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NeoLiberalism-Gag!

   Seriously, I don't agree with the whole idea of it. Macros seems to be a self-righteously absorbed revolutionary whose whole idea of changing things is motivated by his own willingness to prove others wrong. Quite Frankly Im not impressed...He should just leave things the way they are... The invisible hand that is the world will eventually bring everything to how they need to be!

Inspired rebellion

This book is about a group of oppressed people. In the book we see a group of uncompromising voice if indigenous people that are remaining in resistance to something that seems almost impossible to beat, which is the globalization of their land and culture. It shows how words generally can become weapons, through the propaganda and the writings of Marcos people revolted against their government and words became blood. The thing that you see most throughout the book is the Chiapas becoming a worldwide icon of anti-globalization. The rebellious acts of these people seem to urge democracy and liberation at any cost.  People all around the word could be inspired by the story that is woven in the history of these words they spread power and emotion, they inspired in people, and turned their anger into a revolution that has altered the course of Mexican politics. 

Modern Revolution

The Zapatista Army of National Liberation's ideas and their problems with the Mexican government are well documented by Subcomandte Marcos in Our Word Is Our Weapon. The indigenous people of Mexico felt that the government ignored their needs. The use of the internet and other technologies helped this insurgency gain support. The insurgents in many counties in the middle east also use the internet to help gain sympathy for thier cause. This new tactic of spreading propaganda that anyone can see has formed how modern day revolutions are able to gain so much support within and outside their own country. The international spot light that the internet propoganda helped gain these revolutions defiently fits the books name, Our Word is Our Weapon, because of how effective they have been in gaining support.

Effects of Six Drinks

After reading the History of World in Six Glasses it's interesting to see how the six drinks Standage used have affected the health of the world. All drinks have, in some way, been tied to poor health habits. Beer is full of simple carbs and sugar and overtime will damage the liver. Spirits and wine fall into this category as well. Coffee and tea are both addictive to people because of the caffeine that is in them and the caffeine flushes nutrients out of the body. Cola is considerably bad because it has high amounts of sugar and caffeine and throws of the ionic balance of the body.
This book explores six drinks and how they have related with world history, but have they also affected the health of people over time and contributed to problems such as obesity, heart disease, and diabetes?
Stephen Goodwin

Turkey-not just something you eat. FC

It interesting to note that Akcura "listed extreme tolerance in religion as one of the traits that the Turks carried with them as they moved across Eurasia. " A great reason for this is because of the location of Turkey. It was located in a region where cultures would come and intermingle. You would have Asian cultures, Middle Eastern cultures, and European cultures that would mix with one another. This provided the Turkish people with an opportunity to observe these countries first hand and enabled them to pick and choose the parts they liked the most and adapt them to their cultures allowing for a greater religious tolerance.

Coca-Cola good globalization-FC

Ok I can see the similarities between imperialism and globalization. The stronger countries make the smaller ones work for them. But the differences are so vast that they should be put in two totally different categories. For one imperialism really is oppressive and does force another countries way of life on people who do not want it. People in India did not like British people telling them what to do and profiting off their resources, and neither did think Incas when the Spanish tried to force Christianity on them. Now, globalization is different in that it benefits both countries. The poorer country gets jobs and the indigenous people now have money in their pockets they did not have before. Also, the stronger country benefits from cheaper production cost. Coca-Cola might be the embodiment of American ideals but it is not being forced down peoples throats. People continue to by Coca-Cola because they enjoy it not because they are scared America will punish them if they do not. Another American company that has been given a bad rap because of its global influence is McDonalds. McDonalds is the embodiment of fat greasy American hamburgers, and the company operates all over the world. But this does not mean that McDonalds is selling the world Americas obesity problems, they do market reaserch and adapt to their region. Like in Japan they sell shrimp burgers. One more thing globalization brings the world closer together, and forms more of global community. I believe the sake of maintaining economic power is more important to countries now that having complete military power. If one country has global economic power it has allies
-Edward Gooch

