December 2011 Archives

Welcome back. We'll start today out with the "Latin Phrases" quiz. Then, we can recap the "decline and fall" material, as well as take a quick look at a handout I forgot to give you last time.

Today, let's try to assess Rome's impact on world history. I always try to keep our focus on the "So what?" type of questions. In other words, "What is important for us to know?" "Why should we know it?" In that spirit, we'll close by looking at the lasting impact of Rome. As a group, I want us to come up with the "Top Ten Legacies of Ancient Rome." You've no doubt got a lot of ideas. In addition, here's an article called "The Legacy of Rome." We'll give you ten minutes to work on this, alone or in a group, and then we'll see what you come up with.

Finally, we'll bring this up to today and talk about whether this has anything to do with the modern United States. Here's the "big question":

Is the United States an "empire" in decline?

Let's consider some of the reasons established in this The Fall of the Roman Empire handout. For each category, try to think of parallels/ differences between Rome and the United States of today.

• Decline in Morals and Values
• Public Health
• Political Corruption
• Unemployment
• Inflation
• Urban decay
• Inferior Technology
• Military Spending

If the United States and the Roman Empire are comparable, do you believe were are destined to suffer the same fate? Why or why not?

If time permits, we can examine some possible solutions to the problems you may have identified.

You can use any remaining time to get started on the "homework" below.

HOMEWORK for next session - Tuesday, January 3rd

I'm going to give you all three of the Chapter 7 reading quizzes to take home with you. That means you won't have an "in-class" quiz either Tuesday or Wednesday when we return. You'll be much better prepared for class on Tuesday, January 3rd if you have read the chapter and completed the three quizzes by then.

Don't forget about your "Fakebook" assignment that will be due on Monday, January 9th. (The blog entry for Lesson #28 has the information for this assignment.)

We'll finish up our look at Rome today and tomorrow. Today's focus will be on the decline and fall of the Roman Empire.

No, you don't need to know this list, but you might find it interesting to scroll through this list of the "210 Reasons for the Decline of Rome." The list is the basis of a book written by Alexander Demandt, a German professor. (No, I don't know what some of them mean either...)

The Decline and Fall of Rome: We'll continue today by having you pair up with one partner (if you'd like), and spending 15 minutes working on a DBQ (document-based questions) activity on the fall of Rome. Whether you are finished or not at that time, we'll get back together to brainstorm our list of causes for the decline and fall of Rome.

You'll get assigned to one of four groups: economic causes, military causes, political causes or social causes. You need to pull together ideas from the reading and DBQ activity, as well as other things you know/ suspect. You can also consult this The Fall of the Roman Empire handout. 

We'll have you list your ideas on the whiteboard. I've also got a couple overheads to help us make sense of Rome's eventual fall in 476 CE.

Finally, we'll bring this up to today and talk about whether this has anything to do with the modern United States. Here's the "big question": Is the United States an "empire" in decline?

Let's consider some of the reasons established in the handout linked above. For each category, try to think of parallels/ differences between Rome and the United States of today.

• Decline in Morals and Values
• Public Health
• Political Corruption
• Unemployment
• Inflation
• Urban decay
• Inferior Technology
• Military Spending

If the United States and the Roman Empire are comparable, do you believe were are destined to suffer the same fate? Why or why not?

If time permits, we can examine some possible solutions to the problems you may have identified.

HOMEWORK for tomorrow: Friday, December 16th

You'll have your "Latin Phrases Still Used Today" quiz.

I'll ask you to read the very short "Ancient Roman Life" handout.

Don't forget about your "Fakebook" assignment that will be due on Monday, January 9th.

We'll start out today with your 6:4 reading quiz.

THE RISE OF CHRISTIANITY: As with the other great religious traditions that we have examined, I'm guessing that the class has a wide variation in its familiarity with the early history of Christianity. While your own beliefs may range widely, it's clearly important to take a look at major events in the birth and spread of what has become the world religion with the greatest number of followers.

We'll work through two major topics today.

