Asher K. Sisneros Thomas E. Woods, Jr. Western Civilization Since 1493 October 7, 2024 Peter the Great (r. 1682-1725) had one primary objective as the Tsar of Russia: Westernization. Today, his rule is highly controversial. To some, he was an absolutist despot who sought to vanquish Russia of its old tradition. To others, he was … More Russian Rule Under Peter the Great
Asher K. Sisneros Thomas E. Woods, Jr. Western Civilization Since 1493 October 7, 2024 The House of Hohenzollern ruled Brandenburg-Prussia, which became the most powerful territory in the Holy Roman Empire through the 17th century. Brandenburg’s power started dwindling after the rule of George William (r. 1619-1640) and the catastrophes of the Thirty Years’ War. … More Frederick William: The House of Hohenzollern
Asher K. Sisneros Dr. Gary North American Literature September 30, 2024 John Winthrop and John Cotton were two prominent voices during the Puritan emigration to the New World through the 1630s. Cotton was an influential pastor, and Winthrop was a lawyer and landlord. Both of them were staunch believers in the economic, but more importantly, … More City on a Hill: The Puritan Experiment
Asher K. Sisneros Thomas E. Woods, Jr. Western Civilization Since 1493 September 20, 2024 The War of Spanish Succession (1701-1714) was a war in Western Europe during the reigns of Louis XIV in France and Emperor Leopold in the Holy Roman Empire. As a result of the conflict, France lost its supremacy, and England rose … More Stakes in the War of Spanish Succession (1701-1714)
France was riddled with warfare under the reign of King Louis XIV. As a despotic absolutist, he used Mercantilism to afford these endless wars. It worked, for a time, and he sequestered power around the throne with an iron grip. But towards the end of his reign, he realized the futility of such military endeavors. … More The Price of War: The Costs of Louis XIV’s Wars
Asher K. Sisneros Thomas E. Woods, Jr. Western Civilization Since 1493 September 27, 2024 Mercantilist theory was born during the 16th century, and it came to dominate global trade policy in Europe by the 17th century. Colbert’s policies under King Louis XIV propelled Mercantilism to its highest point in French history. Similarly, the Navigation Acts … More Mercantilist Theory
Asher K. Sisneros Dr. Gary North American Literature September 24, 2024 William Bradford’s Of Plymouth Plantation is one of the most culturally significant books on the English colonization of the New World. Plymouth was and has remained an irrelevant town, except for its historical significance. Yet even its historical significance—Squanto, The Mayflower Compact, communal property, … More Of Plymouth Plantation by William Bradford
Asher K. Sisneros Thomas E. Woods, Jr. Western Civilization From 1493 September 23, 2024 Absolutism was a rising political theory in the West during the 16th century. Monarchs favored it to justify the expansion of their power. But where absolutism thrived in one nation, constitutionalism gripped another. Thus the two competing philosophies warred, both on … More Thomas Hobbes and Absolutism
Asher K. Sisneros September 20, 2024 Western Civilization Since 1493 Thomas E. Woods Jr. Throughout the 16th century, the Spanish Empire was one of the most powerful and influential civilizations in the West, leading exploration in the New World. Their power probably culminated during the conquest of the Inca Empire. However, by the reign of … More The Fall of the Spanish Empire
In light of the Trump assassination attempts, the question of assassination seems to be at the forefront of everyone’s minds as they ponder its legitimacy. Americans seem to universally agree that it is perfectly legitimate to forcibly depose tyrants through assassination. Thus, the dispute between Trump sympathizers and Trump haters is not whether it is just to assassinate tyrants, but whether Trump is and/or will be a totalitarian tyrant. However, this is the wrong debate, and this presupposition defending assassination must be uprooted. … More A Disputation of Juan de Mariana: The Illegitimacy of Assassination
Asher Sisneros 