...The Ancient Greek Civilization Can you imagine 7,000 Spartans holding off 150,000 Persians at the Battle of Thermopylae? It is true. The Ancient Greeks held off one of the most powerful armies of that time so Greece would survive. Greek geography, the city-states, the concept of acropolis, government, military strategy, philosophy, and religion were all contributing factors in the creation and survival of the Greek city-state lifestyle. The geography and climate of Ancient Greece influenced the development of Greek civilization. Mountains separated Greece into regions where the Ancient Greeks settled and formed separate city-states and types of government. The mountains and the peninsula of Ancient Greece isolated Greek society from other city-states and also helped to keep them safe from enemy attack. Transportation over the rocky land was difficult, much of the land was not suitable for farming, and there were limited natural resources. The lack of natural resources and the difficulty of traveling by land caused the Ancient Greeks to depend more on the sea. Ancient Greece was surrounded by the Mediterranean Sea on three sides. Much of the land of Ancient Greece was linked by the sea and the sea also linked Ancient Greece to other societies. The Ancient Greeks became skilled sailors, fishermen, and tradesmen. The climate of Ancient Greece was moderate all year long and there was adequate rainfall. Due to the mild climate, Greek men spent much of...
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...Lord of the Rings and Modern Day Epic? Epic adventures are one of the oldest and most celebrated works of literature. These adventures paint pictures of larger-than-life heroes, terrifying battle scenes, and heroic triumphs. Most epics served the purpose of transmitting culture and history, as well as entertaining readers. Among classical epics are the well-known Epic of Gilgamesh, The Iliad, and The Odyssey. However, is the epic adventure a dying breed of literature? Is it possible that epic stories have sustained the test of time and evolved over the centuries? The Lord of the Rings trilogy, including The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, and The Return of the King, is one of the greatest examples of a modern day epic. What do The Iliad, The Odyssey, The Epic of Gilgamesh, and The Lord of the Rings all have in common? They all share typical characteristics of epic adventures in some form or another. Though the motives and reasons may differ, the theme of journeying is common to all epic adventures. In The Epic of Gilgamesh, King Gilgamesh sets out on a perilous adventure with his closest friend Enkidu in order to find enduring fame and glory. In The Odyssey, the main character Odysseus embarks on a 10 year-long journey through trials and tests to find his way back home to his wife and son. Epic hero Achilles, of The Iliad, sets out to fight in the legendary Trojan War. Similarly, Frodo Baggins, unassuming hero of The Lord of the Rings, sets out from his home and...
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...1. Introduction: Greek mythology is the body of myths and legends belonging to the ancient Greeks, concerning their gods and heroes, the nature of the world, and the origins and significance of their own cult and ritual practices. They were a part of religion in ancient Greece and are part of religion in modern Greece and around the world as Hellenisms. Greek mythology is known and learned everywhere around the world. A lot of people refer to everything that is happening in the world such as fire, light, water to the Greek mythology. The Greek mythology not only includes myths, but it also includes a lot of details of the lives and adventures of a wide variety of gods, goddesses, heroes, heroines, demigods, monsters and other mythological creatures. Greek mythology has exerted an extensive influence on the culture, the arts, and the literature of more than one civilization. Poets and artists from ancient times to the present have derived inspiration from Greek mythology and have discovered contemporary significance and relevance in these mythological themes. Also, beside gods and myths there are the two world-known epic poems The Iliad and Odyssey, that focus on events surrounding the Trojan War. Before entering upon the many strange beliefs of the ancient Greeks and the extraordinary number of gods they worshipped, first I would like to show what kind of beings these divinities were. Then I will tell the stories of some of the most famous gods that have left a mark...
