Greece Test Day Part I

Today in class we took our Greece test. I felt prepared for this test after studying all night last night and this morning. I reviewed with Dan's quizlet and the slideshow on the blog. I was super stressed because I feel my grade is always a make or break in this class. I get extremely nervous, but I feel better now that the test is over. This was the last quiz of this week for me. I felt that I know a good amount about Greece since I have had this unit before in other grades so I am happy to get this test over with. It is funny how even minutes after I take a quiz or test I feel like I forgot what answers I put on the test. Now I so relieved and I am excited to get home. Yesterday was just a very off day for me so now I am starting to feel better today. I am glad I studied lots for this test because otherwise I think I would not have done well at all. I feel good about the test and I think I imagined it to be worse. The worst part was about the time frames that events occurred.

Final Review of Greece

Today we finished studying for Greece with talking about Cleisthenes and democracy. Cleisthenes was a member of elite, very rich, insulated from the "hoi polloi" or the lower class. He was also a very smart politician. Only 1/5th of Athenians were citizens. Athens became a direct democracy around 500 BC. A Direct Democracy is when a state, or in this case city-state, is ruled by citizens. Rules is based on citizenship and majority rule decides vote. The politics were discussed at the agora. This is where citizens argued, made speeches, and voted with stones. White being yes and black being no. This then described the first democracy around 508 BC.
Those were all my notes, but I am so nervous for the test tomorrow. I am not quite sure why, but the geography scares me along with the rulers. I am not good with time frames so I am nervous to mix the time frames up or forget what happened in each time.

Start of Review for Greece Quiz

Here are some of the main study points for our Greece quiz on Thursday.
Five major rivers
China- Huang He River
India- Indus River
Mesopotamia- Tigris and Euphrates River
Egypt- Nile River
 Geography of Greece:
Greece is mountainous and rocky causing for little arable(farming) land and rough land to cross. There were limited resources causing the Greeks needing to sail for trade or travel route. This was due to the peninsula of Greece. Greece was full of city-states. Greeks diet consisted of grains, grapes, olives, and fish. They had good climate for outdoor life and activity.
Mycenaean- 2000BC, they dominated Greece Peloponnese for 200 years
Mionian- 1200BC, absorbed culture from Mycenaean
Dorians- 1150-750BC, final people to take over war torn city, no written record, economy, culture and trade collapsed
Homer- The Homeric Question "Did he truly exist or was he just another blind story teller
His story the Odyssey is about a man trying to find his way back home. The Iliad was about the Trojan War.
Polis- City-state surrounded around politics unit
Monarchy- Ruled by a single person (king)
Aristocracy- Rule by group of small, noble, rich families
Oligarchy- Wealthy group trying to gain power with the help of military
Aristocrats- Members of the ruling class
Symposium- Meeting or gathering where politics were discussed

Draco- 621 BC, Harsh, all classes were equal, death was punishment for all crimes
Solon- 594 BC, Reform to make life easier/better for citizens, outlaw debt slavery
Cleisthenes- 500 BC, More reforms and involving citizens more to become closer to a democracy(Council of Five Hundred)
Hippias-Tyrants from 527-510 BC, eventually expelled from Athens( later ostracized), after his brother was murdered he turned evil, revenge began as he worked with Persian king Darius I, helping them to invade Marathon
Isagoras and Cleisthenes(both ostracized) . Isagoras has support from support from aristocrats and Sparta while Cleisthenes had majority support from Athens.
Isagoras became Archon Eponymous (tyrant), ostracized Cleisthenes, Cleisthenes( Athenians) revolted around against Isagoas was trapped and fled. He then took over from 508 BC(First Democracy)

Pericles in Athens

Today in class we began with a pop quiz. This quiz sacred me when it was brought up. I was super nervous because I was not confident, but I got a good score on the quiz. We then took some notes on Pericles. Pericles was liked by the people and was in charge for around 32 years. He had three major goals for Athens. The three goals were to beautify Athens, make a stronger government, and strengthen the empire. He spent lots of money to strengthen the Athens navy for trade and military purposes. He had many artists and architects to beautify the city. He had bought things like ivory, stone and marble to build magnificent statues and buildings like the Parthenon built for the goddess Athena. Pericles had made a strong government by having the people run the government without representatives and having any male citizen join the government. Both rich or poor could work with the government and have a word. This made a stronger government for Athens and gained power over other cities. I think Pericles sounds like a great leader for Athens and was willing to work with the people for the first sign of the democracy. The final notes I took was beginning to read about the wars with surrounding cities starting with Sparta.

