Essay Portion of Exam

Today in class, we took our essay part of our exam. Mr. Schick handed us each an essay book to write in. We had limited time, so we only had to pick two of the five questions. Last night I wrote some facts I wanted to make in my essays. I felt like I was prepared for this and did very well.

Rome Test!

Today in class, we took the big Rome test. I studied a little over the weekend and today on my off mods. I felt like I knew most of the things we reviewed in class. The hardest part was remembering the numbers of the amount of members in the different branches of government. Since I left class early to talk to Mr. Kimble, I wasn't there when test scores came in. Apparently I got a 98 on the test :)

Review for Rome Test

Today in class, we reviewed more on Rome. We went over the big power point more and went over the things we need to know for the test. While Mr. Schick was teaching, I took notes on my laptop. I hope I do well on this test, knowing it is the last one before exams! After we were done with that, Mr. Schick told us about the writing exam. He said it will be on Wednesday and that we should read his blog for more details and questions.

End of Rome Projects

Today in class, we listened to the last of the Rome projects. First, Alayna and Delaney presented their mosaic with a power point. I thought their mosaic looked cool. Then, Ariana taught us about the Pantheon. Her model looked so good and she explained it well. Finally, Adam, Adam, and Josh presented their Hadrian wall made out of clay. It was fun to learn about Rome.

More of Rome Presentations

Today in class, only two groups went. First was the Roman baths by Kelsey, Jake, and Kyle. I think they did a good job explaining each room and how the Romans used it. Next, was Ryan, Luke, and Pierce who did crucifixion. They built a huge cross and put facts around it. I thought they showed how painful this could be and explained it well.

Start of Rome Presentations

Today in class, we started to present our Rome projects. Meredith and I went first and taught about Ancient Roman food and pottery. We served the food, and I thought we did a good job. Next, Avery went and presented her mummy painting. Her painting was amazing! Then, Stevie and Hunter presented their aqueduct. I thought it was cool how they demonstrated it. It was fun to see what people did for the project.

Absent

I will not be in class today because I am going to the Black Eyed Susan horse race.

Pop Quiz??

Today in class, we walk in and see there is a pop quiz. When you see a baby crying, that is not a good sign. Yes.. I was crying. The questions in the beginning were easy, but then got way harder toward the end. It was confusing between the executive and legislative. I know I did really bad on this quiz, and hoping it doesn't bring my grade down by a lot.

Student Teaching

Today in class, we reviewed the big Rome power point. Kelsey and Jude tried to teach the different groups that settled. Mr. Schick took over, and started to explain it in more detail. Then, Hunter and Steve started to present. It was a fun class and funny to see us try to teach like Mr.Schick.

Rome Movie

Today in class, I came in late and saw we were watching the Rome movie. The movie was about Tarquin's son, Tiberius, who wanted to gain land for the poor. He told the lower class his plan and they loved it. The rich did not and tried to make the lower class go against him. Octavious vetoed his idea and did not let them receive the land. The rich said he was trying to be king, but really wanted to help the lower class. When they thought he was going to receive the crown, they go and kill Tiberius with weapons and chairs. They dump his body in the Tiber River, where they watched his remains.

Last of Power Point

Today we took notes on the Roman legion, farmers, and more.
-5000 soldiers, not in it for pay (not yet)
     -The Roman army's elite heavy infantry
     -Recruited exclusively from Roman citizens
-Group of eighty's a century
     -On horseback is cavalry
Economic change
-Slaves poured into Italy
-End of the second century BCE there were over a million slaves in Italy
-Small farmers lost land to aristocrats if they couldn't pay their debts
-The big farms became massive estates called latifundia 

More on Power Point..

Today in class we took even more noted on the power point.
-The US modeled their new government on the model used by Ancient Romans
-Both have three branches of government: executive, legislative, and judicial 
-Both have a legal code
Rome                                                                 US
executive                                                        executive
-two consuls                                                   President (and VP)
-one year terms                                              four year terms
-each has veto power                                     can veto proposed laws
-controls the military                                     Commander-in-Chief
-could appoint a dictator in a crisis for a 6-year term

legislative                                                       legislative
-Senate- 300 people- aristocrats-                   Senate- 100 Senators-
members for life                                            six year terms
-Assemblies-members for life                       House of Reps- two-year term
                                                                       435 members

judicial                                                           judicial
-Praetors                                                        Supreme Court
-Chosen by the Centuriate                            nine members
Assembly                                                      appointed by the President,
-one-year term                                              confirmed by the Senate
                                                                      lifetime terms

Twelve Tables                                               Bill of Rights
-publically displayed                                     first amendments
-gave rights to Plebians,                                to the Constitution
not just aristocrats  
-Only protected free- born male citizens (not women)                                  

Power Point Continued..