• Jesus' Life and Teachings
• The Spread of Christianity

Jesus' Life and Teachings: Together, we'll piece together the historical record as it exists regarding the figure Jesus of Nazareth. In addition, we'll attempt to figure out what it was about his message that was compelling to its followers.

NOTE: At the turn of the millennium, a group of artists met to consider a "newer" face for Jesus that they believed would be more historically accurate. You can see the image they produced here.

From Jesus to Christ: The First Christians- PBS Frontline
This is a good site where you can find a number of references and links related to the early years of Christianity.

The Spread of Christianity: Let's consider how what begin as a small group of Jewish followers grew to be the dominant and official religion of the Roman Empire.

• Paul's contributions
  
• Peter's journey to Rome
  
• Rebellion in Judea - 66 CE (Temple destroyed in 70 CE), Masada in 73 CE, Diaspora
  
• Persecution by Rome
  
• Constantine's conversion - Edict of Milan (313 CE) legalizes Christianity
  
• 380 CE - Theodosius makes Christianity Rome's official religion

GREECE AND ROME THROUGH "FAKEBOOK"

Ms. Murr came up with this one, and her class last quarter seemed to enjoy it. We'll give it a try. (If you enjoy it, be sure to give her props. If you hate it, blame me.)

HOMEWORK for tomorrow - Thursday, December 15th

Please read Section 5, "The Legacy of Rome." (It's pp. 178 - 183 in your textbook.) The quiz will be multiple choice.

Your "Fakebook" assignment will be due on Monday, January 9th.

Caesar Augustus on Trial: We'll begin the day with our large-group discussion/ mock "trial" of Octavian, or Augustus Caesar, if you prefer. To get started, each side has ten minutes to meet together to think about arguments that benefit their side.

Here are the charges against Augustus:

• overthrowing the Roman Republic
• usurping (weakening) the rights of Roman citizens
• illegally establishing the Roman Empire with himself as Emperor

We will allow each side five minutes in which to present their "opening" arguments, beginning with the prosecution. After that, we'll allow people to speak/ ask questions as they are ready. This may be a graded discussion, so I'd like to hear at least two good comments from each of you.

As the hour closes, or as the discussion wears down, we'll "vote" on the charges. You can vote your own opinion at this point, rather than the one forced by your side.

I'm not sure exactly how long the trial will take, but I've got a couple things for us to check out as well. There are some neat resources on the web related to things we've been studying.

Rome Reborn: This is the name of the most ambitious computer model of an ancient city ever created. It is designed to give you a look at the city near its peak in the summer of 320 CE. Rome Reborn will be shown to tourists in Italy near the ruins of many of these sites. I've linked several articles below. (The initial link above is for the actual project itself.) You can find short video clips and pictures from the project in these links. It's worth browsing around.

• "Ancient Rome reborn in virtual reality"
  
• "Rome reborn" - Smithsonian Magazine
  
• "Photo Gallery: Ancient Rome Reborn in 3-D" - National Geographic

HOMEWORK for tomorrow: Wednesday, December 14th

Please read Section 4, "The Fall of the Roman Empire." (It's pp. 173 - 176 in your textbook.) The quiz will be matching.

The short quiz on Latin Phrases will be Friday. (I described the format more on yesterday's blog.)

Today, we'll highlight some of the key events as Rome moves from Republic to Empire...

Here's an interesting series of maps that show the growth of Rome during the time period we are covering today. (You can click on the right arrow below the map to move forward in time.) Census Figures: Roman Citizens is also kind of an interesting chart.

Section I - The Roman Republic

Origins of Rome:
geography's impact
Latins, Greeks, Etruscans - early settlers

The Early Republic
patricians v. plebeians
Twelve Tables
Government - We talked about the structure last time. Today, I'm interested in your views on its strengths and weaknesses. I have several questions for you.
Roman Army (This is a very thorough site in you're interested in learning more about the military.)

The Roman Republic - The Structure: We'll do some comparisons with what you know about our own government. For each of the following, add what we know about the Roman Republic. In addition to what you read in your text, this Roman Republic Constitution might be helpful. (Note: Rome never had a written constitution, but this document shows what one might have looked like given their laws and traditions.)