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...Country Analysis - Greece Bordering the Aegean Sea, Ionian Sea and the Mediterranean Sea in southern Europe,Greece is a country of mostly mountains with ranges extending into the sea as peninsulas or chains of islands. From wet winters, to hot and dry summers, greece is a popular tourist destination. With nearly 4.5 million people in the Athens area, Greece is populated with nearly 10 million people in which a parliamentary democracy exists. 300 people are elected whom form the parliament which conducts the legislative duties of the government.The political party collects approximately 151 seats in the parliamental duties of the administration. The president automatically becomes prime minster and then gets appointed to become cabinet ministers. The actual ‘president’ is elected by the parliament for a five year term. The current ‘chief of state’ is President Karolos Papoulias and the head of government is Prime Minister Antonis Samaras. As you are aware, Greece’s economy isn’t doing too well lately. Greece has a capitalist economy which means it has an economic system based on private ownership of capital. 40 percent of the countries GDP is accounted from a public sector. Tourism provides fifteen percent, in which we will discuss later. Between 2003 and 2007 the economy grew nearly four percent per year. This is partially due to the 2004 Olympic games which also resulted in an increased availability of...
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...be human—of what it is a human should be to be fully human. — Nikolas Kompridis Republic In contemporary usage, the term democracy refers to a government chosen by the people, whether it is direct or representative.[79] The term republic has many different meanings, but today often refers to a representative democracy with an elected head of state, such as a president, Definition While there is no universally accepted definition of 'democracy',[7] equality and freedom have both been identified as important characteristics of democracy since ancient times.[8] These principles are reflected in all citizens being equal before the law and having equal access to legislative processes. History of democracy Ancient origins Democracy has its formal origins in Ancient Greece,[3][20] but democratic practices are evident in earlier societies including Mesopotamia, Phoenicia and India.[21] The term Democracy first appeared in ancient Greek political and philosophical thought. The Greek city state of Athens, led by Cleisthenes, established what is generally held as the first democracy in 507 BCE. Middle Ages During the Middle Ages, there were various systems involving elections or assemblies, although often only involving a small amount of the population e.g. the election of Galapagos in Bengal, the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth 20th and 21st centuries 20th century transitions to liberal democracy have come in successive "waves of democracy," variously resulting from wars...
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...Thucydides was an Athenian general, political philosopher and one of the greatest ancient historians of the fifth century B.C. Father of scientific history, and also of political "realism", the school of thought that focuses on power and state security above all else. He became famous for his strict standards of evidence gathering and examination of cause and effect without reference to intervention by the divine beings. He set a standard for precision, concision and scope that makes his work characterizing to the genre of history, and the first scientific gathering of the facts of its sort. Thucydides still holds critical significance today and his texts are still studied at both propelled military colleges and universities around the world....
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...The Renaissance in Italy and Europe The French word Renaissance means “rebirth” and is the period in European civilization immediately following the Middle Ages. It relates mostly to the growth of artistic and intellectual creativity which is also used by artists and thinkers to recover and apply the ancient learning and standards of Greece and Rome. The Renaissance was basically an intellectual and also cultural movement that imparted some sort of intellectual quality which made it one of the most important events in universal history. This movement was carried on between the fourteenth century and the sixteenth century. The Renaissance was believed to be restricted to Italy somewhere during the late 15th century. This great movement made a huge and advance difference in the world today and also back in the days. It brought major contrasts with civilization in Europe during this time period. This has become of my interest not only because it is one of the world’s most known events, but also because it is a movement that benefited and contributed intellectual developments in most parts of the world today. It is most commonly known that one of the reasons the Renaissance period took place was because theology was rejected by the Middle Ages and was taken over by science. The outlook and institutions of the Middle Ages disintegrated and conspicuous modern forms, like science, emerged. Because of the different levels in society during the time of this intellectual movement, all...
