Tea
The open kitchen awaits me,
And I run with glee
Towards the open kettle-
Holding the boiling hot tea.
So I run very fast,
And I am there, at last
But my toes kick up to the pot,
It spills right out, and it’s very hot!
The day isn’t too jolly for me,
And I won’t have any tea.
Saturday, May 31, 2014
Expository Essay- Anna
Go Green!
Everyone should go green and be more environmentally friendly. There are three main reasons why people should do this. One- you can do a lot for the environment while improving your lifestyle and health at the same time. Also, going green might be going out of your way, but it can be financially rewarding if you do it right. Lastly, not going green causes pollution, like in Beijing.
You can do a lot for the environment while improving your lifestyle and health at the same time. For example, riding a car produces pollutants such as carbon monoxide, causing global warming. If you ride a bike or walk instead, you will not only save the environment, you will also get some exercise. In addition to that, eating organic or natural products, instead of products produced with chemicals is healthier for you- and also great for the environment.
Going green might be going out of your way, but it can be financially rewarding if you do it right. For example, buying a new light bulb every year would be annoying to replace. In addition, it is worse for the environment. I you bought a CFL light bulb instead; it would last ten years without having to be replaced. The CFL light bulbs might be more expensive to buy, but in the long run it would save money and at the same time be more environmentally friendly.
I know that nobody likes the pollution in Beijing. In the summer, the vacation getaways we go to could become like Beijing if we carry on the way we are now. That smog is caused by a lack of reducing, reusing and recycling- and it can cause health problems as well.
This just shows that in the long run, going green is not only better for the environment, but also for you. It can help your health and it can save money. These are the reasons I think people should be better to the environment.
Everyone should go green and be more environmentally friendly. There are three main reasons why people should do this. One- you can do a lot for the environment while improving your lifestyle and health at the same time. Also, going green might be going out of your way, but it can be financially rewarding if you do it right. Lastly, not going green causes pollution, like in Beijing.
You can do a lot for the environment while improving your lifestyle and health at the same time. For example, riding a car produces pollutants such as carbon monoxide, causing global warming. If you ride a bike or walk instead, you will not only save the environment, you will also get some exercise. In addition to that, eating organic or natural products, instead of products produced with chemicals is healthier for you- and also great for the environment.
Going green might be going out of your way, but it can be financially rewarding if you do it right. For example, buying a new light bulb every year would be annoying to replace. In addition, it is worse for the environment. I you bought a CFL light bulb instead; it would last ten years without having to be replaced. The CFL light bulbs might be more expensive to buy, but in the long run it would save money and at the same time be more environmentally friendly.
I know that nobody likes the pollution in Beijing. In the summer, the vacation getaways we go to could become like Beijing if we carry on the way we are now. That smog is caused by a lack of reducing, reusing and recycling- and it can cause health problems as well.
This just shows that in the long run, going green is not only better for the environment, but also for you. It can help your health and it can save money. These are the reasons I think people should be better to the environment.
Personal Narrative- Anna
Phuket Swim Meet
“BEEP, BEEP, BEEP,” the alarm sounded next to my bed. I opened my eyes and climbed out of bed. It was 5:00 in the morning and I was pretty exhausted, since I had to wake up early yesterday as well.
I pulled on my racing suit, still half awake, and managed to pack my bag and get ready. It was the second day of the swim competition in Phuket. Today, I was swimming one of my best events- 50 meters breaststroke; only one lap. I had a chance of getting a meet record and butterflies were filling my stomach.
When my team arrived at the swimming pool, we had a couple minutes until warm up. I used this time to re-hydrate myself- it was really hot here. I wasn’t used to this heat, and my arms and shoulders were peeling and burned.
Soon, it was time to get ready for my race.
The officials were announcing, “50 meter breaststroke, girls, please come down to the pool deck.”
Right as I was being called to wait for my race, I saw my coach. “Go for it Anna”, he said. “You can win this.”
I did some light stretches and then sat down to wait for my race. I was so nervous; I could hear my heart beating inside me. As all of the other 11-12 girls swam, time started to speed up.
Before I knew it, I was standing before the diving blocks. I heard whistle and climbed onto the block in a starting position. Arms bent and grasping the block, legs in 90 degrees position.
“Take your marks-“ a voice boomed. I remembered what my coach said, and then before I knew it, I heard a loud BEEP and dove into the pool.
I did my first stroke, and water gushed around me. It seemed like a dream; the water was so blue and I could hear faint voices screaming my name; probably my parents, or my coach.
I swam to the other side as fast as I possibly could. I could see that I was ahead of everyone, which made me swim even faster than I thought I could.
I hit the wall and looked at the time board- 39 seconds! That was not only a meet record, but also it meant a gold medal for me!
I climbed out of the pool, exhausted, but too excited to even notice. My coaches and parents congratulated me right away and gave me high-fives. I was so proud of myself, but still remembering that more hard workouts were to come in order to beat this time.
“BEEP, BEEP, BEEP,” the alarm sounded next to my bed. I opened my eyes and climbed out of bed. It was 5:00 in the morning and I was pretty exhausted, since I had to wake up early yesterday as well.
I pulled on my racing suit, still half awake, and managed to pack my bag and get ready. It was the second day of the swim competition in Phuket. Today, I was swimming one of my best events- 50 meters breaststroke; only one lap. I had a chance of getting a meet record and butterflies were filling my stomach.
When my team arrived at the swimming pool, we had a couple minutes until warm up. I used this time to re-hydrate myself- it was really hot here. I wasn’t used to this heat, and my arms and shoulders were peeling and burned.
Soon, it was time to get ready for my race.
The officials were announcing, “50 meter breaststroke, girls, please come down to the pool deck.”
Right as I was being called to wait for my race, I saw my coach. “Go for it Anna”, he said. “You can win this.”
I did some light stretches and then sat down to wait for my race. I was so nervous; I could hear my heart beating inside me. As all of the other 11-12 girls swam, time started to speed up.
Before I knew it, I was standing before the diving blocks. I heard whistle and climbed onto the block in a starting position. Arms bent and grasping the block, legs in 90 degrees position.
“Take your marks-“ a voice boomed. I remembered what my coach said, and then before I knew it, I heard a loud BEEP and dove into the pool.
I did my first stroke, and water gushed around me. It seemed like a dream; the water was so blue and I could hear faint voices screaming my name; probably my parents, or my coach.
I swam to the other side as fast as I possibly could. I could see that I was ahead of everyone, which made me swim even faster than I thought I could.
I hit the wall and looked at the time board- 39 seconds! That was not only a meet record, but also it meant a gold medal for me!
I climbed out of the pool, exhausted, but too excited to even notice. My coaches and parents congratulated me right away and gave me high-fives. I was so proud of myself, but still remembering that more hard workouts were to come in order to beat this time.
Friday, May 30, 2014
The Choking Game By: Eileen Lee
The Choking Game
By: Eileen Lee
For the past few days, I have read a book called ‘Choke’ by Diana Lopez. ‘Choke’ is a touching and a meaningful book. This book talks about a typical 8th grade student, Windy, who wants to get in the ‘in-crowd’ group, not GP (General Public) or ‘out-crowd’ group. Windy is GP, neither a loner nor popular. But then the coolest kid in school, Nina, starts hanging out with Windy and plays this really dangerous game called ‘the choking game’. Windy is going through a big dilemma deciding if she should keep hanging out with Nina and get in the ‘in-crowd’ group or just stay in GP and not play the choking game.
There is a really important message in this book. The Choking game is a dangerous game between teens in which they self-strangulate in order to achieve a brief high. The high is the result of oxygen rushing back to the brain after it’s cut off by the practice of strangulation. This game is actually happening between teens in real life. The author of this book was once a teacher. One day, she noticed that her students were coming in with blood shot eyes. At first, she thought they were doing drugs, but later, she learned that they were involved in a game known by many names, mostly, the choking game. The choking game can kill many people because no air goes into their brains. So this is the reason why she wrote this book.
My favorite character is Windy Soto who is the main character of this book, because even though she had a hard time deciding if she should keep hanging out with Nina, abandon her best friend, Elena and play the dangerous choking game or stay in GP, but don’t play the choking game, she made the right choice. I think that could have been a hard decision because everyone would want to be a friend with the ‘cool’ guys. I also thought Nina was an interesting character. I always wore a scarf to hide the red mark on her neck from the choking game.
I like how the author started the book by explaining that there are groups of people in the main character’s school. People in ‘In-crowd’ group are very popular, GPs are students who are just normal and like invisible, and people in Out-crowd’ group are people who get bullied and have no friends. I also like how the author plotted this story. The plot is full of excitement and suspense.
The book ‘choke’ is very interesting and has been read by many people all over the world. The author wrote her message on the book very well, and as a student, there are some parts I can totally understand.
The Journey of Finding My Glasses By: Eileen Lee
The Journey of Finding My Glasses
Eileen Lee 7-7
I can’t walk properly.
All I can see are blurry things that are on my way.
I wave my arms not to bump into things.
I have lost the way to see.
I looked under the sofa.
All I can see is dust and my long lost pencils and erasers.
I looked at the side of my bed,
All I can see is half eaten bread.
I looked at the bathroom behind the towels,
All I can see is a BUG!?!? Ugh. Wait, no. It is a pair of lost earrings.
I am doomed.
What will my mother say to me?
Scold me? Shout at me?
I saw the reflection of my terrified face on the mirror.
I notice something.
My glasses were on my head the whole time!
Persuasive Essay by Gauri Kaushik
Cellphones should not be allowed in International School of Beijing
These days almost all of ISB students have some sort of technology, apart from the MacBook Pro issued by the school. Having cellphones in school is a very bad idea and will affect the students' academics and can also affect their health.
My first point is distraction caused by cellphones. As a teacher or student, we all know how distracting cellphones can be. Texting, video chatting, Facebook and all these things distract students from paying attention in class. The study from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln shows that more than 80% of the students admit that their cellphones distract their learning. Also in a 15-week management surveillance program conducted by the California University, it is found that students are on non-school related websites 42% of the time in class. Not only will this result in unsatisfactory grades but the ability to concentrate and learn will also be decrease.
Talking about school behaviour let’s to refer to the point of cheating. When teachers allow students to bring cellphones into the class, they expect them to manage it with responsibility and usually trust the student, but what if this is not the case? What if the student actually cheats in tests and the teacher does not know about this? By eliminating cellphones in school we are not only ensuring that the student is not cheating it will also help in gaining your teachers trust and less dishonesty. After all, when you cheat on the test you are cheating on yourself by not knowing your true capability.
Another issue that is raised in most schools is the use of cellphones to cyber-bully someone. According to the i-safe foundation more that 1 in 3 teens in the United States have experienced cyber threats on the phone. Apart from the MacBook that is issued by the school, students can use their cellphones to either bully someone else or get bullied. As a result teens and pre-teens have increasing rates in depression in the past few years.
I think cellphones are a bad idea, they don’t only affect a students' academics but can also affect their lifestyle and health in various negative ways. To prevent this from happening we can ban cellphones in school. This will prevent bullying, distraction and cheating in school.
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Citations:
"Students Think They Can Multitask. Here’s Proof They Can’t." Faculty Focus Students Think They Can Multitask Heres Proof They Cant Comments. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Apr. 2014.
"UNL Study Shows College Students Are Digitally Distracted in Class." UNL. N.p., n.d. Web. 07 Apr. 2014.
"The Age of Distraction: Getting Students to Put Away Their Phones and Focus on Learning." Faculty Focus The Age of Distraction Getting Students to Put Away Their Phones and Focus on Learning Comments. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Apr. 2014.
Hunter, Nick. Cyber Bullying. Chicago, IL: Heinemann Library, 2012. Print.
Spring in Beijing
Spring in Beijing
By Jewellee Lee
The cold says good-bye,
and the warmth cuddles the world.
Butterflies open their wings,
to greet the blooming flowers.
Angels dye the grass with green,
and the sky with blue.
Spring, truly is the season of joy,
the best of all.
Well, not in Beijing.
Liar, liar, Spring is a liar.
It promised me blue sky,
but all I got was pollution sky.
Spring is just so temperamental.
It's summer during the day,
and Fall during the rest.
It's so easy to get a cold.
Pollens are flying everywhere I go.
Red eyes, runny nose, and Achoo!
Allergies, allergies, I hate allergies.
Still think that Spring is the best?
Jenny's in Shanghai
Curtis's House, Shun Yi, Beijing
6/5/14
Pinnacle plaza, Bai xin zhuang village, Shun Yi district, Beijing
Mrs. Jenny Wang
CEO
Dear Mrs. Wang:
I live in River Garden. I enjoy having the convenience of your shop so close to my house. Every time I need to buy a grocery, I would bike to your shop and buy all of the supplies I need. I also like the fact that you have so many choices in your store. There is always a wide selection of products.
Unfortunately, I am moving to Shanghai, the second most thriving city (economic wise) in China. All supermarkets in Shanghai are busy, poorly located and don’t have a wide variety of choices for foreigners. There are very few choices for expats to buy supplies, and the few choices that are available are expensive. Opening a shop in Shanghai will be very helpful for the expats, and it will be an excellent business opportunity for you. People in the suburbs continuously have to go to the city to buy groceries. Installing a shop at suburban Shanghai would not only help the suburban citizens but will also improve your income by a lot. Your business will also benefit due to the amount of expats in the suburbs of Shanghai.
All in all, there are more foreigners in Shanghai than Beijing, and I believe that you should expand your company out of just Beijing. This would help both the people in Shanghai and you. I implore you to consider this proposal.
Sincerely,
Raj Rana
Grade 7, ISB
6/5/14
Pinnacle plaza, Bai xin zhuang village, Shun Yi district, Beijing
Mrs. Jenny Wang
CEO
Dear Mrs. Wang:
I live in River Garden. I enjoy having the convenience of your shop so close to my house. Every time I need to buy a grocery, I would bike to your shop and buy all of the supplies I need. I also like the fact that you have so many choices in your store. There is always a wide selection of products.
Unfortunately, I am moving to Shanghai, the second most thriving city (economic wise) in China. All supermarkets in Shanghai are busy, poorly located and don’t have a wide variety of choices for foreigners. There are very few choices for expats to buy supplies, and the few choices that are available are expensive. Opening a shop in Shanghai will be very helpful for the expats, and it will be an excellent business opportunity for you. People in the suburbs continuously have to go to the city to buy groceries. Installing a shop at suburban Shanghai would not only help the suburban citizens but will also improve your income by a lot. Your business will also benefit due to the amount of expats in the suburbs of Shanghai.
All in all, there are more foreigners in Shanghai than Beijing, and I believe that you should expand your company out of just Beijing. This would help both the people in Shanghai and you. I implore you to consider this proposal.
