Last Day

                Today was our very last western civilization class! It's pretty sad! I really enjoyed this class. I learned so much had a lot of fun this semester. Mr. Schick was a very funny and cool teacher. For our last class, got our test back and reviewed for the exam. I got a 93 on the test to that was good. For the exam, so far I've learned that there will be fifteen guns, germs, & steel questions, ten Ancient civilizations questions, fifteen Egypt, and forty-five on Greece. Trying to remember everything from the beginning of the semester was surprisingly easy. Hopefully I will do well on the exam, and enjoy western civilization next year as much as I did this year.

 

Feudalism Test

                   Today our west civ class was shortened due to the senior awards. Mr. Schick had missed moist of the class, but showed up in time for us to vote on whether we should take it not. We voted to take it now. It wasn't too hard, I was only unsure about one, but i think I got it right.

Feudalism vocab

               Today in class Mr.Schick announced that our very last west civ test would be next Wednesday. He gave us a study guide for all of the vocab words on the test.

 So far I have:

Feudalism - governmental system and the relationship and social between landowners and warriors

feudal compact- the official deal/contract between the vassal and the lord

fief- piece of land given to a knight

vassal- a knight that becomes a servantish worker person for a lord, but is still highly respected

knight – warrior at the time

homage - kneeling down and taking the lord's hand in his while speaking an oath of loyalty. Promising his loyalty

serf –Lowest on the social hierarchy. The quality of their life was not much better than a slave. They were the lowest of the peasants.

baron- lords of large territories who usually paid homage to the king. Barons army could outnumber that of a king. higher than a lord. 

peasantry- common people

estates- there were three different estates: the clergy-they were the ones who prayed; the nobility-fight and the common people- worked

manor- large plantations known the peasantry farmed on. They which were owned by a lord or lady, the nobility, or a member of the clergy

three-field-system- three sets of crops but only grew two at a time 

internal colonization

suburb

guild – groups of people who did different things

master- person in charge of you                                               

journeyman

apprentice – someone learning the ropes

masterpiece

water mill

and yes, iron plow – a tool they used in the middle ages for plowing the land

Feudalism

Today in class we took notes on feudalism:

• Feudalism- governmental system and the relationships between landowners and warriors

• Warriors, or knights, would pledge his allegiance o the lord, who would in turn give that knight land

• The lord would grant a fief (property) to the knight who would then become the lords vassal /servant 

• Fief is a part old the land given to a knight

• Then you became a lords vassal (servantish)

• A vassal must fight for the lord when he needs a it and attend his curt once a month

• Homage and knighthood\a vassal had to pay homage to his lord which meant kneeling down and taking the lord's hand in his while speaking an oath of loyalty

• When a knight died his fief would be given to his son

• Some clergy priests were known to fight as knights

• Barons were lords of large territories who usually paid homage to the king

• A barons army could outnumber that of a king

• Peasants and lords

• The manorial estate

• Medieval society was divided into three "estates": the clergy the nobility and the common people

• Usually the peasantry farmed on large plantations known as "manors" which were owned by a lord or lady the nobility or a member of the clergy

• They didn't really know how bad they had it because they didn't really interact with other classes of people

• People of the manor

• The lord oversaw major agricultural issues buy delegated everyday overseeing to this stewards or bailiffs

• MOST peasants were serfs

• They were bound to their lords for labor services behind the plow

• Growth o trade

• The agricultural boom after 1000 years allowed for the establishment of many town across Europe

• Farm produce and animal were sold in towns and people with the wealth bought their luxury items there

• The location and appearance of towns

• Most medieval towns were surrounded by fortified walls

• Residences also sprang up outside the walls in the suburbs

• Towns  were dominated by a main church and a central marketplace buildings for the craft guilds and the  center of the town

• Buildings for the craft builds and the wealthiest families would also be center of town

• Life of the townspeople

• Thought the townspeople were free unlike serfs they still had a hierarchy merchants at the top then skilled crafts man and artisan then unskilled laborers apprentices

•  the guilds were their unions

• merchants, crafts man and artisans formed their own groups called guilds which regulated their trade protected its members

•  craftsmen were classified as masters, journeyman and apprentices

• One became a master after spending years learning as an apprentice working as a paid journeyman for a number of years, and completing his "masterpiece"

• Guilds participated in religious feasts and festivals social organizations and usually provided well for charities

We also looked at some..not particularly good artwork... but the most breathtaking thing we looked at was:

  

Going over the Test

              Today in class we went over the pop quiz and the test. I didn't badly on the pop quiz, but I got a 92 on the test, so that's good. On the pop Quiz, I had gotten the Hun's question and the Vandal's question wrong. On the test, not too many people knew the Byzantine answer, so everyone got 4 extra points. I still have a 90 in the class, so hopefully I maintain an A.

