Class on 5/28/2014

Yesterday in class we took our final Western Civilization test and honestly I did a lot better then I thought I would. I think this semester has been pretty good for me and the whole year over all was okay. It wasn't my best year but I still enjoyed it. I think that I won't miss this year because it was exhausting and stressful trying to get used to everything. If each year goes by this fast though then High School is going to be over in no time. I am sorry that I forgot to post this yesterday.

5/27/2014

Today in Western Civilization we reviewed for our final test before the exam. I don't really care for what we are learning right now but I am sure that in some way it is important because with out this age we wouldn't be where we are now. This also shapes the way of religions today. Catholicism probably wouldn't be as big now if it wasn't for this age and time. I honestly am so done with school I need summer already.
Notes
Charlamagne

• six foot four
• built the greatest empire since rome
• fought the muslims in spain
• fought Germanic tribes
• kept close watch on his huge estates 
• his son louis the pious- was inffective 
• louis' three sons- Lothair Charles the Bald and Louis the German split up the kingdom at the Treaty of Verdun in 843AD

5/23/2014

Revised notes: -test questions

476-1453AD- the middle ages

-What happened in 476 that ended the empire?

Romulus Agustilus was just told to step down.

New societies characteristics

• Classical heritage of Rome
• beliefs of the Roman Catholic Church
• customs of various Germanic tribes

-Invaders caused(overrun the western half of the Roman Empire

• disruption of trade
• downfall of cities 
• population shifts to rural areas

Germanic Kingdom emerges: AD 400-600

The church was like a theocracy during this time (Christendom)

Charles the Hammer Clovis's descendants 

Important: The Muslims are starting to work there way up through Europe the Battle of Tours in 732 is when Hammer defeated the Muslims. If Hammer had lost everything probably would have been Muslim.

Charles Martel's son is Pepin the short

The pope names him king 

Pepin dies in 768, leaving two sons

1. Carloman- dies in 771

2. Charles- known as Charlemagne, meaning Charles the Great 

six foot four inches an amazing leader 

Treaty of Verdun- the three brothers split up the whole empire 

Today in Western civilization we took notes. (reminder to myself: find all notes on blog)

TEST IS NEXT WEEK

5/20/2014

Essay questions:

1. Describe how Christianity evolve from an upstart group, into an organized religion?
2. other question
3. other question

Notes:
A European Empire Evolves:

• Franks control largest European kingdom
• the Roman province formerly known as Gaul
• Ruled by Clovis- the Merovingian Dynasty 
• Major domo- mayor of the palace- ruled the kingdom
• Charles Martel- Charles the Hammer
• extended the Franks' reign to the north, south, and east 
• Defeated a Muslim army from Spain at the Battle of Tours in 732- historic battle! (Why?)

Germanic Kingdom Unite Under Charlemagne: 5/19/2014

Germanic Kingdom Unite Under Charlemagne
Main Idea:
Many Germanic Kingdoms that succeeded the Roman Empire were reunited under Charlemagne's empire.

Why it matters now:
Charlemagne spread Christian civilization throughout northern Europe, which is where many of us came from.

Setting the Stage:
Middle Ages= medieval period
500-1500AD
medieval Europe is fragmented 

Invasions trigger changes in western Europe:

• Invasion and constant warfare spark new trends.
• Disruption of trade:
• Europe's cities are no longer economic centers
• money is scarce 
• Downfall of cities 
• Cities are no longer centers of administration
• Population shifts
• Nobles retreat to the rural areas
• Cities don't have strong leadership
• Decline of Learning 

• Germanic invaders are illiterate but they comunicate through oral traditions 
• Only priests and church officials could read and write
• Knowledge of Greek (and literature, science, philosophy) is almost lost
• Loss of a common language 
• dialects develop in different regions 
• by the 800s, French, Spanish, other Roman-based languages are evolving from Latin.

Germanic kingdoms emerge 

• The concept of government changes
• Roman society: loyal to public gov't
• Germanic society: loyal to family
• Germanic chief led warriors
• During peace, he provided food, weapons, treasure, a place to live(the lord's hall)
• During wartime, warriors fought for the lord
• "The King? Who's that? You want to collect taxes from me? Who the heck are you?"
• Franks live in the Roman province of Gaul- their leader is Clovis
• The Franks under Clovis
• Another battlefield conversion (Just like Constantine)
• Clovis and 3000 of his warriors are baptized by the bishop 
• The church in Rome approves of this "alliance"
• Clovis and the Church begin to work together 

Clovis' military expertise+ the church'c support and money= a powerful alliance 

Germanic peoples adopt Christianity

• 511AD- Clovis ignites the Franks into one kingdom
• 600AD- Church + Frankish rulers convert many
• fear of Muslims in southern Europe spur many to become Christians 
• Monasteries and convents 
• 520AD- Benedict wrote the ruled for monks and monasteries 
• poverty, chastity, obedience, study
• His sister Scholastica did the same for nuns in convents  
• 731AD- the Venerable Bede wrote a killer history of England 
• Monks opened school, maintained libraries, and copied books (Bibles, Greek texts)
• (Pope) Gregory I expands papal power
• Papacy=pope's office
• Secular Power= worldly power
• So... under Gregory the Great...

PAPAL POWER (POWER OF THE POPE) IS POLITICAL POWER, PRESENTED FROM THE POPE'S PALACE 

• The church can use church money to:
• raise armies 
• repair roads
• help the poor
• Gregory the Great began to act as mayor of Rome and as head of an earthly kingdom(Christendom) 

5/16/2014: The Renaissance

Feudalism: a political, military and economic system based on land-holding and protective alliances
In other words: the system is based on personal loyalty to people who can help you.
Rich Dude(Lord): "I own land; I need people to help me work it and defend it"
Tough Dudes(Vassals): "There are a lot of us, we can help the rich dudes hold on to their land"
By protecting or getting anything they need
King
The most powerful Vassals(Nobles and Bishops)
Knights- mounted warriors who recieved Fiefs for defending the lord's land
Peasants(Mostly Serfs): Landless, powerless, money-less, rights-less. Just working the land for the man (their lord)

Manor: the lord's estate

• the lord's manor house
• a church 
• some workshops
• 15-30 families
• all on a few square miles

Good News: It's a self-sufficient community 
Bad News: It's harsh if you're a peasant
Not educated and never go very far from where they grow up.
A stand still: THE DARK AGES 

Peasants are poor AND pay high taxes 

• Tax on grain
• Tax on marriage
• Church tax (tithe= 10% of their income)

5/14/2014

We took a test on Wednesday.