Sincerely,
Raj Rana
Grade 7, ISB
Thursday, May 29, 2014
Socratic Seminar Scoring Rubric and Reflection
Link to the form
Socratic Seminar Analytic Rubric
Excellent(5) | Good(4) | Fair(3) | |
Conduct | Demonstrates respect for the learning process; has patience with different opinions and complexity; shows initiative by asking others for clarification:Brings others into the conversation, moves the conversation forward; speaks to all of the participants; avoids talking too much. | Generally shows composure but may display impatience with contradictory or confusing ideas; comments, but does not necessarily encourage others to participate; may tend to address only the teacher or get into debates. | Participates and expresses a belief that his/her ideas are important in understanding the text; may make insightful comments but is either too forceful or too shy and does not contribute to the progress of the conversation; tends to debate, not dialogue. |
Speaking & Reasoning | Understands question before answering; cities evidence from text; expresses thoughts in complete sentences; move conversation forward; makes connections between ideas; resolves apparent contradictory ideas; considers others’ viewpoints, not only his/her own; avoid bad logic. | Responds to questions voluntarily; comments show an appreciation for the text but not an appreciation for the subtler points within it; comments are logical but not connected to other speakers; ideas interesting enough that others respond to them. | Responds to questions but may have to be called upon by others; has read the text but not put much effort into preparing questions and ideas for the seminar; comments take details into account but may not flow logically in conversation. |
Listening | Pays attention to details; writes down questions; responses take into account all participants; demonstrates that he/she has kept up; points out faulty logic respectfully; overcomes distractions. | Generally pays attention and responds thoughtfully to ideas and questions of other participants and the leader; absorption in own ideas may distract the participant from the ideas of others. | Appears to find some ideas unimportant while responding to others; may have to have questions or confusions repeated due to inattention; takes few notes during the seminar in response to ideas and comments. |
Reading | Thoroughly familiar with the text; has notations and questions in the margins; key words; phrases, and ideas are highlighted; possible contradictions identified; pronounces words correctly. | Has read the text and comes with some ideas from it but these may not be written out in advance; good understanding of the vocabulary but may mispronounce some new or foreign words. | Appears to have read or skimmed the text but has not marked the text or made meaningful notes or questions; shows difficulty with vocabulary; mispronounces important words; key concepts misunderstood; little evidence of serious reflection prior to the seminar. |
Wednesday, May 28, 2014
The Clock of Life
The Clock of Life
by: Andrew Liu
Watching the clock as time flies by,
full with grief and a little sigh.
“This is the end,” I muttered,
As the building nearby started to shatter.
Staring at the clock besides uncle Geero,
as the clock slowly ticked to zero.
Haiku Poems
Life
Life is hard to grasp,
it is difficult to bear,
It takes time to like.
One day I’m walking,
I see a small kid crying,
This is what I say.
Little kid don’t cry,
Life is hard but so are u,
Toughen up don’t cry.
Time
Time is sometimes short,
One day at a time, days end,
Time will always win.
Life is hard to grasp,
it is difficult to bear,
It takes time to like.
One day I’m walking,
I see a small kid crying,
This is what I say.
Little kid don’t cry,
Life is hard but so are u,
Toughen up don’t cry.
Time
Time is sometimes short,
One day at a time, days end,
Time will always win.
Ancient Egyptian Empire
The Ancient Egyptian Empire was one of the earliest, longest-lasting and most influential civilizations of the world. Ancient Egypt was one of the first true monarchies and lasted for nearly 2500 years. The Ancient Egyptian government was managed by one of the first bureaucracies which is a model used by many countries today. The Ancient Egyptians also had other great achievements in engineering, mathematics, architecture, medicine and the arts. Ancient Egypt became a world power by conquering other civilizations.
1. How did the Ancient Egyptian Empire acquire power?
The Ancient Egyptian Empire was located in North-eastern Africa on the Mediterranean and Red Seas. Modern Egypt borders the Gaza Strip, Israel, Libya, Sudan and the Sinai Peninsula. Most of Egypt is desert plateau but the eastern part contains the Nile River Valley.
In approximately 5000 BC, the first settlements were established around the Nile River Valley. The Egyptians split the land into two types: the “black land and the “red land.” The black land, or Kemet, was very fertile land that bordered the Nile. The annual floods left thick black silt on this land making it the only land the ancient Egyptians could use for agriculture. The barren desert, or “red land” that surrounded the fertile land was not only a source of precious metals and semi-precious stones, but it also separated ancient Egypt from neighboring countries and invaders.
Various tribal chiefs ruled the different settlements, which were the predecessors of the Ancient Egyptian Empire. The settlements all had rulers who governed the people, who were farmers and laborers. The rulers supervised the construction of large, walled towns with brick buildings and irrigation systems to manage the floods of the Nile. These leaders were learning how to create societies of large numbers of people and governments that made the societies function efficiently. To do that, the rulers had to master governance, organization, administration, construction, engineering and mathematics and then passed those skills down to their successors. Without a history of leaders with these skills, an empire as large and powerful as Ancient Egypt would have never existed.
B. The Unification of Egypt
Egypt was split into two lands, Upper Egypt and Lower Egypt, with Lower Egypt in the North and Upper Egypt in the South. Upper Egypt was in the south and stretched north for more than five hundred miles from the first cataract to the beginning of the Nile delta. Lower Egypt was the Nile delta itself. It was only a hundred miles long but was many times wider than Upper Egypt.
Most historians agree that the Ancient Egyptian Empire was established in approximately 3,000 BC when King Menes united Upper and Lower Egypt. Menes was the first king of the 1st Dynasty and his crown was a combination of the Upper Egyptian and Lower Egyptian crowns. Now the unified kingdom of Egypt occupied the entire Nile River Valley and Menes built the capital, Memphis, on the border between Lower and Upper Egypt. When Ancient Egypt was its largest in about 1250, it covered all the land from the Syrian coast in the north, the Red Sea in the east, down the Nile River Valley to Nubia in the south and west, and into the Libyan Desert.
During this time, the Ancient Egyptians developed a system of writing called hieroglyphics that used pictures to represent objects, ideas and sounds. The key to understanding hieroglyphics, the Rosetta Stone, was discovered in 1799. In 1822, Jean Champollion found the key when he determined that the three passages written on the Rosetta Stone were the same passage written in three different ways: Greek, Egyptian hieroglyphics and a cursive form of Egyptian. Champollion compared the Greek words with the hieroglyphs and decoded the Rosetta Stone. He then used the Rosetta Stone to create a key for decoding hieroglyphics.
Historians divide the nearly 2,500-year history of the Ancient Egyptian Empire into three kingdoms: the Old Kingdom, the Middle Kingdom and the New Kingdom.
2. How did Ancient Egypt become successful?
Egypt’s location on the Nile River, its geography and fertile lands allowed it to develop, prosper and gain strength.
The Nile River flows through many countries, including, Democratic Republic of the Congo, South Sudan, Sudan, Kenya, Burundi, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Egypt, Tanzania, Rwanda, and Uganda and into the Mediterranean Sea. The Nile was critical to the creation, development and survival of the Egyptian Empire.
Life in Ancient Egypt was centered around the Nile and it gave the Egyptians many gifts: water, mud, animals and marshes. The Egyptians used the Nile for everything. They built irrigation channels that carried water into the fields and built dams to hold back the water for use during droughts. The thick black mud left behind from the annual flooding enriched the soil and made the farmland extremely fertile. The Egyptians’ economy was based on agriculture and they were actually able to produce a large surplus of food. The marshlands served as homes for fish and edible water birds, such as ducks and geese and fish, which were important parts of the Egyptian diet. Papyrus was used to make baskets, boats, sandals and lightweight writing material. The first paper made of papyrus leaves was invented during the early years of the Empire.
3. How did Ancient Egypt influence its population?
The rulers of Ancient Egypt used the government and social hierarchy and religion to influence and control its population.
A. Government and Social Structure
Ancient Egypt had the first government that was able to rule an entire nation. It was organized as a rigid hierarchy in the shape of a pyramid. The king or pharaoh, which translates into “Great House” in Egyptian, was at the top of the social pyramid and everyone was required to serve him. The pharaoh had complete power over all of the people. Not only was he the political leader who made all the laws, he was also the religious leader, meaning that the Egyptians actually followed a monarchy and a theocracy. Pharaoh was called “Lord of the Two Lands,” meaning he ruled all of Upper and Lower Egypt. He was also the high priest of every temple, meaning that he represented all the gods on all the Earth. Pharaohs were believed to be gods in the human form of Horus, the God of the Sky and one of the most important gods the Egyptians worshipped.
All the land in Ancient Egypt was owned either by the pharaoh or a few wealthy families. The pharaoh was in charge of Ancient Egypt’s army and would go to war if the Empire was threatened.
The pyramids of Ancient Egypt were built as tombs for the pharaohs. Some historians believe that the pyramid shape was chosen to depict the rays of the sun shining down through clouds. When the pharaohs died, they were mummified and sealed inside the pyramid with treasures, food and other items they would need for the afterlife, including servants. The first stone pyramid was the ‘Step Pyramid’ built for Pharaoh Djoser. It was built at Saqqara, which is located south of modern Cairo on the west bank of the Nile. During the Old Kingdom, the largest of the Pyramids of Giza was built for Pharaoh Khufu. This pyramid took tens of thousands of workers and approximately 20 years to build. The construction of Egyptian pyramids ended in 1700 BC.
Just below the pharaoh in the hierarchy were the priests. The priests had many duties, including teaching school, advising people on problems, funeral rites, and supervising artisans and workers. Every temple had a high priest who collected taxes, performed rituals and oversaw the construction of new temples.
Next in the hierarchy were the officials and scribes, who were responsible with helping the pharaoh govern. As the society grew in size and complexity, it was impossible for the pharaoh to rule by himself, so government officials assisted the king in governing the country. Government officials helped the pharaoh do everything, from building canals to punishing criminals. They made laws and collected taxes, were responsible for the royal storehouses and distributed grain to the people when crops were poor. The people were required to give the king a percentage of the crops, livestock and all they had, and the government official ensured that the people obeyed. The scribes were Egypt’s writers and record keepers. They might work at the king’s palace, travel with high officials or serve as public letter writers or record keepers. They also assisted the tax collectors.
Next were the farmers and free working people or artisans, which included carpenters, painters, jewelers, brick makers, and stonemasons. Many of them provided goods for the king and his family. The farmers provided food. Because the farmers couldn’t work during the flood season, they were required to work on royal building projects, such as irrigation works and building the pyramids, and later the temples.
At the bottom of the hierarchy were the slaves and peasants. Slaves were used as domestic servants and peasants were the laborers who built the pyramids and temples and worked on irrigation projects.
B. Religion
In ancient Egypt, religion was a very important part of daily life. The Ancient Egyptians believed that the mystical world of the gods and the real world were closely intertwined and that they strongly influenced each other. Because the pharaoh was the personification of a god on earth and was the ultimate religious leader of Ancient Egypt, he was worshipped like a god and used religion to influence and control the people.
Thanks to the "Book of the Dead" we know much about ancient Egyptian religion. The book contains the major beliefs and ideas in the ancient Egyptian religion. The Egyptians followed a polytheistic religion, meaning they worshipped many gods. Only during Pharaoh Akhenaten’s reign in the 18th dynasty did the Ancient Egyptians followed a monotheistic religion where they believe in only one god. The ancient Egyptians worshipped over 2,000 gods and goddesses, many of which were part person and part animal. For example, Horus, God of the Sky, had the head of a falcon and a human body. Some of these gods and goddesses were worshipped all over the Empire, but others were worshipped locally. The ancient Egyptians had two chief gods, Amon-Ra, the Sun God and lord of the universe, and Osiris, the God of the Underworld.
Ancient Egyptians believed that all the gods, and therefore the pharaoh, should be obeyed at all times. Every Ancient Egyptian also had a personal god whom he could ask for help with daily matters. The more an individual could submit to and serve his or her god, the more he or she could call on them for protection or assistance with their daily lives. Egyptians also believed worshipping the gods led to a long and healthy life of wealth and prosperity.
4. How did Ancient Egypt interact with other civilizations?
Ancient Egypt’s location on the Nile River made it a center of international trade, which was really “gifts” between rulers. The Nile was the only way goods could travel from the southern parts of Africa to the Mediterranean Sea, meaning all the traders had to pass through Egypt. Egyptian traders traveled all over Africa to find ivory, gold, ostrich feathers and black slaves, which allowed Egyptian culture to spread outside the borders of the Empire.
Ancient Egypt also expanded its empire by conquering other civilizations. For more than four centuries Ancient Egypt enjoyed peace and prosperity, but this all changed in 2200 B.C. Peace turned into a series of civil wars that lasted for the next 150 years local leaders rose in rebellion against the all-powerful pharaoh and eventually the government collapsed. The Empire was split again into Upper and Lower Egypt.
Around 2050 B.C., a new king united Egypt a second time. The capital was moved from Memphis to s where it remained for the next 1,800 years. After Egypt’s reunification, Egypt took over Nubia, which was just over Egypt’s southern border. Nubia had valuable gold and semi-precious stones that Egypt wanted.
In 1700 BC, Egypt was in trouble again. Not only was there a renewed civil war, but there was also the threat of invasion by Hyksos, a desert people. Using superior weapons and technology, the Hyksos conquered the Egyptians and ruled for the next century. The Egyptians eventually overthrew the Hyksos, which began the period known as the New Kingdom.
During the New Kingdom, the pharaohs united Egypt once again, and using the military skills they learned from the Hyksos, they expanded their territory. As their territory grew, their power and wealth did also. Thebes, the capital of the New Kingdom, was very wealthy and known for its treasures such as gold, art, fine cloth and large construction projects.
5. What circumstances led to the end of the Egyptian Empire?
The New Kingdom eventually fell into decline. In 1100 BC, Pharaoh Ramses III led Egypt into war in an attempt to conquer Syria. This war was very expensive and drained Egypt’s treasury.
Beginning in 945 BC, a succession of foreign powers conquered and ruled Egypt. In 728 BC, Piy, a Nubian king conquered Egypt and started the 25th dynasty. In 669 BC, the Assyrians came to power and ruled Egypt until 525 BC when the Persians from the Near East invaded and took power. The Persians ruled until 332 BC when Alexander the Great conquered the kingdom. After Alexander’s death in 323 BC, Ptolemy gained control and his descendants ruled Egypt for approximately 275 years. This was known the Ptolemaic period.
Cleopatra, a descendant of Ptolemy, was one of Egypt’s greatest leaders and its last. She ruled from around 51 BC – 30 BC and was the last Egyptian ruler to hold the title of “Pharaoh.” She was a savvy ruler and businesswoman for Egypt. She was able to bring peace and prosperity to Egypt, even after it had gone through bankruptcy and civil war.
Cleopatra lived during a time of change. Hellenism, a version of Greek culture spread by Alexander the Great, had been the dominated the region for hundreds of years. When Cleopatra was born, Hellenism was declining and Rome had been rapidly gaining power and territory. Cleopatra inherited the throne at 18, but she had to share it with her 12 year-old brother. The two of them didn’t get along well, so a group of her brother’s friends removed her from the throne.
