The Culture of the Muslim World

During the past week we've looked at the history of Islam and the emergence of the Muslim World.  We've had the chance to consider a number of aspects of this religion and culture.  Which feature of Muslim culture during this era did you find most intriguing?  Why?  Compare it to a similar set of ideas, concepts and cultural practices in the earlier Roman Empire and Greek World.  Please respond to this prompt in AT LEAST TEN SENTENCES of thoughtful reflection and cite the textbook or your notes on it at least twice. 

Pictures of Islam

We've started to investigate Muhammad, the origins of Islam, and the Rise of the the Muslim World.  In all honesty so we can have an authentic dialogue about it, what has been your understanding and what have been your views of Islam and Muslims in your life up until now before studying this history?

The Benefits of Empire

During Rome's period of dominance as an Empire, the Mediterranean world and nearby environments experienced a period of relative peace.  Scholars called this period the "Pax Romana" as mentioned in your textbook.  Our initial inclination today is to think of an empire with so much power concentrated centrally in it as something dangerous. However, the emergence of the Empire seemed to unify the entire area in a way that the Republic hadn't.  Do you agree with the decision of individuals like Caesar and his successors to create and sustain an empire if it meant fostering a new sense of peace for 200 years?  Would you have preferred the in theory more representative Republic before corruption and economic turmoil affected it (perhaps inevitable?) when it couldn't guarantee the same stability that the Empire seemed to foster?  States are constantly at war today for a variety of reasons.  If so, couldn't we argue that the creation of a morally guided empire would be a much better form of government if it could prevent conflict and encourage reform?  Why or why not?  Please respond to this prompt in AT LEAST TEN SENTENCES of thoughtful reflection and try to cite the textbook or your notes on it at least twice. Happy writing.

Our Own Private Augury

Today in class we recognized that the Etruscan religion was gloomy and weirdly superstitious.  The Etruscans thought they could discover the will of the Gods by means of augury, that is by watching the flight of birds and by examining the entrails of animals.  OK, sure this is a little strange.  I'm guessing again that many of you haven't done anything quite like this.  And if you have, perhaps we should talk tomorrow about it?

In any case, even if we aren't quite as strange as the Etruscans, we all no doubt have our personal superstitions or somewhat odd traditions before we do something or when we're approaching anything in life.

What superstitions do you have?  How did they develop and what are they for?

Preferring Persia and "THIS IS SPARTA!"

In the Greek view of things, as we've seen, the Persians get a bad rap (are viewed very negatively). However, while reading the Chapters on Persia, we saw a number of features that actually made Persia seem not only powerful, but also considerate of the needs of other groups in the Persian Empire.  In other words, life in the Persian Empire didn't seem so bad.  Is the Greek view of the Persians just another form of demonizing "The Other" that one finds consistently throughout history, especially in the books of Western cultures as they view Eastern cultures?

Similarly, the book and other sources seem to look at Sparta in a somewhat critical light.  Indeed, we didn't exactly all react warmly and then look at bringing back some of the features of Spartan culture.  Nonetheless, there were real reasons in a sometimes harsh, fragile, and threatening Ancient World for both the Persians and Spartans to create and nurture the cultures they did.  They thought their way of approaching the world was both needed and justified.

Books and history often glorify Athens, but in a Blogpost of AT LEAST TEN THOUGHTFUL AND WELL-REASONED SENTENCES make the case for why one should actually embrace Persian OR Spartan culture. Choose ONE of the cultures to defend.  Go back to the book and notes on Persia to defend life in the Empire with some details.  Rely on our recent notes and the book for your defense of Sparta.  Make sure you use specific historical examples AND, here goes, write from the perspective of an ancient historian evaluating the differences of Athens vs. Sparta/Persia.

The Principles and Goals of Harkness Critical Conversations Going Forward

Today we used the Harkness Method officially for the very first time.  We will use it regularly going forward during this year. At the beginning of the class, we mentioned focusing on three points: 1) Posture, 2) Engagement, and 3) Looking at the Class.  Given that we will be using this method and now that you've had a chance to begin to use it as a group for 20 minutes, please reflect on what principles and "rules" (i.e., posture, engagement, etc.) you think that you as an individual and the group as a whole must focus and develop to make our critical conversations even more effective? Please respond by offering THREE thoughtful ideas about what you think you AND the group must do together to improve our work in class even more.  You can respond in bullet points, but if you do make sure they are complete sentences with a clear explanation of what you mean.  Avoid using the things we focused on today (the three I named) unless you want to offer another level of reflection on them.