5/13/2014

Today in western civilization we had a free class to work on homework and other things that our teachers have been giving us.

5/12/2014

Rome Fades Away

Diocletian 

• he rules from 284-303
• it's cool to persecute Christians
• Rome needs a strong army (400,000 strong)
• Rome need a big government (20,000 officials)
• divides Rome into 2 parts the Byzantine empire which had more money and was too the East 
• push off the part that was doing very well

Constantine

• rules from 306-337
• it's cool to be a Christian 
• conversion to Christianity (bc of the cross in the sky)
• 313- his Edict of Milan proclaims freedom to worship
• built a new capital in the East 
• Byzantium, soon became known as Constantinople 

The Edict of Milan was established so Christians and people of other religions could worship whoever they pleased and it was made when Constantine and Licinius got in an argument and came up with the Edict of Milan. So they established a religious toleration. It's a proclamation a law backed up by blood.

Life in the Fourth Century 

• counrty dwellers are getting bankrupted by endless tax collection 
• new farming system: peasants work for elite landlords on large farms
• peasants can avoid paying taxes, but they are getting hit just as hard by landlords
• paying off debts and being "allowed" to live on the land, in exchange for endless back-breaking work 
• landowners hold local power as counts and bishops, wielding more real power than the faraway empire 
• foreshadowing feudalism 

1. Rome's power is decreasing, while nomadic barbarians gain power
2. Western Empire is too poor, begins to be neglected
3. Huns migrate from China to eastern Europe 
4. Visigoths take over Spain, and actually capture and loot Rome itself in 410
5. Vandals control Carthage and the Western Mediterranean 

other barbarian tribes:

• Ostrogoths in Italy
• Franks in Gaul
• Angles and Saxons in Britain 

From the beginnings...

• 500BC- the monarchy is abolished
• 450BC- the Twelve Tables are established 

...through the glory days...

• 44BC- end of the line for Julius Caesar 
• 27BC- 108AD- the Roman Peace (Pax Romana)

to the bitter end...

• constant fifth century invasions by barbarian tribes left the western Roman Empire shattered and crumbling
• the last emperor was a teenage boy installed in 475 by his father
• barbarians deposed Romulus Augustus without bothering to kill him

5/9/2014: The Decline of the Roman Empire

Rise of Christianity 

• center figure 
• killed by Roman leaders 
• 3 years of preaching
• small number of people believe he is messiah 
• Saul- persecutor becomes Paul the evangelist 
• spreads Jesus' message all over the place
•   Christians and Jews are monotheistic 
• Romans believe in many gods
• differences:
• jews have been around longer than the Romans
• christians; small group that was like a strange cult 
• eventually some of the leaders started to believe in Christianity
• in AD 313: Constantine has a battlefield conversion
• the edict of Milan- no more persecuting Christians 
• Christianity ends up becoming the official religion of Rome
• The Emperor and the Pope and Bishops worked together

The Changing World of Rome

"Instead of dying, the Mediterranean Civilization of Greece and Rome began to spread among many still-barbarian northern peoples, until it became the christian Europe of the Middle Ages."

• As long as Rome prospered the emperors barely noticed Christianity's growth.
• Christianity and the empire formed a partnership
• barbarian attacks began to weaken and demolish the empire

5/7/2014

In western civilization today we took a test so we didn't really do much and I got a hundred which was nice since I haven't done well on anything else this week. I can't wait for the week to be over because I am so exhausted.

5/6/2014

1. Specifically where did the first indo- Europeans settle around 750BC?

On the shores of the Tiber river, in the low lying "seven hills" of central Italy. Perfectly located! In the middle of Italy, in the middle of the Mediterranean sea, which was (thought to be) the center of the world. Its fate!

2. What three groups of people dominated the culture of early Rome?

Latins(first settlers)- Etruscans(came from the east)- Greeks

3. Who was Tarquin the Proud, and what was so significant about him?

Last Etruscan King, his son raped a women

4. Rome moved from monarchy to a republic?

Ruled by etruscan kings who were advised by righ patricians

After tarquin, government became res publica or republic

5. Patricians and plebeians?

Plebeians- farmers who didn't have power

Plebeians- upper-class, powerful, landowning

6. Senate- a group of people who help make laws

Consuls- could veto each other's laws, people with the most power, one year terms

Tribunes- leaders of the plebian assembly

7. Twelve tables

Laws posted in the forum to keep order

8. Modern document and the modern government?

The constitution and the senate/assembly- US senate/house of reps-consuls/dictator-president of the US- senate could act like judges- like our supreme court

rich serving in the senate?

• members were not paid, but worked their way up from low-ranking magistrates to higher ones. they spent a lot.

the kings who ruled between 600 and 500 BC ordered the building of the Forum, Rome's political center. 

5/5/2014

Who's the first emperor?
ceasar augustus
Pax Romana- a period of peace and prosperity

Caligula- Tiberius's adopted grandson so he is part of Ceasars family
- gave a bonus to the army
- gave people freedom of speech
- put transparency on the how the government spent their money
- first seven months were blissful
- starts to fight with the senate
- claims to be a god and has statues put in public places even the Jewish temple
- slept with other men's wives and even tried to make is horse a consul and a priest
- assassinated by his own aides, AD 41 (age 28)

Claudius- part of the Caesar's family who was disabled
- he rose to the occasion and he conquered Britain and renovated Circus Maximus
- awful marriage to Messalina who was planning to have him killed so that Silius could rule so Claudius had them both killed

Religion:
Romans had many God's but had these emperors that were viewed as gods
- some Jews started to rebel
- half a million Jews died
- burn the temple and destroy 3 quarters of it

Persecution of Chritians
-Romans were harsh towards those who would not worship the emperors
-often put in the Colosseum
-Christianity spread anyway

5/2/2014

Assassination and Another Caesar:

• He received enough votes from the people to become a dictator for life 
• the senate did't like how much power he had and they didn't have
• his murder brought civil wars and war-lords
• Octavian and Antony fought a war for power in Italy
• they ended up joining forces against the senate
• They took over power in different areas but soon this turned to rivalry
• power was swinging towards Octavian 
• Octavian defeated Antony in a naval battle near Actium
• Cleopatra and Antony returned to Egypt where they both committed suicide 
• Octavian turned the government to Monarchy 

"THE ERA OF THE ROMAN PEACE WAS ONE OF MASSIVE SOCIAL, RELIGIOUS, AND CULTURAL CHANGES THAT WOULD FORM A NEW PATTERN OF WESTERN CIVILIZATION"

• the era of the Roman Peace was one of a massive social, religious, and cultural changes that would form a new pattern of Western Civilization.

