World History Discussion – Chapter Responses – Barbarians, Gods, Salt, Nomarchs, & Assyrians

This week we refined our written responses to each chapter, using the leveled questions hand out.  You all should be preparing to come to class with a response for three of the five assigned chapters.

Choose one and type it in the comments below.

I’ll go first.

Chapter 18 – The First Environmental Disaster

Faced with economic poverty, physical malnutrition, marauding Amorite invaders, and even rebellious city and military leaders, the Sumerian Empire began to unravel. Despite “weed-fallowing”, walls, and political alliances, both King Shu-Sin and his son Ibbi-Sin presided over a weakening and fracturing Empire. Ibbi-Sin scrambled to retain and rebuild his power base. But it was wasted effort. After centuries of irrigation, Mesopotamia’s salinized fields could no longer provide the wealthy tax base needed to maintain the large bureaucracy and army necessary to externally protect against invasion or internally command obedience.

Ms. Bauer seems to be focusing on intellectual history in this chapter. She discusses the disastrous effects the area’s increasing soil salinity had on the economic, political, and cultural stability of the once flourishing Sumerian Empire. The very scientific agricultural advances that allowed cities to rise up in the area to begin with were a major contributor to the poisoning of the soil to such an extent that an entire civilization crumbles.

The Sumerian Empire crumbled due, in large part, to the poisoning of their greatest natural resource – their fertile soil. The United States has also been using scientific advances in agriculture (chemical fertilization, genetic engineering, chemical weed and pest controls, irrigation, mechanical sowing and harvesting, etc.). Although North America is blessed with a wide expanse of richly fertile soil, and is not limited as Mesopotamia is with its “circumscribed agricultural land,” there could come a time that the US might crumble in a similar, Sumerian way.

(Level I, question 5; Level 2, question 5; Level 3, question 6)

Excellent Essay Quotes – Character Study in Homer’s Iliad

These kids are really getting Homer’s characters!  I’m so proud of the hard work they are doing!  Just check out a few of these quotes, taken from a recent character study essay.  Each student chose a character to analyze.  The results were very interesting.  Each one supported their opinion and analysis with textual evidence.  Not a single one just parroted back what they thought I wanted to hear.  YEAH!  Great job, you guys!

“Hector deteriorated throughout the [poem].  He was a family man but then he started fighting more and more, and then he became arrogant.”

“If Achilles is meant to be going the same way as human existence, then Homer is saying that it progresses forward.  My belief is that human existence is not going in one direction all the time – some people get better and some others get worse – but lately it is in danger of sinking.”

“…Helen is both the wielder and the victim of her dangerous charm.  Wars rage and people die, and white-armed Helen stands and watches.  She is the ultimate Trophy Wife”

“Hector would be just as likable and believable in modern literature.”

“[Agamemnon] believes himself to be above the Heroic Code and puts his social standing and wealth well before keeping to it.”

“Hector is killed partially by his rather “Achillean” choice to fight Achilles alone, and partially by fate that not all the gods are on his side.  I  myself don’t believe in fate: things go wrong in people’s lives because of their own choices.”

 

AND…  I found a final essay tucked into my notebook that I did not read through last night.  I don’t want you to miss out on a single one!

 

“…the gods trick Hector into fighting Achilles, so fulfilling Hector’s fate to be killed in front of Troy.  Hector is portrayed as being a pawn moved by the gods on the chessboard of the earth… Man is not a pawn moved about by God; man, including his thoughts, motives, and actions, operates under the universal law of God.”

 

Literature Discussion – Main Character Analysis – The Iliad

Hi everyone!

I hope you are working on your essays.  For our online discussion this week, I would like each of you to post what character you are writing about, and any questions you might have about him or her.

As you prepare to turn in your essay, remember the new portions of the rubric:

• attached outline
• focused on assigned topic
• supports arguements with details and examples
• follows the 5-paragraph essay structure shown in the handout (also available on the website under “Write It” on the sidebar)
• uses a confident and scholarly tone

Hydraulic Civilization Essay Helps and Hints

Ancient Mesopotamian Hydraulic Civilization Essay Hints and Helps

Why did the wandering people congregate and settle between the Tigris and the euphrates?  Some ideas: climate changes, geological changes, need to control water

What challenges did they face?  Some ideas could be:  gathering food, finding shelter, raising young children, safety from other raiding tribes, finding and carrying water, or flooding  (look at History of the Ancient World ch 1)

