Western Civ Final Exam

Question:Explain why some scholars have called the Ancient Egyptians a "death obsessed" culture. Do you agree?

Thesis: The Ancient Egyptians based their whole life on death by preparing for judgement and preparing dead peolpe for he after life.

Primary Source #1:

Stairs to the sky are laid for him that he may ascend thereon to the sky (Pyr. 365).

How beautiful to see, how satisfying to behold,' say the gods, when this god (meaning the king) ascends to the sky. His fearfulness is on his head, his terror is at his side, his magical charms are before him.' Geb has done for him as was done for himself (Geb). The gods and souls of Buto, the gods and souls of Hierakonpolis, the gods in the sky and the gods on earth come to him. They make supports for king Unis on their arms. Thou ascendest, 0 King Unis, to the sky, Ascend upon it in this its name 'Ladder' (Pyr. 476-9).

Mircea Eliade "From Primitives to Zen": THE DEAD PHARAOH ASCENDS TO HEAVEN

http://www.mircea-eliade.com/from-primitives-to-zen/166.html

Primary Source #2

In truth, I now come to you, and I have brought Maat to you,
And I have destroyed wickedness for you.
I have committed no evil upon men.
I have not oppressed the members of my family.
I have not wrought evil in the place of right and truth.
I have had no knowledge of useless men.
I have brought about no evil.
I did not rise in the morning and expect more than was due to me.
I have not brought my name forward to be praised.
I have not oppressed servants.
I have not scorned any god.
I have not defrauded the poor of their property.
I have not done what the gods abominate.
I have not cause harm to be done to a servant by his master.

Judgement of the Dead Book of the Dead, Chapter 25 [At WSU]

http://www.wsu.edu/~dee/EGYPT/BOD125.HTM

Primary Source #3

They take first a crooked piece of iron, and with it draw out the brain through the nostrils, thus getting rid of a portion, while the skull is cleared of the rest by rinsing with drugs; next they make a cut along the flank with a sharp Ethiopian stone, and take out the whole contents of the abdomen, which they then cleanse, washing it thoroughly with palm wine, and again frequently with an infusion of pounded aromatics.

Ancient History Sourcebook: Herodotus: Mummification, from The Histories

http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/ancient/herodotus-mummies.html

Explanation of Argument:

In the first source it talks about a dead pharaoh is going up to the afterlife and how it happens. In the second source it tells you what the dead people will confess to the gods so they can go to the afterlife. In the third source it shows you how people prepare dead bodies for the after life. All this preparation takes a lot of time showing that the Ancient Egyptian culture was death obsessed.

Question:Who is a better model for modern historians: Herodotus or Thucydides? Why?

Thesis: Thucydides is a better model because he would write down things he knew were absolutely true from written accounts and eyewitness, unlike Herodotus who would write gossip and rumors he heard.

Primary Source #1:

The customs which I know the Persians to observe are the following: they have no images of the gods, no temples nor altars, and consider the use of them a sign of folly. This comes, I think, from their not believing the gods to have the same nature with men, as the Greeks imagine. Their wont, however, is to ascend the summits of the loftiest mountains, and there to offer sacrifice to Zeus, which is the name they give to the whole circuit of the firmament. They likewise offer to the sun and moon, to the earth, to fire, to water, and to the winds.

Ancient History Sourcebook: Herodotus: On The Customs of the Persians, c. 430 BCE

http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/ancient/herodotus-persians.html

Primary Source #2:

For my part I am astonished that men should ever have divided Libya, Asia, and Europe as they have, for they are exceedingly unequal. Europe extends the entire length of the other two, and for breadth will not even (as I think) bear to be compared to them. As for Libya, we know it to be washed on all sides by the sea, except where it is attached to Asia.

Ancient History Sourcebook: Herodotus (c.490-c.425 BCE): On Libya, from The Histories, c. 430 BCE

http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/ancient/herod-libya1.html

Primary Source #3:

The country which is now called Hellas was not regularly settled in ancient times. The people were migratory, and readily left their homes whenever they were overpowered by numbers. There was no commerce, and they could not safely hold intercourse with one another either by land or sea.