The Turks in World History, p. 218-237 FC

The assimilation of Turks in Europe in the late twentieth century determined how they viewed themselves and their evolution as a people. The Turks in World History depicts that although Turks saw themselves as a people but they chose to have the buffet effect. They chose to accept certain backgrounds in their ethnicity gene pool and also had to choice to claim others. The picking and choosing on what they decided to put on their plate was determine who they were and what they were going to be in Europe.
The Turks in World History explains how Islam and the culture that follows had an impact on the later assimilated Turkish population. Also Findley mentions how politics of the Turks took its role in European history mainly Germany. Findley talks about about the genetic make up of the Turkic identity which was set up by the migrations of different people across Asia and Europe.
Through the pages I read about the extensive background of the Turkic identity and how the people slowly evolve. Findley gave great examples of the leaders and of influential people that would show Turkic pride. The example of the caravan and weaving of rugs as a comparison to the Turks show how they were made up and how they assimilated to Europe with their overwhelming numbers because of the push and pull factors such as work openings and move to urban life from rural living.

Okwondo's Fury FC

On an interesting note, in Things Fall Apart, Achebe uses a much more westernized look back towards the culture of Niger. With the ability to look back upon his home country during a time which it was in the midst of being colonized, gives Achebe the ability to critique and criticize the incoming colonist but what we should also see is that he simultaneously is doing the same towards his fellow tribesmen in Niger. Achebe uses Okwondo as his focal point and tells of numerous ordeals which he felt Okwondo acted as many tribesmen of that time period probably did, however he criticizes Okwondo’s actions which gives off that much more westernized society feel to me. A few examples are when Okwondo beats his wife, or even pulls a gun on her, when he kills Ikemefuna, and when he beats his son. All of these situations are met with solemn responses from his fellow tribesmen telling the reader that these are wrongful acts of violence when in actuality they were probably part of the culture, which he is defending.

Kory Kaspar

Coca-Cola FC

I did not find Coke's impact on the world to be as significant as the books earlier drinks, especially tea. The other drinks we read about were generally shown in a light were they helped humanity greatly or changed the culture. i do not see how Coke did either. Unlike tea which is very healthy and gives you minerals the body needs, coke arguably harms the body more than it hurts it.

What I got out of the chapter was that coke was the first beverage to reach a global appeal. As the author says, WWII played a big part in that. Sending 16 million soldiers around the world with coke in their hands will do that. When reading the chapter I also got the feeling that coke was the first modern beverage, it used massive advertising to accomplish what it has become today and created a trend that all majot brands follow today.

David Northup FC

The Power of Coca-Cola FC

So far the theme of this book had more or less been on the idea that these various drinks changed the world in which we live, some chapters with more success than others. Most of the beverages created a cleaner drinking source, facilitated academic thought, protected sailors, fueled workers or were used in trade agreements to influence empires. The chapters on Coca-Cola fall short of these other arguments, the only truly new concept heralded was the legal caffeination of children. Sorry, but I don't see that as a great stepping stone in civilization like fermented drinks, nor was it the healing remedy it first claimed to be. (although I did find the tidbit about Coca-cola not being able to put children in its ads until 1986 pretty neat)
He attempts to make connections to the U.S. involvement in WWII and globalization, but the text clearly shows that Coca-Cola was not a leader in these fields but a follower. Coke followed the troops, it followed the spread of the U.S.'s sphere of influence, it did not colonize on its own bringing things into the American empire. It gave a morale boost to the troops but that was about it, I doubt it changed the course of the war. It changed the course of the company, the world (especially America) changed the company and made it what it is today, rather than the company making the world what it is today.
These chapters make very little in terms of describing influence, they just tell the story and don't show much on how the world was changing, avoiding the original thesis, so I see these as being the weakest point in the book.

-Spence Gaskin

coca-cola FC

Coca cola not only brought together the United States but brought together the world. " Coca Cola had established itself one very continent on Earth, carried on the coattails of the American military", with many of the countries we have seen that war spreads culture, from the Ottomans interacting with civilians and spreading their culture to the Americans in WWII. Somethings are not liked that we enhabit such as Europeans spreading Syphilis to the Native Americans (Even though to the communists they thought coca cola was just as bad i think).
In the epilogue they talk about how everything reverts back to water and this is very true, and how the big craze is bottled water because it is ' better for you' but most likely if you ask a student on campus what water they are drinking ( in their bottle) they will say they have refilled it with the water fountain. Ill go on a little enviromental tangent but there is no need to always be buying water bottles and wasting plastic when tap water (filtered) is just as good for you.
so we have learned throughout the semester what brings people together and in the book it is water and in life it is just being humans that does it.

