Now That the House Has Voted No, What's Next?

Ladies and gentlemen, with banks continuing to go down (Wachovia is the latest casualty folks), and with so much information flying around from all over the place, it's always refreshing to sit down, calm down, and have someone simply, and calmly, explain things and put it all into perspective. This morning on NPR's Morning Edition, Chris Arnold puts the "where do we go from here" and "how serious is this really" explanations out there in a very understandable way. You can click here to listen to that story.

BY THE WAY: NPR has a lot of good stories and sound bites up on their website to help you to understand the situation even better. You've got to love public radio!

Test Questions for Tomorrow?

Hey folks! I hope you all had a productive day. I'm still here watching financial markets, but it doesn't look like we'll get anything new until Thursday at the earliest. Also on your minds is likely the test for tomorrow. I'm going to open the blog right now for you to begin studying collectively as a group. I won't be around my computer from 7pm until between 9:30 and 10pm, but feel free to use the blog to study together, and then I'll answer any final questions you may have.

We Don't Have a Deal! House Votes NO on Bailout Bill

Folks, I don't even know what to say. Let's hope we can extinguish this fire that's burning.

Click here for the latest story from the BBC.

We Have a Deal!

Folks, a deal has been reached between both houses of Congress, both parties, and the executive branch is on board too! The question is now, will it pass a vote? If it does, will it work? You can read the latest news on this by clicking here. Also, click here for a very insightful list of FAQs from the BBC that you all may have currently on the crisis. Also, details have been hard to come across in terms of what the bailout bill actually looks like. Well, folks, the other bit of good news is, we finally have details. Click here for the full text of the bailout bill, thanks to the Los Angeles Times (WARNING: it's 106 pages. Hey, don't complain, you said you wanted details, so your wish has been granted).

Islam and Hindu Civilization: Cultures in Conflict

At the end of the tenth century, Sultan Mahmud of Ghazana, who proudly bore the titles the Sword of Islam and the Image Breaker, began a series of seventeen raids through the Khyber Pass and into India from his base just south of Kabul in modern Afghanistan. This Turkish lord made no serious attempt at conquering all of India, but he incorporated into his lands part of the subcontinent's northwestern region of Punjab (an area that today is part of the Islamic state of Pakistan). For a century and a half after Mahmud's death, Islam penetrated no farther into India, but the precedent had been established.

The riches that Mahmud accumulated from his plunder and destruction of Hindu temples (he is reputed to have carried off six and one-half tons of gold from one expedition alone) enabled him to turn his otherwise remote, mountain-ringed capital of Ghazana into a major center of Islamic culture. Scholars and artists from all over Southwest Asia gathered at Mahmud's court. Many came willingly; others were forced to come. In 1017, Mahmud conquered the Central Asian Islamic state of Khwarazm, located west of Ghazana and just south of the Aral Sea. The conqueror brought back many of Khwarazm's intellectuals and artisans to his capital, including the Iranian scholar Abul Raiban al-Biruni.

Known to subsequent generations as al-Ustadh (the Master), al-Biruni was primarily an astronomer, mathematician, and linguist, but his wide-ranging interests and intellect involved him in many other fields of inquiry. For thirteen years following his capture, al-Biruni served Mahmud, probably as court astrologer, and traveled with him into India's Punjab region. Shortly after his lord's death in 1030, al-Biruni completed his Description of India, an encyclopedic account of Indian civilization, especially Hindu science. The following excerpts that I would like you to read come from the book's opening pages, in which the author deals with the essential differences that separate Hindus from Muslims. Please click on the following link to read the document (Description of India). When you are finished reading, please think about and discuss the following: According to al-Biruni, what separates Muslims from Hindus? What impact did eighth-century Islam have on India? What impact did Mahmud and his father have on India? Al-Biruni presents a critique of Hindu science and compares it with Greek science (and implicitly with Islamic science). In so doing, he faults Hindu scientists for certain basic failings. What are they? What basic Hindu vision of reality might have influenced a scientific tradition that followed a path different from that of the Greeks and the Muslims? What is the general tone of this entire document, and what do you infer from it? Your thoughts...

Deal or No Deal?

Here's an update on the financial crisis... the day started out with optimism, it looked like congress was about to close in on a deal, and then the meeting at 4pm at the White House ended in tempers flaring and general disarray. So are we even further from a plan now than we were 24 hours ago? Click here for NPR's update on the situation.

No Reading for a Quiz Tonight

Folks, just a reminder: no reading for a quiz tonight. Arabic vocab quiz and inner/outer circle discussion Monday.

Ibn Khaldun on the Rise and Fall of Empires

Ok ladies gentlemen, you are about to read a masterpiece of political theory here. We will refer to this document you are about to read literally ALL THE TIME FOR THE REST OF THE SCHOOL YEAR. Although he lived in the century after the Abbasid Caliphate was destroyed in 1258, Ibn Khaldun was very much a product of the far-flung Islamic civilization that the Abbasids had consolidated and expanded. He was also one of the greatest historians and social commentators of all time. After extensive travel in the Islamic world, he served as a political advisor at several of the courts of Muslim rulers in north Africa. With the support of a royal patron, Ibn Khaldun wrote a universal history that began with a very long philosophical preface called The Muqaddimah. Among the subjects he treated at length were the causes of the rise and fall of dynasties. The shifting fortunes of the dynasties he knew well in his native north Africa, as well as the fate of the Abbasids and earlier Muslim regimes, informed his attempts to find persistent patterns in the confusing political history of the Islamic world. The following passages are from one of the most celebrated sections of The Muqaddimah on the natural life span of political regimes. Please click on the following link (The Muqaddimah) in order to read this extremely important document.

When you have finished reading, I need for ALL OF YOU to discuss the following: What does this passage reveal about Ibn Khaldun's views of the contrasts between nomads and urban dwellers? Why does he see the former as a source of military power and political strength? What forces undermine dynasties in later generations? How well do these patterns correspond to the history of the Umayyad and Abbasid dynasties we have been studying? How well do they work for other civilizations we have examined? Can elements of Ibn Khaldun's theory be applied to today's political systems? If so, which and how? If not, why not? Does the United States fit into this theory, and if so, what generation do you believe we are in? What was the author's point of view? What do you think was the intent or purpose of this document? Who was the intended audience in your opinion? Can any government escape "the curse of the Khaldun"? Your thoughts...