Politics in Greece

Today in class we took lots of notes on the politics in Greece. Here is some of the vocab:

Polis- policy, political and formal name for a city state

Monarchy- rule by a single person such as a king

Aristocracy- rule by a group of noble, very rich, landowning families

Oligarchy- wealthy groups, dissatisfied with aristocratic rule, who seized with power(military help)

Tyrant- powerful individual who seized control by appealing to the common people support

Hoplites-Well armed soldier

Tyrant- Someone who rules outside the framework of the polis. 

During the 6th-7th century BCE, aristocrats ran most of Greece. Aristocrats were the ruling class of ancient Greece. The aristocrats attended symposiums which consisted of elite men, enjoy wine, poetry, performances by dancers, acrobats, and hetears while discussing politics. Only male citizens of Athens were allowed in politics. No women,middle class, slaves, or foreigners were allowed in politics. There were even certain aristocrats who were excluded for not having connections or who fell out. The aristocrats sometimes even formed alliances with hoplites and set up on alternative form of gov't called a tyranny. Next we discussed major rules of Ancient Athens. First there was Draco around 621 BCE. His code was;

• All Athens(rich or poor) are equal under the law
• Death is the punishment for many crimes( harsh punishments for minor crimes) 
• Debt slavery is OK( Work as slave to repay debt

Solon's Reform in 594BCE consisted of; 

• Outlaws debt slavery
• All Athenian citizens can speak at the assembly
• Any citizen can press charges against wrongdoers

Finally was Cleisthenes Reforms in 500BCE; 

• All citizens could submit laws for debate at the assembly 
• Created the Council of Five Hundred, members chosen randomly who would meet to council the assembly and consider laws
• Only free adult male property owners born into Athens were considered to be a citizen
• Women, slaves and "foreigners" are not citizens

Thats as far as we got today. 

Mycenaean, Minoan, Dorian's, and Homer

Here are some notes from class today:

We began with the Mycenaean's and how they started their influence of Greece around 2000 BC. Mycenae was located near the Peloponnesus protected by a 20 foot wall.  The Mycenaean king ruled Greece from 1600-1100BC. Around 1400 BC Mycenaean invaded Crete and absorbed Minoan culture such as the writing system, language, art, politics, literature, religion. Then we discussed the Trojan War. This war was fought around 1200 BC. The gods and goddesses were not real and told about in stories. The next group of people to invade this region a group of "mysterious sea people" took over Mycenaean people and burnt the multiple buildings. The Dorian's were the next  400 years. (1150-750 BC) The Dorian's were far less advanced compared causing a collapse in the economy, no written records, and a decline in culture. Finally we discussed a famous story teller named Homer. Homer was said to be a blind man who told great stories or epics about the Trojan War. This was also apart of the Greek oral tradition of passing on stories. He composed these epics from 750-700 BC. Two of his most famous ones are The Iliad and The Odyssey. The Iliad is one of the last conquests of the Trojan War. The Odyssey is about Odysseus attempts to return home after the Trojan War led by temptation by god of the sea. One of the major questions about Homer is the "Homeric Question" was did Homer exist. The answer is unknown to this question. This was as far as we got today. 

Allegory of the Cave Video

Today we watched a video on the Allegory of the Cave by Plato. I like this story because I feel like it can have multiple deeper meanings. Here are some notes I took from this video:
Plato had lived from around 423-347 B.C. Plato said that philosophy is the "therapy of the soul". Another key piece of philosophy that was a concern for Plato was his idea to compare the effect of education and the lack of it on our nature. In the allegory the cave goers thought if you watched the shadows on the you would be educated, enlightened and successful.The man who got out of the cave previously looked at phantoms while in the cave, but once he got out he saw the true being of nature. A thought is that the cave dwellers are humans before philosophy and the sun is the light of reason. The alienation of the returned philosopher is what all truth tellers can expect. Finally the video discussed the "Socratic Method". That is done by questioning things without being forced to believe one side compared to another. It makes you find your own beliefs through questions and gets people to think.

