Saturday, November 19, 2011

                                       Odysseus and the Sirens

Thursday, November 17, 2011

We have begun to discuss Greece, and how many layers we need to address!
After a discussion of the physical geography, we moved to the Minoans and Mycenean civilizations.  This coming Tuesday, we will discuss the Dark Ages of Greece and then move on to Archaic Greece.  In addition to presenting new information, we will begin our discussion cycle.  Please have the following prepared for Tuesday:

1. Threads about Greek culture - specifically on the Archaic Period if possible.
2. Primary sources - read the following article: Archaic Age and the Polis,  focus on the first three topics: The Dark Ages, The Rise of the Polis, and Colonization

Note:  Professional Development Day has been announced and all classes on Tuesday, Nov. 29th from 11:30 - 3:50 are cancelled.

So our next class after Thanksgiving will meet on Thursday, Dec. 1st. The  Critical Thinking Question for Greece is due that day.  Here is the question:

The culture of Sparta, after Lycurgean Reform,  allowed for (according to current western view) harsh social standards such as the killing of unhealthy infants, the severe military education of young boys, and the strict code of combat or glorious death on the battle field ("Come home with your shield or on it!").  Discuss factors that may have influenced the development of such a military culture.
 

Friday, November 4, 2011

                               Terracotta Soldiers of the Qin Dynasty

Thursday, November 3, 2011

Today we dug deeper into the early dynasties of ancient China.  After a map quiz on geographical China, we completed study of the Zhou and the 250-year Warring States Period that brought the end to the Zhou dynasty.  Emerging from civil war, the Qin were successful in consolidating power and uniting the warring regions into China's first empire. We then had a student presentation about Emperor Qin Shi Huangdi, the first emperor in China. The picture above is of some of the thousands of terracotta soldiers and horses that he had buried in his mausoleum. Although the Qin dynasty lasted only 15 years, it's impact on nation building was great.

For Tuesday, please prepare to discuss and hand in the following:

1. Your thread for China
2. An insight on one of the following primary source documents:
In your primary source article, I want to read your impressions and insights about the material - no descriptions needed.  Therefore, keep the length between a half to a full page of text.
For Tues or Thursday:

3. Critical Thinking Question on China:

The ancient Chinese culture was a technologically sophisticated one, based on a culture of innovation and discovery.  This period's contributions to world knowledge were immense.  Discuss how this dynamic culture could, over a period of time, become so isolated from the rest of the world.
(Document any outside sources you consult in preparing your answer.)

Reminder:  Turn your clocks back one hour Sunday morning to begin Daylight Savings Time!

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Today we took our first exam.  The grades are finished and the exams will be handed out in class on Thursday.  You will have an opportunity to repair any questions you missed. Here is what to do:
1. On a separate piece of paper, re-write the question with the correct answer. 
2. From your book, add one piece of additional information about the subject.
3. Turn in your repaired questions by Thursday, Nov.2.  For every one point you missed, you can earn back 1/2 point to raise your grade.

On Thursday, we will begin our exploration of ancient China, beginning with the Yellow River Civilization.  Please read pps. 53-77 in your text.  We will also have our second map quiz on ancient China.  I will hand out practice maps in class on Thursday.  Plan to take the map quiz the following Thursday, Nov. 3.

Thursday, October 20, 2011

                                                  King Ashoka and his Edicts

Thursday, 10/20/2011

Today we completed the unit on India.  We learned that war elephants were pivotal in both King Porus' battle against Alexander the Great, but also in King Ashoka's push to conquor almost the entire Indian sub-continent.  In addition, we learned that King Ashoka brought his belief in Buddhism and his grandfather's adoption of Jainism to his rule.  A rule that was marked by religious tolerance, reverance for life in all its forms, and social welfare.  All of this knowledge we will bring to Exam 1 on Tuesday.  Here is the practice test for the exam with all correct answers highlighted.  Have a great weekend!