Today in class we went over more of the power point.
-Rule of Kings is replaced by rule of two consuls
-Elected officials, one year almost always aristocrats (patricians), traced descent from a famous ancestor of pater ("father")
-One consul could veto the other (reducing power of the individual)
-Fifth century BCE- patrician dominance of the government was challenged by the plebs ("people")
-98% population, had to serve army, could not hold office no legal rights
-Victims of discriminatory decisions in judicial trials, no actual laws, just written customs
-Patricians could interpret their own advantage
-Plebs refused to serve in military until laws were made (on tablets)
-The Law of the Twelve Tablets- laws posted in public on 450BCE, tribunes "tribal leaders" elected
-SPQR- Senatus Populusque Romanum- designates any decree or descision made by "the Roman Senate and People"
res publica- the people's affairs, brand new republic
-Democracy, aristocracy, not a tyranny

The Punic Wars (264-146 BCE)- Rome vs. Carthage, three wars
First Punic War (264-241 BCE)- naval battles for control of location island of Sicily
-Rome wins

Second Punic War (218-201 BCE)
-29 year old Hannibal attacks Rome from North- crossed Ibella and the Alps

Third Punic War (149-146 BCE)
-Rome wanted to remove Carthage
-Sciplo, Tiberius, Grachus, and others attacked
-Carthage was burned for 17 days- destroyed
-Last 5,000 people in the city went into slavery
-Rest of the people were annexed,and made into the Roman province of Africa

Marcus Portius Cate the Elder- ended every speech by saying "Carthage must be destroyed"
-He got his wish, an end of an empire

Chi Cago Power Point

Today in class, we went over a power point that explained the lyrics of Rome, Rome, Rome.
Etruscans
-Came from the North-central part of peninsula
-Metalworkers, artists, architects
-Two foundations myths: Virgil's Aeneid and story of Remus and Romulus- founding of Rome

Greeks
-Many colonies around the Mediterranean Sea
-Romans borrowed religious beliefs, alphabet, much of their art, military techniques and weaponry

Latins Settled First
-Descendants of Indo-Europeans
-Settled on the banks of the Tiber
-Situated trading ships- bu not war fleets- could navigate as far as Rome, but no further
-Many streams flowed into the Tiber
-There was a marshy area called the Forum, between Palatine and Capitoline Hills
-Tarquin the Proud's grandfather built the Cloaca Maxima (largest ancient trade), which channeled water into the Tiber
-1 of 2% of Washington DC was swampland
-Constitution Avenue is located on what used to be called Tiber Creek

The seventh and final king of Rome
-Known as Tarquin the Proud (sometimes referred to as Tarquin the Arrogant)
-A true tyrant, in the old and modern sense of the world
-The people's shock at this behavior made them never want to be subject to the rule of kings- attitude that lasted for centuries

More Time on Rome Projects

Today in class, we worked more on our Rome projects. Everyone told Mr. Schick what they were doing for their topic. Meredith and I decided to do Roman culture with food. We are going to bake Roman food and make a Samian vessel, to serve the food on. I think this project will be a lot of fun and I can't wait to get started!

Baltimore Riot

Today in class, we talked about the Baltimore riot that is going on. We talked about our opinions on the situation and thought all the violence should stop. This riot is so bad that they are shutting down schools in Baltimore cities. I think this is crazy and it needs to be stopped. Hopefully this riot will not last and things in Baltimore will be better.

Roman Forum, Colosseum, Aqueducts, and Circus Maximus

Today in class, we took notes on these Roman architectural areas.
 Roman Forum
-began as a market place, but became the economic, political, and religious hub, town square, and center of all Rome
-people first began meeting in forum around 500 BC
-central area of city
-site was originally an Etruscan burial ground
-first developed in the 7th century BC

Colosseum
-originally known as the Flavian Amphitheatre
-located east of the Roman Forum
-most famous monument
-built nearly 2000 years ago for hosting violent gladiator games
-commissioned around AD 70-72
-620 by 513 feet
-had seating for more than 50,000 spectators
-by 20th century, a combination of weather, natural disasters, neglect, and vandalism has destroyed two-thirds of the original Colosseum
-built in 70 AD

Aqueducts
-like a water bridge
-a water supply or navigable channel constructed to convey water
-were built from a combination of stone, brick, and the special volcanic cement pozzuolana
-challenging to build
-the word aqueducts, from Latin word water
-most Roman towns had at least one aqueduct to bring in fresh water, and big cities like Rome had ten or more

Circus Maximus
-Fire in 31 BC, destroyed the wooden structure, three fires
-used for events such as processions of gladiator combats, but most days only chariot races
-last race was held in 549 AD
-located between the Aventine and Palatine hills
-originally laid out in the 6th century
-oldest and largest public space in Rome

Roman Projects

Today in class, Mr. Schick gave us the day to plan out our Roman projects. Meredith and I Iooked for different foods to cook and how to present it. We found some neat recipes of what the Romans used to cook. We are going to start testing soon and trying to see what foods will be good to serve. This project will be a lot of fun and I hope to get a good grade!

Chi Cago

Today in class, we started off by reviewing the Rome power point. The office calls and says we have a special guest, so Mr. Schick goes to get him. "Chi Cago" comes into our class and starts rapping Rome lyrics to the song Low. It was such a fun class and the rap can help us study for the test!

Rome Power Point Continued..