A Solution to the Financial Crisis?

Well ladies and gentlemen, the worst fears of economists are becoming the reality: the United States is officially in it's worst financial state affairs since the Great Depression, and nobody is denying it anymore. The solution proposed to the problem? A $700,000,000,000 bail-out by the government to keep the economy from completely collapsing on itself. We did talk a bit about the problem last week, so hopefully you all tuned in to President Bush's address to the nation stressing to all of us the seriousness of this crisis. Click on the following link (Bail-Out "Vital to Easing Crisis") in order to read the BBC's coverage of this story that explains things rather clearly (you can also watch Bush's address to the nation here if you didn't catch it). Also, as I've mentioned before, the BBC is great because on big news stories like this, they provide background history, time lines, etc to help you research the topic for real understanding. Click here for more in-depth background information on the Global Financial Crisis, and click here for a timeline of the situation (so many people for some reason think this just happened out of nowhere, but like anything else it's been a long time in the making and the general public has simply ignored it). So what are your thoughts on all of this?

Islam and Unbelievers: A Look at the Reality of Tolerance in the Post-Classical Muslim World

Unfortunately, the media has created a very misleading and one-sided image of the Islamic world today. Not surprisingly, most students adopt the simplistic view of the prevalence of Islamic fundamentalism. The reality is that there is generally a great deal of toleration usually associated with Islam. This tolerance can be demonstrated in Muhammad’s philosophy and in the Quran. The notion of Jews and Christians as “peoples of the book” is a key concept. Even Muhammad’s role as the “final prophet” pays homage to the role played by earlier prophets such as Moses and Jesus. The decision by the early caliphs of the Umayyad and Abbasid dynasty to allow conquered peoples to practice their own religions is representative of a general tolerance that runs throughout Islamic history. Even the institution of the jizya pales in comparison to the treatment usually allotted to members of differing religious groups.

Contrary to one popular image, the Muslim conquerors of the seventh and eighth centuries did not, as a matter of general policy, force their new, non-Arab subjects to convert to Islam (although there is evidence of some forced conversions and even massacres of non-Muslim populations during this first age of expansion, but nothing as dramatic as what the Christian world is later responsible for during the Crusades, Inquisition, contact with the Americas, etc.). Indeed, the Quran expressly forbids forced conversion, and the Prophet's own actions underscored that prohibition. In 628, Muhammad entered into a contract, or dhimma, with an Arabic Jewish tribe at the oasis of Khaybar, whereby he guaranteed to defend them and to respect their religious practices in return for their submission, assistance, and payment of tribute. This contract of protection became the model for Islam's generals and statesmen as Arab armies exploded out of the peninsula, but the manner in which Muslims understood and applied the dhimma differed from age to age, place to place, and ruler to ruler. The following two documents that I would like you to read show us two varieties of the dhimma and also reflect some of the ways that the pact tended to change over time.

The first document (that you can read by clicking here [just the very short passage from the bottom of page 162 to the middle of 163, under the heading "Peace Treaty Between Habib b. Muslama and the Christians of Tiflis"]) records a pact of peace offered to the Christian inhabitants of the city of Tiflis (modern Tbilisi, Georgia) around 653 by Habib ibn Muslama, the military commander responsible for the conquest of Christian Armenia and Georgia in the region between the Black and Caspian seas south of the Caucasus Mountains. Ibn Muslama's pact with the Christians of Tiflis is a good example of the earliest form of the dhimma.

The second document (that you can read by clicking here) purports to be the pact of peace offered by Caliph Umar I to the Christians of Syria around 637, but scholars generally agree it is a later creation--crafted probably in the early ninth century when the new Abbasid Dynasty of caliphs was occupied with crushing local revolts and need historical support for policies that were more repressive than those of the earlier Umayyad caliphs.

After reading the documents I would like you all to read and discuss the following: Exactly what does Ibn Muslama's pact guarantee the Christians, and what obligations does it place on them? What hints are there in Ibn Muslam's pact that strongly suggest it was crafted during the first generation of Islamic expansion? How does the Pact of Umar differ from Ibn Muslama's pact? [PLEASE BE SPECIFIC IN YOUR DISCUSSION OF THIS] What do the differences that you discovered in the two documents suggest about the realities of the era of the Early Abbasids? Large numbers of people living in regions conquered by Islam ultimately converted to that faith. Do these pacts suggest to you any possible reasons for some of those conversions? Again, PLEASE BE SPECIFIC.

The Islamic Religion

Supplementing the Koran as a source for Islamic religious, social, and legal precepts is the Hadith (which means a story, tale, or report). These are collections of traditions attributed to Muhammad, his companions, and early caliphs. Consisting of rules and practical social norms (sunnah) formulated by the prophet and enforced by early leaders in the Islamic community, the Hadith contains prescribed rules and behaviors not offered in the Koran that guide Muslims. Proclaimed in sermons or informally before witnesses, the apostolic traditions remained unwritten until the beginning of the seventh century. In response to Caliph Oman II's orders for a formal collection of extant tradtions, an Iranian savant, Abu Abdallah Muhammad, traveled throughout the Islamic World, where he uncovered more than 600,000. Joined by other collectors, al-Bukhari devised a critical scientific method to separate authentic traditions from the spurious. From this, he produced an authoritative Hadith consisting of 7397 authentic traditions. His collection, along with those by Abul Husain Muslim and four less reliable collectors, acquired canonical status among the orthodox Sunnis and is known as the Sahih ("The Genuine").

In the Hadith selections that I would like you to read, you can get a sense of what the main religious duties of a Muslim are and how the individual relates to Allah. As you're reading the document ask yourself: What is distinctive about Muslim religious life? Why do so many people find Islam such a satisfactory religion, often converting to it from other faiths? Please click on the following link in order to read the selections (The Hadith). When you have read this, please think about and discuss the following... What are some of the main religious obligations of Muslims, according to these passages? What were the goals of a proper religious life? How do the gender values in these passages compare with the previous selections from the Koran? What might account for any differences? What was the Islamic approach to social and economic inequality? To slavery? How did this approach compare with the social theories of the classical Mediterranean period? What were some of the major offenses against Islamic rules? Finally, do these passages suggest some of the reasons for Islam's striking success as a world religion?