Thucydides On The Early History of the Hellenes (written c. 395 BCE) http://www.cartage.org.lb/en/themes/BookLibrary/books/bibliographie/T/Thucydides/thuc-hellenes.html Explanation of Argument: In the first and second source it is written by Herodotus. He uses I think a lot and he has many opinions and rumors in his. Thucydides has written down facts that he knows is true, therefore he is a better model. Question: Considering all of the conflict of the first century BCE, was Rome better off as an "empire" than as a republic? Thesis: Rome was better of as an empire because that put the power in one person's had which led to less conflict, and the power was not in everyones hands. Primary Source #1 Country slaves ought to receive in the winter, when they are at work, four modii [Davis: One modius equals about a quarter bushel] of grain; and four modii and a half during the summer. The superintendent, the housekeeper, the watchman, and the shepherd get three modii; slaves in chains four pounds of bread in winter and five pounds from the time when the work of training the vines ought to begin until the figs have ripened. Ancient History Sourcebook: Slavery in the Roman Republic http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/ancient/slavery-romrep1.html Primary Source #2: We are told that Galba, taking hold of Piso's hand, spoke to this effect: "If I were a private man, and were now adopting you by the Act of the Curiae before the pontiffs, as our custom is, it would be a high honour to me to introduce into my family a descendant of Gnaeus Pompey and Marcus Crassus; it would be a distinction to you to add to the nobility of your race the honours of the Sulpician and Lutatian houses. Ancient History Sourcebook: Tacitus: The Principle of Adoption http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/ancient/tacitus-hist1a.html Primary Source #3 When the report of the murder of the Emperor Pertinax spread among the people, consternation and grief seized all minds, and men ran about beside themselves. An undirected effort possessed the people---they strove to hunt out the doers of the deed, yet could neither find nor punish them. But the Senators were the worst disturbed, for it seemed a public calamity that they had lost a kindly father and a righteous ruler. Also a reign of violence was dreaded, for one could guess that the soldiery would find that much to their liking. Ancient History Sourcebook: Herodian of Syria (3rd Cent. CE): History of the Emperors: - How Didius Julianus Bought the Empire at Auction, 193 C http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/ancient/herodianus-didius.html Explanation of Argument: In the first source it shows how during the republic there was a lot of slavery which caused conflict. In the second source it shows that there was no conflict for who would be king next because it would just be an heir to the thrown. In the third source it shows how upset they were when their king died which shows Empire worked better for Rome. Question: What was the significance of the Black Death and the 100 Years' War to the development of Europe as we know it today? Thesis: After the Black Death and the 100 Years' War it developed Europe in different ways because they learned from these experiences how to keep more people alive and how to stay away from some conflicts. Primary Source #1 I say, then, that such was the energy of the contagion of the said pestilence, that it was not merely propagated from man to mail, but, what is much more startling, it was frequently observed, that things which had belonged to one sick or dead of the disease, if touched by some other living creature, not of the human species, were the occasion, not merely of sickening, but of an almost instantaneous death. Whereof my own eyes (as I said a little before) had cognisance, one day among others, by the following experience. Medieval Sourcebook: Boccaccio: The Decameron - Introduction http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/boccacio2.html Primary Source #2 In 1348 there appeared in Europe a devastating plague which is reported to have killed off ultimately twenty-five million people. By the fall of that year the rumor was current that these deaths were due to an international conspiracy of Jewry to poison Christendom. It was reported that the leaders in the Jewish metropolis of Toledo had initiated the plot and that one of the chief conspirators was a Rabbi Peyret who had his headquarters in Chambéry, Savoy, whence he dispatched his poisoners to France, Switzerland, and Italy. Jewish History Sourcebook: The Black Death and the Jews 1348-1349 CE http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/jewish/1348-jewsblackdeath.html Primary Source #3 The Englishmen, who were in three battles lying on the ground to rest them, as soon as they saw the Frenchmen approach, they rose upon their feet fair and easily without any haste and arranged their battles. The first, which was the prince's battle, the archers there stood in manner of a herse and the men of arms in the