Western Civ Blog 6

Today in class we continued to read pages 35-43. The people who werent here yesterday took the 75 point quiz on Mesopotamia. Some important words through out the text were delta, narmer, pharaoh, theocracy, pyramid, mummification, hieroglyphics, and papyrus. Delta is the North, near the sea in lower Egypt. A Narmer is a king. A pharaoh is an Egyptian god- king. Theocracy is a a type of government in which rule is based on religious authority. A pyramid is the resting place after death, its an immense structure. Mummification is the process by which bodies were preserved. Hieroglyphics are flexible writing systems created by scribes. Papyrus was a better writing source created by the Egyptians. Most people, including me, finished reading yesterday so all we had to do in class was our blog for today. I reviewed what I. read yesterday so I could refresh my memory.

Western Civ Blog 5

Today in class we took a quiz and then read about Pyramids on the Nile. The main idea of the text is science and technology. Using mathematical knowledge and engineering skills, Egyptians built magnificent monuments to honor dead rulers. It matters now because many of the monuments built by the Egyptians stand as a testament to their ancient civilization. Some important terms and names we learned were delta, farmer, pharaoh, theocracy, pyramid, mummification, hieroglyphics, and papyrus. We then went over the geography of Egypt. From the highlands of East Africa to the Mediterranean Sea, the Nile River flows north across Africa for over 4,100 miles. It is the longest river in the world. Some environmental changes were that Egyptian farmers were much more fortunate than the villagers of Mesopotamia. The amount of fresh silt and water for crops was greatly reduced when the Nile's floodwater were just a few feet lower than normal. When the water was a few feet higher than usual, the unwatered water destroyed homes, granaries, and the seeds that farmers needed for farming. The Egyptian culture had nature in their favor, which tended to approach life more confidently and optimistically than their neighbors in the Fertile Crescent. Religion also played a very important role in the lives of the Egyptian Culture. The ancient Egyptians also built pyramids for the dead Kings that lived in the old age. These kings were mummified and there bodies were preserved. The mummification process is only done for the royal and elite Egyptians and it is said they being mummified offers a definite pass into the afterlife.

Western Civ Blog 4

Today in class we learned about the civilization of Mesopotamia. We discussed how Sumer was conquered by the Akkadians in c. 2350 BC. God's took the place of previous God's and were forced to worship them. Wandering nomads drove herds of domesticated animals in many areas, especially to the south of Sumer in Arabia. Kind Hammurabi of Babylon created a series of laws known as "Hammurabis code". Hammurabis code are laws that included "an eye for an eye" and regulations of marriage, divorce, and punishment for all sort's of crimes. We also went over some of the laws and consequences of the Hammurabis code. Men had more power than the women, for example if a women was caught cheating on her husband, both the women and the person she was cheating with would be tied together and drowned. The husband could say if he wanted his wife to be brought up, and she would not die but the other man would be brought with her. the women did not have this choice and if her husband cheated he would automatically die. 

Western Civ Blog 3

Today in class we discussed the changes from prehistory to civilization. The first topic was the origins and ages of human beings. 200,00 years ago a human species emerged in equatorial Africa. 14,000 years ago a "worldwide" human race existed. The earliest prehistorical age is the Paleolithic age (old Stone Age). Neolithic age or new Stone Age,  was marked by advanced tool making and beginning of agriculture. Initially, humans were parts of migratory groups which hunted, fished, and gathered. Then we discussed the agriculture revolution. The populations rose due to the increase ability to supply food. Hierarchies appeared in the village life, women status lowered as women were confirmed more to domestic duties. The wheel and plow were invented which made it possible to produce enough food and storage. We also discussed the world first surviving epic was the Sumerian "Epic of Gilgamesh". The ziggurat was a Sumerian temple built on top of a mountain of earth.

Western Civ blog 2

A Fertile Crescent is a curved shape of land with rich farming land. Mesopotamia is a Greek word that mean land between rivers. A city-state is a city and surrounding land. A dynasty is a series of rulers from a single family. Cultural diffusion is the process in which a new idea or a product spreads from one culture to another culture. Polytheism is when you believe in more than one. An empire brings together several peoples, nations, or previously independent states under the control of wonder. Hammurabi is a noted lawgiver. The Sumerians had many environmental challenges, some of them being unpredictable flooding, combined with little to no rain. The land could often times turn to a desert. The Sumerians also had limited natural resources.

Western Civ Blog 1

Today in class, Mr. Schick introduced himself to the class. Mr. Schick told us about the policy has with keeping our phones in the pockets during class so we have no distractions or interruptions.  He also explained how we will need to get a composition book by Friday. We will take notes in the composition book everyday about the subjects we focused on in class. He explained how we would not be using our laptops to take notes ever because there is a good chance we will not be completely focused on the discussion, and we an easily get distracted on our laptops with games, shopping, and many more things. Today, we also talked about how to set up our blog accounts and how to share our accounts with him. We got to ask questions about Mr. Schick and his teaching styles, and he would answer them for us. I. am excited for the rest of this semester with Mr. Schick and my classmates.