Geography of Greece

Here are my notes from this class:
We began with the fact that the worlds greatest civilizations are located on or around water. These are most often rivers. Examples are the Huang He River in China, the Indus river in India, the Nile River in Egypt, finally the Tigris and Euphrates in Mesopotamia. Next we discussed the geography of Ancient Greece. Important locations to Greece were the Aegean Sea, the Ionian Sea, the Adriatic Sea( just north of the Ionian Sea), the Pelopennesus, Athens, Sparta, Crete, Asia Minor and Macedon. Next we discussed how Greece is a peninsula covered with mountains. These mountains do cover 3/4th of Greece leaving only 20% of the land to be arable or suitable for farming within the fertile valleys. There are around 2000 islands in the Ionian Sea and the Aegean Sea around Greece. The geography impacted the culture by allowing for many skilled sailors, shipbuilders, weavers, farmers, metalworkers, and pottery. The lack of many natural resources due to geography also led to new trades of resources they did have such as olives, grains, grapes, and fish. The lack of resources also led to Greek colonization. Those were also keys parts of their diet. They also developed individual or independent city-states all over Greece which later caused problems for unity. Finally, the climate was very good year round. In the winter the temperature average was around 40 degrees Fahrenheit and in the summer the average temperature was around 80 degrees Fahrenheit. I find Greece to be beautiful and its always been a place I wanted to travel to so I am excited to learn about it.

Platos Allegory of the Cave

Today we read the Allegory of the Cave in class. I thought it was easy to find a deeper meaning to this story early on. Within the story there was lots discussion of pain that came when it was time for a change. Being dragged out of the cave caused pain, the sunlight caused pain, being brought back down and shackled brought pain. This was all do to the change within the characters life. From beginning in the bottom of a cave with little to no light and shackled down since childhood, to being the first person set free, this character was so unsure what to do with themselves. Change often does bring pain, but it helps people to grow in their own ways. The pain felt by the character soon went away after he adjusted to all the new things in life. He finally got to stand up, go outside, and see the sunshine after he got time to adjust to all these new things. I think him eventually being brought down to the cave was a step backwards for the character. They had just gotten all these new experiences to live a new life with freedom, but being brought back down to the cave left them in darkness, solitude, and left with the guilt of having that freedom compared to others. Change can cause many different emotions. Fear of the new life, hard times accepting a  different life, guilt for leaving your past behind. No change truly comes easy. Whether is it a small or large occurrence of change it will take time to adjust and figure out how to overcome.

Greek Questions

1.) Write each term or name, write a sentence explaining its significance.

• Mycenaean- These were the settlers on the Greek mainland around 2000 BC. named after their leading city Mycenae. 
• Trojan War-A war during the 1200's BC, the Mycenaean's fought a ten year war against Troy, located in Anatolia. 
• Dorian- The new group of people that took over and moved into the countryside . They spoke a dialect if Greek and were possibly distant relatives of the Bronze Age Greeks. 
• Homer-A blind storyteller who was extremely famous for his stories
• Epic- Narrative poems celebrating heroic deeds
• Myth- A traditional story about gods, ancestors, or heroes, told to explain the natural world or the customs and beliefs of a society

3.) What Impact did nearness to the sea have on the development of Greece?

The nearness to the sea allowed for trade, transportation, and the little agriculture Greece had. The sea allowed for trading between cities for the resources did not have like the lack of food since the geography was rocky, rough, and mountainous. The transportation allowed for this trading and traveling on water and in the sea. The water helped to grow little crops although the geography was not fitting. 

4.) What aspects of culture did the Mycenaean's adopt from the Minoans?

The Mycenaean's adopted many parts of culture from the Minoans such as the writing style, Greek language, pottery or art with Minoan designs, Greek religion practice, art, politics, and literature. 

5.) Why were the epics of importance to the Greeks of the Dorian period? 

The epics were important during the Dorian periods since there were little to no written records of the Dorian period. They gave the archaeologist an idea of the events at the time and their beliefs. It showed the idea of arete which is the virtue and excellence. This is also because the Dorian's collapsed from being less advanced from the Mycenaean's. 

Classic Greece

Today in class we had a quiz and then took notes on Greece. Here is some of my notes:
In ancient times, Greece was not a united country, it was a collection of separate lands.
Geography Shapes Greek Life:
Mountainous peninsula into the Mediterranean Sea. There are 2,00 islands in the Aegean and I Ionian Sea.
The Sea: The sea shaped Greek culture/ civilization. The Aegean Sea, the Ionian Sea and the Black Sea were important transportation routes for the Greek people. Greeks lacked natural resources such as; timber, previous metal, and usable farmland. This made trade important and a priority.
The Land:
Rugged mountains covered 3/4th of ancient Greece while the other fourth was fertile valleys. The mountain chain went northwest to southeast along the Balkan Peninsula. Mountains divided the land. Each region had it's own government chain. Uneven terrain made transportation difficult, roads were dirt paths. Most land was stony which made unsuitable farming land.
Small streams that covered the land were not suitable for suitable for large-scale irrigation. No food or farming left Greece with a small population.
The Climate:
The climate varied from an average temperature in winter being 48 degrees Fahrenheit to 80 degrees Fahrenheit in the summer. This climate allowed for outdoor life and activities such as public events, exchange news, and active civic life.