bottom of the battle. The earl of Northampton and the earl of Arundel with the second battle were on a wing in good order, ready to comfort the prince's battle, if need were. Medieval Sourcebook: Jean Froissart: On The Hundred Years War (1337-1453) http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/froissart1.html Explanation of Argument: In the first and second source it talks about the Black Death. During this the people were getting sick because it was highly contagious and they started blaming the plague on other people. In the 100 Years' War there were many battles and they couldn't settle their conflict. These events taught the Europeans a lot and they were able to live well after that. Question: Were the Vikings "barbarians"? Thesis: The Vikings are known today as barbarians but back then, in their eyes, it was just their way of living which was normal for them. Primary Source #1: Pirates of the Northmen's race came to Nantes, killed the bishop and many of the clergy and laymen, both men and women, and pillaged the city. Thence they set out to plunder the lands of lower Aquitaine. At length they arrived at a certain island [the isle of Rhé, near La Rochelle, north of the mouth of the Garonne], and carried materials thither from the mainland to build themselves houses; and they settled there for the winter, as if that were to be their permanent dwelling-place. Medieval Sourcebook: Three Sources on the Ravages of the Northmen in Frankland, c. 843 - 912 http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/843bertin.html Primary Source #2 They went without shields, and were mad as dogs or wolves, and bit on their shields, and were as strong as bears or bulls; men they slew, and neither fire nor steel would deal with them; and this is what is called the fury of the berserker. Mircea Eliade "From Primitives to Zen": INITIATION OF A WARRIOR http://www.mircea-eliade.com/from-primitives-to-zen/145.html Primary Source #3 After the sixteen winters had lapsed, from the time when Eric the Red went to colonize Greenland, Leif, Eric's son, sailed out from Greenland to Norway. He arrived in Drontheim in the autumn, when King Olaf Tryggvason was come down from the North, out of Halagoland. Leif put into Nidaros with his ship, and set out at once to visit the king. King Olaf expounded the faith to him, as he did to other heathen men who came to visit him. It proved easy for the king to persuade Leif, and he was accordingly baptized, together with all of his shipmates. Leif remained throughout the winter with the king, by whom he was well entertained. Modern History Sourcebook: The Discovery of North America by Leif Ericsson, c. 1000 from The Saga of Eric the Red, 1387 http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/1000Vinland.html Explanation of Argument: In the first and second source it talks about how vikings were like barbarians but in their time they didn't really seem like barbarians. In the third source it talks about Leif Ericson which shows that vikings still had normal lives and did productive things. Question: How does Henry VIII maintain power while breaking away from the Catholic Church? (Francesca R., Fort Worth) Thesis: Henry VIII mantains power because he had a lot of the people in Rome on his side and they would follow what he would do. Primary Source #1 In my most heartie wise I commend me unto you and even so, would be right glad to hear of your welfare, etc. This is to advertise you that inasmuch as you now and then take some pains in writing unto me, I would be loathe you should think your labor utterly lost and forgotten for lack of writing again; therefore and because I reckon you to be some deal desirous of such news as hath been here with us of late in the King's Graces matters, I intend to inform you a parte thereof, according to the tenure and purport used in that behalf. Medieval Sourcebook: Letter of Thomas Cranmer, 1533 http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/cramner-hen8.html Primary Source #2 After dinner, we were taken to the King [Henry VIII], who embraced us, without ceremony, and conversed for a very long while very familiarly, on various topics, in good Latin and in French, which he speaks very well indeed, and he then dismissed us, and we were brought back here to London.... 1515, a Contemporary Description of King Henry VIII http://englishhistory.net/tudor/henrydes.html Primary Source #3 No more to you at this present mine own darling for lack of time but that I would you were in my arms or I in yours for I think it long since I kissed you. Written after the killing of an hart at a xj. of the clock minding with God's grace tomorrow mightily timely to kill another: by the hand of him which I trust shortly shall be yours. Selection form king Henry VIII's love letter to Anne Boylen http://englishhistory.net/tudor/lovelett.html Explanation of Argument: Henry VIII was a very noble man and these sources prove that he had a lot of people and friends on his side. Because of this he could break away from the Church but still mantain power.