After Rome 500-700

Today we took some more notes on the downward spiral in Rome

After Rome 500-700

The Germanic barbarians

• Barbarian warlords and the families who assimilated to Rome culture became nobles and aristocrats

•  Germanic tribes who ruled former roman lands sought to conquer and assimilate

•  other barbarian peoples who lived beyond frontiers

• The Anglosaxons invaded Britain
• Most of them converted to Christianity
• The most powerful Germanic tribe were the franks
• Eastern Europe
• The ere continued on while the west was now divided up by the barbarian tribes
• When the emperor Justinian came into power in 527, he decided to reunite the entire Roman Empire by reconquering the western territories
• Justinian succeeded for a time but the land he re took was son conquered by a new barbarian tribe and massive plague came

• Byzantine emperors aw themselves as the head of the Christian church

• Preserved Greco-Roman art architecture philosopher and writing deserter much of it being non Christian

• Justinian built a massive domed Hagia Sophia in Constantinople considered the most glorious church on earth

Rome's Downward Spiral

               Today in class, I first went to go get my shadow from St. Joan of Ark. I actually brought in the wrong shadow at first...so I had to go back and get the right one. Afterwards we took some notes on the downward spiral of Rome. We took notes on things like:

•        Country dwellers are getting bankrupted by endless tax collection. New farming system: peasants work for elite landlords on large farms

•        Peasants can avoid paying taxes, but they are getting hit just as hard by the landlords

•        Paying off debts and being "allowed" to live on the land, in exchange for endless back breaking work when you can never get ahead

•        Landowner had local power as counts and bishops, wielding more real power than the faraway empire

•        Foreshadowing feudalism

•        Rome's power is decreasing while nomadic barbarians gain power

•        Western empire is too poor, beings to be neglected

•        Huns migrate from china to eastern Europe

•        Visigoths take over, Spain and actually capture and loot Rome itself in 410

•        Vandals control Carthage and the western Mediterranean 

•        Other barbarian tribes:

•        Ostrogoth in Italy

•        Franks in Gaul

•        Anglo Saxons in Britain

•        End of an era

•        From the beginning

•        500 B.C. - the monarchy is abolished

•        450 B.C. - twelve tables are established

•        Through the glory days

•        44 BC - end of Julius C

•        27 BC- 180 AD Pax Romana

•        To bitter end

•        Constant 5th century invasions by barbarian tribes left the western Roman Empire shattered and crumbling

•        The last emperor was a tonnages boy installed in 475 BC by his father

•        Barbarians deposed Romulus Augustulus bothering to kill him

After we took notes we got with a partner and researched the Huns, Ostrogoths, Visigoths, Vandals (etc)

Rome Test

               Today we took the test on the end of the Pax Romana, Diocletian, Constantine, and Christianity. There were a few questions I couldn't remember ....such as the population....but other than that it was okay. However, I am used to having a choice between three essay topics on Mr. Schick's test, but this time we had to write three different essays. Me, being the attentive and awake student I was at the time, didn't realize this. On my free mod I found Mr. Schick and asked if I could write down the other two answers I had accidentally missed. Not one of my finest moments...

Test Questions

               Today in class Mr. Schick announced a test on Wednesday. He let us begin writing our own questions. Here are some questions i came up with:

      1.       Approximately how long did an emperor stay in power for before getting overthrown?

2 ½ years

2.       When Diocletian divided the Roman territories into smaller provinces, about how many officials were there?

 20,000 officials

3.       What did Constantine see in the sky during the battle of Milvian?

He saw a cross with the words “Conquer by this”

4.       Where do we get most of our information about Jesus from?

The Gospels

5.       What does Gospel mean?

Good news  

6.       How did Paul of Tarsus contribute to Christianity?

He traveled to places like Corinth, Thessalonia, Rome, Ephesus preaching the word of God. Without him we might not even have Christianity today.

7.       Who was Eusebius?

Eusebius was a historian who spoke to Constantine just after his dream about Christ.  He got the story straight from him.

8.       What did the Edict of Milan say?

Nobody could be persecuted based on their religion.

Legalizing Christianity

                   During yesterday's class, Mr. Schick let some of us go up and teach the class about Diocletian and Constantine. First Parker went up and talked a little bit about Diocletian, then I went up and read my notes. I talked about the four edicts and what they entailed. Also, Mr. Schick gave us an example of Diocletian's cruelty. A fire happened in the palace, and the were convinced it was the Christians. One christian was accused w/o a trial was found guilty. He was stripped, raised high, and scourged. Basically skinning him, the salt and vinegar were poured in his wounds and he was slowly boiled over an open flame. We went on to talk about Constantine. Constantine signed an edict allowing his people to practice whatever religion they like. During battle of Milvian Bridge, he saw cross in the sky and the words "Conquer by thus" Christ appeared to him in a dream and told him it would protect him. After that experience he practiced Christianity and gave rights to all of the Christians.