Today in class, we took me notes on the Rome power point
Allies and Colonies
-Rome was military culture and made a number of improvements to the older Greek tactics
-Made their armies nimble and effective
-Aggressive, attacked people for land
-When conquering, tempted and became Romans
-Non-Romans in Italy tried everything to become a citizen of Rome
-"family father" could have their wife put to death
-provinces were ruled by Roman "pro-consuls"

Start of Rome Power Point

Today in class, we got our Greece papers back. My group did very well and got a 98. We started to review the Rome power point and take notes.
Rome
-Ninth century BC- Etruscans, Latins, and Greeks settle into Italy
-Greek colonies- Southern Italy
-Eighth century BC- settlements near mouth of Tiber River
-Italy and Its People
-Indo-European tribes moved in Italian peninsula
-myth: babies Remus & Romulus raised by a she wolf
-Romulus won agreement- called Rome
-Etruscan and Greek settlements influenced Romans
-Originally, Rome was a monarchy on Etruscan model with a council of elders called the "Senate"
-Senate was populated by patricians, the plebeians fought for a vote in Rome's government
-Patricians- rich men in charge, own a lot of land/ money
-Plebeians- ordinary citizens, lower class
-C. 500 BC, the Romans overthrew their monarchy and established a "Republic"
-Each had house of government
-Each year the Senate elected two rulers, "consuls" who each served a term of a year
-Romans would appoint a single dictator in times on war or conflict, 6 months, decisions
-The Roman Republic: The Senate and the People
-Eventually, the plebeians gained power in the Senate by electing their own magistrates, called "tribunes"
-In 450 BC, the laws of Rome were codified and written into the "Twelve Tablets"- listing of laws
-The "mixed government of patricians and plebeians had many of the checks and balances that modern democracies have today
-Republican values
-Romans had strong values and gods Jupiter (Zeus), Juno (Hera), and Minerva (Athena)
-Romans believed that is was every citizen's duty to participate in government and war, excluding women
-The Roman family and clan (group of related families) was paternalistic and the "family father" had complete control
-Married women were also revered in Rome as "matrons"

Rome Projects

Today in class, Mr. Schick talked about how we are going to learn about Rome next week. We talked about doing a project for Rome, and started thinking of ideas. Everyone has a choice of a power point or a project, but the projects would count as higher points. Meredith and I decided to do Roman food and about the ingredients they had back then. We talked to Mr. Schick about it and he thought it was a great and fun project. Can't wait to learn more about Rome!

Further into Allegory of the Cave

Today in class, we watched the rest of the Allegory of the Cave video. The video showed a man going to see the world, then coming back to the basement and getting made fun of by his peers. We talked about how this relates to Socrates and today life. Mr, Schick wanted us to share our opinion of things happening in our government. The video relates to being judged. This explains Socrates's quote, "The unexamined life is not worth living."

Allegory of Cave

Today in class, we started off by talking about Mr. Schick and his directing experiences. It was so cool to see the movies he assist directed, like Home Alone and Uncle Buck! He told us stories about the actors and actresses and everyone seemed really surprised. After we were done talking about that, we started to watch the Allegory of the Cave video. It started talking about illusions and seeing different things. We did not get to finish the video, so we will finish tomorrow.

Greece Review

First day back from break! Today in class, we reviewed the Greece test. I hoped to do better than I did, but now know what I got wrong. While we were reviewing, Mr. Schick talked about Oedipus and his story. The test can be very helpful for the exam on the last week of school. Mr. Schick was talking about how we only have 7 more weeks of school left. It seems like freshman year is going by so fast!

Greece Test

Mr. Schick is back! Today in class, we turned in our Greece papers and took the big test. Mr. Schick was explaining how the other class averaged at a 68, so most of us were nervous. I studied the notes we took in class, and watched most of the video. Some of the questions on the test were tough, but others I knew right away. Hopefully I did well on the test and obtain a good grade in West Civ.

Greece Paper

Today in class, we had Mr. Fendryk sub our class. We got in our groups and started working on the Greece paper. It was easier to go back to our power point and add it to our paper. We decided to have a rough draft ready for Monday, so we can look over it or change anything. I think my group will do a good job on this paper. Have fun in the Netherlands Mr. Schick- Plezier hebben in het Nederland Mr. Schick!

Fighting Spartans and Greek Gods

Fighting Spartans
-Greeks were certainly a warlike people- especially the Spartans
-sent to train at age 7
-Spartans were known for their tough, ruthless infantry: soldiers who fought on land

A Naval Power
-Athens had a great infantry, too, but nothing could compare with their navy
-most effective weapon-trireme
-a technological marvel
-fastest ship in the world at the time
-rowed up to 170 men on three levels
-could be used as a battering ram
-agile, fast

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

Philosopherlapalooza- Socrates
-looked to science and logic (not gods) for explanations of how the world worked
-Socratic Method- fostered critical thinking
-"the unexamined life is not worth living"
-Socrates was charged with serious crimes
     -Impiety (disrespecting the gods)
     -corrupting the youth of Athens
-at his trial, he described himself as a stinging gadfly, and Athens as a lazy old horse
-did not deny what he had done; asked for free dinners
-found guilty by an Athenian jury, and sentenced to death by drinking poison hemlock

Plato
-a student and follower of Socrates
-he wrote out Socrates' teachings, and described his trial in Apology
-Republic-justice

Aristole
-a student of Plato
-helped foster the idea of Athens as an intellectual destination
-his school- Lyceum- focused on cooperative research- building on knowledge gathered from all over the world
-had dream of having the sum of mankind's knowledge easily accessed in one location
-wrote on topics: logic-physics-biology, ethics-politics-rhetoric, motion-theatre- poetry, metaphysics-psychology-dreams...
-tutored Alexander the Great

Greece Gods and Goddesses

Today in class, we took more notes on the Greece power point.