Review Notes

Sumaria

• Early ube is dots on map. Which is the early culture
• There is a straight that did not always exist.
• When the black sea broke archaeologists think that that was the great flood
• Gilgamesh
• Code of hammurabi- took place during late bronze age
• Hammurabi, king of Babylonians write first set of laws we have on record
• The laws were very strict
• Book of the dead
• Ka

Ancient Greece

• Herodotus

• Thermopylae
• Athenian league
• Peloponnesian war
• Thucydides
• Herodotus-hisotry of persian wars
• Thycidides- history of pelopennisian wars
• Xenophon- writing hidtory round time of socrates
• Aristotle- invents encyclopidia
• Plutarch- wrote biogrophies
• Pausarius- travel guides
• Third Punic war was the war that ended Carthage
• Gracchus brothers in Rome.
• Marius and Sulla
• These two events lay a very scary precedent for what is about to happen in Rome. That is the rise of Caesar and two generations of civil war.
• Julius Caesar. He decided to conquer Gaul.
• Battle of alesia

map of ancient greece

Ancient History Sourcebook Paragraphs

Livy's History of Rome: Book 1 http://etext.virginia.edu/etcbin/toccer-new2?id=Liv1His.sgm&images=images/modeng&data=/texts/english/modeng/parsed&tag=public&part=1&division=div1

After the Council of Troy the Trojans were massacred and then Aenaes and Antenor would not get along. Then the Trojans Enetians, together, defeated the Eugania. The Trojans also took over many other neighborhoods. The city of Troy was then defeated and a treaty was signed to keep peace. A city was then built called Lavinium. The Trojans and Aborgines went at war with the Turnus. Then Latinus died so Aeneas took his forces into war and he then died. Then his son Ascanius took his thrown. Then Silvius took thrown. Then the line of kings kept going and they died for many different reasons. Numitor eventualle became king but he was a very violent person and he cause many problems. Then the twins, Romulus and Remus, were born and they were thrown in a river. The twins stayed afloat and were rescued by a she-wolf who took care of them. Romulus and Remus joined the Lupercalia festival which was on Palentine Hill, where man ran about naked playing sports. Romulus was able to defend himself but Remus was taken prisoner. After Romulus found about this he killed the king. One day Numitor saw an enemy attacking the palace and he drew soldiery to come defend the palace. Then many people came to congratulate him and he then became king. He told Romulus and Remus to build a city. They were twins so no one had more authority because of who was older so they went to the tutelary deities to find out whose name the city would be after and who would rule the city. Both of them got omens and they fought over whose omen was better. Remus was killed and Romulus became the king and the city was named after him. He was talking about how to worship gods and he had a story about Hercules. After they figured out their religion Romulus called a council and he gave them laws and created senators.

Tacitus: The End of the Republic. http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/ancient/tacitus-ann1a.html

When Rome first started it was ruled by kings. Then freedom and consulship was established. All the people that came to rule and the rules that were made did not last long. This time in Rome was recorder by different historians but they did not want to write about Augustus until the sweet talk scared him away. The history about some people was changed because they were afraid and they wrote about their death because they hated them. Some more about Augustus- After Brutus and Cassius were destroyed Augustus was able to win over the soldiers and the other people. He grew greater and he worked on the senate, magistrates, and laws. Nobody would oppose Augustus because if they did they would have fallen into battle, while the remaining nobles, the readier where slaves. The provinces didn’t like the state of things because they didn’t trust the senate and people. The laws were useless and they were always getting ruined so it was a waste of time.

ancient history sourcebook

Pausanius- Description of Greece: Book 1- This book describes the land of Greece and all the geography. It is one of his travel guides. http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/ancient/pausanias-bk1.html

Solon- Selected Fragments- He writes about laws and how the city is working. He also talks about some of his accomplishments. http://homepage.usask.ca/~jrp638/DeptTransls/Solon.html

Plutarch- Life of Solon- this is a biography about the life of Solon. Plutarch wrote biographies. http://classics.mit.edu/Plutarch/solon.html

Herodotus- This is about the history of the persian war. http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/ancient/herodotus-persdemo.html

Thucydides- this is about the history of the Peloppennesian war. http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/ancient/pericles-funeralspeech.html

Elizabeth Notes

1. Came to the thrown in 1559
2. Daughter of King Henry 8 and his second wife
3. When Elizabeth was three month old she was given her own household
4. Anne Boleyn miscarried a boy , and then she was executed
5. Elizabeth was then known as a bastard
6. In 1547 Henry was dead
7. In 1558 she was declared queen of England
8. Mary was brought to trial and in 1587 Mary was beheaded

