Probably the most basic answer is that with the mighty Spanish Armada out of commission, it opened the door for the exploration of the American continent by the French and the British. As these two nations built up colonies in the "new world" they became more and more wealthy. Britain, which hadn't nearly enough farmland to outfit an army, and a shortage of lumber that made naval expansion difficult, sought both of these things in the American continent. As they harvested lumber, they built bigger and better ships, which could haul more grain and outfit more firepower, which in turn helped them to secure even more of the continent. Thus, Great Britain and France gained power and wealth from their colonization of the American continent, and their scope of influence around the world grew. Spain, having lost their ability to wage open war on the seas against the two upstart powers, saw their influence in the colonies decline until they were forced to vacate most of the continent to focus on problems at home.
(added Thursday, Dec. 16)
That's not entirely accurate, Bertucci. Britain began its rise in the mid 1600's, as colonization of the New World began to pick up. This was a direct result of the defeat of the Spanish Armada, which allowed Britain to begin building up a Navy. Their power increased greatly under General-At-Sea Robert Blake, who was appointed by Oliver Cromwell. From that point on, Britain's greatest strength was her Navy. Were it not for the defeat of the Spanish Armada, none of this would have been possible. By the time the 1700's rolled around, Spain was nearly a non-factor in world exploration and conquest, leaving France and Britain as the two juggernauts. While the Peace of Utrecht happened nearly 130 years after the Spanish Armada sank, it was that event that paved the way for the massive balance shift in Europe and all over the globe.
They were laws in the early history of the American south which legalized the segregation between blacks and whites.
Buddhism was essentially a foreign religion in a culture with many well-established philosophical and religious traditions, notably Taoism and Confucianism. These three belief systems coexisted to varying degrees during both the Tang and Song dynasties. Confucianism guided the social realm— governance, education, family life, relationships among levels of society. It provided ethical guidelines for maintaining social order. Taoism offered mystical, proto-scientific ideas about one’s health, well-being, procreation, and longevity. In the Chinese context, Buddhism dealt mainly with the afterlife, the effects of good and bad deeds; addressing life’s misfortunes; it also promised release from suffering.
By the Tang dynasty, Buddhist temples and shrines had spread across the country. Buddhism enjoyed a great deal of state support. Then as now, lay people made donations to monks and temples to secure earthly and spiritual rewards. More specifically, they could accrue merit (positive actions resulting in spiritual and practical benefits) through charity, the support of public works (such as refurbishing a local temple), the donation of property, or the commissioning of artworks (a statue, or cave shrine, or production of a set of Buddhist texts). Individuals entering monastic life as monks or nuns still aroused suspicion from some members of society, particularly strict adherents of Confucianism. Sacrificing one’s family name, the possibility of offspring, cutting of one’s hair (a defilement of the body), and embracing poverty ran counter to many time-honored Chinese beliefs.
In a Buddhist context, grand celebrations were often held in honor of rulers, on festival days, in honor of new public works, and to protect the nation from famine or invasion. Some festivals involving the parade of sacred relics were criticized by various members of the court, in particular for arousing hysteria and for lavish expenditures. Buddhism was severely persecuted in 845 and again in the 900s during the Five Dynasties period between the Tang and the Song. Many of the reasons for this suppression were economic. Thousands of temples were destroyed and metal objects melted down for hard currency. Many monks and nuns were forced to return to lay life, where they could contribute to the general tax base.
Helio means the sun. so the answer is sun