Next in line...

-with Hippias gone, Isagoras and Cleisthenes (both were aristocrats) engaged in a power struggle

-Isagoras had support from other aristocrats, plus from Sparta

-Cleisthenes had support of the majority of Athens

Isagoras

-Isagoras becomes archon eponymous (tyrant)

-ostracizes Cleisthenes 

-Cleisthenes' supporters- revolt against Isagoras' tyranny

-trap Isagoras on the acropolis for two days- on the third day, he fled and was banished

-508 BCE

-Direct democracy

Cleisthenes and Democracy

Cleisthenes- a member of the elite

-very rich, insulated from the "hoi polloi"

-a crafty politician 

-saw the value of tapping into talents, intelligence, and refineries of the non-aristocrats (the middle class citizens) 

-no women

Gods and Goddesses 

-unique about Greeks' relationship- interaction with humans

-Poseidon (god of the sea) interfered with Odysseus returning home

-Aphrodite (goddess of love) had lovers of both gods and men

-Dionysus (god of wine) was son of Zeus (a god) and of Semele (a human princess)

-Zeus- ruler of heaven and earth; father of Athena; god of the sky, weather, thunder, lightning, law, order, and justice

-Had a temper and was known to hurl thunderbolts 

Athena

-goddess of wisdom, skill, warfare (& peace), intelligence, battle strategy, and handicrafts

-she was born from Zeus' head fully formed and armored

-a special patron of heroes- such as Odysseus

-she was the patron of Athens (city named after her)

-Apollo, Poseidon, Aphrodite, Demeter

Mr. Schick's Imaginary Wife

Today in class, Mr. Schick's computer wasn't working, so we had a group talk. It somehow lead to Mr. Schick talking about Taylor Swift. After that interesting conversation, we continued to present our Greece power points. We learned about great philosophers, Homer the storyteller, and warfare on land. My group got to present today, and I think we did a good job. We also talked about the 1,000 word essay, and how it should be done. Can't wait to learn more about Greece!

Greece Project Presentations

Today in class, we presented our Greece power points. We learned about Pericles and the Golden Age of Greece, Athens, Sparta, Peloponnesian War, and Athenian architecture. The slides looked great, and I thought all three groups did very well. Some things shocked me and were very interesting. Unfortunately, my group and two others did not get to go. We will be ready first mod on Monday!

Greece's Government

Transformation of Government
-During the seventh and sixth centuries BCE, aristocrats ran the show in most of Greece
-Rich people held much more influence in society, and held much more governmental power, than the middle class
-Aristocracy is rule by aristocrats
-They attended symposiums, meeting where the elite men would enjoy wine and poetry, performances by dancers and acrobats, and the company of hetaeras (courtesans) while discussing 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

Tyrants Seize Control
-Sometimes aristocrats would form alliances with hoplites (well-armed soldiers), and set up an alternative form of gov't called tyranny
tyrant- someone who rules outside the framework of the polis
modern meaning- an abusive or oppressive ruler
Greek meaning- someone who simply seized power (usually with the hoplite help)
-Hippias was a tyrant who ruled from 527 to 510 BCE
-His brother was murdered, and his rule became harsh
-Eventually he was expelled from Athens (this is called being ostracized)
-In revenge, he began working with the Persian King Darius I, helping them invade Marathon

St Patricks Day Party!

Today in class, Mr. Schick was not there and Mr. Kimble subbed. Last class, Mr. Schick mentioned something about bringing peanut butter and jelly to class. Since it was Kelsey and Pierce's birthday, and St. Patricks Day, we celebrated. I was surprised to see that Ryan actually brought peanut butter, Kelsey brought jelly, and Pierce brought bread. Alayna, Meredith, and I continued to work on our Greece project. Today's class was so fun, and Mr. Schick really missed out!

Greece Project Continued

Today in class, we continued to work on our Greece project. Alayna and I have worked together very well, and got done a lot of slides. We are almost finished the project, which is great. Unfortunately, Meredith wasn't there on Friday and today. We decided which part to leave Meredith to do, and what parts to add. Today we added more to his life, the Iliad and Odyssey, and him being a blind poet. We present our projects on Friday, and after that we will start working on the paper together.

Start of Greece Project

Today in class, we started to work on our Greece project. Before we started, Mr. Schick gave us back our pop quizzes. I finally got the double bell for getting 100%, and was very happy. Our class averaged at a 90.5%, which is a big improvement from last semester. After that, Alayna and I found many interesting topics about Homer. We are doing well on our power point, for only the first day. Our slides so far include who Homer was, his life, and his famous books.

Pop Quiz, Gumby Stories, and Babies Crying?