The expansion of Rome was due to the conquests of Julius Caesar, Rome’s number one general. In 48 BC, Julius Caesar went to Egypt to settle the dispute between Cleopatra and her brother. Cleopatra won Caesar to her side and he made Cleopatra the sole ruler of Egypt. They eventually fell in love and had a son named Caesarion.
Caesar became dictator of Rome but was murdered in 44 BC by a group of Roman senators. After Caesar’s death, Rome was run by Octavian, Caesar’s adopted son, and Marc Antony, a powerful general who was married to Octavian’s sister. Desperate to stay in power, Cleopatra asked Mark Antony for protection. In 42 BC, she sailed across the sea to meet him in a boat filled with rose petals and manned by maids dressed as sea nymphs. She lay under a golden canopy and was fanned by boys dressed as Cupid. Mark Antony fell in love with her. They travelled back to Egypt together and a few years later, they got married and had three children. Antony decided to make Cleopatra’s children rulers of several Roman territories.
The Romans were very angry with Antony for giving away their territory. Plus, he was already married to Octavian’s sister. So, Octavian convinced the Roman senate to declare war on Egypt. At the Battle of Actium in 31 BC, Octavian won and Cleopatra and Antony fled back to Egypt. Most of Antony’s remaining soldiers abandoned him and he and Cleopatra both committed suicide. Afterward, Octavian conquered Egypt, changed his name to Augustus and became the first Roman emperor. The Roman Empire had begun.
6. What Are Some of Ancient Egypt’s Greatest Achievements?
In addition to governance, administration and organization discussed above, the Ancient Egyptians made many great achievements in writing, government, mathematics, architecture, agriculture and shipbuilding.
The Ancient Egyptians built some of the most famous structures in the world, such as the Great Pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx. The pyramids are some of the most amazing man-made structures ever built. The Ancient Egyptians built the pyramids without the high-tech construction and engineering equipment we have today. The Great Pyramid of Khufu is the largest pyramid in the world and covers 13 acres. It originally stood 488 feet (149m) high, but due to wear and theft of the limestone bricks used as the outer walls, the pyramid now stands 33 feet lower, or 455 feet (138m) high. Around 1,300,000 cut limestone bricks were used to build this pyramid. These are not the bricks and stones we use today; the “small” cut limestone pieces weigh 5,500 pounds each and each of the “large” limestone bricks weighs 33,000 pounds!
The Ancient Egyptians needed high-level math skills to build the pyramids and temples with very simple tools.
Ancient Egyptian medicine was famous in the ancient world. Ancient Egyptian doctors could stitch wounds, set broken bones and amputate limbs. They bandaged cuts and used opium as a painkiller. Onions and garlic were some of their health foods.
Ancient Egyptians needed to travel on the Nile and by 3000 BC they had built a 75-foot boat. They tied wooden planks together with straps or reeds and used grass to plug the holes. Later they used wooden nails and caulk.
7. What Are Some Fun Facts?
A. Temples were like the McDonald’s of Ancient Egypt; they were everywhere. Each city had its own temple for its city god. At temples, men could communicate directly with the gods.
B. The Ancient Egyptians saw death as a transition to the next world. They believed that they could only reach their full potential in the next world and they devoted a lot of time and wealth in preparation for survival in their lives after death. The Ancient Egyptians believed that each person had three souls, the “ka”, the “ba”, and the “akh”. If these didn’t stay intact, the person would not be able to experience the pleasures of the afterlife. Without the Ancient Egyptians’ beliefs, there would have been very different funeral practices.
C. Ancient Egyptian funeral ceremonies lasted for 70 days. After death, priests recited prayers and made a final attempt to revive the dead. The body was purified at the ibu or ‘place of purification’. At the ibu, the embalmers washed the person with palm wine and water from the Nile. At the wabet, or the embalmer’s workshop, the body was mummified. All organs except for the heart were removed because the heart was the center of intelligence and feeling, the person would need it in the afterlife. The body was then covered with natron to dry it out. All fluids and rags would be saved and buried with the body. After 40 days, the body was washed a second time with water from the Nile and covered with oils to keep the skin elastic. The dried out organs are wrapped in linen and placed back inside of the body. The body was stuffed with dry materials such as linen or sawdust, leaves resin and natron, so the person looked alive. The body was covered in good-smelling oils a second time. Amulets were placed between the layers of linen wrapped around the body. A priest said prayers as the body was being wrapped to ward off evil spirits and help the dead make its journey through the next world. The mummy’s arms and legs were tied together. During the New Kingdom, a papyrus scroll with spells from the “Book of the Dead” was placed between the mummy’s hands. The mummy was wrapped in more layers of linen and liquid resin was painted over the cloth to glue them together. A cloth was wrapped over the body and a picture of Osiris was painted on top. Another large cloth was placed over the mummy and fastened with strips of linen that ran from the top to the bottom and around its middle. A board of painted wood was placed on top of the mummy. The mummy was lowered into its first coffin, or ‘sarcophagus’ and the first sarcophagus was then placed inside a second sarcophagus. During the Old Kingdom, coffins were made of basketry, wood, clay or even stone. At the end of the Old Kingdom, coffins were decorated with food offerings. During the Middle Kingdom, they were inscribed with spells. A funeral was held for the deceased’s family. Finally, items used in daily life such as, games, hand mirrors and clothing were put into the tomb with the mummy.
D. One part of the Book of the Dead describes a trial in which the soul of a dead person argues its case before a jury of 42 gods. The souls pleaded their innocence of any wrongdoings during their lifetimes. During the second part of the judgment process, the soul was weighed against the feather of truth. If the person’s soul was too heavy with sin (defined by pharaoh), the soul was fed to Ammut, ‘the devourer’; this was a death that the Ancient Egyptians believed in in which there was no returning. Life in the Field of Rushes (sort of like Ancient Egyptian heaven) was a mirror image of life in the real world. There were gods and goddesses to worship, blue skies, rivers and boats for transportation, and fields and crops that needed to be ploughed and harvested. The dead were given a plot of land that they were responsible for maintaining. They could either do the work themselves, or make their shabtis (small statuettes) do the work for them. Shabtis were often supplied with agricultural tools such as hoes and baskets and they were often led by an overseer or foreman who carried a flail instead of tools.
E. Embalmers wrapped the dead body in up to 400 yards of linen strips.
F. Items used in daily life such as, games, hand mirrors and clothing were put into the tomb with the mummy.
G. Some Egyptian royal tombs had traps and false stairs that led to nowhere, to fool robbers
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This Brainpop video told me about the ancient Egyptian government. It gave me a brief summary of the social hierarchy, and showed me how powerful the pharaohs were in ancient Egypt. The pharaohs were not only the political leaders, but they were also the religious leaders. The video also informed me about some pharaohs’ achievements.
<http://www.brainpop.com/socialstudies/worldhistory/egyptianpharaohs/>.
This Brainpop video told me about the ancient Egyptian government. It gave me a brief summary of the social hierarchy, and showed me how powerful the pharaohs were in ancient Egypt. The pharaohs were not only the political leaders, but they were also the religious leaders. The video also informed me about some pharaohs’ achievements.
<http://www.brainpop.com/socialstudies/worldhistory/egyptianpharaohs/>.
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Weighing the Heart. Digital image. N.p., n.d. Web. <http://www.britishmuseum.org/whats_on/past_exhibitions/2011/book_of_the_dead.aspx>.
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A Message of Ancient Days. N.p.: n.p., n.d. N. pag. Print.
A Message from Ancient Days gave me a lot of information about the Egyptian empire. I learned about its geography and how it benefited the Egyptians, the unification of the two lands and some accomplishments from the three kingdoms. I also learned about the ancient Egyptian religion, government, the Rosetta stone, and great achievements by the ancient Egyptians.
1. How did the Ancient Egyptian Empire acquire power?
The Ancient Egyptian Empire was located in North-eastern Africa on the Mediterranean and Red Seas. Modern Egypt borders the Gaza Strip, Israel, Libya, Sudan and the Sinai Peninsula. Most of Egypt is desert plateau but the eastern part contains the Nile River Valley.
- A. Settlements
In approximately 5000 BC, the first settlements were established around the Nile River Valley. The Egyptians split the land into two types: the “black land and the “red land.” The black land, or Kemet, was very fertile land that bordered the Nile. The annual floods left thick black silt on this land making it the only land the ancient Egyptians could use for agriculture. The barren desert, or “red land” that surrounded the fertile land was not only a source of precious metals and semi-precious stones, but it also separated ancient Egypt from neighboring countries and invaders.
Various tribal chiefs ruled the different settlements, which were the predecessors of the Ancient Egyptian Empire. The settlements all had rulers who governed the people, who were farmers and laborers. The rulers supervised the construction of large, walled towns with brick buildings and irrigation systems to manage the floods of the Nile. These leaders were learning how to create societies of large numbers of people and governments that made the societies function efficiently. To do that, the rulers had to master governance, organization, administration, construction, engineering and mathematics and then passed those skills down to their successors. Without a history of leaders with these skills, an empire as large and powerful as Ancient Egypt would have never existed.
B. The Unification of Egypt
Egypt was split into two lands, Upper Egypt and Lower Egypt, with Lower Egypt in the North and Upper Egypt in the South. Upper Egypt was in the south and stretched north for more than five hundred miles from the first cataract to the beginning of the Nile delta. Lower Egypt was the Nile delta itself. It was only a hundred miles long but was many times wider than Upper Egypt.
Most historians agree that the Ancient Egyptian Empire was established in approximately 3,000 BC when King Menes united Upper and Lower Egypt. Menes was the first king of the 1st Dynasty and his crown was a combination of the Upper Egyptian and Lower Egyptian crowns. Now the unified kingdom of Egypt occupied the entire Nile River Valley and Menes built the capital, Memphis, on the border between Lower and Upper Egypt. When Ancient Egypt was its largest in about 1250, it covered all the land from the Syrian coast in the north, the Red Sea in the east, down the Nile River Valley to Nubia in the south and west, and into the Libyan Desert.
During this time, the Ancient Egyptians developed a system of writing called hieroglyphics that used pictures to represent objects, ideas and sounds. The key to understanding hieroglyphics, the Rosetta Stone, was discovered in 1799. In 1822, Jean Champollion found the key when he determined that the three passages written on the Rosetta Stone were the same passage written in three different ways: Greek, Egyptian hieroglyphics and a cursive form of Egyptian. Champollion compared the Greek words with the hieroglyphs and decoded the Rosetta Stone. He then used the Rosetta Stone to create a key for decoding hieroglyphics.
Historians divide the nearly 2,500-year history of the Ancient Egyptian Empire into three kingdoms: the Old Kingdom, the Middle Kingdom and the New Kingdom.
2. How did Ancient Egypt become successful?
Egypt’s location on the Nile River, its geography and fertile lands allowed it to develop, prosper and gain strength.
The Nile River flows through many countries, including, Democratic Republic of the Congo, South Sudan, Sudan, Kenya, Burundi, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Egypt, Tanzania, Rwanda, and Uganda and into the Mediterranean Sea. The Nile was critical to the creation, development and survival of the Egyptian Empire.
Life in Ancient Egypt was centered around the Nile and it gave the Egyptians many gifts: water, mud, animals and marshes. The Egyptians used the Nile for everything. They built irrigation channels that carried water into the fields and built dams to hold back the water for use during droughts. The thick black mud left behind from the annual flooding enriched the soil and made the farmland extremely fertile. The Egyptians’ economy was based on agriculture and they were actually able to produce a large surplus of food. The marshlands served as homes for fish and edible water birds, such as ducks and geese and fish, which were important parts of the Egyptian diet. Papyrus was used to make baskets, boats, sandals and lightweight writing material. The first paper made of papyrus leaves was invented during the early years of the Empire.
3. How did Ancient Egypt influence its population?
The rulers of Ancient Egypt used the government and social hierarchy and religion to influence and control its population.
A. Government and Social Structure
Ancient Egypt had the first government that was able to rule an entire nation. It was organized as a rigid hierarchy in the shape of a pyramid. The king or pharaoh, which translates into “Great House” in Egyptian, was at the top of the social pyramid and everyone was required to serve him. The pharaoh had complete power over all of the people. Not only was he the political leader who made all the laws, he was also the religious leader, meaning that the Egyptians actually followed a monarchy and a theocracy. Pharaoh was called “Lord of the Two Lands,” meaning he ruled all of Upper and Lower Egypt. He was also the high priest of every temple, meaning that he represented all the gods on all the Earth. Pharaohs were believed to be gods in the human form of Horus, the God of the Sky and one of the most important gods the Egyptians worshipped.
All the land in Ancient Egypt was owned either by the pharaoh or a few wealthy families. The pharaoh was in charge of Ancient Egypt’s army and would go to war if the Empire was threatened.
The pyramids of Ancient Egypt were built as tombs for the pharaohs. Some historians believe that the pyramid shape was chosen to depict the rays of the sun shining down through clouds. When the pharaohs died, they were mummified and sealed inside the pyramid with treasures, food and other items they would need for the afterlife, including servants. The first stone pyramid was the ‘Step Pyramid’ built for Pharaoh Djoser. It was built at Saqqara, which is located south of modern Cairo on the west bank of the Nile. During the Old Kingdom, the largest of the Pyramids of Giza was built for Pharaoh Khufu. This pyramid took tens of thousands of workers and approximately 20 years to build. The construction of Egyptian pyramids ended in 1700 BC.
Just below the pharaoh in the hierarchy were the priests. The priests had many duties, including teaching school, advising people on problems, funeral rites, and supervising artisans and workers. Every temple had a high priest who collected taxes, performed rituals and oversaw the construction of new temples.
Next in the hierarchy were the officials and scribes, who were responsible with helping the pharaoh govern. As the society grew in size and complexity, it was impossible for the pharaoh to rule by himself, so government officials assisted the king in governing the country. Government officials helped the pharaoh do everything, from building canals to punishing criminals. They made laws and collected taxes, were responsible for the royal storehouses and distributed grain to the people when crops were poor. The people were required to give the king a percentage of the crops, livestock and all they had, and the government official ensured that the people obeyed. The scribes were Egypt’s writers and record keepers. They might work at the king’s palace, travel with high officials or serve as public letter writers or record keepers. They also assisted the tax collectors.
Next were the farmers and free working people or artisans, which included carpenters, painters, jewelers, brick makers, and stonemasons. Many of them provided goods for the king and his family. The farmers provided food. Because the farmers couldn’t work during the flood season, they were required to work on royal building projects, such as irrigation works and building the pyramids, and later the temples.
At the bottom of the hierarchy were the slaves and peasants. Slaves were used as domestic servants and peasants were the laborers who built the pyramids and temples and worked on irrigation projects.