Executive:
USA: president, 4 year terms - chief executive, commander-in-chief
Rome:

Legislative:
USA: Senate of 100 members, 6 year terms - make laws, advise on foreign policy
House of Representatives with 435 members, 2 year terms - make laws, revenue bills
Rome:

Judicial:
USA: Supreme Court with nine justices appointed for life - highest court, hears appeals cases
Rome:

Legal Code:
USA: Constitution
Rome:

Rome Spreads Its Power
Rome conquers Italy
Rome's commercial network
War with Carthage

• First Punic War (264-241 BCE) - Rome wins Sicily, controls western Mediterranean
• Second Punic War (218-202 BCE) - Hannibal marches toward Rome; Scipio counterattacks
• Third Punic War (149-146 BCE) Carthage burned, made a Roman province

The Rise and Fall of Julius Caesar

• What economic, social and political problems faced the Republic?
  
• What happened to reformers like the Gracchi brothers?
  
• Why was the military becoming a threat to Rome?

Julius Caesar:
60 BCE - joins forces with Crassus and Pompey
59 BCE - elected counsul, First Triumvirate formed
58 - 50 BCE - conquers Gaul as its governor
49 BCE - Caesar crosses the Rubicon River, fights Pompey
46 BCE - returns to Rome as dictator
March 15, 44 BCE - Caesar is assassinated

Questions for Discussion:

• Was the assassination of Julius Caesar justified?
• Are there tyrants who are simply too dangerous to live?
• Is assassination ever justified?

43 BCE - Second Triumvirate formed (Octavian, Lepidus, Mark Antony)
31 BCE - Octavian defeats Mark Antony & Cleopatra at Battle of Actium
27 BCE - Augustus Caesar formally becomes Emperor
27 BCE - 180 CE - Pax Romana or "Roman peace"

Augustus and the Roman Empire: Tomorrow, we'll take a look at the Roman Empire. We'll kick that off by placing Augustus Caesar on trial on a variety of charges. We'll do this in "large group" format, but you'll each be assigned to a side, and you'll all be expected to speak. I have a packet of background information and source material to give you. Your job is to look through that for support for "your" side before tomorrow's class.

Tomorrow, Emperor Augustus will "stand trial" on the following charges:

• overthrowing the Roman Republic
• usurping (weakening) the rights of Roman citizens
• illegally establishing the Roman Empire with himself as Emperor

This will technically be more a "discussion" than a "mock trial," but we will consider half of you as the prosecution and half as the defense. You'll vote together as a jury, but you get to say what YOU think there, not your assigned side. Be sure you know whether you are "prosecution" or "defense" before you leave.

HOMEWORK for tomorrow: Tuesday, December 13th

Continue your reading in Chapter 6 with Section 3, "The Rise of Christianity." (pp. 168 - 172) The quiz will be true/false.

Please read through the documents in the "Octavian Augustus and the Formation of the Roman Empire" packet we handed out. Remember that you will be assigned a "side," so you should look for evidence that supports either position.

You'll have a short quiz on the Latin Phrases handout on Friday. Assume that you will be asked to match 10 with their definitions. You will also be asked to "fill in the blanks" with the appropriate phrase from a word bank. For example, "When Silly Billy through the clock out of the window, he said, 'Look, _______.'" "Tempus fugit" would be the best answer there. ("Time flies.") You will have a phrase bank, but there might be more than 10 choices to go with the 10 sentences.

We're shifting west from the Greeks to begin our look at the Romans. They will come to dominate life and culture around the Mediterranean Sea for centuries. Along with the Greeks, they will leave a strong and lasting impact on our modern lives. We'll start with the Greek Geography Quiz and the Bio-Poems...

