Rome - Ultimate Empire

We watched a nice review of Ancient Rome (embedded below - and you saw some living hair, which was really creepy).  You also submitted your timelines.  If you needed more time, you were surprised to find that I will accept a late timeline on Monday...but you lose 20% RIGHT AWAY and I will be VERY STRICT while grading it...so it better be PERFECT.

Monday: Religion Readings & Religion Chart (You picked them up yesterday)
Tuesday: FINAL EXAM - Ancient Rome ONLY
Wednesday: Present Timelines
Thursday: Hopefully at St. Cloud to watch the Girls Soccer Team Win the State Championship!

Why Rome Fell and Couldn't Get Up

We went through the back chart (Causes for the Fall of the Roman Empire) from Tuesday's handout.  You filled things in as I went through each.  We concluded by starting our look at the three Abrahamic Religions Chart.

Your timeline is due tomorrow, so I hope to see nice ones from each of you (individually).

We'll finish Rome tomorrow and go through the timelines on Monday, followed by some study time.

On Tuesday, we'll look more closely at religions through the Religion Readings you picked up today.

Your exam will be administered on Wednesday, and we can all hope we have a nice reason to miss school on Thursday (Go Lady Millers!).

Pompeii & WIl 1.6

We watched "Pompeii, Back from the Dead," preceded by Pliny's Account of Vesuvius.

WIL 1.6 Freedom vs Security

Which do you value more:

individual freedom, with a voice in government, in the midst of economic instability, political chaos, and war...

...or...

limited participation in government but economic security (wealth), political stability (in the hands of one or a few), and peace? 

Rome - Block Notes & Wealth Inequality

I shared a story about Rome (My Rome Notes KEY), showing you how to take notes in a "Blocked" style that transitions nicely into Cornell Notes.
We concluded class by looking at the problem of Wealth Inequality - how so few at the "top" hold so much of the actual wealth (land, businesses, stocks, cash, etc.) while most of us have very little in comparison.  It caused A LOT of problems in Ancient Rome, and has become an issue today...

Rome Met its Match...Then Burned and Salted their Enemy's Wounds

We watched another episode of "Decisive Battles" which addressed Hannibal's Carthaginian army defeating a superior (numbers and weapons) Roman army by outflanking (coming around the side) them.  The Roman military was efficient and designed to expand the empire, but it met its match with Hannibals' tactical genius.  Problem is, the Roman's spent so much on their military that they have little left for art - which is why they are often skipped over when bridging Egypt & Greece with Renaissance Europe.

Exam 1.2

You took Exam 1.2 in class today.  If you were absent (excused, of course), you have one week to make it up before or after school - but let's make it available through Thursday, Oct 23rd).

Do not forget about your timeline project, which is due by Friday the 24th...it will NOT be accepted after that date - for ANY reason!

China - Dynasties of Empire & EC 1.2 WIL "Choice"

We watched a vid regarding Ancient China (embedded below).  There are at least two questions on tomorrow's exam pulled directly from video content.

EC 1.2 (WIL) Choice (emailed by Friday 5 PM)
A terrible tragedy has struck the people of a country on the other side of the world.  Meanwhile, you also have been hit with a devastating loss.  A plane crashes into a building in India/China/Indonesia (pick), killing 1,000 people.  At home, a drunk driver hits your car, killing a family member or close friend.  Given the power to go back in time and change ONE thing...whom do you decide to save?  One person close to you...or 1,000 people you do not know, from a country you will probably never visit.  There is no 'right" answer - simply a thought process and reasoning.

Rome - Caesar; Exam 1.2 Study Guide

We went through the remaining wkshts from the Rome Packet you picked up earlier in the week. Please study for your next exam, which covers, Ancient India, China, & Greece.  We'll watch a video about China on Monday as a refresher (plus, there are 2 test questions from the vid).  I am adding some study topic below.  This is not everything, but knowing about ALL will certainly help you succeed.  Your Final Exam will be about Rome & Abrahamic religions (Judaism, Christianity, Islam) only.