B. Religion
In ancient Egypt, religion was a very important part of daily life. The Ancient Egyptians believed that the mystical world of the gods and the real world were closely intertwined and that they strongly influenced each other. Because the pharaoh was the personification of a god on earth and was the ultimate religious leader of Ancient Egypt, he was worshipped like a god and used religion to influence and control the people.
Thanks to the "Book of the Dead" we know much about ancient Egyptian religion. The book contains the major beliefs and ideas in the ancient Egyptian religion. The Egyptians followed a polytheistic religion, meaning they worshipped many gods. Only during Pharaoh Akhenaten’s reign in the 18th dynasty did the Ancient Egyptians followed a monotheistic religion where they believe in only one god. The ancient Egyptians worshipped over 2,000 gods and goddesses, many of which were part person and part animal. For example, Horus, God of the Sky, had the head of a falcon and a human body. Some of these gods and goddesses were worshipped all over the Empire, but others were worshipped locally. The ancient Egyptians had two chief gods, Amon-Ra, the Sun God and lord of the universe, and Osiris, the God of the Underworld.
Ancient Egyptians believed that all the gods, and therefore the pharaoh, should be obeyed at all times. Every Ancient Egyptian also had a personal god whom he could ask for help with daily matters. The more an individual could submit to and serve his or her god, the more he or she could call on them for protection or assistance with their daily lives. Egyptians also believed worshipping the gods led to a long and healthy life of wealth and prosperity.
4. How did Ancient Egypt interact with other civilizations?
Ancient Egypt’s location on the Nile River made it a center of international trade, which was really “gifts” between rulers. The Nile was the only way goods could travel from the southern parts of Africa to the Mediterranean Sea, meaning all the traders had to pass through Egypt. Egyptian traders traveled all over Africa to find ivory, gold, ostrich feathers and black slaves, which allowed Egyptian culture to spread outside the borders of the Empire.
Ancient Egypt also expanded its empire by conquering other civilizations. For more than four centuries Ancient Egypt enjoyed peace and prosperity, but this all changed in 2200 B.C. Peace turned into a series of civil wars that lasted for the next 150 years local leaders rose in rebellion against the all-powerful pharaoh and eventually the government collapsed. The Empire was split again into Upper and Lower Egypt.
Around 2050 B.C., a new king united Egypt a second time. The capital was moved from Memphis to s where it remained for the next 1,800 years. After Egypt’s reunification, Egypt took over Nubia, which was just over Egypt’s southern border. Nubia had valuable gold and semi-precious stones that Egypt wanted.
In 1700 BC, Egypt was in trouble again. Not only was there a renewed civil war, but there was also the threat of invasion by Hyksos, a desert people. Using superior weapons and technology, the Hyksos conquered the Egyptians and ruled for the next century. The Egyptians eventually overthrew the Hyksos, which began the period known as the New Kingdom.
During the New Kingdom, the pharaohs united Egypt once again, and using the military skills they learned from the Hyksos, they expanded their territory. As their territory grew, their power and wealth did also. Thebes, the capital of the New Kingdom, was very wealthy and known for its treasures such as gold, art, fine cloth and large construction projects.
5. What circumstances led to the end of the Egyptian Empire?
The New Kingdom eventually fell into decline. In 1100 BC, Pharaoh Ramses III led Egypt into war in an attempt to conquer Syria. This war was very expensive and drained Egypt’s treasury.
Beginning in 945 BC, a succession of foreign powers conquered and ruled Egypt. In 728 BC, Piy, a Nubian king conquered Egypt and started the 25th dynasty. In 669 BC, the Assyrians came to power and ruled Egypt until 525 BC when the Persians from the Near East invaded and took power. The Persians ruled until 332 BC when Alexander the Great conquered the kingdom. After Alexander’s death in 323 BC, Ptolemy gained control and his descendants ruled Egypt for approximately 275 years. This was known the Ptolemaic period.
Cleopatra, a descendant of Ptolemy, was one of Egypt’s greatest leaders and its last. She ruled from around 51 BC – 30 BC and was the last Egyptian ruler to hold the title of “Pharaoh.” She was a savvy ruler and businesswoman for Egypt. She was able to bring peace and prosperity to Egypt, even after it had gone through bankruptcy and civil war.
Cleopatra lived during a time of change. Hellenism, a version of Greek culture spread by Alexander the Great, had been the dominated the region for hundreds of years. When Cleopatra was born, Hellenism was declining and Rome had been rapidly gaining power and territory. Cleopatra inherited the throne at 18, but she had to share it with her 12 year-old brother. The two of them didn’t get along well, so a group of her brother’s friends removed her from the throne.
The expansion of Rome was due to the conquests of Julius Caesar, Rome’s number one general. In 48 BC, Julius Caesar went to Egypt to settle the dispute between Cleopatra and her brother. Cleopatra won Caesar to her side and he made Cleopatra the sole ruler of Egypt. They eventually fell in love and had a son named Caesarion.
Caesar became dictator of Rome but was murdered in 44 BC by a group of Roman senators. After Caesar’s death, Rome was run by Octavian, Caesar’s adopted son, and Marc Antony, a powerful general who was married to Octavian’s sister. Desperate to stay in power, Cleopatra asked Mark Antony for protection. In 42 BC, she sailed across the sea to meet him in a boat filled with rose petals and manned by maids dressed as sea nymphs. She lay under a golden canopy and was fanned by boys dressed as Cupid. Mark Antony fell in love with her. They travelled back to Egypt together and a few years later, they got married and had three children. Antony decided to make Cleopatra’s children rulers of several Roman territories.
The Romans were very angry with Antony for giving away their territory. Plus, he was already married to Octavian’s sister. So, Octavian convinced the Roman senate to declare war on Egypt. At the Battle of Actium in 31 BC, Octavian won and Cleopatra and Antony fled back to Egypt. Most of Antony’s remaining soldiers abandoned him and he and Cleopatra both committed suicide. Afterward, Octavian conquered Egypt, changed his name to Augustus and became the first Roman emperor. The Roman Empire had begun.
6. What Are Some of Ancient Egypt’s Greatest Achievements?
In addition to governance, administration and organization discussed above, the Ancient Egyptians made many great achievements in writing, government, mathematics, architecture, agriculture and shipbuilding.
- A. Architecture
The Ancient Egyptians built some of the most famous structures in the world, such as the Great Pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx. The pyramids are some of the most amazing man-made structures ever built. The Ancient Egyptians built the pyramids without the high-tech construction and engineering equipment we have today. The Great Pyramid of Khufu is the largest pyramid in the world and covers 13 acres. It originally stood 488 feet (149m) high, but due to wear and theft of the limestone bricks used as the outer walls, the pyramid now stands 33 feet lower, or 455 feet (138m) high. Around 1,300,000 cut limestone bricks were used to build this pyramid. These are not the bricks and stones we use today; the “small” cut limestone pieces weigh 5,500 pounds each and each of the “large” limestone bricks weighs 33,000 pounds!
- B. Mathematics
The Ancient Egyptians needed high-level math skills to build the pyramids and temples with very simple tools.
- C. Medicine
Ancient Egyptian medicine was famous in the ancient world. Ancient Egyptian doctors could stitch wounds, set broken bones and amputate limbs. They bandaged cuts and used opium as a painkiller. Onions and garlic were some of their health foods.
- D. Shipbuilding
Ancient Egyptians needed to travel on the Nile and by 3000 BC they had built a 75-foot boat. They tied wooden planks together with straps or reeds and used grass to plug the holes. Later they used wooden nails and caulk.
7. What Are Some Fun Facts?
A. Temples were like the McDonald’s of Ancient Egypt; they were everywhere. Each city had its own temple for its city god. At temples, men could communicate directly with the gods.
B. The Ancient Egyptians saw death as a transition to the next world. They believed that they could only reach their full potential in the next world and they devoted a lot of time and wealth in preparation for survival in their lives after death. The Ancient Egyptians believed that each person had three souls, the “ka”, the “ba”, and the “akh”. If these didn’t stay intact, the person would not be able to experience the pleasures of the afterlife. Without the Ancient Egyptians’ beliefs, there would have been very different funeral practices.
C. Ancient Egyptian funeral ceremonies lasted for 70 days. After death, priests recited prayers and made a final attempt to revive the dead. The body was purified at the ibu or ‘place of purification’. At the ibu, the embalmers washed the person with palm wine and water from the Nile. At the wabet, or the embalmer’s workshop, the body was mummified. All organs except for the heart were removed because the heart was the center of intelligence and feeling, the person would need it in the afterlife. The body was then covered with natron to dry it out. All fluids and rags would be saved and buried with the body. After 40 days, the body was washed a second time with water from the Nile and covered with oils to keep the skin elastic. The dried out organs are wrapped in linen and placed back inside of the body. The body was stuffed with dry materials such as linen or sawdust, leaves resin and natron, so the person looked alive. The body was covered in good-smelling oils a second time. Amulets were placed between the layers of linen wrapped around the body. A priest said prayers as the body was being wrapped to ward off evil spirits and help the dead make its journey through the next world. The mummy’s arms and legs were tied together. During the New Kingdom, a papyrus scroll with spells from the “Book of the Dead” was placed between the mummy’s hands. The mummy was wrapped in more layers of linen and liquid resin was painted over the cloth to glue them together. A cloth was wrapped over the body and a picture of Osiris was painted on top. Another large cloth was placed over the mummy and fastened with strips of linen that ran from the top to the bottom and around its middle. A board of painted wood was placed on top of the mummy. The mummy was lowered into its first coffin, or ‘sarcophagus’ and the first sarcophagus was then placed inside a second sarcophagus. During the Old Kingdom, coffins were made of basketry, wood, clay or even stone. At the end of the Old Kingdom, coffins were decorated with food offerings. During the Middle Kingdom, they were inscribed with spells. A funeral was held for the deceased’s family. Finally, items used in daily life such as, games, hand mirrors and clothing were put into the tomb with the mummy.
D. One part of the Book of the Dead describes a trial in which the soul of a dead person argues its case before a jury of 42 gods. The souls pleaded their innocence of any wrongdoings during their lifetimes. During the second part of the judgment process, the soul was weighed against the feather of truth. If the person’s soul was too heavy with sin (defined by pharaoh), the soul was fed to Ammut, ‘the devourer’; this was a death that the Ancient Egyptians believed in in which there was no returning. Life in the Field of Rushes (sort of like Ancient Egyptian heaven) was a mirror image of life in the real world. There were gods and goddesses to worship, blue skies, rivers and boats for transportation, and fields and crops that needed to be ploughed and harvested. The dead were given a plot of land that they were responsible for maintaining. They could either do the work themselves, or make their shabtis (small statuettes) do the work for them. Shabtis were often supplied with agricultural tools such as hoes and baskets and they were often led by an overseer or foreman who carried a flail instead of tools.
E. Embalmers wrapped the dead body in up to 400 yards of linen strips.
F. Items used in daily life such as, games, hand mirrors and clothing were put into the tomb with the mummy.
G. Some Egyptian royal tombs had traps and false stairs that led to nowhere, to fool robbers
Works Cited
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This Brainpop video told me about the ancient Egyptian government. It gave me a brief summary of the social hierarchy, and showed me how powerful the pharaohs were in ancient Egypt. The pharaohs were not only the political leaders, but they were also the religious leaders. The video also informed me about some pharaohs’ achievements.
<http://www.brainpop.com/socialstudies/worldhistory/egyptianpharaohs/>.
This Brainpop video told me about the ancient Egyptian government. It gave me a brief summary of the social hierarchy, and showed me how powerful the pharaohs were in ancient Egypt. The pharaohs were not only the political leaders, but they were also the religious leaders. The video also informed me about some pharaohs’ achievements.
<http://www.brainpop.com/socialstudies/worldhistory/egyptianpharaohs/>.
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A Message of Ancient Days. N.p.: n.p., n.d. N. pag. Print.
A Message from Ancient Days gave me a lot of information about the Egyptian empire. I learned about its geography and how it benefited the Egyptians, the unification of the two lands and some accomplishments from the three kingdoms. I also learned about the ancient Egyptian religion, government, the Rosetta stone, and great achievements by the ancient Egyptians.
What Do You See?
What do you see?
The girl asks me.
Nothing,
I reply.
No really,
She insists.
What do you see?
I stare down the road.
I see a road,
I say.
No,
The girl crosses her arms.
What do you see?
I really don’t know,
I say.
What do you see?
I ask the girl.
The girl smiles,
I see
Gumballs falling from the sky,
Don’t you see them?
And pigs that fly.
What do you see?
I don’t know,
I say again.
This is stupid.
No it’s not,
The girl insists.
I see a snowman,
And giant candy canes.
What do you see?
I see
Goblins and a giant.
I pause,
I see
Monsters and a giant Lego tower.
I see a magic store,
The girl says.
Let’s go look inside.
She runs down the road
And opens a door.
I follow her.
Shh,
I tell the girl.
Be quiet.
I point,
There’s a witch.
I tell her.
The girl grabs a magic wand
She twirls it around.
The world changes,
We’re not in the magic shop,
What do you see now?
The girl asks.
I see,
Fairies,
I say.
I see a boy with fiery hair
And a dog on a pogo stick.
I see Santa,
She says.
And the Tooth Fairy,
And the Easter Bunny.
And look there!
The girl points down the road.
A golden castle!
She gasps.
A rainbow dragon!
She whirls her wand around.
I smell sea salt,
I say,
The castle is gone,
But look there.
A giant sea serpent!
The girl giggles.
And look!
Little dwarfs walking down the seashore!
She says,
And Swedish Fish leaping from the waves.
The girl whirls her wand.
Look at this giant cake tower!
She shouts.
She licks the ice cream snow
And climbs a lollipop tree.
The girl whirls her wand again.
What do you see?
She asks.
I see dinosaurs wearing tutus,
I say.
And giant gingerbread houses.
I see a marshmallow Pegasus,
I say.
The girl whirls her wand again.
But this time,
All I see is a road.
The girl is gone.
The girl asks me.
Nothing,
I reply.
No really,
She insists.
What do you see?
I stare down the road.
I see a road,
I say.
No,
The girl crosses her arms.
What do you see?
I really don’t know,
I say.
What do you see?
I ask the girl.
The girl smiles,
I see
Gumballs falling from the sky,
Don’t you see them?
And pigs that fly.
What do you see?
I don’t know,
I say again.
This is stupid.
No it’s not,
The girl insists.
I see a snowman,
And giant candy canes.
What do you see?
I see
Goblins and a giant.
I pause,
I see
Monsters and a giant Lego tower.
I see a magic store,
The girl says.
Let’s go look inside.
She runs down the road
And opens a door.
I follow her.
Shh,
I tell the girl.
Be quiet.
I point,
There’s a witch.
I tell her.
The girl grabs a magic wand
She twirls it around.
The world changes,
We’re not in the magic shop,
What do you see now?
The girl asks.
