Week 4b: Daily #11

Question: How did Alexander create his own myth?

Alexander the Great created his own myth in many different ways on his journey of conquest. First of all, Alexander went to the oracle of Didyma and consecrated it. Then, a priest there announced that he was the son of God, according to the God Apollo. Even Apollo knew that Alexander the Great had the power to conquer the whole Persian Empire. As the son of God, more and more people worshipped and agreed with Alexander and his goal of conquest. Another part to Alexander’s myth was the Oracle at Siwa Oasis. When Alexander arrived with his army in Egypt, he traveled across the deserts of Central and Western Egypt to Siwa Oasis. When Alexander arrived there, he went to the oracle located there in town. On the steps of the temple, the Gods of Egypt told him that he was the pharaoh of Egypt and that he would conquer the Persian Empire. The Oracle of Siwa made the people realize that Alexander had the power and strength to conquer all of the Persians, another part of Alexander’s myth. Another part to Alexander’s myth was the Gordian Knot. In 333 B.C., Alexander the Great attempted to untie this secret knot. During that night, there was a violent thunderstorm, which Alexander’s prophet Aristander took as a sign that Zeus would help give Alexander many victories in his journey. So Alexander took out his sword and sliced the knot, untying it from the ox cart. This led people to respect him as the king of Asia. So these are different events that built up the myth of Alexander the Great. Alexander’s myth was important to his long journey of conquest. 

Week 4b: Daily #9

Question: Could a force like Alexander the Great exist today? Why or why not?

I do not think a force like Alexander the Great could exist today for a number of reasons. First of all, there are so many people in the world that if you had this kind of power, there would be enough people to stop that leader. It is very hard to obtain all of the power Alexander had in today’s world since there are armies and soldiers of all kind to stop him permanently. The world today, especially the United States, has power in the people who could stop a force similar to Alexander the Great. Another reason a force like him could not come about is because power in our world today is very limited, unlike in Alexander’s time. Back then, power was abundant and Alexander the Great used it all to create a huge empire. But today, our world has many leaders who have an equal amount of power and authority. Since power is doled out equally to each leader, no leader can have an abundant amount of power. This means that no force could have the power like Alexander the Great to be a driving force in the world. The last reason a force like Alexander could not come about is because each country has its own strong army that is capable to stop a force like Alexander the Great. The United States, for example, has maximum security that could stop a leader from invading our country and we have allies that could help us with this. Other countries have this too where they can stop a powerful force. All of these reasons show how a force like Alexander the Great could not exist in today’s world. 

Week 4b: Daily #6

Question: Was Alexander the Great a "good leader"? Compare/Contrast with Pericles.

Alexander the Great was a “good leader” and so was Pericles. Both of these leaders helped their city states rule through their times and they each had their own strategies that lead to success. Unlike Pericles, Alexander the Great went straight for the pray and put his military plans straight into action. Alexander worked very fast to become of the greatest commanders in the Ancient World. Alexander the Great wanted everything done quickly so he could create a huge empire that he could rule until he died. But Pericles used more caution and less military actions in his methods. Pericles was more focused on fixing up Athens with vast structures like the Parthenon and he made Athens the leader of the intellectual world. So Alexander the Great was a great military man and commander while Pericles was a man of knowledge and of the arts with architecture and theatre. Also, Alexander the Great lead one of the largest empires in ancient history while Pericles lead only the city state of Athens. But even though these two leaders had different approaches to wars and events, they each were great leaders who did so much for their city states that lead them to success. Alexander the Great was a good leader because he led his armies very confidently so they would come out a winner every time they attempted to invade a country. I think Alexander the Great was recognized as a hero to many people in his army and they looked up to him as a role model. With his unique tactics as a leader, he was more than better than a good leader, he was an extraordinary leader in his time, along with his skilled armies at his side. 

Week 4b: Daily #3

Question: Based on what you know about Aristotle, do you think Alexander had listened carefully to his tutor?

