Western Civ Day #15- The Learning Lesson

Today in Western Civ we had a relatively easy day. I went over the notes that I made on Monday again because Mr. Schick wanted to see them. In the end I think that he really liked them and I think the entire class did as well. Once again to anyone reading this blog the notes are on my earlier posts. I do not have the pictures so ask me if you want them and I will email them to you. I am very proud of my notes because I did a lot of work last weekend. I was up late Friday early Saturday and late Sunday making those notes. I love Greek civilization and everything about it. I have known facts about it for years now that is why I volunteered to teach because I knew what it was about. I hope to have this experience again because it was fun.

Western Civ Day #14- The Tough Teacher

Today in Western Civ I taught our class because Mr. Schick was not there. These are the notes that I made so have at it.

-LO3- Citizens and Communities: The Greek City-States

            -Tribal communities of the Dark Ages turned into city-states

            -Greek city-states were small, usually of no more than a town and a few square miles surrounding it

            -Athens and Sparta were each about the same size as a couple of U.S. counties

            -Usually each town or city-state consisted of a couple thousand, while Athens may have reached as many as 250,000

            -Both fortresses and temples were vitally important to the Greek city-states

            -Fiercely competitive communities that often fought

            -Each community would worship a god or goddess (Athens- Athena)

-City-States and Citizens

            -Greek city-states developed at the same time that Assyrians were reaching for power west of Mesopotamia

            -Greece was not controlled by a universal empire, allowing the city-states to fight among themselves

            -Couldn’t afford professional soldiers so they relied on infantry armies from their own males

            -For the males who could afford it, they would equip themselves with bronze helmets and armor, long spears with iron blades and short iron swords

            -Poorer citizens fought as light-armed infantry, annoying the enemy before the stronger part of the army would attack

            -Each city-state was thought to be developed by families or clans descended by a divine or semidivine founder (Athens- King Theseus- Son of Poseidon)

            -Most of citizens claimed to be offspring of common forefathers

            -Status of father determined that of his children

            -There was no reason to fight in an individual state because they were all related somehow

-Monarchy, Oligarchy, Tyranny, Democracy

            -Earliest parts of Greek times communities were ruled by kings

            -Monarchy gave way to new forms of government that gave white males more power

            -These new forms were Oligarchy, Tyranny, and Democracy

            -In Oligarchy a minority of citizens dominated the government

            -Many city-states that were in the middle of land were Oligarchies (Sparta)

            -But in most city-states the people were too large in numbers and active to ignore

            -Triremes were a big part of navies and armies- consisting of majority of males

            -In these large city-states government would run into tyranny

            -But tyranny didn’t last and Democracy would come after

            -Democracy was powered by the majority of white male citizens (Athens)

            -Women would attend community affairs and had little to no power in government

            -When a city-state would sail to find a new colony, the new colony would become a new city-state

            -When a city-state would conquer another it would spread its control but not the citizens

            -In summary city-states would battle in an endless war

-Sparta: The Military Ideal

            -Spartans were descendants of Greeks who conquered the southern mainland

            -They would push west for rich soil

            -Spartan citizens were outnumbered ten to one with noncitizens

            -To hold the helots, Spartans would have to have a government that allowed domination from their own kind

            -Main executive authority were five officials elected annually, and they were usually elder

            -Their way of life dedicated male citizens to the state

            -The males were made as warriors

            -At age of seven boys were taken from their families and would go on an extreme life of physical and military training

            -They were allowed to marry after 20, and bachelors were punished

            -Even married men were required to live in barracks until the age of thirty

            -Women would also have to go into physical drills to become healthy and child-bearing women

            -But they were given more freedom from the state

            -Women were praised if they gave great military ideas

            -After the Spartans were starting to lose battles, Aristotle said that women were useless for war, so trying to protect the Spartans tough life, they tried to seal off their state due to the fact that there best trait, war, was losing out

