology. I believe that there is no modern day equivalent for Leonardo DaVinci. Leonardo was a true "Renaissance man," who had interests and talents in both the arts and science. While there are many successful artists and scientists in the present day, none exhibit the genius that Leonardo displayed in so many diverse areas. Leo had virtually no support from his fellow colleagues within the church. Without the support of society, he had to work privately to research and produce his own art work and inventions. Today, many scientists and scholars have been given the opportunities to work and communincate with other scholars from around the world. They also benefit from the extensive use of computers and electronics, as well as from economical and social support. Leo was deprived of such support, with the exception of a few close friends, such as Niccolo Machiavelli, who helped Leo advance some of his artistry. Even today, very successful people such as Bill Gates, have purchased Leo's work for their own learning and understanding of his philosophies, as well for the betterment of their businesses. Without Leonardo DaVinci, our world would be truly lost. No one has had more impact on art and science than this diversely talented man.