Greek Bio-Poems:
Aeschylus
Aesop
Alexander
Archimedes
Aristotle
Euclid
Herodotus
Homer
Pericles
Philip II
Plato
Sappho
Socrates
Solon
Sophocles
Thucydides

Roman Chronology: This activity is designed to help you learn the basic chronology on Ancient Rome, both as a republic and as an empire. It's simple. Work in a group of about 3-4. You'll get a set of 25 events on slips of paper. Your job is to work together to place them in the correct chronological order. Once you think you have them correct, me know. I will check them. If you have them almost completely correct, I'll give you each a copy of the actual chronology in correct order, with the accurate dates to keep as a resource. If you have mistakes, you'll keep working.

The Roman Republic - The Primary Sources: Once your group successfully completes the chronology activity, you'll be directed to two of the five primary sources listed below. Your job is to take a look at the primary source you are assigned and be prepared to help us learn more about Ancient Rome through understanding these sources. (You'll need to scroll through down the web page to find your source. Believe me, it's there...)

Legendary founding of Rome (753 BCE)
The rape of Lucretia (509 BCE)
The Laws of the Twelve Tables (449 BCE)
Polybius: Rome at the End of the Punic Wars [History: Book 6] An Analysis of the Roman Government
Polybius: Rome at the End of the Punic Wars [History: Book 6] Rome and Carthage Compared

The Roman Republic - The Structure: We'll do some comparisons with what you know about our own government. For each of the following, add what we know about the Roman Republic. In addition to what you read in your text, this Roman Republic Constitution might be helpful. (Note: Rome never had a written constitution, but this document shows what one might have looked like given their laws and traditions.)

Executive:
USA: president, 4 year terms - chief executive, commander-in-chief
Rome:

Legislative:
USA: Senate of 100 members, 6 year terms - make laws, advise on foreign policy
House of Representatives with 435 members, 2 year terms - make laws, revenue bills
Rome:

Judicial:
USA: Supreme Court with nine justices appointed for life - highest court, hears appeals cases
Rome:

Legal Code:
USA: Constitution
Rome:

Latin phrases: We use a lot of Latin phrases and expressions yet today, so I have this Latin Phrases handout for you to complete. There are 30 phrases still used today. See how many you know, and then go back and figure out the rest. We'll go over these next class, so you should have them done...

Website of the Day: It's no Iron Maiden video, but here's the Roman Republic collection from the Timeline of Art History from the Metropolitan Museum of Art. You can read the text and click on the smaller images at the top to learn more about them.

HOMEWORK for next session - Tuesday, December 14th

Please read pp. 160 - 165, "The Roman Empire." It's Section 2 in Chapter 6 of your textbook. The quiz will be fill in the blank.

You should also turn in your 6:1 quiz that was a take-home if you have not already done so.

You should have the Latin Phrases handout completed for Monday. We'll take a short quiz on them on Wednesday of next week.

We'll start with the reading (5:5) and Greek Roots quizzes.

Athens and Philosophy: We'll finish this up from yesterday...

• I've got a series of overheads to show you on the pre-Socratics. (Don't take notes, just watch.)
• We'll take a look at Socrates.
• We'll introduce several of Plato's works: The Republic and the "Allegory of the Cave."
• We'll look at Aristotle's contributions.

Alexander the Great and the Hellenistic Empire: We'll make sure that you have the basics down on the spread of this vast empire. After that, we'll try to assess its legacy.

Song of the Day: Perhaps some of you have heard of Iron Maiden. I'm not really a fan, but they were a heavy metal group most famous in the '70s and '80s. It seems they sang a song with the appropriate title, "Alexander the Great." (Check out the link for the lyrics...) Even better, here's a You Tube video of the song.

Greek Bio-Poems: Here's a chance for you to do a little bit different type of writing. We'll see if you can complete these yet in class. You're going to compose a bit of "poetry" for us. You will select a famous Ancient Greek from a list. Then, using the Greek Bio-poem Format, you will compose an informative, yet poetic, tribute to that person. The form is pretty self-explanatory. 

Here's a list of the figures.

Aeschylus
Aesop
Alexander
Archimedes
Aristotle
Euclid
Herodotus
Homer
Pericles
Philip II
Plato
Sappho
Socrates
Solon
Sophocles
Thucydides

HOMEWORK for next session - Friday, December 9th

Please read Chapter 6, Section 1 ("The Roman Republic") on pages 155 - 159 in your textbook. The quiz will be multiple choice, and you'll be taking it home with you to complete.