Diocletian & Constantine

1. How did Diocletian persecute Christians?

Diocletian's had created the "Edict against the Christians.” It basically said to destruct all of Christian scriptures and places of worship across the Empire. Also, Christians weren’t allowed to attend any sort of worship gathering. Diocletian later created two more edicts. The first one ordered that any Christians in Nicomedia will be tortured and would be killed as punishment for arson. The second one said that the bishops and teachers of the churches throughout the empire should be taken prisoner and forced by torture to sacrifice to the Roman gods. In 304, a fourth edict made. It stated that all Christians had to offer sacrifices to the gods or else they’d be tortured. About 3,000-3,500 Christians were killed during this period of time. 

An example of his cruelty: A fire happened in the palace, and the were convinced it was the Christians. One christian was accused w/o a trial was found guilty. He was stripped, raised high, and scourged. Basically skinning him, the salt and vinegar were poured in his wounds and he was slowly boiled over an open flame. 

2. What happened with Constantine and Christians?

Constantine signed an edict allowing his people to practice whatever religion they like. He also donated money to the construction of churches. Constantine grew up in a Christian family.He gave the Christians rights. During battle of Milvian Bridge, he saw cross in the sky and the words "Conquer by thus" Christ appeared to him in a dream and told him it would protect him. Eusebius- historian who spoke to Constantine after this happened and got the story straight from him. He even admitted to his country that the Roman gods weren't the "real deal" and that the Christian God is the only god they should worship. 

3. What is the other thing that Constantine did that has to do with reconstructing the Roman Empire?

He issued the edict of Milan which said you can't persecute anyone anymore based on their religion. It also said that people couldn't seize Christians property anymore and if it was taken already, they would get it back.

Going Over the Pax Romana Test

                   Today in class we got back our tests. I got an 80, which brought down my grade, but my Pax Romana paper hadn't been graded yet so that could always bring my grade up. We also began learning about Christianity. We also took notes on the history of Jesus's life and preaching. We talked about how he was mentioned at age twelve, and then he wasn't talked about until age thirty. Afterwards we had a pop quiz on the information. 

Give honor a chance

                 The first thing we did in class today was hand in our essays.  I worked hard on it, so hopefully I can get a good grade. Mr. Schick likes the title so far so that's a good start. Afterwards, we took the quiz. I thought it was actually kind of hard even after looking over the power point  I couldn't remember what Crassus and Pompey were known for in Rome, so I'm pretty sure I got that question wrong. When we were finished our quiz, we had to read pages 126-129 to introduce the new chapter we will be learning about. 

Pax Romana essay

           During yesterday's class we began writing our essays. It is partner work, but I decided to work by myself. We have to write about the "Pax Romana" era in history which was a time of peace among the Romans. This was a very vital time in Roman history since they never wanted one person in charge because they liked their governmental idea. The essay has to be a minimum of five hundred words, but we can go over that limit. I have enjoyed learning about Rome, so  I think it will be very interesting to read and write about their peaceful era.

I can hear them brothers Gracchus saying "Rich, please don't attack us"

            Today we finished watching the video on Tiberius Gracchus. After him announcing that he wanted to run for a second term, many Romans freaked out because of how against kings and tyrants they are. While I do think that he liked the power, I don't think he wanted to be king. Many Romans however, listened to Octavius and what he was saying about Tiberius wanting to have power. Eventually the Romans murdered him then threw him in the Tiber River without a proper burial. His brother, Gauis on the other hand, was beheaded.
             After the video, we took notes on what we learned. We also talked about the rise of Julius Ceasar. He was actually the first king since Tarquin; except he was good, smart, and well liked. However, the senate was brutally against having a king. They liked the idea of having a republic. On March 15, 44 B.C., Brutus and the Senate had murdered Julius Ceasar. It seemed childish in a sense to kill someone just because they weren't getting their way. They even passed around the knife so that each person could stab him. The ones who didn't stab him would put their hands in his blood, all of them relishing in what they had done.
                                         
                                      

Continuing the Video

            Today in class we continued watching the movie. We watched the fight between Octavius and Tiberius. They continually vetoed each other; the people were looking at Tiberius as a hero to them. Also, his mother basically admitted that she wanted to be remembered as "Tiberius Gracchus's mother"; he told her that now she could be known as that now that he is liked by the people. Also, he acquired a guard for him. While the vetoing fight was going on, he had shut down all governmental areas.