I think I like the U.S. better back then....

After reading President Eisenhower's final address I couldn't but think how much to me the United States have changed since then, and not in a good way. In his address I took from it how if nothing else he wanted the people of the U.S. to continue to push forward in all aspects of life and to cling to the values that had gotten the U.S. to become the most powerful and advanced country in the world at that time. Now as I turn the channels on the television at night and run across the various news stations all you ever hear about is all the huge problems our country is facing both internally and externally, especially when it comes to financial problems within our country and also to all the other people that we owe money to. When watching this and after reading this I can only think wow, we have pretty much done exactly opposite especially here lately of what the President wanted us not to do...

Wade Lawson

Hiroshima- FC

The bombing of Hiroshima in Japan was a devastating attack that claimed many Japanese lives. The atom bomb was a new technology developed by the Americans that decided to use it to quickly end WWII against Japan. After the bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki were dropped, it was less than a week later that Japan dropped out of the race. The Japanese people had no idea what kind of weapon we had unleashed upon them. Many were savagely hurt by houses falling on top of them, and none were prepared. The attack on Japan was in retaliation to their attack on Pearl Harbor, but our attack was much more savage and brutal because it was not just on their military personnel, but on their citizens. Citizens were not involved in the war, and were innocent. Many died from the initial blasts, and the fires initiated from them. And still many more who had survived the attack were taken by the atomic gasses released that lingered and destroyed those areas for years. The community of Hiroshima banned together to save its people, but many were lost under wreckage with broken limbs. Children who didn't know any better were left without parents and guardians. The alert had been sounded that said everything was okay, when really it wasn't. Maybe this was a ploy to lure the Japanese people into thinking things were okay when really, things were about to be the worst for the Japanese people. The bombing of Hiroshima decimated its population and vegetation. The actual bomb only used roughly 10% of its total power, but just that little percent devastated an entire region. It must have been a hard decision to drop the bomb on Nagasaki and Hiroshima, but it saved many American lives in the process of murdering countless Japanese.

Beer (img)

Things Fall Apart FC

I think this book is another example of the idea of change or tradition. For most of the beginning of the book the author focuses on the traditional practices of Umuofia clan. In their society they had to farm. Men had certain stereotypes to follow, and they worshiped certain gods. If they broke a rule of a god they would be punished. That is their idea of tradition. The struggle of the idea of change comes when Mr. Brown tries to convert people in the tribe. He comes with peace so they grant him land for a church but it is in a forbidden forest. The people of the tribe think that this will eventually fail, but it does not. That is when the first converts come and eventually they get more converts, and are successful. The struggle is when clansmen like Okonkwo are completely rejecting it because they believe in tradition not change. This is something that we struggle with today in our country today. Especially when it comes to social issues. For example, Mr. Brown wanted the tribesmen to be educated but tradition did not allow that.

Nicholas Claiborne FC

Locusts FC

Most believe that locust are the sign of plague or death. In the book Things Fall Apart the first swarm of locusts should mean the death of crops and plants. This group of people are farmers and it would seem that it would be devastation to their way of life, but it is not. They look at the coming of locusts as a feast. The first wave of harbingers came and settled and the people were joyous. Then the swarm of locusts came and descended upon the people and they feasted. When the white man first came upon the villages he was said to be a harbinger as well. The locusts would soon follow. But in this case the men did not look upon the coming locusts, white men, as a feast but rather a famine. It is interesting the author would write about both so differently. He could of said a number of things about the coming of the white man but he chose to use the word harbinger and locust again. What was his purpose?

Things Fall Apart- FC

While growing up in Moscow, TX in the middle of Deep East Texas, I rarely thought or was introduced to African culture. The book Things Fall Apart offerred many interesting insights as to how Africans viewed the coming of European colonists into their land. First, the author, who is from Niger, wrote this book in English. This obvioulsy places his purpose of writing this entirely on educated english speakers on what happened to the people of Niger. Second, the way the colonists were described in their dealings with the tribespeople. At first they converted some, non-violently, but then they used deception to capture leadership and control the tribespeople. One could even make a case for the locusts in the book being a symbol for the Europeans coming and the family described as a representative for the African people. The locusts consumed everything in their path and so did the Europeans. The family fell apart tragically and so did the tribes of Africa.