In class today, Mr Schick went over the slides we learned about Ancient Greece. We had a pop quiz, and only had ten seconds to answer each question. I got 100 on the quiz, and was happy I did well. The last slide of the test was a picture of a baby crying or a piece of cake. We got to answer Mr. Schick's favorite question "Are you crying?" After the quiz, we had time left so Mr. Schick told us his crazy gumby stories. The stories were really funny and class today was fun!

Greece Project

Topic: The Life and Writings of Homer

Meredith Engelhaupt 

Alayna Meekins

Kacey Newman

Further into Ancient Greece

-Ancient Greece is surrounded by the Aegean, Ionian, and Adriatic Sea

-Greece is a mountainous peninsula (covers 3/4 of Greece)

-1,400 islands in the seas

-This combination shaped Greece's culture

-They had many skilled sailors & shipbuilders

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

-difficult to unite Greece

-Known for olives- used for olive oil, and soap- also known for wine

-arable- good farming land

-valleys cover one quarter of peninsula , 20% is suitable for farming

-diet consists of grains, grapes, and olives

-lack of resources led to Greek colonization

-temperatures usually ranged mid 40s in winter and low 80s in summer

Mycenaeans 

-their influence began around 2000BCE

-located on a rocky ridge and protected by a 20-foot wall

-kings dominated Greece from 1600-1200BCE (400 years), controlled trade in the region

-1400BCE- Mycenaeans invaded Crete and absorbed Minoan culture and language "sea people" & Dorians

-around 1200BCE sea people began to invade Mycenae, burnt palace after palace

-Dorians moved into this war-torn region

-Dorians were far less advanced

-the trade-based economy collapsed

-writing disappeared for 400 years

Homer the storyteller

Greek oral tradition-stories passed on by word of mouth

-Homer lived at end of "Greek Dark Ages"

-composed stories of Trojan War c.750-700BCE

The Iliad- probably one of the last conquests of the Myceneans (Trojan War)

-The Odyssey- Odysseus attempt to return home, being thwarted by the angry god of the sea, Poseidon

-12,110 lines of dactylic hexameter

Did Homer actually exist?

-the "Homeric question"- Homer may have been a mythical creation himself

-a blind wandering minstrel; a heroic figure

Iliad and Odyssey may be the culmination of many generations of storytelling

Cyber Day.. Again

For today's cyber assignment we have to choose a Greek philosopher, and write about them.
Socrates
Socrates is a Greek philosopher born in Athens in 407 BC. He was a founder of  western philosophy. Socrates created the Socratic method, this method is the question and answer method. He was also sentenced to death because he worshiped false God's and corrupted the youth. Socrates could have escaped however he didn't. He was a true role model for everyone, with everything he has done. Standing up for what you believe in is truly amazing.

Mr. Schick Predicts the Future and the Weather?

Since we had a short class today, we talked about the weather coming up the next two days. Mr. Schick talked about how we will have a cyber day tomorrow, and how we might get off Friday as well. We started talking about cyber days, and what our cyber day could possibly be on Friday. This lead to Mr. Schick explaining how we should have class video chats on cyber days. He believes in the future, schooling will all be online. Somehow this technology talk, lead to chip trackers in the back of our heads. He talked about how everyone should have these, to track people down in case of an emergency. We also talked about how in the future, if you look into someones eyes you can tell what they are thinking. The future should be interesting, and I hope to get off school tomorrow!

Start of Ancient Greece

Today in class, we got back our Ancient Egypt test and reviewed the questions. We marked the ones we got wrong, to prepare for the final exam. After we went over the test, we started to look through the Greece power point. The world's great civilizations are all located on rivers, Mesopotamia (Tigris & Euphrates), Egypt (Nile River), India (Indus River), China (Huang He River). Greece is a peninsula on the Mediterranean Sea. It is known for olives, and making olive oil. Mediterranean- "terra" means Earth and people believed the Mediterranean was the "Middle of the Earth."

March 2

For today's cyber assignment, we are to take notes on Ancient Greece and answer the questions on the slides.
Ancient Greece
-The world's great civilizations, all located on rivers
Mesopotamia- Tigris & Euphrates Rivers
Egypt- Nile River
India- Indus River
China- Huang He River

Note the significance of Greece's location.
Greece is significant because it is located on the southernmost point of the Balkan Peninsula.

Describe Greece's topography.
Mountain ranges divide parts of Greece and plains are very small.

How would all of this affect their culture?
Location and topography are very important in creating civilizations. This could affect them if there were no seas for a water source.

What bodies of water surround Greece?
The three seas that surround Greece are the Aegean Sea, Ionian Sea, and Mediterranean Sea.

What large island is to the south/southeast?
The large island south/southeast is Crete, located at the southern edge of the Aegean Sea.

Describe where Athens and Sparta are located relating to the sea, and to each other.
Athens and Sparta are both located in southern Greece, Athens is on eastern and Sparta is western. There is a body of water between them, but do not separate.

February 27

Today in class, we took our Egypt test. Since we did not have class yesterday for cyber day, some people thought the test would get moved. Luckily, I checked the blog and it said it was today. I studied all my notes from the Egypt power point and Prezi. For this test, I remembered to put the honor code, instead of getting points taken off like last time. The test was all multiple choice and the main theme was about the Nile River. Overall, I got an 88, and I hopefully bring my grade up to an A.

