World History Essays 2018 by Nathan Lester

Birth of Islam and Beliefs

nlester1 — 2018-12-12 13:20:27 UTC

founded by Muhammad
religion of peace

Muhammad was born in mecca, orphaned at age 6 and raised by his grandfather and uncle
Worked in the caravan trade at an early age, with little schooling
At 25, became a trader and business manager for Khadijah who Muhammad eventually marries
At age 40, Muhammad believes that the angel Gabriel came to him while he was praying and meditating….. Believed he was the chosen messenger of Allah
Muhammad believed he was the last of the prophets
Islam, means submission to the will of Allah…. Muslim means one who has submitted
Muhammad’s first followers were his wife, family and a few close friends

The hijrah

Due to his preaching, muhammad was considered a threat to mecca’s multiple religious systems and the money the Kaaba brings into the city by pilgrims
Feeling threatened and pressured, Muhammad takes his followers to Yathrib(622 A.D.) which was renamed Medina
Mecca is considered the spiritual capital of Islam
Medina is considered the political capital of Islam
630 A.D. Muhammad and 10,000 followers took back the city of Mecca
Islam began to unify the Arabian Peninsula

Beliefs and practices of islam

Five pillars of islam and what they do
A set of duties that muslims carry out
Faith - no god but allah, muhammad is the messenger of god
Prayer - 5 times a day towards mecca
Alms - giving charity
Fasting - during the holy month of ramadan, between dawn and sunset
Hajj - a pilgrimage to mecca at least once in your life
Mosque
Islamic house of worship
Way of life
Along with the 5 pillars, believers are forbidden to eat pork or to drink intoxicating beverages. Friday afternoons are set aside for communal worship. Unlike many other religions, islam has no priests or central religious authority. Every muslim is expected to worship allah directly. Islam does, however, have a scholar class called ulama. The ulama includes religious teachers who apply the words and deeds of muhammad to everyday life.
Qur’an
The holy book of the muslims

Decline of Roman Empire

nlester1 — 2018-12-12 13:20:48 UTC

-Tax hikes caused
-Roman soldiers were less disciplined, lacked loyalty to Rome
- overworked soil
-Germanic Tribes attacked the Western Empire (Vandals, Ostrogoths, etc)
A Century of Crisis

Most historians mark the end of Marcus Aurelius’s reign as the end of the Pax Romana...From this point the rulers that follow won’t have a clue on how to deal with the vast empire and internal problems...This is the beginning of the decline.
Economic Weakness
Foreign invaders and pirates disrupted trade
Continual tax hikes which caused inflation (drop in the value of money)
Overworked soil led to weak harvests, war led to destroyed land.

List the accomplishments of diocletian and constantine

Diocletian
restored order to the empire and increased its strengths, he doubled the size of the roman army, controlled inflation by giving a price on certain goods, split the empire into people who speak latin and greek.
Constantine
gained control of both western and eastern land restoring the concept of a single ruler, moved the capital from rome to the greek city of Byzantium(now turkey)

List the differences between the eastern and western roman empire

Western
Political office seen as a burden with military interference
Civil war and unrest with division of empire
Disloyalty, lack of patriotism, corruption
Population decline from disease and food shortage
Tax burden and inflation, gold and silver drain
Disruption of trade
Poor harvests
Big gap between rich and poor
Recruiting non-romans
Threats from outside and low funds for defense

Eastern
The Eastern Roman Empire included most of the Empire’s great cities and trade centers and was more wealthy than the West
The people who lived on the Eastern side of the Empire was Greece, Anatolia, Syria, and Egypt

Western empire crumbles

Germanic tribes invading(visigoths, ostrogoths, vandals, franks, saxons,.ect)
These germanic tribes were coming to the western roman empire to get away from the huns.
Barbarians- term used for romans ro refer to non-romans

Rise of Christianity

nlester1 — 2018-12-12 13:21:24 UTC

St Peter the apostle was the first Pope
Christianity grew because it:
embraced all people- men, women, rich, poor, and slaves
appealed to those repelled by the extravagances of Rome
offered a personal relationship with a loving God
promised eternal life after death

In AD 312, Emperor Constantine put the image of the cross on the shields of his soldiers and credited his success in battle to the help of the Christian God. In AD 313, he announced an end to Christian

The life and teaching of jesus

The roman empire took over judea around in A.D. 6…But had influence over the region since 63 B.C
Judea was the home of the jews
Jewish biblical tradition taught that a messiah (savior) would set the jews free from oppression (just like the gamers)
Around 4-6 B.C. is the estimated time of jesus birth in bethlehem
Main source of of information about the life of jesus is found in the gospels which are the first four books of the new testament
P.216-217 give a summary of what the gospels say about jesus and his life, using the pages listed.
He was born a jew in Jerusalem and raised in Nazareth. He was baptized by John the Baptist and became a carpenter. He began his public ministry at age 30 and preached, taught, did good works, and performed miracles for the next 3 years. He took many of his teachings from Judaism. He attracted large crowds and people felt touched by his message, and his ignoring status was appealing to more. His growing fame concerned the Roman leaders, and he was accused of defying the authority of Rome by Pontius Pilate, who then ordered him to be crucified. His body was placed in a tomb and 3 days later he rose again to appear to his followers before he ascended to heaven.
Followers of jesus spread the message because they believed he had triumphed over death
The early movement was made up of jews… creating the movement known today as christianity. Acts 11:26 at antioch the followers were first called Christians
Saul of Tarsus, better known as the apostle Paul… has an enormous influence on the spread of Christianity in the Roman Empire
Paul was a jew who, in the beginning, persecuted Christians
Paul’s conversations on the road to Damascus
He spends the rest of his life spreading the message of Jesus
The pax romana made travel and exchange of new ideas easier in the Roman Empire… Latin and Greek languages allowed the message to be understood
Epistles- paul’s letters to groups of believers
It was paul who preached that you didn't need to be a jew to be a christian

(jews vs. gentiles)

Alexander the Great

nlester1 — 2018-12-12 13:22:06 UTC

Philip of Macedonia's son, Alexander, takes over the throne after his father's death. He took over at age 20. He was personally tutored by Aristotle. He earned a reputation as a fearless military leader after crushing an uprising in Thebes. He united the Hellenistic League. He led 35,000 men to invade Persia by crossing the Hellespont into Anatolia. Persia was led by Darius III. Alexander never lost a battle. Alexander vows to murder Darius and hunts him. When he finally catches up to Darius, Darius had been murdered so Alexander hunted Darius's murderer and killed him instead. Alexander and his army made it deep into India. He eventually dies from fever in Babylon in 323 B.C. at age 32

- Established Alexandria, Egypt which became a center of culture and education due to its trade and location. Also a blending pot of cultures and art. The Great Library

Peloponnesian War

2018-12-14 13:09:40 UTC

The Peloponnesian War was the result of long-simmering tensions between Athens and Sparta. By the war’s end, athens was nearly completely destroyed.
Sparta declares war in 431 B.C. and the Peloponnesian War begins.
Pericles and Athens wanted to avoid any land fighting with the Spartans, and the Spartans tried to avoid any fighting at sea with the Athenians.
Eventually Sparta invaded Athens territory, burning and destroying everything in its path
Athens stayed behind its city walls where supplies could be shipped in by sea.
Unfortunately, a plague spread throughout Athens killing over 30% of their population including Pericles.
Although the plague weakened Athens, the war continued on with a brief period of peace from 421 B.C.- 415 B.C.
In 415 B.C. Athens sent a huge fleet of ships to Syracuse, one of Sparta's wealthiest allies… it was a disaster for Athens.
The Peloponnesian war last another 9 years, finally in 404 B.C. Athens and its allies surrender.
Athens lost everything it had gained, Sparta was nearly destroyed too even though they won.

2018-12-14 19:33:19 UTC

Life of Siddhartha Gautama

2018-12-14 19:50:16 UTC

Life of Siddhartha Gautama

full notes 2

2018-12-14 20:01:37 UTC

The Study of World History

Modules 6-10

Module 6: The Roman Republic

Lesson One

The Origins of Rome

Rome was built on 7 hills along the Tiber River, near the center of the Italian peninsula.
Rich soil and mild climate, capable of supporting a large population.
There were 3 main groups that settled the Italian peninsula early on:
Latins- Built their settlement at Rome and considered to be the 1st Romans.
Greeks- 750-600 BC on the Italian peninsula, spread Greek culture in the region.
Etruscans- Northern Italy, influenced writing, alphabet, and architecture

In 509 BC, Rome declared itself a republic, which is a government in which power rests with the citizens, who have the right to vote for leaders.
In Rome, citizenship with voting rights was given only to free-born male citizens.

