Today in West Civ class Matt and Phil taught the class. They did a good job but phil and i are a better pair then him and matt. We looked at Phil's blog and they taught us LO3. This was on the greeks, Athens, and Sparta. They explained about these 3 things and did pretty well. Phil took great notes and i will porbably look at his blog to study because he took better notes than me. Phil and i are still a better pair than Phil and Matt.

Know where Aegean Sea (eastern side) is, Ionian Sea (West Side), Adriartic sea, Crete ( great control for trading) Peloponnese, Crete, Athens, Sparta, Mediterrian means middle of the earth

Questions:

1.Athens was smaller than sparta in 500 B.C. Athens was near a sea so they have the better location because they have more transportation.

2. Limited democracry ( Athens) - a republic where voters elect officals into office to make decisions for them. Oligarchy (Sparta)-  a state in which supreme power is held by a small group

3.


4. Athens has a better navy than Sparta becuase they were closer to the water.

5. Athens did. NO becuase they lived closer to water.

6. Sparta because they almost had the same rights as men.

7.

Today in class we took notes:

Citizens and Communities: The Greek City-States

Greek city-states were small places, generally consisting if no more than a town and a few square miles of surrounding countryside. Athens and Sparta, each about the same size as a couple of U.S. counties, were giants among city-states

Acropolis- The high fortified citadel and religious center of an ancient greek town.

Both fortresses and temples were vitally important ot the Greek city-states. They were fiercely competitive communities that continually fought one another, and their single most important civic activity was the worship of the gods and goddess on whom each community was thought to depend on


City-states and Citizens

The Greek city-states first developed at exactly the time that the Assyrians were reaching for power westward from Mesopotamia, but Greece was protected by many miles of land and sea.

hoplite- A heavily armed and armored citizen-solider of Ancient Greece

phalanx- A unit of several hundred hoplites, who closed ranks by joining shields when approaching the enemy

Monarchy- A state in which supreme power is held by a single, usually hereditary ruler

Oligarchy- a state in which supreme power is held by a small group

triremes- Massive fighting vessels with three banks of oars, used to ram or board enemy ships

tyranny- rule by a self-proclaimed dictator

democracy- In ancient greece, a form of government in which all adult male citizens were entilted to take part in decisions making

Helots- Noncitizens forced to work for landholders in the ancient city-state of Sparta

aristocrats- members of prominent and long-established Athenian families

Today in class we took notes.

Mycenaeans
- Began areound 2,000 B.C.
- it located on a rocky ridge and protected by a 20 ft thick wall
- Mycenaean Kings dominated Greece from 1600-1200 B.C. - controlled trade in there region
- 1400 B.C. Mycenaeans invaded Crete and absorbed Minoan Culture and language

Culture in Decline

- Around 1200 B.C. sea people began to invade Mycenae and burnt palace after palace
- The dorians moved into the war-torn region
- Far less advanced
- Economy collapsed
- writing disappeared for 400 years

Homer and Myths

- Stories were passed on by word of mouth
- Homer was blind
- Homer lived at the end of the "Greek Dark ages"
- Recorded stories of the Trojan war in the lliad and the Odyssey (written 750-700 B.C.)
- Trojan war was probably one of the last conquests of the Mycenaeans
- Odysssey was 12,110 lines of dactylic hexameter

Greek Concepts
- Arete- Virtue and excellence
- Epics- Narrative poems celebrating heroic deeds
- Myths were created to explain creation
-Zeus: leader of the gods
- Hera: Zeus' wife
- Athena: Goddess of wisdom

Why the greeks rocked:

New ideas

Incredible art forms

Democratic ogvernment with citizen participation

Innovators in warefare

4000 B.C.- farming and village life spreads from Sumerian and Egyptian lands across SW Asia and NE Africa and the european continent

3500 B.C.- same are organized enough to construct negaliths, massive rough-cut stones used to construct monuments and tombs, such as Stonehedge (finished in England in 2000 B.C.), consisting of 160 massive boulders weighing up to 50 tons ( 100,000 pounds) each, stacked and circled and aligned to the movements of sun and moon

from 2500 B.C. on- Indo- Euyropean nomads migrated from the steeps in eastern Europe