The Koran and the Family

Well ladies and gentlemen, I hope that you enjoyed the first part of the Season 2 premiere today. Now, time to dive back into some document sources. The canonical source of Islam (al-Islam, meaning "surrender" or "submission") is the Koran [Qur'an], which contains revelations from Allah (simply "God" in Arabic), "the God of Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, and Jacob, and the Tribes [of Israel]... and Jesus," to the Prophet Muhammad. Transmitted through the intermediary of the angel Gabriel (yes, the same Gabriel from the New Testament of the Bible that informed Mary that she was to have a son, and his name will be Jesus) during the 20 years of Muhammad's apostolate, these full and complete revelations embodied Allah's "eternal knowledge and judgement of all things" and a perfection of all previous religions. As the ultimate authority in Islam and the "supreme self-manifestation of God to His creatures," the Koran was early reduced to writing. Yet an official, authoritative edition did not appear until after the Prophet's death in 632 C.E. Divided into 114 chapters (suras) and containing 77,639 words, the text of the Koran is arranged in order of decreasing length with complete disregard for chronology. Internally each sura consists of verses [ayat', meaning "signs" or "tokens"] with post-Muhammad headings derived from key terms in the text. Written in classical Arabic, the Koran adheres to a metrical style and was designed to be heard. The passages I would like you to read from the Koran are from Sura IV ("Women"), and the focus is on women, children, orphans, and inheritances, with injunctions to males in the Islamic patriarchal society regarding them.

The following passages obviously invite judgements about what kind of family life and gender relations were urged in Islamic society. We can compare these with other versions of a patriarchal system in classical India and China. These passages also show how Islamic religion developed specific regulations, not just general ethics, for personal and family behavior, harking back to older Middle Eastern traditions in this area. Finally, the passages also show something of the Islamic view of God, in whose name men and women were to regulate their relationships.

Please click on the following link (The Koran, Sura IV) in order to read these passages ( you only have to read pages 72-78 [4:2-4:32 and 4:36-4:39] and page 91 [4:128-4:129] ). After reading those excerpts, I would like for you all to think about and discuss the following... Did Islam enforce a patriarchal gender system? What were the key protections for women, and how did they compare with protective features in the earlier classical and river-valley civilizations? Were women spiritually equal to men in Islam? How was this reconciled with patriarchal traditions? What kinds of concerns did Islam emphasize concerning sexuality? Your thoughts...

The Season 2 Preview

Season 2 (also known as the Post-Classical Period [600-1450]) is, quite frankly, the season of the nomads. For the most part, the great settled societies of the classical world have fallen, been destroyed, and wiped off the map. But not wiped from memory. Could settled societies rise again? Or will this be the beginning of an everlasting nomadic era? In reality, after the collapse of key classical dynasties or empires, new influences will arise in many older centers--particularly with the rise of Islam and the spread of Buddhism. Civilization, instead of shrinking back, actually will expand from older centers-- thus the rise of a Japanese form of East Asian culture and the development of civilization in northwestern Europe and in Russia, with links, however, to the earlier Mediterranean forms. Civilizations will also expand in portions of the Americas and sub-Saharan Africa.

During most of season 2, Islamic civilization, centered in the Middle East and North Africa, will become the leading force. Other themes will include the sheer spread of major religions--particularly Islam, Christianity, and Buddhism--and the resultant impact on the arts and politics. International trade will expand rapidly, as will imitation of older centers by regions solidifying their forms of civilization for the first time, such as northern Europe and Japan. The expansion of trade will lead to new kinds of questions about merchants and merchants' motives, although different societies will offer different resolutions. Toward the end of season 2, Mongol conquests and a brief flurry of Chinese trading expeditions will intensify international contacts, including technology exchange from Asia and the spread of epidemic disease.

So why is season 2 the season of the nomads you ask? Because nothing that I have mentioned would be possible without the movements of 5 nomadic groups that are the true stars of season 2-- the Arabs, Vikings, Aztecs, Turks, and the MONGOLS! It is these 5 nomadic groups that will not only be the stars of season 2, but these 5 nomadic groups will forever change the world! Just like season 1, season 2 is full of modern day relevance. Season 2 is especially important because it is in this season that we will come to an understanding of the real Islamic world, not the mythological half-truths that you hear everyday from Fox News and other major media outlets. It is imperative that we come to a true understanding of this immensely important society in our quest for not only for truth about the past but truth about the present. So ladies and gentlemen, BUCKLE YOUR SEAT BELTS FOR SEASON 2. IT'S GOING TO BE A BUMPY RIDE!

3rd Annual Season One Whapey Awards Announced!

Best Government (Classical): Persia

Best Government (River-Valley): Harrappa

Most Influential Society: Rome

Most Influential Person: Confucius (by the way, Confucius beat Jesus by exactly ONE VOTE)

Best Leader: Cyrus

Worst Leader: Xerxes

Best Conflict: Rome vs. Nomads

Best Social System: Persia

Most Influential Belief System: Christianity

Best Economic System: Persia

Best Invention: road systems

Worst Invention: agriculture (seriously, only in AP world)

Best Cultural Contribution: bread & circuses

Best Film Set in Season 1: Gladiator

So folks, with 6 wins, Persia pulls off another sweep of the Season One Whapeys, including winning the top award. Thanks for all the votes, this was an excellent year in terms voter turnout. So now my AP world family, get geared up for...

The Season Two Premiere

Monday, September 22nd

Whapey Awards Voting Has Officially Closed

Well ladies and gentlemen, it is now noon on Friday, so this completes our season 1 voting for the 3rd annual Whapey Awards. Thank you for all of your votes, thank you for your campaigning, and thanks in advance to those of you that will be helping in counting the votes for us today. Winners will be announced tomorrow afternoon. Have a good weekend!

BE READY FOR THE SEASON 2 PREMIERE MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 22ND!

Any Questions On Tomorrow's Test?

