Letter to Future Self and Last Blog of the School Year

Today, not in school, we wrote letters to our future selves so that they can see what historic event had happened in the past 40-60 years. This is also our last blog for the year. As much as I'm happy with schoolwork coming to a close, I'm also a little sad that I couldn't spend my last day of school with my friends at school. You're only a freshman in high school once (unless you repeat a grade).

Dear Future Joi,
You would not believe what happened to you 40-60 years ago! The Coronavirus is a virus of my time that originated in China. It has taken the world by storm. We have been out of school for about 3 months (it's crazy) and have been in self-isolation. In the beginning, it was fine to me because I didn't have to wake up early for school, but then it took a downhill tumble. The workload started to pile up every day and it started getting harder and harder by the subjects. But now that the year is coming to an end, the workload is getting lighter. Another thing that is hard is that everyone has to wear a mask almost wherever they go (if they even leave the house). The place, in my opinion, that feels really awkward wearing a mask is Walmart. But COVID-19 hasn't been all bad. Self-isolation has given me time to work out (exercise) and pick up some new hobbies. The summer will definitely be different. Vacation plans have been canceled except for our trip to Myrtle Beach to visit my brother. Beachmont Christian camp is still opening, so I will still keep my job as a junior counselor. There are probably going to be a lot of new rules and safety precautions, however. The next school year most likely will be different. Hopefully, they won't cancel the golf season in the spring. My advice to you, future Joi, is this: Live everyday like it's your last. Live in the present. Take care.

From- Joi '23

Octavian "Augustus"

Today, not in class, we took notes on ancient Rome. For the last week of school, we are going to finish our essay, take our test, and write a letter to your future self, describing what has happened during COVID-19 (should be interesting). After Caesar was assassinated, his grandnephew/ adopted son, Octavian, takes over the throne at age 18. He forms his own triumvirate with Mark Antony, an experienced general, and Lepidus, a powerful politician. However, this triumvirate didn't last long. Octavian forces Lepidus to retire and becomes rivals with Mark, so Mark decides to team up with Cleopatra. Octavian and Mark go to war against each other, and Octavian defeats them at the Battle of Actium. Now that Octavian's on his own, he is the unchallenged ruler of Rome and is given the title of "Augustus"- the exalted one- and "imperator." Now, Rome is an empire, not a republic. He ruled Rome for 40 years and began a stable era of peace known as the Pax Romana (207 years long).

Here are the many accomplishments of Octavian:

• expanded the Roman empire into Africa.
• set up civil services to run the government
• built a network of roads
• collected taxes
• established a postal service
• administered the grain supply
• built public facilities
• formed a police department
• ran a fire-fighting organization

He died of natural causes in 14 AD. After him, power was passed on to emperors- Tiberius, Caligula, Claudius, and Nero. Tiberius was an excellent general, but a reluctant emperor. He exiled himself from Rome after the death of his son. Caligula was a cruel tyrant. He won power after Tiberius' death. Senators, groups of praetorian guards, and the imperial court assassinated him to try to re-establish the republic, yet it didn't work. Claudius suffered from numerous infirmities, possibly due to cerebral palsy. He ruled well- built roads, aqueducts, canals, and started the conquest of Britain. He took over because he was the last adult male in his family. He died of poisoning, which is what his last wife's plan was because she wanted her son, Nero, to take over the throne. Nero emphasized on the arts. There was a huge fire, and he wanted to rebuild Rome to look more majestic. However, he overspent and ransacked temples for money. Historians aren't fans of him.

Test Information and the Rise/Fall of Julius Caesar

Today, not in class, we have verified that I (and the rest of honors 201) will be taking the ancient Rome test at 1:25pm- 2:15pm on Tuesday, June 2, 2020. We also talked about the rise and fall of Julius Caesar. To keep plebeians happy and occupied, they need bread and entertainment (circuses) to keep them from revolting. Tiberius Gracchus realized that courting the plebeians would be an advantage, but it didn't work out well for him. After him came Julius Caesar, a successful general, who conquered the territory of Gaul. He made commoners happy and formed alliances with Pompey and Crassus. The 3 of them formed the first Triumvirate. He then served as a consul for a year, appointed himself as governor of Gaul, and then becomes dictator for life. Pompey grows jealous and becomes Caesar's enemy. However, Caesar doesn't care. After that, he granted citizenship to people in provinces, expanded the Senate, created jobs to the poor, increased soldiers' salaries, and started colonies for people who didn't have land. Unfortunately, he was lured into the Senate and stabbed him 23 times so that everyone could stab him if they wanted to (and they did). Even Caesar's ally joined in on the murder. The senators, however, weren't punished. After Caesar came Octavian, which became the ending of the republic.

Essay Choice: Comparison Between Rome and the United States' Government

Today, not in class, we chose our essay topic. My essay topic will be on choice A: Compare and Contrast the government of ancient Rome with the government of the modern-day United States. It seems like a very interesting topic to research. Not only will I learn more about ancient Rome's government, but I will also learn more about the United States government. These two countries are similar in a couple of ways like the fact that they both had the 3 branches of government (legislative, executive, and judicial) and a legal code. However, each branch of government was different than the United States' branch. There were two consuls (executive) in ancient Rome's government, but our government has a president (and vice president). Rome's senate consisted of 300 people, while our senate has 100 people. Rome's judicial branch praetors were chosen by the Centuriate Assembly, while our members are appointed by the president. So yes, Rome's government is similar to the United States government, yet different at the same time.

The Roman Empire

Today, not in class, we talked about the Roman Empire. The expansion between Rome wealth and boundaries triggered the lower class and broke down the military order. Two tribunes, Tiberius and Gaius, thought of an idea to help the poor: limit the size of estates and give land to them. Unfortunately, they both died terrible deaths, leading to a period of civil war. Then Julius Caesar comes along and joins forces with Crassus and Pompey. Caesar was elected as a consul and dominated as a triumvirate- group of 3 rulers, and then appointed himself of governor of Gaul. Caesar governed as one with total power, which made him a threat. On March 15, 44 BC, Caesar was stabbed to death. After his death, Octavian joined forces with Mark Antony and Lepidus, making this the second Triumvirate. However, this triumvirate ended because of jealousy and violence. He got rid of Lepidus and then defeated Mark Antony and his girlfriend, Cleopatra. He then restored aspects of the republic and took the title of Augustus. Because of Octavian, peace reigned throughout the land, which became known as the Pax Romana ("Roman Peace"). Even after his death, Rome maintained their stability. They emphasized the value of discipline, strength, and loyalty. Rome had slaves and believed in. gods and goddesses.

The Punic Wars

Today, not in class, we talked about the Punic Wars (very interesting). The Punic Wars were fought from 264-146 BCE, and they consisted of 3 wars. Rome was fighting Carthage for power. In the first Punic War, the navy battles for control of the island Sicily (strategically located), and Rome wins this one. In the second Punic War, a Carthaginian general, Hannibal, tries to take Rome. He attacks Rome from the north after crossing Spain and the Alps on an elephant. His army lays siege to a lot of the peninsula for 15 years. However, he never gets to Rome. By the time of the third war, Carthage is losing badly to Rome. Rome 's army attacked Carthage and destroyed their buildings/ city walls. Whoever (from Carthage) was not killed by the war were sold into slavery (about 50,000). The war has ended, and Rome had won. Carthage was made into a Roman province of Africa.

Rome's Government

Today, not in class, we talked about Rome's government. Rule of kings is replaced by rule of two consuls- elected officials. They have one year of office, and they are always from the aristocratic class. Like any other government, they had certain duties. They dealt with justice, made laws, commanded the army, veto, etc. Then, in the 5th century BCE, patrician dominance of the government was challenged by plebeians- the common class who made up 98% of the population. Since Rome had no actual laws, patricians could interpret these to their own advantage. So, in retaliation, the plebs refused to serve in the military until they had a say in laws. They created tribunes, and a brand-new republic was formed- democracy. The government was made up of mainly senators. The US originally modeled their government to the ancient Romans model but with a few changes. The both had the 3 branches of government and a legal code. However, while the US president had four-year terms and was the commander in chief of the military, the Roman consuls had a one year term and could appoint a dictator in a crisis for a six-month term. The Roman's senate was a lot larger than the US senate, and they had a longer office term. The US had a longer office term than the Romans in the judicial branch. Lastly, instead of the twelve tables as their legal code, the US had the bill of rights.