Opium for tea-fc

The author made a good point about smuggling opium in for tea, but he did not mention anything about the trade imbalance. China only had one port open at the time because China believed that the Western World did not have anything to afford the Chinese. So here, Britain is buying something they wanted but not receiving any money in return. Britain seen China as a land full of customers and no way to sell their products. The government looked for something they could use to trade with China in order to balance trade. Opium was used, not just to trade for tea but to help Britain balance the trade between the two countries. Britain acted like the modern day cartel looking for that quick buck to help Britain's pocket book.

Age of Revolutions- FC

During this time many diverse groups were coming to have vastly different political views than their superiors, the Deceleration of the Rights of Man, shows these vast ideas of new political views in a way in which all of society would be reformed and benifit. This came to be the most important document to come out of the French Revolution and later came to be the pre-amble to the constitution of 1791. In this document it is stressed for the need of rightful law and goes on to emphasize the importance of the preservation of unalienable rights, division of powers, freedom of press, civil liberties, and the abolusment of monarchy. These request were put in, because of past experieinces the people of France had to endure under their king. Examples of these are in the form of lettres de cachet, which was the case were the king could throw a person in jail for no reason, the inequallity presented between the three estates and the set of unjust taxes, for example the gabella, in the case that all people over the age of eight had to buy seven pounds of salt per year. All of these issues are taken care of in the decleartion and in the end comes to the conclusion that a liberal government needs to be formed to carry out all of these ideas. In this age of Revolutions people are stepping forward to present new ideas of government and demand a change to occur within society, the Decleration of the Rights of Man does exactly this.

European "Trade" FC

I thought that European trade with Africa was both horrifying and hilarious. I had no idea that it had originally just consisted of raiding parties. Its like a bully taking lunch money and saying that a little boy traded his money for a black eye. And when Africans begin to fight back and the Europeans begin to make less and less profit, well then I suppose the Europeans will open "fair" trade.

To me it seems the Europeans are all about profits, Since it was quicker and cheaper to just raid African settlements of their goods they did that. Then when Europe began to loose a few men (and gold) they opened up trade systems. The when they wanted more gold, faster, and on their time, they conquered. They (the Europeans) seemed to have conquered merely over convenience. How very civilized.

- David Northup

Fountain of youth

In chapter 6 A History of World in 6 Glasses Standage made a great connection in the effects of cross cultural exchange with the subject of wine as used for medical puposes. In this chapter he speaks of Wine as the "water of life" that helps revive the heart and maintain youth when you come to encounter old age. Now in the 21st century doctors are again advertising that people should drink one glass of red wine a night to promote a longer, healthier life. From this we see that this 12th century practice established by the Arabs has spanned continents and survived up until present day. Now people see wine as both a drink of pleasure and as a agent holding mystical powers to the fountain of youth.

Alcohol as medicine -FC

In A History Of the World in 6 Glasses it talked a lot about how people started thinking that distilled wines could be medicine. In Europe they called it aqua vitae which means water of life, this is interesting because people thought that this wine actually would save or prolong life. Now we know that if you drink too much of strong liquors it is not good for you. I could see how they thought it was medicine but all it did was cover up the real aliments. However the fact that Charles the bads physicians actually soaked sheets in it then wrapped him in them thinking that would fix his paralysis was a little far fetched of them. It was also not a good idea to candles so close to him while he was soaked in alcohol. This does however show to us how far we have come in the medical field. Also we gained new drinks from the distillation process that was developed.

Challenges FC

The article brings up valid points but argues against itself many times. If the Polynesians were to make a trip from Polynesia or Hawaii it would be a journey into the abyss with uncertainty. A small boat of that caliber is proven to make journeys of that distance or further but still seems very impossible to make the trip more than once. The winds would easily take the Polynessian canoe to California but the trip back wouldn't be as easy. It would really require a knowledge of the winds and currents of a voyage previously never taken. (They would have to know that the wind would take them back to Hawaii or Polynessia).