Medici Notes

The Medici family

1. At the dawn of the 15th century they went into a church to look for knowledge. Lost secrets from the ancient world
2. Florence was a major trading center. It was the place to be.
3. The Medici family had a small bank run by the father. Giovanni Medici.
4. They helped a pirate join the church and become pope. He was pope John the Third.
5. They became known as God's bank.
6. There was a cathedral being built but they failed and didn’t finish it so it had no dome.
7. The Medici family searched for a way to fix the dome.
8. Philipo Brunelleschi drew how the cathedral should be finished. People didn’t like his unorthodox style.
9. Brunelleschi's style was different so when people were building the cathedral people would stand and watch them.
10. The Medici helped him.
11. The Medici family tried to get power and then promote their image.
12. Cosimo supported Brunelleschi.
13. He wrote his calculations in code because he didn't want his ideas stolen.
14. He would have to rewrite the rules of western architecture.
15. The health of Cosimo's father began to fall as Brunelleschi's dome was being built.
16. In 1420 Giovanni Medici died.
17. Cosimo had to assume his father's role.
18. Cosimo had a rival family.
19. Cosimo was summoned to the palace of government. The Albetsi were waiting for him. (rival family)
20. Cosimo was found guilty and then he was to be executed.
21. But then his life was spared. They paid his jail to let him out.
22. He and his family were then banished.
23. Brunelleschi was thrown into jail and work on the dome was abandoned.
24. Florentine business stopped because there was no Medici bank.
25. Within a year the Albetsi lost control of the people.
26. Cosimo came back. The Medici were back in business.
27. Money came back to Florence and Brunelleschi led his workers back into the dome.
28. The Medici became the most profitable bank in Europe.
29. Pazzi were the rival bank and the second richest family
30. On Easter Sunday the Medici family was in church worshiping the holiday and Juliano Medici was stabbed 19 times, but Lorenzo was un accounted for
31. He shows himself to the crowd and he is wounded
32. Lorenzo traveled Lorenzo had Florence under his power and control
33. Leonardo DaVinci had great artistic talent
34. One monk did not like Lorenzo having power
35. On July 29 Lorenzo's wife died of tuberculosis
36. Lorenzo established an art school
37. Michelangelo was thirteen and he already had great talent so Lorenzo took him under his wing
38. Lorenzo brought him into his family to grow up with Lorenzo seven children
39. Florence was split down the people
40. Under Lorenzo Florence had reached new heights of culture
41. Lorenzo became ill Lorenzo knew he was dying
42. Lorenzo died at the age of 43 and he feared hell
43. Savonarola did not allow make up and jewelry
44. Botticelli hurled his own paintings into the flames
45. The Renaissance had collapsed

Black Death Notes

1. They filled catapults with dead people and threw them into the city
2. When the people went on a ship to get away from the black death there were some infected rats on the ship. Then they went to Sicily.
3. The plague kept spreading and it spread throughout Sicily.
4. People thought they were facing the end of the world.
5. The pope sat in a circle of fire so that the disease would not be able to get through
6. The black death killed over a third of Europe's population
7. Rats and fleas were carriers and the fleas transferred the disease to the personv

France Notes

1. In the middle ages the church is the strongest thing in Europe
1095. Pope call for the first crusade
1096. Jerusalem had changed hands from jews to followers of islam and Arabs
1097. First crusade was a complete failure
1098. Romanesque churches were more dark and fortress like. Sculpture on the churches represent the millennial mythology. They had very round arches.
1099. Gothic art- churches were full of images of light. Stain glass windows. Elegant arched archway with bog rose window.

Code of Hammurabi Law

Create your own video slideshow at animoto.com.

Is monarchy more or less effective than democracy?