            -Most Spartans would pay to have their system stay as is

            -With this system, Spartans were the dominant city-state of mainland Greece

-Athens: Freedom and Power

            -According to the Athenians the Spartan way of life was pointless

            -A joke made was the fact that Spartan life would lead to death

            -Athens was not agricultural and landlocked like Sparta but rather carried on prosperous commerce and access to the sea

            -Sparta- army and Athens- navy

            -Sparta- closed and controlled: Athens- open and free

            -But even though Athens was peace and freedom like they were also warlike

            -Over a few centuries Athens was one of the most wealthy and powerful states

            -Citizens, immigrants, and slaves worked together to make weapons, pottery, and articles of silver, lead, and marble

            -These products would be shipped to various places

            -Athenian aristocrats were proud to be excellent humans

            -Their families would marry mostly among themselves

            -The boys were physically fit in anything and at age of 18 assigned to two years of military and civic training

            -They were outstanding in body and mind

            -Even some aristocrat girls would get an education

            -Athens went through many stages of government

            -After democracy was made there were two turning points in life of Athens and Greece

            -First was Persian wars which Athens lead Greece to victory, and then it came to the Golden Age (460 B.C. - 430 B.C.)

            -This time was when Athens were confident, strong, powerful and most successful in all Greece but it was cut short cause of the Peloponnesian wars

            -This war was between Athens and Sparta in which Athens was defeated and never grew back the same confidence

            -In the Sixth Century B.C. the Persians were the first universal empire to attack Greece

            -They conquered Greece until revolutions were made by the Athenians causing Darius I to conquer mainland Greece

            -Son of Darius, Xerxes, sent two expeditions by land and sea to conquer Greece

            -The first was stopped by Athens at Marathon in 490 B.C.

            -Second was stopped ten years later in Salamis near Athens in which Athenian ships destroyed the Persian ships

            -On land a small Spartan force would hold Xerxes and his army in their suicidal stand at Thermopylae in 480 B.C. but the main portion of Spartan armies would defeat the Persians at Plataea

            -Athens would liberate the Greeks of Anatolia in 445 B.C. forcing Persia to make peace

            -Democracy was their only way to survive and thrive at the same time

            -In Athenian Democracy power would rest in adult male citizens

            -Any decision made was made through the Assembly

            -Meetings were held once a week and less than five thousand would attend

            -Meeting place was first at agora but later at a hill called the Pynx

            -Voting was by show of hands

            -Debates were very spirited and this way of government lead to many governments present today

            -To keep balance the people of the government (Council of five-hundred and one thousand public officials that it supervised) were chosen by lot

            -Ten generals were voted each year to command the armies and navies

            -Cause of the amount of general’s, military takeover of power was a very small chance

            -For a court each trial was made up of a draw of five-hundred men from a list

            -This would guarantee a broad judgment of the crime

            -There were no lawyers and every citizen would argue their own case

            -Women power was the same as most other places

            -If the woman was to leave the house she would be escorted by a close male relative

            -They were protected more though by close male companions

            -They were important when it came to worshipping gods and goddesses

            -The fifty thousand or so resident aliens were a varied group

            -They could be wealthy men to slaves, independent women to owner of stores

            -The hundred thousand group of slaves were also diverse

            -Some could get and education and were likely freed in the owners will

            -While some slaves were treated fairly there were many others who were not

            -Athenian laws concerning aliens, slaves, and women were not a part of democracy

-Greek Words

-Polis- Greek City- State

-Politēs- Citizen

-Dēmos- Common People

-Ephors- Overseers

-Agora- Marketplace

-Stratēgoi- Force Commanders

-Hataerae- Female Companions

-Vocabulary

            -Colony-a new city-state settled in an oversea territory by a group sponsored by a city-state elsewhere

            -Oracle-a priest or a priestess who was believed to give answers that were inspired by a god or goddess to questions from worshipers at a temple

            -Acropolis-the high fortified citadel and religious center of an ancient Greek town

            -Hoplite-a heavily armed and armored citizen-soldier of ancient Greece

            -Phalanx-a unit of several hundred hoplites, who closed ranks by joining shields when approaching the enemy