Tarquin the Proud

Today, not in class, we discussed Chi Cago's Guide to Ancient Rome. The Etruscans and the Greeks settled Rome. The Etruscans came from the birth-central part of the peninsula. They were metalworkers, artists, and architects who created two foundation myths: Virgil's Aeneid and the story of Remus and Romulus. The Greeks had many colonies around the Mediterranean Sea. They had ideas about religious beliefs, the alphabet, art, and military techniques/weaponry, which the Romans borrowed from them later on. However, the Latins first settled there. They were descendants of the Indo-Europeans, who settled on the banks of the Tiber. They were situated so that trading ships (not war fleets) could navigate as far as Rome (not further though), and they had a commercial port (not susceptible to attack, and built on seven hills. Romulus chose Palatine, but Remus wanted Aventine. They drained a swamp, causing many streams flowed into the Tiber. There was a marshy area called the Forum, which was between the Palatine and Capitoline Hills. Tarquin the Proud's grandfather built the Cloaca Maxima, which then channeled water into the Tiber. Urban legend says Washington DC was built on a swamp, but only about 2% is swampland. However, Constitution Avenue is located on what use to be called Tiber Creek. Lucius Tarquinias Superbus was the last king of Rome. He was known as Tarquin the Proud because he could be a little too cocky at some times. He was a true tyrant.

Rome, Rome, Rome, Rome

Today, not in class, we listened to a song about Rome. It is fascinating how these singers can take information about Rome, make it rhyme, and incorporate it into a catchy song. Mr. Schick picks very cool songs that teach us about western civilization. I like this song more than the song about Mesopotamia. I've probably heard it about 5 times today (very cool song). It talks about the farmers and other plebeians afraid of the senators and other patricians. Julius Caesar was murdered by Brutus and the Senate. After Caesar's death, Octavian took over; he trusted Mark Antony until he met Cleopatra, the queen of Egypt in 51-30 BCE. Pax Romana brings cheer to people. Gladiator battles are very common in Rome, especially in the Circus Maximus. The battles could get very gory and violent. Thanks to this song, now I know a lot about Rome. I wish all teachers would use songs as teaching techniques.

Link: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/0B9UU_awE1hVjR25yVDBIb29pUUU

Twelve Tables

Today, not in class, we talked about the twelve tables. The twelve tables contained the basis of Roman laws. They were set up in cities and towns. They formed the idea that every free citizen has the right to the protection of the law. Certain laws were harsh: punishment for grazing in someone's field and a death penalty for singing abusive songs about others. Later on, the wooden twelve tables changed their base to bronze to make it last longer. Romans memorized the twelve tables for hundreds of years. With every new law that the Romans had, the twelve tables were altered. The laws were formed in the popular assemblies: centuriate, tribal, and plebeian. The centuriate assembly was made up of property/military class voters. The tribal assembly was made up of voters grouped by tribe. Lastly, the plebeian assembly was made up of plebeians; they were only allowed to vote on matters that affected the lower class.

Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OBDTjvDtTbg

The Pantheon

Today, not in class, we talked about architectural landmarks in Rome. One of the most famous landmarks, beside the Colosseum, is the Pantheon. The Pantheon was built in 27 BCE, but it was burned down because of a fire in 80 CE. When it was built a second time, the Pantheon, again, was burned down because of a fire. Finally, it was rebuilt around 118 CE and is still standing. The Pantheon is used as a temple for the Greek gods. Its large dome was built using concrete, ranging about 142ft in height and diameter. At the top of the dome, there is a hole known as the eye of the Pantheon (oculus). The Pantheon was transformed into a church in 609 CE. Not only is it used for masses and weddings, but it is also known to be used as a tomb for the dead. The word Pantheon means to honor all gods. The Pantheon (a version that didn't burn in a fire) is a popular tourist destination (not currently however).

Patricians V.S Plebeians

Today, not in class, we compared the differences between the Roman patricians and the plebeians. The patricians were wealthy people of Rome who got a lot of power. They were allowed to make laws, own property, and lead their army. The plebeians, on the other hand, were known as the commoners of Rome. They worked as farmers, artisans, merchants, etc. They were allowed to vote, but they couldn't have a government job. However, after a while, they were allowed to form assemblies and elect tribunes to represent them. The tribunes helped the plebeians protected their creators of the assemblies by conserving their rights from the patricians' brutality. In the Greek versions, patricians were from the wealthy/upper class, and the plebeians were from the lower/commoner class. Patricians got everything while the plebeians had to work for their lives. The plebeians are more useful than the patricians when it comes to helping others. While the patricians sit on their thrones, looking down on the commoners, the plebeians are helping form a better society.

Ancient Rome Important Definitions

Today, not in class, we started reading about ancient Rome. Some important definitions from Rome are republic, patrician, plebeian, tribunes, consuls, senate, legion, Punic wars, and Hannibal. Below are the definitions and meanings.

• Republic- form of government in which power rests with the citizens that have the right to vote for their leader.
• Patrician- a wealthy landowner who held most of the power.
• Plebeian- a common farmer, artisan, and/or merchant who makes up the majority of the population.
• Tribunes- representatives from the plebeians' assembly that protected the rights of the plebeians from unfair acts of patrician officials.
• Consuls- 2 officials of Rome who commanded the army and directed the government.
• Senate- the aristocratic branch of Rome's government who had both legislative and administrative functions in the republic.
• Dictator- leader who has absolute power to make laws and command the army.
• Legion- a large, military unit where soldiers were organized into.
• Punic Wars- beginning of the long struggle where Rome and Carthage would fight each other.
• Hannibal- a 29-year old Carthaginian general who wanted to avenge Carthage's earlier defeat.

Essay on the Philosophers

Today, not in class, we are creating a five-paragraph essay outline to go with the test comping up. My essay question would be this: Compare and contrast Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle (Who do you think contributed the most to the evolution of ancient Greece)? Below is my essay outline. Our test on Greece will be on Thursday, April 23, 2020. Our Essay is due on Sunday, April 26, 2020 by 11:59pm. This should be an interesting essay (hopefully).

The first paragraph will talk about Socrates and his accomplishments and beliefs. The second paragraph will discuss Plato and his accomplishments and beliefs. The third paragraph will show Aristotle's accomplishments and beliefs. The fourth paragraph will show a connection with the 3 philosophers (did they know each other; if so, how?). The final paragraph will be based on opinions and thoughts on each philosopher's beliefs and on which philosopher contributed the most to the evolution of ancient Greece.

First 5 Test Questions On Ancient Greece

Today, not in class, we started composing our own test on ancient Greece. We wrote 5 objective question that could possibly appear on the test. Below are the questions and answers of the test I composed. Greece is a lot more interesting than I originally thought.

Joi Bogan

Honors 201

Ancient Greece

1. The philosopher who looked to science and logic, not in the gods, for an understanding of how the world works is_____________.

a) Socrates             c) Plato

b) Aristotle            d) Homer

2. A politician who saw the value of non-aristocrats and tapped into their talents, minds, and energies

is ___________________.

a) Isagoras            c) Draco

b) Hippias             d) Cleisthenes

3. The philosopher who believed that there was a perfect, standstill world of forms (ideal versions of things and concepts we see) is ____________.

a) Socrates           c) Plato

b) Aristotle          d) Homer

4. The philosopher who helped cultivate the idea that Athens was a scholarly destination is ________.

a) Socrates           c) Plato
b) Aristotle          d) Homer

5. The army whose hoplites were trained at a young age with spears, swords, and shields were the _________ army.
a) Persian            c) Greek
b) Egyptian         d) Aristocratic

Plato's Best/Worst Ideas

Today, not in class, we watched a video on Plato's best/worst ideas. Below are the questions, answers, and a link to the video. It was a very interesting video. It told us that Plato was hoping to create a utopia in Greece.