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...Connection to French Republican Art History 2: Revolutions December 15, 2011 Towards the end of the 18th century, Immanuel Kant and many other influential philosophers during the Enlightenment stated that people should be rational in their approach to life, including politics, economics, and society. Rationalism was one of the main themes of the Enlightenment, and it played an important role in the French Revolution. One aspect of rationalism that was important in the French Revolution were rational symbols of power. However, these rational symbols of power ultimately were disfavored in revolutionary France in favor of more enduring artistic symbols of the Revolution. Although the revolutionaries also sought to regenerate French society through rational symbols of power, their use of Roman, Greek and republican art, were the most enduring symbols of a new French society because of their stronger portrayal of liberty, fraternity and equality. The rational symbols of power that the revolutionaries sought to introduce into French society included the revolutionary French Republican calendar, the revolutionary French Republican clock, and the metric system. For the reasons noted below, each of these symbols ultimately were not accepted in French society. Even though the revolutionary French Republican calendar, one of the important rational symbols, did have a strong basis in reason, it lacked public support and was not enduring because of its weak connection with the new French...
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...antiqueness of this column makes this picture beautiful. (Page 8). Chapter 2: 1. Sol LeWitt’s “Lines from four corners to points on a grid” shows how even a line can make a piece of artwork. This piece of work portrays simplicity along with complexity with the use of lines. (Page 28). 2. Elizabeth Catlett’s “Sharecropper” shows the strength of an African American woman. The use of texture in this picture shows the harsh environment the woman was living in. The woman’s look shows her overcoming the hard times. (Page 33). 3. Jacob Lawerence’s painting “Harriet Tubman Series No. 4” portrays a sense of freedom. The people in his painting seem to be jumping and leaping for joy as they overcame an obstacle in their lives. (Page 35). Chapter 3: 1. The artist Deliah Montoya’s artwork known as “Los Jovenes (Youth)” shows a bond of friendship. It portrays the culture and time period it was associated with by the graffiti on the walls. (Page 72). 2. Niki De Saint-Phalle’s artwork “Black Venus” shows that all shapes and sizes can beautiful. Her sculpture confronts all stereotypes of woman. It shows the confidence and strength of this woman. (Page 79). 3. This painting is called“The Family” produced by artist Alice Neel. They appear to be very...
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...BC until his death in 14 AD. Why did we consider him as one of the famous and greatest leader in the world? He secured the Empire with a buffer region of client states, and made peace with the Parthian Empire through diplomacy. He reformed the Roman system of taxation, developed networks of roads with an official courier system, established a standing army, established the Praetorian Guard, created official police and fire-fighting services for Rome, and rebuilt much of the city during his reign. In short he did things that he know that will help his people. Alexander the Great Who is Alexander the Great? Alexander III of Macedon (20/21 July 356 BC – 10/11 June 323 BC), commonly known as Alexander the Great was a King of the Ancient Greek kingdom ofMacedon and a member of the Argead dynasty. Born in Pella in 356 BC, Alexander...
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...Jewish History Notes * Sept. 4 * * Three Ways to Look at History: * These are three different ways of interpreting historical events: * 1) Divine Causation (hasgachah pratit) is a theological term which refers to the sovereignty, superintendence, or agency of God over events in people’s lives * 2) Human Causation suggests that events in people’s lives are a result of the outcome of human involvement, i.e., God either does not exist or does not involve himself in the affairs of humans. * 3) Chronologically suggests no causation of any kind. Events take place divorced from each other, i.e., there is no cause and effect. * * * * How do we know if an event really took place? * Here is the criterion often used to determine if an event really took place. Note: If this criterion is not met it does not mean that the historical claim is false. * * 1) Multiple Attestation rests on the premise that, the more independent testimonies to a tradition there are, the greater is the probability that it is authentic i.e., more than one independent source refers to the same person, place or thing. 2) Contradiction is when a source mentions a person, place or thing in a way that serves not to benefit the author in any way Sept. 7 What is a fact? 1. Something demonstrated to exist or known to have existed: Genetic engineering is now a fact. That Chaucer was a real person is an undisputed fact. 2. A real occurrence;...