            -Monarchy-a state in which supreme power is held by a single, usually heredity ruler

            -Oligarchy-a state in which supreme power is held by a small group

            -Triremes-massive fighting vessels with three banks of oars, used to ram or board enemy ships

            -Tyranny-rule by a self-proclaimed dictator

            -Democracy-a form of government in which all adult male citizens were entitled to take part in decision making

            -Helots-noncitizens forced to work for landholders in the ancient city-state of Sparta

            -Aristocrats-members of prominent and long-established Athenian families

            -Ostracism-banishment for ten years by majority vote of the Athenian Assembly

           

Western Civ Day #13- The Great Greeks

Today in Western Civ class we started our unit on the new civilization of the Greeks. I like the Greeks because of the gods and goddesses and overall I think that they are the most fascinating people of all time. On Monday Mr. Schick will not be at class so he appointed me to teach to the class for about 15 minutes about pages that we read from the text. I am planning to play a game that the entire class can play and if not it will be good review.

Western Civ Day #12- The Extra Egypt

Today in Western Civ we played a game that I thought was pointless for class. We didn't learn anything and the game was frustrating. We will lose points over a game that was very hard and nearly impossible to beat which is unfair to me,

Western Civ Day #11- The Great Greeks

Today in Western Civ we took a test for the first part of class and the next part is what I am posting about. We are to take notes about the next section in our book- the Greeks. So here are my notes for the first part of the chapter.

-first barbaric people

-2000 B.C. they began to migrate to Greece

-they came with ideas, art forms, and types of government

-cause of their great fighting methods they defeated the Persians

-LO is about the European barbarians

-first people of Greece were thought of as suppliers

-megalithic is Greek word for large boulder

-Stonehenge were the most famous of all megalithic structures

-when a leading warrior died his horses, chariot, bronze swords or daggers, and his gold and silver drinking cups went with hi  to the grave

-next to the warrior the wife would lie

-women went to war with men to bring them food, bind wounds, force them back into battle, and in some rare cases join the battle

-main business of life was farming

-lived in villages

-groups of villages formed tribes

-tribe would meet to discuss their business and celebrate festivals

-loose alliances under warrior kings

-they would eventually spread to the islands of Greece

-the barbarians were sometimes the conquerors

-they would adapt the way of civilization one-by-one

-first European barbarians to make contact with civilization were the Greeks

The Greeks lived by their strength and courage which is how they lived

Formed tribes

Tribes were headed by powerful heredity chieftains

This is how Europe came to be populated by speakers Indo-European languages

No cities no records and no government

They were barbarians from Greek barbarns non- Greek

Adopted the way of life of those that they encountered

Distinctive civilization the Greeks developed is the first that became western

 

Western Civ Day #10- The Controlling Cyber Day

Today in Western Civ we did not have class again do to the snow but we did have another Cyber day, today Mr. Schick asked us to answer two short answers so here they are.

A.) Name and describe three technological innovations or inventions of the ancient Egyptians.

One technological advance of ancient Egypt was the making of the sailboat. Now farmers could send ships with goods up river and then get the boats back without having to leave their home. They also invented the plow so that man did not have to crop and plant by hand but use an animal and a tool to do so. The final invention was the making of coinage, so that way things could be bought and not traded making life easier.


B.) Describe three important features of the Egyptian pyramids.

One important feature was that it housed all of the pharaohs and there gold, possessions, and animals that they wanted. They were made of marble and perfectly smooth so it looked like something made from another world. Finally it was so smooth that there were no cracks in-between blocks that a small blade could not even fit through.

Western Civ Day #9- They Cyber Class

Today in Western Civ we are not supposed to have class but yet we are having a Cyber Day so Mr. Schick said we had to write the essay questions on the test so here they are:

A.) Describe the social hierarchy of the ancient Egyptians.