1. How did Plato define The Form?

Forms from Plato's perspective were "ideal versions of the things and concepts we see around us

2. Who are the 3 groups in Plato's ideal society?

Producers, military and rulers are the 3 groups in Plato's ideal society.

3. What were Plato's thoughts on women?

He often compared them to children and thought that a woman's woman was a live animal that ran across the body and caused illness.

4. What was the Noble Lie that Plato proposed?

He declared that all humans are either born with gold (60%), silver (19%), or a mixture of brass (14%) and iron (7%) in their souls. This would determine our roles in our life.

Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jLesc5lITvo

Poetry

Today, not in class, we talked about poetry. This month is national poetry month, and we are supposed to write a poem about Greece. I'm not a huge fan of poetry, but this assignment seems interesting. The poem is about the Greek gods. Some of the gods aren't in the poem because I couldn't think of any rhymes for them, but I have added some information at the bottom and a link to the website where I got this information.

Poseidon is the god of the sea. The goddess Athena is known to be his enemy.
Zeus is known as the god of the sky. Through the night on his thunderbolt he flies.
Last but not least of the three brothers, who are almighty, is the god of the dead, Hades.
While Ares was the god of war, Hephaestus was the god of fire and forge.
Hermes was a friend to thieves while Aphrodite was the goddess of love and beauty.
The goddess Hera is Zeus' wife and sister, and the goddess of harvest is Demeter.
Artemis, the goddess of bird and prey, is also the protector of childbirth every day.

Apollo: god of music and healing; twin of Artemis
Athena: goddess of wisdom and war
Hestia: goddess of the hearth
Dionysus: god of wine

Link: https://www.infoplease.com/arts-entertainment/mythology/olympian-gods-and-goddesses

Greek Architecture

Today, not in class, we talked about Greek architecture. Below are the notes. I am looking forward to spring break without having to do any work for a whole week.

The Parthenon is a famous temple that was built to honor Athena. It took 9 years to build. The base is made out of marble and there are about 25 columns. There are 8 columns on the east and 17 on the north and south. There are many chambers in the Parthenon including a cella (interior rectangular chamber). The sculptures in the Parthenon represent battles between gods and giants, Greeks and centaurs, and Greeks and Amazons.

The temple of Zeus was the largest structure in Greece. The columns are made out marble and the columns surround a cella. In the cella, there are two large statues, a gold statue of Zeus and a replica of Zeus. Over time, the columns started to collapse. Now, there are only 15 columns left; there used to be 104.

Links: https://www.aviewoncities.com/athens/templeofzeus.htm
https://www.britannica.com/topic/Parthenon

Greek Theatre

Today, not in class, we discussed the Greek ways of theatre. They wrote tragedy and comedy dramas. Tragedies were serious dramas that focused on common themes like love, hate, war, and/or betrayal. It often involved a hero who would have extraordinary abilities. Unfortunately, a flaw (mainly pride) would downfall the hero. The other kind, much less serious one, was a comedy. A comedy was a humorous, funny play. It often made fun of politics and politicians. Surprisingly, Athenians could listen to criticism about them.

Mamma Mia (the movie, not the play at John Carroll) is similar to a Greek comedy back in ancient times. Both were filmed in Greece; Mamma Mia was filmed on the island of Skopelos and comedies back then were mainly set in Athens. I consider Mamma Mia to be a comedy because it's pretty. funny. My favorite scene is when Tanya and Rosie came. They are the funniest characters out of the movie. They make me laugh, which is what comedies made you do in ancient Greece.

This photo is of a Greek theatre. The theatre was rounded, so that everyone could see the stage at a nice view. On each end of the stage were exits where the stars could exit the theatre discreetly. Stone ramps are on both sides of the theatre, so that people can leave the theater in an organized way.

Cyber School

Today, not in class, we discussed our thoughts on cyber school. I agree with some of them and disagree on others. I agree that students and teachers are facing some tough challenges with online learning. In my drawing class, my teacher couldn't get an online call to work. She kept trying to delay the call, but eventually she canceled our meeting time. Also, sometimes I don't understand some of my classes (not yours) instructions. For example, I had to email my Spanish teacher for some clarification, and she helped me. Cyber school, distance learning, self-quarantine, and remote education are very new to all of us. I am getting tired of sitting in the house, waiting for the day to be over so that I can do it all over again the next day. As students, we have to take more leadership and think more outside of the box now. The teachers give us work and we have to finish it. Teachers have to work a lot harder grading work, explaining the work that we're supposed to do, and plan their lesson for the next day. However, I think that I still have an easy way to access help from a teacher. Many teachers will set up a chat for any questions about the lesson. Luckily, we have spring break next week even though we won't be able to go out and hang with friends.

Plague of Athens Compared to COVID-19

Today, not in class, we compared the plague that hit Athens after the Peloponnesian war with COVID-19 (Coronavirus). Of course, the big difference between the two is location. The Athenian plague originated in Africa whereas COVID-19 originated in China. Below are more facts about both diseases.

Plague of Athens:

• killed 25% of Athens population
  infected 75,000-100,000 of Athenians
• plague is caused by some diseases such as influenza, typhoid fever, bubonic plague, smallpox, measles, and many more.
• affects people of different age groups and genders (not targeted on specific age group/gender)

COVID-19:

• killed about 23,588 people in the world
• about 519,899 are infected in the world (China, Italy, and the U.S are the countries with the most cases in order from greatest to least)
• Symptoms include fever, tiredness, and a dry cough
• affects mainly older people and those with medical conditions like asthma, diabetes, and/or heart disease.

Similarities between the two:

• massive damage to the world
• weakened the strength of the people and the government
• both occurred during an important event with their government/army
• very deadly

Links: 

• https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19787658
• https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15081502
• https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/#countries
• https://www.who.int/news-room/q-a-detail/q-a-coronaviruses#:~:text=symptoms

Philip II, Alexander the Great, and Darius III

Today, not in class, we researched three different historical figures: Philip II, Alexander the Great, and Darius III. Below are facts about each person. They all shared one important thing in common.
They all tried to beat each other in battle. Alexander and Philip tried to defeat Darius in the Persian war, and Darius tried to defeat them but failed.

Philip II:
He was a king and military commander of Macedonia. Philip turned Macedonia from a weak, undisciplined army to a strong military force, and he also used bribery, warfare, and other certain threats to expand his kingdom. He had two main goals at the time: safeguard Macedonia's borders and reorganize their army. Over the years, he increased the army from 10,000 to 24,000 and grew the cavalry from 600 to 3,500. One of Philip's exes, Pausanias, stabbed Philip to death.

Link:https://www.ancient.eu/Philip_II_of_Macedon/

Alexander the Great:
He was born and was mainly raised under the influence of his mom. When Philip married Cleopatra, him and Alex had an argument. Once Philip was assassinated, Alex got the throne. Alex then began the great Persian expedition. Alex conquered city by city until he faced his greatest enemy, Darius. He beat Darius in the battle and conquered Phoenicia, Egypt, and Babylon. Alex then went on to India and conquered it. After that, he wanted to continue his expedition, but his troops refused, forcing Alex to go home. It is said that Alex died of a fever aggravated from drinking a lot, but many think that Aristotle, his old mentor, poisoned him.