Patricians vs. Plebeians
Patricians were the wealthy landowners who held most of the power.
Plebeians were basically everyone else (minus slaves), and was also the majority of the population.
Patricians inherited power and believed their ancestry gave them authority to make laws.
Plebeians had the right to vote, but couldn’t hold public office.
Council of Plebs became the representing body for plebeians led by tribunes that protected plebs from unfair acts by patricians.

Twelve Tables- 451 BC, a group of 10 officials began writing down Rome’s laws. The laws were carved onto 12 tablets and hung in the Forum. This became the basis for citizens having the right to protection under the law.
Consuls- Rome had 2 officials that were like kings who commanded the army and directed the government. Power was limited to 1-year terms.
Couldn’t be a member of consul for 10 years after serving a term.
One consul could override or veto the other.
Senate- made and administered laws. Made up of 300 members, mostly patricians. Plebs eventually were allowed in, but limited.
Roman Military
All citizens who owned property were required to serve in the army.
Roman soldiers were organized into military units called legions.
Legions were made up of 5,000 foot soldiers and supported by cavalry.
Legions were divided into smaller groups of 80 men called a century.

QUESTIONS:

Explain how Rome conquered all of the Italian peninsula and what was their approach to those they conquered.
They were very lenient with their conquered groups, making them allies, and this aided in their growth, power, and rise to success.
The Latins had full Roman citizenship. Farther territories had all rights of citizenship except voting. All others were allies, who were not interfered with as long as they gave troops to Rome and didn’t treaty with any other states.
Punic Wars, 264-241 BC, 23 yrs. Who was Rome fighting and why? How many wars were there and describe the events and results of each? What was the lasting effects of the Punic Wars?
Rome was fighting Carthage(modern day Tunisia). I had a stroke sorry There were 3 wars during this, first: for control of Sicily and the western Mediterranean (lasted 23 years). Second: Hannibal a brilliant Carthaginian military leader wanted to avenge their earlier defeat
There were three wars. One for Sicily & one that happen because Hannibal wanted to avenge the last defeat
All 3 wars were won by the Romans, they conquered all of the mediterranean

Module 6: The Roman Empire

Lesson 2

The Republic Collapses

Problems in the Roman republic.
Growing discontent in the lower classes.
Breakdown in the military.
1/3rd of Rome’s population were slaves. Small farmers couldn’t compete with the big farms as a result of slavery.

Tiberius and Gaius Gracchus
These brothers were tribunes in the council of plebs.
They attempted to help the roman poor by limiting the size of wealthy estates and redistributing land to the poor.
Both were assassinated for their radical ideas, which led to the civil war.
Military leaders began seizing power by promising their poor soldiers land. No longer did the citizen soldiers swear loyalty to the republic, but rather the commander that made their promises.

Rise of Julius Caesar

In 60 B.C. Rome created the 1st Triumvirate, which was a group of 3 rulers.
Julius Caesar, Pompey, and Crassus were the leaders.
Ruled Rome for 10 years.
Caesar appointed himself as governor of Gaul (modern-day France).
His men loved him and Pompey felt threatened by Caesar’s power.
In 50 B.C., Pompey and the Senate order Caesar to disband his legions and return home.
January 10, 49 B.C., Caesar marched his army across the Rubicon River, making his way to Rome. Pompey led and his army was defeated.
In 44 B.C., the Senate, out of fear, declares Julius Caesar dictator for life.
Julius caesar was an absolute ruler, meaning he had total power
He continually fought with senate who felt threatened by his power
Hi increased the number of senators from 300 to 900 , filling the 600 new spots with his friends and supporters, which gave him control of the senate
He helped create jobs for the poor, started colonies so romans could own land, increased pay for soldiers and extended citizenship to people outside of rome.
March 15, 44 B.C.(ides of march), members of the roman senate led by Gaius Cassius and Marcus Brutus stabbed Caesar to death on the senate floor (23 times).

questions

Explain what happens after julius caesar’s death and the importance of the second triumvirate?
After the death of Caesar, a civil war broke out and destroyed the rest of what was left of the Roman republic, the second triumvirate was made up of mark antony, lepidus and octavian(Caesar’s adopted son and grand nephew), they took control of Rome and ruled over it for 10 years.
What happened in the second triumvirate? Explain who emerges as the leader.
The triumvirate ended in jealousy and violence. Octavian forced lepidus to retire and he and mark antony them became rivals. While leading troops against rome’s enemies in anatolia, mark antony met the egyptian queen cleopatra(who he fell in love with) he followed cleopatra back to egypt. Octavian accused antony of plotting to rule rome from egypt, and another civil war erupted. Octavian defeated combined forces of cleopatra and antony in the naval battle of actium in 31 B.C. later, antony and cleopatra committed suicide. Octavian then became the unchallenged ruler of rome.

Define the pax romana, how vast was the empire at this time?
The Pax Romana was a period of peace and prosperity. The population was between 60 and 80 million people, and it had more than 3 million square miles.
What made augustus’s government sound? Explain
Who are the julio-claudians?
A group of Julius Caesar’s relatives who ruled after Augustus’s death for 54 years. Tiberius, Augustus’ adopted son, Caligula, and Nero.
Who were the good emperors and what made them good?
In AD 96 a new line of emperors established itself on the Roman throne. There were 5 rulers, called the Good Emperors. They were actually from provinces rather than Rome itself.
Explain the importance of farming and trade for the roman empire?

Module 6 life in the roman empire

Lesson 3

The roman people: (p. 208-210)

Rich: the rich lived extravagantly, they usually had both a city and a country home, which had things such as running water. Often involved in politics and spent time being officials. They spent large sums of money on gardens, education, slaves, and luxuries. Wealthy romans held banquetes that lasted for hours and served rare foods such as ostrich and parrot-tongue pie.

Poor: most of Rome’s population fit into the poor class, they barely had the necessities of life. During the time of the empire over half of the population was unemployed. The government supported these people with daily rations of grain. In the shadow’s of rome’s great temples and public buildings, poor people crowded into rickety, sprawling tenements. Fire was a constant threat because the torched they used for light and the charcoal used for cooking. To keep poor citizens from rebelling against such conditions, free food and public entertainment became a major feature of city life in rome.

Slaves: slavery was a significant part of roman life(Basically the BACKBONE of the Roman Empire). The romans made more use of the slaves than any other previous civilization. The number of slaves reached as high as one-third of the total population. Most slaves were conquered people brought back by victorious roman armies and included men, women and children. Children born by slaves also became slaves. Enslaved people were property of their owners. They could be punished, rewarded, set free, or put to death as their master saw fit.

Roman family life

Paterfamilias- the male head of the family of household
Oldest living male
Extended powers over the other family members
Roman emphasis on simplicity, religious devotion and obedience
Adoption was an important aspect of roman society, especially if there needed to be a male heir to the household
Women in the lower-classes actually had more freedoms than in the upper class

Roman entertainment

Roman government used free games, races, mock battles and gladiator contests to distract and control the masses
These free events usually were accompanied with free bread and wine
Gladiator contests and circuses (chariot racing), were clearly the 2 most popular
Impractical Jokers was extremely popular among the Romans, and they all loved to hate Sal, one of the main characters.
Theater was very popular as well
Public baths were very popular with romans understanding bathing as important for health.

Roman religion

Early romans worshipped powerful spirits and divine forces called numina
The government and religion were linked
Besides the greeks influence roman religion, egypt and persian religions also influenced the romans
Augurs- priests who specializes in interpreting signs… able to see into the future
Christianity also emerged out of the roman empire

Module 6 the origins of christianity

Lesson 4

The life and teaching of jesus

The roman empire took over judea around in A.D. 6…But had influence over the region since 63 B.C
Judea was the home of the jews
Jewish biblical tradition taught that a messiah (savior) would set the jews free from oppression (just like the gamers)
Around 4-6 B.C. is the estimated time of jesus birth in bethlehem
Main source of of information about the life of jesus is found in the gospels which are the first four books of the new testament
P.216-217 give a summary of what the gospels say about jesus and his life, using the pages listed.
He was born a jew in Jerusalem and raised in Nazareth. He was baptized by John the Baptist and became a carpenter. He began his public ministry at age 30 and preached, taught, did good works, and performed miracles for the next 3 years. He took many of his teachings from Judaism. He attracted large crowds and people felt touched by his message, and his ignoring status was appealing to more. His growing fame concerned the Roman leaders, and he was accused of defying the authority of Rome by Pontius Pilate, who then ordered him to be crucified. His body was placed in a tomb and 3 days later he rose again to appear to his followers before he ascended to heaven.
Followers of jesus spread the message because they believed he had triumphed over death
The early movement was made up of jews… creating the movement known today as christianity. Acts 11:26 at antioch the followers were first called Christians
Saul of Tarsus, better known as the apostle Paul… has an enormous influence on the spread of Christianity in the Roman Empire
Paul was a jew who, in the beginning, persecuted Christians
Paul’s conversations on the road to Damascus
He spends the rest of his life spreading the message of Jesus
The pax romana made travel and exchange of new ideas easier in the Roman Empire… Latin and Greek languages allowed the message to be understood
Epistles- paul’s letters to groups of believers
It was paul who preached that you didn't need to be a jew to be a christian