I think Alexander the Great did listen to Aristotle, his tutor, because Aristotle was a very educated man with very resourceful information. Aristotle was one of the most important philosophers in the Western world at his time and his writing covered many important subjects. Aristotle teached philosophy, but also physics, poetry, theater, music, politics, and even government. If there was a reliable source in the 300 B.C years, it was Aristotle because of his outstanding knowledge. This meant that Alexander the Great must have listened to Aristotle because he was an extremely smart, intelligent man from his writings and from the subjects he teached. Aristotle also studied and taught ethics very well. His view on ethics influenced many people during that time to have a more understandable view on moral actions and decisions. He was an important figure who answered the numerous questions about morality, like what was justice and how to distinguish from right and wrong. Alexander the Great I think must have learned about this because he needed moral ethics in order to rule a vast empire. So ethics were also a sign that Alexander the Great listened very carefully to Aristotle. Aristotle also had his own scientific method that helped shape the modern studies of philosophy. He used his own method of thinking and reason to help make the Ancient World more intellectual. He used a similar method as Socrates, but he had a different way of getting to the core of the human mind. With this, I think Alexander listened carefully about this when he was going to conquer the Persians. All of these ways showed how Alexander the Great listened to his tutor, Aristotle, very carefully to conquer the Ancient World. 

Week 4b: Daily #1

Question: What compels someone to lead others?

People are compelled to lead for many different reasons. One reason that pushes someone to lead is because of the power they think they have over everyone else. When people think they have a lot of power, they want to be a leader and be the boss over other people. Power is important to be a good leader and when people have this, they are pushed to rule others and lead them. Another reason people are compelled to lead is because they have the energy and that driving force in their bodies that tell them to be a leader. Many people have a passion for leading from energy that drives them through each day. To be a good leader, you need that driving feeling and motivation to carry out the duties of a good leader. Energy in people helps them lead others with a passion for it, too. When people have the energy and passion, they think that they can do magnificent things only a leader could do. To also be a good leader, a person needs to have good leadership skills. If someone has no clue how to even be a leader or lead others, then they are not fit to serve as a leader. But if you possess good leadership qualities, you can lead others in the blink of an eye. With good leadership skills, we can accomplish tasks only a great leader could and we have success doing it. Also, if we can actually get to know the people we are leading, being a great leader is now a much easier job. All of these qualities make a good leader and if someone can possess all of them, a good leader can easily come about. 

Weekly #4

Adam Beard
Honors Western Civilization

 Cast of Characters

Socrates- a well-known Athenian philosopher

Lysander- leader of the Spartan army

Pericles- leader of Athens during the Golden Age

Dorian- member of the Athenian marine fleet

Tycho- another member of the Athenian marine fleet

Alcibiades- Athenian who told Athens’ plans to Sparta about war plans and their strategic plans to win

Other Athenians

Narrator

431 B.C. in Athens

Pericles- We people of Athens have the most power in all of the Eastern Mediterranean

Dorian- We have a lot of power, but the city-state of Sparta is gaining power too. I have a fear that they might attack us

Pericles- Even if they attack us, we have the protection and the greatest army to defeat them in every aspect of their attack

Narrator- What Pericles didn’t see actually happened. Spartans came to stop Athens from becoming the most powerful empire in the ancient world. The Spartans came unexpectedly and this astonished all of Athens. One method of defeating the Athenians was a method of blocking the harbor of Athens so no trade products or food could come into Athens.

Dorian- The Spartans have blocked off our harbor and all of the Athenians are stranded in between the city walls of Athens.

Tycho- We our running out of food quickly and the Spartans are so powerful that we cannot fight them.

Lysander- We Spartans are victorious and have destroyed the Athenians in Athens. No one can stop us now because we have gained all of the power.

Narrator- A year later, the plague hit Athens from a lack of food and clean water. Many people were getting sick and Athens saw a third of their population die from this terrible plague. Dorian and Tycho saw the whole thing fly through their eyes. They were worried that Athens would be forced to surrender to them. 

Athenian citizen- my family and I are in desperate need of food and we are starving! Help us!

Narrator- But sadly, there was no help. Athens was in rule by Sparta and they had no power to defeat them. Then even worse news came in Athens. Their leader, Pericles, was affected by the plague, too.