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...privately. “Tell us,” they said, “when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” Jesus answered: “Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and will deceive many. You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains. Matthew 24:3-6 The Causes of WWI World War One left 7,467,000 soldiers dead, 21,219,000 soldiers wounded and 7,356,000 soldiers missing. It was a conflict between the Allied Powers (France, Russia, Britain, Italy and the United States), and the...
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...The 10 Biggest Foodborne Illness Outbreaks of 2013 Chicken and fresh produce lead the pack BY JAMES ANDREWS | DECEMBER 27, 2013 Editor’s note: 2013 saw dozens of well-publicized foodborne illness outbreaks. While many of them were found to have sickened a handful of individuals, a few stood out as especially wide in scope. Food Safety News has compiled a list of 10 of the biggest U.S. outbreaks in 2013. Please note that the list excludes Norovirus outbreaks and only includes pathogenic outbreaks associated with grocery products or restaurants. Also note that the actual number of outbreak cases is typically much higher than the quoted number due to many victims typically falling ill but never being reported. 10. E. coli O157:H7 from Glass Onion chicken salads, 33 sick. Trader Joe’s customers in four states fell ill after eating one of two pre-made salad products from Glass Onion Catering: the Field Fresh Chopped Salad with Grilled Chicken or the Mexicali Salad with Chili Lime Chicken. At least seven people were hospitalized, with two developing hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a kidney disease associated with severe E. coli infections. 9. Salmonella from Hacienda Don Villo in Channahon, IL, 35 sick. Health investigators traced 35 Salmonella illnesses back to this Mexican restaurant in Grundy County, but they could never pinpoint the exact food source. At least one person was hospitalized, and one employee was among those who tested positive for Salmonella. 8. E. coli...
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...HUM 1000: WORLD CIVILIZATIONS NOTES BY DR. KAKAI P.W THE NATURE AND ORIGIN OF CIVILIZATION IN AFRICA Definition of key terms As we begin this course, it is crucial to first discuss our understanding of the concept ‘civilization’. This is a comparative term which is usually applied in comparison to such words as ‘barbarian’ ‘savage’ and ‘primitive’. In classical antiquity the Europeans used the word ‘barbarian’ to refer to a foreigner who was regarded as inferior (Ogutu and Kenyanchui, An Introduction To African History, 1991 p33). Do you think this is still the way we use the word barbarian? The Latin speakers referred to hunters, food-gatherers as savage. In the 17th century this term ‘savage’ referred to a person without art, literacy, or society who lived in fear of existence and death. ‘Primitive’ on the other hand, in Latin meant ‘the first or original’. Europeans used these words interchangeably when referring to non-Europeans while the word civilization was preserved to describe historical developments of European people (ibid). Now the term civilization is no longer confined to the above development but also extends reference to non-European communities. Attributes of civilization includes observance to law, belonging to an organized society, having a society of literate people with advanced developments in urbanization, agriculture, commerce, arts and technology. The French thinkers of the 18th century referred to a person of the arts and literature...
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...Switzerland, which by this time were already nation-states. France, identifiable by the revolutionary tricolour, has just reached the statue. She is followed by the peoples of Germany. Following the German peoples are the peoples of Austria, the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, Lombardy, Poland, England, Ireland, Hungary and Russia. 3. What are absolutist’s regimes? Ans. Literally, a government or system of rule that has no restraints on the power exercised is known as an absolutist regime. In history, the term refers to a form of monarchical government that was centralized, militarized and repressive. 4. What is a utopian society? Ans. A vision of a society that is so ideal that it is unlikely to actually exist 5. What is a plebiscite? Ans. A direct vote by which all the people of a region are asked to accept or reject a proposal 6. What was the concept of European countries about a nation state? Ans. The concept and practices of a modern state had been developing over a long period of time in Europe. In a modern state, a centralized power exercised sovereign control over a clearly defined territory. 7. What was the idea of a nation of the French people after the French revolution? Ans. The political and constitutional changes that came in...
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