Your Greek Geography Quiz will take place tomorrow.

Basically, you can choose to watch and react to one film from my list. You'll post your answers here to the blog, and that's what I'll use to award credit. You'll receive up to ten extra credit points for successfully completing this assignment.

DISCLAIMERS: I'm simply listing films that I believe are appropriate choices. I am not paying attention to the ratings or content. While I have seen most of the films on the list, I have not seen them all. There may be content in some that you find objectionable. Since this isn't a required assignment, I'm not bothering with permission slips or anything. I trust that you can do a quick Google search to figure out if the film is both interesting and appropriate for you. I'd also recommend consulting The Internet Movie Database for more information/reviews, etc.

I am trusting that you will select a film you haven't seen and that you will actually watch it in its entirety. You are welcome to get together with others in my classes to watch a film. (Everyone needs to do their individual blog posting, however.)

DUE DATE: I want these posted to the blog no later than the end of the day on Sunday, January 8th.  After that, you get no credit.

QUESTIONS TO ANSWER: After watching the film, consider the following questions and post your answers to THIS blog page.

• What film did you watch?
• What elements of "World History" were touched on by the film?
• How did the film reinforce and/or change your understanding of that history?
• What did you think of the film? (Comment on whatever you would like.)

You don't need to write a book, but I'd expect a couple of decent paragraphs or so...

FILM LIST: I will certainly add more titles to the list as they come to me. (I will consider suggestions as well.) I might also add some brief descriptions if/when I get a chance. For now, here is a start of films that I consider good choices for the assignment.

Ben Hur (G)
Spartacus (PG-13)
Julius Caesar (1953 - not rated)
Asoka (R)
Abraham (1994 TV miniseries)
The Ten Commandments (1956 - G)
Alexander the Great (R)
Masada (TV miniseries)
Cleopatra (1963 - G)
Gladiator (R)
Attila (2001 - TV miniseries)

No, 300 isn't on the list. Sorry.

At the top, we'll make sure you are feeling comfortable with the Greek geography items. We'll also see what you came up with from the Pericles' Funeral Oration activity.

Back to the "Golden Age of Athens" -

First, we'll take up the idea of democracy in Ancient Greece. Take a look at The Democratic Experiment by Professor Paul Cartledge when you finish your quiz. At least read that "page," and browse some others if you have time.

A reminder of key developments:

Draco:

• 621 BC develops legal code based on the idea that all Athenians were equal under the law

Solon - Comes to power around 594 BC:

• Bans debt slavery - Prevents the dominance of the aristocracy
• Organized all citizens into four social classes
• Top three classes could hold office and all citizens could participate in the assembly

Cleisthenes - Comes to power in 508 BC

• Reduce the power of the aristocrats
• Increased the power of the assembly
• Created the Council of Five Hundred

Pericles

• Increased the number of public officials who were paid
• Direct democracy
  

My questions for you:

• How democratic was the democracy of Athens?
• What advantages did it have over modern democracies? What disadvantages? 
• Are we a democracy today? Why or why not?
• In what ways (if any) should the democracy of America be more like that of Athens?
  

Athens and Philosophy: Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle

• I've got a series of overheads to show you on the pre-Socratics. (Don't take notes, just watch.)
• We'll take a look at Socrates.
• We'll introduce several of Plato's works: The Republic and the "Allegory of the Cave."
• We'll look at Aristotle's contributions.

HOMEWORK for tomorrow - Thursday, December 8th

Please read Chapter 5, Section 5 in your textbook. "The Spread of Hellenistic Culture" is found on pages 146 - 149. The quiz will be matching.

Your Greek Roots quiz will be tomorrow. (No in-class reading quiz for Friday, but you will have the Greek Geography quiz that day... I will also give you the 6.1 quiz to take home with you on Thursday evening.)