Thier language would evolve into Greek and Latin

Their lives centered around strength and courage, comradeship and loyalty, contests and battle

Thinner populations then Egypt and Mesopotamia- they found tribes, social and political unit consisting of communities held together by common interests, traditions, and real or mythical ties of kinship

Tribes were headed by powerful herediatry chieftains, thought of as kings

This is how Europe came to be populated by speakers of INdo-European languages who were skilled in farming, metalworking, trade, and warfare

No cities, no written records, no fixed structures if government

They were barbarians ( means non greek)

They adopted the way of life of those they encountered, and as they traveled (from 2000 B.C. to AD 1000), this is how civilization eventually spread throughout Europe

The distincitive civilization the Greeks developed is the first that counts as definitely "Western"

Today in West Civ class Jazz and Steph taught the class. They did a good job but Phil and I can do a lot better. We went over what we read a couple days ago for cyber day i believe. It was about the Greeks. We had to take notes and posted my notes in my blog. They did  a good job but Phil and i did better.

Today in West Civ class i took the test. I thought i did pretty well on it until i went in when i was done and checked it. I believe i only got 4 wrong which is not to bad. But i would've liked a better grade than im going to get. I will study harder the next time and be well prepared for the next test and look foward to be getting an A on it.

Today in West Civ class we played a game called Pyramid challenge. This game was based on building a pyramid, getting workers, feeding workers, clothing for workers, and getting your limestone or whatever you chose to get to the spot that you chose to build your pyramid. It was very challenging driving the boat but Phil and i got there. It took us atleast 5 tries to complete the task. We were the first ones done and we celebrated because we got an 100. It was a fun time and Phil and I are happy we got the 100.

Notes from Monday ( I was absent)

pages 44-49

The greeks

The greeks began as one of many European barbarian peoples-- that is, they had a distinctive way of life, based on farming and warfare, that was widespread in western Europe. About 2000 B.C., they began to migrate into Europe's southeastern region, within easy reach of the people of Asia minor, Mesopotamia and egypt. As a result, the greeks began to share in and adapt the more advanced ways of life of the peoples they encountered- something that would happen to European barbarian peoples over and over again in the next 3,000 years.

The earliest Greek civilization was very much an offshoot of the ways of life of their eastern neighbors. It shared in the crisis and recovery of the lands between the Mediterranean Sea and the Indian Ocean and finally emerged as "classical" Greek civilzation about 800 B.C.

Greek civilization, there appeared ideas, art forms, and types of government whose influence on Western civilization has lasted down to the present day. In particular, Greek city-states were the first to practice citizen participation in government-- on a estricted basis in oligarchies.

barbarian- a term used to describe the distinctive way of life based on farming, warfare, and tribal organization that became widespread in Europe beginning around 2500 B.C.

Megaliths- massive rough cut stones used to construct monuments and tombs

Tribe- A social and politial unit consisitng of a group of communites held together by common interest, traditions, and real or mythical ties of kinship

Many Megaliths are still around today

Perhaps the most impressive single early European achievement was stonehenge, a huge open-air monument built by a prosperous farming and trading poeple in the west of England, probably as a religious center

Short answer questions

1. One invention is the Great pyramid of Giza. It was 481 feet tall and it towers the Statue of Liberty. It has a body of a Lion and a face of a human. Another invention is the plow. The plow played a big role in their lives. It helped them because they can have their animals do it instead of them. The last one is papryus. This is a huge invention because that's pretty much what paper origanted from. It all started with the Egyptians.



2. One important feature is the tombs. They made the pyramids so basically the Pharaoh could have a good afterlife. Another feature is their blocks. For example the pyramid of Giza has 2.3 million blocks and that weighs about 2.5 to 15 tons. That's alot of weight. Another feature is how high the pyramids were built. One was built 341 feet high! Thats huge for a structure that was built way back when.

My paragraphs

question #1 Describe the social hierarchy of the ancient Egyptians.