The Rule of the Emperors:

• after Octavian triumph they gave him the new name Augustus(the revered one)
• he considered himself a "princeps" not a dictator 
• princeps- "first citizen," a traditional Roman name for prominent leaders who were considered indispensible to the Republic that came to be used by Augustus and the other early emperors.
• named a commander and chief in the armed forces
• he reformed the government by bringing people under his control
• he showed respect to local institutions 
• encouraged leaders to fulfill their responsibilities 
• he re organized the army 
• his soldiers were voluntary 
• augustus settled on Tiberius as the next ruler 
• nero was over-thrown
• normally the leader was elected by the senate 
• caesar- the imperial title given to the designated successor of a reigning emperor
• augustus- the imperial title given to a reigning emperor 
• Roman Peace- a term used to refer to the relative stability and prosperity that Roman rule brought to the Mediterranean world and much of western Europe during the first and second century.

4/30/2014

Today in Western Civilization we watched a video on Niro after taking the first MOD trying to find the correct video without subtitles in another language. It was interesting learning about some of the different emperors in Rome and how they fixed Rome or made it worse.

4/29/2014: The Roman Empire

Why did the Senate kill Julius Caesar?
The senate had lost a lot of power and they had the most to lose.

• The Ides (occur every month) of March are when they kill Caesar by telling him that they need to have a meeting.
• Stabbed in the chest 23 times

The First emperor:

• Octavian- came and took over power at age 18
• begins the Pax Romana- a period of peace and prosperity 
• built roads and aqueducts 
• set up civil service to take care of roads, the grain supply, and even a postal service
• dies at age 76 in A.D.14
• PASSES POWER TO..............

Tiberius:
From Jesus to Christianity:

• He is a Jew when he is born
• goes to temple
• is a Roman citizen 
• very little known about him when he was young except that he got in an argument in the temple at 12 and we don't find out more about him until he was 30
• government thought Jesus was trying to over throw power 
• Romans began to plan his execution 
• Romans sent Jesus to his death
• DURING JESUS' LIFE TIME HE WASN'T A BIG DEAL 

4/28/2014

Today in Western Civilization we took more notes on Rome and watched an interesting video about Rome at least I found it interesting. Learning about the fall of Rome seems really cool and also a lot of it is like the United States which is sort of scary. I think I would rather have a government with one person with the most of the power maybe not all though so that way if you wanted to get rid of them you possibly could.

4/25/2014

Today in Western Civilization I was half asleep because I went to a concert Thursday night which was a lot of fun. I believe we had finished up projects so that was good and Grant went and we got to eat a bunch of different foods.

4/23/2014

Today I presented my project for Western Civilization and I believe I did a pretty good job on it. Delaney's project was amazing as was many of the other projects in the class.

4/22/2014

Today in Western Civilization we watched people present their projects and also fail at presenting their projects. I am going to be presenting tomorrow and I don't know how that is going to go but I hope I do well. I didn't taste any of the food people made which i felt sort of bad about but I don't think anyone cared and apparently a lot of it didn't taste that good. I can't wait for the end of the week already and we just got back from break. That is really all I have to say.

4/11/2014

Today in Western Civilization I came late but I still finished my test and it was actually really easy. Today has been going by really fast and I am glad. I can't wait to leave for vacation tomorrow but I still have to pack and do laundry tonight. Class was pretty easy today. A lot of my classes I am not going to be taking very many more tests which could either be a good thing or completely awful. I can't wait to get out of the state for a little bit and go somewhere warm although it is supposed to be nice here this weekend and next week i think.

4/9/2014

Roman Military: (Roman Legion)

• 5000 soldiers 
• infantry- WENT INTO BATTLE FOOT/ cavalry- SOLDIERS WHO GO INTO BATTLE ON HORSE 
• 80- CENTURY- either on the left or the right so that they could split up

First Punic War:

• fought over Sicily 
• the Romans won

Second Punic War:

• Went through the Alps to get to Rome
• Carthage Indians fought to sack Rome
• Romans won

Third Punic War:

• The Romans went over Carthage- didn't want to wait for Carthage to attack again
• Romans sacked Carthage

If the Romans had lost we would probably be speaking a different language.

• Carthage was in North Africa

4/8/2014

Today in Western Civilization we watched a video on the Punic wars which was pretty interesting, although I was very tired so I almost fell asleep towards the end. I think I am ready for the test on Friday except I will have to go over some more of it and probably type up some more notes and put them on my blog but I will just do that Thursday because I don't have enough time today or tomorrow. I have been really tired recently so I can't wait for break even though I am still going to have to wake up pretty early some of the days because I am going to be in Disney World.

4/7/2014

• Romulus and Remus
• The twins were left to die in the river 
• a She-wolf saves them
• Remus dies and Romulus finds Rome
• Rich vs. Poor
• the Gracchus brothers were to brothers who got elected into the senate
• they tried to make it better for the poor
• rich and poor both fought wars
• the poor would do their part and go to war for maybe months or years
• Some of the rich people would try to buy the farms from the women 
• They would sell to the rich a lot of times and the poor would work on the land
• It got so bad that the civil war began 
• Latifundia- massive estates that the rich owned 
• The Punic War
• the vicious rounds
• 264 and 146 BC
• Carthage was disarmed and helpless at the end of the Second Punic War
• 202 BC Rome had won control of the Western Mediterranean 

4/4/2014

Today in western civilization we discussed our projects and I believe we took notes but i can hardly remember maybe we did nothing. I have been so out of it this past week and I know this next week is just going to get even worse. Honestly i hope it goes by fast because I can not wait to get out of Maryland for a bit. I feel like I am so out of it because i keep forgetting everything too and my grades show it. I can't end Freshman year on a bad note.

