Christianity played a very big role in the religious world, and it still does as of today. It all started in the 4th century of our time when it became the state religion of the Roman Empire.
Upon reading the chapter, there are some things about Christianity that caught my eye the most. One of them regards the different experiences of Christianity between Africa and Asia. In Asia, Muslims controlled Jerusalem, and built the Dome of the Rock, a building that allowed Jewish Christians to offer Jesus Christ a place to visit. Unfortunately, the warfare there had caused the destruction of churches. In Africa, things were different. Christianity had a more major role in terms of religion unlike Asia. As a matter of fact, it helped Egyptians convert to Islam, as well as translating the Bible into the Nubian Language along with Greek, Arabic, and Ge'ez, an Ethiopian language that I have never heard of.
The Byzantine Christendom was also something that caught my attention. According to the book, Strayer pointed out that the eastern Roman Empire continued to live while the western side of it fell entirely. The Byzantine Empire controlled Greece, the Balkans, and Anatolia. As for Eastern Orthodox Christianity, it was different from Roman Catholicism in a way that it considered the Church as a kind of government. Additionally, Strayer had defined orthodox as "right-thinking", and they were Christians who were made equal to the Church and all of the Byzantine Empire.
To reflect on this chapter personally, Christianity is still going on as of today. Nothing about it has really changed, as far as I know. Since I have read the book, I can infer that the religion has definitely spread out worldwide throughout the years.
Monday, November 16, 2015
Wednesday, October 21, 2015
World History I - Midterm Review
The Paleolithic Era was basically known as the Stone Age, because people around this time had built tools that were made of stone. However, there were also gatherer-hunters, people who needed to gather and hunt for food. This time period was the start of an evolution in society. When the Neolithic Era commenced, agriculture was being built, and there was also settled lands where people lived in, but they had also tried to out-compete other agricultural groups like themselves. Then came civilization during the Ancient Era. People began developing new technology such as writing and languages, and they also had hierarchies to tell people from one another according to wealth and knowledge. Finally, we reached the Classical Era, where empires were introduced along with seminal thinkers who developed and shared their ideas; this lead to the development of cosmopolitans, groups of people who are well cultivated and also diverse.
What was the significance of the development of agriculture?
It introduced us to many different things: crops, farming, hunting, and even civilization. We also had technology being developed: Writing and language. Some people also had enough knowledge to lead en empire during the Ancient and Classical Eras even though empires during those times eventually fell. Even so, we still carry on their religious beliefs as of today. Most important of all, agriculture had developed permanent homes for people, which is the big fundamental for civilization.
What did it mean to be civilized to the Mesopotamians who created the Gilgamesh stories?
Civilization to the Mesopotamians meant to be part of the wild, which meant that they mostly treated animals with respect while doing very little hunting. In fact, these people had embraced animals in the wild. They would also eat bread and drink beer or water as if they were essential things. Despite being part of a wild, they still had homes built for themselves.
Discuss the evidence that Paleolithic people were more egalitarian (equally valued) than later societies. Is it convincing?
People who gathered and hunted were considered gatherer-hunters, one of the most important groups of the Paleolithic Era. There was actually gender equality at this time; women were gatherers just like men. However, the Paleolithic people were considered as one kind of society. This is definitely convincing, because a Paleolithic woman named Nisa told her story, which was mostly based around love and marriage. At this era, there was no law saying that Paleolithic beings could not marry more than one, which made love a very common subject to the society.
Strayer Change to Gatherer-Hunter: In what way is this change consistent with the Hallmarks of the Sisters of Notre Dame? Which Hallmark is relevant?
People educate each other based on what they learn, and what they also know. Hallmark One is relevant to this, because it says that people value life as a never-ending journey that strengthens relationships with others like themselves, and even God, which is EXACTLY what life really is. It never stops until you die, but you also learn many things and build relationships with people that eventually become more valuable over time.
Please discuss the ideas and impact of two of the seminal thinkers we have studied so far.
Jesus Christ is a revolutionary seminal thinker whose followers wrote his ideas, sayings, and also his lived examples in the New Testament. He is definitely a religion with a colossal, global Christianity practice. When it comes to Jesus, the one thing that comes to mind is: Heaven is for anyone. On secondhand, Confucius is another seminal thinker who is rather socially stabilized. His Analect sayings were collected by his followers, and he also emphasized respect for order and social place. In fact, people refer to Confucius as a mandate of heaven even though he is not really a religion.
What was the significance of the development of agriculture?
It introduced us to many different things: crops, farming, hunting, and even civilization. We also had technology being developed: Writing and language. Some people also had enough knowledge to lead en empire during the Ancient and Classical Eras even though empires during those times eventually fell. Even so, we still carry on their religious beliefs as of today. Most important of all, agriculture had developed permanent homes for people, which is the big fundamental for civilization.
What did it mean to be civilized to the Mesopotamians who created the Gilgamesh stories?
Civilization to the Mesopotamians meant to be part of the wild, which meant that they mostly treated animals with respect while doing very little hunting. In fact, these people had embraced animals in the wild. They would also eat bread and drink beer or water as if they were essential things. Despite being part of a wild, they still had homes built for themselves.
Discuss the evidence that Paleolithic people were more egalitarian (equally valued) than later societies. Is it convincing?
People who gathered and hunted were considered gatherer-hunters, one of the most important groups of the Paleolithic Era. There was actually gender equality at this time; women were gatherers just like men. However, the Paleolithic people were considered as one kind of society. This is definitely convincing, because a Paleolithic woman named Nisa told her story, which was mostly based around love and marriage. At this era, there was no law saying that Paleolithic beings could not marry more than one, which made love a very common subject to the society.
Strayer Change to Gatherer-Hunter: In what way is this change consistent with the Hallmarks of the Sisters of Notre Dame? Which Hallmark is relevant?
People educate each other based on what they learn, and what they also know. Hallmark One is relevant to this, because it says that people value life as a never-ending journey that strengthens relationships with others like themselves, and even God, which is EXACTLY what life really is. It never stops until you die, but you also learn many things and build relationships with people that eventually become more valuable over time.
Please discuss the ideas and impact of two of the seminal thinkers we have studied so far.
Jesus Christ is a revolutionary seminal thinker whose followers wrote his ideas, sayings, and also his lived examples in the New Testament. He is definitely a religion with a colossal, global Christianity practice. When it comes to Jesus, the one thing that comes to mind is: Heaven is for anyone. On secondhand, Confucius is another seminal thinker who is rather socially stabilized. His Analect sayings were collected by his followers, and he also emphasized respect for order and social place. In fact, people refer to Confucius as a mandate of heaven even though he is not really a religion.
Saturday, October 3, 2015
Ways of the World: Chapter 3 - My Reflection
Chapter 3 focused heavily on the Eurasian State and Empire, but there was one thing in this chapter that really stood out to me the most: The big comparison between the Roman and Chinese Empires.
Based on my readings, I felt that China did a lot better than Rome, because it restored an old empire rather than creating a new one like Rome did. Additionally, it was a lot more independent. In regards of China having a leader, Qin Shihuangdi was an active one who gave out order for China to build the Great Wall, which provided strong defenses for the empire.
Although I still think that China did things better than Rome did, there are also things that both empires had in common. They both had religious traditions (Christianity for Rome, and Buddhism for China), and they also had governments to uphold those empires. Unfortunately, on the religious end, Christianity had dominated Buddhism. Even so, language was still a big part of these two empires.
It is rather unfortunate that these empires had fallen over time since they have lost control with their population, economy, and politics that keep them both alive. With that being said, it has gotten me into thinking about the challenges we are facing in our society today, but I have to ask myself: What exactly are the issues that we are all encountering that are a lot similar to what has happened back when the empires were still around? What are we doing that is different from them? Are we able to avoid facing the same difficulties like the ones from Rome and China? I suppose only time will tell. As far as I know based on my experience with the world, we are already facing some really bad hardships, especially with the economy that we are in right now.
Based on my readings, I felt that China did a lot better than Rome, because it restored an old empire rather than creating a new one like Rome did. Additionally, it was a lot more independent. In regards of China having a leader, Qin Shihuangdi was an active one who gave out order for China to build the Great Wall, which provided strong defenses for the empire.
Although I still think that China did things better than Rome did, there are also things that both empires had in common. They both had religious traditions (Christianity for Rome, and Buddhism for China), and they also had governments to uphold those empires. Unfortunately, on the religious end, Christianity had dominated Buddhism. Even so, language was still a big part of these two empires.
It is rather unfortunate that these empires had fallen over time since they have lost control with their population, economy, and politics that keep them both alive. With that being said, it has gotten me into thinking about the challenges we are facing in our society today, but I have to ask myself: What exactly are the issues that we are all encountering that are a lot similar to what has happened back when the empires were still around? What are we doing that is different from them? Are we able to avoid facing the same difficulties like the ones from Rome and China? I suppose only time will tell. As far as I know based on my experience with the world, we are already facing some really bad hardships, especially with the economy that we are in right now.
Thursday, September 24, 2015
Ways of the World - Chapter 2 Documents Section: My Response
The question I will be answering to is:
How does the Epic of Gilgamesh portray the gods and their relationship to humankind?
My answer to that will be:
The relationship between gods and humans works like this: Whenever a human being does something that the gods don't like, he or she is given a brutal punishment. For instance, after Gilgamesh and Enkidu finish a wrestling match, they become friends and travel together. However, this resulted in Enkidu's death, forcing Gilgamesh to find eternity for himself. Eventually, this lead to him meeting the goddess, Siduri, who then tells him that eternal life is not for everyone. Therefore, when good deeds are done by humans that rather satisfy the gods, they are rewarded.
How does the Epic of Gilgamesh portray the gods and their relationship to humankind?
My answer to that will be:
The relationship between gods and humans works like this: Whenever a human being does something that the gods don't like, he or she is given a brutal punishment. For instance, after Gilgamesh and Enkidu finish a wrestling match, they become friends and travel together. However, this resulted in Enkidu's death, forcing Gilgamesh to find eternity for himself. Eventually, this lead to him meeting the goddess, Siduri, who then tells him that eternal life is not for everyone. Therefore, when good deeds are done by humans that rather satisfy the gods, they are rewarded.
Tuesday, September 22, 2015
Ways of the World - Chapter 2: First Civilizations - My Reflection
Civilization has been around since the Agricultural Revolution. It is a human society that we are all still in today, but over the years, that kind of civilization has evolved. We are organized and in control, just like civilization was in the Paleolitic Era. From small villages to large cities, this is just one example of how our civilization has evolved, and what it has become now.
The Middle East was the first place for civilization to take place. Countries in this region such as Africa and Egypt had rather distinctive civilizations to make them different from one another. Egypt, for instance, had pyramids built in the desert which is something Africa does not have though its civilians discovered Egypt's pyramids.
The cities from back then were definitely a lot different from the ones that we are used to today... At least here in the U.S.A. Rather than made of steel and iron, the cities back around 2000 B.C.E. were made of bricks, like the Mohenjo Daro in Mesopotamia. Although I'm sure that there are still some cities that are still made out of bricks today, it really amazes me as to how we went from ancient to modern in such a large period of time.
It's hard to understand the real meaning of civilization, but to me, it means being a large, organized place where we are under control of a government. That's really because it's the kind of civilization I grew up with.
The Middle East was the first place for civilization to take place. Countries in this region such as Africa and Egypt had rather distinctive civilizations to make them different from one another. Egypt, for instance, had pyramids built in the desert which is something Africa does not have though its civilians discovered Egypt's pyramids.
The cities from back then were definitely a lot different from the ones that we are used to today... At least here in the U.S.A. Rather than made of steel and iron, the cities back around 2000 B.C.E. were made of bricks, like the Mohenjo Daro in Mesopotamia. Although I'm sure that there are still some cities that are still made out of bricks today, it really amazes me as to how we went from ancient to modern in such a large period of time.
It's hard to understand the real meaning of civilization, but to me, it means being a large, organized place where we are under control of a government. That's really because it's the kind of civilization I grew up with.
Sunday, September 13, 2015
Ways of the World: Chapter 1 - Agriculture & Nisa's Story.
Agriculture - Notes
Nisa's Story - What do you think of Nisa's account as a description of what Paleolithic peoples might have been like?
From what I read and understand, the Paleolithic people were poor, but they still carried things in their possession. In Nisa's case, she had animal hide upon traveling. The Paleolithic people were also hunters rather than just explorers. While living in a bush with her family, Nisa's father used traps to hunt down animals for food, and they even collected berries. She and her family even shared with the other Paleolithic people who lived close to her. When it came to marriage, the Paleolithic people had built marriage huts where they took place in. At that time, these humans were able to marry more than once, but sex is always the big subject when marriage is always involved. With the loss of loved ones, Paleolithic people like Nisa will blame God for the things that happen to her family.
- 12,000 y.a. - Agriculture began
- Neolithic (New Stone Age) Revolution/Agricultural Revolution
- Occurred separately AND independently worldwide simultaneously
- Humankind began changing nature - Evolution directed
- 11,000 y.a. - End of the Ice Age
- Homo sapiens migrated - Agriculture more possible
- Climate changes - Global Warming
- Women collected wild plants
- Gatherer hunters benefited from GW to build villages and collect resources
- New technology developed
- GW threatened large settled populations with the depletion of depended wild plants and animals - 11,000 y.a. & 9500 B.C.E.
- 10,000 - 5,000 y.a.: Scholars claim there is NO desert in Africa!
- In America - lack of protein, manure for fertilizer, power, and also rich cereal grains available in Afro-Eurasia,.
- Had corn, which came from S. Mexico by 4000 to 3000 B.C.E.
Nisa's Story - What do you think of Nisa's account as a description of what Paleolithic peoples might have been like?
From what I read and understand, the Paleolithic people were poor, but they still carried things in their possession. In Nisa's case, she had animal hide upon traveling. The Paleolithic people were also hunters rather than just explorers. While living in a bush with her family, Nisa's father used traps to hunt down animals for food, and they even collected berries. She and her family even shared with the other Paleolithic people who lived close to her. When it came to marriage, the Paleolithic people had built marriage huts where they took place in. At that time, these humans were able to marry more than once, but sex is always the big subject when marriage is always involved. With the loss of loved ones, Paleolithic people like Nisa will blame God for the things that happen to her family.
Saturday, September 5, 2015
Yay - I'm done!
Just to keep my memory fresh on this:
Paleological, Neological, Ancient, Classical, Modern, and Post-Modern (I don't know if Post-Modern will count, but it was put up last Wednesday in class, so I'll just leave it as it is here)
Paleological, Neological, Ancient, Classical, Modern, and Post-Modern (I don't know if Post-Modern will count, but it was put up last Wednesday in class, so I'll just leave it as it is here)
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