February 25

Today in class, we took more notes from the Egyptian power point.
Land of the Pharaohs
The Nile and the "Two lands"
-Upper Egypt was a 500 mile long strip of fertile land along the Nile; Lower Egypt was the wide land of the Nile delta, emptying into the Mediterranean Sea
-The Nile was the major provider of life for the Egyptians and was much revered in love and writing
-around 3100BC the two land were united under a "pharaoh"

Government by a God-King
-Pharaoh- all powerful, worshiped as a god and intimately connected to the other major Egyptian gods and goddesses
-Egyptians relied on a harmony and balance of the universe, which they called the "Maat"
-Multiple wives, and all routes to financial and social success were through the palace
-Women could inherit money and land, and divorce their husbands, though only a tiny few ever wielded real political power

The Writing of the Words of God
-earliest Egyptian writing formed c.3100BC and were small pictures known as hieroglyphs
-Hieroglyphics represented religious words, or parts of words, and most commonly adorned temples
-Hieratic script was a shorthand developed by scribes and priests
-Usually written in ink on papyrus, which was made from mashed Nile reeds

Calendars and Sailboats
-created with 12 months and 365 days to make sense of the seasonal cycles
-Egyptian doctors wrote extensively on health issues and created potions and cures for a number of common ailments
-Wooden sailboats were constructed to increase transport ability on the Nile

Pyramids and Temples
-Massive tombs, originally covered in marble
-The temple of Amon at Karnak- largest religious building in world, also made out of blocks
-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

February 24

Today in class, we played the pyramid challenge game and worked in pairs. The first two pairs got an A, the next two got a B, if you finished in class you got a C, and if you didn't you got a 0. We started the challenge with picking the location, in which we want the pyramid to be built. Then we chose the angles and the type of rock to built the pyramid in. We had a choice on the workforce of slaves, craftsmen, farmers, and officials. It also gave us choices on food for the workers, how often they would get fed, and what supplies you would give them. Then, we would sail on the Nile to the location of the pyramid. We learned all about reference lines and ramp theories. We built the pyramid, and that was the end of the game. Meredith and I finished second in our class, and got an A. We were so happy we finished quickly, and got a good grade.

February 23

Pyramid Quest
In 802AD, the youngest son of Harun Al Rasheed set camp at the base of the pyramid at Cheops. The great pyramid "touched the sky" as described in his time. He brought hundreds of stone makers, engineers, and architects. His quest was to find the pharaoh's treasure and to discover the secret of the weapon that does not rust from blood and water, and glass that bends, but does not break. The Scribes believed the pyramids were guarded by The Sphinx, which they called "The Beast." This "Beast" is a statue, with a lions body and the head of a sage. The pyramids back then are different, from today. The sides were polished and not even a blade could go through them. On the side of the pyramid there is a stone that can be moved. Lifting the stone reveals a lifting passage to the pharaoh's grave. All the stones looked alike and was impossible to find the right one. They found no treasure inside, and there was nothing in the pharaoh's chamber. Under the pharaoh's chamber, was the queen's chamber which is sealed to this very day. The lowest part of this pyramid is the Grotto, which is not looked at.

Mummification
In the first century AD, Heracletes died at about 20 years old. Mummification was invented by the Egyptians, to preserve the body for afterlife. Usually all internal organs were removed before mummification, except the heart. This time, the heart was removed, but the lungs were not. Next, the body was covered in salt, and left for about 40 days, until all moisture was eliminated. Perfumed oils and plant resins were rubbed on the body. They used plant resin as glue, to seal the linen, that was wrapped around the body. The mummy was placed on a wooden board, and more wrappings bound them together. A pouch, of a religious significance, was placed on the chest. A waiting bird, called a mummified ibis, was placed on the abdomen. Long linen strips further secured the wrapping. A portrait of Heracletes was placed on the face and more linen was added. The linen was painted red, which is rare. Egyptian symbols of rebirth and protection, were painted with pigments and gold, on the last layer. Finally Heracletes name was written at the feet in Greek. Heracletes body is with us today.

Crash Course
Ancient Egyptian civilizations lasted from 3000BCE to 332BCE. The Nile shaped world view for the Egyptians. It was the safest and richest agricultural nation in the world. Flooding left rich silt for planting. The Egyptians would through the seeds, and cattle or pigs would press the seeds down. This lead to a surplus of food. Egyptian communities only existed along the Nile. They used basin irrigation, formed a basin and flooded with water. They had big surpluses, but only had to do little work. Pharaohs were worshiped and seen as gods. There were three categories in the Egyptian times, Old Kingdom, Middle Kingdom, and New Kingdom. The Old Kingdom is when the pyramids were built.

February 20

For today's cyber day assignment, we had to write about the different inventions of Egyptians.

1. Sun Clocks- The moving shadows of the sun helped determine the hours of the day. Their moving shadows formed a sundial, and they started using this around 1500 BC. This is an important invention for the Egyptians, to know the time of day it is.

2. Calendar- Egyptians used the solar system to help with the invention of the calendar. Their calendar was like our modern day calendar, but they made a Leap year calendar. This calender would add one day every four years. The calendar was important for Egyptians to know what day it is and when the Nile River would flood.