(jews vs. gentiles)

Jewish diaspora

During the early years of christianity, much of rome’s focus was on the province of judea
Bands of jews were rebelling against roman rule
In A.D. 70, roman soldiers invaded jerusalem and destroyed solomon’s temple leaving only the west wall standing, which is still standing today
The jewish fortress of masada held out until A.D. 73… it took the roman’s almost 2 years to defeat the 1,000 jews at masada
Over half a million jews were killed…. Another rebellion in A.D. 132 led to another half a million jewish deaths
Jewish diaspora- dispersal of jews, and a lose of their homeland which lasted for 1,800 years

Questions

Explain christian persecution
They refused to worship the Roman gods. This refusal was seen as an opposition to Roman rule. By the second century, as the pax romana began to crumble, persecution of the christians intensified, romans exiled, imprisoned or executed christians for refusing to worship Roman deities. Thousands were crucified, burned, or killed by wild animals in the circus arena.
Explain how christianity became a world religion
Christianity grew because it embraced all people- men and women, enslaved people, the poor, and nobles. It gave hope to the powerless, appealed to those who were repelled by the extravagances of imperial rome. Offered a personal relationship with a loving god, and promised life after death.
Explain the rise and organization of the catholic church
Jesus told Peter to be his rock, and 300 years later, Constantine converted to Christianity. The church was then structured like Roman hierarchy, with priests, bishops, archbishops, cardinals, and the pope at top.
Bishop, Peter, Pope, heresy, Nicene creed, Augustine beliefs
Bishop supervised local church services
Peter traveled to Rome from Jerusalem and became the first bishop there. Jesus referred to Peter as the “rock” on which the Christian Church would be built.
Pope is the father or head of the church.
Belief or opinion contrary to orthodox religious (especially Christian) doctrine.
Statement of belief widely used in Christian liturgy. First adopted by city of Nicaea by the First Council of Nicaea in 325.

Module 6: The Fall of the Roman Empire

Lesson 5

A Century of Crisis

Most historians mark the end of Marcus Aurelius’s reign as the end of the Pax Romana...From this point the rulers that follow won’t have a clue on how to deal with the vast empire and internal problems...This is the beginning of the decline.
Economic Weakness
Foreign invaders and pirates disrupted trade
Continual tax hikes which caused inflation (drop in the value of money)
Overworked soil led to weak harvests, war led to destroyed land.

List the accomplishments of diocletian and constantine

Diocletian
restored order to the empire and increased its strengths, he doubled the size of the roman army, controlled inflation by giving a price on certain goods, split the empire into people who speak latin and greek.
Constantine
gained control of both western and eastern land restoring the concept of a single ruler, moved the capital from rome to the greek city of Byzantium(now turkey)

List the differences between the eastern and western roman empire

Western
Political office seen as a burden with military interference
Civil war and unrest with division of empire
Disloyalty, lack of patriotism, corruption
Population decline from disease and food shortage
Tax burden and inflation, gold and silver drain
Disruption of trade
Poor harvests
Big gap between rich and poor
Recruiting non-romans
Threats from outside and low funds for defense

Eastern
The Eastern Roman Empire included most of the Empire’s great cities and trade centers and was more wealthy than the West
The people who lived on the Eastern side of the Empire was Greece, Anatolia, Syria, and Egypt

Western empire crumbles

Germanic tribes invading(visigoths, ostrogoths, vandals, franks, saxons,.ect)
These germanic tribes were coming to the western roman empire to get away from the huns.
Barbarians- term used for romans ro refer to non-romans
Western roman empire was unable to field an army large enough to stop the invaders
Attila the hun lead an army of 100,000 to attack the roman empire
The last western roman emperor was a 14 yr old boy named Romulus Augustulus… was ousted in 476 A.D.
This marked the end of the western roman empire
The eastern roman empire continued on and actually flourished
Renamed the byzantine empire… it preserved much of the roman and greek culture and lasted for another 1000 years before being overthrown by ottoman turks in 1453

Module 6: Rome and the roots of western civilization

Lesson 6

Explain the ways in which the Greeks positively influenced the Romans.
They influenced their fields of art such as, architecture, literature, and philosophy.

What is the significance of Pompeii to Roman art?
The ash preserved many buildings and works of art

Who was virgil?
A poet who spent ten years writing the most famous work of Latin literature, the Aeneas, the Epic of the Legendary Arenas.

How are livy tacitus different in terms of writing history?
Livy- compiled a multivolume history of rome from its origins to 9 B.C. he used legends freely, creating a more national myth of Rome than a true history.
Tacitus - another Roman historian, is notable among ancient historians because he presented the facts accurately.

List some of the legacies left behind by the romans… be detailed. This is one of your big essay questions.
The Latin language - left behind after the fall of Rome, Latin was adopted by different people and developed into French, Spanish, Portugeses, Italian, and Romanian.
Master builders - many people traveled from all over the world to see Roman architecture
Math , Science, and Technology - Mathematical accomplishments somewhat limited. Developed number system known as Roman numerals, which are still used occasionally. Pliny the Elder first to describe amber is fossilized tree sap and wrote about the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius. Galen discovered a more complex understanding of the circulatory and nervous systems and wrote several volumes that summarized all medical knowledge of his day. For centuries people regarded Galen as the greatest authority in medicine. Ptolemy wrote about topics such as astronomy, geography, mathematics of music, and properties of light. Romans learned from people that they conquered, the put this knowledge to work in glassmaking, dam building, mining, sanitation, and other fields. They developed brass, soap, a harvesting machine, surgical instruments, iron tooth implants, and even a camel harness.

Module 8: the rise of islam

Lesson 1

Words you think when you hear the word islam:

Muslims

Allah

Monotheism

Religion

Hijab

Niqab

religious

Deserts, towns, and trade routes

The Arabian Peninsula is a crossroad for Africa, Europe, and Asia
Bedouins, Arab Nomads, were organized into tribes and groups called clans
The Bedouins were herders and farmers, although farming was limited due to the desert climate
The Arabian Peninsula’s main occupation was trade due to location

Mecca

A city located on the west coast of the Arabian Peninsula
Mecca is home to the Kaaba which was a shrine to be associated with Abraham
The city brought religious pilgrims to worship at the ancient site

Muhammad, prophet of islam

Muhammad was born in mecca, orphaned at age 6 and raised by his grandfather and uncle
Worked in the caravan trade at an early age, with little schooling
At 25, became a trader and business manager for Khadijah who Muhammad eventually marries
At age 40, Muhammad believes that the angel Gabriel came to him while he was praying and meditating….. Believed he was the chosen messenger of Allah
Muhammad believed he was the last of the prophets
Islam, means submission to the will of Allah…. Muslim means one who has submitted
Muhammad’s first followers were his wife, family and a few close friends

The hijrah

Due to his preaching, muhammad was considered a threat to mecca’s multiple religious systems and the money the Kaaba brings into the city by pilgrims
Feeling threatened and pressured, Muhammad takes his followers to Yathrib(622 A.D.) which was renamed Medina
Mecca is considered the spiritual capital of Islam
Medina is considered the political capital of Islam
630 A.D. Muhammad and 10,000 followers took back the city of Mecca
Islam began to unify the Arabian Peninsula

Beliefs and practices of islam

Five pillars of islam and what they do
A set of duties that muslims carry out
Faith - no god but allah, muhammad is the messenger of god
Prayer - 5 times a day towards mecca
Alms - giving charity
Fasting - during the holy month of ramadan, between dawn and sunset
Hajj - a pilgrimage to mecca at least once in your life
Mosque
Islamic house of worship
Way of life
Along with the 5 pillars, believers are forbidden to eat pork or to drink intoxicating beverages. Friday afternoons are set aside for communal worship. Unlike many other religions, islam has no priests or central religious authority. Every muslim is expected to worship allah directly. Islam does, however, have a scholar class called ulama. The ulama includes religious teachers who apply the words and deeds of muhammad to everyday life.
Qur’an
The holy book of the muslims

Sunna
Muhammad's example, the best way of living your life

full notes

2018-12-14 20:02:42 UTC

The Study of World History

The Beginning of World History

Lesson 1

Historiography

*The study and writing of history with an emphasis on the careful examination of information or data, often from the analysis of

*Fact: History is constantly being revised due to new evidence being discovered all the time.