I'm opening the blog this evening for any questions that you may have, so feel free to use this to work with each other in helping each other out. I will be away from my computer for a little bit today, so opening leaving it open without moderation, so as always... PLEASE MAKE SURE ALL COMMENTS THAT ARE MADE ARE APPROPRIATE! Thanks!

For Your Consideration...

For Your Consideration

Best Conflict- The Persian Wars

For Your Consideration...

For Your Consideration

Best Film Set During Season 1- Gladiator

For Your Consideration...

For Your Consideration

Best Leader- Qin Shihuangdi

For Your Consideration...

For Your Consideration

Best Leader- Cyrus

For Your Consideration...

For Your Consideration

Most Influential- Confucius

The 3rd Annual Whapey Awards

Ok folks, now that season 1 is officially over, it's time for awards season. The Whapeys (World History AP Awards) are our version of the Emmys (and a Prill family tradition) that takes place at the end of every television season. This is our opportunity to award the "best" in world history at the end of a season. This is also a great opportunity to reflect critically on content learned. This year, for the first time, all voting will be done online. The categories for voting will be listed below, and all you have to do, is nominate your selection in a comment post. Voting closes at NOON ON FRIDAY. We'll tally the votes, and the winner will be announced this weekend. If any of you are in need of volunteer hours and would like to come in after school on Friday to tally votes, I'll be happy to have you. That would be a great help. Happy voting. Here are the categories for season 1...





Best Government (Classical):
Best Government (Early River Valleys):
Most Influential Society:
Most Influential Person:
Best Leader:
Worst Leader:
Best Conflict:
Best Social System:
Most Influential Belief System:
Best Economic System:
Best Invention:
Worst Invention:
Best Cultural Contribution:
Best Film Set During Season 1:

DBQ Questions?

If you all have any questions regarding DBQs, please feel free to post them here, and I'll be sure to respond. I have my summer trip meeting tonight at 7, so I may not be around from between 7 and 9. Cheers!

MEETING REMINDER

Ladies and gentlemen, this is just to remind everyone that is planning to travel with us to either China or Peru that the first meeting will be tomorrow, Tuesday, at 7pm in the Media Center. If you are not able to make that one then the make-up will be on Saturday at 10am in the Media Center as well. If you are definitely planning on traveling the best thing you could do is sign up for the trip at the meeting. All you need is $95 to lock you in. The only payments that will be accepted will be CHECK, DEBIT CARD, or CREDIT CARD. PLEASE NO CASH! Hope to see you all there!

Global Contacts During the Late Classical Period: Beware of the Nomads!

Well ladies and gentlemen, happy Saturday! The season 1 finale is behind us already, and I hope you all enjoyed it. If I promise disaster, you better believe it's coming! I for one am exhausted, those finales take a lot out of me, but of course I enjoyed every minute of it. A surprise ending for you all? Yes, in the season premiere the settled societies struck first, but the nomads strike back and bring it all to an end for the finale! Folks, the reality of the situation is, no matter how much traditional world history teachers want to ignore it, that one of the most important developments in world history during the first millennium B.C.E. was the rise of the pastoral nomads in central Asia. From 300 B.C.E. onward, successive groups of horse riders dominated the wide swath of grasslands stretching from Mongolia in the east to the Ukraine in the west along the fiftieth degree of latitude. For nearly two millennia, the success or failure of rulers in China, India, Persia, and later Russia often depended on their ability to mobilize effective defenses against--or trade with--the nomadic horse riders.

The first of the great nomadic confederations or "states" in central Asia was created around 200 B.C.E. by the people known to the Chinese as the Xiongnu (or the Hsiung-nu, as it's spelled in the documents you will read. Remember, Chinese doesn't transliterate cleanly into English, hence the alternate spellings). The Hsiung-nu, whose home was the plains of present-day Inner Mongolia, were herders and hunters who occasionally engaged in trade with Chinese merchants. However, in times of hardship on the prairie the Hsiung-nu raided the silos of Chinese peasants to obtain supplies of newly harvested grain.

For the Hsiung-nu, the unification of China in 221 B.C.E. by Emperor Qin Shi Huangdi was an ominous development. Soon after establishing his rule, the First Emperor had walls built along the northern frontier of China. (Much later these separate walls were joined together to form the Great Wall). The Chinese walls were built to fence out the nomads and, equally important to the First Emperor, to fence in the potential Chinese allies of the nomads.

As the Chinese walls went up, the Hsiung-nu began to unite their traditionally conflict-prone neighbors on the grasslands into a formidable military force. For the next 250 years, until the Hsiung-nu confederation unraveled in the first century of the Common Era, the emperors of the Han dynasty were compelled to devote considerable attention to relations with the Hsiung-nu. Indeed, relations with the nomadic successors of the Hsiung-nu remained a major priority for Chinese emperors until after 1700 C.E.

Because the Hsiung-nu did not have a system of writing, and therefore left no records for historians to examine, our richest sources of documentary evidence about them come from the writings of ancient Chinese historians (hmm...). The document I would like you to read dealing with the rise of the Hsiung-nu comes from the work of the greatest of the early Chinese historians Ssu-ma Ch'ien (Sima Qian) [the Herodotus of China]. A table of Chinese "gifts" of silk to the Hsiung-nu, which comes from a book by a present-day historian, follows the excerpts from Sima Qian. Please click on the following link (Records of the Grand Historian of China) to read these documents.