Quiz Prep Day

Today in class we went over notes for the quiz tomorrow. I feel pretty good, but I still want to study so I can be prepared. I am nervous because the last pop quiz we took got me a bad grade. I am hoping that I can do well on this quiz. I am going to reread all my notes and blogs to get prepared. I am so tired today and I have had an awful day so far. The thought of studying is not fun, but I will do it to get a good grade. I am nervous about questions on the geography like what a delta is or how long the Nile is. I did this unit in 7th grade so I think I know this information pretty well, but I cannot be too sure. I have two quizzes tomorrow and I am super nervous and have lots of studying to do.

Egyptian Pop Quiz

Today we began class with a student having to finish a test. I am not too happy with the grade I got on my Mesopotamia quiz. I wish I could have done better since I had felt that I did much better. I think I could have studied more to get a better grade, but this past two weeks have been a little strange. I have gotten so busy recently that I forget about tests or quizzes. I also often end up mixing up days that I have tests or quizzes on. This past quarter was quite hard for me so I am coming into this quarter with a new perspective hoping to do my best. I am also pretty tired today. I couldn't fall asleep yesterday for some reason, but I did eat a good breakfast so that is making the day better. Next we had a pop quiz. My heart dropped when he said it, but I feel confident in my answers. I think I did alright. The only thing that gets me is that there are so little questions that if I get one wrong my grade will drop significantly.
Early Writing:
Created in 3100 B.C. was hieroglyphics. This was pictures that symbolize words, sounds, and phrases. Hieroglyphics was written in ink on papyrus made from mashed Nile reeds.
Technology:
The Egyptians were some of the most inventive groups of people. They created a 12 month long calendar with 365 days. This invention gave them better sense of seasonal cycles. Advancements in medicinal purposes like potions and cures for a number of ailments. They had an excessive amount knowledge of anatomy for checkups. They also created wooden sailboats for increased transportation on the Nile.
Pyramids:
 The pyramids are the massive stone tombs originally covered with marble. The temple of Amon at Karnak was the largest religious building in the world. Stone sculptures and interior depicted humans and gods.

Egyptian Culture and More

Egyptian Culture:
Egyptians believed that souls which were lighter than a feather passed as purity and would then have eternal life. Other wise the heavier souls would be eaten by a demonic monster. Royal and elite Egyptians were buried and mummified. This is the process of embalming and drying the corpse to prevent it from decaying. The bodies were then placed into a coffin within a tomb to live on there. Many civilians brought offerings and gifts to these tombs such as;clothing, food, cosmetics, jewelry, and hymns from The Book of the Dead. These tombs were most of built by the peasants.
Life in Egyptian Societies:
The socials pyramid began with the royalty( kings and queens) on top. Next came the upper class which consisted of wealthy merchants, government officials, priests, and army commanders. After that came the middle class with merchants and artisans. Finally there were the lower class with peasants, farmers, and laborers. The slaves could earn freedom from loyal service, marriage, and success in jobs. Highest positions needed to read and write to gain opportunities. Women and men also shared equal rights.
Egyptian Writing:
The Egyptians early form of writing was their Hieroglyphics. That means "sacred carving" or having pictures stand for an idea. Overtime these pictures also stood for sounds like letters. They wrote on papyrus which was a split reed that was crafted to end up like paper.
Egyptian Science and Technology:
Most inventions were driven from simple needs like a calendar to help predict and track flood season, numbers for counting and money, architects for building (homes, stone columns, temples, pyramids), and medicine to cure the sick with surgery and checkups.
Invaders Control Egypt:
The Old Kingdom ended due to the power of pharaohs declining( 2180B.C.) Strong pharaohs then regained control in 2040-1640 B.C. as a mark of the Middle Kingdom. These strong pharaohs restored law, order, trade, and transport. Finally in 1640B.C. Hyksos from Palestine invaded and ruled Egypt from 1630-1523B.C. This was not the end, for Egypt would soon rise again.