History Continually Being Rewritten

6 Recent Archaeological Discoveries That Could REWRITE History: Video Link

Geography

*p. 5-6. Describe how geography can affect the course of events in world history and the study of the such event (Essay).

Essay: Geography can affect the rule of civilizations. For example, diamonds found in Eurasian civilizations successful in conquering other civilizations, as well as the ideal location and climate for agriculture, resistance to germs that near wiped out entire civilizations, and the ability to develop better technology and social institutions. Climate is a lot more important than you think: along with physical features, climate either enables or discourages migration. Climate has a large effect on crops, can cause involuntary migration, crop failure, famine, and the failure of settlements. The factors of geology can be used in advantage to civilizations or be made obstacles. Some factors, like isolation or wide interaction with other civilizations, can make a civilization develop much differently than others. Some obstacles can pose serious threats on survival. Sometimes, challenges can be used as advantages. In conclusion, geology can make or break a civilization.

*Civilizations- Complex cultures that developed at least 6 key characteristics: farming, specialized jobs, cities, writing, religion, and government.

Factors Of Geology That Can Affect A Civilization Or Event:

Climate
Location
Trade, food, water

Role of Archaeology

*Archaeology’s contributions to historiography deals with the study of artifacts, or human-made objects.

*Helps to answer how people lived, developed, and interacted with their environment.

*p. 7-8. How do archaeologists work with other disciplines to explain and interpret the past? Why must history be flexible (Essay)?

Essay: Physical anthropology, genetics, linguistics, physics, archaeology, and other disciplines of study found in different eras bring new discoveries to light- however, the discoveries are often found using different tools and are often taken in different perspectives by the people finding them. The discoveries are criticized in and outside of the discipline, which gives a lot of conflict to the original idea. Interpretations of history are bound to change. Conclusions are drawn off of artifacts other primary and secondary sources available. However, there may be human bias based on where the scientists live, what time they live in, how history is taught where they live, and their own connection to the subjects. History is flexible this way and must be evaluated due to the bias and perspective of scientists. In conclusion, the reason why this is all so flexible is by human error.

Module 2: Early River Valley Civilizations

Lesson 1

< Statue from ancient land of Sumer

Villages Grow Into Cities

*Remember that agriculture made all of this possible*

*Agriculture advanced domestication of animals and helped in the creation of new farming implements to make farming easier.

*Increased food production allowed these villages to support larger numbers of people.

*Increased food surplus allowed some villages to pursue other jobs and develop skills outside of farming (pottery, metalworking, clothing, and trading).

*Out of agriculture will emerge social classes with varying wealth, power, and influence.

*Religion also changed with an emphasis on gods and goddesses that they believed had power over rain, wind, and the sun.

Sumer

*Historians believe that one of the first civilizations arose in Sumer.

*Sumer was located in Mesopotamia (modern-day Iraq).

*Sumer was the center of trade in the region.

*Specialization- The development of skills in a specific kind of work. Abundant food source allowed some people to become experts at other jobs outside of farming.

*Institutions- Long-lasting pattern of organization in a community, such as government, religion, and economy.

Record keeping to organize the storage of grain, passage of law and tax collecting (development of written language).
s
Written history was born!

The City of Ur

Ur was located within the area known as Sumer, in southern Iraq.
Most of what we know about Ur came from English archaeologist Leonard Wooley from 1922-1934.
P. 41
Ziggurat- Sumerian pyramid shaped temple… “mountain of god.”

What Sumer Demonstrates

Specialized Workers
Complex Institutions
Advanced Cities
Advanced Technology
Record Keeping

Damage to Ancient Treasures

Continued war in the Middle East has created damage to major historical sites.
Gulf War in 1991, Invasion of Iraq in 2003 and ISIS have all caused their fair share of destruction.

How Much History Has ISIS Destroyed: Video Link

Module 2: City-States of Mesopotamia

Lesson 2

The Fertile Crescent

The Fertile Crescent is made up of the Tigris and Euphrates River Valleys.
Mesopotamia in Greek means “land between the rivers.”
P. 45 map in book.
Good soil is what brought people to the region.
Environmental disadvantages:
Unpredictable flooding
No natural barriers for defense
Natural resources were limited
The Sumerians, as they came to be known, overcame the problems by:
Creating irrigation ditches for relief from flood waters
Building walls for defense
Traded grains, clothing, and tools for resources such as stone, wood, and metal.

Sumerian City-States

*City-State- A city and the surrounding land that it controls.

Sumerian city-states function similar to independent countries.
Ziggurats were at the center of all activity in the city-states.
Not only were they temples for worship, but also acted like city hall for meetings and such.
Early Sumerians were led by religious leaders, but over time, military leaders took over in Mesopotamia.
Constant war between city-states became common.

*Dynasty- Series of rulers from a single family.

As Sumerian culture grew, the more influential it became on the surrounding areas.

*Cultural diffusion- New ideas and products spreading from one culture to another.

*Polytheism- Belief in more than one God.

Sumerians believed the gods controlled every aspect of life and much of their time was spent keeping the Gods happy.
Their view on the afterlife was dismal. They believed they would go to the “Land of No Return.”
Arithmetic and geometry for building.
Architectural innovations (arches, columns, ramps, etc).
Cuneiform

Hammurabi’s Code of Laws

Read p. 49-50 about Hammurabi and his justice system. Use digital text to look at the Close Read video.

What stands out to me is that one of the punishments is throwing someone into the water. What happens after that? Does she just swim out? Is she forced to drown? If she lives, where does she go? Is she exiled?

I like how the code of laws is exactly where “an eye for an eye” came from.

I think it's interesting that they felt the need to specifically include a certain type of incest in their crimes with punishment.

Module 2: Pyramids on the Nile

Lesson 3

Geography of Egypt

*The Nile flows northward.

*4,100 miles long (the longest in the world).

*The only livable place is along the river.

*Yearly flooding is necessary.

*Egyptians worshipped the Nile (“Gift of the Nile”).

*List the environmental challenges of living on the Nile River (Essay).

Essay:

When floodwaters were lower than usual, people would starve from lack of crop.
When floodwaters were higher than usual, homes, shops, and seeds were destroyed.
The desert around the Nile made only a small part livable in.
The small area available to live in restricted interaction with other people.

*Why was there less worry about invaders along the Nile than in the Fertile Crescent (Essay)?

Essay: The deserts on either side of the Nile acted as natural barriers between them and other lands, and the Fertile Crescent had no natural barriers.

Egyptian Government and Society

*Pharaohs- Leaders of Egypt that were worshipped as Gods.

*Theocracy- Type of government in which rule is based on religious authority.

A pharaoh was fully responsible for the well-being of the kingdom.
Egyptians were obsessed with the afterlife and believed pharaohs ruled even after death.

Pyramids

During the Old Kingdom, pyramids were built for a final resting place for pharaohs.
Egypt had an abundance of stone for building.
Pyramids became the symbol of the strength of the Egyptian civilization.

The Great Pyramids still stand today and are known as marvels of the ancient world.

How the Rosetta Stone Unlocked Hieroglyphics.

Module 2: The Indus River Valley

Lesson 4

Geography of the Region

This region has the world’s tallest mountains to the north and east (Himalayas) plus a large desert (Thar) to the east. These are natural protection.
Two major rivers in the region, Indus and Ganges.
Deccan Plateau is located in the middle of the continent.
Monsoons- seasonal winds. Winter monsoons keep the region dry. Summer monsoons bring heavy rains and flooding.

Environment Challenges of the Indus River Valley

Unpredictable flooding.
River changes course and takes farm ground away.

Desperate farmers wait for india’s monsoon season

Civilization of the Indus River Valley: Harappan Civilization

Historians and scientists know less about the Indus River Valley people than any of the other civilizations we’ve talked about.
We are unable to decipher their writing system.
Flood waters have washed away or covered up a lot of the evidence of these people.
The cities that we have discovered were laid out in a precise grid system, which shows how advanced they were.
Plumbing and sewage systems were also discovered.

Ancient Harappan Ruins:

Harappan Culture

List some of the culture achievements of the Harappans P. 65-68.
Plumbing
Sewage systems
Written language
Warfare weapons
Nonessential goods (kid toys, etc.)
Advanced trade (Wheat and barley were their main trading items

Indus Valley Culture Ends

It appears that the decline was caused by Earthquakes and floods that altered the course of the Indus River.
Many of the cities were destroyed as a result.
Some of the minor river systems dried up.
Food shortage was very possible.
Foreign invasions by Aryans out of the Hindu Kush Mts.

Conclusion: The exact causes were really unknown. It is possible that it was a combination of all the things mentioned above.