HIS-111                T/H 2:30 – 3:45           Exam 1 Pre-Test  Fall, 2011 ******                                                                                   
Directions:  Circle the letter of the correct answer.

1.    The earliest tool-making hominid was _____.

a.      Homo erectus                           c. Neanderthal

b.      Homo habilis                             d. Homo sapiens

2.    Paleolithic peoples spent most of their time _____.

a.      farming                                      c. finding food

b.      making weapons                      d. raising animals

3.    These early humans were the first to walk upright and to migrate out of Africa: _____.

a.      Homo habilis                             c. Homo sapiens sapiens

b.      Hominid                                     d. Homo erectus

4.    The three-age period: Stone, Bronze, and Iron was used for classifying & studying ______

a. Egyptian kingdom periods          c. post-modern societies

b. Mesopotamian empires              d. prehistoric societies

5.    The Neolithic Revolution was the transition from _____.

a.      walking on all fours to walking upright     c. gathering food to growing food

b.      living in caves to living in huts                    d. using stone to using bronze for weapons

6.    “Standing Stone Circles” found in the Neolithic period were called _____.

a.      titans                                          c. megaliths

b.      neoliths                                      d. ziggurats

7.    In Mesopotamia, Hammurabi ruled from the city of _____.

a.      Ur                                                c. Uruk

b.      Babylon                                      d. Eridu

8.    The massive stepped tower in a Sumerian city was called a _____.

a.      ziggurat                                      c. pyramid

b.      megalith                                     d. pictograph

9.    The Sumerians developed a wedge-shaped stroke writing system called _____.

a.      hieroglyphs                                c. ideographs

b.      pictographs                               d. cuneiform

10.Hammurabi’s greatest contribution was a _____.

a.      written legal code                    c. unified political system

b.      golden age of art                     d. creation of a military state

11.  The story of a Mesopotamian king who sought for the secret of immortality was called the Epic of ____ .

a.      Uruk                                            c. Babylon

b.      Xerxes                                         d. Gilgamesh

12.  Which of the following is NOT a natural defense for early Egyptian civilization?

a.      Cataracts on the Nile              c. deserts to the east and west

b.      Marshy delta to the north      d. yearly flooding from the Nile River

13.  The Nile River is created from two other rivers that flow together.  They are the ____ and the _____.

a.      Blue , Red                                  c. White, Red

b.      Blue, White                               d. Red, Yellow

14.  In the “Old Kingdom” period in Egypt, pharaohs were considered ____.

a.      shepherds of the people         c. servants of the people

b.      living gods                                 d. stewards of the land

15.  _____, the Scorpion King, founded the first Egyptian dynasty and united Upper and Lower Egypt.

a.      Imhotep                                     c. Menes

b.      Gilgamesh                                  d. Tutankhamen

16.  The Great Pyramid of Giza was built during the ______.

a.      New Kingdom                           c. the Kushite Period

b.      Middle Kingdom                       d. Old Kingdom

17.  Ancient Egyptians, like the Mesopotamians, had religious beliefs that could be called _____.

a.  polytheism                                   c. monotheism

b. rationalism                                   d. communism

18.  All of the following are cultural contributions of the Old Kingdom in Egypt EXCEPT _____.

a. hieroglyphics                            c. knowledge of surgery

b. cultivating grapes for wine   d. invention of the compass

19. During the Middle Kingdom, the pharaohs were considered _____.

a. shepherds of the people            c.  emissaries of the gods

b. living gods                                    d. stewards of the land

20.  The New Kingdom Egyptians were conquered and ruled by the _____ for about 100 years.

a. Assyrians                                       c. Sea People

b.  Phoenicians                                 d. Hyksos

21.  One of the first female pharaohs, Queen Hatshepsut, made a historic voyage to the Land of _____.

a. Punt                                                 c. Phonecia

b. Punicus                                            d. Hatti

22.The lands to the south of Egypt were known as Nubia and later as the Kingdom of _____.