I see,
Fairies,
I say.
I see a boy with fiery hair
And a dog on a pogo stick.
I see Santa,
She says.
And the Tooth Fairy,
And the Easter Bunny.
And look there!
The girl points down the road.
A golden castle!
She gasps.
A rainbow dragon!
She whirls her wand around.
I smell sea salt,
I say,
The castle is gone,
But look there.
A giant sea serpent!
The girl giggles.
And look!
Little dwarfs walking down the seashore!
She says,
And Swedish Fish leaping from the waves.
The girl whirls her wand.
Look at this giant cake tower!
She shouts.
She licks the ice cream snow
And climbs a lollipop tree.
The girl whirls her wand again.
What do you see?
She asks.
I see dinosaurs wearing tutus,
I say.
And giant gingerbread houses.
I see a marshmallow Pegasus,
I say.
The girl whirls her wand again.
But this time,
All I see is a road.
The girl is gone.
Cursing the Sands of Time
The kids all watch the melting clock,
As if it were wax on fire.
Staring at the timepiece like a hawk,
Waiting for class to expire.
The teacher’s speech is patience fighting,
He’s offering no assistance.
His appearance is even uninviting,
Making students desire a distance.
Alas! The bell finally rings.
Like a stampede of bulls in a hurricane,
Children rush for their belongings.
Class was obviously finished in vain.
But the minutes of free time they have are few,
Because they still have treacherous homework to do.
The Tale of Two Rulers
The Introduction:
What happens when the Ancient West meets the Ancient East? What happens when the King of Macedonia meets the Emperor of China? What happens when Alexander the Great meets Xiǎn the Patriotic? The two nations would be ultimate adversaries. Alexander is a conqueror who is hungry for world domination. Xiǎn is an emperor who wants to unite his country. Both leaders want to strengthen their nation. Would there be a massive battle? Definitely.
The Omens:
The Xian Emperor - May, 335 BC
Every night I stayed up late and agonized about finding ways to unite the Provinces of China. The sun has vanished and the moon was almost directly overhead. I should look through the historical records for past attempts to unite China. I might be able to learn from any previous failures. However, my eyes were too fatigued to read the historical records myself. I will get an advisor to read. Suddenly, there was a knock on my room door.
“Come in,” I said sternly, attempting to conceal my exhaustion. My superstitious fortune-teller franticly burst in.
“Horrifying news!” My fortune-teller exclaimed, “I just envisioned an entire army coming from the west! They have conquered cities that we have never even heard of! They have excellent, strategic battle plans, they speak in a foreign language and their armor seemed very efficient and effective! The Himalayan Mountains will be their entrance to China!” For a moment, I was speechless. My mouth was open, my eyes were bulging, but I did not regard this as bad news. I ordered rice paper, ink, and a brush to write to the leaders of the divided states. I believe I just found the answer to uniting China.
Alexander the Great - October, 331 BC
There was nothing here. The troops were exhausted and our food supply was scarce. Maybe we should return home. During our search for new civilizations to conquer, I have been a bit too harsh on my soldiers. They should receive praise instead. Just before giving the orders to break camp, I heard a faint bronze bell, ringing. I asked my soldiers if they heard anything to reassure that the ringing was not my imagination. Many heard nothing, however, a few confirmed my suspicions. Quickly, I located the sound’s origin. The ringing came from the east. The ringing came from uncharted lands.
The Preparations:
The Xian Emperor - December, 331 BC
“Finally!” I said aloud. I just received word from every single state leader. They are willing to fight together against this foreign enemy. “This is my big chance,” I told myself, “Do not ruin it”
The next week, I met with all the military leaders at the base of the Himalayan Mountains. Each leader presented their best battle plan, given the terrain and our soldier supply. Many arguments bounced back and forth, but at least there was no violence. We eventually created a master plan.
Alexander the Great - February, 330 BC
“King Alexander,” One of generals started. “The troops are freezing! Icicles are forming on their chins, some soldiers’ limbs are suffering from gangrene and some have even died!”
“We will let the soldiers rest by a fire more often.” I answered. I will not let my army be defeated before the actual battle. This weather will not stop me from searching. Somewhere out there was an unconquered civilization. I will not return home until this civilization is mine.
The First Contact: March, 330 BC
While Alexander the Great was looking for another civilization to conquer, the Xian Emperor was desperately waiting for a Westerner to show up with his army. The other leaders started to suspect treachery. “It has already been four months since the first meeting!” Si Jin, the arrogant leader of Wey challenged. “Many soldiers have died from hypothermia. The remaining soldiers are struggling to stay warm!” The other leaders angrily accused and surrounded the Xian Emperor. They were ready to kill him on the spot.
The leaders shoved the Xian Emperor against the mountainside. The poor emperor crumpled to the floor and tried to defend himself. Hui Wen, the murderous leader of Qin stabbed the emperor in the calf. As the Xian Emperor cried in anguish, an arrow struck through Hui Wen’s rib cage, pierced his left lung and finished in his heart.
The Battle: March, 330 BC
Alexander congratulated his archers for starting the war. The Chinese soldiers finally spotted the hidden Greek infantry and charged. The Greek archers on higher grounds immediately shot down the front row of the Chinese infantry. The remaining Chinese infantry clashed with the Greeks, resulting in a bloodbath. Alexander’s troops were greatly out numbered, but they were efficient and effective using the Phalanx battle formation. Like a spiked war elephant, the Macedonian Phalanxes cut through the groups of Chinese infantry and crushed anything in their path. However, the Chinese archers launched storms of steelhead arrows on many phalanxes, which perforated the formation.
Chinese Calvary stampeded into the Phalanxes, only to smash into the extended pikes at the front. The pure, white, fresh fallen snow was stained with the deep, rich color of blood. Hundreds of motionless bodies lay on the battlefield. One by one, the Chinese leaders, except for the Xian emperor, charged into battle. When Alexander saw the crowned leaders charging in on horses, he wanted the pleasure of killing them himself. He commanded his horse to stampede at them.
Si Jin was the first to reach Alexander. The arrogant leader took a swing at Alexander with his iron sword. Alexander dodged Si Jin’s attack, and impaled him in the back. Two other leaders charged at Alexander from opposite sides. The King of Macedonia chose his next kill wisely. The leader storming at him from the right was covered in snow. His hands were shivering. Alexander lunged at him, knocking the sword out of his hands. The commander of the Greek army turned around and skewered the helpless Chinese leader through the chest. Seeing their fellow leaders’ cold, dead bodies, the remaining leaders retreated back up the mountain. Alexander the Great charged after them.
Even though the war was over, the clashing of swords, thudding of shields and terrorizing battle cries still echoed throughout the Himalayas. Alexander the Great climbed to the mountain where the Xian Emperor, killed by his own people, had drowned in his own blood. The Great Macedonian King announced to his army below. “Today, we attain victory!”
Baja’s Department of Food and Agriculture
May 5, 2014
Mr. Bob Roberts, Chairman of Baja’s Department of Food and Agriculture,
Baja White House
Office #13
Dear Mr. Bob Roberts,
As chairman of the Environmental Department, I, Bruce Wayne, plea for the reevaluation and restructuring of our food system. Our past way of eating was detrimental to our health. The processing and packaging of our food was problematic to the environment and to us. Other issues included insufficient nutrition and excess chemicals in food. If we want to survive on Baja, our food system NEEDS to change. Hopefully, my suggestions and opinions will help create a new, healthier food system for Baja, allowing us to prosper.
Most foods we ate were processed in some way. Apples were cut from trees, ground beef was chopped up and butter was creamed from milk. This method of mechanically processing food was beneficial. But, some mechanically processed food, such as white rice and noodles, were also stripped of their nutrients. Chemically processed food, such as snack products, deli meat, frozen meals, and drinks were food that has been altered through additives such as flavor enhancers, binders, colors, fillers, preservatives, stabilizers, emulsifiers and so forth. These additives usually include:
- High fructose Corn Syrup: a ubiquitous sweetener that helps maintains moisture while preserving freshness.
- Monosodium Glutamate (MSG): a flavor enhancer that is found in salad dressings, condiments, seasonings, bouillons and snack chips.
- Benzoic Acid and Sodium Benzoate: preservatives often added to drinks, low-sugar products, cereals and meats.
Studies have shown that continued consumption of these chemicals will promote disease. Instead, we should use natural spices such as oregano, thyme, pepper, garlic and rosemary to enhance and preserve our food. Furthermore, we can make our food organic.
Organic, pesticide-free fruits, vegetables and starches may be laborious and costly, but in the long run, it is the healthier alternative. When you eat nonorganic plants, pesticide will build up in your body overtime, increasing the chance of pesticide related consequences. We can change this by not only eliminating the use of pesticide, but also using organic fertilizer such as animal feces. In order to make sure the animal feces are not comprised of chemicals, we should not feed the animals chemically enhanced food, or inject chemicals into them.
We ultimately receive drugs such as steroids, growth hormones and antibiotics when we eat the chemically injected animals. These drugs cause the animals to grow bigger or become immune to certain diseases. It may benefit the animals, but it is destructive for us to consume these excessive drugs. Ingesting antibiotics in the absence of bad bacteria can end up killing good bacteria. This results in an imbalance in bacteria and weakens the immune system. It can also lead to antibiotic resistant diseases. Steroids and growth hormones will disrupt our natural growth ability by promoting abnormal cell growth. Some cells may be cancerous, eventually leading to disease. Organic, chemical-free meat from properly fed, free-range animals is much healthier.
Free-range animals run around freely, making them healthier. Furthermore, animals such as pigs, chicken and cows should not be corn fed because it is not their natural food. Pigs and chicken should eat grain and cows should eat grass. The best method to farm cows is to let them roam from pasture to pasture during different times of the year. This allows each pasture to rejuvenate. The cows exercise as well. But the actual food is not the only issue at stake.
Plastic food packaging not only affects the ecosystem, but also has a detrimental effect on the food inside. Chemicals from the plastic will slowly seep into the food and ultimately into our bodies when we eat it. Packaging should be safe for human health and reusable to prevent waste. Furthermore, we need to eliminate food waste. It would be beneficial for the government to conduct yearly calculations of Baja’s food consumption rate. With these calculations, we can ensure that we do not over produce our food supply. This will eventually reduce the size of our carbon footprint.
The Department of Poverty should ensure that every citizen could afford this costly organic food. By using food stamps, the Department of Poverty will be able to subsidize those in need. Eating costlier but healthier food will lead to a stronger body with a better immune system, allowing them to be more productive in the community. Eating unhealthy food will cause citizens to get sick and pay extra for medical treatments.
Hopefully we will not only survive, but also thrive in Baja. Changing what we eat is an essential step. In addition, the Department of Education must educate our citizens to be more appreciative of our food. By using organic fertilizers and eliminating pesticides, our fruits, vegetables and starches will be healthier. By not adding drugs into our animals, our meat will be more nutritious and less dangerous. By reducing our food waste, our carbon footprint will be smaller. By changing our food system, we will flourish in Baja.
Sincerely,
Bruce Wayne
The "Fin" of Sharks
Sharks all around the world are hunted for their teeth, bones and most importantly, their fins. Shark finning is the inhumane practice of sawing off a shark’s fins and throwing its still living body back into the sea. Every year tens of millions of sharks die a slow and painful death because of this torture. Since the 1970s, the populations of several shark species have been decimated by over 95%. Sixty-five countries have already banned shark finning. But sadly, China, the largest consumer of shark fin soup, is not on that list.
Shark fin soup is of Chinese origin made with shark fin and flavored with chicken or other stock. The fin itself has very little flavor and it is used primarily to add texture to the dish. Because it is considered a Chinese delicacy, it is often served to guests at important events such as weddings and business banquets. Even though shark fin soup may cost up to $100 a bowl, this exuberant cost just minimally decreased the amount of sharks being slaughtered each day.
In ancient Chinese medical books, eating shark fins aids in areas of rejuvenation, appetite enhancement, and blood nourishment. It is beneficial to vital energy, kidneys, lungs, bones and many other parts of the body. However, there is no evidence to support this claim. Even if these health benefits are proven legitimate, it does not justify killing an endangered living being in order to make you healthier.
The consequences of decreased shark populations are immense. Because large shark species are apex predators, they help stabilize the ecosystem by maintaining a balanced food chain. For example, along the US East Coast, large sharks have been virtually eliminated. Therefore, their preys, such as the rays, have increased. The escalated population of rays consumed the shellfish at an unsustainable rate. Shellfish filter ocean water. Because of the dwindling shellfish population, the water quality deteriorated. Ultimately, ocean life will suffer. This leads to global food chain disruption. If you remove apex predators from the ecosystem, it’s similar to removing the supports of a building. Total collapse.
There are many ways to decrease the amount of sharks being butchered each day. First of all, DON’T EAT SHARK FIN SOUP. If you are craving it, you should eat imitation shark fin instead. It tastes really similar to the real one. Secondly, get involved with organizations fighting to save marine wildlife such as Sea Shepard, the Human Society International and Wild Aid. They all need plenty of support. You can donate money, volunteer or simply get the word out. Tell your friends about shark endangerment. Then your friends can tell their friends.
Sharks have been around for about 400 million years, much longer than humans. Sharks only kill about ten humans per year. We kill approximately 11,400 sharks per hour. Killing sharks just for their fins is inhumane and leads the disruption in the ecosystem. Will we cause the sharks’ extinction just because of our unjustifiable appetite?
Citations:
"Help Stop Shark Finning : Humane Society International." RSS. Web. 27 May 2014.
"Shark Finning - Sea Shepherd Conservation Society." Sea Shepherd Conservation Society. Web. 26 May 2014.
"Stop Shark Finning." Stop Shark Finning. Web. 27 May 2014.
Shark fin soup is of Chinese origin made with shark fin and flavored with chicken or other stock. The fin itself has very little flavor and it is used primarily to add texture to the dish. Because it is considered a Chinese delicacy, it is often served to guests at important events such as weddings and business banquets. Even though shark fin soup may cost up to $100 a bowl, this exuberant cost just minimally decreased the amount of sharks being slaughtered each day.
In ancient Chinese medical books, eating shark fins aids in areas of rejuvenation, appetite enhancement, and blood nourishment. It is beneficial to vital energy, kidneys, lungs, bones and many other parts of the body. However, there is no evidence to support this claim. Even if these health benefits are proven legitimate, it does not justify killing an endangered living being in order to make you healthier.
The consequences of decreased shark populations are immense. Because large shark species are apex predators, they help stabilize the ecosystem by maintaining a balanced food chain. For example, along the US East Coast, large sharks have been virtually eliminated. Therefore, their preys, such as the rays, have increased. The escalated population of rays consumed the shellfish at an unsustainable rate. Shellfish filter ocean water. Because of the dwindling shellfish population, the water quality deteriorated. Ultimately, ocean life will suffer. This leads to global food chain disruption. If you remove apex predators from the ecosystem, it’s similar to removing the supports of a building. Total collapse.
