Current mood:

distressed

SAVE ME.
Okay so... I seriously need help.

With my homework.

I need a topid for a paper. I've been researching and mooshing my brain trying to find something but I got nada.

We have to pick a paper topic for my history class and I'm absolutely clueless. The topic has to be something debateable-- I.E. there's evidence for both sides of the discussion-- and it has to be between 1750 and 1917.

The guidelines are to pick a topic which "identifies a specific region and/or culture which either engaged in or experienced colonial control or influence."

We then have to answer one of five questions:

1) Why did (or did not) the colonized culture adopt particular Enlightenment ideas?
2) How did the non-indigenous presence transform or alter the indigenous culture's relationship with it's natural environment?
3) How did the introduction of non-indigenous values or ideas have an impact on the indigenous people's relationship with its own traditions?
4) How did the introduction of new technology impact the relationship of the indigenous people to the governing group?
5) How did the colonial or imperialist experience cause the colonizing/imperialist country to reconsider itself as an "enlightened civilization?"

Originally, my topic was going to be on the American Colonies and Britain-- how they adopted enlightenment ideas to explain why it was their right to break away from Britain. The debate was going to be over whether they used these englightenment ideas as merely excuses so they could get what they wanted or if it was a true revolution and built on solid beliefs.

Then I found out WE CAN'T USE AMERICA AT ALL.

Stupid liberalist bastards. -.-

So now I've been looking through other parts of the world and while I can find other colonies just fine, it's hard finding a debate topic for them. I'd love to do Ghandi but he doesn't fit the required time period. Britain and Australia caught my interest but I couldn't find anything Scholars were debating about with that history and plus I didn't know how to tie in enlightenment ideas. Then I thought England and India-- maybe something to do with the Indian Mutiny??-- but again, I can't find something to seriously debate. Also it's hard to tie in Enlightenment in India during that time period.

So. *whimper.* Help me. Please.