The social Hierarchy is in different levels of where the people are like a pyramid. At the bottom were slaves, then farmers, then artisans, then merchants, then scribes, then soldiers, then government officials, and finally pharaohs. At the bottom of the pyramid were slaves and servants and they were teh majority of population in the enire social hierarchy. The slaves were not treated as poorly as the American slaves and they were actually treated quite fairly. They were not free but they did not get beaten or anything as drastic as that. The slaves and servants duties were to help the wealthy with household and childraising. The next class was the farmers and this group advanced very heavily. They created tools and technology to help them grow crops and such. This group made strives that were far beyond anything anyoen ever imagined at the time. The farmers grew wheat, barley, lentil, and onions. They also figured how to deal with the flood of the Nile every July. Instead of the water against them they used the water for their own benefit. Plus the rich soil used in October was also very beneficial. The next class were teh artisans and they had a much more simpler and not as challenging job. The artisans were pretty much sculptors of ancien Egypt. They would carve statues and reliefs that showed military battles and scenes from the afterlife. This group of people did not have a very hard job and rather it was quite easy but yet they still got payed. The next social class was the merchants. This group was yet another group of people that would strive and make major advances in what they did. Merchants used money/ barter system for the first time and they traded items or goods in order to recieve more of these items or goods that they did not have. Merchants also invented the coin system for the first time and they were the first people to invent coins in order to trade for goods.

The next class up were the scribes, and this field of people were probably the mkst advanced of all people. The scribes were the first people to write down records of history, stories, and poems of anything they had. Scribes were the first people to write their own language and taht was a huge advance into the Western world. Plus they wrote down things for anatomy and medical treatments that was way ahead of their time. The third class from the top was the soldiers and their job was the simplest and that was to protect Egypt. When it came to war and protection the Egyptians were far ahead of anyone at their time. The Egpytians were the first people to use wooden weapons with bronze tips. Plus they used bows and arrows and invented chariots making travel and battle easier. The Egytians had one of the most respected armies int eh world at this time. The next class was the highest people class besides the pharoah and that was the government class, but they also had another name. The other name was the white kilt class. This group of people were called this because they would always wear a bright and white robe depicting them from everyone else. This group was made up of priests, physicians, egineers and more people with good paying jobs. The final class was the Pharaoh class and easliy the most important of them all. The pharaoh was a religous and political leader but also considered to be a part god. It has been said that the Pharaoh could talk to the gods and ask the gods. But when natural disasters happened to the city then the pharaoh would be kicked out or even killed. The pharaoh was the most important person of the hierarchy but also the most pressured as well.

 

B.) Discuss the importance of the Nile River in the lives of Egyptians.

The Nile River was very important to the Egytpians and they pratically lived on it. The Egytian life was centered around the Nile River. The city of Egypt was on both sides of the Nile and the Nile River ran right through the city. The water of the Nile was used for many things. In July the river would flood and then the crops and everything else was destroyed so the Egyptians came up with a technology to control the Nile river. They would put pipes or passage ways to control the Nile into certain areas of the fields and water the plants without harming them. The Nile was irragated and used to water the crops. Then after the flood was gone the soil was rich and easily planted crops so the rich soil was cause of the Nile. Plus the Egyptians would use the Nile to drink from because there was no other water supply close. They would bath in order to stay clean and not get sick. Plus the people of Egypt would transport things across the Nile. The river flew south to north so people in the south could flow goods up on a small boat to people in the north. But then the boat wouldn't be able to get back with the traded goods. So they invented sail boats to flow back down with the wind against the current. Because of the Nile sailboats were invented. Then at the area where the Nile empties out is called the Delta. This is where much of the rich and fertile silt is located, so then people could plant lots of crops and many more things to help. So because of the Nile not only did Egyptians live but they thrived and advanced with technological breakthroughs and things that had never been seen before in the world.

Western Civ Day #8- The Mystery Movies

Today in Western Civ we did not do anything really except watch videos about the Egyptians. The test has been postponed to the next class whenever that may be. So we will test again but the question is when will he hold it. I think that I am very prepared for this test and I think that I will be ready for all of the questions that are on his test. I know all the material and I know how to study it and once again I think that I can nail it.