There are many ways to decrease the amount of sharks being butchered each day. First of all, DON’T EAT SHARK FIN SOUP. If you are craving it, you should eat imitation shark fin instead. It tastes really similar to the real one. Secondly, get involved with organizations fighting to save marine wildlife such as Sea Shepard, the Human Society International and Wild Aid. They all need plenty of support. You can donate money, volunteer or simply get the word out. Tell your friends about shark endangerment. Then your friends can tell their friends.
Sharks have been around for about 400 million years, much longer than humans. Sharks only kill about ten humans per year. We kill approximately 11,400 sharks per hour. Killing sharks just for their fins is inhumane and leads the disruption in the ecosystem. Will we cause the sharks’ extinction just because of our unjustifiable appetite?
Citations:
"Help Stop Shark Finning : Humane Society International." RSS. Web. 27 May 2014.
"Shark Finning - Sea Shepherd Conservation Society." Sea Shepherd Conservation Society. Web. 26 May 2014.
"Stop Shark Finning." Stop Shark Finning. Web. 27 May 2014.
Tuesday, May 27, 2014
Driving questions
This is my tumblr and it shows my powerpoint.. It answers the driving questions, map and the timeline. You need to look from bottom to top...
https://www.tumblr.com/dashboard
https://www.tumblr.com/dashboard
Our Valuable Friendship by Sunny Lee
Oh what a joy it is,
to have a friend like you.
For giving me strength,
the way you do.
For lifting me up like an elevator,
when I’m feeling down.
Putting a smile on my face,
when I’m wearing a frown.
Thanks for being there,
and helping me grow.
Your friendship means a lot,
and I’d like you to know.
to have a friend like you.
For giving me strength,
the way you do.
For lifting me up like an elevator,
when I’m feeling down.
Putting a smile on my face,
when I’m wearing a frown.
Thanks for being there,
and helping me grow.
Your friendship means a lot,
and I’d like you to know.
video resource
I love this video because it helped me a lot for me to start of the reasearch of the Korean Empire. This is basically how the empire all started... It can be little bit graphic for some people but it will be okay...
Roman Empire Project- Anna
My Booklet with Artifacts and Timeline
"History of the Roman Empire"
Map that I made, during the highest point of the Roman empire in 395.
Mad Man Writings-
1. How did the Roman Empire acquire power?
Rome existed as a republic for about 400 years- but it kept getting bigger and bigger. At the battle of Actium, where Octavius, a roman military general, fought against Cleopatra and her army, Octavius won and he became the first roman emperor. When he became the roman emperor, he changed his name to Augustus.
The Roman Empire grew even more powerful when an emperor called Julius Caeser came to power. He was a very smart leader, and built a strong army. With this army, Julius conquered lots of land. By 300, the population of the entire Roman Empire was 60 million, and most of Western Europe was part of their territory.
The main reason the Roman Empire grew powerful is because of the strong military they were able to expand. Since they owned so much land, they had lots of soldiers to fight.
2. How did the Roman Empire become successful?
The Roman Empire was very successful with Julius Caesar as a leader. When he became dictator in 49 BC, he had total control over the government. With this power, he made a lot of changes right away- such as, he gave land to his soldiers, free grain to poor citizens, made a new calendar (the Julius Calendar), and granted roman citizenship to people who weren’t born in Rome. This way, the Roman Empire could have even more soldiers to fight- so they could have a very strong army.
With this powerful military, Rome won many battles- allowing the empire to gain territory, power and population. By 300, the population of the entire Roman Empire was 60 million.
As an emperor, Julius Caesar conquered Rome and France, and governed it for 9 years. He also conquered almost all of Western Europe, and most of the Mediterranean world.
3. How did the empire influence its population?
As a dictator of the Roman Empire, Julius Caesar wanted the citizens to trust him, believe in him, and think he was extremely powerful. To put these thoughts into their heads, he made lots of changes as a dictator.
Firstly, he made new and improved laws. The citizens liked these laws, because they improved their lives. For example, he gave free grain to poor citizens and more land to the soldiers. He also named a calendar after his name- the Julius Calendar, and, he named a month in the calendar after his name- July, for Julius.
These changed led the citizens to believe that Julius was trustworthy, smart and a very powerful leaver.
For example, at the time when the Roman Empire was overrun with crime, and people were afraid to go out into the streets, Caesar spoke to the people. He told them what to do, and the Roman citizens believed and trusted him as a leader. They never doubted him, because of what he led them to believe.
4. What circumstances led to the end of the empire?
Lots of things led to the end of the Roman Empire. One of the big reasons was bad leadership- firstly, no one came up with a reliable system for electing emperors, so many emperors made terrible decisions, some of which were hard to reverse.
Over time, the power from the government slipped into the hands of single leaders. Some of them even ignored the advice given from the senate. There were also constants battles over power- for example, if somebody wasn’t elected emperor, they would violently kill the emperor and become leader.
The Roman Empire also faced financial problems. Roman emperors often bribed their soldiers with money, to make sure they remained loyal. When they didn't have enough to pay their soldiers, they would mint cheaper coins. This caused the value of roman money to plummet.
Also, since there was money shortage, there was also food shortage- so crime increased in the empire. It didn’t help that many emperors wasted huge sums of money on parties and festivals.
The biggest problem was that most of the roman military had been stationed on the border of the empire. When troops left their post to fight one another, it left big gaps, allowing invaders to sneak into roman territory. The problem was that the tribes that invaded were stronger than the actual roman army.
When Romulus Augustus surrendered to the tribe leader in 476, the Roman Empire officially came to an end.
5. How did the empire interact with other civilizations?
Trading was vital to the Roman Empire. They got lots of important goods, which they couldn’t get themselves throughout the trading.
The Roman Empire traded with Britain for silver and wool. They used the silver to make jewelry and coins, and they used the wool to make clothes. They also imported dyes to color their clothes, and spices to flavor their food from the southeast. From China, they imported silk to make fine clothing. Cotton came from Egypt, and wild animals for the gladiator fights came from Africa.
In 430, Attila, the leader of the Huns, invades Italy and starts a battle. In the end, they ended up signing a peace treaty with the Roman Empire.
Also, Julius Caesar conquered Rome and France, and governed it for 9 years. He conquered almost all of Western Europe, and most of the Mediterranean world.
MUGHAL EMPIRE : Madman writings and artifacts
Madman writings
How did the empire acquire power?
The reason why the Mogul empire acquired power was because Lodi the previous emperor had neglected his subjects. When this situation took place, Babur the first Mogul empire thought it was the right time to strike for power. The neglect of the subjects led to an uprising, Lodi’s own uncle invited Babur to invade. As stated by many historians Lodi was not a great emperor. His neglect for subjects and corruptness left the citizens no choice but to invite another ruler to conquer Lodi.
Why did the empire become successful?
The main reason why the Mogul empire became successful was due to the immense acceptance of religion. The previous emperors had usually designated one religion to be followed by the whole population but in the Mogul empire freedom of religion was very important. The usual fighting between the Hindus and Muslims came to an end as either religion was accepted.
Another reason why the empire was so successful was because of the art, literature and spices. These trades at chapter attention of many countries, since the money from the trade eventually came into the empire, economy revised very rapidly.
How did the empire influence its population?
The Mogul Empire mainly influenced its population by using taxes. The land was usually distributed between noble men, which rent it to farmers. This meant that there was always enough money to support empire.
One more way that the empire influenced it’s population was by using the non-Muslim tax. It was taken from those who were not Muslim; it encouraged Islam and also forced it upon those who could not pay the tax.
How did the empire interact with other civilizations?
The Mughal Empire interacted with other civilizations in two major processes. They either conquered the civilization or traded with them. The bigger one of the two would probably be their trade. When the Silk Road was established the Mughal Empire did not exactly exist, but as it came to power the demand for Indian goods and spices increased. Countries such as Britain, Persia and China were some of the many empires that traded with the Mughals. The culture expanded due to the several trades. The spices represented the food, the garments and jewels were signs of luxury and the medicinal plants were highly demanded since India and Pakistan were very tropical areas at that time.
When the Mughals conquered most of Central Asia, another great interaction occurred that still affects that part of the world. When the idea of Islam came into India many conflicts occurred between the Hindus and the Muslims.
What circumstances led to the empire’s end?
The most repeating answer would probably the promising changes proposed to the citizens by the British. In the late Mughal Empire the Emperors lacked the strict and powerful rule of their ancestors. They did not think for themselves and agreed to what their advisers suggested. The citizens were tired of their ludicrous rule. So when the British approached them the majority instantly thought that the Mughal Empire should end; however others disagreed. The emperor being so weak willed quickly fell under the British. Therefore ending the Mughal Empire.
Artifacts
How did the empire acquire power?
The reason why the Mogul empire acquired power was because Lodi the previous emperor had neglected his subjects. When this situation took place, Babur the first Mogul empire thought it was the right time to strike for power. The neglect of the subjects led to an uprising, Lodi’s own uncle invited Babur to invade. As stated by many historians Lodi was not a great emperor. His neglect for subjects and corruptness left the citizens no choice but to invite another ruler to conquer Lodi.
Why did the empire become successful?
The main reason why the Mogul empire became successful was due to the immense acceptance of religion. The previous emperors had usually designated one religion to be followed by the whole population but in the Mogul empire freedom of religion was very important. The usual fighting between the Hindus and Muslims came to an end as either religion was accepted.
Another reason why the empire was so successful was because of the art, literature and spices. These trades at chapter attention of many countries, since the money from the trade eventually came into the empire, economy revised very rapidly.
How did the empire influence its population?
The Mogul Empire mainly influenced its population by using taxes. The land was usually distributed between noble men, which rent it to farmers. This meant that there was always enough money to support empire.
One more way that the empire influenced it’s population was by using the non-Muslim tax. It was taken from those who were not Muslim; it encouraged Islam and also forced it upon those who could not pay the tax.
How did the empire interact with other civilizations?
The Mughal Empire interacted with other civilizations in two major processes. They either conquered the civilization or traded with them. The bigger one of the two would probably be their trade. When the Silk Road was established the Mughal Empire did not exactly exist, but as it came to power the demand for Indian goods and spices increased. Countries such as Britain, Persia and China were some of the many empires that traded with the Mughals. The culture expanded due to the several trades. The spices represented the food, the garments and jewels were signs of luxury and the medicinal plants were highly demanded since India and Pakistan were very tropical areas at that time.
When the Mughals conquered most of Central Asia, another great interaction occurred that still affects that part of the world. When the idea of Islam came into India many conflicts occurred between the Hindus and the Muslims.
What circumstances led to the empire’s end?
The most repeating answer would probably the promising changes proposed to the citizens by the British. In the late Mughal Empire the Emperors lacked the strict and powerful rule of their ancestors. They did not think for themselves and agreed to what their advisers suggested. The citizens were tired of their ludicrous rule. So when the British approached them the majority instantly thought that the Mughal Empire should end; however others disagreed. The emperor being so weak willed quickly fell under the British. Therefore ending the Mughal Empire.
Artifacts
Citations For Dutch Empire Project
Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=21dZShcgvu8
I chose this video because I thought it set up how New Amsterdam was made. I also liked how the video gave the background of what happened before New Amsterdam was created.
Print Resource:
I chose this book because I thought that it was very good background information about New Amsterdam's Leader Peter Stuyvesant. I also liked this book because the book told me a lot about New Amsterdam.
Online Citations:
Sources for Dutch Empire Project:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Dutch_inventions_and_discoveries
"List of Dutch Inventions and Discoveries." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 19 May 2014. Web. 12 May 2014.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Netherlands
"Netherlands." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 18 May 2014. Web. 12 May 2014.
http://www.ask.com/question/what-countries-border-the-netherlands
"What Countries Border the Netherlands." - Ask.com. Web. 12 May 2014.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Amsterdam
"New Amsterdam." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 18 May 2014. Web. 19 May 2014
http://global.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/174648/Dutch-West-India-Company
"Dutch West India Company (Dutch Trading Company)." Encyclopedia Britannica. Web. 12 May 2014
http://www.infoplease.com/encyclopedia/history/dutch-west-india-company.html
Infoplease. Infoplease. Web. 12 May 2014.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=21dZShcgvu8
I chose this video because I thought it set up how New Amsterdam was made. I also liked how the video gave the background of what happened before New Amsterdam was created.
Print Resource:
I chose this book because I thought that it was very good background information about New Amsterdam's Leader Peter Stuyvesant. I also liked this book because the book told me a lot about New Amsterdam.
Online Citations:
Sources for Dutch Empire Project:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Dutch_inventions_and_discoveries
"List of Dutch Inventions and Discoveries." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 19 May 2014. Web. 12 May 2014.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Netherlands
"Netherlands." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 18 May 2014. Web. 12 May 2014.
http://www.ask.com/question/what-countries-border-the-netherlands
"What Countries Border the Netherlands." - Ask.com. Web. 12 May 2014.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Amsterdam
"New Amsterdam." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 18 May 2014. Web. 19 May 2014
http://global.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/174648/Dutch-West-India-Company
"Dutch West India Company (Dutch Trading Company)." Encyclopedia Britannica. Web. 12 May 2014
http://www.infoplease.com/encyclopedia/history/dutch-west-india-company.html
Infoplease. Infoplease. Web. 12 May 2014.
MadMan Writing British Empire
How did the British Empire acquire Power?
I think the British Empire acquired power by invading other lands and winning wars. They won wars by having their own military strength but also having allies that most times outnumbered the opposition. They also acquired power by colonizing countries that had no colonies in them, they saw a deserted island and they took it. They also acquired power by signing treaties with other countries, which means they couldn't attack the British Empire; also if someone were to attack the British Empire they would be facing the Navy against them. In my opinion they also acquired power by not doing anything to bad that would make the colonies that they took anger them and start a rebellion.
How/Why did the British Empire become successful?
I think the British Empire became successful by gaining lots of land and they also were very rich from wars that they could send expeditions almost everywhere to find more land. They also became successful because they had a lot of power, land, and economy. Also I think the British Empire became successful by often just attacking countries for their land.
How did the empire influence its population?
The British Empire influenced its population by when they invaded colonies in Africa, since they had multiple countries all around the world, I believe that they mixed cultures everywhere. You can see that all around the world people speak English. The British empire spoke English in her countries so that might of influenced English in many countries.
How did the empire interact with other civilizations?
They interacted with other civilizations by having a lot of voyages to Asia, North America, Australia and surrounding islands, Africa, and they had some bit of Antarctica. Also they had multiple wars like the Napoleonic Wars, The Boer Wars, The American Revolution, The Opium Wars, and the Two World Wars. I sense that they wanted to invade and keep invaders out.
What circumstances led to the end of the British Empire?
