March 25

Today in class was a nice laid back class.  We kind of just relaxed while everyone made fun of each other.  I just kinda sat in the back, watched it all going on and laughed.  It was pretty funny to see.  Then Colby randomly comes in and Mr. Schick tells Zach to see if anyone would notice.  I don´t know what really ever happened  after that.  It was a nice class to have before break. :)






HAPPY SPRING BREAK!!!!!!!!! :))))

March 24

Today in class we went over the quiz we took yesterday.  I didn't do as good as I had hoped and I only got 6 answers wrong... O well.  I will just have to study for the test more than I did for the quiz.  I just got mixed up on a couple of them.  : /

March 23

Today in class we took a quiz.  I actually thought I did pretty good on the test.  I didn't know a couple answers but I thought I was going to get at least a B.  It was a hard quiz though and very confusing.  I actually got a pretty bad grade and it dropped me down to a B.  Guess theres no way I'm going to be able to get it back up to an A.

March 21

Today in class we watched the move... again.  It really seems like it is a never - ending movie.  We still are not done.  Today we started talking about Pericles.  He was a general in the Persian war, which they won, and the Peloponnesian war, which we haven't gotten to but I'm pretty sure they lose.  We also talked about The Parthenon.  It is a place that the Athenians built.  It took 20,000 tons of marble and would have cost a billion dollars if it was built in our time.  It is a symbol of their empire.  It also has a 40 ft tall statue of Athena in it made with jewels and other beautiful things.  I also found out that the Greeks invented theater.  They used to make up plays, either comedies or tragedies, to perform in a huge stadium ever two years for a lot of people.  It seems like a new found civilization to me.

• Pericles brought democracy to its climax
• People wanted a city fitted to run an empire
• Parthenon a building with a big statue of Athena (40 ft tall) in it
• it requires 20,000 tons of marble
• it is a symbol of Athens empire
• it cost a billion dollars in our time to build
• Frizezs shallow piece of marble
• it was a testament to the common man and woman
• ran along the inner wall of the temple
• Aspaisia was Pericles "companion" 
• he treated her like an equal
• caused a scandal 
• he let her sit in on meetings and give an opinion
• theater is where they met twice a year for entertainment
• greeks invented theater and drama
• perform in masks
• hubris-arrogant 

March 18

Today in class we watched the movie some more.  We are almost at the end of it.  We were talking about Themisticles and started on Xerxes, who lead the Persians in trying to destroy Athens for his father Darius.  Themisticles had a plan to help them win even though they were way out numbered.  They were going to fight by water with a Trireme battleship.  They did eventually win because they had one of the best naval armies.  Then we started talking about trading which they did a lot and with everyone.  It seems like a interesting period in time.

Crucible of Civilization notes 3

• Themisticles got to be the general in the navy
• Trireme is a battleship the everyone rowed 
• it is used to ram another ship
• narrow and quick
• had over 200 of them 
• they found a lot of silver on their land
• Themistoclesthey  said they should spend the wealth on ships
• they wanted to build the best naval base in Greece
• Xerxes took his father Darius´s place
• he wants to burn Athens to the ground
• he gathered his forces and he had 2 million men
• When the Persian army was coming they ravaged the land
• Xerxes was confident
• they turned to the Gods for help
• they asked the Oracle (someone who can see the future) for their fate at Delphi 
• the Oracle said that they were doomed and that they could not stop them
• they decided to fight by sea
• They had to evacuate Athens
• Salamis is where they went to to is where they met the other people of Greece
• The Persians burned the Acropolis 
• wants to fight on the Straits of Salamis
• he sends a spy to Xerxes to pretend that he is a traitor
• and tells him that they are scared and know they are going to crush them
• Persian navy is 4X the size of the Greeks
• the Greeks won
• that is the second time they won
• Dealian League is where all the land they owned was
• they traded with everyone

March 17

HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY!!!!!!!! Today we started off class by watching a video that someone took of the tsunami in Japan.  It was horrible to see everyones lives just changing in one second.  I would not be able to do anything like that because everything that you own would be ruined.  The next part of class we watched the movie again.  We are almost at the end and it is kinda interesting how democracy was first started.  Also how Cleisthenes was the only respected person that was ever in charge.  

Crucible of Civilization notes 2

• Hippias brother was killed and he became paranoid and took away the peoples rights
• Cleisthenes was going to overthrow Hippias
• 510 BC and Cleisthenes lived up to the myths
• 776 BC was when the games started
• it empowered people that didn't have that much money
• people were conspiring against Cleisthenes
• Isagoris was one of them ^ and was also an aristocrat
• he sent help from the spartans to help him take over 
• it was said he shared his wife with the spartan king
• the people revolted against Isagoris
• this was the first revolution of the people
• 508BC was the first time the people revolted against their leaders
• they all turned Cleisthenes
• he had a place where they discussed the future of their state
• agora is what it was called
• he instituted a vote white pebble for yes and black for no
• the people were the government
• majority rules
• democracy helped shape the start of civilization
• it was going to be tested with war and disagreement
• 409 BC Pheideppedes ran the first marathon
• it was for survival
• the Persians had to destroy anyone that was gaining power
• they didn't an army so every man would have to come forward to fight
• hoplites was the closest thing to modern army back then
• Pheideppedes was going to run for help from Sparta
• he ran 140 miles in 2 days
• his quest ended in failure b/c his request was denied
• there are 2 different stories
• in both he did a heroic thing and he failed in both
• the Greeks did win though
• they slaughtered over 6000 Persians in 1 day
• they returned and celebrated their victory
• Themistocles fought on the battlefield at marathon
• he was a general for the Greeks
• he had risen to power through democracy
• he learned at the democratic  