a. Canaan                                          c. Kush

b. Hyksos                                           d. Khartoum

23.  The Kadesh Treaty was an agreement between the _____ and the _____.

a. Egyptians, Kush                           c. Phoenicians, Hittites

b. Egyptians, Hittites                       d. Kush, Assyrians

24.  The Canaanites were later called _____ by the Greeks.

a. Hittites                                          c. Phoenicians

b. Israelites                                       d. Assyrians

25.  Queen Dido founded the Phoenician colony city of __________ on the coast of northern Africa.

a. Alexandria                                      c. Tunis

b. Carthage                                         d. Meroe

26. The Phoenicians passed their ____ on to the ancient Greeks.

a. religion                                          c. trade routes

b. sailing knowledge                       d. alphabet

27.  King Solomon is known for all of the following EXCEPT _____.

a.  great wisdom                          c.  a visit from the Queen of Sheba

b.  dividing the Israelites            d.  building the temple in Jerusalem

28.  After Solomon, the Israelites were split into two kingdoms, the Kingdom of _____ and the Kingdom of ____.

a. Carthage, Israel                         c. Judah, Israel

b. Kush, Canaan                             d. Israel, Kush

29.  The _____ were the first nation to accept Christianity.

a. Kushites                                   c. Phoenicians

b. Assyrians                                 d. Hittites

30.  King Nebuchadnezzar is best known for building the _____.

a. Temple of Jerusalem            c. Silk Route

b. ziggurat of Ur                         d. Hanging Gardens of Babylon

31.  The Persian Empire was first forged by _____.

a. Cyrus the Great                         c. Xerxes

b. Darius I                                        d. Nebuchadnezzar

32.  The main cities of the Indus River Valley Civilization are Harappa and ______.

a. Mohenjo-daro                             b. Anyang

c. Babylon                                         d. Gandahar

33.  Scholars believe that the inhabitants of the Indus Valley were a _____ speaking people.

a. Indo-European                            c. Dravidian

b. Aramaic                                         d. Semitic

34. The Aryan invasion brought all of these changes to the Indus Valley EXCEPT _____.

a. writing system                             c. class system

b. bronze casting                             d. organized religion

35.  TRUE or FALSE:   Alexander the Great entered India but turned back before conquering the entire country.

36. India’s great ruler was considered to be King ____ of the Mauryan Dynasty.

a. Chandragupta                              c. Ashoka

b. Gandhi                                           d. Guatama

37. Which of the following is NOT a central tenant in Hinduism?

a. asceticism                                     c. reincarnation

b. celibacy                                         d. karma

38.  TRUE or FALSE:  Buddha was born Siddhartha Gautama, to a low caste family.

39.  TRUE or FALSE:  The Swastika is a sacred symbol found in Hinduism, Jainism, and Buddhism.

40.The _____ Empire united the northern kingdoms of India in the 1st century.

a. Kushan                                           c. Mauryan

b. Gujarat                                          d. Mayan

Thursday, October 13, 2011


Thursday, October 13th

This week was all about the Indus River Civilization.  We studied the Aryan invasion, the roots of Hinduism and the beginnings of Budhism.  We also discussed our threads and Primary Sources for India.  Please e-mail me either of those two assignments over the weekend if you did not turn in a paper today.  Also in class, we set the date for our first exam on Mesopotamia, Egypt, New Centers of Civilization, and India.  It will be Tuesday, October 25 in class

The exam will be about 45 questions and some extra credit will be included.  I handed out a study guide today in class that should give you a good preparation for the exam. So next Tuesday (10/18), please prepare an answer to this critical thinking question for India:

Given that the Harrappan civilization in the Indus River Valley was a sophisticated one with evidence of urban planning and an organized administration that supported a large population, discuss possible explanations of how the Aryans imposed a caste system on that civilization that allowed the Aryans to hold higher social positions that the native population they mixed with.