The end of the British Empire was when after WW2 happened. The whole country was broke and the countries they invaded knew it. The countries didn't like being ruled over by Britain and wanted their independence. Britain knew it to and started to decolonize them quickly before riots broke out. After they decolonized them Britain only had Norther Ireland, England, Scotland, Wales, and 14 other small islands around the globe.
Timeline For The Dutch Empire
50 BC-400 AD – The romans ruled the southern part of the Netherlands.
1-100 AD – The Frisians a German ethnic group settled in the Northern part of the Netherlands.
1301- The Netherlands defeated Lichtenberg in the Battle of Breukelen
1345- The Frisians defeated the Dutch at Warns
1421- The second St. Elizabeth’s flood destroyed many villages and many thousands of people died.
1477- Mary of Burgundy, heiress of all of the Netherlands marries Maximilian I of Habsburg family of Austria
(1492) German mercenaries killed 232 at Bread and Cheese rebellion
(1602) Dutch East India Company formed in Jakarta, Indonesia
(1630 - 1654) The Dutch conquered Brazil
(1701) England, Austria, Netherlands formed Alliance against France
(1780 - 1783) Netherlands become at war with England
(1830) Belgium rebel against Netherlands
(1903) Harry Houdini escaped from police station in Amsterdam
(1922) Dutch women received right to vote
1942) Japan declared war against Netherlands; Japanese forces invaded Dutch East Indies; Nazis executed 72 in Sachsenhausen; Jews transported from Holland to extermination camp
(1949) Netherlands joined NATO
1-100 AD – The Frisians a German ethnic group settled in the Northern part of the Netherlands.
1301- The Netherlands defeated Lichtenberg in the Battle of Breukelen
1345- The Frisians defeated the Dutch at Warns
1421- The second St. Elizabeth’s flood destroyed many villages and many thousands of people died.
1477- Mary of Burgundy, heiress of all of the Netherlands marries Maximilian I of Habsburg family of Austria
(1492) German mercenaries killed 232 at Bread and Cheese rebellion
(1602) Dutch East India Company formed in Jakarta, Indonesia
(1630 - 1654) The Dutch conquered Brazil
(1701) England, Austria, Netherlands formed Alliance against France
(1780 - 1783) Netherlands become at war with England
(1830) Belgium rebel against Netherlands
(1903) Harry Houdini escaped from police station in Amsterdam
(1922) Dutch women received right to vote
1942) Japan declared war against Netherlands; Japanese forces invaded Dutch East Indies; Nazis executed 72 in Sachsenhausen; Jews transported from Holland to extermination camp
(1949) Netherlands joined NATO
(Second) British Empire- Journal Entries
DAY 1:
Marking the first day of my project research, I made a plan on how I was going to accomplish my project.
PLAN:
1. Basic History of the British Empire (Finish by May 6th)
Journal Entries (1-3)
Source AnnotationS
2. Timeline (Finish by May 9th)
Journal Entries (4-5)
Map
Source Annotations
Artifacts
3. Leader Profile (May 12th)
Captain Cook (James Cook)
4. Preparation for Presentation (17th)
Prezi?
5. Rehearse (18th)
6. Present (20th)
DAY 2:
Today I researched on slavery in the British Empire. I found this topic quite relevant to one of our essential questions: How did the empire interact with other civilizations?
Slaves were transported to England from various countries the British Empire concurred, however out of all the slaves most of them were sent from African countries. Representing a major source of wealth, many citizens of England bought slaves from the investors that transported the slaves. That resulted the unbalance in economy, since those who owned slaves made less money than the investors in those who transported Africans to enslavement. In 1772, Lord Mansfield’s judgment in a slavery case freed a slave, which marked the beginning of the abolishment of slavery. Then in 1833, the abolishment of slavery finally passed. However, many people went against the regulation and continuously owned slaves. And finally, in 1838 700,000 slaves that were transported from the West Indies, 40,00 transported from South Africa, and 20,000 sent from Mauritius were finally liberated. Lastly, slavery in the British Empire resulted more than 3million deaths.
DAY 3:
Today I began my research on Captain James Cook for the leader profile. Through an hour of research I was able to discover many legacies he left behind, and I was also able to find out many interesting events during James Cook’s lifetime. The most famous events are the 3voyages of James Cook.
COOK’S FIRST GREAT VOYAGE
Due to the great success in charting Newfoundland, Cook was promoted once again. He was sent to Tahiti (aka the Pacific) to watch the planet Venus, with a secret envelope he was told to open after recording the transit of Venus. After successfully recording the transit of Venus, he opened the enveloped with the envelope. The note read: FIND THE GREAT SOUTHERN CONTINENT or prove that it does not exist. Then, Cook turned his ship and headed towards New Zealand. After proving New Zealand was not part of the Southern Continent, he set sail for Australia. However, Cook later found out that a Dutch explorer Abel Tasman had already discovered the land in 1642. But after coming into realization no European ever discovered the Eastern coast of Australia, Cook charted 3200km of the Eastern region in 4months.
COOK’S SECOND GREAT VOYAGE
Cook was sent to solve the riddle of how to calculate the longitude of the Earth, so he set sail Southwards. However, due to too much loss of men he halted at Cape town, South Africa, Furneax. In November 2 ships were sent in search of the continent. And finally in January Cook was the first man ever to cross the Antarctic Circle.
COOK’S THIRD GREAT VOYAGE
When Cook and his men were sailing across the Pacific, after the sailing from Oregon to Alaska, they sighted a chain of islands. In need of repair, they sailed to Owhyee (today’s Hawaii). At first, the Hawaiians thought Cook was Orono (God of abundance), however disappointed in Cook and his men’s avarice, the Hawaiians killed all of them. In 1779 February 14th, Cook died in the age of 50.
DAY 4:
WHAT CIRCUMSTANCES LED TO THE END OF THE EMPIRE?
Towards the end of the 18th century the British Empire faced many challenges, however World War II is considered the major reason the empire fell. After the victory in WWII the British empire faced an insolvency and began suffering an extreme financial crisis. Due to financial failure, the empire could not afford money for the armies and the countries the British ruled in the South East Asian regions were all taken by Japan. Many other African countries also started a rebellion. The rebellion of the Indians severely impacted the empire’s economy and after the Hong Kong handover ceremony with the People’s Republic of China, the year of 1997 is considered the end of the British EMPIRE.
DAY 5:
FINAL REFLECTION
Having once taken over more than ¼ of the world and 20% of the population, the British Empire has been my MAJOR interest. Because I was born under an Asian family, I was always very familiar with the Korean empire, the dynasties of China, and the Mongolian Empire. However I was eager to understand more about Western Empires, which resulted my decision on the British empire.
The discovery of Newfoundland in 1583, marked the beginning of the British Empire. During the First British Empire, the British took over many lands. However, due to the breakout of the American Independence War Britain faced the loss of 13colonies, and the second British Empire rose.
Due to the great loss of land, the Empire had to search for an alternative. In 1770, an accomplished mapmaker James Cook was sent to Tahiti (aka the Pacific) to FIND THE GREAT SOUTHERN CONTINENT. Cook headed towards New Zealand. After proving New Zealand was not part of the Southern Continent, he set sail for Australia. Cook later found out that a Dutch explorer Willem Jansz had already discovered the land in 1606. But after coming into realization no European ever discovered the Eastern coast of Australia, Cook charted 3200km of the Eastern region in 4months. During the period, Cook also discovered the Great Barrier Reef by running into it.
The abolition of slavery was another major event. In 1807, due to the continuous pressure of the abolition of slaves, the British government enacted the Slave Trade Act in the empire. However, the British continuously owned slaves for 26yrs. And finally, in 1833 the regulation on the abolishment of slavery finally passed. In 1838, 700,000 slaves from the West Indies, 40,000 from South Africa and 20,000 from Mauritius were finally liberated. However, slavery in the British Empire resulted the death of more than 3million slaves.
So what caused the fall of this prominent empire? The main cause was WWII (1939~1945). Following Britain’s victory, the empire faced an extreme financial crisis, and the countries Britain ruled in the South East Asian region were mostly occupied by Japan. After the Hong Kong handover ceremony with the People’s Republic of China, the year of 1997 is considered the end of the British EMPIRE.
Marking the first day of my project research, I made a plan on how I was going to accomplish my project.
PLAN:
1. Basic History of the British Empire (Finish by May 6th)
Journal Entries (1-3)
Source AnnotationS
2. Timeline (Finish by May 9th)
Journal Entries (4-5)
Map
Source Annotations
Artifacts
3. Leader Profile (May 12th)
Captain Cook (James Cook)
4. Preparation for Presentation (17th)
Prezi?
5. Rehearse (18th)
6. Present (20th)
DAY 2:
Today I researched on slavery in the British Empire. I found this topic quite relevant to one of our essential questions: How did the empire interact with other civilizations?
Slaves were transported to England from various countries the British Empire concurred, however out of all the slaves most of them were sent from African countries. Representing a major source of wealth, many citizens of England bought slaves from the investors that transported the slaves. That resulted the unbalance in economy, since those who owned slaves made less money than the investors in those who transported Africans to enslavement. In 1772, Lord Mansfield’s judgment in a slavery case freed a slave, which marked the beginning of the abolishment of slavery. Then in 1833, the abolishment of slavery finally passed. However, many people went against the regulation and continuously owned slaves. And finally, in 1838 700,000 slaves that were transported from the West Indies, 40,00 transported from South Africa, and 20,000 sent from Mauritius were finally liberated. Lastly, slavery in the British Empire resulted more than 3million deaths.
DAY 3:
Today I began my research on Captain James Cook for the leader profile. Through an hour of research I was able to discover many legacies he left behind, and I was also able to find out many interesting events during James Cook’s lifetime. The most famous events are the 3voyages of James Cook.
COOK’S FIRST GREAT VOYAGE
Due to the great success in charting Newfoundland, Cook was promoted once again. He was sent to Tahiti (aka the Pacific) to watch the planet Venus, with a secret envelope he was told to open after recording the transit of Venus. After successfully recording the transit of Venus, he opened the enveloped with the envelope. The note read: FIND THE GREAT SOUTHERN CONTINENT or prove that it does not exist. Then, Cook turned his ship and headed towards New Zealand. After proving New Zealand was not part of the Southern Continent, he set sail for Australia. However, Cook later found out that a Dutch explorer Abel Tasman had already discovered the land in 1642. But after coming into realization no European ever discovered the Eastern coast of Australia, Cook charted 3200km of the Eastern region in 4months.
COOK’S SECOND GREAT VOYAGE
Cook was sent to solve the riddle of how to calculate the longitude of the Earth, so he set sail Southwards. However, due to too much loss of men he halted at Cape town, South Africa, Furneax. In November 2 ships were sent in search of the continent. And finally in January Cook was the first man ever to cross the Antarctic Circle.
COOK’S THIRD GREAT VOYAGE
When Cook and his men were sailing across the Pacific, after the sailing from Oregon to Alaska, they sighted a chain of islands. In need of repair, they sailed to Owhyee (today’s Hawaii). At first, the Hawaiians thought Cook was Orono (God of abundance), however disappointed in Cook and his men’s avarice, the Hawaiians killed all of them. In 1779 February 14th, Cook died in the age of 50.
DAY 4:
WHAT CIRCUMSTANCES LED TO THE END OF THE EMPIRE?
Towards the end of the 18th century the British Empire faced many challenges, however World War II is considered the major reason the empire fell. After the victory in WWII the British empire faced an insolvency and began suffering an extreme financial crisis. Due to financial failure, the empire could not afford money for the armies and the countries the British ruled in the South East Asian regions were all taken by Japan. Many other African countries also started a rebellion. The rebellion of the Indians severely impacted the empire’s economy and after the Hong Kong handover ceremony with the People’s Republic of China, the year of 1997 is considered the end of the British EMPIRE.
DAY 5:
FINAL REFLECTION
Having once taken over more than ¼ of the world and 20% of the population, the British Empire has been my MAJOR interest. Because I was born under an Asian family, I was always very familiar with the Korean empire, the dynasties of China, and the Mongolian Empire. However I was eager to understand more about Western Empires, which resulted my decision on the British empire.
The discovery of Newfoundland in 1583, marked the beginning of the British Empire. During the First British Empire, the British took over many lands. However, due to the breakout of the American Independence War Britain faced the loss of 13colonies, and the second British Empire rose.
Due to the great loss of land, the Empire had to search for an alternative. In 1770, an accomplished mapmaker James Cook was sent to Tahiti (aka the Pacific) to FIND THE GREAT SOUTHERN CONTINENT. Cook headed towards New Zealand. After proving New Zealand was not part of the Southern Continent, he set sail for Australia. Cook later found out that a Dutch explorer Willem Jansz had already discovered the land in 1606. But after coming into realization no European ever discovered the Eastern coast of Australia, Cook charted 3200km of the Eastern region in 4months. During the period, Cook also discovered the Great Barrier Reef by running into it.
The abolition of slavery was another major event. In 1807, due to the continuous pressure of the abolition of slaves, the British government enacted the Slave Trade Act in the empire. However, the British continuously owned slaves for 26yrs. And finally, in 1833 the regulation on the abolishment of slavery finally passed. In 1838, 700,000 slaves from the West Indies, 40,000 from South Africa and 20,000 from Mauritius were finally liberated. However, slavery in the British Empire resulted the death of more than 3million slaves.
So what caused the fall of this prominent empire? The main cause was WWII (1939~1945). Following Britain’s victory, the empire faced an extreme financial crisis, and the countries Britain ruled in the South East Asian region were mostly occupied by Japan. After the Hong Kong handover ceremony with the People’s Republic of China, the year of 1997 is considered the end of the British EMPIRE.
German Artifact Slideshow
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INCA EMPIRE
INCA EMPIRE PREZI
Leader Profile:
Inca in quechua,means “leader” or “chief”. Sapa means unique. Sapa Inca means unique leader or chief. Here is a list of the 13 spap Incas that ruled the empire. Together, it means unique chief of leader.
Manco Capac, Manco Capac established the Inca empire and was the first sapa Inca. He began the empire in Cuzco, a city now in southeastern Peru by bringing small tributes around the the city of Cuzco together. Blending the tribes around Cuzco together so not so challenging because most of the tribe members were ordinary farmers. If they refused to combine with Manco Capac, it would cause war, which farmers had no interest in. On the other hand, setting up a new city was a great challenge and it demanded constant attention.
Mayta Capac was fourth ruler of the Inca Empire. He established a school system for the Inca nobility, encouraged religious tolerance, and conquered the people of Tihuanaco / Tiwanaku (located in western Bolivia). Early in his reign, he decided that princes needed basic knowledge and understanding of government and warfare. Later on, he expanded the school concept to include curacas (sons of the Inca chief's relatives) and sons of rulers whose tributes had been absorbed into the empire. At that time, some European rulers forced their people to follow the dominant religion, or suffer with consequences. Mayta Capac was different. He wanted the conquered people to worship the Inca gods, but also respected the other as well because he realized that different cultures honored their gods the same way the Incas felt to their gods. Mayta Capac allowed them to pursue their own gods and religion. Mayta's greatest contribution during his ruling period was the assimilation of the Tiahuanaco's stone cutting, shaping and building. He applied that knowledge to creating stronger stone structures.
