Blog Post #6 - Chapter 3: Documents

Document: Herodotus The Histories Mid-Fifth Century B.C.E
This document focuses on the Persians and the Eypgtians and the difference between their soeicties. While the Persians shared materials from different cultures their traditions and ways on life were very different. They didn't make sacrifices to the Gods and could only pray for blessings as a group, a single person could make a prayer themselves. They had to pray for something for the whole community. While Persians were for their different traditions. Egyptians also had some ways of life that people wondered strange. Such as growing out their hair when mourning. Or continuing to live along side animals. Especially since many culture during the ancient period felt this is how humans are sepreatefrom animals is how they remain civil.

Blog Post #5 - Part 2 Chapter 3

In this chapter we learn about another wave of civilizations but this time around it focuses on empires, such as ancient Rome and Greece. We learn about the building of the Roman Empire, how it started as a small poor town with a very small population but through conquering other civilizations were able to grow to the great Roman Empire still studied today. Also focuses on the very different civilizations of ancient Greece that was comprised of many different city/states that were very independent. Along with the Persian Empire and the war between Persian Empire and Greece. Learning the different structures within the Greece city/states. How Greece is one of the only civilizations that used democracy as a form of government versus the other civilization that were ruled by a monarchs that held all the power. In this chapter it was surprising to read about that as Rome conquered other civilization that some of the population was taken in as slaves. That was not something I was taught when learning about Rome when I was younger. The only time I was taught about slavery being a practice was during American History.  Also learning in the chapter that many people in Ancient China wanted to unite the empire. That historians study the Roman and Chinese Empire together because they have similar systems such as both saw leaders as Gods and both focus on public works like bridges, roads, and canals etc.

Blog Post #4: Chapter 2 - Documents Blog Post

Source 2.1

Question: How might a prominent landowner, a leading official, a clan, or a merchant use such a seal?

Depending on a person's occupation the seals may have been used to place on documents or letters as a identifier. Or as a identifier on pieces a merchant had been selling but I am unsure if merchants were concerned with being known by their work and if they had been trying to have the same people return to them to buy things again. The symbol maybe shows a specific class in society or occupation. The markings above the symbol might have been a name assuming that individual names were used then. Or a might have been a person’s title as suggested by the reading.

Blog Post #3: Chapter 2

I think that in this chapter it is interesting that we learn about concepts that we are more familiar with in the modern world. Here we see a distribution of wealth that is similar to today, just not as extreme. That we see the rise of gender inequality yet historians are unable to pinpoint what brought that concept into human societies as they know it is not natural. In this chapter we learned that even though these societies  are developing are around a similar time, every society has it differences in its legal system, social structure, religion and how they are ruled. I think it illustrates the individuality of humans. We know that some civilization did participate in trade and communicated with each other. Which has lead to the sharing of ideas. That in these civilizations a written language is being used but not by many people. Which I think brings up the question why it took humans so long to have a written language? Before humans have been communicating orally for hundreds of years. Because I think many people see that reading, writing and talking go hand in hand today.

Journal Post #2: Chapter 1

I think it interesting that in this chapter is the first time we read about the people neolithic time period fighting. As agriculture spread some people fought to keep their hunter-gatherer ways of living. That archeologist have evidence that these people were aware of the farming practice of their neighbors meaning it was something that they chose to fight against. It also interesting to read about how as the practice spread other things spread with it. The language and the tools of the people. But it also brought the end of some communities as some fought to have their language and ways be the primary ways of the land. It brings up the questions if fighting with one another and to be dominant in some way part of human nature. It might be seeing as we have advanced in a way to have dominance over the land and animals that inhabit the earth. That as the practice of farming advanced, different places of the world developed into different types of societies, something that is still happening today. In this sections of the chapter what brought the beginning of agriculture is discussed. There are a few theories and factors that archaeologist believe contribute to the beginning of agriculture such as the end of the ice age where the earth began to warm up, a growing population or having a central place of worship. We also see that different type of societies develop that so does inequality, most clearly in chiefdoms.

Journal Post #1: Chapter 1

After reading the first sections of the textbook it provides a different view on history that I have not considered before. I didn't realize that in the history of the earth, humans have not been a species for a long time. I have study the paleolithic time period before in school but the way the information was presented as a straight timeline, it seemed as though human species before us lived on the earth one at a time. One species disappeared and another version of human would live on earth. I had no idea that more than one species lived at the same time. Reading about the paleolithic time period where men and women are equal, because they both contribute for themselves along wit the other people in their community. That it illustrates that inequality is a product of our society. That perhaps it is human nature to take care of one another but greed which is easier in today's world because of money and material objects makes it difficult. That these people lived in tight knit communities but today everyone is focused on themselves. But in today's world is difficult to not be. I do think it would be interesting to learn about the social struggles paleolithic people faced. These people lived in small groups of about 20 people, were there situations where are person was pushed out of group? if so what actions could have lead to that? Was this even something that occurred?