History has shown that democracies are more effective than monarchies. People want to be able to vote and have a say in what their government does. It makes a lot more people happy and it gives people the feeling that they have more purpose in their government. From economic perspectives democracies have been more effective in making the country more prosperous. Monarchies did not give people much say in their government and for many of them their government worked a way they did not want it to. If somebody was ruled by a king they could possibly not like their king and they would have no way of having a say in what the king does. Overall, democracies are much more effective than monarchies because it gives the other people in the country more purpose in their government.
A monarchy is a state or nation in which the supreme power is actually or nominally lodged in a monarch. Supreme power or sovereignty held by a single person.( http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/monarchy) The monarchy is usually when there is a king or queen and they hold all the power for that country. There is one person in power and they choose what goes on in the government. Other people don’t have a say in what they do, it is just up to the person that has the power. This is not effective because it can cause a lot of anger with the people in the country that do not agree with what the person in power does. Also you can have a person in power that really does not deserve to be in power so they mess up a lot of things and they destroy the country. One great example of a person who was the head of a monarchy is Queen Elizabeth I. She was a very effective monarch. She helped establish England into a very prosperous country, politically and economically. She was very devoted to her country. When she was questioned by parliament regarding her not getting married she replied with “Yea, to satisfy you, I have already joined myself in Marriage to an Husband, namely, the Kingdom of England.” (http://englishhistory.net/tudor/eliz1-writings.html) She was one of the exceptions of an effective monarch. It is very unusual to find a monarch with such a passion and devotion towards her country and her people.
A democracy is : government by the people; especially : rule of the majority, a government in which the supreme power is vested in the people and exercised by them directly or indirectly through a system of representation usually involving periodically held free elections and a political unit that has a democratic government. (http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/democracy) Democracy is more effective than monarchy because it involves the people in the country. People can choose who represents them in the government which makes more people get what they want in their government. Unlike a monarch where there is a king or queen which is unelected and come through inheritance. The most developed nations of the world are all democracies. The United States is a great example of a democracy because people choose who president is and people also choose governors and other people who represent us. The Declaration of Independence says, “That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.”( http://http//www.ushistory.org/declaration/document/) the signing of the Declaration of Independence and the passage of the United States constitution guaranteed the establishment of American democracy.
Democracy is much more effective than Monarchy. In democracy people get their say in the government unlike monarchy where it is all up to the one person in power.

Works Cited

"The Declaration of Independence." Ushistory.org. Web. 16 May 2010. http://www.ushistory.org/declaration/document/

"Democracy - Definition and More from the Free Merriam-Webster Dictionary." Dictionary and Thesaurus - Merriam-Webster Online. Web. 16 May 2010. http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/democracy

"Elizabeth I: Poetry." EnglishHistory.net. Web. 16 May 2010. http://englishhistory.net/tudor/eliz1-writings.html

"Monarchy Define Monarchy at Dictionary.com." Dictionary.com Find the Meanings and Definitions of Words at Dictionary.com. Web. 16 May 2010. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/monarchy

Scotland from the 14th-16th century

Many things happened in Scotland between the 14th century and the 16th century. In the middle of the 14th century the war between the Bruce dynasty and their Comyn-Balliol rivals came to an end. The Bruce dynasty had won. After this Robert II came to thrown and established the Stuart dynasty. The Stuart dynast brought much wealth to Scotland throughout the middle ages. In the 14th and 15th century there was a much more variety of English in Scotland and Edinburgh was known as Scotland’s capital. Then James VI became king of Scotland. He then also inherited the throne of England. This made Scotland be in political union with England. In the 16th century the treaty of union was passed and it made Scotland and England to come together and make the kingdom of Great Britain. The treaty of union says, “That the two Kingdoms of England and Scotland shall upon the First day of May which shall be in the year One thousand seven hundred and seven and for ever after be united into one Kingdom by the name of Great Britain “(http://www.statutelaw.gov.uk/content.aspx?activeTextDocId=2078400) Scotland and England were still allowed to have different legal systems.

sources:

"Scotland." Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Web. 16 May 2010. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scotland#Medieval_period

"Union with Scotland Act 1706 (c.11) - Statute Law Database." Home - Statute Law Database. Web. 16 May 2010. http://www.statutelaw.gov.uk/content.aspx?activeTextDocId=2078400

Do you think Leonardo deserved the title "Genius"?