Because the nomads indeed STOLE THE SHOW in the season 1 finale, we really need to have a discussion on these documents. Please folks, DO NOT SKIMP ON YOUR RESPONSES! Try to completely address my discussion questions as much as possible. How do these documents help us to understand the Hsiung-nu and their contacts with the Chinese? What are Sima Qian's most important points about the Hsiung-nu? What does he observe about the Hsiung-nu economy, their political system, their social classes, and their religion? According to Sima Qian, what seems to explain the rise of Mo-tun as the Hsiung-nu Shan-yü? How does the account of Mo-tun's rise to power add to our understanding of the culture and political institutions of the Hsiung-nu? What are the main points in the letters exchanged between Mo-tun and Emperor Wen. Do Mo-tun and Emperor Wen agree on the reasons for the conflict between the Hsiung-nu and the Chinese? What do the two letters reveal about the level of political thinking among the Hsiung-nu and the Chinese? Do you see elements of Confucian thinking in the letter from Emperor Wen? In the letter from Mo-tun? How do you explain this? What "gifts" do Emperor Wen and Mo-tun exchange? Does the exchange seem equal to you? What other terms besides "gift-giving" might be used to describe this exchange? What does the trend in Chinese silk sent to the Hsiung-nu, as indicated by the table, suggest about Chinese perceptions of the nomads? What does the same trend suggest about the importance of the silk industry in China? Hmm... did silk mean literal survival? Hmm... interesting. Why do you think Sima Qian devoted so much attention to the Hsiung-nu? How do you think he obtained information about the nomads? Why might we expect that a Chinese historian's account of the Hsiung-nu might be biased? Do you detect any bias in Sima Qian? Is it even possible to write "objective" history? Your thoughts? THIS IS AN INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT AND RICH TEXT AT THE END OF SEASON 1. PLEASE DO NOT AVOID READING AND POSTING ON THIS ONE. (1) THE DISCUSSION OF BIAS IS AN IMPORTANT WARM-UP FOR YOUR NEXT ESSAY NEXT WEEK, (2) THESE DOCUMENTS ARE FULL OF FORESHADOWING FOR SEASON 2, (3) IT MAY BE A GOOD IDEA TO INCLUDE SOME OF THESE THOUGHTS IN OUR INNER/OUTER CIRCLE DISCUSSION ON MONDAY AS HALF OF THE CLASS WILL ALSO BE READING THIS DOCUMENT FOR OUR DISCUSSION. Now, your thoughts...

[I'm off for the High Museum to enjoy some Persian language film! If you were also planning on attending tonight's screening, I'll see you down there. Otherwise, see you Monday!]

Monday's Inner/Outer Circle: Why Do Societies Collapse?

Ok ladies and gentlemen, if you noted the calender adjustment, you know that there is an inner/outer circle discussion scheduled for Monday. The theme is: Why Do Societies Collapse? The rules of the activity remain the same. Remember, ten questions will be needed when you come in, complete with your answers. Also remember that only two of those questions can be basic knowledge questions, the rest must be higher level thinking questions. Because the documents are lengnthy enough, you only need to read one, and come up with 10 questions for that one document.

If your last name begins with A-M, please click on the following link (Records of the Grand Historian of China), and be prepared to discuss this document written by Sima Qian around the turn of the first century B.C.E. on Monday. [THIS IS A CHANGE! THE OTHER ARTICLE I PUT UP WAS A MISTAKE! I HOPE YOU GOT THIS CHANGE ON TIME].

If your last name begins with N-Z, please click on the following link (General Observations on the Fall of the Roman Empire in the West) and be prepared to discuss this document written by Edward Gibbon between 1776 and 1788 on Monday.

My suggestion would be to print these documents out and bring them to class with you on Monday. Cheers!

Global Contacts During the Late Classical Period: Precious Commodities and Cultural Interchange

Ladies and gents, happy season 1 finale eve! That being said, let me inform you quickly of a change to the schedule. Tomorrow will be the season 1 finale, therefore, no inner/outer circle discussion. This instead will be held on Monday. No reading for a reading quiz on Monday then, just be prepared for the inner/outer circle discussion. Now, as we begin to bring season 1 to a close, disaster looms in the distance. Before the complete collapse of the system, though, our attention is focused in on the intergration of the Eurasian world into the Old World Web. The key to the end of this time period is INTEGRATION THROUGH TRADE. During the Han dynasty (206 B.C.E.-220 C.E.), Chinese emperors began to send large amounts of silk--for both diplomatic and commercial reasons--to the nomads of central Asia. Within a short time, some of this silk found its way, by means of a type of relay trade, to the overland trade routes running west to Rome. Historians refer to these routes collectively as the Silk Road. By 100 C.E. the land routes linking China to Rome also had a maritime counterpart. Seaborne commerce flourished between Rome and India via the Red Sea and the Arabian Sea. Farther east, shipping routes connected Indian ports with harbors in Southeast Asia and on the coast of China.

A great Afro-Eurasian commercial network had now come into being. Silk from China (the only country which produced it until after 500 C.E.), pepper and jewels from India, and incense from Arabia were sent to the Mediterranean region on well-traveled routes which terminated in Roman ports such as Alexandria, Tyre, and Ephesus. In exchange for these precious commodities, the Romans, although reluctantly, sent large amounts of silver, bronze, and gold eastward to destinations in Asia. Again though, this is not, and should not be the reason why we study trade so closely because since the long-distance trade of the classical period was mainly in luxuries rather than in articles of daily use, its overall economic impact was probably limited. Most present-day historians think that the Rome-India-China trade was significant primarily because of its role in promoting the spread of religions, styles of art, technologies, and epidemic diseases. That's the real point!

Sculptural styles that developed in many parts of Asia during the first millenium C.E. are an especially striking case of the process of cultural lending and borrowing. Many of the earliest Indian representations of the Buddha, dating from early in the Common Era, are sculptures that show the Buddha wearing a Greco-Roman style toga like the one in the picture above (WILD!!!). Moreover, present-day museums in Pakistan, India, central Asia, northern China, and Japan display numerous examples of other types of sculpture dating from the first millennium which clearly show the influence of Greco-Roman models. It is this kind of evidence that has led scholars to conclude that the significance of the Silk Road was not economic but rather primary cultural (and biological if we take into account the spread of diseases along the trade routes).

In various ways, the passages that I would like you to read now illustrate the existence of East-West contacts during the early centuries of the Common Era. Two characteristics of the documents should be kept in mind as you read them though. The excerpts are fragmentary because, so far as historians know, there is no single narrative of a journey from Rome to China or vice versa from the classical period. In addition, the readings are heavily weighted toward the Roman end of the trade network because documentation from Asian sources is either nonexistent or extremely fragmentary. In order to read these documents please click on the following link (Eurasian Trade Documents).

