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Jorge Eliécer Gaitan

By: Ta'Shanda Ruffin Jorge Eliécer Gaitan was born in Bogotá, Columbia on January 23, 1898 into a struggling mid-class family. His father, a bookseller and his mother, a schoolteacher, showed certain devotion to books and to the Liberal Party of Columbia. Despite his parent’s efforts to raise him in both fields, young Gaitan took only an interest in the Liberal Party due to the historic tales of conflicts between Liberals and Conservatives that occurred in 19th century Columbia. Though his parents had great connections with the party, he was determined to create a name for himself through hard work. In this spirit, Gaitan went on to receive his law degree in 1924 from the National University with his dissertation being about socialism in Columbia. As an adult, his work and presence were not always accepted in his hometown, however his wardrobe of a wide-brimmed hat and a Spanish cape did not help either. Despite his oddities, Gaitan was a fairly successful lawyer and eventually earned enough money to travel to Rome. In Rome, he studied criminology under Enrico Ferri and during that time would, created a classification system for delinquents. His work at the University would later gain him the Ferri Prize and praises as “to have taken penal science a step forward” (Jorge Eliécer Gaitán). Little did he know that his studies would be used so soon during the 1928-29 bonanza zone strike, wherein the Columbian Army massacred many of the strikers. With his new degree, Gaitan investigated said murders and released his findings through public speeches. He soon gained a new reputation, a following of nationalists and a seat in Congress under the Liberal Party. Once becoming a member he pushed for agrarian reform, social welfare and workers right, however with the Great Depression of 1930 called for a more cautious, less progressive Liberal Party. For this reason Gaitan formed the National Leftist Revolutionary Union and though the union did not last long, he was able to familiarize himself with urban workers and peasant farmers. Over the next few years, his popularity grew as well as the tensions between the Liberal and Conservative Parties. The Conservative government retained its dominance through terror and repression and in light of his efforts to stop the violence, he was assassinated on April 9th 1948. Despite his premature death, he is still regarded as one of the best modern leaders/politicians of the nation.

Works Cited "Colombian Liberal Party." World History: The Modern Era. ABC-CLIO, 2011. Web. 6 Jan. 2011.

"Jorge Eliécer Gaitán." World History: The Modern Era. ABC-CLIO, 2011. Web. 6 Jan. 2011.

Santa Lucia in Santiago de Chile


By: Brandon Terrien Santa Lucia in Santiago de Chile is a historic vista and park in an otherwise modern city. Santa Lucia hill has been occupied by people since 1541, and remains interesting to many for that reason (Britannica). Statues and monuments of prominent leaders and archbishops are scattered throughout the property. An anonymous contributor from yahoo travel claims that, “I thoroughly enjoyed my visit here. The landscaping was well kept and in bloom so it looked gorgeous! We were able to take many great photos to bring home so we will always remember our trip. The view over the city was so clear and the sky so blue. You could see the Andes Mountains and the breath the cool air. If you love history as I do you won't want to miss this wonderful site!!” (Yahoo.) Santa Lucia continues to be updated and modernized. Last year it received a new illumination and irrigation system. Works Cited "Santa Lucía Hill." Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. Encyclopædia Britannica, 2011. Web. 6 Jan. 2011.

Yahoo Travel: Santiago, Chile- Things to Do. Web. 7 Jan. 2011.

The Amazon River


By: Jessica Salisbury The Amazon River is in competition with the Nile River for being the longest river in the world. It is 3,900 miles long and begins in the Andes Mountains. “The river ranks number one in discharge, its annual outflow representing one-fifth of all the freshwater draining into the world's oceans”( Penn). The Amazon contains in the rainforest around them and in the river itself has half of the Earth’s plant and animal species. As well as having many species around the river but there are a variety of tribes that live off the Amazon. The indigenous people started shifting cultivation. This is where they rotate crops in the fields to make sure that the soil is fertile every year. Over time the native tribes took on this idea. Although, over time the system ended up drying out the soil. Other tribes like the Yanomamo and the Waiwais are fishermen and the Jivaro are head-hunting tribe. These peaceful tribes, “sustained population densities in the lush rain forest that were lower than those in the Sahara Desert, although the low populations may have been partly a result of post-Colombian contact with European diseases and disturbances” (Penn). The language used along the Amazon is the Brazilian language which we know as Portuguese. This language was influenced by Indian Languages and some words are from American English. Today the lands along the Amazon River are limited to settlement and exploration.

Works Cited “Amazon River.” About.com. Web. 6 Jan. 2011.

"Amazon River." //Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Online//. Encyclopædia Britannica, 2011. Web. 06 Jan. 2011.

Penn, James R. "Amazon River." //World Geography: Understanding a Changing World//. ABC-CLIO, 2011. Web. 6 Jan. 2011.