Did city life solve any problems or challenges they faced as hunter-gatherers?  Some ideas might be:  less time looking for food , stronger mud-brick shelter,  thick city walls for protection against flooding and raiders, organized and enforced cooperation, irrigation canals, cisterns, and wells, trading with other tribes or cities, taxation of nomads, access to far away resources.  (look at History of the Ancient World ch 3)

What new problems did it create?  Some ideas might be: storage and distribution of excess food, overpopulation, disease, corruption, complications of private ownership, animosity toward nomads, more complicated society, larger families, levels of abstraction to their culture, idle ruling class  (we discussed these in class – remember the rivers with the cities on them and my arrows on the board?)

How did it perpetuate itself?  One example might be: more available food allows for larger families which leads to overcrowding and the need for more food, which the people solve by using agricultural technology to produce more food which leads to larger families etc. etc. etc.  (this is some critical thinking and imaginative surmising that I am asking you to do for the assignment)

 

I hope it is obvious that you will NOT be able to address ALL of these ideas in your essay!  These are helps and hints, not commands.

 

Send me your outlines if you want specific feedback!  I’ve already received one, so you won’t be the first or the only one to do so!

 

Megan

Excellent Essay Quotes – The Iliad

“I wondered why Alexander wanted to fight over Helen when Paris and Menelaus should be the ones fighting over her.  I thought maybe Alexander wanted Helen for himself?”

“If not for being angry, selfish, and spiteful, Achilles could be like Hector.”

“Akhilleus has some similarities with Gilgamesh; he is part god and part human, has a best friend who dies, and goes to his mother when he has a problem.”

“Helen has no regard for the consequences of her actions and only thinks of herself.”

“[Women in the Iliad] went along with what a man said; the man was in charge; he was the floor and the ceiling of a woman’s life; her servants were the walls.  She was just the chandelier…”

History Conversation – Pyramids, Amagi, Sargon, and Harappan Cities

For this week, choose a chapter summary you have written for class, and post it here.  Use your Leveled Questions for History Study handout (also available on this website) to help you with your summaries.  Try to answer at least 1 question from each level.

Literature Conversation – Characters in The Iliad

Hi everyone!  How is your reading going?  Hopefully you are through a few books by now, and are ready to discuss some characters you have encountered?

 

In class we will discuss terms people use to classify types and kinds of characters, such as Protagonist, Antagonist, Minor Character, Major Character, Static Characters, Dynamic Characters, and Characterization (how an author reveals the nature of a character.)

Here I would simply like to hear from you on a few things:

What kind of characters do we have in this story?  Are they larger than life?  Are they relatable?

Who are the main characters so far (it depends on how far you have gotten in your reading, right)?

Do you like or dislike any character in particular?  Why?  Does this character have strengths you admire?  Does this character have weaknesses you disdain?  What is this character’s goals?  If you are far enough in your reading to see a change in this character, describe that change.  What happened to induce it?  How do you think it might help or hinder that character’s pursuit of his / her goals?

 

 

 

 

Literature Conversation – The Iliad

How’s the Iliad going?  I hope you are enjoying the challenge.  Please let me know if you have any questions.

1.  Remember to cy and fill in the story charts I handed out last week.  It will give you a better grasp of what is happening in each book, and help you not get lost.  We will look them over in class on Friday and discuss any questions you might have.

2.  I am NOT expecting you to complete all the assigned reading by this Friday.  Halfway through would be a good goal.  The more you get done, the better you will understand our class discussion.  But remember, we have two more weeks to complete the reading assignment and then another Iliad class discussion on Oct 21 before we move on to The Odyssey.  Don’t panic, just keep working at it.  If you are having trouble “getting it,” please feel free to use Cliff Notes, or Sparks Notes, or some other reference resource to aid your understanding of the work.  It does very little good to slog through the work but NOT UNDERSTAND what you are reading.  We will go over main themes, characters, plot, etc in class. But there is nothing wrong with getting a little help from an external source, as long as you are not using that source to take the place of your actual reading of the primary text.

3.  I hope you are keeping your character list as you read.  I know there are a lot of warriors, people, heros, and gods running around making speeches, and killing each other.  Jot down a few notes on each character as you read – what they are doing, what they are like, what their strengths are, what their weaknesses are, etc.  If you are completely overwhelmed, you can choose to focus on the characters below (copied from the Cliff Notes character list). These are Homer’s main characters that he uses to tell and move the story.