Please think about and discuss the following when you have finished reading: How do we know that the Romans wore silk? How did the Romans obtain this fabric according the the first document? What evidence is there in the passages by Strabo and Pliny the Elder that Indians were traveling to Rome and Romans were traveling to India? What were the reasons for these journeys? What evidence is there in the passages from Pliny to suggest that the Romans placed a high value on incense? How does Pliny's description of the trade in incense help to explain its high cost? How was incense used by the Romans? I would like you to also compare Pliny's report on incense with his report on pepper. Does pepper even grow on trees? How do you explain this confusion with Pliny? What were Pliny's likely sources of information about the cultivation of incense and pepper? When Fa-hsien decided to return to China, how did he travel? What does his mode of travel (and the difficulties that he encountered during his journey) suggest about trade between India and China? To what extent does Fa-hsien seem to subscribe to the Four Noble Truths? Finally, and this is a biggie, what evidence do you see in these documents of connections between trade and religion (this is a big topic in season 2)? Your thoughts...

A Closer Look at Christianity in the Roman World

Ok, so we've reached the point in the year where we have introduced the final major belief system to emerge during season 1--Christianity. Only one more major belief system to emerge (Islam), and that will be in season 2. At any rate, now that we have brought Christianity into the mix, let's take a closer look into how it was generally received in its birthplace, the Roman Empire. In reality, Roman authorities were generally tolerant of the diverse deities and religious practices of the empire's subjects and tried to foster loyalty to the empire by merging these gods and goddesses into the Roman pantheon. Normally, all that Romans required was that the various cults and their devotees not threaten public order or morality and that each religion help guarantee the gods' continued favor toward the state. However, as far as many Romans were concerned, Christianity WAS a threat to the state and civil order because of its uncompromising monotheism and its followers' extreme sense of exclusivity. Although Jews shared those characteristics, Judaism enjoyed the status of being the legally recognized religion of one of Rome's subject people. Once Christianity separated itself from the Jewish synagogues, it lost whatever protection it had enjoyed by reason of its Judaic heritage.

Although we possess no official state pronouncement concerning Christianity before the second century CE, it appears that the first imperial persecution of Christians took place in Rome under Emperor Nero around the year 64. Under Nero, following a massive fire that devastated the city, Christians became targets of attack, because they were "hated for their abominations." Because of these "abominations," Christianity became a prohibited cult, and adherence to it was technically a capital offense. Along with the occasional flare-ups of persecution came writings in defense of the Christian belief system. One such writing I would like you to read is by Tertullian. He was the first great Christian writer to use Latin, rather than Greek, as his chosen means of communication. His passionate, quotable, and sarcastic writings in defense of his own rigorous vision of Christianity played a major role in forming a Western, or Latin, Christian culture. Born the pagan son of an army centurion, Tertullian initially enjoyed a brilliant career as a legal advocate and jurist. Around the year 195, he converted to Christianity and soon thereafter embarked on a new career as one of Christianity's strongest advocates. Only around two years after his conversion (197 CE), he composed one of his most famous works, the Apologia. The word means "defense," and in this work Tertullian, the lawyer turned Christian apologist, defended Christian practices and beliefs before the court of public opinion. Addressed to the empire's governors, the Apologia develops the argument that persecution of Christians is inconsistent with the principles of Roman law, morality, and reason. It is a stunning document, and I would like you to read excerpts from it by clicking on the following link (Apologia).

After you have read the document, I'd like for you to think about and discuss a few things: What were some of the heinous crimes Christians were accused of? Why do you think these particular charges were leveled against them? What does Tertullian think of the legality, internal inconsistency, and justice of Emperor Trajan's policy regarding Christians? What specific points does he make in his analysis of the policy? According to Tertullian, why are Christians hated, and how rationally based is that hatred? In your opinion, who would a reasonable, moderate pagan (non-Christian Roman) answer Tertullian's points? Your thoughts...

Principles of Roman Political Virtue

Well folks, we are getting very close to the end of an entire system of things. As the center of power shifts in the Mediterranean world toward Rome, we edge closer to the end- the season 1 finale (Friday folks!). There is no doubt that the Roman Republic and early Empire produced many vigorous statesmen, including leaders of the famous Senate, and many discussions of basic political principles. Although some leaders seized power by military force or by manipulating support, others were selected because they seemed to exemplify sound political virtues. Unlike Athenians, who in their democratic period chose many officials by lot, most Roman republican leaders were elected by the Senate or the popular assembly, and this prompted frequent discussions of what qualities a good statesman should possess. Correspondingly, when political life in the Republic became more contentious and unstable, ultimately giving way to the formation of the Empire, and again later when the Empire itself began to function badly, many observers blamed a deterioration of leadership quality rather than any larger problems.

The passage that I would like you to read was written by a Greek politician and writer, Plutarch (whom you've read already hopefully) during the early stages of the Empire (specifically during the early part of the pax romana period) when republican values continued to be widely touted even though institutions were changing. Entitled Precepts of Statecraft, this document was designed to relate examples of success and failure for the training of a Greek aristocrat, Menemachus. Plutarch belonged to a wealthy family in the Greek city of Chaerona. He was fascinated with Roman political affairs, because the Romans had ruled his region for some time. He compiled a host of biographies of Roman emperors and other political figures, advised the emperor Trajan, and ultimately became both a citizen of Rome and an ambassador. Plutarch's method, using historical example to illustrate and deriving basic lessons in political behavior, included abundant references to past figures such as Pericles (whom Plutarch admired) or the popular but ultimately assassinated Roman reformers, the Gracchus brothers (whom Plutarch judged unwise for disrupting the late Republic).

Plutarch's summary of Mediterranean political values at the height of the Roman period obviously deserves comparison with earlier statements from leaders of Greek city-states and with political philosophers in other classical civilizations, such as Confucius. Please click on the following link (Precepts of Statecraft) to read excerpts from Plutarch's Precepts of Statecraft.

Once you have read the passage, I would like for you to think about and discuss the following: What are the main qualities a good leader should aspire to, according to Plutarch? What are the main functions of a good leader and a good state? Why would Plutarch have been so attracted to Roman--which was, to him, foreign--rule, in your opinion? Why was Plutarch relatively uninterested in the specific structure of a state? In your opinion, was this a potential weakness in his political approach? How do his principles for leadership compare with those earlier implied by Pericles? What would Plutarch have thought of attempts to form a democracy? What are the similarities and differences between Plutarch's concept of leadership and that of Confucius? Which approach was most useful for forming an effective bureaucracy? Finally, how do Plutarch's political principles and his goals for the state compare with more modern formations?