Link: https://www.sparknotes.com/biography/alexander/summary/

Darius III:
He started ruling in 336 BC right when Persia started losing great control. Darius had to strengthen his army in preparation of Alexander the Great's army. It is said that he failed this mission during the fall of Persia in 330 BC. Bagoas, a eunuch, attempted to poison Darius, but Darius was too smart to fall for that trick. Instead, he actually had Bagoas drink his own poison. During his first war with Alexander, he was defeated and fled his family, who later became royalty in Alex's kingdom. During the second battle, he was defeated again. When he tried to flee, however, he was killed by of his commanders of the Persian army.

Link: http://www.thenagain.info/WebChron/MiddleEast/DariusIII.html

Alexander the Great and Bucephalus

Today, not in class, we took notes on Alexander the Great and his stallion, Bucephalus. Below are the notes on their relationship. Here is the link to where I got this information from: https://www.blackstallionwinery.com/assets/client/File/The%20Story%20of%20Bucephalus_poster.pdf and https://www.colorado.edu/classics/2018/06/19/alexander-and-bucephalus. I wish I had a horse, but I don't. My neighbor has cows that are right near my backyard though:)

Bucephalus and Alexander the Great had a "great" relationship. Bucephalus' breeding is known to be the "best Thessalian strain" from the famous breeding region in Thessaly, Greece. The horse has a massive head with a black coat. Alexander won the horse when he was 12 years old from a wager with his dad, Philip II. Before buying the horse, Bucephalus was not a peaceful horse; he was an untamable stallion. Alexander's dad didn't want to buy it because of its temper, but Alexander said he could tame it. If he couldn't, Alex would pay for the horse himself. He spoke with a gentle tone and kept it from looking at its shadow to ease its temper. Alex was ecstatic and named his horse Bucephalus. His dad, Philip, was so proud of his accomplishment that he told Alex that he would get a kingdom, for Macedonia was too small for Alexander the Great. For two years, they rode together in battles and the creation of his city. Sadly, Bucephalus died in 326 BC from battle wounds. This was also Alex's last fight. After the death of his best friend, Alex founded a city and named it after his stallion.

Cyber Day Thoughts

Today, not in class, we talked about how cyber school was going. For me, it's going pretty well. I'm getting about 5-6 hours of work per day. I normally start at 10am and end at around 3pm. Then, I follow my schedule and do the work in that class during its class time, so that I stay on schedule. The subject that requires the most work is either math or biology. Both of them are really time consuming. Western Civ's work is pretty relaxing. It usually takes me about half an hour to do this. English and Intro to Drawing takes about 45 minutes. Spanish and bible take about 30 minutes. The most relaxing class is probably Intro to Drawing. I can peacefully draw my objects without any distraction. At. first when Mr. Schick gave me my assignment, I saw the video clip, and I thought I was going to have to watch all 55 minutes of it. Luckily, I only had to watch a small portion of it. It was very interesting though.

The Ancient Greeks: Crucible of Civilization- Episode 3: Empire of the Mind (part 2)

Today, not in class, we took notes on more of the video, The Ancient Greeks: Crucible of Civilization- Episode 3: Empire of the Mind (3 minutes of it). This online learning is pretty good so far. As of right now, there was only one day where I had a lot of work. Below are the notes from today's part of the video.

The Athenians are beginning to question traditional beliefs after their leader, Pericles, died of the plague. If good people are gone too soon, then what's the point in being good rather than evil. Socrates decided to trust his instincts and conscience rather than the anyone else. He thought that he couldn't trust what others had to say at this period of time. However, he was only one voice going up against the rest of the Athenian leaders, and he couldn't persuade the rest of the assembly. He was condemned to drinking hemlock poisoning (a terrible and painful way to go). it was a bad loss for Athens war effort.

The Ancient Greeks: Crucible of Civilization- Episode 3: Empire of the Mind (part 1)

Today, not in class, we watched a video on ancient Greece. We took notes on about 7 minutes of the video that focuses on Pericles strategy for defeating the Spartans in the Peloponnesian war. Below are the notes from today's video and a link to the video.

While Socrates was debating on certain issues, Athens was in war mode. The Spartans invaded the town of Athens and burned their farmland. The Athenians couldn't do anything about the Spartans; they could only watch from a distance as Sparta burned their land. Even though they wanted to attack immediately on Sparta, Pericles convinced them to stick to the plan. After a year into the war, Athens suffered a huge setback, the plague. Symptoms of the plague included redness and inflammation of the eyes, uncontrollable diarrhea, fevers, and thirst. Athens beginning to have doubts about the war. "Why be good, if the good and evil die just as easily?" The plague killed over a third of Athens, including Pericles. Pericles fought until he could fight no longer. They tried everything from potions and magic to a charm necklace. Unfortunately, he died in 429 BC. Pericles wanted to make Athens into the Mediterranean's greatest power, but his plan brought disease and death instead. After his death, people realized that he had provided protection and wisdom to Athens. Now without a leader, citizens began to fight for power. They would do whatever it takes to gain leadership. The Athenians now faced a new and terrifying potential, "the potential to slide into mob rule.

The Ancient Greeks: Crucible of Civilization- Episode 3: Empire of the Mind
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=08UtxuyI9ok&t=1107s

Pericles

Today, not in class, we read pg. 134-139 in the comfort and safety of our own home. It was the first day on cyber class, and I think it went ok. For others, it might not have went well. Below are the answers (in paragraph form) from today's assignment.

Pericles was a wise statesman who led Athens during most of the golden age period. He was honest and fair, and he held onto support for 32 years. He was a good politician, speaker, and general. He dominated the Athenian lifestyle from 461-429 BC which is often called the age of Pericles. He had three goals:

• strengthen democracy
• hold and strengthen the empire
• glorify Athens

Direct democracy is a form of government in which citizens rule directly and not through representatives. Pericles was very proud of the start of the Athenian direct democracy. Instead of only male, land owning citizens acting as speakers, all citizens could speak. The Delian League was the alliance of the Greek city-states led by Athens in the time period of 478 BC. Their goal was to liberate Greek cities from the Persian rule and for defense to attack the Persians later on in time.

Online learning

Today in class, we talked about what's going to happen over the next 2 weeks (possibly more). Mr. Schick says that we will still type up our blogs every day that we have class. Since the teachers are instructed to give at least one assignment a day, he is going to have us read or watch a video or something, and then answer questions in our blog. right now, I don't. have a problem with online learning, but I think it will pretty boring eventually. I'm going to miss seeing my friends every weekday, but safety first. He said that we're probably not going to be live streaming with him and the rest of the class. He also said that the work won't be too intense, which is good because now all my stress can be with biology. Since we'll be working still the next two weeks, it will still count as a regular day, meaning that we won't have to lose our spring break (unless they shut down school for another 2 weeks). Goodbye John Carroll (for now).

Corona Virus Attacks

Today in class, we talked about the Corona Virus. Mr. Schick provided us with very useful information about the Corona virus. Some of it I already knew like where it originated from: China. But there was a lot of info I didn't know. He gave us very useful tips for how to properly wash our hands. Below are the tips. He also told us that there would be a faculty meeting tomorrow at 12:45 after school on how to handle the situation. Later on, in the day, we received an email telling us that we will be learning online from March 16-27 (two whole weeks). Not only did they cancel in-school learning, but they also canceled all spring sports activities and the musical. This means that I won't be able to play golf with John Carroll for two weeks. But you got to do what you got to do to stay safe. One thing that has changed since the Corona Virus started is my perspective on the hand sanitizers in each classroom. I used to only use the sanitizer in the beginning and end of my day. Now, I use it before and after every class. This Corona Virus doesn't seem to be stopping anytime soon.

How to Wash Your Hands Properly:

1. Get soap
2. Rub your hands together and sing happy birthday (at a nice pace and in your head) two times around
3. Wash and rinse off the residue from your hands
4. Get paper towels and dry your hands
5. Get. one more paper towel and use it to open the door of the bathroom entrance/exit
6. Dispose of your paper towel in the nearest trash can.

The Ancient Greeks: Crucible of Civilization Episode 1: Revolution (Part 2)

Today in class, we watched the rest of the video. It was very interesting. Mr. Canter was substitute. He is the German teacher at John Carroll. Below are the rest of the notes from today's video.