I think Leonardo da Vinci does deserve the title "genius". He invented many interesting things and he was able to decode a lot. Just the fact of him being able to write all his journals in code is enough to call him a genius. Leonardo da Vinci saw a lot of the greatest gifts. Giorgio Vasari said, "The greatest gifts are often seen, in the course of nature, rained by celestial influences on human creatures; and sometimes, in supernatural fashion, beauty, grace, and talent are united beyond measure in one single person, in a manner that to whatever such an one turns his attention, his every action is so divine, that, surpassing all other men, it makes itself clearly known as a thing bestowed by God (as it is), and not acquired by human art. This was seen by all mankind in Leonardo da Vinci.” (http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/vasari1.html) Leonardo discovered and invented many things that can describe him as a genius. He was able to paint in such great perspective that the painting almost seemed real. One of his greatest paintings, and a great example of perspective, is the Mona Lisa. He had so much great perspective that the painting doesn’t even look like a painting. It looks just like a real person, like a photograph of someone almost. He was able to paint like this because he had a mathematical system for determining size in space. He also used many other elements, something that most painters aren’t capable of. These typees of things really make it so that Leonardo deserves the title of genius.

Works Cited

"Medieval Sourcebook: Giorgio Vasari: Life of Leonardo Da Vinci 1550." FORDHAM.EDU. Web. 13 May 2010. http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/vasari1.html

PBS. Web. 14 May 2010. http://www.pbs.org/treasuresoftheworld/a_nav/mona_nav/mnav_level_1/3technique_monafrm.html

How does Henry VIII maintain power while breaking away from the Catholic Church?

Henry VIII was the king of England. He wanted to have a son but his first wife gave birth to a daughter. He wanted a divorce from her, but in that time the Roman Catholic church believed in marriage for life. This meant that you could not get a divorce or else you would not go to heaven, it was against the church law. Henry VIII did not like this and he was trying to get the pope to let him get a divorce, but the pope would not let him. He went to the archbishop and he let him have a divorce. This led to Henry VIII breaking away from the catholic church and along with Henry VIII a lot of England broke away too. It made the English become mad about how much they had to pay the Catholic Church for things like marriage and baptism. Henry VIII kept his power by becoming head of the church in 1534. The country stayed catholic but the pope's power was ended.

source:

"The Reformation." History Learning Site. Web. 12 May 2010. http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/reformation.htm

Elizabeth's Rise to Throne

Elizabeth was born on September 7, 1533 at Greenwich Palace. Her father was King Henry VIII, and her mother was Henry's second wife, Anne Boleyn. Her father was disappointed with her birth because he really wanted a son. That is why he kept marrying women to get a son. Elizabeth's life was filled with many step-mothers because her father, Henry, wanted a son. After her father died, her life became hard. Her brother became king, King Edward VI. She was involved in many peoples plots which made it very unsafe for her. When she was young she was given her own household with Mary, her cousin. Mary did not ever want to come second to Elizabeth so she did not always like Elizabeth very much. Elizabeth's childhood was very difficult. At one point she even go sexually abused. Then in 1588 Elizabeth was finally declared queen and she was a great queen. When she was queen people were interested in whether she would get married. She was asked about that and she replies"Yea, to satisfie you, I have already joyned my self in Marriage to an Husband, namely, the Kingdom of England." (http://englishhistory.net/tudor/eliz1-writings.html)

sources:

"Elizabeth I: Poetry." EnglishHistory.net. Web. 11 May 2010. http://englishhistory.net/tudor/eliz1-writings.html

"Elizabeth I." TudorHistory.org. Web. 12 May 2010. http://www.tudorhistory.org/elizabeth/