Also folks, I've been thinking (I know, dangerous!), as I look at the Roman Empire that will come into being during the reign of Caesar Augustus, I can't help but notice some clear similarites between the Roman Empire and the Han Empire in China (both of which existed around the same time). The two empires were arguably the most powerful and influential states in their respective parts of the world. Both states, in different ways, instilled tremendous loyalty in their subjects. Neither state was inspired by a passionate religious fervor. Both empires made use of philosophical foundations. What lessons could the modern state planner learn from the Chinese and Romans in your opinion? Also, I can't help but continue comparing Rome to the United States. Was the Pax Romana different from the Pax Americana in your opinion? As you saw in Plutarch's document, and as you will see in American documents later, both the Romans and the early Americans placed tremendous emphasis on the question of character. What were the foundations of these different definitions of character? What did they have in common? Interestingly, during the empire the Romans eventually began to fear that they had strayed from their simple values. Plutarch’s examination of Marcus Cato, in his Lives, displays a romantic longing for a perceived simpler and purer time. Did the Roman character change? Is this happening, or has this already happened, in the United States? Has the American character changed? Is character key to a successful state? Your thoughts... (I know this was a long post, but so much to think about here)...

Coming to a Museum Near You...

Ladies and gents, I just want to give you a heads up on an event coming to the High Museum in Midtown muy pronto! I have heard a few people talk about this already, so lets just get it out there. MY SON IS COMING TO VISIT ME IN ATLANTA! Yes folks you heard correctly, the High will have a new exhibit coming on November 16th focusing on my boy, Qin Shihuangdi, China's First Emperor. If you want to see more info on this upcoming exhibit, click on the following link (China's First Emperor). Hope you all can make it! It would be great to fill the High with our students that first weekend. By the way, the High is one of the best things Atlanta has to offer. As a student, you can actually be a member for $35, and then you can go in and out all the time. Something to think about...

A Look Mediterranean Social and Family Structure Through Aristotle

Well folks, we've looked carefully at social and gender relations in China and India recently, but I'm an equal opportunity critic (as we all should be) so now it's time to shift our attention to the Mediterranean region. Surprisingly to many, Aristotle's writings give some of the best insights into Greek and later Roman society. In the documents that I would like you to read, Aristotle describes some widely accepted Greek principles of social organization that also came to be current in Rome. He is obviously intent on justifying a social hierarchy, so while reading, ask yourself: How does he divide functions of society? Why does he prefer that manual labor (at least in agriculture) be done by slaves? The idea of hierarchy for Aristotle also extends to the family, with clear divisions between men and women. Now that we've been across Eurasia, were these ideas unusual in classical civilizations? Does Aristotle's definition of the purposes of family organization differ from those in China and India? Of course, social definitions existed in all the classical civilizations. As you're reading his words, also ask yourself how the kinds of divisions Aristotle describes are comparable to social structures elsewhere in the classical world (for example, India's caste system). As you will also see in the following documents, Aristotle was a strong defender of most Athenian political principles, including a degree of democracy as the Athenians defined it. As you are reading his political thoughts, ask yourself: How do his arguments for social and family hierarchy relate to Greek politics?

First, I would like you to read a selection from Aristotle's The Politics by clicking on the following link (The Politics) [you only have to read pages 419-420].

Second, I would like you to read a selection from Aristotle's Economics by clicking on the following link (Economics) [you only have to read page 1, section 3 - page 4, section 5].

After reading both documents, I would like you to consider and discuss the following: Why does Aristotle find slavery necessary? How does the discussion of slavery or the use of foreigners mesh with Athenian political values? Would Aristotle and Pericles have argued about these issues in your opinion? Are Aristotle's gender values patriarchal? How do they compare with the gender system of Sparta, described earlier by Lycurgus? How do Greek gender values compare with those of classical India and China? Were they more or less severe in your opinion? How do Aristotle's view on social inequality compare with Confucian and Hindu views? What are the key similarities? How do all these social theories compare with characteristic modern discussions on the reasons and justifications for social inequality? Your thoughts...

Experience Persian Language Film Now!

Ladies and gentlemen, I'm glad that you many of you have responded positively to what you have learned regarding the Persians so far. Believe me, we'll be discussing Persia and modern Iran quite a bit this year. I believe in all of my classes I at least mentioned that Iranian film is some of the most exciting film being created currently. Directors like Abbas Kiarostami, Jafar Panahi, and Majid Majidi have been some of the most creative brains in modern cinema, in terms of the originality of their stories and the beauty of their craft. By opening up your mind to Iranian film, you will be opening up yourself to a whole new world. I highly recommend you check out masterpieces like Taste of Cherry, The Wind Will Carry Us, Children of Heaven, or even the recent Offside, with it's theme of the role of women in a male dominated modern Iran through looking at football (soccer) events in that country. All of these films can be rented off of Netflix or Blockbuster Online. However, in addition to that, I would like to make you all aware of an exciting film series going on currently at the High Museum in Midtown. This month, the series Iranian Film Today is featuring some of the most exciting and challenging films to come out of Iran in recent months. Almost every Friday and Saturday night this month an Iranian film will be screened, and students will be admitted for only $6 with your student ID. To read more about this series click on the following link (Iranian Film Today). I hope those of you that are interested are able to make it to at least one film this month. I plan on going to next Saturday's screening. An easy and more environmentally friendly way of getting there would be to drive down to the Doraville MARTA station and ride the train to Arts Center Station. The museum will be right there when you exit the station. Again, I hope some of you can make it and enjoy a night on the town.

Comparing Greek Political Traditions

¡Hola mi gente! I hope everyone is having a good weekend so far. Our discussion of the classical period will continue throughout all of next week, and as with all the classical civilizations, the culture that developed along Europe's Mediterranean shores produced important political institutions and principles. The key political form, in Greece and later in republican Rome, was the city-state. Within its bounds, the portion of the population with political rights was supposed to participate actively in the affairs of state, to which it owed loyalty and service. Within this context, however, a variety of political structures arose. Some evolved toward democracy (though with many residents excluded from rights, i.e. women, slaves, and foreigners). In this, Athens led the way, providing not only participant assemblies but also considerable support for individual freedom and legal rights. Other Greek city-states, however, stressed the power of government. Sparta, which would finally clash with Athens in the Peloponnesian War, set up a rigid militaristic regime designed to transform each male or female citizen into an absolute servant of the government. When Athens and Sparta warred at the end of the fifth century B.C.E., the conflict involved not only power, but also two clashing views of political life.