Module 2: River Dynasty of China

Lesson 5

Geography of China

Natural barriers isolate and protect China.
Yellow Sea, East China Sea, and the Pacific Ocean border the eastern side of the region.
Mountain ranges & deserts cover over 60% of China’s landmass
The two major river systems are the Huang He and the Yangtze.
The land between these two rivers is where the majority of the farmland is in China (North China Plain: China’s heartland).

*Loess- Name of the fertile soil left behind after floods along the Huang He (Yellow River).

Environmental Challenges

Huang He flooding can be disastrous: “China’s Sorrow.”
Trade was limited due to being so isolated.
China had to worry about invasion from the west and north (Mongols).

The First Dynasties

The first Dynasty in China was the Shang Dynasty(1700 B.C.- 1027 B.C).
This dynasty was the first to leave written records.
Unlike the other ancient cities we’ve talked about, the Chinese built their cities from wood instead of stone.
Earthen wall surrounded the city for protection from constant warfare (pg. 72 example).

The Development of Chinese Culture

Chinese believed they were the center of the civilized world. Anything outside of their culture were considered barbarians.
They stressed that the group is more important than the individual. You sacrifice few for many.
Women considered inferior and married from 13-16 years of age. Bearing sons could help raise her status.
Sharp divide between nobles (the ruling class) and peasants.
Ancestral worship was common. Having power to bring good fortune or disaster to living members of families.

*Oracle bones- Animal bones or turtle shells on which priests scratched questions for the gods. Priests would apply a hot poker to it which caused it to crack. Priests would interpret the cracks to see how the gods answered.

Development of writing

There is no link between China’s spoken language and it’s written language. You could be able to read the writing and not speak the language.
This had an advantage because people from all over China could read Chinese regardless of their language (this created unity).
Disadvantage- Too many characters and symbols to remember making it difficult to be literate.

5 Chinese Inventions:

Gunpowder
Tea
Printing
Cannon
Compass

*Mandate of Heaven- Divine approval for a just ruler.

*Dynastic Cycle- The patterns of rise, decline, and replacement of dynasties.

*Feudalism- A political system in which nobles, or lords, are granted the use of lands that legally belong to the king.

Module 3: The Indo-Europeans

Lesson 1

Indo-Europeans Migrate

Indo-Europeans were nomadic peoples from the steppes (dry grassland) of the Caucasus Mountains, located between the Black and Caspian Seas.
The languages of these people are the ancestors of many modern languages today (English, Sanskrit, Persian, Spanish, German).
Between 1700-1200 B.C., these people began migrating in all directions.
Why they migrated remains a mystery.

Hittite Empire

Hittite Empire dominated Southwest Asia for 450 years.
Continual fighting w/ the Egyptians over the Mediterranean Sea.
Eventually both groups signed a peace treaty that also pledged to help the other fight off invaders.
Hittites created a unique culture by borrowing ideas from other civilizations.
They excelled in the art of war through use of chariots and iron weapons.
Most noted for their expert metalworking.
Hittite Empire crashes around 1190 B.C.

Aryans Transform India

This is believed to be the group that invaded and took over the Harappans in the Indus River Valley.
No archaeological evidence to prove exactly where they came from.
Most of what we know about the Aryans comes from their sacred text known as the Vedas, which is a collection of prayers, hymns, rituals, etc.

*Caste System- Distinct social class system that still exists in India (P. 85).

Caste System Rankings:
Brahmins: Priests and teachers- highest ranking, lowest numbers.
Kshatriyas: Warriors and rulers.
Vaishyas: Traders, farmers, and herders.
Shudras: Laborers and peasants.
Dalits: Untouchables- lowest of the low.

Module 3: The Origins of Hinduism

Lesson 2

Origins and Beliefs

You cannot trace the beginning of Hinduism back to one founder with a single set of ideas, unlike Buddhism, Islam, or Christianity.
Hindus believe that religion frees the soul from all the negatives of everyday life.

*Upanishads- Written down dialogue (discussions) between students and teachers over Vedas.

How to free yourself from suffering and desires.
Understanding the relationship between atman (individual soul) and Brahman (world soul).

*Moksha- A state of perfection, understanding all things.

*Reincarnation- Individual soul or spirit is born again until moksha is achieved.

*Karma- Good and bad deeds follow from one reincarnation to another.

The worship of gods and goddesses have changed for Hindus over the years.
Family tradition has a lot to do with gods or goddesses you may worship.
Three paths to attain moksha: right thinking, right action, or religious devotion.
Worship may take place in large temples, small shrines or at home.
Prayers and reading the Vedas is common.
Ganges River considered sacred to Hindus and bathing in the river offers spiritual cleansing.

*Yoga- Helped in meditation and prayer with the purpose of people focusing their bodies and minds.

*p. 91. How does karma and reincarnation reinforce the caste system (essay)?

*Essay: If a person was born into an upper class caste, his good fortune was said to come from good karma in a past life. A person born into a lower caste might be getting the results of bad deeds in a former life. The caste structure dominated every aspect of their lives. Theses beliefs determined what one could eat and how they ate it, the people you associated with, how one dressed, and so on. Basically, good karma brought good fortune and bad karma brought bad fortune.

Jainism

Founder was Mahavira.
His teachings opposed the religious rituals that most hindus focused on.
They believed moksha could be achieved by giving up worldly things and controlling actions.
Jainists believe everything has a soul, so harming any living thing is to be avoided- they practice non-violence. Priests sweep their paths to avoid hurting anything on the ground.
Jains are usually vegetarians.
Jains avoid stealing, greed, anger, prejudice, gossip.
Jains practice religious tolerance.
Almost all of the 5 million jainists alive today live in india.

*many jainist where former hindus*

Youtube video link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KAc33hNc7ak

Module 3: The Origins Of Buddhism

Lesson 3

The Buddha Seeks Enlightenment

Buddhism develops around the same time as Hinduism and Jainism.
Siddhartha Gautama is the founder of Buddhism.
He was born into a noble Hindu family.
Story goes that if he stayed confined to home, he was destined to become a world ruler- But if he left, he would become a universal spiritual leader.
He was put on house arrest by his family to ensure he became a great world leader.
When he was 29 years old, Siddhartha began venturing outside of the palace.
From his adventures, he realized that his kingdom suffered.
He decided to spend his life searching for religious truth and for an end to life’s suffering.
He wandered the forests of India for 6 years seeking enlightenment (wisdom).
49 days of meditation led him to understand the cause of suffering.
He became known as the Buddha, or “Enlightened One”.

The Teachings of Buddhism

Four noble truths

Life is filled with suffering and sorrow
Cause of suffering is peoples selfish desires for temporary pleasures of this world
The way to end all suffering is to end all desire
The way to overcome such desires and attain enlightenment is to follow the eightfold path, which is called the middle way between desires and self-denial

Eightfold path: Steps to Reach Nirvana

Right views
Right resolve
Right speech
Right conduct
Right livelihood
Right effort
Right mindfulness

Buddhist Beliefs of Gods and Goddesses

Buddha rejected many of the hindu gods.

Nirvana: Not The Band

The release from pain and suffering achieved after enlightenment.

Caste System

Rejected the thought of the caste systems.
Many buddhist are often for lower level caste systems.

Module 3: The Origins of Buddhism

Lesson 3

Sangha (religious community), buddha, and dharma (buddhist teachings) make up the “three jewels” of buddhism.
Most of the early followers of buddhism were from the lower castes.
Women were reluctantly admitted into the religious order.
The religious order: you vow a life of poverty, nonviolence, and not to marry.

Essay question: Write down significant information pertaining the minoans and phoenicians, things such as where they were located, how they made a living, what role they played in cultural diffusion, any interesting facts about their culture, and what happened to them.

(Essay:)

Minoans

Lived on Crete, a large island on the southern edge of the Aegean Sea.
Dominated trade in the eastern Mediterranean region from about 2000 to 1400 BC.
Produced some of the finest pottery of their time.
Their trade consisted of pottery, swords, figurines, and vessels of precious metals.
Their role in cultural diffusion was exporting their art and culture (architecture, burial customs, and religious rituals) .
Women had religious roles in the community, different for their time.
Their King Minos had a half-man, half-beast that he kept called the Minotaur.
Ended around 1200 BC, the cause of the end is unclear. Some guesses are:
Natural disasters
Overpopulation
Invasion

Phoenicians

Lived around 1100 B.C. in the area known as Lebanon.
They were the most powerful traders along the Mediterranean.
Never united into a country, just into modern city-states
They did find a lot of wealthy city-states around the Mediterranean.
Byblos, Tyre, & Sidon were important trading centers.
Made a writing system with sound, future alphabet.
Noted for their Shipbuilding and navigation.
Many of them settled in Carthage, Africa.
Being captured by Assyrians ended their civilizations.