5.  Please remember that your essay is due Friday.  This is a 8 paragraph essay discussing and describing 6 characters of your choice from The Iliad.  Check your assignment sheet for more details.  If you have any questions you can ask them below in the comments, or email me directly.  We will discuss the essay in class, but unlike the previous essay you completed, I will not attempt to read them in class. That was not satisfactory.  I will bring them home and return them to you on the following Friday.  Per my course syllabus, I will be responding to your ideas and content.  If you would prefer a more thorough evaluation of structure, style, mechanics, etc, of your essay, I do charge an extra grading fee of $1 per paragraph.   Please communicate with me if you are interested in this option.

Main Characters in The Iliad

In the Iliad certain heroic characters play major roles in the battles even though the reader knows that many more common soldiers must be involved. The heroes, however, are presented literally as greater human beings than the ordinary warriors. Some may have a divine or semi-divine parent, though the hero himself is still mortal and subject to death, unlike the gods. Heroes are of such stature that they sometimes provoke envy from the gods and on occasion may even fight with a god. Each hero is distinguished by a virtue but may also have an accompanying vice. For example, Achilles is the greatest warrior, but he is also petulant and self-centered. In terms of status, heroes are below the gods but above the ordinary people.

Overall, heroes lived by four rules: 1.  arete, the pursuit of excellence, as exemplified by 2.  valor in battle, and 3.  nobility, as exemplified by 4.  skill in speech and diplomacy. In addition, each of the greatest of these noble heroes is given an aristeia, or greatest moment in battle, somewhere in the Iliad.  They also each have a main weakness or character flaw.

The Achaians 

Achilles The central character of the Iliad and the greatest warrior in the Achaian army. The most significant flaw in the temperament of Achilles is his excessive pride. He is willing to subvert the good of the whole army and to endanger the lives of those who are closest to him to achieve emotional blackmail. Chief virtue: a fighter. His humanity stems from his great passion.

Agamemnon The well-meaning but irresolute king of Mycenae; commander-in-chief of the expedition against Troy. He is a brother of Menelaos. Chief virtue: being a king. His humanity stems from his broad mindedness that makes him a weak king.

Odysseus The shrewdest and most subtle of all the Achaians and a brave warrior besides, as he demonstrates on many occasions. Epithet: “Seed of Zeus.” Chief virtue: intelligence motivated by persistence, which is his humanity.

Helen Originally married to Menelaos, she ran away to Troy with Paris and became his wife. Supposedly, she is the most beautiful woman in the world; however, she is also self-centered.

The Trojans

Paris (Alexandros) A prince of Troy; son of Priam and Hekuba; also husband of Helen. He seems content to allow the Trojans to fight for him. He is reprimanded for this by Hektor more than once. His reputation is that of a “pretty boy.” His smoothness and glibness are not admired by the warriors of either side, and they often accuse him of cowardice.

Priam King of Troy. He is very old and no longer able to command his army in the field, but his great courage is seen when he travels to the Achaian camp one night to ransom Hektor’s body. He is a noble and generous man, one of the few Trojans besides Hektor who treats Helen with respect and courtesy, despite her infidelity to her husband and the war caused by her actions.

Aeneas Son of Aphrodite; a Trojan nobleman. He is second in command of the Trojan army and a brave, skillful warrior.

Hektor (Hector) Prince of Troy and son of Priam and Hekuba. Hektor is commander of all the Trojan and allied forces. He is the greatest of the Trojan warriors and one of the most noble characters in the Iliad. He is always conscious of his duty and his responsibilities to his people and does not let his personal interests interfere. He is a devoted and loving husband and father.

The Gods

Gods differ from mortals primarily in their immortality. They are unaware of the fear of death and sometimes seem unable to grasp the pain and horror that fighting and dying bring to mortal warriors. The gods have ichor, an immortal fluid, rather than blood; they eat ambrosia and drink nectar. They live on Mt. Olympos, though in the Iliad Zeus often watches the battle from Mt. Ida. The gods can and do change shape and interact with humans. Occasionally, the gods fight humans and suffer wounds, but this doesn’t cause the gods any real harm, because the gods cannot bleed or die. The Greek gods are all anthropomorphic: They look like humans, although they are taller, larger, more beautiful, and they often exhibit human emotions such as anger, envy, and deceit.