4/2/2014

• The Latins were the first people to show up and settle in Italy.
• Mediterranean- middle of the Earth. (the middle)
• The Romans thought they were blessed by the gods and were better then everyone else.
• They drained one of the rivers so it flowed into the River Tiber.
• DC owes a lot to Rome
• Tarquin the proud- he is a king who the people want to get rid of and he doesn't listen to anyone.
• The Romans copy the Greeks and form a new kind of the Republic 
• they mixed three kinds of governments together
• res publica- the business of the people (this is where we got the Republic)
• Our government is similar to the Romans because we have 3 branches too
• The president is sort of like a king- they have a lot of individual power
• The senate comes from the Romans 
• The house of reps. is the democracy
• 438 representatives in the United States government.
• the democracy- represents every day people.
• 300 people in the senate of Rome
• two consuls like a king and president so they could veto certain ideas

We just talked about Rome and the United States government.
Project: make a video and a food

4/1/2014

Today is April fools day! I don't really like April fools day I think it is sort of stupid. Also in class we talked about our up coming projects on Rome. I will probably start doing mine before break since I will be going away. I also think I will do more then one thing because I want a really good grade on this and I like projects. At least when they have something to do with culture and other places. I love learning about culture one day I want to visit Rome, Greece, and many other places over in Europe.

3/31/2014; Roman Government

Roman Government: City-State and Empire: The Roman Republic
p.90-94

The Roman Republic; Republic refers to the Roman city-state government in which the decisions were made by the senate and assemblies of male citizens, the only time the Roman Republic would have dictators, a single leader with all of the power and control, was when Rome was experiencing an emergency. When Rome first started they didn't have any form of Republic they had kings who ruled. Around 500BC is when Rome abolished its monarchy. Plebeians who were common people would elect people to become tribunes so that the plebeians had some say in who was deciding on the laws of Rome. In the fifth century B.C. the Plebeians felt that the laws needed to be written down so around 450B.C. the Roman laws were written in stone. The Romans were the first group of that time to have many different branches in their government and even though it seemed crazy and dysfunctional and it was the Romans succeeded greatly.

3/26/2014

Today in Western Civilization we took a test and I got a few wrong so I am a bit upset but it is nothing I can't fix with another test or a few homeworks. Lately I have been trying to think about the positive because i keep screwing everything up in all of my classes. I don't think I have gotten an A on a test since the quarter started and I don't know why I can't get an A because I have been trying to ans last quarter went so well. I hope I don't completely screw up this quarter. I got the one about the Parthenon wrong which should have been the easiest question and I even had it there but then I switched it so I am honestly extremely annoyed with myself right now.

3/25/2014

Today in Western Civilization it was Andrew's birthday so we all got to move seats but I decided to stay in my original because I didn't feel like moving. We also watched the video for the test so that we can review. I am going to finish the video tonight and use the quizlet you showed us for this test. Hopefully I can keep a good grade in Western Civilization. I enjoy learning this stuff so I don't think this test will be too hard but we will see. I really need to go over the material to make sure I understand it.

3/24/2014

Today in Western Civilization I was extremely tired and it was the beginning of the week. We reviewed some for the test by looking that the quizlet and checking our worksheet. I am going to have to study for the test for Wednesday hopefully I will do a good job I need to keep my grades up for this semester. Sometimes I find it really hard to remember to blog especially on weekends because sometimes I go from one friends house right to another. Hopefully I do well on this up coming test on Greece.

3/21/2014

I was absent for the STEM field trip.

3/19/2014

Today in Western Civilization we sat in the gym with another class and did work. It was okay but got a bit boring half way through. Then you came back during class which meant that all of my teachers for my next three classes were here which was upsetting because I would have rather had my teachers for the morning. I have a head ache.

3/18/2014

Today in Western Civilization we went over the material about Greece we have been learning and we also talked about when our test is going to be. Then we discussed what we would be doing tomorrow during class since you will be gone during it. I still don't fully understand what is going on tomorrow but it doesn't have anything to do with m. I think I have to study for the test because I think I am going to take the test on Thursday because i will be missing class on Thursday and i don't like being behind if anything I would rather be ahead.

3/17/2014

1. D: Greece is not mostly fertile.
2. B: Approximately 3/4 of Greece is covered by mountains.
3. D: The definition of an Ancient Greek Barbarian is a life based upon farming, warfare, and tribal organization. 
4. C: Massive rough-cut stones used to construct monuments and tombs is a megalithic structure.
5. A: A tribe refers to a social and political unit consisting of a group of communities held together by common interests, traditions, and real or mythical ties of kinship.
6. D: Tribes were governed by all of these; warrior kings and queens, chieftains, and tribal leaders chosen by warriors.
7. A: The first European barbarians to make contact with civilization were Greeks.
8. E: The United States were not considered a member of "Western civilization."
9. D: The Ionian Sea is located west of the Greek mainland.
10. B: The Aegean Sea is located east of the Greek mainland
11. D: The Aegean people lived on onions, wheat, and beer.
12. B: The Minoan civilization arose on the island of Crete.
13. A: The Mycenaean civilization established settlements along the Greek mainland's southern shore and on some islands.
14. A: The Mycenaean civilization built massive walls to protect themselves from attack.
15. D: The Dark Ages were a period in Greek history in which the population dropped, ships no longer sailed, and writing fell out of use.
16. E: The Greeks joined the Phoenicians.
17. D: The c means all of the above; around, about, and circa.
18. A: Demos were Greek city-states that dotted the coastlines around the Mediterranean Sea.
19. B: Ancient Greek city-states closely resembled countries.
20. C: An Oligarchy is a form of government in which a small group of citizens dominated, and the power of the majority was limited in various ways.
21. A: Democracy is a form of government in which decisions were made by the majority of adult male citizens.
22. D: A Tyranny is a form of government in which a self-proclaimed dictator held power.
23. B: A monarchy is a form of government in which power is held by a single ruler, and often passed along from father to son.
24. C: Spartans used democracy as their government system.
25. A: At age 7 spartan males began their military training.
26. A: Athens was the wealthiest city-state in the ancient Greek world.
27. C: Acropolis was the high fortified citadel and religious center of an ancient Greek town.
28. E: Peloponnesus was the name of the southern peninsula where Sparta was located
29. E: Triremes were massive fighting ships with three banks of oars, used to ram or board enemy ships.
30. B: Hoplite was a heavily armed and armored citizen-soldier of ancient Greece.