Exploration is a Good Thing

Exploration can be interpreted in many different ways. For one person exploration can be finding out new things about the whole world and being able to come up with new things. To another person it could mean exploring through little places and finding little things. Like, for example, exploring your house. The dictionary defines it as “an act or instance of exploring or investigating; examination; the investigation of unknown regions.” (http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/exploration) Exploration is what has founded all the continents and places people live today. It has also helped people learn about many things that have happened in the past and help teach people new things so that they can thrive in the future. Exploration is a good thing because it has given people new things to have and places to be.
The Renaissance period had a lot exploration to it. Europeans traveled to many different places and set up trade routes. This brought new homes and new things to everyone. There were three reasons why there was not much exploration before the Renaissance period. “First, mariners lacked maps and charts of foreign waters and possessed little useful knowledge of winds and currents. Second, mariners did not have much experience sailing out of sight of land, and their navigational tools and methods were primitive. Third, few ships were well equipped for long ocean voyages or unfavorable winds.”(http://www.novelguide.com/a/discover/rens_02/rens_02_00165.html) The Renaissance brought more technology and maps so that exploration would be possible. The Renaissance was huge because so many things happened because of exploration. Without all this exploration people probably would not be here today. If there was no exploration at all ever, people would all be packed in one place and they would have a very limited amount of things. Life would not be diverse at all.
Everyone knows of the famous rhyme, “In 1492, Columbus sailed the ocean blue.” Columbus was an Italian navigator who sailed across the Atlantic Ocean and found North America. There was one man before him, Leif Ericson, who also found North America. But Columbus had more widespread contact between the Europeans and America. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christopher_Columbus) Christopher Columbus kept a journal of his voyages. He left Europe on August 3, 1492. In his journal he says, “Set sail from the bar of Saltes at 8 o'clock, and proceeded with a strong breeze till sunset, sixty miles or fifteen leagues south, afterwards southwest and south by west, which is the direction of the Canaries.” (http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/Columbus1.html) This was a great voyage of exploration. Christopher was exploring because he wanted to find new routes to the Far East. All of this exploring led to him finding North America. This proves that exploration is definitely a good thing because if he did not go exploring they would of never found North America. If they did not find North America then nobody would be living on that continent and people would not have the resources that come from North America. People would also not have any information and tools that the Indians in North America had.
Overall, exploration is a very good thing. It brought people a lot of technology and useful sources during the Renaissance. And, one of the biggest benefits of exploration, it was the reason that Christopher Columbus came and found North America. Without exploration, the world would not have much and there would not have been many new discovered places. There would also be not many resources and technology because nobody would be exploring new ways to get things done.

sources:

"Christopher Columbus." Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Web. 10 May 2010. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christopher_Columbus

"Exploration | Define Exploration at Dictionary.com." Dictionary.com | Find the Meanings and Definitions of Words at Dictionary.com. Web. 10 May 2010. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/exploration

"Exploration." Novelguide: Free Study Guides, Free Book Summaries, Free Book Notes, & More. Web. 10 May 2010. http://www.novelguide.com/a/discover/rens_02/rens_02_00165.html

"Medieval Sourcebook: Christopher Columbus: Extracts from Journal." FORDHAM.EDU. Web. 10 May 2010. http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/Columbus1.html

How is the art of the Northern Renaissance different from the art of the the Italian Renaissance?

There were many differences between the art of the Northern Renaissance and the Italian Renaissance. The Northern Renaissance had more religious scenes in their art while the Italian Renaissance depicted classic mythology. The Northern Renaissance paid more attention to detail in the art unlike the Italian Renaissance where they tried to be more symmetrical. Northern Renaissance used oil on panel and the Italian Renaissance fresco, tempera, and oil. Both Renaissances had great art even thought they were very different.

source:

"Italian vs. Northern Renaissance Art (Answer Key)." Daphne - A Palomar College Web Server. Web. 08 May 2010. http://daphne.palomar.edu/mhudelson/StudyGuides/ItalvsNorthRen_WA.html

How is the art of the Renaissance different from the art of the Middle Ages?

Renaissance art was very different from art in the middle ages. One major difference is that Renaissance art looked much more life like than middle age art. Renaissance art had much more depth in them. They had more depth because when the Renaissance started artists would look at the way things look when they are close or far away. The Renaissance art brought deeper art with more detail and it was overall happier art which brought people more joy.

source:

"Renaissance Art." Browse the World at Mrdowling.com. Web. 06 May 2010. http://www.mrdowling.com/704-art.html

Should We Try To Contact Other Life?

No, we should not try and contact other life. Right now were are doing fine without knowing about other life on different planets. Of course it would be very interesting and beneficial in some way to know about other life other than on Earth, but the risks are much too high. We don't know what kind of technology the other aliens could have and maybe they do have the technology to blow up our world in one click. So if we go out looking for them it might give them more chance of finding us. And if we make them mad they could possibly kill us all. There is also the chance that they would come to Earth and take a lot of our important resources which could have a deadly effect on us. Overall we should just mind our own business and only worry about Earth.

http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2010/04/aliens_stephen_hawking.html