March 16

Today in class we started watching the movie Crucibles in Civilization again.  This time while Mr Schick was here so he could help explain things and tell us how to spell things.  We learned about the Iliad and the Odyssey. My friend had to read the Iliad for school so I kind of know a little bit about it.  I thought it was kind of interesting that the people that told it in the past knew it all by memory and told every single word of it to people who would listen.  Eventually one person wrote it down.

March 14

In Western Civ class we are still talking about Ancient Greek.  We started taking notes.  I learned that it is really a big peninsula with another one attached to the end of it.  It is also a very rocky and mountainous area.  I think that Ancient Greek is more interesting with Greek mythology though so I am not very interested. Next class is on Wednesday, maybe I'll be more interested.  :)

Ancient Greece

• crucible-a place time or situation coming together 

• Geography
• Mountainous peninsula
• mountains cover 3/4
• approximately 1400 island in the Aegean and Ionian Seas
• Location shaped its culture
• skilled sailors
• poor natural resources 
• difficult to unite the ancient Greeks because of the terrain; develop small, independent communities
• app. 20% was suitable for farming
• fertile valleys cover 1/4 of peninsula
• because of geography the Geek diet consists of grains, grapes, and olives
• Lack of resources most likely led to Greek colonization
• Temperatures range from 48 in the winder to 80 in the summer
• climate made them very active
• Mycenaeans 
• began around 2000 BC
• Mycenae is located on a rocky ridge and protected by a 20  ft thick wall
• Mycenaean kings dominated Greece from 1600-1200 BC
• Controlled trade in the region
• 1400 BC Mycenaean invaded Crete and absorbed Minoan culture and language
• Culture Decline of Myceneans
• Around 1200 BC sea people began to invade Mycenae and burnt palace after palace
• The Dorians moved into the war-torn region
• Far less advanced
• Economy collapsed
• writing disappeared for 400 years
• Homer and Myths
• Only stories were kept and passed on by word of mouth
• Homer lived at the end of the "Greek Dark Ages"
• Recorded stories of the Trojan War in the Iliad and The Odyssey (written 750-700 BC)
• Tojan war was probably one of the last conquests of the Mycenaeans
• Greek Concepts
• Arete
• virtue and excellence
• Epics
• narrative poems celebrating heroic deeds
• Myths were created to explain creation
• Zeus: leader of the gods
• Hera: Zeus' wife
• Athena: goddess of wisdom
• 
  

The Greeks

• it was the birth of science and politics
• we strive to equal the architecture now
• warships ruled the seas
• Clysones
• 508 BC in athens people had turned away from their rulers
• Clysones was brought up from birth to be a ruler
• he relieved the people should have freedom
• sets them on the path to empire
• 570 BC he was born
• he was an aristocratic (member of ruling class)
• the ancient stories inspired him
• the Iliad and the Odyssey were the stories that shaped him
• he wanted to become a real life hero 
• grew under Pisistratus rule
• the city changed into something very powerful
• he was going to try to overthrow Hipias 
• hipias was captured and banned from Athens
• 510 BC and he was one of the most powerful people in Greece
• people started to conspire against him
• he was called from exile after they overthrew Hisagaris and asked to build an empire
• he made a meeting place and ricH and poor people could discuss their future
• He made up democracy
• they met every 9 days to discuss everything
• 
  
• Hisagaris
• someone named Hisagaris was one of them
• he went to the Spartans for help
• he seized control of Athens
• 700 households were cast out of Athens including Clysones
• people started rioting in Athens
• the  ordinary people took their own destinies
• they rose up in revolution
• The spartans were on top of the Acropolis and defended
• it lasted 3 days and on the 3rd he surrendered
• 508BC they seized power and they were in control
• 
  
•   Pisistratus (Clysones brother in law)
• they seized control of the government (tyrant)
• he road into the city of Athens with Athena (not really) with him and asked for control 
• he turned to the Athenians and reduced taxes 
• he transformed the city
• his son took over when he died
• Hipias 
• after his brother died and he killed the murderers and torchered his wife
• life was dangerous
• the threat to his power was coming true
• 
  