429 B.C. in Athens

Pericles- I just want Athenians to continue my reign of power in this empire and to continue greatness in Athens. But most importantly, defeat SPARTA!   He Dies.

Dorian- We need a new leader or we are doomed

Tycho- Don’t worry, Dorian. We will think of a plan to get revenge on the Spartans.

415 B.C. in the Ionian Sea

Narrator- Athenian fleets of ship were on their way to Syracuse in the city-sate of Sicily. Athens was currently allied with Sicily and Athens cam there because Sicily was under attack from Syracuse. The goal of the Athenians was to defeat the Syracusans, but they had no clue about what was about to come from the one of the leaders of the expedition, Alcibiades.

Dorian (to Tycho)- Our fleets of ships are almost at Sicily and we need to stop the Syracusans from our ally of Sicily.

Tycho- We should do okay in this battle since Syracuse is not expecting us to be there.

Narrator- What the Athenian fleets did not know is that Alcibiades had to leave the ships to attend a trial back in Athens for the mutilation of the Hermae. But instead of going back to Athens, he sailed to Sparta and told the Spartans everything about what Athens was doing in Sicily and all of their methods and strategies to use in the war. Alcibiades betrayed his fleets of ships in Sicily and told the Spartans all of the war tactics Athens was going to use. Athens was betrayed by a great military leader and they didn’t even know about it.

Spring of 414 B.C. in Syracuse, Sicily

Narrator- The Athenian fleets finally arrived in Syracuse after sailing for roughly four months in the Ionian Sea. But not even a fleet of 50,000 soldiers were ready for this war.

Tycho- Oh My Gosh. Look at all of the Syracusian soldiers ready to kill us all

Dorian- We are really in for it today, soldiers.

Narrator- The Athenian soldiers had no clue why it looked like Syracusian soldiers were completely ready for them. It was all from Alcibiades. When he told the Spartans about the Athenian’s arrival, the Spartans then told Syracuse all about Athens, which is why they were ready to kill all of the Athenians.

(The Syracusian soldiers come charging toward the Athenian ships)

Dorian- Here they come

Tycho- We have to attack now, soldiers

Narrator- Too bad the leaders of the expedition could not choose a war strategy they all liked, do the soldiers did not know how to fight the Syracusian soldiers.

Tycho (to Dorian) - Our soldiers have been slaughtered. We’re two of the few soldiers left in the Athenian fleet.
Dorian (to Tycho) – Watch out!

Narrator- Unfortunately, Tycho was slaughtered, and then Dorian, and then 50,000 soldiers followed in this fate. The Athenian soldiers had no stop to the attacks of the Syracusian soldiers. This defeat marked arguably the biggest loss in the Ancient Athenian Empire. This defeat made the remaining citizens in Athens feel terrible about themselves and the rest of their empire.

399 B.C. Back in Athens

Narrator- After the defeat at Sicily, Athenians looked for someone to blame for their loss in the war. As a democracy, many people turned to Socrates for their mistakes in the war because they thought that Socrates “questioned the principles of Athens” and for “corrupting the youth of Athens. Socrates stood up for himself but when to trial for these so called “crimes”

Socrates- I am just saying my opinion. I just don’t think we came prepared for the wars with Syracuse and Sparta. I think we should change the principles of Athens to help us fight in war.

Athenian people- Socrates, you are found guilty of your crimes and you are forced into exile

Socrates- I will not accept exile!

Athenian people- Then you will be forced to death

Narrator- So Socrates didn’t go into exile; instead, he was forced to drink a poison called hemlock. The hemlock eventually killed Socrates in the year of 399 B.C. This was officially the end of the Athenian Empire. With two major losses in two major wars, and with two important figures in society dead, there was no more hope for the Athenian people to look forward to.

Week 4: Daily #1 (with Socrates)

Question: Do you think Socrates got what he deserved? Why didn't he accept exile?