Western Civ Day #7- The Crazy Couple

Today in Western Civ we did not get much done in the way of work and getting prepared for the test tomorrow. It was mostly because of two people in the class. I will not mention their names other than the fact that it was a boy and a girl. I think that the boy started it but the girl blew out of proportion. It was so much drama and I hope that they have to sit next to each other for the rest of the year. they are really annoying to me when they argue and I hate it. Anyone who is in my Western Civ class knows exactly who I am talking about. But after all of that we finally settled down and got to some work. Mr. Schick gave us a power point to look at and write notes on. It was all information that we already learned. Like I said earlier today was a normal class and repeated after yesterday once it settled down.

Western Civ Day #6- The Exciting Egyptians

Today in Western Civ we went over more information for the test that we will have on Wednesday. but today we talked about a new civilization and they were the Egyptians. We already started a part on the Egyptians but today at first we reviewed and then we continued the unit. Mr. Schick had a power point that was already made and then as he narrated we took notes on what he said and what was on the screen. So overall I thought that today was a normal average class but nothing special but there was one thing that stood out above the rest. We watched a short video clip on how the Egyptians would mummify the pharaohs. I thought the way that they did that was fascinating but not only that but the long process they had to go through was insane. It is incredible to think that thousands of years ago those people knew all these facts about the body and how to mummify it. With hardly any technology it begins to ask a major question.

Western Civ Day #5- Learning Lesson

Today in Western Civ we just summarized everything that we have done so far and now fro this blog we are just taking notes. We have to blog about notes from the lesson objective 3 which is about Egypt. So here are the notes:
-people of the Nile moved toward civilization
-political and sectional conflicts did not affect a civilization
-Egyptian traditions are still around today
-Egypt stretches from lower Nile river fro central Africa to the Mediterranean
-cycle of labor depended on the flooding of the Nile
-took belief of pharaoh and god-to-human relationship a lot farther than the Mesopotamians
-pharaoh had lots of responsibility
-every pharaoh was identified as three ruling deities
-deities took form of animals as well
-they devised the hieroglyphs
-they had new technology
-best technology was the building of the pyramids
-pyramid urge faded as time passed on
-painters and sculptors did their work in the pyramid
-dynasty's were eventually taken down
-Egypt was spilt
-native pharaohs still ruled the north
-with the new kingdom Egypt was open to invade
-Africa, Mesopotamia, and Europe invaders would defeat Egypt
-Libyan and Nubian rulers were influenced by Egyptian ways and continued Egypt

Western Civ Day #4- The Horrible Half Day

Today in Western Civ we had a very short class because it was only 28 minutes long and I thought that it was a waste of time to come to school. But this class is what I have been told what this blog shall be about. I think that this class is a lot of fun and I love to come in this class every day. But not only do we have fun in this class but we learn a lot as well. It is very hard to learn while have fun in a class but in this class it is possible so I like it. But my favorite part of this class is that it is so relaxed which makes it my favorite class in this school. We do power points, tests, quizzes, and notes so this entire class is my favorite.

Western Civ Day #3- Hammurabi's Honor

Today in Western Civ we went over the codes of Hammurabi and I thought that the class today was actually not very fun. I thought this because we just looked at blogs and talked. But at the same time we went over a lot and we actually learned a lot about the codes so I thought that it was a very fun class. But the main point of this blog is the notes on pages 6-11 notes. So here they are.

- prehistory is period before recorded documents
-civilization is a very recent development
-earliest humanlike species were found in east Africa cause of fossils
-Europe and Asia tribes made way across land bridge
-8 eras of early civilizations
-hunters and gathers started off
-men hunted
-women gathered and took care of young children
-two stone ages
-tool making allowed more crops to harvest
-first agricultural villages were found in southwest Asia
-first cities were Mesopotamia
-stayed on same latitude so that the climate, landscape, and anything else were the same
-polytheism is belief in gods and goddesses
-agricultural revolution was the start of tool making