According to the cronistas (a writer who collects historical or current facts and writes them), the legend begins like this: In 1438, Cuzco came under attack from the Chancas, a violent, belligerent culture that Incas feared. Huiracocha, the sapa Inca at the time, and his heir, Urco Inca, fled to escape capture, and possibly torture. This only left Cusi Yupanqui, the younger son to defend the empire. As the Chancas prepared their attack, Cusi Yupanqui led his soldiers against the Chanca. As the legend goes, Inti, the sun god caused stones on the battlefield to rise as warriors to assist Cusi Yupanqui in defeating the Chancas. Then, Cusi Yupanqui forced his father to abdicate, causing him become the next sapa Inca. From that time on, he was called the Pachacuti meaning the earth shaker. Pachukuti was the ninth sapa Inca of the empire. Pachukuti started a military campaign to expand the empire. He inherited a well-disciplined and experienced army. Every adult male between 25 to 50 were required to have military training. Plus, a part of the manhood rituals included getting weapons of war as gifts and learning how to handle the weapons. A well equipped warrior wore padded cloth armor and a helmet, and carried a spear, mace, sling, and shield. Because of Pachukuti's strong army, many enemies gave up before the fighting had even begun. Pachukuti offered gifts such as gold and valuable cloth and guaranteed peace to whose who promised their allegiance to the empire. In fact, some less powerful cultures chose assimilation. As the empire expanded, he had to maintain control over a larger number of conquered people. One way to keep rebellion was by bringing a conquered culture's god to the Coricancha, the central temple in Cuzco, which had been replaced by Intihuasi. He also built the royal estate at Machu Picchu, the most famous Inca ruins.
I did my journal entry in a diary form.
Topic 1: Growing up in the Inca Empire
Today, it was my little sister's naming ceremony. I'm glad that she made it through her first year! My parents named her Achiq, meaning beloved. They have her a haircut, it's a tradition in the naming ceremony. Our people do not name their children until after the child is one year old, perhaps because so may children die as infants. There was another ceremony held for my cousin Alma today, right after Achiq's. The ceremony congratulated 14th birthday. In our empire, we consider men once they are about 14 years old. I had mine a year ago, but it wasn't so fun. I had to sell all my favorite dresses to be able to afford the animal sacrifices. After the ceremony I went out to the meadow to pick flowers for Achiq with my cousin Alma, but he had to leave for school. Only the sons of Inca nobility can attend school, but Alma is the sapa Inca's son's cousin's half brother and his father once saved the sapa Inca's daughter from drowning. I don't understand why only boys are supposed to go to school. I hate the fact that I cannot go to school because I'm a girl, but I keep it to myself.
*Quechua names from http://www.behindthename.com/submit/names/usage/quechua*
Topic 2: Food
Today, I taught Taruka, a friend of mine, how to keep certain foods from spoiling. Taruka is 7 and she lives next door. She is my only, but best friend. Because we are farmers do not have time to socialize, but I am happy least have a friend. Some have none. Anyway, the secret to keep certain foods from spoiling is to freeze-dry them. Freeze-drying have food lots of other benefits. It decreases the weight of the food, it takes up less space, it's easier to store and transport. In order to dry food such as potatoes, meat, or fish, we leave them out on winter nights for the food to freeze. During the day, the food was placed in the sun. The process is repeated until all the water comes out of the food. Meat persevered in this method is called charqui (jerky).
Topic 3: Religious Sacrifice
Next week, the annual children sacrifice will be practiced. During this sacrifice, three children walk to a special platform on the summit of a mountain more that 6700m in height led by Incan priests. Dressed in their finest clothes, the three children have to travel more than 800km to reach the Andean peak. Between the travel, they drank chicha, a fermented beverage made from maize. Chicha includes corn beer and non-alcoholic beverages. Chicha caused the children began to weaken drinking. Then, they lay down, and priests kill them, either by hitting them on the head, or by strangling them. We do the sacrifice in the mountains because mountains have powerful spirits called apus and we can have better contact with the gods. I'm not so sure if it is true but it's what my father told me so I guess it's true. My father also said the sacrifices are often young children because children are pure; they did not have much time to do evil things. Having a "pure" sacrifice is important because they will have to send messages from the gods back to earth.
Topic 4: People
In our empire, most people are commoners, including our family. We have no political rights, but because the government counts on us to raise crops and herd animals, the government makes sure that we are treated well. In return, each household has a to pay a form of tax, called mita. This work includes serving in the army, constructing buildings, roads, and bridges, and moving goods across the empire.
Although most people are farmers, some had special skills such as metalworking or weaving. Some villages only produced goods such as pottery or clothing for the state. But artisans and their families also worked the fields to raise crops. Mining is another important job for some of us. The empire lands provides gold, silver, and other copper, and the metals use to make bronze. Only the Inca noble can afford gold and silver, while we can only afford metal and copper and bronze. My dad used to mine. He told me that mining is hard work because all you have are deer antlers and stones. Some commoners have special roles in the empire. They are chosen by Inca royalty to be their servants. These people are called Yanaconas. My grandmother was one, but she is now retired. She was taken from her family at early age to begin serving. According to my grandmother, Yanaconas do not have to pay tax and they may pass their position to their children. My grandmother could’ve passed my mother her position, but my mother refused.
Topic 5: The Calendar
Our calendar was used to keep track of when certain religious ceremonies are held. We actually have two calendars. One is based on the cycle of the moon, just like the Chinese lunar calendar. The other one is based on movement of the sun. The first one has 354 days, and we sometimes had to add days to a month, but the second one has 365 days. So we just agreed on the second one, the one based on the sun. We, Incas track movement of the sun and stars through the sky. Stone towers in Cuzco lined up with the position of the sun as it rose and set on the longest and shortest days of the year. The calendar is very important to us, Incas because it tells us when to do certain farming tasks.
Leader Profile:
Inca in quechua,means “leader” or “chief”. Sapa means unique. Sapa Inca means unique leader or chief. Here is a list of the 13 spap Incas that ruled the empire. Together, it means unique chief of leader.
Manco Capac, Manco Capac established the Inca empire and was the first sapa Inca. He began the empire in Cuzco, a city now in southeastern Peru by bringing small tributes around the the city of Cuzco together. Blending the tribes around Cuzco together so not so challenging because most of the tribe members were ordinary farmers. If they refused to combine with Manco Capac, it would cause war, which farmers had no interest in. On the other hand, setting up a new city was a great challenge and it demanded constant attention.
There were legends about how Manco Capac founded the empire. Because there wee no written language, the legends were passed down orally. It story may have changed, but here's one legend. Four brothers, Ayar Cachi, Ayar Uchu, Ayar Auca, Ayar Manco, and four sisters lived in the cavern of Pacaritambo, a cave in the Andes Mountains. The brothers and their sisters left the cave in search of a better existence. The first brother, Ayar Cachi had mystical powers. The other sibling coveted the power. The jealous brothers tricked Ayar Cachi into returning to their cave. The siblings later blocked the cave's entrance to prevent him from escaping. The remaining siblings came across Mount Huanacauri during the journey. There, Ayar Uchu turned into stone and became a holy shrine. With only Ayar Auca, Ayar Manco, and the four sisters left, they walked by a village. Auca became frighten and fled. He ran across a rough terrain. Soon, he got exhausted and sat down for some rest. Like his brother, he turned into stone immediately. Ayar Manco and his sisters finally arrived at Cuzco. There, Ayar Manco and his sister brought together the small tributes living near Cuzco forming the Inca Empire. He chnaged his name to Manco Capac and married his sister, Mama Ocllo.
Mayta Capac was fourth ruler of the Inca Empire. He established a school system for the Inca nobility, encouraged religious tolerance, and conquered the people of Tihuanaco / Tiwanaku (located in western Bolivia). Early in his reign, he decided that princes needed basic knowledge and understanding of government and warfare. Later on, he expanded the school concept to include curacas (sons of the Inca chief's relatives) and sons of rulers whose tributes had been absorbed into the empire. At that time, some European rulers forced their people to follow the dominant religion, or suffer with consequences. Mayta Capac was different. He wanted the conquered people to worship the Inca gods, but also respected the other as well because he realized that different cultures honored their gods the same way the Incas felt to their gods. Mayta Capac allowed them to pursue their own gods and religion. Mayta's greatest contribution during his ruling period was the assimilation of the Tiahuanaco's stone cutting, shaping and building. He applied that knowledge to creating stronger stone structures.
Did you know? The sapa Incas were believed to represent the sun gods, similar to how the Egyptian pharaohs were served as gods. Some sapa Incas were born to greatness, but Capac Yupanqui, one of Mayta Capac's son, achieved greatness by his look. Capac Yupanqui wasn't the first in line, he had an older brother, but the designated heir was not chosen, instead Mayta Capac chose Capac Yupanqui, for the reason that he was too ugly to be the Inca chef. Mayta Capac decided that Capac Yupanqui made a better-looking king or sun god.
According to the cronistas (a writer who collects historical or current facts and writes them), the legend begins like this: In 1438, Cuzco came under attack from the Chancas, a violent, belligerent culture that Incas feared. Huiracocha, the sapa Inca at the time, and his heir, Urco Inca, fled to escape capture, and possibly torture. This only left Cusi Yupanqui, the younger son to defend the empire. As the Chancas prepared their attack, Cusi Yupanqui led his soldiers against the Chanca. As the legend goes, Inti, the sun god caused stones on the battlefield to rise as warriors to assist Cusi Yupanqui in defeating the Chancas. Then, Cusi Yupanqui forced his father to abdicate, causing him become the next sapa Inca. From that time on, he was called the Pachacuti meaning the earth shaker. Pachukuti was the ninth sapa Inca of the empire. Pachukuti started a military campaign to expand the empire. He inherited a well-disciplined and experienced army. Every adult male between 25 to 50 were required to have military training. Plus, a part of the manhood rituals included getting weapons of war as gifts and learning how to handle the weapons. A well equipped warrior wore padded cloth armor and a helmet, and carried a spear, mace, sling, and shield. Because of Pachukuti's strong army, many enemies gave up before the fighting had even begun. Pachukuti offered gifts such as gold and valuable cloth and guaranteed peace to whose who promised their allegiance to the empire. In fact, some less powerful cultures chose assimilation. As the empire expanded, he had to maintain control over a larger number of conquered people. One way to keep rebellion was by bringing a conquered culture's god to the Coricancha, the central temple in Cuzco, which had been replaced by Intihuasi. He also built the royal estate at Machu Picchu, the most famous Inca ruins.
Journal Entry: Life in Inca
I did my journal entry in a diary form.
Topic 1: Growing up in the Inca Empire
Today, it was my little sister's naming ceremony. I'm glad that she made it through her first year! My parents named her Achiq, meaning beloved. They have her a haircut, it's a tradition in the naming ceremony. Our people do not name their children until after the child is one year old, perhaps because so may children die as infants. There was another ceremony held for my cousin Alma today, right after Achiq's. The ceremony congratulated 14th birthday. In our empire, we consider men once they are about 14 years old. I had mine a year ago, but it wasn't so fun. I had to sell all my favorite dresses to be able to afford the animal sacrifices. After the ceremony I went out to the meadow to pick flowers for Achiq with my cousin Alma, but he had to leave for school. Only the sons of Inca nobility can attend school, but Alma is the sapa Inca's son's cousin's half brother and his father once saved the sapa Inca's daughter from drowning. I don't understand why only boys are supposed to go to school. I hate the fact that I cannot go to school because I'm a girl, but I keep it to myself.
*Quechua names from http://www.behindthename.com/submit/names/usage/quechua*
Topic 2: Food
Today, I taught Taruka, a friend of mine, how to keep certain foods from spoiling. Taruka is 7 and she lives next door. She is my only, but best friend. Because we are farmers do not have time to socialize, but I am happy least have a friend. Some have none. Anyway, the secret to keep certain foods from spoiling is to freeze-dry them. Freeze-drying have food lots of other benefits. It decreases the weight of the food, it takes up less space, it's easier to store and transport. In order to dry food such as potatoes, meat, or fish, we leave them out on winter nights for the food to freeze. During the day, the food was placed in the sun. The process is repeated until all the water comes out of the food. Meat persevered in this method is called charqui (jerky).
Topic 3: Religious Sacrifice
Next week, the annual children sacrifice will be practiced. During this sacrifice, three children walk to a special platform on the summit of a mountain more that 6700m in height led by Incan priests. Dressed in their finest clothes, the three children have to travel more than 800km to reach the Andean peak. Between the travel, they drank chicha, a fermented beverage made from maize. Chicha includes corn beer and non-alcoholic beverages. Chicha caused the children began to weaken drinking. Then, they lay down, and priests kill them, either by hitting them on the head, or by strangling them. We do the sacrifice in the mountains because mountains have powerful spirits called apus and we can have better contact with the gods. I'm not so sure if it is true but it's what my father told me so I guess it's true. My father also said the sacrifices are often young children because children are pure; they did not have much time to do evil things. Having a "pure" sacrifice is important because they will have to send messages from the gods back to earth.
Topic 4: People
In our empire, most people are commoners, including our family. We have no political rights, but because the government counts on us to raise crops and herd animals, the government makes sure that we are treated well. In return, each household has a to pay a form of tax, called mita. This work includes serving in the army, constructing buildings, roads, and bridges, and moving goods across the empire.
Although most people are farmers, some had special skills such as metalworking or weaving. Some villages only produced goods such as pottery or clothing for the state. But artisans and their families also worked the fields to raise crops. Mining is another important job for some of us. The empire lands provides gold, silver, and other copper, and the metals use to make bronze. Only the Inca noble can afford gold and silver, while we can only afford metal and copper and bronze. My dad used to mine. He told me that mining is hard work because all you have are deer antlers and stones. Some commoners have special roles in the empire. They are chosen by Inca royalty to be their servants. These people are called Yanaconas. My grandmother was one, but she is now retired. She was taken from her family at early age to begin serving. According to my grandmother, Yanaconas do not have to pay tax and they may pass their position to their children. My grandmother could’ve passed my mother her position, but my mother refused.
Topic 5: The Calendar
Our calendar was used to keep track of when certain religious ceremonies are held. We actually have two calendars. One is based on the cycle of the moon, just like the Chinese lunar calendar. The other one is based on movement of the sun. The first one has 354 days, and we sometimes had to add days to a month, but the second one has 365 days. So we just agreed on the second one, the one based on the sun. We, Incas track movement of the sun and stars through the sky. Stone towers in Cuzco lined up with the position of the sun as it rose and set on the longest and shortest days of the year. The calendar is very important to us, Incas because it tells us when to do certain farming tasks.
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