3. Ox Drawn Plow- Egyptians used plows to help farm quicker. The animals would have these plows attached to them, and would pull the plow. This was important because they could produce more food faster than by hand-working.

4. Hieroglyphics- Egyptians would use this, a writing system using symbols. In the hieroglyphic alphabet, each symbol would stand for a letter. This was important to communicate with others and without this, we wouldn't have letters or numbers.

5. Pyramids- They would built tall pyramids for the Pharaoh. Most of these were built as tombs, and would take the Pharaoh's whole reign to build. This was important to show how important the Pharaohs were to the Egyptians.

February 18

Today in class, we got back our Guns, Germs, and Steel test. We went over the test and marked the right answers, for the ones we got wrong. The test will be helpful for our final exam, to use to study the material. After checking the test, we reviewed our cyber homework. Our homework was to copy the rest of the notes from the Prezi, and post it to our blog. We reviewed some of the Prezi power point, and learned a lot more about Egypt. We looked at some pictures that were interesting.


Drawn by an Egyptian of a slave/servant working with a plow and cattle.


Artisans would carve statues in their belief of afterlife.

February 17

Today we didn't technically have class, it was a cyber day. I reviewed the Prezi power point and took notes from where we left off:
-slaves/servants helped the wealthy with household and child raising duties
-raised wheat, barley, lentils, onions- benefited from irrigation of the Nile
-artisans would carve statues and reliefs showing military battles and scenes in the afterlife
-money/barter system was used- merchants might accept bags of grain for payment- later, coinage came about
-scribes kept records, told stories, wrote poetry, described anatomy, and medical treatments
-they wrote in hieroglyphs and in hieratic
-soldiers used wooden weapons (bows&arrows, spears) w/ bronze wips and might ride chariots
-upper class, known as the "white kilt class"- priests, physicians, engineers
Religious and political leader
Pharaohs
-the political and religious leader of the Egyptian people, holding the titles: 'Lord of the Two Lands' and 'High Priest of Every Temple'
-as 'Lord of the Two Lands' the pharaoh was the ruler of Upper and Lower Egypt. He owned all land, made laws, collected taxes, and defended Egypt against foreigners
-Hatshepsut was a woman who served as pharaoh
-Cleopatra VII also served as pharaoh, but much late (51-30BC)
Goddesses & Gods
-over 2000 gods & goddesses
-they "controlled" the lives of humans

February 11

Today in class we took notes on an Ancient Egypt video. Here are the notes I took:

Geography

-Egyptian life is centered around the Nile River

-flows from south to north

-three seperate rivers converged- Nile river 

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

-first people in the world to invent sailboat

-every July the river floods

-every October it leaves behind rich soil-silt

-the delta is a broad, marshy triangular area of fertile silt

-managing the river required technological breakthroughs

Pyramids 

The Great Sphinx of Giza

-built 2555-2532BC (4,547 years old)

-a recumbent lion with a human'a head

-oldest monumental statue in the world

Daily life

(Egyptian life pyramid)

Pharaoh 

Government officials- Nobles, Priests 

Soldiers

Scribes

Merchants 

Artisans 

Farmers

Slaves and Servants

February 9

Today in class, we took the civilization test. Mr. Schick gave us a few minutes to study before, and I felt confident on what I studied. The test was all multiple choice and no written answers. Some of the questions on the test were hard to answer, so I put the best answer possible. Most questions we went over in class and I knew from the video. Studying my notes in my blog helped a lot for this test. I think I should have studied more about Jared Diamond and the food sources. Hopefully I did well on this test and it doesn't bring my grade down.

February 6

Today in class, we finished watching the video on civilization and Jared Diamond. We learned a lot about the lifestyle about the people of Papa new guinea. We reviewed questions about about what we learned. Some of the questions were:
What do the people of Papa new guinea eat?
They eat many things like sago from sago trees, hunt for deer and small animals, big spiders, tarrow root and much more.

Where is Papa new guinea located?
Papa new guinea is an island between Asia and Australia.

What three things do all great civilizations have in common?
Advanced technology, large populations, and a well organized work force.

What was the question Jared Diamond received when he first entered the island?
"Why do white men have lots of cargo but we don't?"

How many domesticated animals?
Just 14 in 10,000 years

What food source is America known for?
Corn, squash, and beans

What food source is Africa known for?
sorghum, milet, and yams

What is the Draa?
Middle East, carbonating, very first permanent settlement, small village

What is the ganary?
a food storage, dirt walls, and allows you to keep grain there for grinding for food, durable to be stored for years

What is China known to grow?
rice

What was Jared Diamond's answer by the end of the video?
"geography" If your men could build airplanes and more, you would have more cargo.

