MSc

Japanese Militarists

Japan's economy worsened after WWI and the worldwide depression did not help the situation. The military almost took complete control over the government including the prime minister. The militaristic attitude increased when Japan realized that they needed to ensure the defense of the country against other strong powers. The democratic forces weakened and [|nationalist groups] planned to expand. The military dictatorship led to many attacks on the people who did not agree with the new form of government.



Amerigo Vespucci

Amerigo Vespucci was one of the most famous explorers of the new world. He went on at least two voyages for Spain and Portugal, exploring Central and South America (Brazil and Portugal). He was one of the first to recognize that these lands were not part of Asia and were actually part of the "New World." Both North and South America are named after him. He was able to calculate how far west he had traveled using the Moon and Mars.

The vestibule of the Laurentian Library

The Laurentian Library is located in the C[|loister S. Lorenzo o] in the [|Medici Basilica] in Florence Italy. The vestibule, of the library is most famous for it's architecturally unique staircase designed my Michelangelo. Construction on the Library began in 1525. Michelangelo only completed the walls of the reading room before leaving Florence in 1534. His drawings were then given to architects [|Tribolo Basari and Ammannati.] to complete. The vestibule, or ricetto, which is about 31x34x44x feet, was built on top of monks rooms, had blank windows built into the interior of the vestibule that were separated by double columns set in the wall. The staircase of the vestibule is an example of [|Mannerism] architecture because of it's unusual use of scale and perspective. After Tribolo's tries Ammannati translated Michelangelo's ideas into a convex stepped center staircase flanked by straight staircases which descend the lower two thirds of the center one.