• "What was inside the pot was worth more than the actual pot."
• Potters had no self-respect; they were unenvied all throughout Athens.
• The Athenians had tasted freedom for the first time in 508 BC.
• At this time, Cleisthenes' world changed to an equal power government.
• Hippias (Peisistratos' son) took over after his father died.
• he started out fair, but then turned into a tyrant after his brother was murdered
• Not only did he torture the accused murderer, but he also tortured the family of the accused.
• Cleisthenes planned on overthrowing Hippias
• He trapped Hippias and banished him away from Athens forever.
• 776 BC- Olympic games were founded (huge event)
• Before Cleisthenes time, the only ruling people could participate; almost everyone could go.
• The women, however, weren't allowed to go in.
• Isagoras won and seized control over Athens.
• The Athenians trapped Isagorus on the third day and banished him.
• For the first time, they seized power for themselves.
• However, the Persian empire was worried they would cause a threat to their government, and they began plotting their attack.
• "Cleisthenes democracy, hardly born, was now to face its greatest test."

The Ancient Greeks: Crucible of Civilization- Episode 1: Revolution (part 1)

Today in class, we watched a video on ancient Greece. It talked about Clesithenes and Pisistratus. Tomorrow, I think we are going to finish the video. It has about 25 minutes left. It's called The Ancient Greeks: Crucible of Civilization- episode 1. Below are the notes from today's video and the link to the video. Once you know the basis of the video, it makes better sense.

• 508 B.C- when the Greeks started to revolt against their government; the start of democracy.
• 570 B.C- Cleisthenes was born
• Herodotus- first of many great Greek historians
• Aristocrat- member of the ruling class; not only loaded with money, but also with power.
• acropolis- a citadel or fortified part of an ancient Greek city typically built on a hill
• The life expectancy in Athens was 15 years of age
• Helots- a member of a class of serfs (slaves) in ancient Sparta
• "Everyone is destined to be a hero"
• Pisistratus- a man without doubt; politician; he reduced taxes and provided free loans.

The Ancient greeks: Crucible of Civilization- Episode 1: Revolution

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G2tFoTa-i6w

Aristotle

Today in class, we took a pop quiz. I'm pretty sure I got a 100%. Below are the notes we took from today's class. We had a peaceful class mod. It was pretty cool until I looked at my biology test grade. This weekend, I'm helping build the set for my old school's play Frozen. It looks pretty cool, and I'm excited. Their opening night is March 12, 2020 (next week).

• Aristotle- student of Plato at the Academy
• helped foster ideas of Athens as an intellectual destination
• his school-- the Lyceum--focused on. cooperative research- building on his knowledge gathered from all over the world
• dreamt of having the sum of mankind's knowledge easily accessed in one location

Aristotle didn't invent the internet, but he wrote extensively on such topics as...

• logic-- physics-- biology
• ethics-- politics-- rhetoric
• motion-- theatre-- poetry
• metaphysics--psychology-- dreams-- and on and on...

Aristotle also tutored Alexander the Great who will rise in Greece.

Socrates and Plato

Today in class, we took notes on Socrates and Plato both in the textbook and on Mr. Schick's power point. Below are the notes from today's class.

Socrates

• looked to science and logic (not the mythological gods) for an explanation of how the world works; believed the absolute standards did exist for truth and justice.
• the Socratic method fostered critical thinking
• "the unexamined life was not worth living"
• brought to trial for corrupting the youth and impiety (disrespecting the gods).
• at the trial, he described himself as a gadfly and Athens as a lazy old horse.
• didn't plead guilty; in fact, he asked for free dinners for life.
• found guilty by the Athenian jury and was sentenced to death by drinking hemlock poisoning.

Plato

• student and follower of Socrates
• ideal society- citizens would fall naturally in 3 groups: farmers and artisans, warriors, and the ruling class.
• wrote out Socrates' teaching, and described his trial in Apology.
• Republic was Socrates' discussion of justice and the ideal state- on. of the most influential books on philosophy ever written; includes the Allegory of the Cave.

Persian War

Today in class, we took notes on the Greeks and the Persians. Below are the notes from today.

• Spartans were known for their tough, ruthless infantry.
• infantry- soldiers who fought on land.
• Spartan boys trained from the time they were seven.
• Athens had a great infantry too, but nothing could compare with their navy; the most effective weapon was the trireme.
• Trireme- technological ship; fastest ship at the time.
• the phalanx- close rank dense grouping of warriors.
• armed with long spears and interlocking shields.
• soldiers would advance slowly toward the enemy until they broke through their ranks.
• Persian Empire vs. Greece- Persian empire was way bigger than Greece.
• Persians have a huge army and nearly unlimited resources.

Greek Army

• iron weapons meant ordinary citizens could afford to bear arms.
• foot soldiers (hoplites) trained from an early age.
• armed with spears, swords, and shields.
• often fought in phalanx formation
• "home field" advantage
• motivated to preserve democracy.

Persian army

• first archers (damage from a distance)
• then Calvary (they disrupt communication between generals and soldiers)
• then lightly armored infantry (carried spears, swords, and bows)
• large numbers
• professional army (soldiers for hire or mercenaries)

Greek Gods

Today in class, we reviewed our test. I did pretty well on the test (better than the last one). We also talked about the Greek gods and goddesses. Below is a list of some of the most common gods and goddesses that we covered.

• Poseidon (sea god)- interfered with Odysseus' journey.
• Aphrodite (love god)- had lovers of both gods and men.
• Dionysus (wine god)- son of Zeus and of Semele (the human princess).
• Zeus- ruler of heaven and Earth; father of Athena; god of the sky, weather, lightning, thunder, law, order, and justice; had a short temper and would throw lightning bolts when angered.
• Athena- goddess of wisdom, skills, warfare (and peace), intelligence, battle strategy, and handicrafts; was born from Zeus' head and was fully formed and armored; special patron of heroes such as Odysseus; patron of Athens.
• Apollo- god of music, arts, knowledge, and healing.
• Poseidon- god of the sea, rivers, floods, and earthquakes; brother of Zeus.
• Aphrodite- goddess of love, beauty, desire, and sexuality; her lovers were Ares, Adonis, and Anchises.
• Demeter- goddess of grain, harvest, and agriculture; Zeus' sister (what a big family).

Test Day on ancient Greece Part 1!!!

Today in class, we took a test on ancient Greece (part 1). I think I did pretty well. There were about 40 questions, I think. One of them was an opinion question. I was kind of in between on the "Homeric question," but on the test, I said that I believed in him. Below is my answer. Next week, we are starting ancient Greece part 2 consisting of the gods, the Spartans, the Persian war, etc.

I think Homer really existed, but I think that the story was exaggerated as time went on. Historians keep adding something significant to his story and keep building it up even though it's not necessarily true. I believe that he wrote up the Iliad and The Odyssey, but not as extreme and interesting as it turned out to be. He told it the right way, but then people just had to spice it up more to create this fake story. This is why we should leave the story as it is.

Cleisthenes

Today in class, we finished up on ancient Greece part 1 notes. We will have a test tomorrow consisting of multiple choice, short answer, and fill in a map of Greece. Below are the notes from today's power point. The test will cover slides 1-32 from Mr. Schick's power point and pg. 123-133 from the textbook.

Cleisthenes- definitely a member of the elite; very rich

• insulated from the "hoi polloi"
• crafty politician
• saw the value of tapping into the talents, intelligence, and energies of the non- aristocrats... if only he gave women some power.
• What Cleisthenes did was a huge step forward- getting "regular folks" involved in governing.
• citizens could participate- but only 1/5 of Athenians were citizens (free adult male property owners born in Athens)

After several years... direct democracy

• where the state is ruled by citizens
• rule is based on citizenship
• majority rule decides on the vote
• in the agora, citizens argued, made speeches, and then voted with white stone for yes and black stones for no

Tyrants and Rulers of Greece

Today in class, we reviewed some of the key objectives that will be on the Greece test (part 1) on Thursday, February 27. We also took some more notes on to some of the rulers in Athens at the time. Below are the notes from Mr. Schick's power point.