-Wheat is not native to the Americans
-Pigs used to help with food
-crops reached Egypt
-drout for more than 10,000 years

February 4

Today in class, we had an lock down and shelter drill. We learned that if there was a shooter or we needed to be on lock down, that we lock the door, pull down the blind, and go against the wall nearest to the door. We watched more of the video on Jared Diamond, and took some notes:
Fertile Crescent
-best crops and farm animals
-new skills and technology
-found that heating stone will create steel for homes, keep wind away
-bronze, iron, steel
-1,000 years abandoned, climate too dry
-crops reached Egypt- caused explosion of civilization
-Armys of people required to build pyramids
-Americas composed 20 tons of wheat per year

February 3

Today in class, we took more notes on the video of Jared Diamond.
China grows rice
Americas- corn, squash, and beans
Africa- sorghum, milet, and yams
Big spiders- protein
If you had the most productive crops, you were a productive farmer
(It was geographic luck)
hunt and kill- weapons or rocks
raising own animals, something to eat
supply of milk and wool
milk-on going protein
wool-clothing and for warmth
animal waste- fertilizer
goats and sheep were the first
horse harvest to a plow allowed more food to feed people
almost all farm work was done by hand
have to weigh 100 lbs or more
carnivore- kill and eat other animals
148 domestic animals out of 2 million
goats, sheep, pigs, cows, horses, donkeys, bactrian camels, Arabian camels, water buffalo, llamas, reindeer, yaks, mithan, bali cattle- all domesticated
Just 14 in 10,000 years
South America- llamas
cows, pigs, sheep, and goats- food
Fertile Crescent-best animals and farming in the Ancient world

February 2

Today in class, we took notes on a video about Jared Diamond. Here are some notes I took:
Guns, Germs, and Steel
Jared Diamond
-papuanewguinea- island between Asia and Australia
-living about 30 or 40 thousands years ago
-"Why do white men have lots of cargo and we don't?"
cargo-possessions and wealth
-record players and guns- carried whites across river
-all great civilizations have had these in common: advanced technology, large populations, and a well organized work force
-sego- important source of food
men- hunters women-gatherers
barely and wheat
drout lasted more than a thousand years
Draa- Middle East, carbonating, very first permanent settlement, small village
-village first emerged 11 1/2 thousand years ago
-granary- food storage, dirt walls, allows you to keep grain there for grinding for food, believe it was an oval shaped mud wall, durable to be stored for years
domestication- study of amount and traits of plants, various grains

January 30

Today in class, we took our test on Prehistory to Mesopotamia. We got to use our blog, but I have been sick for a couple days, so I did not have a lot of the power point. Luckily, last night I did the questions and defined the vocab on Mr. Schick's blog. The questions helped a lot for this test, and the vocab helped me understand what the words mean. Some of the blanks were hard to figure out, and I thought of the best answer. One of the written questions I wasn't sure about, but hopefully I did alright. I hope I did well on this test, so it doesn't bring my grade down.

January 29 Test Review

When and where did humans beings first emerge?
Human species began to emerge in Southwestern Africa 200,000 years ago.

Why did the period known as "prehistory" end?
Ended around 3200 BC

What made the rise of civilization possible?
Wandering nomads drove herds of domesticated animals in many areas, especially to the south of Sumer in Arabia

Name some early technological innovations.
Wheel and plow

How did hunter/gatherers live?
Hunt for food, women would take care of children and store food

Who was King Hummurabi, and why was he important?
He created a series of laws known as "Hummurabi's Code"- laws that included "an eye for an eye" and regulations of marriage, divorce, and punishments for all sorts of crimes.



prehistory- human history, in the period before record events
Paleolithic Age- second part of the Stone Age beginning about 75,000 to 500,000 years BC
Neolithic Age- "New Stone Age" a period in the development of human technology, beginning about 10,200 BC
Agricultural Revolution- a period of transition from the pre-agricultural period characterized by a Paleolithic diet
cuneiform- earliest system of writing
ziggurat- a Sumerian temple built on top of a "mountain" of earth
Indo-Europeans- people from the grasslands of the Russian steppe who introduced the horse the the Near East

January 29

I was sick today, and was not in class.

January 28

I was home sick today, and was not in class.

January 23

Today in class, we went over a power point on civilization. We learned a lot about The Prehistoric Era and Mesopotamia such as:

Paleolithic age- earliest prehistoric age
-14,000 years ago- worldwide human race (Stone Age)
Neolithic Age- marked by advanced tool (New Stone Age), marking and the beginnings of agriculture
-migratory groups- hunted, fished, gathered plants for food
The Prehistoric Era was also known as "Neolithic Revolution"
-populations rose due to increased ability to care for young children
-invention of the wheel and plow made it possible to produce enough food for storage
-villagers were polytheists, worshiped multiple nature, human and animal gods
Mesopotamia- district known as Sumer-occupied between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers
-Cities and towns were founded, 40,000 inhabitants
-better food storage allowed for diversity in professions: priests, tradesmen, artisans, politicians, farmers
- Sumerians invented-earliest form of writing called "cuneiform"
-Kings emerges, as did family dynasties and the concept of the "city-state"

January 20

Today in class, I entered the classroom and there were some new students in our class this semester. I was excited to see some of my friends I've already known, because I have no other classes with them. We went over the blog and explained it to the new students. Mr. Schick got a new blog called "the west civ blog" instead of "our human geo." I had to make a new blog for West Civ because we didn't need our human geo blogs anymore. We explained that if you didn't do your blog every night, your grade is going to drop by a lot of points. My goal is to do my blog every day and not worrying about my grade dropping. I think we have a really good West Civ class this semester and I'm excited to learn more from Mr. Schick!