Zeus The supreme god and king of Olympos. His duty is to carry out the will of Destiny, so he is officially neutral in the war, but he is sympathetic toward the Trojans, particularly Hektor and Priam, and he supports Achilles against Agamemnon. Of all the gods, he alone seems able to change fate, though he chooses not to because of the disruption to the world that would be caused. He is married to Hera with whom he is often in disputes.

Hera Sister and wife of Zeus. She is the most fanatical of all the Olympian supporters of the Achaians and is willing to go to any lengths, including the deception of her husband, to achieve the defeat of Troy. She was the goddess of women and childbirth.

Aphrodite Daughter of Zeus; goddess of love and sexual desire. She is the mother of Aeneas and is the patron of Paris, so she fights on the Trojan side. Her love is Ares, god of war. She is especially connected with Paris and Helen in the Iliad.

Athena Daughter of Zeus; she sprang directly from his head and became the goddess of wisdom. She plays a prominent role in the war, fighting on the Achaian side. She is also known as the battle goddess and is often referred to as Pallas or Pallas Athena.

Linn, Bob. CliffsNotes on The Iliad. 2 Oct 2011
<http://www.cliffsnotes.com/study_guide/literature/id-26.html>.

History Conversation: Philosophy, Writing, Propaganda, War, and Heroics

Choose a chapter and answer the following questions:

1. What is the major event of the chapter?
2. Who is the chapter about?
3. What challenges did they face?
4. Who or what caused these challenges?
5. What was their response?
6. Does their response move them forward or backward?  Or are they essentially in the same place?
7. When do these events take place?
8. What part of the world is being described?

History Conversation – Water, Soil, Animals, Cities, and Kings

Specific Discussion Questions from History of the Ancient World  Chapters 1 – 5     (Kings, Floods, Aristocracy, Empire, Iron)

1. Why did agricultural first arise in the Fertile Crescent area?  (think about climate, available water, land barriers, vegetation, etc.)
2. How were people “forced” to adopt more and more agricultural changes to support their villages, towns, and cities?  (think about how a hunting / gathering group might have responded to increased population and food scarcity in the past, and compare to how a village with agricultural technologies might respond to a similar situation.)
3. How did the changes in agricultural and settlement bring about the need for the strong leadership of a King?
4. How did “civilization” perpetuate itself across Mesopotamia? Why do historians call  them hydrolic civilizations?  (think about the climate and geography of the region.)
5. Why do these people groups begin to domesticate wild animals?  What were the possible benefits?  What might have been the possible costs?
6. What kind of animals were tamed, and for what purpose?  Why were these animals chosen?
7. What kinds of disagreements might neighboring cities have with each other?  What factors might contribute to peaceful negotiations?  What factors might increase hostilities between them?
8. How did the first empires arise?  Of what benefit were they and for whom?
9. What might have been the role of disease in the spread of these hydraulic civilizations?
10. How did animal domestication further the gap between people groups who remained primarily hunter / gatherers and those who chose to settle together in permanent shelter.  (think about “civilized” vs. “nomadic” cultures.)
11. For those of you who are also in our Literature class, how do Gilgamesh and Enkidu represent these two groups?
12. So much of the rise of “civilization” depended on water:  its lack, its abundance, its destructive power, its uses.  How did ancient “hydraulic civilizations” focus on water?
13. What are some theories regarding the myriad of Flood Stories that exist?  How do we explore those fears even now?
14. How do people depend on and use water today?
15. How did the notion of an “aristocracy” come about?  Would nomadic tribes have developed this idea?  Why or why not?
16. Why did people settle along the Nile?  What resources did the area have?  What did it lack?  How did they pursue trade for what they lacked?
17. What was the significance of the colors “black” and “red” to the Egyptians?  Why?  Are these colors used elsewhere with similar meanings?  What does this say about the notion of doubleness and balance in Egyptian culture?
18. How might the unification of both Upper and Lower Egypt have changed daily life in the area?  Who might have benefitted?  Who might have suffered?
19. The process and development of Iron had a variety of technological uses and cultural effects.  How did the people benefit from its use?  Did anyone suffer?  What were the cultural effects?
20. With whom would you rather live: a city-dwelling family in Jericho?  Or a free-roaming nomadic family in the surrounding area?  Why?  (Remember, these two groups did trade with each other, but there was much enmity between them.)