Hippias- a tyrant who ruled from 527 to 510 BCE.

• His brother was murdered, and his rule became harsh.
• eventually, he was expelled (ostracized) from Athens.
• in revenge, he started working with the Persians and helped them invade Marathon.

When Hippias was gone, Isagoras and Cleisthenes (both who were aristocrats- meaning none of these rulers were from the middle class) engaged in a power battle.

• Isagoras had support from some fellow aristocrats and also from Sparta.
• Cleisthenes had support from the majority of Athens.

Isagoras becomes archon eponymous (tyrant)

• He ostracized Cleisthenes.
• Cleisthenes' supporters- and the ordinary Athenian citizens!- revolt against Isagoras' tyranny.
• They trap Isagoras on the acropolis for two days- on the third day, he fled and was banished.

Athens

Today in class, we took a pop quiz. I did not do well. Although, I'm pretty sure can get my grade up before the end of the quarter in about 4 weeks. We also took notes from the textbook. Below are some of the notes from today.

• Pericles led Athens during most of the golden age.
• The age of Pericles- Pericles dominated the Athenian life

Pericles had 3 main goals:

• to strengthen Athenian democracy
• to hold and strengthen the empire
• to glorify Athens

Athens had more citizens engaged in self-government than any other city-state in Greece

• direct democracy- a form of government in which citizens rule directly and no through representation.
• After the defeat of the Persians, Athens took over leadership and dominated all of the city-states in it.
• The Athenian navy was the strongest in the Mediterranean.
• The Athenian military allowed Pericles to treat other members of the Delian league as part of the empire.
• Some cities in Peloponnesus (Sparta) resisted Athens and created their own alliances.
• Pericles used the league's money to beautify Athens.
• The Parthenon was built to honor Athena, the goddess of wisdom.
• Inside the Parthenon, there's a statue of Athena.
• classical art- the art of ancient Greece and Rome.
• Greek plays were about leadership, justice, and duties owned by Greece.
• tragedy- serious drama about themes like love, hate, war, and betrayal.
• comedy- contained scenes filled with slapstick situations and crude humor.
• Herodotus' book on the Persian War is the first work of history.
• Peloponnesian War- war between Athens and Sparta.
• Sparta had a stronger army, but Athens had a stronger navy.
• Sparta burned Athen's food supplies; Athens brought everyone inside the city walls.
• Athens got struck with a deadly plague, yet they still fought.
• In 421 BC, the two sides signed a truce.

Greece's Government

Today in class, we took notes on the Greeks' government. Below are the notes form Mr. Schick's power point. We also related their meetings with golf. Most business owners talk their proposals while playing golf, so it doesn't get too boring. Golf is my favorite sport, so I would love to propose my idea while playing golf. Hopefully, the golf team at John Carroll will improve my skills.

• polis- fundamental political unit, made up of a city and the surrounding countryside.
• monarchy- rule by a single person (a king).
• aristocracy- rule by a small group of noble, very rich, landowning families.
• Oligarchy- wealthy groups, dissatisfied with aristocratic rule, who seized power (often with military help).
• Tyrant- powerful individual who seized control by appealing to the common people for support.
• During the 7th and 6th century BCE, aristocrats ran the show in most of Greece.
• Aristocrats- members of the ruling class
• They attended symposiums, meetings where the elite men would enjoy wine and poetry, performances by dancers.

Politics- an exclusive club

• no women (except the "entertainment")
• no middle class
• certainly, no slaves
• sometimes, even certain aristocrats (who didn't have the right connections or who fell out of favor) were excluded.
• Sometimes, aristocrats would form alliances with hoplites (well armed soldiers) and set up an alternative form of gov't called a tyranny.

Draco- (621 BCE)

• All Athenians (rich or poor) are equal under the law; but death is the punishment for a lot of crimes.
• debt slavery is OK (work as a slave to repay debt)

Solon's reforms (594)

• outlaws debt slavery
• all Athenian citizens can speak at the assembly
• any citizen can press charges against wrongdoers.

Cleisthenes- more reforms (around 500 BCE)

• allowed all citizens to submit laws for debate at the assembly.
• created the council of 500 (members randomly chosen)
• but... only a few adult male property owners born in Athens were considered citizens.

Trojan War

Today in class, we took notes from Mr. Schick's power point. Below are the notes. The information on the Trojan War is my favorite part out of this information.

• The Mycenaeans' influence began around 2000 BCE.
• Mycenae is located on a rocky ridge on Peloponnesus, protected by a 20 ft wall.
• Mycenaean kings dominated Greece from 1600-1100 BCE.
• They controlled trade in the region
• 1400 BCE- Mycenaeans invaded Crete and absorbed Minoan culture.
• Trojan War- fought around 1200 BCE; part of Greek mythology- until the 19th century, many thought that it was fictional because gods and goddesses got involved.
• The goddess Athena, Aphrodite, and Hera were given the "apple of discord."
• Aphrodite made Helen, who was married, fall in love with Paris, who took her back to Troy.
• Around 1200 BCE, the mysterious "sea people" began to invade Mycenae, and burnt it down.
• Then the Dorians moved into the empty place (1150-750 BCE).
• Dorians were far less advanced; the trade-based economy collapsed; writing disappeared, talk about culture declined.
• Greek oral tradition- stories passed on by the word of mouth.
• Homer lived at the end of the "Greek Dark Ages."
• He composed epics of the Trojan War even without seeing what he was writing.
• The Iliad- possibly one of the last conquests of the Mycenaeans (the Trojan War).
• The Odyssey- Odysseus attempts to return home after the Trojan War, being thwarted by Poseidon, the god of the sea.
• The Homeric question- Homer may have been a mythical creation himself; a blind wandering minstrel; a heroic figure.

The Allegory of the Cave Pt 2

Today in class, we watched a video on Plato's story: The Allegory of the Cave. Below are the notes from the video and the link to the video. The video was pretty good. It took 45 minutes to get through one video consisting of 6 minutes:)

• Plato's philosophy- the effect of education and the lack of it on our nature
• The prisoners thought the shadows were real; the shadows were created by casting light from the fire onto the wall.
• One of the prisoners leaves the cave into the burning sunlight.
• Once his eyes adjust, he can see the real world, and not just from looking at the shadows.
• He sees a real wolf, the real sun, and other real things.
• Then the guy feels guilty and goes back into the cave to tell the other prisoners about the outside world.
• The other prisoners mock him and plot to kill him (poor guy) :(

Video Link-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SWlUKJIMge4

Greece's Geography

Today in class, we took notes of ancient Greece on Mr. Schick's blog. Below are the notes.

• The world's greatest civilizations... all located on water (usually rivers).

Great civilizations/ Key rivers

• Mesopotamia/ Tigris and Euphrates River
• Egypt/ Nile River
• India/ Indus River
• China/ Huang He River

Greece's geography

• Note the significance of Greece's location
• Describe Greece's topography
• Look at Greece's mountains

The key locations in Greece

• Aegean Sea
• Ionian Sea
• Adriatic Sea (just north of the Ionian Sea)
• Peloponnesus
• Athens
• Sparta
• Creed
• Asia Minor
• Macedonia

Greece is a mountainous peninsula

• mountains cover about 3/4 of Greece
• approximately 2,000 islands in the lonian and Aegean Sea

This combination shaped Greece's culture

• they had many skilled sailors and shipbuilders
• also had farmers, metal workers, weavers, painters, etc.

They had poor/ limited natural resources, so they needed to trade.

It was difficult to unite the ancient Greeks cause of terrain.

• The developed small, independent countries (city-states; that's who they were loyal to.