Short Answers:
Short Answer
1.) This was the Dark Ages and occurred around 1150 B.C. and ended around 750 B.C.
2.) One story was the Odyssey and the second story was the Iliad.
3.) The word "Mediterranean" originally meant middle of the land.
4.) Prominent and long-established Athenian land owners were called Aristocrats.

3/14/2014

Today in class I forgot headphones so I couldn't really participate so I was sort of bored. I will just finish the worksheet and video this weekend. I have been wondering when we are going to have another test in this class and I bet it will be soon but I don't know if it will before Friday next week. I am extremely happy that it is Friday because I feel like this week has been really boring and I feel like today is going by even slower. I have a couple test today that I have to take so hopefully I will do well on them.

3/12/2014

Today in class we still didn't finish presenting our projects but it is okay because we can just finish next class. I had a really busy day today at least it felt that way and I can't wait to get a break! Spring break is almost here in like 30 days but that is better then 50 days. Also the quarter ends next week which is pretty stressful but hopefully my grades aren't too awful and i can pull through for honors which was my goal for this quarter.

3/11/2014

Today in West Civ we presented our projects and turned them in. I also left class early to go the festival which took place at Patterson Mill High for chorus. Everyone we watched perform did a fantastic job there and I that we did a good job to but also with every performance there were a few things that could be fixed because nothing is ever perfect. Anyway, I think my project was pretty good and hopefully I will get a high grade but I guess I won't find out until it is graded. I hope I did it all right also.

3/10/2014

Today in Western Civilization we just finished up putting finishing touches on our projects. I really enjoyed working on the video and the story boards weren't that bad either. My video is a minute and thirty-five seconds so hopefully it isn't too long. With out the music behind it at first I thought it was awful but once I added music I feel like it gave the video life. I hope we do more projects like this in the future because it wasn't dreadful or a waste of time. I am not really looking forward to presenting my project but I guess I really have no choice if I don't want a bad grade on this which believe me I don't.

3/7/2014

Today in Western Civilization we watched the video and took notes. We more about the power and stories of Greece. The class was fine but sort of exhausting because since it is Friday I would rather be at home sleeping and relaxing. I have a lot of work I have too do this weekend. Most likely i will end up sleeping and studying all weekend. I really have no idea when we have our next test in the class but I am sure it will be soon. I have to finish up my project this weekend I will probably try to finish it by Saturday night and then finish my English essay Sunday. I feel like I am being given a lot to do since the quarter ends in a couple weeks. Hopefully I can keep my grades up until then.

3/5/2014

Today in Western Civilization we were watching a movie on Greece and filling out a paper. We also went over out projects which are now due Monday. I didn't really understand what I was supposed to do for it yesterday but i understand now it shouldn't be too hard. I think it will actually be fun. It's supposed to get warmer this weekend so i am excited for most of the snow to be gone. We didn't really do that much in class it was rather boring.

3/4/2014

I was at home sick so I wasn't in class.

3/3/2014:Cyber Day

Today we had another Cyber Day! I don't like these days and on top of everything I am sick well it's only a cold but still. Hopefully I will feel better tomorrow but since we have a two hour delay tomorrow i am going to go for a run in the morning at the gym. Hopefully we have school tomorrow because i don't want more work can't we have a Cyber Day off. My parents think it is a great idea but it is so hard not to get distracted and also not to forget anything. I am really tired of the cold weather and snow hopefully by the end of this month we will have spring weather and no snow.

2/26/2014

Athens and Sparta hated each other
The Persian wars were the beginning of the Golden Age for Athens
Peloponnesus is the land where Sparta is located
Women had more say in Sparta then they did in Athens

• Couldn't vote or have a say in government

The Peloponnesian war was the end of the Golden Age

• The war between Sparta and Athens 

Persia was the super power of the time
Athens won because they were fighting for their life-styles even when they were out-numbered and shouldn't have won.
Athens army wasn't paid like the Persian army
Voting was done by show of hands and sometimes by stones
Meetings were done once a week
Officials were chosen by lot
Ten generals were voted on every year

Greek words:
polis- greek city-states
polites- citezen
demos- common people
ephors- overseers

Andrew taught in class again today.

2/25/2014

Today in Western Civilization we learned more about Greece and the Mycenaeans. Also we talked about the book of Odyssey which I found very interesting. I think I might read the book of Odyssey over the summer or at least try to. We learned that there was a Dark Age in Greece that we have little information about because nothing was being written down by these "Sea People." We also learned about the Dorians and the only form of writing about these times sound mythical so is hard to depict the truth.

2/24/2014: Sparta and Athens

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

• Vocab:
• 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, usual hereditary ruler(a monarch)
• 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 self-proclaimed dictator and tator(tyrant).
• democracy- in ancient Greece, a form of government in which all adult male citizens were entitled to take part in celebration.
• 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.
• 
  
• Greek City-states :
• small places, generally consist of no more than a town and a few square miles of countryside.
• Athens and Sparta were giants among city-states 
• about the size of a couple US countries
• each only had about a few thousand people
• the Greek city-states were the first to name there people by the Greek word "polites" meaning citizens.
• the male citizens went to war for the Greeks
• they had to pay for the things that they carried into war with them 
• such as bronze helmets and armor, round shields, long spears with iron blades, and short iron swords.
• "Alongside Mesopotamia and Egypt there now appeared a third great civilization: that of classical Greece." 
• city-states founded by powerful families 

Sparta: The Military Ideal

• decedents of the Greeks who conquered part of the southern mainland.
• they pushed westward because they couldn't grow anything 
• they had to accept a government 
• this helped hold down the Messenians
• they had been rebelling and causing havoc 
• no one knows when or how the government was decided on but it was 
• the citizens could approve or disapprove the laws the elders wrote up
• to protect themselves they sealed off all of their boarders to foreigners
• "Instead of softening their feet with shoes, his rule was to make them hardy through going barefoot....Instead of pampering them with a variety of clothes, his rule was to habituate them to a single garment the whole year through, thinking that so they would be better prepared to withstand the variations of heat and cold."