There are a number of different ways we could take today's lesson. In order to give you a flavor for the "Golden Age of Athens," we'll try several activities. Remember that you have two short quizzes this week (Greek Roots on Thursday. Greek Geography on Friday).

Think of today as Persian War to Pericles to Peloponnesian War...


The Persian Wars (490 - 479 BCE)

Cause: Athens aids rebels in Ionia against Persia

Key Events:

Battle of Marathon (490 BCE) - 25,000 Persians v. 10,000 Athenians
   Pheidippides: "Rejoice, we conquer"

Thermopylae and Salamis (480 BCE) - Xerxes sends huge invasion
   300 Spartans hold pass at Thermopylae
   (Here's a thoughtful article about the film.)
Debate over defending Athens - Themistocles urges evacuation
   Greeks win naval battle at Salamis

Delian League forms - drive out Persians
   Clears way for Golden Age of Athens

"The Age of Pericles" - As you read, Pericles was perhaps the central figure in Athens during this time period. Early in the war against Sparta, he delivers his "Funeral Oration," a speech that is recognized among history's greatest. We'll have you take a look at an excerpt from this speech, and you'll look for examples of two prominent Greek values: arete and eunomia. Here are the two documents that you need for this.

• Pericles handout
• Pericles' "Funeral Oration"
  

If you find the speech at all interesting, I'd recommend looking at
Dr. J's Illustrated Pericles' Funeral Oration. This is a professor's "guided tour" of the speech. I found it very helpful in understanding the wider context of the speech.

The Peloponnesian War - (431 - 404 BCE)

WHO: Athens and Sparta
WHAT: Fought the Peloponnesian War
WHERE: One guess: Greece. (Largely on the Peloponnesus...)
WHEN: 431 - 404 BCE
WHY: Resentment of Athenian power and wealth; a long rivalry
WHAT HAPPENS:

• Pericles delivers his "Funeral Oration."
• Plague strikes Athens early in the war, killing about 1/3 of population.
• Fighting continues over the next several decades, both on land and at sea.
• Athens eventually surrendered in 404 BCE. Its empire is now gone.

Cool site of the day: Here's The Greeks: Crucible of Civilization. This is from the PBS series, Empires. There's neat stuff here, including a great time line and some animations, etc. Check it out.


HOMEWORK for next class - Wednesday, December 7th

Please read Chapter 5, Section 4 in your textbook. It's "Alexander's Empire." (pp. 142 - 145.) The quiz will be true/false.

You have two additional quizzes this week: Greek Roots (Thursday) and Greek Geography (Friday). Each is worth 10 points.

Greek Geography: I'll give you a map of Greece and the surrounding region. On Friday, we'll take a quiz on the 20 features below. This time, I won't provide you with another map, but the quiz map will be the same as the one you receive today. I'll give you a word bank, and they'll be divided into categories as below.

Cities: There will ALSO be descriptions of the significance of each city.
Athens
Corinth
Delphi
Knossos
Marathon
Mycenae
Salamis
Sparta
Thebes
Troy

Places:
Crete
Macedonia
Mt. Olympus
Peloponneses
Thermopylae

Bodies of Water:
Aegean Sea
Black Sea
Gulf of Corinth
Ionian Sea
Mediterranean Sea

We'll take a look at two very different lifestyles that emerged in Greece. We'll compare and contrast life in Sparta and Athens. However, before the hour ends, these two rivals will band together to face off against our old friend Darius and his Persian Empire in the Persian Wars.

First, let's build those vocabularies by taking a look at your Greek Roots... We'll go through these quickly to make sure you can both define them and use them in an appropriate word.

Second, your newly found vocabulary should help you with these terms. Let's make sure we are on the same page with these terms that we've already come across in the reading.

arete
polis
acropolis
agora
monarchy
aristocracy
oligarchy
tyrant
democracy
helot
hoplite
phalanx

Third, we'll also give you an additional handout on one of these two groups. You'll have a few minutes to read it before our discussion.