Youtube video link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2aoIs-5zqoI

Module 3: The Origins of Judaism

Lesson 5

The Search For A Promised Land

Most of what we know about the early history of the Israelites (Jews). Comes from the first 5 books of the bible. Jews call these books the Torah.

*Torah (the law):

Bereishith (In the begining) Genesis
Shenoth (The names) Exodus
Vayikra (And He called) Leviticus
Bamidbar (In the wilderness) Numbers
Devarim (The words) Deuteronomy

* The history of the Jews is the history of exile.

In the Torah, God chose Abraham to be the “father” of the Jewish people.
Abraham was a shepherd from the city of Ur, in Mesopotamia.
In Genesis, God commands Abraham to move his people to the land of Canaan (modern day Israel).
Genesis 12:1-2 Hebrew Bible:
1- ‘The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you.”’
2- ‘“I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing.”’
He also tells Abraham that he will have many offspring.
The Israelites are monotheistic (they believed in one God), unlike most people of the region.
God had power over all peoples, everywhere. God was not a physical being and no physical images were to be made of him.

*Covenant- A promise God made to Abraham to protect his people, as long as Abraham obeyed.

Moses & The Exodus

The Israelites eventually migrate to Egypt due to drought & famine.
At first the Israelites were honored in the land of Egypt, but overtime were forced into slavery.
Between 1300-1200 B.C., Jews leave Egypt (Exodus), led by Moses.
Mt. Sinai.
10 Commandments (Exodus 20: 2-14).
The commandments along with other teaching that moses delivered became the basis for civil and religious laws of Judaism and to Jews this was a “new” covenant: God promises protection, they promise to keep God’s commandments.

* Story of Moses on P. 107.

Youtube video link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TK57RiMqTdk

Ten Commandments

The Torah states that the Israelites wandered the Sinai Desert for 40 yrs.
Eventually they will make their way back to the land of Canaan and organized into 12 tribes.
The tribes would only unite during crisis such as judicial leadership or a time of war. It’s at this time you see the rise of Judges.

Israelite Law (613 laws)

What is ethical monotheism?

- The emphasis on right conduct and the worship on one god.

Youtube video link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3BGO9Mmd_cU

The Kingdom of Israel

1020-922 B.C. is the greatest period of power and independence for Israel, led by Saul, David, and Solomon.
Saul was chosen by the judge, Samuel. Saul lost his position to his son-in-law, David.
David was extremely popular due to the victory over Goliath and his military leadership.
Solomon, son of David, will be David’s successor.
Solomon created Jerusalem (Israel’s capital) into a beautiful and powerful city.
Solomon’s temple- his greatest architectural achievement and built to honor God.
Unfortunately, Solomon’s building projects required high taxes and put financial strain on the kingdom of Israel.
After Solomon’s death, Israel split into 2 kingdoms, Israel to the north and Judah to the south (sometimes these 2 fought each other, sometimes they allied).
Israel eventually crumbles, leaving only Judah. Israelites came to be known as Jews, and their religion Judaism from the name Judah.

Babylonian Captivity

(questions pg.113)

What is a tribute? Who did the Jewish kingdom pay tribute and why?
A tribute is peace money paid by a weaker power to a stronger power. The Assyrians attacked Northern Judea.
What happened in 725 B.C.?
The Assyrians began a relentless siege of Samaria, Israel’s capital.
Who eventually destroyed the kingdom of Judah?
The Babylonians.
What happened to Solomon’s temple and to the Jewish people?
The temple was destroyed when Babylon attacked Jerusalem. Many of the Jewish people were exiled to Babylon.
Who was Ezekiel?
A prophet who urged his people to keep their religion alive in foreign lands.
How did Cyrus, king of Persia, help with the Jews (book of Nehemiah)?
He allowed 40,000 exiles to return to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple.
What other foreign invaders will change the course of history for the Jews?
The Persians, Greeks, and Romans.

Module 5: Classical Greece Cultures of Mountain and Sea

Lesson 1

Geography Shapes Geek Life

Greece is a mountainous peninsula that includes 2,000 islands.
It is surrounded by the Mediterranean, Ionian, and Aegean Seas.
Greeks were skilled sailors and sea travel connected Greece with other societies.
Trade was necessary due to the lack of natural resources.
Rugged mountains cover 75% of Greece.
Pindus Mountains are the largest chain.
Land transportation was difficult and kept Greeks from being unified under one government and leader. City-states emerged as a result of mountains.
Very little agricultural ground or access to freshwater. The lack of agriculture kept the population lower than most regions due to lack of food.
This probably led Greek to seek land outside of greece and develop colonies.

Mycenaean Civilization Develops

Mycenaeans descended from Indo-Europeans and got their name from their leading city of Mycenae.
List the ways in which the Minoans influenced the Mycenaeans.
Seaborne trading.
Adapted Minoan writing systems to Greek language.
Decorated vases with Minoan designs.
Religion, art, politics, and literature.
Research the Trojan War. Look for location and the reasons for the war breaking out, who was involved, and what were the results of the war. Also, research whether or not the Trojan War actually took place (Below).

Setting: Troy

Cause: Queen Helen of Sparta was abducted by the Trojan prince Paris.

Time Span: 10 Years

People involved-

Menelaus (Helen’s husband (never comes to PTA Meetings))
Agamemnon, king of Mycenae
Achilles, Greek warrior o
Ajax, prince of Salamis
Diomedes, warrior
Odysseus, warrior
Nestor, king of Pylos

Results: we dk the results ig

Did the Trojan War really happen?: We don’t know, but when scholars found evidence of Homer’s city irt helped put a “spark” back into this myth that some portion of it could actually have been historical fact. Also because of the fact that we have found some things which could’ve been traded to the Mycenaeans, a trade could’ve gone sour and thus escalating into a war.

Homer and Greek Mythology

Much of the early history of Greece is not written history- oral history replaced written.
Homer- great storyteller and poet, said to be blind.

*Epics- narrative poems celebrating heroic deeds

Iliad and Odyssey are the two most famous epic poems by Homer

Iliad: Set during the Trojan War, tells us of the battles and events during the weeks of quarrel between king Agamemnon and warrior Achilles, this was the first book the Odyssey was written after this one.

Main character: Achilles

Achilles kills Hector after Hector kills Achilles best friend, who was disguised as Achilles. The story ends with Hector’s body being returned and buried at his funeral.

Odyssey: The Odyssey is the sequel to the Iliad the poem mostly focuses on the greek hero odysseus, and his journey home after the fall of Troy. Both the Iliad and the Odyssey are the oldest known epics

Main character: Odysseus

The years after the Iliad. It follows all of Odysseus’ wanderings, years after the war. He’s angered the god Poseidon by blinding his son, and so now he is far away from home, stranded.

Good reference: Was there a real trojan war? (parts I, II, and III) Our Fake History podcast on your phone.

Part I: https://ourfakehistory.com/index.php/season-1/episode-15-was-there-a-real-trojan-war-part-i/#more-69

Part II: https://ourfakehistory.com/index.php/season-1/episode-16-was-there-a-real-trojan-war-part-ii/#more-62

Part III: https://ourfakehistory.com/index.php/season-1/episode-17-was-there-a-real-trojan-war-part-iii/#more-33

*The actual episodes are blocked on your chromebook but the references for it are listed below*

*If you have an iPhone you can listen on the podcasts app I’m not sure about Android*

Greeks developed a rich set of myths, traditional stories, about their gods
The Greeks sought to understand the mysteries of nature and the power of human passion(example: myths explained the changing of the seasons)
Greeks attributed human qualities to their gods, but their gods were immortal
The main gods lived on Mt. Olympus which is in the pindus Mts
Zeus (god of the sky and lightning)
Hera (wife of Zeus, goddess of marriage and women)
Poseidon (king of the seas, and caused Earthquakes)s
Hades (god of the underworld)
Demeter (goddess of agriculture)
Athena (goddess of wisdom)
Hephaestus (god of the forge and fire)
Apollo (god of music, archery, the Sun, and healing)
Hermes (god of messaging and trade (He’ll hit you up in the DM’s) (Not in my christian server he will not)))

Module 5: Warring City-States

Lesson 2

Rule and Order in the Greek City-State

*Polis- The greek word for city-state, made up of the city and the surrounding countryside.

*Agora- The marketplace of a polis.

*Acropolis- Fortified hill and where citizens gathered for political discussion or for war during an invasion.

Greek city-states had many different forms of government:

*Monarchy- Government ruled by a king.

*Aristocracy- Government ruled by small group of noble,landowning families.

*Oligarchy- Government ruled by a few powerful people.

Clashes between rulers and common people occured constantly.