Athens: Freedom and Power

• The Athenians didn't agree with the way the Spartan's lived
• difference of Athens to Sparta
• Sparta was agricultural and landlocked, and Athens were prosperous and had access to the sea
• Sparta had a powerful army and Athens had a strong navy
• Sparta was isolated from everyone and Athens welcomed foriegn ideas and visitors
• Sparta was a controlled society and Athenians were proud of their free way of life.
• Spartans had physical fitness and military courage and Athenians had literature and art

Way of life:

• most slaves were treated fairly 
• women were not a big part of the democracy 

Greek Words:

2/21/2014: Greeks

Greeks:

• new ideas
• incredible art forms
• democratic government w/ citizen participation 

The European Barbarians:

• 400 BC
• farming and village life spreads from Sumerian Egyptian lands across SW Asia and NE Africa, and the European continent
• 3500 BC
• some are organized enough to construct megaliths, massive rough-cut stones used to construct monument and tombs, such as Stonehenge(finished in England in 2000BC), consisting of 160 massive boulders weighing up to 50 tons (100,000 pounds) each, stacked and circled and aligned to the movements of sun and moon.
• From 2500 BC on-Indo-
• European nomads migrated from the steppes of eastern Europe 
• their language would evolve into Greek and Latin 
• Their lives centered around strength and courage, comradeship and loyalty, contests and battle
• Thinner population than Egypt or Mesopotamia-
• they formed tribes, social and political unit consisting of communities held together by common interests, tradition, and real or mythical ties of kinship.
• tribes were headed by powerful hereditary chieftains, thought of as kings (or, rarely, queens)
• This is how Europe came to be populated by speakers of Indo-European languages who were skilled in farming, metalworking, trade, and warfare 
• no cities, no written records, no fixed structures of government 
• they were barbarians(from Greek barbaros-"non-Greek")
• they adopted the way of life of those they encountered, and as they traveled (from 2000BC to AD 1000), this is how civilization eventually spread throughout Europe.
• The distinctive civilization the Greeks developed is the first that counts as definitely "Western" 

I probably didn't have to copy all of this but at least i have all of the notes now so that I won't fail a test in the future.

2/19/2014

Today in Western Civilization we went over are tests which i got a 92 on. I guess it was a pretty good grade but i would like to do better because i have a lot of making up to do from last semester. Also i am trying to keep my grades up really high because my biology grade is really low because i am awful at biology. Another thing i learned in class today was that i should write the letters next tot he test so i can quiz myself for when exams come around for later on in in the semester. Hopefully i will achieve in this class but who knows.

2/18/2014

I don't really know if I have to blog tonight but I am going to anyway just in case. Today in Western Civilization we built a pyramid on our computers and we had to make sure that nothing went wrong like all of the workers dying or having it take too long stuff like that. It was fun i guess but more stressful. I am glad that Alexa and I got 20/20 because i need the grade I think because I don't think that I did amazing on the test but who knows. Also it  is starting to feel like spring outside but I am sure it will be freezing again really soon anyway.

2/17/2014: Greece

The First European Civilization: The Greeks

"Within Classical Greek Civilization there appeared ideas, art forms, and types of government whose influence on Western Civilization has lasted down to the present day."

The European Barbarians:

• focused on farming and welfare.
• barbarian- a term used to describe a distinctive way of life based on farming, warfare, and tribal organization that became widespread in Europe beginning around 2500 B.C.
• megaliths- massive rough-cut stones used to construct monuments and tombs 
• tribe- a social and political unit consisting of a group of communities held together by common interests, traditions, and real mythical ties of kinship. 
• The Earliest Europeans
• By 4000 B.C. farming and village life had spread throughout the continent.
• They may have been the one of the first people to build a plow
• The Barbarian Way of Life
• "When a leading warrior died, his horses and chariot, his bronze (or later iron) swords and daggers, and his gold and silver drinking cups would all go to the grave with him presumably so that he could go on riding, fighting, and drinking as a comrade of the gods in the afterlife.

The Aegean Encounter:

The farming wealth of the Aegean region, like that of Palestine, came from a combination of grain fields, vine-yard, and olive groves that was common throughout the Mediterranean land.

Greeks:

• had a government
• democracy 
• Minoan Civilization 
• arose in the Aegean island of Crete
• they traded with many people around the Mediterranean
• The Arrival of the Greeks: Mycenaean Civilization:
• They combined everything about themselves to form a new ethnicity called the Greeks
• The "Dark Ages":
• colony- in ancient greece, a new city-state settled in an oversea territory by a group sponsored by a city-state located elsewhere 
• oracle- a priest or priestess who was believed to give answers that were inspired by a god or goddess to question from worshipers at a temple.
• "the minstrels' listeners absorbed the traditional values that the heroic songs celebrated- the values of a warrior aristocracy that was at home on both land and sea."

2/14/2014: Short Answers

Short Answer.  Use at least three informative sentences to answer each of these questions.  This means you write at least three sentences for A, and at least three sentences for B.  Post your answer on your blog.  Five points for each short answer, for a total of ten points.

Short Answer A:  Name and describe three technological innovations or inventions of the ancient Egyptians.

AND

Short Answer B:  Describe three important features of the Egyptian pyramids.

1. The Egyptians came up with some of the biggest inventions such as irrigation which they used for watering there crops so that they could grow more food for the people. They also came up with a form of writing called hieratics which are symbols that mean certain words and hieroglyphs which were pictures that described certain words, symbols, and sounds. Also the Egyptians built sailboats which some might say was there biggest invention yet because it helped the people travel along the river to different cities. The Egyptians were known for all of there amazing buildings especially the pyramids.