The hierarchy in Ancient egypt was like a triangle. On top was the pharaoh. The Pharaoh was a religious and political leader. The pharaoh ruled over everyone. The there was Government Officials. The Government Officals were Nobles preists- Upper class, also known as the "white kilt class" physicians and engineers. They were called the white kilt class becuase there clothes were never dirty.These were the upper class people so they never had to worry about anything. Then there was the soliders. The soliders used wooden weapons with bronze tips and they might ride chariots. Below the soliders were scribes. Scribes kept records, told stories, wrote poetry,described anatomy and medical treatments. Below the scribes were merchants and they were Money/barter system was used merchants might accept bags of grain for payment. Below the merchants were Artisans. Artisans would carve statues and reliefs showing military battles. Then below them there were farmers and the farmers grew wheat, barley, lentils and onions. Then the people all the way at the bottom were slaves and servants and they helped the wealthy with their house and helped raised the children.   

The social Hierarchy played a big role in the egyptian lives. You always wanted to be on the top because that's where you were living the life. You didn't have to worry about anything like the slaves did. The slaves had the worst out off all them. But Mr.Schick said that they're lives and living conditions were a lot better than they were in America. You didn't want to be on the bottom half of the triangle because your life pretty much sucked. The lower class did not have it as good as the upper class. If you were born in Egypt back then you wanted to be in the upper class.



question #2  Discuss the importance of the Nile River in the lives of Egyptians.

The Nile played a huge role in the lives in the Egyptians. Everything ran thorugh it. For example they traded on it which could get them better goods. They bathed in it and also used it for transportation. Transportation played a big role because they traded on the Nile so they made sailboats so they could do that. It flooded every June. In October it would leave behind rich soil. This is a good thing because They can plant and have more crops. This was a good time fo rfarmers because they could make a lot of money. If the Egyptians didin't have the Nile I don't think they would survive. I say this because every main thing they need involves the Nile. The Nile played a huge part for the Egyptians and still does today.

Today in West Civ class we talked about how the weather is going to be tomorrow. It seems to be pretty bad so we decided to do a cyber day "if" were off. Then we watched a video on ancient Egypt. John Green did the video i believe. He explained that Egypt has been around for a long time. He said that King Tut was not a famous pharaoh. He said he was only famous because he was never robbed and when they found him they found all his belongings with him. I really liked the video and i hope Mr.Schick will show more of them.

Toady in West Civ class we took notes on Egypt.

5 elements of life in Egypt
1. geography
2. daily life
3. Pharaohs
4. Goddesses and gods
5. Pyramids

Geography

- water for drinking, for irrigating, for bathing, and for transportation

- every July it floods

- every october it leaves behind rich soil

- the data us abroad, marshy triangular area of fertile silt

- managing the river required technological break throughs in irrigation

Pyramids

- the great sphinx if giza
built 2555-2532 BCE

- a recumbent lion with a human's head

- oldest monument ststue in the world

Daily life
Pharaoh- religious and political leader "land of hte two lands"
Government officials- Nobels, Preists- Upper class, known as the "white kilt class" priests, physicians, engineers
Soldiers- used wooden weapons with bronze tips and might ride chariots
Scribes- kept records, told stories, wrote poetry described anatomy and medicla treatments
Merchants- Money/barter system was used merchants might accept bags of grain for payment
Artisans- would carve statues and reliefs showing military battles
Farmers- raised wheat,barley, lentils, onions
Slaves and servants- helped the wealthy with household with child raising duties

Hatshepsut was a woman who served as a pharaoh

Cleopatra VII also served as a Pharaoh, but much later (51-30 B.C.)