Rich Vs. Poor

(minority) (majority)

*Tyranny- Government where a person of wealth and power seizes control.

Tyrants normally were supported by the common people and in return for their support, tyrants set up programs to benefit their supporter

*Democracy- Ruled by the people.

Athens Builds a Limited Democracy

Athens struggled with the clashes between rich and poor.
To create stability, reformers created democracy (rule by the people).
In Athens, citizens participate directly in political decision making.
First step toward democracy started when Draco took power.
Draco created a legal code based on the idea that all athenians, rich or poor, were equal under the law.
Under Draconian Law, death was the punishment for almost every crime.
Debt slavery was also common, in which debtors worked as slaves until the debt was repaid.
Tension between rich and poor got worse instead of better.

Questions ( Pg. 156)

Explain Solon and Cleisthenes approach to democracy in athens.
Solon outlawed debt slavery and separated the citizens into 4 classes based on wealth. Only the top three classes could hold political office, but all citizens could participate in Assembly. Solon also introduced the idea that charges could be made by any citizen against wrongdoers.
Cleisthenes introduced further reforms, among which was splitting the citizens into 10 groups based on where they lived. He made a stronger assembly by allowing all citizens to submit laws for debate and passage- although citizenship was only given to free adult men; women, foreigners, and slaves were given no rights and treated as if they were not human. He also created the Council of Five Hundred.
Detail what Athenian education was like for girls and boys, to subjects taught and anything in between.
For the most part only sons of wealthy families received a formal education. They started school around the age of 7 and largely prepared boys to be good citizens, they were taught reading, grammar, poetry, history, mathematics, and music.
Athenian girls did not attend school. Rather, they were educated at home by their mothers or other female members of the household. They learned about child-rearing, weaving cloth, preparing meals, managing the household, and other skills that helped them become good wives.
Explain what prompted Sparta to create a military state.
The slaves (messenians) that they captured revolted and sparta almost lost their city-state, and didn’t want that to happen again so they became engaged in military
Describe Sparta's government, society and daily life
Sparta’s government had several different branches. An assembly, which was composed of all Spartan citizens, elected officials and voted on major issues. The Council of Elders, proposed laws on which the assembly voted for. Five elected officials carried out the laws passed by the assembly. These men also controlled education and prosecuted court cases. In addition, two kings ruled over Sparta’s military forces.

The Persian Wars

Slave revolts lead to sparta being a military state. Struggles between rich and poor led athens to become a democracy.

The greatest danger to all of greece was persia located east, across the aegean sea. Map on pg. 160.

Shift from bronze(rich man’s weapons and armor) to iron revolutionized how armies were built and who fought in these armies… common citizens could now afford weapons for war.

*Hoplites- Greek foot soldiers armed with shield and spear, along with short swords.

*Phalanx- rectangular troop formation.

Causes

The war between the Greeks and Persians started over a Greek colony in Ionia that was taken over by the Persians.
Ionian Greeks revolted against the Persians, and Athens sent ships and soldiers to help the Ionian Greeks.
Persia defeated the Greeks then vowed to destroy Athens for helping.
Battle of Marathon
490 B.C. a Persian fleet crosses the Aegean Sea with 25,000 troops and lands north of Athens.
Athenian phalanxes of 10,000 hoplites dominated the Persians.
Persians suffered 6,000 casualties, Athenians less the 200.
Pheidippides - read Pg. 161

Thermopylae and salamis

10 years later Darius The Great’s son, Xerxes, raised a huge army to finish his father’s job of crushing Athens
The Greeks were divided… some sided with Athens, others stayed out of it, and some Greeks even fought with the Persians
Battle of Thermopylae
When Xerxes reached a narrow mountain pass in Thermopylae there were 7,000 Greeks, including 300 Spartans blocking his path. Xerxes assumed his soldiers could easily push past them, however Xerxes underestimated their fighting power. The Greeks stopped the Persian advance for three days. A traitor who informed the Persians of a secret path around the pass brought the Greeks brave stand to and end. Fearing defeat, the 300 Spartan soldiers help the Persians back while the other Greeks forces retreated.
Battle of Salamis
Meanwhile the Athenians debated on how to protect their city. Themistocle, an Athenian leader, convinced them to evacuate the city and fight at sea. They positioned their fleets in a narrow channel near the island of Salamis, after setting fire to Athens, Xerxes sent his warships to block both ends of the channel. However, the channel was very narrow and the Persian ships had difficulty turning. Smaller Greeks ship with battering rams attached to them attacked the persian ships. More the one-third of Xerxes fleet sank.

Battle of Platea
Huge win for the Greeks, ended the threat of Persia.
Delian league
Consequences of the Persian wars
Led Athens to a golden age.
Persia lost more than 6,000 men.
Peloponnesian war was caused because of the Persian war.

Module 5: Democracy and Greece’s Golden Age

Lesson 3

Pericles Plan for Athens

Pericles led Athens through much of it’s golden age.
Skillful politician, speaker and respected general.
Led Athens from 461 B.C.- 429 B.C. (32 years) - Age of Pericles
Pericles worked to strengthen democracy.
Increasing paid public officials(poor people could be officials now).

*Direct democracy- form of government in which citizens rule directly and not through representation.

Created the strongest navy in Greece, which also made Athens the greatest traders of Greece also.

*Delian League- Athens and their allies.

Athenians and Sparta Go To War

As Athens power grew, many city-states began to resent their success- Sparta in particular.

*Peloponnesian League- Sparta and their allies.

Created as a result of the power of the Delian League (naval strength).

Sparta declares war in 431 B.C. and the Peloponnesian War begins.
Pericles and Athens wanted to avoid any land fighting with the Spartans, and the Spartans tried to avoid any fighting at sea with the Athenians.
Eventually Sparta invaded Athens territory, burning and destroying everything in its path
Athens stayed behind its city walls where supplies could be shipped in by sea.
Unfortunately, a plague spread throughout Athens killing over 30% of their population including Pericles.
Although the plague weakened Athens, the war continued on with a brief period of peace from 421 B.C.- 415 B.C.
In 415 B.C. Athens sent a huge fleet of ships to Syracuse, one of Sparta's wealthiest allies… it was a disaster for Athens.
The Peloponnesian war last another 9 years, finally in 404 B.C. Athens and its allies surrender.
Athens lost everything it had gained, Sparta was nearly destroyed too even though they won.

Causes and Effects: The Peloponnesian War

The Peloponnesian War was the result of long-simmering tensions between Athens and Sparta. By the war’s end, athens was nearly completely destroyed.

Causes

After the Persian Wars, Athens established the Delian League, Athens took advantage of its position as the head of the Delian League to create the Athen Empire.
Sparta and its allies, the Peloponnesian League resented the growing influence of Athens in Greece.
Over decades, tension built up between the two leagues.

Effects

Athens lost its navy and army and many lives were lost.
Athens lost its empire, power, and wealth.
Sparta become the supreme power in Greece however the Spartan army was weakened and was defeated by Thebes in 371 B.C.
In 340 B.C., after years of bitter squabbling among city-states all of Greece was conquered by Macedonia.

Module 5: Achievements of Greek Culture

Lesson 4

Glorious art and architecture

Athens, under the leadership of pericles, helped to popularize art and architecture throughout greece
Athens brought up as much gold, ivory and marble as they could
The parthenon, built to honor goddess athena, became the centerpiece for greek art and architecture in athens
Sculptor, phidias, did most of the work on the parthenon
Most of what we know about greek sculptures are from copies by romans (few originals exist)
Very few original paintings exist either… most are found on vases or plates and usually only 2 colors are used, red and black

Poetry, drama, and history

Lyric poetry and epic poetry were the most popular
Lyric poetry deals with emotions and desires, rather that tell stories like the epics
Greeks were the 1st to create dramas and build theaters to host dramatic plays
Plays were about leadership, justice and duties of greek citizens
Tragedies were the most popular dramas
Tragedies normally had common themes such as love, hate, war or betrayal.. A hero was normally the main character, but had a weakness or downfall. The the weakness was normally hubris(excessive pride)
Aeschylus, sophocles and euripides were the most noted greek tragic playwrights

*Comedy- plays that were filled with slapstick situations and crude humor

Normally making fun of politics, leaders and new ideas of the time
Shows te freedom and openness of democracy and free speech of athen
Herodotus, was the 1st greek historian
His first recording were about the persian wars
Thucydides, is considered to be the greatest greek historian
He came up with the idea that history repeats itself and its importance to study past events to prevent future mistakes

Philosophers search for truth (questions)

Define philosopher and how the study of philosophy came to exist
Philosopher meaning ‘’lovers of wisdom’’ in greek, were greek thinkers who based their philosophy on these two assumptions:
1- the universe is put together in an orderly way, subject to absolute and unchanging laws.