Greece: Agora, Alexander the Great & his Empire, Aristotle, Cleisthenes & Athens, Euclid, Euripides, Greek Religion, Homer, Hoplite, Pantheon, Plato, Polis, Thermopylae, Thucydides

China: Dynastic system & its cycle, Confucius & Confucianism, Han Dynasty, Legalism

India: Aryans & their contribution to Ancient Indian culture, Four Noble Truths, Siddhartha Gautama, Suffering

Outline Note-Taking

You took notes from chapter 5 (Rome & Christianity) of your textbook.  I had you complete the task in outline format (picture at left).  If you finished in a satisfactory manner, I gave you a clean copy, in which you can write more details.

I also showed you how Christianity benefited from being spread throughout an existing (Roman) Empire.  Similar to how Greek culture was spread by Alexander when he conquered much of Persia.


WIL 1.5 One vs Many
Which is more important - the individual or the group?

Roman Expansion

After completing yesterday's maps, I hope you had the following question on your mind:  How did little Rome conquer the entire Mediterranean region and ALL of Western Europe?  Simple answer - its military.  Roads, standardized equipment, and record-keeping (for supplies).

We watched the first 3 minutes of HBO's "Rome" series (embedded below), cancelled after only 2 seasons due to its high production cost (it was an amazing show).

We then watched "Conquest: Roman Weapons" to see what a Roman Legionnaire went through in training and the types of weapons he used.

Mapping Ancient Rome

You picked up a packet of handouts:

·         AncientRome Timeline (Due by Friday Oct. 24th)

·         Rome– Reading a Timeline (Partially done in class today)

·         Rome& Christianity Timeline (Partially done in class today)

·         RomeMap 1 Italy 500 BC

·         RomeMap 2 Roman Empire at its Height

·         RomeCaesar's Military Campaigns

·         RomeDeath of Caesar: Analyzing a Primary Source

·         RomeOrder in the Court – Roman Legal System

·         Rome– Sacking of Rome: Analyzing Conflicting Sources

Use the two outline maps to complete the mapping activity using the maps below.  Copy the information from "Italy 500 BC" onto your map. Then, using the list below, label items from the 2nd map (Roman Empire at its Height) onto your 2nd map.

Regions (ALL CAPS): ASIA MINOR, BRITAIN, EGYPT, GAUL, GERMANY ,GREECE ,ITALY, JUDEA, LIBYA, NUMIDIA, SPAIN, SYRIA

Cities:  Alexandria, Athenae, Babylon, Byzantium, Carthago, Hierosolyma, Londonium, Lutetia, Roma, Vindobona

Water:  Atlantic Ocean, Black Sea, Danube River, Ebro River, Mediterranean Sea, Nile River, Rhine River

Caste System & Confucianism Today

You picked up two handouts that we read through and explored together as a class:

• Indian truck Driver
• Confucian Rules for Society

You will get you Q1 Project Handout (Roman Timeline) in class tomorrow.  We will start looking at Rome, even though it is NOT on the next exam (1.2: Greece, India, China)

Ancient India & China

I lectured today about The Buddha & Confucius as a means to get you to understand Ancient India & China.  My notes are always available.  Please make sure you have read the relevant chapter in the textbook.  We'll look at China (maybe Confucius, specifically)  more closely on Monday, after which we jump over to Ancient Rome.

India - Empires & Religion

You were given 20 minutes to complete the char ton the back of the India (Cartoon History) handout, which asked you to compare the textbook with the Cartoon History reading.  I walked around to check your work on the Cartoon History questions...still disappointed, by the way.

You are given plenty of class time to complete assignments, but many of you waste it.  I may have to become more draconian and isolate everyone at a separate table, no music, etc.  Please do not let it get to that point.

We then went through the Cartoon History questions (KEY) after watching Crash Course 06 Buddha & Ashoka.  We'll finish going through the answers tomorrow, followed by a lecture on Ancient India & China.

Indus River Valley & WIL 1.4

We watched Crash Course World History 02 Indus River Valley Civilization.  You then had time to finish the worksheet from Monday.  I am expecting everyone to be done with at least the Cartoon History side.  For those of you who are done, you were to work on the chart on the back, using the Cartoon History as Source A and the textbook as Source B.

WIL 1.4 Nature vs Nurture
Which is more important to the success or failure of an individual or group?  Everyone has internal natural abilities, advantages, and shortcomings.  But there are also external nurturing factors that affect our upbringing.