3/15/12

We pretty much just went over the test during this class. I was really mad because i got a 72 and it brought my grade down a lot. I thought we were suppose to answer 1 of the 4 short answer questions like usual but we were suppose to answer all of them. This is what ruined my test grade because I actually would have done well because my essay was pretty good and I Only got 5 multiple choice wrong. Hopefully I will do better on the next test and possibly be able to do some extra credit or something because if I don't I will have a C in this class and A's in everything else!

3/13/12

   We started class by watching the rest of the video. We were at the part when Socrates was being tried for spreading corrupting ideas. He was found guilty after a speech about how he did nothing wrong an should be rewarded. While in jail his friends came to break him out and the guards agreed. When they went to get him he said no and that he wanted to die and drink the poison. We then had a debate about same sex marriage. Most of us said that we didn't mind because it doesn't directly affect us but the Drew said he was against it. It was a good discussion and Mr. Schick made a wonderful Socrates.

3/12/13

Today in class we watched the video once again which today, centered mainly on the fall of Pericles and how he was hubris. This is a Greek term meaning that someone is so powerful that they become arrogant and think they can get away with anything. We learned about his stupid decision to invade Sparta because one day they could become a threat. The idea was to blockade them from importing and exporting goods resulting in their starvation. they thought it would take about 2 years but they held out for a very long time because they are Spartans. This didn't work out because the people of Athens had to live in a confined space because of the walls they built up. This resulting in disease when tainted grain came over on a boat. The disease spread rapidly because of the living conditions and 1 in 3 people died!  Even Pericles dies but he lasted for 6 months with the plague somehow. This was mainly because the water they were drinking became tainted by dead bodies washing into the supply. Yum.

3/11/13

Today in class we reviewed what was in the video shown on Friday. This was helpful because I was not in class on Friday and got caught up on notes. Some of the notes I took were about Athens and Persia fighting once again. They defeated the Persians by luring them into a strait where they had less of a disadvantage. They once again defeated the Persians who had the larger army. Although their city of Athens was still destroyed. Then a new ruler came to power who had hopes of restoring the city. Amazing structures such as the parthanon were constructed and the acropolis was restores.

3/8/13

I was not in class today and was on a field trip at the gallery of art in Washington.

3/5/13

Today we watched another video about Greece and the surrounding areas such as the Persian Empire which is wayyyyy bigger than Greece. The Persian Empire decided to invade Athens in attempt to gain more control of the seas. They arrived on Marathon beach in Athens. At this time a man named philidides ran all the way to Athens to warn everyone and then to Sparta in an attempt to get help which was not given even after running 140 miles. Almost all of the men of Athens were willing to go fight and defend their land. Along with a small army of hoplites and trained soldiers, they managed to defeat the Persians although they were outnumbered 2 to 1.

3/4/13

In western civ today we talked more about the tyrant who took over Athens by using a tall pretty girl to act as Helena. Also we learned about the revolution of the lower class. They rose up against the aristocrats and overthrew their rule. This happened in 508 B.C. and was the first revolution in history. This was also the first time democracy was used as a government system. The idea of the people making the decisions is attributed to Cleisthenes who was assigned by those who started the revolution to run the new government. Before this he was ostracized. this is when you are forced to leave where you live by those with power. This is considered worse than execution and is very shameful. Although as you can  see Cleisthenes overcame this and made a huge impact on the world then and today. Our current government is based on the ideas of democracy. we are a republic which differs from a democracy because we vote for those who will represent us and make the decisions while in a democracy the people directly make the decisions. Although, in some cases we are also a democracy when it comes to voting on a few things such as same sex marriage even though it says in the pledge of allegiance that we are a republic.