Land of the pharaohs: Egypt (1 of 7)
The Nile and the "two lands"

-Upper egypt was a 5,000 mile long strip of fertile land along the Nile; Lower egypt was the wide land of the Nile data emptying into the Mediterranean Sea
- The Nile was the major provider of life fo rthe Egyptians and was much revered in love and writing
-C. 3100 B.C. the two lands were united under a single king or "pharaoh"

(2 of 7)
Government by a god-king

-Pharaoh, was all powerful, worshipped as a god and intimately connected to the other major egyptian gods and goddesses
-Egyptians relied ona harmony and balance of the universe, called "maat"
-Pharaohs had multiple wives, often their own sisters, and al routes to financial and social success were through the palace
- Women could inherit money and land and divorce their husband, though only a tiny few ever wielded real political power

(3 of 7)
Gods, Humans, and Everlasting life

-Gods were often potrayed with animal heasd or bodies
-The pharoah Akenaten worshipped a "Aten" a sundisk
-Egyptians believed in an after-life and mummified bodies to preserve them for this pst death journey
-All souls would need to justify themselves at the point of death and be either sent to an after-world paradise of the jaws of a monster

(4 of 7)
"The writing of the words of god"
-Earliest Egyptian writing formed C. 3100 B.C. and were small pictures known as hieroglyphs
-Hieroglyphy represented religious words, or parts of words, and most commonly adonned temples
-Papyrus, the precursor to paper, was stored in scrolls and these scrolls were the books of ancient egypt

(5 of 7)
Calendars and sailboats
-Egyptian astronomers created a calendar with 365 days to make better sense of the seasonal cycles
-Due to their excellent knowledge of the human anatomy, Egyptian doctors wrote extensively on health issues and created potions and curestor a number of common ailments
-Wooden sailboats were constructed to increase transport ability on the Nile

(6 of 7)
Pyramids temples
-The pyramids were massive stone tombs, originally covered in marble but the marble was later stripped off during the Muslim conquest
-Stone sculptures and interior painting depicted humans and gods in a series of regulated poses, often in profile without perspective, but were highly effective

LO3-Egypt

Lands of the pharaohs: Egypt

During the Neolithic Agr, the people of the Nile had moved towards civilization in response to the same influences that gave rise to the cities of Sumer, but Egyptian civilization was more stable than that of Mesopotamia.

The traditions of Egyptian civilization became so strong that they flourished even in its last thousand years, when the country was repeatedly invaded and for long periods under foreign rule.

The Narmer Palette- This palette was used for grinding makeup for divine images in a Upper Egyptian teple about 3100 B.C. The interwined necks of two tethered beasts around the grinding area are believed to symbolize the union of the two lands. Above them, a king wears the crown of Upper egypt; in front of him, osme of the earliest known hieroglyphs give his name-Namer- an army parades, and beheaded corpses are lined up. Evidently unification was not a peaceful process

The Nile and the "Two Lands"

The Nile played a role in Egypt similar to that of the Euphrates and Tigris in Meospotamia.

Pharaohs- the rulers of ancient Egypt

Tending the "Cattle of God"

As a god, every pharaoh was identified in different ways with three of the country's ruling deities.

By Birth he was the son of the sun-god Re, the king of all other gods and goddesses. At his succession, he became the incarnation (living embodiment) of Horus, the falcon-headed ruler of the sky.

The Origins and "ages" of human beings
 -Prehistory began with the human race itself
- The era ended with the rise of civilied societies producing permanent written rocords, but these societies arose at different times in different regions of the world, so that prehistory has no single worldwide ending of date
-Excavations of fossils (remains of organisms) indicate that the earliest humanlike species probably appeared in East Africa

The hunting and gathering way of life: Throughout the paleolithic age, all human beings lived as migratory and gathers of edible plants, sheltering caves, in temporary huts, or in the open if climate was favorable
Men were responsible for hunting and women were responsible for taking care of the children

Agricultural revolution- The shift from hunting and gathering food to a more settled way of life based on farming and herding that occured between 8000 and 4000 B.C. in much of western Asia, northern Africa, and Europe, and separately in other parts of the world

Polytheism- the belief in many gods and goddesses

Men,Women and Farming

Stufy of traditional farming suggest societies also suggests that the agricultural revolution was accompanied by a lasting shift in the pattern of relations between men and women







Paleolithic Age (Old Stone age)- The earliest and longest period of prehistory, when humans used simple stone tools

Neolithic Age (New Stone)- The period of human history characterized by advances in stone tool-making and the beginnings of agriculture