2. One of the biggest important features of the pyramids was the polished marble that coated the pyramid's sides to keep thieves from getting in. Although once the marble was stripped it was still hard for burglars to get through the 5,000 pounds of 2.3 million cut blocks which would be another important feature on the pyramids. Another feature that was very important in trying to keep the thieves from getting all of the riches inside the pyramids would be the winding corridors. These pyramids are some of the biggest wonders in the entire world and once held some of the greatest pharaohs.   

2/13/2014: Essay Questions

"Essay.  Answer both of the following essay questions.  Organize your response into at least three paragraphs.  Use these paragraphs to give details and provide evidence for your answer.  Post your essay in your blog.  You may use your blog, your notes, or your text as a resource for this essay.  This assignment is worth 20 points, and will be a part of your grade for your 100-point test on Prehistory, Mesopotamia, and ancient Egypt, which will be given on the day we return to school.  This essay assignment is due by midnight tonight.

ESSAY A:  Describe the social hierarchy of the ancient Egyptians.

AND

ESSAY B: Discuss the importance of the Nile River in the lives of Egyptians."

The ancient Egyptians used a social hierarchy that was made up of seven different groups that showed where you stood within the society. The social hierarchy started with the servants and the slaves who were at the bottom. Their jobs included helping raise the wealthy with household and child raising duties. Then came the farmers who raised wheat, barley, and lentils. Then the Artisans who carved statues and drawings that showed military and afterlife. After that was the Merchants who used a bartering and money system and sometimes they excepted grains or other goods. Then the scribes were next and they kept records, told stories, taught medical treatments, and wrote hieroglyphs and hieratics. Then there were the soldiers who used wooden weapons with bronze tips and sometimes and road chariots. After that came the Upper class who were known as the "white kilt class" because their clothes were always extremely clean the people in this class were usually priests, physicians, and engineers.Then the person with the highest rank is the pharaoh who was the religious and political leader and he held two titles the 'Lord of the Two Lands' and the 'High Priest of Every Temple.' He owned all of the land, made laws, collected taxes, and defended Egypt against foreigners. Then there was also Hatshepsut which was what a women pharaoh was called. Those were all of the ranks in the hierarchy.

Ancient Egypt was very important to the people of Egypt and was built of many pyramids where the pharaohs were kept after their death. Some of the pyramids were as big as 50 stories tall. Also the people who built the pyramids actually wanted to build them because they felt like it was an honor to do something for the pharaoh. The main life-line of Egypt was the Nile and one fact about the river was that it flows from South to North.

The Nile was used for everything back in Egypt. The Egyptians used the Nile for transportation, bathing, and irrigation. Irrigation was one of the biggest break-throughs in Ancient Egypt. The people of Egypt learned how to use the river for all of there crops at different times of the year. They learned that Nile flooded in July and that the best soil could be found in October. The Nile was the source of life for all of the people who lived in the few mile radius around the river. They also used the river to move food and good down stream but they had to watch how the water moved so that way nothing would go wrong. Also when everything was going right with the river and food wise everyone would call that time "Maat."

2/12/2014

Today in class we didn't really do much we pretty much reviewed some more and got ready for all of the snow we are supposed to be having. I don't know if I believe we are going to get as much snow as they say but I feel like everyone is prepared to get a lot. Since we didn't really do much in class I don't think there is a lot to write. Also even though I want it to snow I am not looking forward to all of the work I am going to be receiving. I am receiving work for classes I am not even having tomorrow. Anyway i just really want there to be warmer weather because there is always less stress when it is warmer outside.

2/11/2014

Today in Western Civilization we learned more about mummification which you would only have done if you were very wealthy so pretty much only if you were a pharaoh. Besides that we didn't learn anything and Laura and Arie just kept arguing and Mr. Schick broke the desk. It was a very eventful class. But I don't really think that I learned anything that I hadn't learned in the other classes. I hope we don't have the test tomorrow though because I have a lot of homework to do tonight. Also my mom said we are supposed to get a good amount of snow because she works for Constellation Energy/ BGE and has to work Storm Duty. I have a lot of studying i need to do for this test because it is my first test in Western Civilization and I didn't do amazing in Human Geography so this class will let me know if i can take honors next year.

2/10/2014: My laptop had a virus

Today in Western Civilization we finished learning about Egypt and we were told that we have a test on Wednesday. I couldn't type a lot of stuff because I didn't have my laptop since I might have downloaded a virus but not on purpose. We talked about all the main points in Ancient Egypt such which were geography, daily life, pharaohs, goddesses and gods, and pyramids. The geography was centered around the Nile. The Nile moves into a Delta which where the Nile meets the Mesopotamia. Also every July it floods and then in October there is rich soil. The Nile was used for drinking, irrigation, bathing, and transportation. The biggest break through back then was irrigation. The social ladder consists of Slaves and Servants, Farmers, Artisans, Merchant, Scribes, Soldiers, Upper class, Pharaoh.

2/7/2014

Today in Western Civilization we finished learning a bunch of information on Egypt. I learned that the Nile river flows from South to North and that 95 percent of people live within a few miles from the river because the land a little bit farther away is to arid to grow anything and live in that area. The Nile was huge provider to the people's lives and the people in Egypt learned to irrigate crops. The leader of Egypt was a pharaoh which is someone who is worshiped as a god and can supposedly speak to the gods. He is also supposed to keep them happy if there is ever a drought or a plague the pharaoh can be over thrown because the people believe that he has angered the gods or the pharaoh will pass down his power to his son. There were not many women who were ever put in charge. When everything was going right and the people had enough food and believed the gods were happy they called it "maat." The people viewed the gods as a combination of strong animals and humans.