Socrates did not get what he deserved because as the one of the greatest Greek philosophers of all time, he deserved better than this. Socrates’ way of understanding people was probably the best form of philosophy in the days of Ancient Greece. Socrates did not care about his appearance in the city; he was only interested in the mind and ways of thinking. Socrates revolutionized the way of thinking in the ancient world. Socrates also taught some of the smartest students in all of Greece with Plato and Xenophon. With all of these outstanding achievements, the people of Athens should have been proud with a man like him. Instead, they charged him with crimes that he never even thought he would break. Crimes that were charged to Socrates included questioning the democracy in Athens and questioning the principles in Athens. Socrates was just stating his opinion about this type of government the flaws in Athens, which is why a democracy was installed in Athens; so people could have their own opinions on things. Then Socrates was found guilty of these charges in his trial and he was forced to drink the hemlock poison, where he eventually lost feeling in his body and died. This was not how I though Socrates’ life should have ended at all. He should have been honored by Athens, not executed. I think he did not except exile because he wanted to stand up for himself and not let the people of Athens ostracize him away. Socrates thought he was better than living in exile. He knew if anything, he should at least be liked in society. Exile was not a choice for Socrates and he knew this wouldn’t help his case at all. Socrates deserved a great deal of respect and he was better than dying from poison. 

Week 4: Daily #5

5. Explain how the origins of theatre in Athens are tied to both religion and politics. Check out  this resource.

The ancient theatres in Athens were a vital part to the entertainment in Greece. Not only did they provide entertainment for Athenians, but they even tied in to religion too. Many plays that went on at the theatre usually involved gods or goddesses. The actors who would play a god or goddess were usually hung up by a crane with a harness. The type of play usually played at the theater was a tragedy. Each author even wrote the script for a tragedy in honor of the god Dionysus. It was believed that Dionysus assigned the author a chorus and actors for the play that he wrote. Ancient Greek theatre developed from ancient religious festivals in Athens and all of Greece. There is even a theatre in Athens named after Dionysus called the theatre of Dionysus.

Athenian theatres tied into politics because some of the tragedies played by the actors involved people that were known in society, like Sophocles and Euripides. Also, the people in Athens helped pay funds that would go towards the ancient Athenian theatres. These funds would help improve the theatre with new equipment and improve the overall structures of these theatres. So the democracy in Athens greatly helped to improve theatres all over Athens. Also, actors who performed well in the tragedies would become known to the audience. Then, the democracy could possibly look up to that person as a political leader and elect him to be a leader of the government. These are ways how politics tied in with the Ancient Greek theatres in Athens.

Week 4: Daily #4

Question: Was Athens really a 'democracy'?

         

I do think that Athens was a true democracy because all of the decisions that were faced in this great city were in the hands of the people. Many tyrants began rule in Athens, but after they did a bad job leading the city, a democracy was born. Many great Athenian leaders like Pericles and Clisthenes used this type of government to their advantage. They succeeded with different war strategies and different methods to use in war all made by the people. Clisthenes first established the democracy in the late sixth century. He wanted the people’s beliefs and opinions to be an influence in the decisions that Athens eventually made. Clisthenes was also known as “the father of Athenian democracy.” With the implementing of a democracy, Athens was now under the rule of the people and leaders like Clisthenes depended on peoples’ choices to lead them to victory. The democracy led Athens to become the rulers of the Eastern Mediterranean world. When the new democracy was tested in the War at Marathon in 490 B.C., it held up. The different tactics and ideas from the people helped Athens defeat the Persians in a tested battle. This democracy in Athens was real and it is what the people did that helped Athens become an empire to remember. People even voted on what laws should go into effect for the city and voted on who should lead their city. A democracy allowed people to form councils so ordinary people could share their own ideas that would help Athens in different aspects like war and protection. Athens ran with this type of government and it worked for many decades until Athens fell later in the late fifth century. So I think Athens was a democracy and this is what the great leaders of Athens depended on to lead them in the direction of success and dominance. 

Week 4: Daily #1

 Please read http://ow.ly/156BA  and write a blog post comparing the Ancient Greek Olympics to the Games this coming weekend!

The Ancient Greek Olympics started in Olympia in 776 B.C. and they did these games to honor the Greek god Zeus. The games back in Ancient Greece were also a way to get men fit before they went into the military and it was believed that Greek gods championed a winner. For our Olympic games, different athletes compete to win an array of gold medals, not to honor a god. The Greek Olympics also comprised of activities that are much different from today’s games but some that are also very similar. Activities included boxing, wrestling, and long-distance races such as the dolichos. These activities are in today’s Olympics too. But some activities were completely different, such as a horse-and-chariot race and the mule race. Zeus was also believed to lock down on all of the competitors, making some people lose and others victorious. Just like how when athletes from various countries win and bring respect and honor to their home countries today, this also happened in the Greek Games where athletes who won brought pride to their home city-states. Also, women did not participate in the main Greek festival and they had their own Olympics to honor the goddess Hera. In today’s games, women are a big, important part of the Olympics where they are honored just as the men. There were also great Olympic athletes back then as there are today with Usain Bolt running track and Apolo Ohno speed skating on ice. Back then, Leonidas of Rhodes was a great runner who won all three running events in four straight Olympics. There was also Milo of Croton who was the men’s boxing champion three straight years. There are some big differences between the Ancient Greek Olympics and our modern Olympics. But they each bring out the athletic side in every competitor, with their main purpose to be the best player on the field.

Weekly #3

Adam Beard

Honors Western Civilization

The megalith that we made has several theories behind it. One theory with our megalith is a famous Olympian track runner who ran the fastest time in the history of the Olympics back then. So to honor him, our megalith was used as a burial site of this famous Olympic track runner. A Greek myth says that the Olympic runner breathes fire through the pipe at the bottom of the megalith, which makes the fire spit out of the fire pit in the middle of our megalith. The fire pit in our megalith comes from the fire of this amazing Olympic runner buried underground. Another use of our megalith is as a bonfire where people make sacrifices for good luck at the Olympics. As sacrifices, people use lambs from Greece to throw into the fire pit, which symbolize good luck for everyone participating in the Olympics.

            

Since our megalith is in the middle of a track, after people run in the track, they use the benches surrounding the fire pit in the megalith to rest and warm up when it is cold outside. The megalith is a perfect place to rest since it is so close to the track. Also, another myth says that the four standing stones in the megalith are curved inward for protection from outside. The myth also says that the four big stones are in a circle to model a city’s walls back in ancient times. Just like how there are walls that circle and protect the city, the standing stones go in a circle to protect the fire pit in the middle with people sitting around it. So our megalith has many theories and myths behind it, with some being very strange. But these myths are what make our megalith important and what it represents so the rest of society knows about why it is here today. 

Week 3: Daily Question #5

Question: "Structures, both social and physical are continually improving." agree or disagree (from @thecorcoran)

            

I think structures are improving both physically and socially because of the growing intellect of the people in our world. There are so many smart and bright people out there in today’s times that they are able to make buildings so much more suitable to other people. More ideas have progressed throughout time that we can use to improve the structures around us during the construction of these buildings. Social structures have improved greatly to support our growing and more social society and physical structures have improved throughout time with more known stable resources to build sturdy buildings. The advancement of time has allowed society to progress in their thoughts and actions to build bigger cities with the creation of more tall and modern structures. Social and physical structures have come a long way in just a couple of decades. Humans now of days have become so advanced in their thoughts that they can improve public structures to the point where people want to start living in them. Vast structures have come about, especially in foreign countries like Japan. The planning of Sky City is one example of an extremely tall building in Tokyo. Sky City is going to be one of the tallest structures on this planet when it is completed. This shows that the human race has improved different structures on Earth with great ideas to improve our world’s current buildings. Buildings today have become safer and more equipped with things that are needed to improve our lives. New ways of designing buildings is what is great about our world. Buildings have changed from what they used to be, but they have become more favorable to the average human. Both social and physical buildings have changed to fit the needs of each human being in a particular area. Advancement in our past structures is what makes a positive change in our country. Structures today and in the future will continue to change to make our world a better place to live on. 

Week 3: Daily Question #4

Question: War is a form of technology". Agree or Disagree.

           

I think war is a form of technology in a number of ways. One way war has to do with technology are the weapons used in war. War involves a variety of tools and weapons and back then, weapons were a major form of technology. War was probably the best form of the definition of technology at a time far back ago. Even though technology has progressed and advanced, all of the concepts of war had to do with technology. Another way war is a form of technology is a more advanced form of war, a cyber-war. Cyber-wars use technology in today’s world to fight instead of weapons. Cyber-wars model today’s definition of technology, which involve computers and cell phones. Cyber-wars show that just like concepts of technology progress, so do concepts of war. Another way war is like technology is that war involves methods of thinking and advancements in ideas and thoughts. In war, you need a strategic plan or a system of steps to defeat the other side in the battle. Just like war, technology involves a system of thinking to advance in new forms of high-tech devices, like new forms of cell phones and new models of monitors for computers. War also contains another form of technology known as medicine. War has do with medicine to make all of the soldiers feel better so they can go out and fight in the war. Medicine is important for healing wounded soldiers to minimize their injuries and letting them go out and fight more quickly. Medicine technology involves advancements in new forms of medicine and war uses all new kinds of medicine. All of these ways I talked about make war a very significant form of technology. 

Week 3: Daily Question #2

Question: Give several examples of monuments in Maryland / DC / PA that might be familiar to folks who live here but which would not be understood by outsiders without an explanation. Please include your own or public domain photos.

            

One example of a monument that outsiders would not know of is the Concord Point Lighthouse in Havre de Grace, Maryland. Back when it was built in 1827, the lighthouse was used to guide traffic for boats moving in the Chesapeake Bay. This lighthouse is the most northerly lighthouse in Maryland and the oldest continually functioning lighthouse in Maryland. It is also the second oldest lighthouse on the Chesapeake Bay and it was made using Port Deposit Granite. The Concord Point Lighthouse in considered to be a historical landmark by many people living in Maryland. Another example of a monument that outsiders would not know about is the original Washington Monument located in the neighborhood of Mount Vernon, just to the north of downtown Baltimore. Mount Vernon is considered a Historical District and it is one of the oldest neighborhoods in Baltimore. The name Mount Vernon comes from the home of George Washington, the Mount Vernon home. The original Washington Monument is the first ever monument constructed to honor George Washington. This monument was constructed in 1829, almost 200 hundred years ago. This vast structure stands at 178 feet tall and it was made from white marble. This monument is very historic to Baltimore citizens but also to Maryland as a whole. I think this monument best honors America’s first president. These two monuments overall I think are important to the Maryland region and they are very historic in this state.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7e/Havre_De_Grace_Maryland_Lighthouse_600.jpg/200px-Havre_De_Grace_Maryland_Lighthouse_600.jpg

http://cache.boston.com/resize/bonzai-fba/Globe_Photo/2008/02/14/1203039324_9711/539w.jpg  

Week 3 Daily Question #1

Question: What is the oldest human-created artifact that has mattered to you? Why/how does it matter? (from @butwait on Twitter)

           

The oldest created artifact that has mattered to me are the pyramids in Egypt. These structures are so massive and it makes you think about how much time and energy it took to build these structures to their sizes. Also, it must have been so hard to gather all of the material to build these pyramids, especially on a time when fewer resources were known to man. The Great Pyramids in Egypt started to show how people in our world could create gigantic structures from only man-made materials. The Great Pyramids also showed how the work that people put into huge projects, like the pyramids, paid off and was actually worth their work that they put into them. The Pyramids in Egypt matter to me because it makes you think how ordinary people like us could have possibly built such big structures and how they did it. This also matters because if the pyramids were so massive, then the pharaohs at the time must have been so important to Egypt’s civilizations since the pyramids were their tombs, which must have also been huge. It is as if the gigantic pyramids were a reward to how well the pharaoh was during his lifetime. I think the pyramids in Egypt mattered to society because it was the beginning of building at this time and it modeled how people in the future could word to build masterpieces in their region of the world. Pyramids shaped the architectural future in the world and mattered for other civilizations to model Egypt’s fantastic and magnificent pyramids.

            

Weekly #2

Adam Beard
Honors Western Civilization

Question: Is 'Change' a Good Thing or a Bad Thing? (Relate to the origins of art, the agricultural revolution, architecture and urban planning in Mesopotamia and the Indus Valley.

            Change is a good thing in some points of views but in others, this topic can be used in a negative point of view. But in my view, change is a good thing for a number of reasons. Change was good especially in the times of the Mesopotamian and Indus River Valley civilizations because change was needed to progress forward in their civilizations. Changes in new ideas and how to do things helped these civilizations prosper and move forward in their progress. So I think change helped these groups do what was needed to stay alive and fight on and advance in their thoughts and customs. This is why change is a good thing for the civilizations in this era of history.

            The origins of art are what began our focus on historical events. The first know art piece is the Venus of Willendorf and many came after that like the cave paintings in Lascaux. These art pieces are the basis of what happened in the past and art has changed over the years to model different time periods. As new time periods came about, different kinds of art were made to depict that time in history, and it is changing. So change is good with art because we can see what the different cultures back then used as their beginning art drawings and figures, which can lead to change over time. With different cultures, we can see how change occurs through their origins of art since they depict what it was like at the time of their existence.

            The agricultural revolution was probably the most important event in the Neolithic Times. This event was a change from hunting and gathering to agriculture and settlement. Change was good with this because now people could settle in houses and grow their own food instead of hunting far wars for it. This time period also lead to the development of cities where people could have protection for their farms. This period was important for change because new ways of living were developed and people could live their lives in an easier but successful way. This revolution changed lives of many people and provided new techniques and ideas for people to be more efficient with farming and developing. With more families coming about, growing crops was essential for supporting them with a lot of food to eat at all times of the day. 

            Architecture also provides a positive change in history. People back then advanced to homes made from mud that would provide a shelter for them. This was a key piece of architecture that helped changed shelter for many hunters and gatherers that lived in the wild. The change in architecture back then was key for providing a safe place for people to live with city walls and vast structures protecting them from outside.  Also great statues for people to worship changed many people’s view of current religions in that time. Many tall and public palaces were also built with lavish furniture. This shows progression in the design of many buildings back then. So change in architecture was needed for many people so they had a sustainable and supported home to live in, instead of living in the wild.

            In Mesopotamia and the Indus Valley, planning for cities was extremely important, as cities sheltered and protected many people. Cities back then didn’t just protect people; it protected their crops and agricultural products too. The change to cities during this time was extremely important to the farming and development of many people. This change to cities helped the civilizations back then prosper and grow with more jobs available for more people so they could make money to support themselves. Urban planning also gave change to social interaction since cities were a good place to interact with people of different cultures. The creation of cities also lead to a central marketplace where you could trade the crops that farmers grew with people of other countries in exchange for other crops. The change to cities was a huge part of history back then and they helped civilizations in so many ways possible that they were the main place to be in society. The creation of cities was one of the biggest changes a civilization back then could have. 

Daily #5 Our New Language

Adam Beard and Connor D.
Honors Western Civilization
Mr. Wojewodzki


Words in our Language


te- yes

gua- no

cuk- earth    

geef- chair

mun- food

qwes- water

vug- hair

das- left

raf- right

crippy- sun

sefil- moon

freg- sky

nees- land

frojs- plant

ugnes- river

mehes- lake

fexim- animal

hexta- planet

keefa- sleep

hyun- eat

krink- drink

helgo- hunt

geefo- walk

hesax- run

chinl- dark

nuyt- stupid

racder- smart

venfe- funny

threg- crazy

behit- lazy

igny- ugly

zecli- pretty

wazex- fat

kinjum- skinny

liket- good

wech- bad

opix- lucky

apem- fast

ceve- old

labif- young

kunk- slow

lopis- happy

kik- sad

fraf- leader

jina- house

poli- art

yert- day

aru yi- door

minz- fun

lensd- field

rolp- head

dineh- fish

tinx- tree

cinit- floor

serb- roof

waser- room

tyre- boy

kiut- girl

fet- all

libde- dinner

jugde- weather

fellem- done

zigfes- clothes

kug- hello

porsa ji- good bye

puka minif- good morning

puka kileb- good night

yuing bi derftem- see you tomorrow

wrent- face

ikeku- pencil

tresa- paper

gryen- health

noper- bowl

jigrew- nothing

mancen- painting

okey- danger

poer- dirt

erkiop- breezy


Words in our language include nouns, verbs, and greetings to communicate. The words were discovered by us and the language was founded by us. It takes a while to learn, but once you learn it, you can understand it.

Week 2: Daily Question #4

Question: Describe the importance of water in the ancient world. (from Twitter)

           

Water was important in the ancient world for many different reasons. First of all, water played a big role for people living in the ancient world since it was the only thing that they could drink, Water also served as a habitat for many different animals that humans back then could actually eat. So water served as a drink and also food for most people living in this time. Water was also important for growing crops so people could eat them. One way water was helpful was through irrigation. Irrigation was a method used for growing crops that applies water to the soil so the crops could grow. Irrigation was first founded in history in Mesopotamia, Ancient Egypt, and also the Indus River Valley Civilization. Irrigation greatly helped the ancient people grow their crops by limiting the work for the farmers and growing the crops in a quicker and faster rate. This means that the crops were grown quicker and more efficient through irrigation. Water was also important through the creation of plumbing. The lack of clean water coming to peoples’ homes was prevalent in Ancient Rome so they developed a system of plumbing. Plumbing was an efficient way of treating water and transporting it to peoples’ houses so families could use clean water in their homes. Clean water in homes meant people could cook meals cleanly and they could bathe with clean water. They could even have clean water to drink right in their homes and not have to travel far distances for water. All of these ways that include water were extremely important for the function of these people in the ancient world. Inventions back then that included water made it so much easier to access clean water and to grow crops quicker. This is why water was important during the ancient world.

Daily Question #3 Week 2

Question: Which do you think is a better roadmap of history artifacts of the humanities (art, music, dance, theatre, literature, philosophy, architecture, etc.) or political/military conflicts? Why? (from Twitter)

          

  I personally think that artifacts of the humanities are a better roadmap for history because the many different kinds of artifacts depict history in their own and unique way. History is well shown with different kinds of these artifacts, especially from other cultures. The great thing about these artifacts is that each culture in history from Egyptians to Europeans have their own way of depicting art and architecture and music and dance. Each country’s own resemblance about these things plans a better roadmap of history that we can see happen over time. Also, each country’s way of showing their culture can actually develop over time and be used in another form in more modern cultures. Art is good for history because we can see art being made in caves, like we saw in class that makes us think about history. Music is good because hearing different kinds of music can let us find out what people were thinking about back then, leading to history that could have happened. Literature is good because we can see what people wrote down back then and see if we can find any records that could result in history. Philosophy is a good artifact for history because many great philosophers back then, like Socrates, could write down ideas of past events that now can be used to see if history actually happened. Architecture is also good because we can see how people back then lived and what buildings they would use in their daily lives and compare it to how we live in today’s world to see history. All of these artifacts of humanity express history in their own kind of way with a good description of history through each artifact. So overall, I think these artifacts would lead to a better road map of history because we can see history being made clearly through each artifact, especially in different kinds of cultures.

Week 2: Daily Question #2

Question: You accidentally discover an invention that can immediately help millions of people; but only if you act immediately. On the other hand, if you just wait three months, you can secure a patent and get rich. Which do you choose and why?

I would choose to act quickly and use the invention to help the millions of people because there are so many struggling citizens out there that have barely enough of anything to live and this invention could immediately give them a boost to their own lives. This solution is also the right one I think because it is focusing more on the good of the people instead of on just us. I think helping millions of people is way more important than helping just one person, which would be yourself when you get rich. More and more people in today’s world are living in poverty and an invention that would help them I think would mean so much for them. This invention would get these peoples’ lives back on track and it would make me feel so much better about myself since I am helping them. I think helping millions of people is more rewarding then being rich. Money is good, but helping millions of others is just so much better. The millions of people would be so happy that they could look up to me as a role model and resect me for what I have done. Our world needs a lot of help and this invention could lead to an abundance of help for millions of people worldwide. There are some things money can’t buy and one of those things is happiness. Millions of people would be so happy that they wouldn’t have to worry about living in poverty. Money can be important but it is help that our world needs to lead us to a bright and successful future.