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[Philosophy] If China discovered America..

Posted: Sun May 22, 2005 2:13 pm
by John Cartwright
Hey to all the philosophers out there, I have to do a seminar on What if China discovered America first, and established colony.

If I could compile a list of topics that would be great. Don't be shy, I will accept anything :)

Some things I've got off the top of my head are:

1) Interactions and relationships of natives would of been more peaceful
2) Interactions and relationships of Europeans would have been more deadly (battle for expansions)
3) Culture (obviously..)
4) Economy would be based on a different system
5) Educational beliefs would different
6) Holidays such as Columbus days would not exist

What I'm really looking for though is topics I can really get into a kill time.
Thanks for your brains.

Posted: Sun May 22, 2005 4:20 pm
by phpScott
I going to assume your list are questions rather than statements.

Yes, there would have been a significant impact on north america but you would could also discuss what the implications might have been when europe started to interact with china and knowing that China had these colonies in the americas. Effects on the British Commonwealth, the power of spain in South America, and the like.
Would the West Coast be alot more developed (like the eastern seaboard and the great lakes are).

How much longer/shorter would it have taken to colonize the east coast, those dam rockies are large and would have been a large stumbling block)

What about the effects on the pacific rim in general.

All thought has been some discussion on whether China did reach North America first with some tales coming from some of the Native N.A.'s in California I think about strangers from across the seas

I would be curious about how the discussion goes having been born and raised in BC it would be interseting to see what other people think about it.

Posted: Sun May 22, 2005 5:36 pm
by McGruff
Would interaction with native Americans have been any better? I suppose it could hardly have been any worse.

Perhaps (chinese) American colonies would have fought their own war of independence, in time. More likely, they'd just have been kicked out by the Europeans as their power grew during the industrial revolution (no doubt taking advantage of any existing conflict between China and her colonies to gain a foothold). That's really the key to modern history - a European phenomena which swept all aside. It's only now, in the 21st century, that China is starting to catch up.