Friday, October 7, 2011

Thursday, October 6

On Thursday we finished up our discussion of New Centers of Civilization in the ancient Near East with a final look at the Chaldean Empire and a first examination of the Persian Empire.  King Cyrus of Persia was the foresighted leader of this era with his benevolent approach to territorial expansion.

Next we moved east and began to explore the geography of the the Indian sub-continent and the Indus River civilization that is located in present-day Pakistan. One of the mysteries of this ancient civilization was their script.  Here a link to the latest work done in trying to decode it:
The Indus Script

Our two cities of focus are Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro. For next Tuesday, make sure you complete reading of the chapter on the Indus River civilization. In addition, prepare your thread assignment for discussion in class.  For those who like to work ahead, we will be doing primary source discussion for Thursday.  Here are the two articles we will discuss from the Fordham site:

Vishnu, The Cosmic God

The Laws of Manu

Also, we have two presentions this week:

Sarah will present "The Odyssey" on Tuesday.
Mauricio will present "Spartucus" on Thursday.

Have a nice Columbus Day holiday on Monday!


Tuesday, October 4, 2011

Tuesday, October 4

Today we almost completely finished looking at other peoples and civilizations in the Fertile Cresant.  Above is an artist's rendition of the famous Tower of Babel, built under the Chaldean King Nebuchadnezzar II around 600BCE. 

When we discussed the Phoenicinas, the question was raised whether our word "phonetics" came from that name and their contribution of the 22 letter alphabet that led to the development of our own.  We are still undecided after Googling it.

On Thursday, we will finish by looking at the early Persians and their empire and will absolutely begin investigation of the Indus River Valley civilization.  Please read pp. 29 - 51 in your text.

Thursday, September 29, 2011



Thursday, September 29

We finished discussion of the Egyptiam dynastic period and moved on to Nubia, also called the Kingdom of Kush after its rise to power.  From there we re-looked at the Assyrians and Hittites.  We also talked about plague that devastated the Hittites even before the "Sea Peoples" came and ravaged the land.  If you are interested, look at these links that discusses the plague that was present at that time as well as an analysis of the origins of the mysterious Sea Peoples:      
1. Ancient Bioweapons     2. Sea Peoples

For next Tuesday, we will pick up where we left off and finish discussing the Israelities, the Chaldeans and the mighty Persians.  Please finish up the chapter with these new powers in the Fertile Cresant.

Currently, there are no projects on the schedule for presentation next week.

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Week 4 - Tuesday 9/27



Today we continued our discussion about ancient Egypt, moving from the Old Kingdom to an overview of both the Middle and New Kingdoms. In class, we discussed the threads for Egypt as well as the critical thinking question for Egypt about the shift in pharoahs' status from god to shepard of the people between the Old and Middle Kingdoms.

For Thursday, we will finish Egypt, witnessing its decline under new invasion by the "Sea People", then move to Nubia and new centers of civilization in the ancient Middle East: the Assyrians, Hittities, Chaldeans, Phoenicians, and the Israelities.  Please read in your text pages 19 - 27.

Thursday, September 22, 2011

Homework for Week 3

Tuesday, 9/20

1. Go to the Fordham website for Primary Sources and read one of the following two documents:
    a)  Hymn to the Nile  or
    b) Egyptian Creation Story

Write a thoughtful paragraph about your impressions of the work.  What surprised you?  How did this article better help you understand their society?  Be prepared to discuss it and then hand it in.

Thursday, 9/22

1.  Prepare your thread to discuss in class on Tuesday (9/27).  Have notes written down to turn in after the discussion.

2.  Prepare CTQ #2 - Egypt.  Respond to this event:

The status of Pharoah changed from god to "shepard of the people" between the Old and Middle Kingdoms. Discuss factors that may have contributed to that change.

3.  There are no presentations of individual projects scheduled for next week.