The boats were crafted in the same manner but were very different in size. One being 10-15 m and the other being 25 ft or longer. This size difference is nearly double. The pictures shown in the article appear to be 4 completely different vessels.

The language similarities for particular words are neither here nor there. It could be a miss understanding of the translation or the words could of been brought over at any time rather than this 1000 year period in which the trips were presumed to be taken.

Mongoloids!

Given the length of the work, Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World, it's almost impossible to come away with your impressions of him unchanged. Weatherford does an excellent job of explaining the changing image of his controversial role in the shaping of history. While praised along with his Mongol companions by contemporary Europeans in the Middle Ages, later his image shifted to that of the cruel asiatic barbarian. Weatherford uses the examples of Chaucer and Robert Bacon, who praised the Great Khan and the Mongols for their implementation of technology and liberal philosophy in the building of a massive land empire. They refer to the Khan's policies of religious toleration, and the practice of incorporating former enemy technology and populace into the protective Mongol fold. His conquests and political centralization made travel routes safer, expanding trade within Asia and linking China with Europe for the first time. This stands in stark contrast with the picture of Genghis Khan the Enlightenment-Era Voltaire gives us, that of the cruel and uncivilized brute jelous of the civilization around him. Perhaps this has much to do with the fact that in the Middle Ages, the cultures of the East were superior to the backwards and backwater kingdoms of Europe. Chinese technology and Muslim medicine far surpassed the superstitions of the West. Eastern armies, such as the highly skilled Mongolian Cavalry, were extremely efficient at building the military and political basis needed for empire. In contrast, the West, still mired in the dark of feudalism and political infighting, marveled at the acomplishments of these asiatic peoples. Fast forward to Voltaire's age, the 18th century, and the situation has completely reversed. The great Ottoman Empire is facing a rapid decline, Imperial China is beginning to falter under Western influence, and the nation-states of Europe have far surpassed the East both militarily and economicaly. Europe was no longer the backwater, but the center of the World and its trade. This is perhaps a reason for the shift in outlook towards the Great Khan, who had subjugated more people in less time than any in history with warriors and vassals that later Europeans would consider barbarians.
Another aspect I found interesting in the work was the fact that Temujin, later Genghis Khan, was able to rise from poverty and slavery to lead an entire band of peoples before he was even twenty years of age. Later before he had even reached middle age he had already subjugated his chief rival Jamuka and united the fledling Mongols into a unified and dangerous power. This is clearly indicative of the harsh life of the steppes, which required rigid discipline and constant vigilance, creating a man out of a boy in no time at all. It's difficult to imagine how fast people were forced to grow up and assume responsibility in the past when most people today at 20 still live under their parents care. From this you can also infer that the steppe tribes placed a high emphasis on outward masculinity and warrior skills, the attributes needed to survive constant warfare and hardship. Their masculine society treated women as a commodity goods, kidnapping and capturing wives much like the herds with which they staked out their life on the plains. Weatherford explains that the life of the steppes revolved around a constant cycle of raiding and recovery, a process the young Khan tried in vain to escape with his love Borte. Using the personal setbacks in his life to give him strength, he was able to unite the peoples of the steppe and break the cycle that had taken so much from him in his youth. Much can be gained from a study of this extraordinary man and the empire he built starting with a felt tent in a Mongolian marshland. If your personal image of the Khan still falls in line with Voltaire's, you still have alot of evidence to back up your stance. Despite this his acomplishments and those of his descendents who ruled China (Yuan), India (Mughal) and Persia for centuries, are worth the awe that inspired Medieval Europe to later take up its place in the World.
For Credit.

The Mongols

What is it about the Mongols that can get them so excited?

The lay of the land

When reading "The Turks In World History" there were several things throughout the first 93 pages that caught my attention. Of those the one that really stuck out in my mind was how the lay of the land (Ecological Zones) effected the Turkish people so much. It really stuck out to me how vastly different the land was from north to south and east to west, and how different the people were in each of these places. This all lead me to think and try to draw a comparison to where I live, and know the most about, North America. Even here the lay out of the land has a distinct influence on how the people are in that area, and the type of people that migrate to that place from other parts of the world or even the country, because it is either similar to where they are from or comfortable to them or even both. For example if you took me being from the south and put me on the west coast I would be totally out of place and vice verse. I think that a lot of the differences in the people here in North America can be traced back to the type of ecological land and environment they live on, just like how it effected the Turkish people.