• Athens 
• was built around the Acropolis 
• Life expectancy was less than 15 yrs
• lived under rule of aristocrat 
• produced great olives
• they found a business with that
• they found their wealth and prosperity by this
• their first artistic revelation was vases and the things that were inside were the most important
• Potters 
• were one of the lowest people of the land
• motivated by undoing each other
• Greece
• it doesnt seem like it would be a place to have a great civilization
• they were divided into city-states with their own city-states
• they were scattered
• Sparta 
• had a lot of military power and was thought to be the dominating city
• men were brought up to be in the military
• cloaks were died red to symbolze blood
• they were always a threat
• Olympia
• ancestor of Olympic game 
• 776 BC
• competition of wealthy 
• and Clysones made it so anyone could compete
• chariot
• running
• boxing
• 40,000 greeks would gather for the olympic games
• they would travel 100s of miles
• it would be the highlight of his life if you win
• civilized way to figure things out

March 10

Today we presented our slides while Mr Schick read the book again.  It was a little easier to understand this time.  My slide was on Barbarians.  Barbarians were the names given to anyone who did not speak Greek.  Which was anyone but the Greeks including the Spartans.  Before i did this presentation all I knew was that people called other people they didn't like that, like as an insult. Now i really know what it means.

March 9

Today in class we started talking about Ancient Greece.  I really hope we talk a little bit about greek mythology because to me that is so cool and interesting.  Mr. Schick read us a book and i did not understand a word he said.  Then we started a project where we make the power point.  We all have something to write about.  I have Barbarians.  I had no idea what they were at first.  They are people that the greeks thought were uncivilized.  It was anyone who didn't speak their language.  Finishing it up tonight.

March 7

Today in class we took our test on Egypt, ancient and modern day.  The test was okay.  I only studied for like 20 min last night.  I think the hardest part was the short answer.  The essay was easy because we could use our blogs.  I think I did okay on the test, but I think I did the worst on the short answer.  Hopefully I got a good grade! :)

March 4

Today in class we went over Egypt now and how it is doing compared to the rest of the world.  We learned that 90% of the country's religion is Muslim and the rest is Christian.  We also learned about past people in charge of the country like Hosni Mubarak, who just stepped down from power to leave the country with a governing system called military junta.  The democratic election are in September of this year.  We also learned about Libya's ruler, Muammar Gaddafi.  Because Libya has been uprising against him, Gaddafi has been violently opposing it.  He says that there in no fighting in his country but he bombs his own people because they are revoltin against him.

March 3

Today in class we finished talking about ancient Egypt.  We learned about how people were ranked in ancient Egypt. The highest were the Pharaohs and the lowest were the servants.  There were government officials, soldiers, scribes, merchants, artisans, and farmers were in the middle.  Then Mr. Schick let us out early because we had an extra long class.  It was a pretty good class.  Thanks Mr. Schick!

March 2

Today in class we went over Ancient Egypt.  We talked about what was going to be on the test on Monday.  We learned about the Nile River and how their whole life was centered around it.  They depended on everything for it like for water, bathing, and crops.  They even had figured out when the river was going to flood and when the land was going to very fertile.  It flooded every year in July and it leaves behind rich, fertile soil in October.  This helped them figure out a calendar.  Learn some more tomorrow.

On the Test

• geography
• centered around the nile river
• cant live anywhere but around the nile because it is desert
• planting crops
• drinking water
• bathing
• transportation
• first people to invent a sail
• it is the only river to flow north
• flows downward and empties into the Mediterainian
• every July it floods
• every October it leaves behind rich, fertile soil
• helped them figure out a calender
• managing the river required technological breakthroughs in irrigation
• the delta is a broad, marshy triangular area of fertile silt
• daily life
• List
• Pharaoh-highest
• religious leader and political leader of the egypian people
• holding titles: Lord of the Two lands and Hight priest of the temple
• as the lord of the two landsthe pharaoh was the ruler ruler of the upper and lower land.  He owned all the land made laws collected taxes and defended EGYot against fighters
• Hatshepsut was a women who served as a pharaoh
• Cleopatra VII also served as pharaoh but much later (51-30 BC) 
• Government Officials-Nobels, Priests
• upper class, known as the white kilt class-priests, physicians, engineers
• Soldiers-highly respected
• used wooden weapons (bows & arrows, spears) with bronze tips and might ride chariots
• Scribes-educated
• history started when they started writing this down
• scrives kept record, told storeies, wrote poetry described anatomy an medical treatments
• wrote in hieroglyphs and in hieratic
• Merchants
• Used money/barter system- merchants might accept of grain for payment- later coinage came about
• Artisans-made things
• would carve statues and reliefs showing military battles and scenes in the afterlife
• Farmers
• wheat, barley, lentils, onions- benefited from irrigation of the Nile
• Slaves and Servants-lowest and has the most of them
• helped the wealthy with household and child raising
• not abused
• pharaohs
• goddesses and gods
• pyramids
• the great Sphinx of Giza
• built 2555-2532 BC* 4500 years ago
• 
  
• a recumbent lion with a human head
• oldest monument in the world
• Turks shot off nose
•