The Dangers of Democracy

During the past week, we've looked at the emergence of various strains of Greek civilization from the Dark Ages, the age of Greek Colonization from 750BC-550BC, and the gradual rise of democracy in the fundamental unit of ancient Greek political organization, the polis. For the most part, we seem to have assumed that the gradual development of a democracy is a "good thing" or a kind of progress within these communities. After all, these communities gradually moved from some form of monarchy, tyranny, aristocracy, or oligarchy in which political decision-making rested in the hands of the few. But, is the story really that simple? Please respond to the following prompt in AT LEAST TEN thoughtful and focused sentences. SERIOUSLY defend ONE of the following forms of government and its advantages to the disadvantages of democracy (a more direct form of government in which many citizens represent themselves in the political decisions of governing): 1) a monarchy (rule by an individual hereditary royal who is supposedly focused on the good of all, 2) a tyranny (rule by an individual who has gained almost absolute power by appealing to the basic needs of the middle class and poor) 3) an aristocracy (rule of a few wealthy individuals who are supposedly focused on the good of all), 4) an oligarchy (rule by a few wealthy individuals who have gained almost absolute power within a community. Good luck!

The Lay of Your Land: Greek Civilization and Geography Compared and Contrasted

During the last few weeks, we've considered different civilizations each of which has arguably been influenced by geography and the lay of its land. The physical features of each area have offered benefits and, at the same time, have presented challenges. Choose one other region to compare and contrast with Greek civilization. With a special emphasis on the geographies of Greece and this other region above all, which place (again Greece or this other region)would you prefer to have lived in? In responding to this question, make sure that you look at the relationship between 1) the geography and 2) the politics and culture of a civilization in explaining your choice. The post should be AT LEAST 10 sentences with clear factual evidence and thoughtful reflection.

Rebel, Rebel

In your World History textbook, one can find a passage on p. 100 in the section on Persia in which it's noted that Darius, the Persian ruler who seized the crown in 522 B.C., faced a number of revolts that he and his army had to put down. The word "empire" seems to offend our democratic sensibilities today, but empires weren't all the bad right? They might have help areas by improving certain factors. So, this fact does beg a few questions. 1) Do you think the revolts against Darius were justified and why? (Make sure you use evidence.) 2) Were there other empires against whom it was important to rebel (again make sure you use evidence)? As you make your case and respond to each question, please support your argument with clear evidence -- whether you believe in the advantages of empire or whether you feel it absolutely necessary to resist all empires or only certain one we've covered. Please respond in 7-!0 thoughtful sentences. Your original opinion, evidence, and argument are required for full credit. Good luck!

Choosing your Civilization

We've now had the chance to consider nearly all of the different River Valley and Early Civilizations. Clearly, there are definitive advantages and disadvantages to living in each of these societies. So, which one of the major four would you choose to live in if you could or had to? (The four choices: Mesopotamia, Egypt, Indus River Valley -- Ganges, China -- Yellow and Yangtze Rivers) Please offer a careful and thoughtful response that is well written and offers at least 3 facts from lecture or the text as well as personal reflection. The response should be at least 10 sentences. You can choose whichever social status you would like to have. However, you can't choose to be the ruler/King of any civilization or in the royal family. You must essentially choose noble, merchant, craftsmen, or peasant.

The Nature of "Human Nature"

After watching a video on Gilgamesh and answering questions, we had a very thoughtful and wide-ranging critical conversation about the purpose of history, the nature of mortality and its effects on how we think about history and life, and even how we and various groups throughout history have defined what it means to be human and to engage in a narrative about history. We previewed some ideas from Aristotle (4th century Greek) and Thomas Hobbes, John Locke and Jean-Jacques Rousseau (16th-18th Century English and French thinkers) and then connected them to some of these "big" questions. Well done on exploring the WHY behind all of these facts and using history to enrich and explore questions that thinkers have been exploring throughout history -- and that we still have today. So, the question for tonight related very much to our conversation today: Are we 1) "blank slates" when we are born with the potential to develop into moral or immoral individuals (part of Julia and Pen's argument), or 2) are we born inherently innocent (part of Pearl's position) and fated to become more immoral as we grow older, or 3) are we born only concerned about self-interest and naturally inclined to live in war against all for our own survival and success? (part of Sam's statements) Clearly, we don't expect you to solve such a BIG question and it is very difficult, but, given your discussion today, we know that you are fully ready to offer some short reflection on these ideas. In short, what do you believe about "human nature"? Please respond in 7-10 thoughtful sentences and explain why you believe what you do.