Wade Lawson

Women in the Quran

The Women who live under the rules and regulations as set forth in the Quran have strict rules governing all aspects of their lives. The Quran is written in direction towards males, and not females although that is who they are adressing. There are specific lines on how to wean a child, to keep away from a women during menstration, that men are rulers of women. Today, the Quran is still widely followed in many parts of the world, focusing in the Middle East. There are many fundamentalist groups that take the Quran word by word today are extremely volatile. But the Quran also gives provisions to children and women who are divorced or widowed to protect them from the perils of the world for women alone. This correlates with the idea of the early Islam treating their women with positions of prestige as merchants, but the basis of the Quran goes against these founding princples. Muslim practices are held with the five pillars of Islam, that include prayer, alms, mecca, fasting, and professed faith. The women of the Quran are strong women that are dominated by male influences, but still find ways to be women of the western world with cosmetics, specifically eyeliner and mascara and eyeshadow, being the best sold products in the Middle East.

Jesus vs Logic-FC

Celsus was either a brave or stupid man of his time, not too many people would have the marbles to say it, "The story of Jesus was fabricated". Celsus uses common sense to question one of the main religions of his time. All the points made were valid to me, but if you are a strong believer in Christianity you would say he was crazy. During this time frame, what better way to make people stay in line than a brighter afterlife. What better way for a leader to justify his decisions with the help of religion that everyone uses. If you worked a crummy job and your home life was not great, what would effect your moral decisions? Religion? Would you steal to feed your family? Stealing is a sin. Would you kill someone to save your life, that is still murder. One thing I can say about mankind is that we are always looking for a brighter afterlife. In order to have that afterlife we need something to believe in and look forward to. Sometimes your mind will overlook the logic in some things to make you a believer.

Lady Murasaki-FC

Anna Villars

Lady Murasaki served as an inside guide to the Japanese elite. I like The Diary of Lady Murasaki because it showed how lives were viewed by the Japanese elite. The main theme of The Diary of Lady Murasaki was aimed towards how everyone had a title and a purpose in the household. Everything seemed precised from the birth of an elite son to ceremonial festivals to the passing out of gifts. Ranks and titles played a major role on how a person was viewed by others. Appearances were a very big deal to see an elite person without being considered proper was a shock. Another main theme of The Diary of Lady Murasaki was how there was competition amongst the elite to being the loudest or the most stylish was how the elite would gain attention and the complaints of their peers.
Lady Murasaki's diary played the role of a modern tabloid. Lady Murasaki mentions people of different ranks on how they acted or dressed. Her main subject was how the elite women would dress according to the occasion from the smallest detail to the embroidery of sleeves to whether the hair should be worn up or down. Lady Murasaki would mention the elite with proper ranking titles when she mentioned them in the diary.
The Diary of Lady Murasaki ties in with class discussion on how the elite would have certain advantages with clothes and culture. The diary mentions the tiger head was presented for the son's first bath. This is an example of trade from China and is another example how the elite would only have rare things that normal people would not have in the country. The diary also mentions how the numerous elite would be kept in the site for the emperor to control his elite he would have to keep them close enough that they would not gain too much power to over take him.
The Diary of Lady Murasaki is a good read for the details of the lives of the elite class of Japan. Although sometimes the titles can be overwhelming it still shows the respect of Lady Murasaki for other elites.

Chapter 3 Wine

I thought it was interesting how at one time wine was a only a drink for the wealthy. Also it was a drink that could have been offered to the Gods but "gradually" over a small amount of time "hundreds of years compared to thousands of years" wine became widespread. This was interesting to me because this still goes on today. Mostly with the technology that we have today. For example, at one time a mobile phones were only for people who had the extra money to buy one. It is amazing how when something becomes popular it spreads like wild fire. But now it is a necessity and it is hard to find somebody without a mobile phone. Another thing I thought was interesting was the amount of money and the time Ashurnasirpal spent on the feast.

Posted by N. