Letter to Future Me

Dear Future Me,
   
     Hi future me. I'm writing this because I'm being told to by Mr. Schick, but I think this is a cool idea anyways. You're probably reading this as a person who's a lot older than I am now. I'm not sure if you could ever forget it, but if you did I want to remind you of the time in our life when we couldn't go to school in person and everyone was going crazy over toilet paper. I'm talking about the Coronavirus if you haven't figured it out yet. The last few weeks have been absolutely terrible. I've been in the SAME house with the SAME people for months. Sure, they're family, but they can be so annoying! I feel like Maryland is the strictest state in the whole country! My grandparents were traveling around and visiting all of my aunts, uncles, and cousins throughout the country, and they didn't even have to wear masks when they were going into stores! To make matters worse, our family vacation to Florida was canceled. Twice! Remember how we always go to Disney World over Spring/Easter break, we didn't this year! Because of all of this stuff going on we had to cancel the first trip, but we planned a second one a little later. Then, the second one was cancelled too! That was probably worse than the first time it was cancelled because we somehow got first class seats and we've NEVER flown first class before. I was so close to enjoying them, but no! Stupid Corona had to ruin things once again. My dad decided that over the summer we'll take a road trip down to Florida instead, and we'll stop by Hilton Head on the way down. At least that's something to look forward to. At this time, I'm not even sure if school will reopen in the fall. I hope it does because I'm not sure how much longer I'll be able to keep working hard on my school work when I'm not even in school. I hope you never forgot how awful online live classes were. I had one almost everyday while Lauren only had like two during the whole time. Don't even get me started on Madison. Since she was a senior and graduated, she got out of school earlier than the rest of us. I hated how she walked around the house while I was trying to get my work done. I still give her glares to let her know how mad I am that she doesn't have to do any work. Nick is the only one that's ok. But he is still annoying. You'd think that since he's in 4th grade he'd be able to do his own work, NO. My mom practically does all the work for him, and when she tries to get him to keep working instead of playing with his legos, he starts getting whiny, and it's really ANNOYING when I'm in the other room trying to get my work done! Yes, I have to do it downstairs because I don't have a desk in my room and I also have to share a room with Lauren. So she get's the room and I get the dining room table. Everything just keeps getting worse. All of the summer soccer trainings and the 6V6 league have been CANCELLED until further notice. That's going to make it really hard for me to keep in shape and be ready for tryouts in August. I just hope that school will be open then, so I can play soccer with the school again. I had so much fun this year playing with the team and making lots of new friends. I feel bad for all of the incoming freshman who want to play soccer but didn't have a chance to go to the first meeting and have all of the experiences I did during the summer. This quarantine period has made me learn new things. I've started learning how to play my guitar, hopefully future me still knows how to. I've also painted rocks and they look pretty good. I've also started making a bucket list in my head of all the things I want to do one day. It might sound cliche but I've always wanted to go skydiving, even though I'd probably be really scared in the moment. I also want to go scuba diving with sharks, preferably hammerheads (since there my favorite shark). I want to go rock climbing on a real rock wall on like the side of a mountain. Hopefully by the time you're reading this, I've done some of these things. This quarantine made me realize that I shouldn't take what I have for granted. I want to remind future me to live life to the fullest. Also, smile and laugh everyday because it makes you a happier person.

Sincerely,
Caroline      

Aftermath of Julius Caesar's Assassination

Octavian (Caesar's grandnephew & adopted son) takes over and forms his won triumvirate. The people in his Triumvirate are Mark Antony (experienced general) & Lepidus (powerful politician). This is the Second Triumvirate. Octavian forces Lepidus to retire and Mark Antony and Octavian become rivals. Antony partners up with Cleopatra from Egypt for military, personal, economic, and political reasons. Octavian defeats them at the Battle of Actium. Octavian becomes the unchallenged leader of Rome. He was given the titles "Augustus" (exalted one) and "imperator" (supreme military commander). Rome became an empire instead of a republic. Octavian ruled for 40 years. He began a period of peace and prosperity called Pax Romana (Roman Peace). Pax Romana lasted for 207 years. Octavian expanded the Roman Empire into Africa. He set up civil service to run the government of the empire. He built a network of roads, collected taxes, established a postal service, administered the grain supply, built public facilities (aqueducts, etc.), set up a police department, and ran a firefighting organization. He finally died of natural causes. After Octavian died the power was passed down to more emperors. Tiberius ruled from AD 14 - AD 37. He was a great general but a reluctant emperor. After his son died, he exiled himself from Rome and left his prefects in charge. He died at the age of 77. Caligula ruled from AD 37 to AD 41 (only 4 years). He won a power struggle after Tiberius' death. He was known for his cruelty, extravagance, and perversity. He was assassinated by a group of government involved people who wanted to reestablish the republic, but it didn't work. Claudias ruled from AD 41 to AD 54. He suffered from a lot of illnesses like a limp, stammering, shaking, and slobbering, probably from having cerebral palsy. He took over because he was the last adult male of the family. He ruled well. He built roads, aqueducts, canals, and started the conquest of Britain. He died by poisoning. It was his wife's plan because she wanted her son (Nero) to rise to power. Nero ruled from AD 54 to AD 68. He emphasized the arts. There was a huge fire in AD 64. He wanted to rebuild Rome to be more majestic. He overspent his money and raided temples to get more. Historians don't like him. These are some of the emperors of Rome.

TEST DATE & more notes

I will take the test on Rome on June 2 at 1:25 to 2:15 with the rest of the Honors 201 class.

In order to keep the Plebeians happy they gave them free grain form the state and entertainment to keep them distracted and docile. Tiberius Gracchus recognized the advantages of paying attention to the plebs. Military generals would work that angle. They would led an army to conquer a some type of land and then give the soldiers a share in the spoils. A soldiers's loyalty was to their military general not Rome. Julius Caesar was a successful military general. he conquered the territory of Gaul. He made the common folk happy and made friends with high up people. Pompey and Crassus were two of these people. These three men formed the first Triumvirate. Crossing the Rubicon was crossing he point of no return. Caesar serves as consul and appoints himself governor of Gaul. Pompey was jealous and became his rival. Pompey's and Caesar's armies fought with each other and Caesar are out as the winner. In 44 BC, he is named dictator. At first it was only six months but later he was named dictator for life. Caesar granted citizenship to people in provinces. He expanded the Senate by adding his friends. He created jobs for the poor. He increased pay for soldiers. He started colonies where those without land could own property. Caesar was assassinated because the senators saw Caesar's rise in power as a huge threat and political viability. They lured him into the senate and stabbed him. Some of his allies were involved. The senators weren't punished.Octavian was named Julius Caesar's sole heir. This was basically the end of the republic.

ESSAY QUESTION CHOICE

My choice for the essay is option A. Compare and contrast the government of Ancient Rome with the government of the modern-day United States.

The Roman Empire

• the creation of the Roman Empire transformed Roman government, society, economy, & culture
• The Roman Empire has served throughout history as a model of political organization & control

IMOPORTANT TERMS:

• civil war : conflict between groups within the same country
• Julias Caesar : military leader who took over Rome
• triumvirate : group of 3 rulers
• Augustus : title given to Octavian meaning "exalted one"
• Pax Romana : "Roman peace"

The Republic Collapses

• Rome's increasing wealth and expanding boundaries brought many problems
• these problems led to a shakeup of the republic & the emergence of a new political system
• Economic Turmoil
• as Rome grew - the gap between rich and poor people widened
• small farmers found it difficult to compete with the large estates run by the labor of enslaved people
• 2 brothers (Tiberius & Gaius Gracchus) attempted to help the poor
• they were tribunes - proposed laws that limited the size of estates and gave land to the poor
• brothers made enemies with lots of senators - both met violent deaths
• after their deaths came civil war
• Military Upheaval
• as the republic became more unstable military generals started seizing power for themselves 
• it was now possible for a military leader supported by his own troops to take over by force
• Julius Caesar Takes Control
• joined forces with Crassus and Pompey-helped him to be elected as consul
• appointed himself governor of Gaul
• Pompey feared Caesar because of his success-so Caesar followed his orders and disbanded his legions and returned home
• Caesar defied the senate's order
• the senate appointed him dictator - he was named dictator for life
• Caesar's Reforms
• Caesar governed as an absolute ruler
• he started a lot of reforms that helped a lot of people
• people started to fear him so they planned his assassination and murdered him
• Beginning of The Empire
• After Caesar's death another civil war broke out
• Octavian, Mark Antony, & Lepidus formed the Second Triumvirate
• After a lot of arguments, rivalry, and suicides - the Second Triumvirate disbanded and Octavian became an unchallenged ruler of Rome

A Vast and Powerful Empire

• period of peace and prosperity
• A Sound Government
• Romans held their empire together through efficient government and able rulers
• Augustus was Rome's ablest ruler
• after he died, the system of government he created remained stable
• Rome expanded, became huge, & now includes many different people, languages, and customs
• Agriculture and Trade
• agriculture was the most important industry in the empire
• having common coinage made trade between different parts of the empire easy
• Rome had a vast trading network - even traded with China & India
• complex network of roads linked Rome to far away places

The Roman World

• Rome emphasized the values of discipline, strength, and loyalty
• most people in the Roman Empire lived on the country side & worked on farms
• Slaves and Captivity
• slavery was a significant part of Roman life
• they could be punished, rewarded, set free, or put to death as their master see fit
• they worked in cities and on farms
• more than a million slaves lost their lives attempting to gain their freedom
• Gods and Goddesses 
• the earliest Romans worshipped powerful spirits or divine forces (numina) that they thought lived in everything around them
• they gave names to these powerful gods and goddesses & honored them through various rituals, hoping to gain favor and avoid misfortune
• government and religion were linked 
• worship of the empire also became part of the official religion of Rome
• Society and Culture
• wealth and social status made huge differences in how people lived
• most people in Rome barely had the necessities of life
• much of the city's population was unemployed
• the government supported these people with daily rations of grain
• to distract and control the masses of Rome, the government provide free games, races, mock battles, and gladiator contests
• during Pax Romana, the practice of Christianity emerged

Punic Wars

The Punic Wars were three wars fought between Rome and Carthage. The first Punic War was a naval battle on the sea. The battle was for control of the island Sicily. Rome won this one. The second Punic War was supposed to be for control of Rome but Carthage never made it. General Hannibal from Carthage was leading the charge. He decided to attack Rome from the North after crossing through Iberia and the Alps on elephants. They lay siege to most of the peninsulas for fifteen years but can never get to Rome. The third Punic War was led by Rome in the hopes of destroying Carthage forever. Scipio, Tiberius Gracchus, and others attacked the city.  Carthage was burned for 17 days. When the war ended, the rest of the people in the city were sold into slavery. All of Carthage's other owned land/areas were also taken by Rome. After all of the wars, there were so many slaves that small farmers were losing their farms to aristocrats, who could buy put their farms and purchase slaves to work on them. Carthage and Rome fought these wars because they both saw each other as threats.

Tarquin & The NEW Government

Tarquin was a tyrant who technically wasn't even in line for the throne. Tarquin's grandfather died and his wife appointed some random guy to be the new king because she liked him better than her own sons. He has two daughters that marry some brothers. One of the daughters killed her sister and her own husband. Then she marries Tarquin, who was her sister's husband. She convinced Tarquin to take the throne. Tarquin sat on the throne and declared himself king and when the real king objected, Tarquin threw him down the stairs and paid people to assassinate him. The daughter sees her dad's body on her way home and runs over his body with the chariot. Tarquin refused to have his body buried and assassinated any senators who objected. A few years after that, Tarquin's son basically tried to rape some girl and when she was refusing, he blackmailed her. The girl gave in to the blackmail, confessed to her family, and then committed suicide. Tarquin tried to make everyone forget about it, but the people rose against the whole family and kicked them out of Rome. After that, the people of Rome didn't want to be ruled by another king. Instead of a king they elected two consuls. The consuls had a year in office and they could only be aristocrats. The plebeians got tired of this and kind of went on strike. They refused to serve in the military until laws were written out. The Romans made a new form of government called a democracy. The US government is pretty similar to the ancient Roman government. They both have three branches and a legal code. The two consuls are kind of like the President and Vice President. This is what we learned today about ROME.    

ROME

There were three main groups of people who settled Rome. The Etruscans came from the north-central part of the peninsula and were metalworkers, artists, and architects. The Greeks had many colonies around the Mediterranean Sea. The Romans borrowed ideas from them like religious beliefs, alphabet, art, and military techniques and weaponry. The first settlers were the Latins. They were the descendants of the Indo-Europeans. They settled on the banks of the Tiber. They were situated so that only trading ships could go as far as Rome, but no further. The had a commercial ports that wasn't susceptible to attack. They built Rome on 7 hills. Tarquin the Proud's grandfather built the largest ancient drain called the Cloaca Maxima, which channeled swamp water into the Tiber. Tarquin the Proud was the 7th and last king of Rome. He was also called Tarquin the Arrogant. He was a tyrant. That's what we learned today on Rome.

CHI CAGO

I think that this song was amazing. I didn't know what was going on until I pulled up the lyrics as the song was playing. I wish we all could have been in class to actually witness a concert by Chi Cago. The song really hit on all of the things that we were learning about Rome. I loved this song so much that I showed it to my brother, who started dancing to it. Today would be one of those days where you really miss not being in the actual school building. I think you should have made a music video with this song instead of just the audio. Even though we're not going back to school this year, you should definitely sing this song live to us when we come back.

Twelve Tables

The Twelve Tables weren't a constitution, they were a group of customary laws that reflected the rural aspect of living in Rome. They were originally carved on wooden tablets and on display for everyone to see. Then, they were upgraded to bronze tablets. The Romans would memorize what was on them. The laws that were on the Twelve Tables were proposed at Tribal Assemblies. Someone would propose a law, then they would discuss the law, finally they would vote on the law. There were many different types of laws. The Twelve Tables were basically the first written down laws in Rome. They also became the basis for other Roman laws.

Ancient Roman Architecture

This is the ancient Roman aqueducts. It transported fresh water to heavily populated areas in Rome.

Patricians VS Plebeians

I think that the main difference between the patricians and plebeians is their wealth. The patricians all come from rich and wealthy families while the plebeians come from working class families. If I lived back then I would guess that the patricians are the rich, snobby, self-absorbed people. They probably only cared about themselves and their rich friends. I would guess that the plebeians are the nice, friendly, hardworking, helpful people. There are more plebeians than patricians. The plebeians have to actually work hard for what they have while the patricians are just born into their wealth. Of course there were probably some mean plebeians and nice patricians. The Greek versions of the patricians would be the aristocrats and other wealthy people involved in politics. The Greek versions of the plebeians would be the anyone below the top class, so they would be the working class and lower.

Important Terms

Republic : a form of government in which power rests with citizens who have the right to vote for their leaders

Patrician : wealthy landowners who held most of the power

Plebeian : common farmers, artisans, and merchants who made up the majority of the population

Tribune : elected representative that protected the rights of plebeians

Consul : commanded the army and directed the government

Senate : the aristocratic branch of Rome's government

Dictator : a leader who had absolute power to make laws and command the army

Legion : a large military unit

Punic Wars : three wars fought between Rome and Carthage

Hannibal : a brilliant military strategist who wanted to avenge Carthage's early defeat. He led a sneak attack through the alps where a bunch of his men and elephants died before reaching their target.

Essay Question

My essay question is : Describe the two dramas in Ancient Greece and make connections to modern day movies or plays. The first paragraph will mention the two dramas (comedies and tragedies) and will say where they were performed. The second paragraph will talk about comedies. It will define them and have some other information on them. The third paragraph will be like the second one only instead of talking about comedies it will talk about tragedies. The fourth paragraph will make connections to modern movies and plays and Ancient Greek plays. The fifth paragraph will wrap everything up and make sure everything is explained properly in the other paragraphs and conclude the essay.

Objective Questions For Test

1. A close-rank, dense grouping of warriors armed with long spears and interlocking shields was called the __________. (PHALANX)

2. Who was a student of Socrates?
      a. Aristotle                c. Protagoras
      b. Plato                     d. Alexander the Great

3. Who taught Alexander the Great?
     a. Aristotle                c. Protagoras
     b. Plato                     d. Socrates

4.  The two dramas performed in Ancient Greece were _________ and ___________.
     (COMEDIES; TRAGEDIES)

5. Alexander the Great's horse was named _____________. (BUCEPHALUS)

Plato's Best and Worst Ideas

1. How did Plato define The Forms?
- The ideal versions of the things and concepts we see around us.

2. Who are the three groups in Plato’s ideal society?
- Producers, the military, and the rulers.

3. What were Plato’s thoughts on women?
- He thought that women were equally able to rule but his thoughts were inconsistent and sometimes he referred to them as children. He also thought that their womb was a living creature that caused illness.

4. What was the Noble Lie that Plato proposed?
- We are all born with gold, sliver, or a mixture of brass and iron in our souls, which determined our role in life.

Greek Poem ~ Bucephalus and Alexander

Bucephalus was wild and crazed

till Alexander came his way.

He showed Bucephalus to have no fear 

for his huge shadow was his only rival.

Together they rode to battle their foes

Alexander and Bucephalus conquered them all. 

While Alexander was away,

his enemies took their chance.

They kidnapped his horse and locked him up

until Alexander got fed up.

He showed no mercy to the captors

and threatened to slaughter every citizen.

Bucephalus was quickly returned 

and the pair was reunited, 

together again, as one.

No good things ever last, 

Bucephalus was hurt real bad. 

His battle wounds ran to deep,

and in the end he was deceased.

Filled with grief of his passed friend,

he named a city after him.

Bucephalus and Alexander had a bond stronger than most,

together they showed how true friendship works. 

Greek Architecture

This is a parthenon from Ancient Greece. It was a temple dedicated to the goddess Athena. Its decorative sculptures are considered some of the high points of Greek art. It's one of the world's greatest cultural monuments. I think an acropolis and parthenon are basically the same thing.

This is the Porch of the Caryatids. It's a temple for the middle classical period of Greek art and architecture. It was built on the Acropolis of Temple and represented sanctuaries to Greek gods. You can tell it's old by the worn down look of these statues.

Dramas Performed in Greece

There were two kinds of drama performed in Greece. They were tragedy and comedy. A tragedy was a serious drama about common themes like love, hate, war, or betrayal. They featured a map character called a tragic hero. The hero was usually gifted with cool abilities but a tragic flaw causes his downfall. This tragic flaw was often excessive pride. A comedy contained scenes filled with slapstick situations and crude humor. They often made fun of politics and important leaders. I recently rewatched Captain America: Civil War. This movie is like an Ancient Greek tragedy. It's like a tragedy because the main characters both have special abilities that make them seem more important than other people. Captain America has superhuman strength and speed and Ironman has his cool suit. I think that Ironman has the main tragic flaw in this movie, since his anger leads him into a fight with Captain America, which causes his suit to be destroyed by him. All of the characters featured in this movie have an excessive amount of pride just like that of a Greek tragedy. Their pride in proving that they are right causes the two sides to begin an epic battle that leaves both sides wondering why they're fighting in the first place when the battle seems to be over. This movie could also be like a Greek comedy since it has a lot of funny situations involved in it as well.

The theatre from Ancient Greece is outside. It looks like it has many seats for lots of people to come and enjoy. The actors would perform in that middle section and also on that stage. I think that Greece was one of the first places to invent theaters.

Today's Events VS Past Events

We've been studying Greece and the people who ruled it over time. In the past, Athens was hit with a plague too. Although Coronavirus isn't exactly the plague, it's kind of acting like one would. The people who reigned over Greece are also, in a way, like the political leaders trying to calm everyone down. Pericles was a crafty politician, inspirational speaker, and revered general. Our current president is defiantly not a general, but he is a crafty politician and inspirational speaker like Pericles. Pericles kept everyone in his city from turning into criminals. I know that our governor announced that he would send put people in jail if we were out of our houses in large groups for anything other than grocery shopping. People today look at political leaders for guidance on what they should and shouldn't do. I think that without good leaders the whole nation would be in a bigger panic than they already are and the whole economy would start to collapse. When looking back at history, it seems that our current situation isn't that different from the past. I researched how many Coronavirus cases there were in Greece right now and there were more than a thousand. That's still less than how many people died in Greece from that plague. The difference, though, is that this virus is affecting the whole world and that disease only affected Athens. If America acted like Greece in the past, then we would probably call on the gods to help cure us. Since most people in America, though, don't worship more than one God, we are probably sending our prayers up to him. I think that if we all work together, but not come together, we can help stop the spread of the virus. I do think that once we get through all of this it will be cool to look back on and see this in new history books. That’s my take on how the events in Greece are like those of today.

COVID-19 & THE PLAGUE THAT HIT ATHENS

I did some research on the plague that hit Athens and the Coronavirus and this is what I found. The plague of Athens came in through their port which is by water. I'm pretty sure that most of the states here that first got it are by the coasts. A difference between the two is that the Athen's Plague was an epidemic and COVID-19 is a pandemic. Some of the symptoms are similar as well. For example, a symptom of Coronavirus is a fever. The Athen’s Plague has a symptom of high fever as well. I found that Coronavirus has killed more people than the Athen’s Plague. An estimated 100,000 people died in Athens from the plague. That was about 25% of the population of Athens. COVID-19 has already killed around 2.8 million people around the world. Our current disease is already surpassing the fatality rate of the Athen's plague from thousands of years ago. Another difference between the two is that when someone catches the Coronavirus they don't always know they have it, but when someone caught the disease in Athens they always got the symptoms and probably felt like they wanted to die. There' a lot more differences than similarities between the two diseases. I feel like this "plague" is worse than the one in Athens. Anyways, that's all for today.

Phillip II, Alexander the Great, and Darius III

Phillip II :
Phillip II was a king who ruled over Macedonia from 359 to 336 BC. He used skilled military and diplomatic strategies to expand his county's territory and influence. He ended up taking over almost all of his neighboring Greek city-states. Before he took over the throne his brother ruled over Macedonia. While his brother reigned, Philip II was taken as a hostage in Thebes. This is where he learns most of his military strategies. A lot of his brothers ruled before he did so he had a long way to go. His second brother to take over brought him back from Thebes. Phillip became some sort of military general guy. As king, while he was preparing to move into Persia, one of his bodyguards assassinated him. He was only 46 years old when he died.

Alexander the Great:
Alexander the Great was King Phillip's son and reigned as king over Macedonia from 336 to 323 BC. During his rule, he united Greece, reestablished the Corinthian League, and conquered the Persian Empire. He also became king of Persia, Babylon, and Asia, and created Macedonia colonies in the region. Alexander hated his dad because he was never around. His first education he got was from Leonidas of Epirus. He taught Alexander math, horsemanship, and archery. His second teacher was Lysimachus. He used roleplaying to get Alexander's attention and keep him focused. The last teacher he had was Aristotle. Aristotle taught him many things and in a way helped inspire him to be a heroic warrior. He was 19 when he became king. Alexander was a ruthless king and went into many battles with his horse. He conquered a bunch of places and everyone loved him. Alexander died of malaria in Babylon when he was only 32 years old. After he died, his empire collapsed and the nations in it battled for power.

Darius III:
Darius III was also called Darius Codommanus. He was the last king of the Achaemenid dynasty of Persia. His reign began in 336 BC. Darius III had to strengthen the army to defend against Alexander the Great. A guy named Bagoas murdered the king before Darius and that king's son two years later. He wanted to have a king who would be easy to control, so he chose Darius, who was a distant relative of the royal house. Darius distinguished himself in a combat of champions in a war against the Cadusians and was serving as a royal courier. Bagoas tried to poison Darius too but Darius was warned about it and forced Bagoas to drink the poison himself. Darius was the king of a very unstable kingdom. There were a lot of rebellious people living in his kingdom. Darius lost to Alexander the Great  in battle twice. Darius was assassinated by someone named Bessus after he had fled from his previous battle with Alexander the Great. Alexander gave Darius a magnificent funeral and eventually married his daughter.

Alexander the Great & Bucephalus

After researching Alexander and Bucephalus's relationship I found some very interesting things. Bucephalus was brought to Macedonia and presented to Alexander's dad, King Philip II. Bucephalus was bigger than usual horses and also wild and unmanageable. His coat was all black except for a white star shape on his head. He was being sold for three times the normal price of a horse. Since he was so crazy, King Philip II told the people who brought him to take him away. Alexander was watching the whole thing go down and decided that the horse is too magnificent to let go. He realized that Bucephalus was just scared of his own shadow so he turned him away from it, got on him, and rode off. When he came back his dad was proud of him. Ever since that day they were inseparable. He didn't let anybody else ride him. He rode him into every battle that he went into. After one of the battles, Bucephalus was kidnapped while Alexander was away. Alexander was so angry that he threatened to chop down every tree, lay waste to the countryside, and slaughter every inhabitant of the region. Bucephalus was returned shortly after with a plead for mercy. Bucephalus eventually died of either battle wounds or of old age. Alexander was so sad and grief-ridden that he decided to name a city after him called Bucephala. This shows how strong Alexander and Bucephalus's relationship was. I really liked researching Bucephalus and Alexander. I found it cool how inseparable they were and how much they loved each other. That's all for today.

Cyber Days

I think that the Cyber Days are just ok. I haven't been too overloaded with work and I usually finish it before school would normally end. The subjects that take me the longest are usually Math, English, and Spanish. When I had all three on the same day it took me as long as a school day would normally last. The easiest subjects are Western Civ, Religion, and Art. Biology is like the middle subject. It's not that easy but it's also not that hard. I honestly like when we go to school better than these cyber days. I like to see all of my friends at school and I also like to see my teachers. I hope that this Corona Virus passes over soon so we can go back to regular school. I do like how I can sleep in for longer. That may be the reason why somedays it takes a longer time for me to finish all of my work. Sometimes it's hard for me to focus on my work because my bird tweets really loudly, my dog will come over and start licking me, and my siblings all annoy me. Anyways, that's all for today.

Socrates and Protagoras

I think that the reason Socrates and Protagoras started questioning the government at this time was because they had just lost their leader to a plague and who led them into a battle the they didn't win. After they just lost the war in the worst way possible people started to question if the gods were even helping them. Protagoras questioned the existence of traditional Greek gods. He probably thought that if the gods were actually real then they would help protect Athens, when instead they let it become a wasteland. Socrates encouraged Greeks to think about their moral character. I think that he did this because of the war and plague that just hit Athens. Athens kind of turned into a crime ridden city because the Athenians thought that the good and bad both can get this disease so they might, so they might as well be bad. If they listen to Socrates and helped each other out instead of stealing from each other, then maybe less citizens of Athens would have died. I think that the war, plague, and new people trying to take over Athens were the events that caused philosophers like Socrates and Protagoras to question traditional Greek beliefs. That's all for today.

Athen's Plan

Pericles decided to evacuate everyone from the countryside and come into the city walls to protect themselves from the Spartan Army. He decided to use his powerful navy to fight against the Spartans. When one of the ships came back it brought a terrible plague with it. Since everyone in Athens was confined in the walls in Athens, the plague spread really easily to everyone.  The symptoms were really awful as well. People were having explosive diarrhea, vomiting, seizures, and other gross things. It smelled really bad in Athens and it looked bad from the outside. People who thought they didn't have anything to live for went outside and drowned themselves in the sewer drain things. 1/3 of the Athenian population died. Eventually, Pericles got it too. He lived a miserable life for about six months before he died. After he died, everything changed really quickly. A bunch of people were trying to gain power by saying they'll do whatever the people want them to. Supporters of Pericles and other people began to see that Pericles was the only one keeping everyone from Turing into criminals. Now that he died, Athens is going downhill. That's all for today.

Democracy and Greece's Golden Age

Pericles was crafty politician, an inspirational speaker, and a revered general. He was the leader of Athens for a long time. The time he ruled was called the Age of Pericles. He had three major goals in his lifetime. The first goal was to strengthen Athenian democracy. The second goal was to hold and strengthen the empire. The third goal was to glorify Athens. A direct democracy is run directly through the citizens of that state, in this case a city-state. There are no voted representatives. The Delian League was formed after the defeat of the Persians by Pericles. So, it was led by Athens and was a group of a bunch of different Greek city-states. It made a lot of money and helped the Athenian navy be so powerful. The Delian League was part of Pericles' empire. Pericles took most of the money from the Delian League and put it into Athens without the other members knowing. That's all for today.

last day for two weeks...

Today I missed half of the class because I was getting my Microsoft Teams thing working. Now we are going to cyber days. I'm not sure how well this is going to work out. I hope most teachers don't have the video call things that force us to go on it at that certain time. I feel like it will be hard for me to transition from normal school days to online school. The only good things to come from this are that we no longer have to wear our uniform and we hopefully aren't going to get hours of work and tests. I took pictures of all of the textbook pages that you told us to, so I'm ready. Anyways, that's all for today.

CORONA

Today in class we spent the whole time talking about Corona Virus. We learned the proper way to wash our hands and different ways to stay healthy. I think that the Corona Virus isn't really that much to worry about. I get that it's been hurting people but I don't think that it's that much to worry about at the moment. My parents were just listening to Governor Hogan and he said that all public schools were going to be cancelled for two weeks. I'm guessing that that means John Carroll will be closed as well. I don't really want to have cyber days because I don't think I'll be able to wake up every morning and want to do school work while at my house, but I get why we're doing it, so we don't have extra school days added on to our school year. I'm also kind of mad that my track meets and practices will be cancelled. I was training really hard this season and was ready to do more hurdles. Anyways, that's all for today.

Show/Movie continued...

Today in class we continued watching the show we watched yesterday. Pisistratus died in 527 BC and this son Hippias took over. We already learned about Hippias. He was as good as a tyrant leader can be until his brother died and he turned into a psychopath on a path of revenge. Cleisthenes VS Hippias happened. Cleisthenes took over. The Olympics started in 776 BC. Everyone could enter and anyone could win. Cleithenes VS Isagoras. We already learned you this as well. Cleisthenes won in the end and was asked to come back from exile and create a new government. The agora was created along with the black and white stones used for voting ~ first step towards democracy. Anyone could be a "hero." The Persian Empire begins to rise and sees Athens as a threat. The ordered Persian army people to invade Greece immediately. That's all for today.

The Greeks : Crucible of Civilization

Today in class we watched some of the first episode of The Greeks : Crucible of Civilization. Cleisthenes was born in 570 BC and he was an aristocrat. Herodutus was the first Greek historian. An acropolis was the giant stone thing in the middle of Athens. Life expectancy in Athen was 15 years old. Healots were the slave class in Sparta. Heroic ideal is what must Greeks lived by. It meant that everyone is destined for greatness. Pisistratus was a tyrant who ruled Athens. He gained favor from the middle class by lowering taxes and providing free loans. That's all for today.

Aristotle and a POP QUIZ

Today in class we learned about Aristotle and we had a pop quiz. I got two wrong on the pop quiz so I'm pretty sure that means I got an 80%. I thought you said that we didn't have to memorize who all of the gods were and what they stood for. Aristotle was a student of Plato at the Academy. He helped foster the ida of Athens as an intellectual destination. His school- the Lyceum - focused on cooperative research ~ building on the knowledge gathered from all over the world. He had a dream of having the sum of mankind's knowledge easily accessed in one location. He wrote on a large number of topics. He tutored Alexander the Great. That's all for today.

Philosophers

Today in class we talked about philosophers from Greece. The first philosopher was Socrates. He looked to science and logic for explanations on how the world works. His Socratic Method fostered critical thinking. He was charged with impiety and corrupting the youth of Athens. He was found guilty and was sentenced to death by hemlock poison. The second philosopher we looked at was Plato. He was a student and follower of Socrates. He wrote Socrates' teachings and descried his trial in Apology. The Republic was Socrates' discussion of justice and the ideal state. It was one of the most influential books on philosophy ever written. It contains the Allegory of the Cave. We have one more philosopher to look at, Aristotle. Thats's all for today.

Athens VS Sparta

Today in class we talked about Athens and Sparta. Spartans were warlike people. They were known for their thought, ruthless infantry (soldiers who fought on land). Spartan boys trained from the time they were 7. Athenians had a great infantry too but nothing could compare to their navy. Their most effective weapon was the trireme. The trireme was a technological marvel, the fastest ship in the world, rowed by up to 170 men on 3 levels, could be used as a battering ram, and were agile and fast. The Phalanx was a 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. Then we talked about the Persian War and the strengths and weakness of the Greek and the Persian armies. That's all for today.

Gods and Goddesses in Greece

Today we went over our test and looked at slide on the gods and goddesses. The only question I got wrong was the one about modern day Turkey. I got a 98 on the test and am so proud of it. I studied all night for that test and it worked out. The main god is Zeus. He is everything powerful to the Greeks. The unique thing about the Greek god is their interaction between humans. I think that most of the Greek gods are from Hercules. That is where I've heard of these gods before. Anyways, that's all for today!

TEST ON GREECE

Today in class we took a test on Greece. I think I got most of the questions right. I memorized the map and did that question first. The only questions I think I got wrong was the one about Turkey and Syria and what sea they would cross and the one of about the meter poem thing. All in all, I studied for this test really hard and I'm pretty sure I got a good grade on it. I also thought that the short answer questions were pretty easy and usually they aren't. I hope I did as good as I think I did. That's all for today.

there is a test tomorrow

Today in class we looked at the last couple slides in the Powerpoint. They were about Cleisthenes and his form of government. He was the first person who made a direct democracy which was a huge step towards new forms of government. Tomorrow we have a test that will ahem about 40 questions. I have to make sure I memorize where everything on the map is. The Allegory of the Cave is also going to be on the test. I am going to study really hard tonight so I can get a good grade on the test tomorrow. If I get a bad grade I think my grade will drop to a B and I want to end with all A's so I'm really hoping I do well on this test. That's all for today.

Tyrants in Greece

Today in class we looked at more of the PowerPoint. We talked about some of the tyrants in Greece. We also went over some questions that were going to be on the test. Hippias was a tyrant who ruled between 527 and 510 BC. His brother was murdered and his rule turned harsh. Eventually, he was ostracized from Athens. In revenge, he started working with the Persian king, Darius I, helping them invade Marathon. Isagoras and Cleisthenes engaged in a power struggle in Hippias’ absence. Cleisthenes had the support of the majority of Athens but Isagoras had the support of the aristocrats and some of Sparta. Isagoras won the vote but Cleisthenes’ supporters revolted against him. They trapped him and he couldn’t escape for 3 days. That’s all for today.

POP QUIZ

Today in class we had a pop quiz. It was on early Greece. I got 3 questions wrong but my grade is still an A. After the pop quiz we read and took notes on the next chapter in the textbook. The Chapter is called Democracy and Greece's Golden Age. I learned that the main guy who ruled over Greece in the the Golden Age was Pericles. He had three goals. 1.) to strengthen Athenian democracy 2.) to hold and strengthen the empire 3.) to glorify Athens. After a couple of years Sparta declared war on Athens and started the Peloponnesian War. Athens had the stinger navy. Sparta had the stronger army and because it was located inland it wasn't easily attacked from the sea. Eventually, Spartans marched into Athenian territory. A plague swept through Athens and killed a lot of people. A few years later, they signed a truce but that didn't last long. Athenians sent a fleet a fleet to Sicily but it ended in defeat. Athens lost after nine years. There was also things about philosophers. That's all for today.

Greek Government

Today in class we went over more slides about Greek. We learned some important government terms. Polis is a fundamental political unit made up of a city and the surrounding countryside. Monarchy is rule by a single person, like a king. Aristocracy is rule by a small group of noble, very rich, land owning families. Oligarchy is wealthy groups, dissatisfied with aristocratic rule who seized power. A tyrant is a powerful individual who seized control by appealing to the common people for support. Rich people wielded power back then and still wield power today. Aristocrats attended symposiums which were meeting where the elite men would enjoy wine and poetry, performances by dancers and acrobats, and the company of hetaeras (courtesans) while discussing politics. No women, middle class, or slaves were allowed in. Sometimes aristocrats that are kicked out form alliances with hoplites and set up another form of government called tyranny. We also learned about Draco, Solon's refuge, and Cleisthenes. That's all for today.  

Some More About Greece

Today in class we looked at a projection of a copy of a painting of a pipe. After we talked about the pipe, we looked at some more slides on the powerpoint. The first people I Greece were the Mycenaeans. Their influence began around 2000 BC. Mycenae is located on a rocky ridge on Peloponnesus and is protected by a 20-foot thick wall. Mycenaean kings dominated Greece from 1600-1100 BC and controlled trade in the region. Mycenaeans, eventually, invaded Crete and absorbed the Minoan culture. We also talked about whether the Trojan War was real or not, but I'm not going to get into that right now. The other group of people we talked about were the Dorians and the mysterious "sea people". The sea people began to invade Mycenaean and burnt all of their palaces. The Dorians moved into this land, dominating from 1150-750 BC. Dorians were less advanced. The trade-based economy collapsed. Writing disappeared for 400 years. The last thing we talked about is a blind story teller named Homer and two of his epics : The Iliad and The Odyssey. That's all for today.

I Wasn't in School Today

Today I wasn't in school, so I missed class.

Intro to Greece

Today in class we started a presentation on Greece. The World's greatest civilizations are all location on water, usually rivers. Mesopotamia has the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, Egypt has the Nile River, India has the Indus River, and China has the Human He Chang River. Greece is a mountainous peninsula surrounded by bodies of water. We have to know where the following places are located : Aegean Sea, Ionian Sea, Adriatic Sea, Peloponnesus Sea, Athens, Sparta, Crete, Asia Minor, and Macedonia. Greece had many skilled sailors and shipbuilders and also farmers, metalworkers, and potters. They had limited natural resources so they relied on trade. It was difficult to unite Greece because of its terrain. So they deleted small, independent communities (city-states) that they were loyal to. There was some farming land. It was called arable land, which is land suitable for farming. Greek let consists of grains, grapes, olives, and fish. The lack of resources most likely led to Greek colonization. Temperatures are usually nice year-round, but it can get hot in the Summer, That's all for today.

The Allegory of The Cave

Today in class we read the Allegory of The Cave. I think that the allegory to modern life was that change is scary for some people. The actual story was about these prisoners that were shackled in a cave. Their hands, feet, and heads were shackled so they couldn't move. They were sitting behind a wall that that was really tall and forced to face towards another wall for the rest of their lives. There was a campfire type thing on the other side of the wall (behind them) so all they saw were the shadows from that fire. Other people who weren't chained up would walk on the pathway, which was behind them, carrying tall artifacts. The wall covered up the people carrying the artifacts, but the prisoners could see the statues' shadows and hear echoed voices. They thought that these shadows were the undead. One day, one of the prisoners was dragged out of the cave and into the light. He couldn't see at first because his eyes were so accustomed to the dark. Eventually, he was able to look around and see the world and even look at the sun. He was too afraid of the change in his lifestyle that he went back to the cave where all of the prisoners were still there. They decided to kill the person who tried to save one of them because they didn't want to change. They thought that whoever did this ruined the one prisoner's life because it will take a long time for his eyes to get readjusted to the darkness. The prisoners don't want this to happen again that's why they decide to kill their "savior." They were afraid to change.

Greece Questions

1.
- The Mycenaean people settled on the Greek mainland around 2000 BC and most of their culture is from the Minoan people.
- The Trojan War was a ten year war between the Mycenaeans and Troy.
- The Dorian people spoke a dialect of Greek and may have been distant relatives of the Bronze Age Greeks.
- Homer was a blind man who composed epic poems.
- An epic was a narrative poem celebrating heroic deeds.
- A myth was a traditional story about their gods.

3. The Greeks lacked natural resources so they relied on the sea to trade.

4. Mycenaeans adapted the Minoan writing system to the greek language and decorated vases with Minoan designs. Minoan culture formed the core of Greek religious practice, art, politics, and literature.

5. The epics were important because instead of writing stories down they were told by speaking because writing had seemed to disappear in the Dorian period.

Quiz AND GREECE

Today in class, we took a quiz on Egypt. I thought it was kind of easy. I got an A on it. I got a 70/75. It brought my B up to an A which I'm happy about. I used Karlee's lucky pencil and that may have also helped me. After we finished the quiz, we started reading and taking notes on Greece. I learned that the government and authority in Greece was a democracy where the citizens decide on rules. I also read about the geography of Greece. Greece didn't have very good farm land but it was built around the seas. The seaways helped the Greek people move to other parts of Greece and helped with trade. Greece doesn't have a lot of natural resources so they relied heavily on trade. I didn't find reading everything in the textbook yet. I still have about 1 and a half pages left. That's all for today.

TEST TOMORROW

Today in class we reviewed material for our test tomorrow. Here are some questions that could be on the test tomorrow. What is the stuff that the Egyptians wrote on? Papyrus. What direction did the Nile flow? South to North - Upper Egypt to Lower Egypt. How long is the Nile? 4100 miles. Who united Upper and Lower Egypt? Narmer/Menes. What is a pharaoh? Egyptian god-king. What is a delta? broad, marshy, triangular area of land formed by deposits of silt at the mouth of a river. What are Egypt's natural barriers? Deserts. What is theocracy? Rule based on religious authority. What are pyramids for? tombs. Why did they mummify bodies? to preserve them for the afterlife. What is "ka"? The continuation of life/afterlife. Who translated the Rosetta Stone? Jean François Champollion. What is "maat"? harmony and peace. That's all for today.

EGYPT!!!

Today in class we waited for Nick to make up the Mesopotamia quiz. As we waited we could meditate, read over the chapter again, or continue our notes. After Nick finishes the quiz, we are probably going to go over all of the notes that we took on Egypt. Some things in Egypt that I like is that they all follow one ruler and they don't question him at all. They have faith in the Pharaoh that he will do everything right and nothing wrong. I think it makes their civilization calmer than society today. However, I wouldn't want to live in that way because I like being able to think what I want to think and say what I want to say with no punishments. I hope whatever civilization we learn about next will be more interesting than Egypt. I mean Egypt is great and all but I want to learn about a civilization that is REALLY interesting. That's all for today.

Catch Up Day

Today in class was a catch up day. There were some people out last week and they worked on reading and taking notes on the Egypt chapter. I had already done that so I started on this blog. Egypt has its similarities with Mesopotamia but also some major differences. I think the biggest difference is that in Mesopotamia they saw the king as god-like but in Egypt they saw their king (Pharaoh) as a literal god. I'm excited that we got to do whatever we wanted today because my dad was supposed to send me a picture of my new bird before he got it. He had called the other day and they said they only had one new white parakeet and we wanted the white one not a green or blue one. We were looking for them all week but the ones at all of the pet stores were old but Petsmart said they were putting new ones in on Monday so here we are. I'm so excited to go home and see him after school! Egypt believed in an afterlife called "ka" that would either take you to a paradise or into the jaws of a monster. I think Egypt is a very interesting place. It has so many weird beliefs and things about it that make it cool to learn about. That's all for today.

Egypt

Today in class we finished taking notes on the textbook and started the Power Point on Egypt. Upper Egypt is actually down and Lower Egypt is up. The Nile flows South to North and was the major provider of life for Egyptians. The two lands were united by Narmer or Menes. A pharaoh was an all-powerful being that was worshipped as a god. Egyptians relied on harmony and balance called "meat." Egyptians beloved in an afterlife called "ka." They mummified bodies to preserve them for their journey to the afterlife. That's all for today.

Quiz and Beginning Egypt

Today in class we took a 20 question quiz. I think I did well and got all of them right except one question. After I finished the quiz I started reading the chapter on civilization in Egypt. By using mathematical knowledge and engineering skills the Egyptians built magnificent monuments to honor dead rulers. Many of he monuments built by the Egyptians stand as a testament to their ancient civilization. Egyptian settlements arose along the Nile River. The yearly flooding of the Nile brought rich soil and fresh water to their crops. The Egyptians worshiped the Nile like it was a god. In Mesopotamia their kings were LIKE gods but in Egypt their kings ARE gods to them. That's all for today.

DAY BEFORE THE QUIZ

Today in class, we reviewed Mesopotamia before our quiz tomorrow. We watched a Mesopotamia rap video. The quiz tomorrow is going to be 75 point and 20 questions long. I feel like I'm going to do well on the quiz tomorrow. We watched some old videos that John Carroll made. We didn't do much more today. All we did was watch videos and study for the Mesopotamia quiz tomorrow. Anyways, that's all for today. Tomorrow I will accept that quiz.  

Reviewing the QUIZ

Today we reviewed questions on the quiz that is going to be on Wednesday. We need to know that cultural diffusion is where a new idea or product spreads from one culture to then next. That the Fertile Crescent includes the land facing the Mediterranean Sea and a plain called Mesopotamia. We also need to know that Mesopotamia means "land between rivers." Polytheism is the belief in many gods. Irrigation is where they use water from rivers for farming purposes. Cuneiform is the first type of writing that Sumerians created. A dynasty is rulers from the same family. A ziggurat is the pyramid shaped temple built on top of a mountain that the Sumerians made. Modern countries in the Fertile Crescent are Iran, Iraq, Turkey, and Syria. The Neolithic Age (New Stone Age) was started when tools became advanced and agriculture began. Paleolithic Age (Old Stone Age) is the earliest prehistoric age. A city-state works like an independent country. The epic of Gilgamesh tells of the great flood. Hammurabi's Code contains 282 laws and people knew about because it was engraved in stone and posted everywhere. Silt is the soil left behind when flood water recedes. We have a military base on the Tigris River that was bombed. That's for today.

Mesopotamia and Hammurabi's Code

Today in class we saw 2 more slides in the powerpoint. We talked about how the Sumerians created the concept of time and the Ziggurats they constructed. Then we talked about the Civilization in Mesopotamia. There were still wandering nomads that drove herds of domesticated animals in many areas. Then we talked about Hammurabi's Code. It's based on "an eye for an eye." Then we looked uptake laws on Hammurabi's Code. A lot of the punishments resulted in death. I found one that said if a builder of a house constructs it poorly and it falls in on the owner of the house and kills him, then the builder gets put to death. Some punishments include removing your tongue, ear, eye, teeth. I'm glad that I don't live in that time period because it seems like some of the punishments are kind of harsh. If my parents did something wrong that could lead to my own death. There would be a lot of deaths in our world today if we all lived by these laws. That's all for today.

Hammurabi’s Code

Today in class we continued reading the textbook to finish taking notes. Then we started a powerpoint on Mesopotamia and all of those civilizations back then. We had to answer the following question for homework :

What areas of life did Hammurabi's Code cover?

Hammurabi collected existing laws and created new ones and put them all together to make a uniform code of law made from 282 laws. It helped unify the different city-states in the empire. Everyone had to obey the laws but the punishments for the rich and the poor were different.

questions 1 and 3 from the textbook

1. The Fertile Crescent is one of the places where civilization began.
    Mesopotamia is the land that Sumerians settled in the Fertile Crescent.
    A city-state worked as an independent city.
    A dynasty made it so one family could rule a lot of land.
    Cultural diffusion made other city-states think similar things and beliefs.
    Sumerians believed in polytheism (belief in many gods).
    An empire only had one ruler.
    Hammurabi ruled the Babylonian Empire and created the code of Hammurabi.

2. 3 environmental challenges:
        -unpredictable flooding
        -geographically defenseless
        -limited natural resources

LAST CLASS OF HUMAN GEO

Today was our last class of Human Geo. We saw our classes for next semester. I'm in the bigger class. Then we watched Jeopardy again. I have Western Civ first on next Tuesday. We were a little late to class because we had a meeting about self defense and school shootings. In class we talked about who could squeeze through a window. I think I could if I really tried to. Anyways, this is my last class with some of these people. Some of them are still in my class and some of the new people in my class are my friends so I'm glad that they're now in my class. This is the last post from Human Geo. My next post will be about Western Civ. That's all for today.

Jeopardy

Today we watched Jeopardy. We didn't go over the test. I kind of wanted to see what I got wrong but that's ok. I was surprised when that one girl on the left one because I thought for sure that the one on the right had it the whole time. I didn't really know any of the questions that they answered. The only ones I knew were the Disney Movies category. I did knew a few of the pop culture ones but not that many. I hope we watch the rest of the second episode we stared tomorrow because I kind of want to see who wins. I was so excited to see that I was still in you're class for next semester. Anyways, that's all for today.

TEST ON GERMS, GUNS, AND STEEL

Today we took a test on germs, guns, and steel. It was only 26 questions and all multiple choice. There was really only one question that I went back to, to check it again. It was the one on why people left the Fertile Crescent because I didn't remember going over it. I was between disease and over farming and I said over farming. So, hopefully, I got it right. I remembered most of the other questions. I studied pretty well before class so, during class when we had time to study I just reviewed. I'm pretty sure I've done every blog so far this week so hopefully these will bring my grade up little higher along with getting a good grade on the test. That's all for today.

finishing the movie on GERMS, GUNS, AND STEEL

Last weekend on Saturday, there was a Pow Wow for Native Americans and if you went you got 1o extra credit points. I couldn't go though because it was my brother's birthday and my parents didn't want to drive me anywhere. But that's ok because I have a pretty good grade right now and I think I can keep it by the end of the Semester. Today in class, we finished watching the movie on germs, guns, and steel. It talked more about the Fertile Crescent. In the 16th century the same crops and animals were taken from Europe to the New World (America). And at that time there was not a single cow or ear of corn in the Americas. Now we have millions of cows/cattle and consume a lot of wheat in different products every day. That's all for now.

Animal Domestication

Today we watched more of the germs, guns, and steel movie. Animals gave people access to meat, milk, and hair and skin to make coats. Goat and sheep were the first animals to be domesticated. People made plows that made farming easier and they had horses or animals like horses pull them. The only animal that New Guinea has are pigs but they aren't that useful. The best animals to domesticate are large plat-eating animals. The 14 domesticated animals are goats, sheep, pigs, cows, horses, donkeys, bactrian camels, Arabian camels, water buffalos, llamas, reindeer, yaks, mithuns, and baldy camels. Then we saw the Fertile Crescent where civilization began. The people there were geographically blessed. That's all for today.

Watching More of The Movie

Today we continued watching the germs, guns, and steel movie. Jared Diamond found out that countries with productive crops have more productive people. The Americas grow corn, beans, and squash. China domesticated rice. He thinks that the reason why some countries are poor and others are rich is based on Geographic Luck. Because some countries are located in places that are better for growing crops, those places are wealthier. The deeper you go into the jungle in Papua New Guinea the less technologically advanced the people are. That’s all for today.

GUNS, GERMS, AND STEEL continued...

Today we watched some more of the movie. Pre-history is history that wasn’t written down yet. It was about 13000 years ago. Some of the only hunters and gathers still here live in Papua New Guinea. Draa is the oldest know permanent settlement found. It’s located near the Dead Sea. They made the first granary. They stored Barley and Wheat instead of Sago like the the people in New Guinea. We also talked about how scientists cross breed plants and animals to get the best ones. That’s all for today.

looking at our exams & GUNS, GERMS, AND STEEL

Today we saw how we got our exam grade. My final grade was a 96. While we were waiting for everyone to see their grade we were looking up guns, germs, and steel. I found out that it's about why some societies are better than others. It talks about societies' immunity to germs, food production, the domestication of animals, and the use of steel. It was a book first then made into a movie. We watched the first maybe 10 minutes of the movie. The main guy in it is Jared Diamond. He was was a college professor at UCLA. He was originally a biologist but his passion is studying birds. The place that they are in is Papua New Guinea. His friend, Yani, asked him a question, “Why do you white men have so much cargo and us New Guineans have so little?” That is the question that made Diamond study sociology. That’s all for today.