Although fertile valleys cover one quarter of the peninsula, only about 20% is suitable for farming.

Greek Diet- consists of grains, grapes, olives, and fish.

• Lack of resources most likely led to Greek colonization
• back then, temperatures usually ranged from mid 40s in the winter to low 80s in the summer- although it could get hot in the summer, it was pretty nice year-round.

The "Allegory of the Cave"

Today in class, we read a story written by the philosopher, Plato. In the story, Socrates is talking with Plato's brother, Glycon. Part 1 talks about how the prisoners in the cave are chained to the wall where they can't see the big fire behind them nor the guards behind the wall in front of them. However, they can see the tips of the weapons that the guards carry and their shadows. Whenever the guards are talking to one another, they prisoners think that the shadows are talking. Part two talks about freedom. They choose one prisoner to release into the real world. Once they remove his chains, he automatically feels pain. He can now see the fire, but the light is too bright for his eyes which are used to the darkness. They literally have to drag him out of the cave. When they get out, they leave him out in the burning sunlight. It takes a while, but his eyes eventually adjust to the bright light. Now he can see the environment (river, people, land) that he's never seen before. However, he can't remember the talking shadows. Over time, the man went back into the cave feeling a little guilty that he was free but the rest were not. So he went back in thinking that he could persuade them to leave. Not only could he not persuade them, but he was also killed because he was acting like a threat. This reminds us of Socrates who was killed because he was thought of as a threat for corrupting the youth and impiety.

The Mycenaeans

Today in class, we took more notes on Greece. We also had to answer questions 1,3,4, and 5. Below are the questions and answers.

For each term or name, write a sentence explaining its significance:

• The Mycenaeans, with the help of the Minoan culture, formed the start of Greek religious practice, art, politics, and literature.
• The Trojan War was a war in which the Mycenaeans attacked Troy, an independent city.
• The Dorians moved into Mycenae when raiders attacked and destroyed the country.
• Homer composed epics in which the Trojan War was the backdrop for one his great poems.
• The epics told of people celebrating heroic deeds; for example, the Iliad was one of the best.
• The myths told of the gods best accomplishes.

What impact did nearness of the sea have on the development of Greece?

• The sea had a great impact on trade with other civilizations nearby.

What aspects of culture did the Mycenaeans adopt from the Minoans?

• They adopted the seaborne trade, the writing system, and the Minoan designs.

Why were the epics of importance to the Greeks of the Dorian period?

• It tells of importance and achievements of the warriors, gods, and/or kings.

Test Day!!! Greece

Today in class, we took a test. I did not do as well as I thought I would. We are moving on to Greece now. Below are some of the notes from the book.

• Ancient Greece consisted mainly of a mountainous peninsula and jutting on the Mediterranean Sea; the sea shaped Greek civilization.
• In a sense, the Greeks didn't live on land, but around sea.
• The Aegean Sea, Ionian Sea, and the Black Sea acted as important transportation routes.
• Sea trade was very important because the Greeks lacked natural resources.
• 3/4 of ancient Greece was rugged mountains.
• Instead of a single government, the Greeks developed small independent communities within each little valley and the mountain that separates it from the rest of the country.
• Because of the uneven terrain, it made land transportation hard.
• there were not many roads; the roads that they did have were mostly made up of dirt.
• The mountains also made farming difficult (very few fertile valleys for farming).
• Because of the farming difficulty, Greece was never able to support a large population.
• In the summer, the 80-degree (Fahrenheit) weather allowed the Greeks to hang outside.
• Mycenaeans- a group of people (Indo-European) who settled in Greece were from Mycenae which is located in southern Greece.
• Mycenae is surrounded by a protective wall keeping enemies out, and the Mycenaean rulers controlled cities like Athens.
• The Mycenaeans came into contact with the Minoans.
• They saw the value of seaborne trade and traveled throughout the eastern Mediterranean.
• They adapted the Minoan writing system to the Greek language, and decorated vases with Minoan designs.
• This art was the beginning of the Greek religious practice.

Review for Test on Egypt Tomorrow

Today in class we reviewed for the test tomorrow. It will be a 75-point test on Egypt. We talked about the key terms that will be on the test. Mr. Schick told us a joke that will help us remember the name for the afterlife. Below are the key terms and joke. We also watched a video on mummification and King Tut. The mummification video wasn't as disgusting as I thought it would be. The Egyptian song by Mr. Nicky was good, but I prefer his song on Mesopotamia more. The King Tut video (featuring Steve Martin) was a little funny. Below are also the links to the videos.

Key terms:

• papyrus- a tall reed that's found in the Nile delta; paper like
• mummification- embalming and drying the corpse to prevent it from decaying.
• hieroglyphics- an ancient Egyptian writing system in which pictures were used to represent ideas and/or sounds.
• pharaoh- King of ancient Egypt; considered a god as well as a political and military leader.

Egypt Video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=960mk5JRSBk

Mummification Process:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-MQ5dL9cQX0

Egypt (Papyrus, temples, and Pyramids)

Today in class, we relaxed a little bit while Nick took the quiz. Then we took notes on Egypt on Mr. Schick's blog. Below are some of notes from today.

• Earliest Egyptian writing formed c. 3100 B.C. and were small pictures known as hieroglyphics.
• Egyptian script was usually written in ink on papyrus, which was made from mashed Nile reeds.
• Papyrus, the precursor to paper, was stored in scrolls and these scrolls were the books of ancient Egypt.
• Egyptian astronomers created a calendar with 12 months and 365 days to make better sense of the seasonal cycles.
• Due to their excellent knowledge of human anatomy, Egyptian doctors wrote extensively on health issues and created potions and cures for a number of common ailments.
• Wooden sailboats were constructed to increase transportation ability on the Nile.
• The pyramids were massive stone tombs, originally covered in marble, but the marble was later stripped off during the Muslim conquest.
• The Temple of Amon at Karnak is the largest religious building in the world, also made out of huge blocks of stone.
• Stone sculptures and interior painting depicted humans and gods in a series of regulated poses, often in profile and without perspective, but were highly effective.

Egypt's New Technologies

Today in class, we took more notes on Egypt from the textbook. Below are the notes from the text.

• Slaves served in homes of the rich or toiled endlessly in gold mines of Upper Egypt.
• Egyptians weren't locked in the social class.
• If people wanted to be in a higher class, they would have to know how to read and write.
• Women held many rights as men held; they could own property and trade, propose marriage and seek divorce, and were entitled to 1/3 of their husband's property.
• hieroglyphics- an ancient Egyptian writing system in which pictures were used to represent ideas and sound; for example, a picture of a man symbolized a man.
• Hieroglyphics could be used almost like letters of the alphabet.
• They started writing it on stone, but then used papyrus.
• Papyrus- a tall reed that grows in the Nile delta, used by the ancient Egyptians to make a paper-like material for writing on
• When papyrus dried, the plant's saps glued into a paper-like sheet.
• They developed a calendar to help keep track of floods.
• the start, Sirius, appeared right before the floods came in.
• Egyptians developed a system of written numbers for counting, adding, and subtracting to help assess and collect taxes.
• They used geometry to help reset buildings after the floods came.
• Egyptian architects were the first to use stone columns for houses, temples, and other buildings.
• Their medicine was very famous in the ancient world.
• doctors checked heart rates by feeling pulses, set broken bones with splints, handed treatments for fevers, and sometimes performed surgery to treat the people.
• The pharaoh's power ended in around 2180 B.C.
• They regained power in the Middle Kingdom and restored law and order; the power didn't last.
• A group called the Hyksos came and ruled Egypt for a while.
• Egypt would rise again in the New Kingdom.
• About the same time as the Old and Middle Kingdom, civilization was emerging in the Indus River Valley.

Egyptians Pyramids

Today in class, we took notes on Egypt from Mr. Schick's power point. I saw my test grade on veracross, and I'm content. Below are some of the notes from the book.