2- people can understand these laws through logic and reason.

Philosophers began to show up after the war, when many athens had lost confidence in democratic government and began to question their values.

Read through the 3 great greek philosophers, socrates, plato and aristotle and summarize the importance of each and their contribution to greek culture

Socrates -

Plato-

Aristotle- Questioned the world’s beliefs, made up his own type of debate and discussion. Tutor of Alexander the Great.

Module 5: Alexander the Great

Lesson 5

Philip builds macedonian power

Macedonia was a kingdom located north of greece
The kingdom was made up of mountain villages rather than city-states
Greeks viewed macedonia as illiterate, uncivilized foreigners
Philip ll became king in 359 B.C.
Philip envisioned invaded and taking over all of greece and uniting all the city-states under one leader
The peloponnesian war made this possible because all the participants of the war were militarily and economically weakened
Battle of chaeronea- macedonia defeats an allied force of athens and thebes…. Greek independence ended
Philip never saw the unity of greece as he hoped
336 B.C. philip was murdered

Alexander takes over and defeats persia

Philip’s son, alexander, takes over after his father’s death
He was 20 years old
Personally tutored by the aristotle… extremely intelligent in all subjects
Earned a reputation as a fearless military leader after crushing an uprising in thebes
Once he united greece( hellenistic league ), he turned his sights toward defeating the persians
Its fighting against the persians that earns alexander the title ‘’great’’
In 334 B.C., alexander led 35,000 men to invade persia by crossing the hellespont into anatolia ( modern-day turkey )
Persia was led by darius lll
Battles between the alexander and the persian
Battle of granicus- alexander wins
Battle of issus- alexander wins
Alexander takes egypt, the people there named him pharaoh, creates the city of alexandria
Battle of gaugamela- alexander wins
Alexander want darius lll dead and attempts to hunt him down
When he finally caught up with darius, darius had been murdered… so alexander hunted down the murderer and executed him
Alexander and his army made it deep into india.. His men finally had enough and wanted to go home. Alexander reluctantly agreed
In 323 B.C. in babylon, alexander falls ill from fever and died (32 years old) lol frickin loser

Phillip Builds Macedonia’s Power

Macedonia was a kingdom located north of Greece
The kingdom was made up of mountain villages rather than city states
Greeks viewed Macedonia as illiterate, uncivilised foreigners
Philip II became king in 359 B.C.
Philip envisioned invading and taking over all of greece and uniting all the city states under one leader
The Peloponnesian War made this possible because all the participants of the war were militarily and economically weakened.,
Battle of Chaeronea - Macedonia defeats an allied force of Athens and Thebes... Greek independence ended
Philip never saw the unity of greece as he hoped
336 B.C. Philip was murdered

Alexander Takes Over and Defeats Persia

Philip’s son Alexander, takes over after his father’s death
He was 20 years old
Personally tutored by Aristotle… extremely intelligent in all subjects
Earned a reputation as a fearless military leader after crushing an uprising in Thebes
Once he reunited Greece (Hellenistic League), he turned his sights towards defeating the persians.
It’s fighting against the Persians that earns Alexander the title “Great”
In 334 B.C., Alexander led 35,000 men to invade Persia by crossing the Hellespont into Anatolia (modern-day Turkey)
Persia was led by Darius III
Battles between Alexander and the Persians
Battle of Granicus - Alexander wins
Battle of Issus - Alexander wins
Alexander takes Egypt, the people there named him pharaoh, creates the city of Alexandria
Battle of Gaugamela - Alexander wins
Alexander wants Darius III dead and attempts to hunt him down
When he finally caught up with Darius, Darius has been murdered… so Alexander hunted down the murderer and executed him.
Alexander and his army made it deep into India… his men finally had enough and wanted to go home. Alexander reluctantly agreed
In 323 B.C. in Babylon, Alexander falls ill from fever and dies (not from lean)(32 years old)

Hellenistic Culture Questions and Answers

What does Hellenistic mean? - Hellenistic Culture is a blend of Greek, Egyptian, Persian, and Indian cultures.

Describe how Alexandria was unique and its importance. - Alexandria was meant to be the cultural center of the world. It occupied a strategic site on the Nile delta which boosted trade even more. It was a center for science, technological, mathematic, and physical innovations in the way we think and see the world.

What were Aristarchus’ theories about the solar system? - The sun is 300 times larger than the Earth and the solar system revolves around the sun.

What was Eratosthenes contribution to science? - He calculated earth’s size within 5,000 miles.

What man’s work is the basis for geometry? - Euclid.

What are Archimedes’ achievements? - He approximated pi without the concept of the decimal or zero, and made huge contributions to Engineering and explained the law of the lever.

What is stoicism and its characteristics? - Stoicism states that people should live virtuous lives in harmony with the will of God, and human desires are dangerous distractions.

What is the theory of Epicureanism? - He taught that gods that had no interest in humans ruled over the universe and that the only real objects are those that can be perceived with the five senses.

As Greek civilisation declined, what new city was gaining power? - Rome

Explain the importance of the City of Alexandria to the hellenistic period. - Alexandria was a cultural center for the persian empire under Alexander. It was on a strategic position on the nile delta so it was a center for trade. Science and art flourished here.

Explain in detail a greek tragedy - Oedipus Rex is the story of the king’s son who was foretold to kill his father and marry his mother. His parents didn’t want this, so they left him on the side of a road to die. He was picked up and raised by shepherd, who brings him to Polybus to be raised as his own. When he grows up, he encounters Laius. They get into an argument on who’s chariot has the right of way, and Oedipus kills his father. Oedipus then frees Thebes from the Sphinx, and is given kingship and the dead king’s wife, his mother, as his own. Oedipus tries to stop a plague, which was caused by the murder of the previous king. Oedipus tries to find the murderer, and when he finds out he is the killer, he blinds himself and exiles himself.

Explain how a comedy was an expression of free speech in greek society - You could joke about government policy without being imprisoned, unlike what would happen in other societies.

Describe in detail the military campaign Alexander led against the Persians and how the campaign abruptly ended - In 334 he invades persia by crossing into Hellespont into Anatolia. He won the battles of issus, granica, and gualgema. He attempts to hunt down Darius III, but one of his generals kills him to try to appease alexander. ALexander only got angrier and hunted down and killed the general that killed darius III. He then started to march to India, but was persuaded into tuning around. They went to one of the Alexandria’s and alexander died from a fever.

Pericles

Socrates

Philip - Alexander’s Father who had the idea of invading greece while they were weak.

Archimedes

Plato

Student of Socrates, wrote down all of Socrates conversations

Thucydides-considered to be the greatest Greek historian of all time. came up with the idea that history repeats itself and its importance to study past events to prevent future mistakes

Darius III

Aristophanes

Definitions:

Hellenistic

Philosopher

Stoicism

Module 6 the roman republic

Lesson 1

Rome was built on 7 hills along the Tiber River, near the center of the Italian peninsula
Rich soil and mild climate, capable of supporting a large population
There were 3 main groups that settled the italian peninsula early on
Latins- built their settlement at rome and considered to

be the 1st romans

Greeks-750-600 B.C. greeks colonized the italian peninsula… helped to spread greek culture throughout the region
Etruscans- from northern italy, and influenced writing alphabet and architecture
In 509 B.C., rome declared itself a republic, which is a government in which power rests with the citizens who have the right to vote for leaders
In rome, citizenship with voting rights was granted only to free-born male citizens
Patricians Vs. plebeians
Patricians were the wealthy landowners who held most of the power
Plebeians were basically everyone else, minus slaves, and the majority of the population
Patricians inherited power and believed their ancestry gave them authority to make laws
Plebeians had the right to vote, but couldn’t hold public office
Council of plebs became the representing body for plebeians leb by tribunes that protected plebs from unfair acts by the patricians

Twelve tables- in 451 B.C. a group of 10 officials began writing down rome’s laws. The laws were carved onto 12 tablets and hung in the forum. This became the basis for citizens having the right to protection under the law
Consuls- rome had 2 officials that were like kings who commanded the army and directed the government.. Power was limited with 1-year terms
Couldn’t be a member of consul for 10 years after serving a tear
One consul could override or veto(say no) the other
Senate- made and administered laws. Made up of 300 members, mostly patricians… plebs eventually were allowed in, but limited

Roman military
All citizens who owned property were required to serve in the army
Roman soldiers were organized into military units called legions
Legions were made up of 5,000 foot soldiers and supported by cavalry
Legions were divided into smaller groups of 80 men called century

Rome’s power spreads(questions)

Explain how rome conquered all of the italian peninsula and what was their approach to those they conquered
Punic wars, 264-241 B.C… 23 yrs.
Who was rome fighting and why?
How many wars were there and describe the events and results of each?