Life in Athens and Sparta:

• If you were a young teenage girl of the citizen class, in which city-state would you rather live? Why?
• If you were a boy of the citizen class, in which would you rather live? Why?
• If you were a young soldier, in which would you rather live? Why?
• If you were a slave, in which would you rather live? Why?
• If you were an artist, in which would you rather live? Why?
• If you were a very wealthy person of the citizen class, in which would you rather live? Why?
• In which do you find more similarities to modern America? Why?

It's important to remember that these two cities could work together when needed. Here's one of those times. Let's spend about 10 minutes with:

The Persian Wars (490 - 479 BCE)

Cause: Athens aids rebels in Ionia against Persia

Key Events:

Battle of Marathon (490 BCE) - 25,000 Persians v. 10,000 Athenians
   Pheidippides: "Rejoice, we conquer"

Thermopylae and Salamis (480 BCE) - Xerxes sends huge invasion
   300 Spartans hold pass at Thermopylae (Here's a thoughtful article about the film.)
Debate over defending Athens - Themistocles urges evacuation
   Greeks win naval battle at Salamis

Delian League forms - drive out Persians
   Clears way for Golden Age of Athens

Cool site of the day: Here's The Greeks: Crucible of Civilization. This is from the PBS series, Empires. There's neat stuff here, including a great timeline and some animations, etc. Check it out.

HOMEWORK for tomorrow - Tuesday, December 7th

Please read Chaper 5, Section 3 ("Democracy and Greece's Golden Age") for tomorrow. It is pages 134 -139 in your textbook. The quiz will be fill in the blank.

Your Greek Roots quiz will be on Thursday.

We'll hit the ground running and start Unit #2 today. Our early focus will be on the Ancient Greeks and Romans. We'll close the unit with a look at what's going on around the rest of the world in the early centuries of the "Common Era." This unit will take us through the remainder of the quarter, so you can expect one more unit exam, very similar to the Unit #1 Exam, during that week the quarter ends in mid-January.

Unit #1 Exam: We can quickly go through the multiple choice. I do need these returned to me to keep.(Plus, I need to actually enter the grades on PowerSchool...) We'll go over the procedure for doing test corrections to improve your score if you were below 70%.

ANCIENT GREECE We'll spend the next five or so days on one of the most influential civilizations from world history. We'll start with a little concept mapping to see where you are coming from. Following that, we'll see how the Mycenaens, Minoans and Dorians each helped set the stage in Ancient Greece. You'll be able to complete the Chapter 5, Section 1 reading quiz as a take-home.

Athens and Sparta - You'll be given a reading on the two most famous of the Greek city-states:  Athens or Sparta. You'll be asked to complete a Venn diagram comparing and contrasting the two. On Monday, we'll participate in a discussion based on the two city-states. You'll be asked to consider questions such as these:

• If you were a young teenage girl of the citizen class, in which city-state  would you rather live? Why?
  
• If you were a boy of the citizen class, in which would you rather live? Why?
  
• If you were a young soldier, in which would you rather live? Why?
  
• If you were a slave, in which would you rather live? Why?
  
• If you were an artist, in which would you rather live? Why?
  
• If you were a very wealthy person of the citizen class, in which would you rather live? Why?
  
• In which do you find more similarities to modern America? Why?
  

Greek Roots: You may have done related activities in other classes, but we will take a look at the tremendous influence the Greeks have had upon the development of our language. Between prefixes, word roots and suffixes, a significant percentage of the words we use have their origins with the Greeks. We'll give you a little time today to work on your own or with a partner on the Greek Roots handout. This should be completed by tomorrow's class, and we'll take a quick quiz on Wednesday.

Greek Mythology: I'll be honest. I've never been particularly interested in Greek and Roman mythology. If, however, you are, here's a very informative website: Greek Gods. You can browse as much as you'd like...

HOMEWORK for next session - Monday, December 5th

Please complete the Chapter 5, Section 1 reading and quiz you were given.

Please read Chapter 5, Section 2 ("Warring City-States") from your textbook. It's pages 127-133, and your quiz will be multiple choice.

Your "Greek Roots" sheet should be completed and ready for discussion.

Be sure you have read "Athens" or "Sparta" and are ready to participate in a discussion.