The Spartan system, described in the writings of Plutarch, was set up by the lawmaker Lycurgus after 650 B.C.E., in large part to keep a vast slave (helot) population under control. I would like you to read some excerpts of the writings of Plutarch, specifically excerpts from his biography of Lycurgus, by clicking on the following link (Lycurgus by Plutarch).

In contrast to the Spartan system, the Athenian ideal was articulated by its great leader Pericles during the fifth century B.C.E., the early stages of the Peloponnesian War, as part of a famous funeral oration that appears in the history by Thucydides. Please click on the following link (Pericles' Funeral Oration) to read this funeral oration.

The two selections no doubt allow a clear comparison between the ideas of the two city-states. It is important to realize that most articulate Greeks (including both Thucydides and Plutarch) preferred Spartan values. Why might this be so in your opinion? Are there any shared features beneath the obvious contrasts of Athens and Sparta? What resulted, in classical Greece itself and in the later Greek heritage, from such sharply differentiated systems within a common culture? Also, after reading the two documents, I would like you all to think about, and discuss, the following: What was the nature of family regulation in Sparta? What were the reasons for it? How does Pericles define the nature and purpose of the Athenian state? What were the differences between Athenian and Spartan systems of military recruitment and motivation for service? Were there any similarities between Spartan and Athenian values and goals. Were Sparta and Athens forerunners of contemporary government systems, or would this be a misleading assessment? Does Pericles remind you of any modern day politicians? For my money, every time I read his funeral oration, it just seems so modern to me. What do you think? Does Sparta remind you of any 20th century governments? Finally, how do Athenian political principles compare with Confucian ideals and goals? Why was Confucianism ultimately more successful? Your thoughts...

The Persians: Heroes or Villains?

The answer to the above question really depends on who you ask. When you think about what you know about the Persians, perhaps the word toleration doesn't come to mind. The reality, though, is that the major signature of the Persian Empire under the Achaemenids was just that-- TOLERANCE. In fact, the idea of tolerance was the main part of the ruling philosophy of Persian kings Cyrus and Darius. Unfortunately, for far too long, historians have struggled with a negative view of the Persians left over from the European and American fascination with the Greeks. In this light, events such as the Persian Wars took on the form of epic battles between the “good” Greeks and the “evil” Persians without any sense that in many ways the Persians were far more tolerant and enlightened rulers than the Greeks. In fact, even recently, with the Hollywood film 300, a film that is unapologetically bad in every way imaginable, a film that is just one in a long line of misguided, inaccurate Hollywood filth in which calling it a disgusting piece of trash would be putting it lightly, the Persians are portrayed as villainous, faceless creatures while the Greeks are treated as noble heroes. In reality, the Greek's habit of equating foreigners with barbarians stands in stark contrast to the cosmopolitan, tolerant nature of the Persians. This is not to say, of course, that the world would be a better place if the Persians had won the Persian Wars (far too much of later history is dependent on Greek contributions), but it’s important to create and maintain a more balanced view of world history. So the big question then is, whose history are we really learning? The point of view of the writer of the history will greatly influence what you take as fact, for better or for worse. This is why looking at DIVERSE INTERPRETATIONS of history is so necessary. Really, a look at the Persians through different points of view is an excellent example of why history is not merely a collection of facts to be memorized. The question of historical influences is an important thing to discuss at this point in the course therefore. Passages from Herodotus' Histories are important passages to explore when it comes to understanding the Persians from a western point of view. Herodotus has often been described as the "father of Western history writing," but he has also been described as "the father of lies." The focus of most of Herodotus' Histories was on Greece's recent Persian Wars. Herodotus feared the Persians, but somewhere deep inside he must have admired them when one considers his seeming obsession with them. I would like for you to read an example of Herodotus' description of the Persians by reading his description of Persian emperor Cambyses by clicking on the following link (Herodotus' Histories) [you only have to read sections 37-38 on pages 185-186]. How does Herodotus portray the Persians in this passage? Could his background perhaps have something to do with this?

Alternatively, the Jewish community in Persia generally held the Persians in high regard. After all, it was the Persians that freed the Jews from a several decade long captivity in Babylon. It was also the Persians that made it possible for the Jews to rebuild their temple in Jerusalem that had been previously destroyed by the Babylonians. In fact, in the Hebrew Scriptures (or Old Testament) of the Bible, the Persians are portrayed as saviors, as heroes if you will. For example, in the book of Isaiah, please click on the following link (Isaiah 44:28-45:1) to read how Persian king Cyrus is described. How was this different from the Greek view of the Persians? Additionally, it is Cyrus himself that his given the credit in Jewish history for commissioning the rebuilding of the temple. In the Bible book of Ezra this is mentioned several times. Please click on the following link (Ezra 1:1-8) to read evidence of this.


Is it any wonder then, that the Jewish community praised the Persians, while the Greeks, who were literally at war against Persia for around 150 years, villainized them? So the question must be asked then: How do we know the things we know about history? What role have historians played in creating the current worldview? Notice how opinions of the same exact societies can sometimes be diametrically opposed. Are historical interpretations really just subjective? Can history in fact CHANGE? Does it really matter whose history we read??? Your thoughts...

A New Russian World Order?

I know this has little to do with what we are talking about right now in class, but we have from time to time addressed the evolving of Russia, especially in regards to the situation with Georgia. Some have feared the possibility of a Cold War II, while others fear a return to the Imperial Russia of the 19th century. Judging from this latest report from Russian President Medvedev, Russia seems to be returning to it's old roots. In this report, he outlines 5 major goals of the Russian Federation that definitely deserves taking a look at. You can read the article that dropped on the BBC on this by clicking here. This will definitely be a conversation we'll continue to have throughout the year as we watch Russia (another one of my passions) emerge and develop. Feel free to chime in if you feel like chatting about current foreign policy issues...