2/4/2014: LO3

Land of the Pharaohs: Egypt

• The Nile and the "Two Lands"
• Upper Egypt 
• a narrow strip of fertile land
• five hundred miles in length and about twelve miles in width 
• located alongside the river as it flows across the North African desert
• Lower Egypt
• a delta 
• fan-shaped pattern of water ways
• formed by the Nile before it reached the sea
• pharaohs- the rulers of ancient Egypt 
• Government by a God-King
• "Hail to thee, O Nile, that issues from the earth and comes to keep Egypt alive! Hidden in his form of appearance, a darkness by day, to whom minstrels have sung. He that waters the meadows which Re created, in order to keep every kid alive. He that makes to drink the desert and the place distant from water: that is his dew coming down from heaven."
• Tending the "Cattle of God"
• Men and Women Under the Pharaohs
• Gods, Humans, and Everlasting Life 
• The Soul Declares Its Innocence
• The Writing of the Words of God
• hieroglyphs- the earliest Egyptian writing, in which pictures stood for whole words or seperate sounds of words.
• Calendars and Sailboats 
• Pyramids and Temples 
• pyramid- a massive structure with sloping slides that met at an apex, used as a royal tomb in ancient Egypt 
• The Rhythm of Egypt's History 

2/3/2014: Snow Day

Today in Western Civilization I was extremely tired but guess what I still had to come into school because Harford County felt the need to send us in to school for two hours. I only took a math test and was give math homework to complete. They decided to let us out at ten o'clock because of the snow even when the weather forecast called for about five inches of snow. It will probably keep snowing until around 4 so why on earth did they make us come in when we will still have to make up the day. I am annoyed I had to wake up early because even though we are leaving early I won't be able to get any sleep. Don't get me wrong I am happy to get out early but i would rather be sleeping at home. This day is almost over but I don't have a ride home so i don't know what I am going to do oh well.

1/31/2014: Notes

Before Civilization and the Prehistoric Era

• "If we reduce the time since the first humanlike species appeared (about 2.5 million years ago) to the period of a twenty four hour day the five-thousand-year era of civilization takes up less than the last three minutes."

• The Origins and "Ages" of Human beginning
• Paleolithic (Old Stone) Age- The earliest and longest period of prehistory, when humans used simple stone tools.
• Neolithic (New Stone) Age- The period of human history characterized by advances in stone tool-making and the beginnings of agricultural.
• The Hunting Gathering Way of Life
• The Agricultural Revolution 
• Agricultural Revolution, also called Neolithic Revolution- The shift from hunting and gathering food to a more settled way of life based on farming and herding that occurred gradually between 8000 and 4000 BC in much of western Asia, northern Africa, and Europe, and separately in other parts of the world.
• Climate, Skills, and Technologies
• Villages and Families
• polytheism- the belief in many gods or goddesses 
• Over many generations, the life of village communities and families came to be regulated by complex systems of tradition, custom, and authority, out of which the law and government of civilized societies would ultimately grow."  
• New Environmental Conditions 
• around 10,000 BC, the planet was warming and the ice sheet that covered much of the Northern Hemisphere began to melt and withdraw northward.
• southwestern asia emerged as a region with a mid climate, fertile soil, and a good water supply- key elements for cultivating crops.
• wild grasses that bore nourishing seeds flourished naturally in the grasslands above the river valleys of the region
• The Developments of Techniques for Domesticating Plants
• women of hunting and gathering bands, who were responsible for plant food, were probably the ones who noticed that the seeds of wild grasses could sprout into plants, and they began tending garden patches.
• by choosing to put back into the soil the seeds of those grasses that grew best and were easiest to harvest, cultivators helped breed (over many generations) wheat and barley.
• Tools were fashioned to make farming possible on a large scale, Stone-bladed holes loosened the soil for seeding, and flint-edged sickles cut the edible seeds from the stalks.
• The Development of Techniques for Domesticating Animals
• wild dogs were the first animals to be tamed- probably by the men of hunting bands.
• sheep, goats, pigs, and cattle were domesticated to provide meat, wool, skins, and milk.
• toward the end of Neolithic Age, humans began to use oxen for farming, along with a new tool- the plow. The oxen and plow made it possible to cultivate larger fields and feed more people.
• with the invention of the wheel, oxen were also used to pull carts and transport goods and people.
•   Villages and Civilization
• "Nurtured by a favorable environment and then toughened by harsher conditions, there grew up in southern Mesopotamia a new kind of society, so much more complex than the older one that today it counts as one of the world's first true civilizations."   

1/28/2014

Today in Mr. Schick's Western Civilization class we finished up talking about Sumer and about how they built temples where they worshiped the gods and goddesses. We also learned about the Civilization in Mesopotamia had a king named King Hammurabi of Babylon who created a series of laws know as Hammurabi's code. One law was that  "If, on the other hand, the claimant of the lost property has not brought the witnesses that know his lost property, he has been guilty of slander, he has stirred up strife, he shall be put to death." Which means if someone believes that you stole something of his he can hold you accountable for lying and you will lose your life since you have no evidence. Another rule was that "If a man has stolen a child, he shall be put to death." Which is like saying if you kidnap someone you will be put to death. Then there is also another rule that states "If a man has broken into a house he shall be killed before the breach and buried there." Which means that where the person has broken into they will be killed and buried there. I think that all of these rules consequences are too intense for the crimes being committed.

1/27/2014

Today in Mr. Schick's Western Civilization class we learned about Prehistory to civilization. I learned that the prehistoric age was before people learned to write things down. Also the Paleolithic age was the earliest prehistoric age and the neolithic age was when advanced tool making and agricultural began. Migratory groups of those times were people who hunted and grew crops. The agricultural revolution was when people started to store and grow food and one place which causes everything to advance. The people advanced in the way they lived by having the population grow and with the invention of both the wheel and the plow. Back in these times there were a lot of polytheists, people who worshiped more then one god, and hierarchies which showed where different people stood on the social latter. One place that had huge advances and growth was in Sumer which was located between the Tigerus and the Euphrates. With the growth of many groups of people came the kings and the first form of writing, cuniform. 

1/24/2014

This is my first blog I have ever posted for a Western Civilization class. Today during my first Western Civilization class with Mr. Schick, I learned how to set up my blog for this class. I also met the other students in this class. We all figured out what we would be doing in class each day and where we would be sitting. The class was pretty short because of the two hour delay. I think that this class will be one of my favorites this semester although it has just started. I can’t wait to learn about Western Civilization whatever that actually means but I am excited to learn something new.