• Egyptians believed that the pharaoh was in charge even after death (eternal life force).
• pyramid- an immense structure that held the pharaoh tombs.
• kings were placed in tombs and were buried in a pyramid because of their power.
• Egyptians had a good amount of stone.
• The Egyptians were also polytheistic.
• They built temples to worship and honor their gods.
• Egyptians believed that they needed good deeds for the afterlife.
• To win eternal life, the heart can't weigh more than a feather.
• If the heart weighs more than a feather, the dead souls would pounce on it.
• Everyone planned for their burial in tombs if they get accepted into the other world.
• Mummification- embalming and drying the corpse to prevent it from decaying.
• They placed the mummy in the tomb surrounding it with items they want for the afterlife.
• Book of the dead- collection of texts that contained hymns, prayers, and magic spells to guide the souls to the afterlife.
• Peasants built most of the pyramid when the Nile flooded because they couldn't farm.
• The top of the pyramid held the king, queen, and the royal family.
• The next top class was the upper class (wealthy).
• The next class was the middle class (merchants).
• The lowest class was the largest class made up of peasant farmers and slaves.

Test Day!!! Egypt

Today in class, we took a quiz on Mesopotamia and the Fertile Crescent. I feel like I did well on it. I hope I did. We also took notes on Egypt. Below are some of the notes from Egypt.

• Yearly flooding brought water and rich soil.
• when the river receded, it left silt (fertile mud)
• Peasants prepared their wheat and barley fields before the sun could dry it out.
• watered their crops through a network of irrigation ditches
• Egyptians worshipped the Nile as a God, for it gave them an abundance of water.
• Historian Herodotus stated that Egypt was "the gift of the Nile."
• When the Nile's floodwaters were a little lower than usual, the silt and crops were reduced.
• When the Nile's floodwaters were a little higher than usual, the water flooded the houses.
• The hot desert on both sides of the Nile acted as barriers to keep enemies away, yet it trapped the people inside from the outside world.
• Upper Egypt- a skinny strip of land from the first Cataract to where the river starts "branching out."
• Lower Egypt included the Nile delta.
• Delta- marshy region formed by deposits of silt formed at the mouth of the river.
• The king wore a red crown for lower Egypt and a white bowling pin-shaped crown for Upper Egypt. 
• King Narmer was the king for both regions of Egypt.
• Pharaoh- king of ancient Egypt; considered to be a god as well as a political and military leader.
• theocracy- type of government in which rule is based on religious authority.

Reviewing For The Mesopotamia Quiz Part 2/ The Mesopotamia Music Video

Today in class, we reviewed some more for the quiz tomorrow and watched a video that will help us comprehend the material on Mesopotamia better. I liked it and watched it 2 more times after that. I like songs that teach me something. last year, my teachers showed us a couple of videos (mostly in science) that I thought were pretty neat, but my classmates weren't too thrilled. We also watched a bunch of videos from the TV Broadcasting class a few years ago and an American Idol audition from a previous JC student. She sounded very good and I'm happy that she was able to redeem herself for her and her brother. After that, we looked over Dan's quizlet. It was pretty good. I have a good feeling about this test tomorrow. Below are the YouTube site URL's from the videos we watched today in class.

John Carroll- HAPPY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4MpG0CtEqfY

Mesopotamia

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fdblRch6m3g

John Carroll- I'm For Eddie!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t6_XF3n9lNw

American Idol Audition

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tnz4tuygKsw

Reviewing Mesopotamia for the Quiz

Today in class, we reviewed for the quiz on Wednesday, January 29, 2020. It will consist of around 15-20 questions with some of them being multiple choice. Mr. Schick told us what important key ideas that will be on it and what we should study. Below are the questions and answers that will be on the quiz on Wednesday.

1. What age was marked by advanced tool making and beginnings of agriculture? The Neolithic Age
2. What was the earliest prehistoric age (Old Stone Age)? The Paleolithic Age
3. What is the belief in many gods called? Polytheism
4. What is the process in which a new idea spreads from one culture to another? Cultural diffusion
5. What is a thick bed of mud? Silt
6. What is a series of rulers from a single family? Dynasty
7. What is a city with its surrounding territory forming an independent state called? City-state
8. What is the earliest form of writing created by the Sumerians? Cuneiform
9. What is a Sumerian temple built onto a "mountain" of Earth? Ziggurat
10. What is a code of laws that included "an eye for an eye" and regulations of marriage, divorce, crimes, etc.? Hammurabi's Code

Hammurabi's Code

Today in class, we took notes on Hammurabi's Code. There were crazy punishments for even the tiniest crimes. Below are some of the crimes from Hammurabi's Code.

If a doctor killed a rich patient, then his hands were to be cut off. However, if a doctor killed a slave patient, he would owe financial restitution.
If a son struck his father, then his hands would be cut off.
If a man broke a bone out of a slave, then he would have to pay off half of the slave's value.
If anyone steals the property of a temple or of the court, he shall be put to death, and also the one who receives the stolen item from him shall be put to death.
If anyone buys from the son or the slave of another man, without a witness or contract, silver or gold, male or female slave, he is considered a thief and shall be put to death.
If the owner does not bring witnesses to identify the lost article, he is an evil-doer and shall be put to death.

Mesopotamia/ Key Definitions

Today in class, we took notes on Mesopotamia and the Fertile Crescent. We had to incorporate question number 5 into this blog. Below is the question and answer from today and key definitions.

What areas of life did Hammurabi's code cover?
It covers community, family relations, business conduct, and crimes. For example, if a thief snatched someone in the middle of the night and was caught, he or she would face a punishment for the crime.


Fertile Crescent- the region's curved shape and the richness of the land.
Mesopotamia- the lands facing the Mediterranean Sea and a plain.
silt- a thick bed of mud.
city-state- each city and the surrounding land it had controlled.
dynasty- a series of rulers from a single family.
cultural diffusion- process in which a new idea or a product spread from one culture to another.
polytheism- belief in more than one god.
empire- an extensive group of states or countries under a single supreme authority, formerly especially an emperor or empress.

Mesopotamia/ The Fertile Crescent

Today in class, we talked about the new semester, took notes in the new textbook, and chose new seats. I like the seat that I chose. It's not too far from the board, and it's not too close. We had to answer two questions from the textbook. Below are the questions and answers from the text.

The fertile crescent was the place where civilization started because of its agricultural advantages.
Mesopotamia is located inside of the fertile crescent and has the Tigris and the Euphrates River to flood it when it gets dry.
The Sumerians built many city-states which has allowed each one to have their own culture.
The first dynasty of Babylon contained the Code of Hammurabi which improved the earlier laws.
Cultural diffusion is important because of the development of cultures. They can lead to trading, traveling, or immigrating.
Empires are used as a stable government where the people feel secure knowing that their empire is strong and will protect them.
The people who lived in Mesopotamia were polytheistic and thought that there is not one god, but many.
Hammurabi was the ruler of Babylon who was known for his code of laws called the Code of Hammurabi. His codes helped Mesopotamia regulate their society and stabilize it.

What were the 3 environmental challenges to Sumerians?

1. Unpredictable flooding combined with little or no rain.
2. No natural barriers for protection against their enemies.
3. Natural resources were limited (building materials).

Jeopardy Part 2

Today in class, we watched more jeopardy and saw who our class next semester will be. My class next semester has 23 students in it. The other class has 13 students in it. I feel like my class will be very loud and kind of chaotic with 23 students in one room. But I'm somewhat happy with it. We watched the college competition on Jeopardy. The contestants were named Corey Schmalzle, Mohan Malhotra, and Allison Holley. I decided to test out an app that I found called Gradient. It tells you which celebrity most closely resembles you. It is a little bit flawed. It said that Mohan looked like Zac Efron. I kind of see it. It also said that Corey looked like Shawn Mendes. The hair looks a little similar to Shawn's. It says that Allison looks like Kathleen Kennedy. It kind of looks like her. Mohan won. I wanted Allison to win.