CH 6 (Commonalities & Variations)

In this chapter, what really caught my intention was the section about the Bantus. According to Strayer in terms of religion, their practice places less emphasis on a High or Creator God, who was viewed as remote and largely uninvolved in ordinary life, and focused instead on ancestral or nature spirits. If you knew me personally, I enjoy eerie and spooky things. To know that their focus was on ancestral or nature spirits make me want to do more research on them.

Another fact that caught my attention was a figure on page 254. It was called 'A Female Luba Ancestral Statue'. Now this statue shown in the book, stated that it was a representation of powerful women, often ancestral figures, were frequent in wood carvings of the Bantu-speaking Luba people of Central Africa. Many of the figures show women touching their breasts which is a gesture that signifies devotion, respect and the holding of secret knowledge. I find that very beautiful.

CH 5 Society and Inequality in Eurasia/ North Africa (500 B.C.E.-500 C.E.)

I have always thought that both Sparta and Athens shared the same people in their community or type of form of government. Little do I know they only shared the same race/ area. Though, both of the small communities were very strict with their women. They both had restrictions what they were able to do and not able to do. Mainly, because of women being the source or reproduction.

Spartan women at a young age ( being 18 years old) were expected to marry men of their age so they will both be on an equal basis. Spartan women were known as breeding machines to their military men. Death during childbirth was considered a loss in war.

Athenian women were expected to remain inside their homes except for religious festivities and/or funerals. Athenian women were generally married in their mid teens to men who were like fifteen years older than them, for the purpose of reproduction and their sons being active citizens, while their daughters doing housework and such.

Overall what I got from the section Contrasting Patriarchies: Athens and Sparta, was that the only thing they had in common was making sure their women reproduce.

CH 4 Culture and Religion in Eurasia/ North Africa (500 B.C.E.-500 C.E.)

The section The Buddhist Challenge in this chapter interested me the most. I am a fan of meditation, yoga and all things that can put me into a zen feel or a “nirvana” state of mind. I have read a couple passages from different books throughout my lifetime that practiced Buddhism, and not till I read this passage from Strayer’s textbook is when I learned that Buddhism is only much of simpler form of the practice Hinduism. Much of the Buddha's teaching reflected the Hindi traditions from where it sprang. They both strive to enlighten human beings, though they do have differences in attaining that level of peace. Buddhists did not really agree with the Hindi belief that their route to individual holiness connects to God. The inspiring individual who introduced Buddhism and started a small yet growing community, was Siddhartha Gautama and he was a prince from a small north Indian state.

Also, another fun fact that I have learned was that Siddhartha was a loved and fortunate child, though he wanted more after realizing that life was too short. So he left his family and all his wealth behind to go on this 6-year spiritual quest to attain greater and self- enlightenment. He achieved his goal at the age of 35 (which I think was still very young). What an awesome human-being.

CH 3 Document

Document Question: “What might a historian learn about Greek Culture itself from these descriptions?”

From passages and description from the text about Greeks, a historian might learn and say that in their culture they are very competitive due to having such events called The Olympics. They were a small community, so I want to assume that historians may view them as indestructible because of their tight bond with one another perhaps? Also, religious.

CH 3 State and Empire in Eurasia/ North Africa (500 B.C.E.-500 C.E.)

In Chapter 3, it introduced empires and civilizations and also compared them to one another.

A section that caught my attention was The Greeks. This section shared how their civilization was. They described their civilization as distinctive. Their historical fame emerged around 750 B.C.E.and flourished about 400 years-- which was relatively a short period of time. Athens and Sparta, Plato and Aristotle, Zeus and Apollo all are known from this civilization and era. They called themselves Hellenes. During their time they were known to smelt metals such as silver, lead, copper, bronze and iron.

*A fun fact was that The Olympics originated from the Greeks and their time. They would have the event every 4 years.

Medieval history, facts and movies have always been so interesting to me. Their culture, the setting, their era, the clothing and costumes-- pretty much the royalty part of all of it. Sometimes I find myself wishing I had lived in those times (haha), but then knowing that it was not all very lavish during their life time brought me back to reality and not wishing that (hehe).

INTRO TO PART 2 (500 B.C.E.- 500 C.E.)

This introduction to part 2 explored and focused on the changes from the first civilization to the second. Even though it was during the first civilization that introduced agriculture and the idea of society and government, it was stated that not much progress occurred during the time. It definitely characterized that era though. They say you can compare world history as to the zooms in cameras. “Zooming out” compared to how civilization was on a more broader scale, while “zooming in” focused more on a section, detailed.

CH 2 Document

Document Question: "How does historians' use of the term "civilization" differ from popular usage? How do you use it?"

First off, Google Dictionary's definition of civilization is:
"the stage of human social development and organization that is considered most advanced"

I feel like the term and meaning of "civilization" has changed many times throughout history until now. It can also be used in several different ways. Society in general keeps molding and changing which affects its views and perspectives. Due to all these different leaders throughout time and the type of leadership they choose to express. 

Historians' use of the term "civilization" differs from popular usage by using the term in a way that helped evolved and shaped the definition itself. For example, in the Paleolithic and Neolithic eras, civilization was just starting to form. Existentially, with technology, socially and during their migration all took a part on how and what civilization was back then. Historians would strongly view it as societies' culture and technology, developing-- the discover stage.

The popular usage is how I would use the term "civilization." Whenever I would hear the word or even see it in textbooks, I think of the meaning as quite straight-forward. Civil, civilized, civilians, ... civilization. I wish I knew more (in-depth) of the basics and terms of history than what I do know. Though I am learning more and more about it during each class period, (woo-hoo)!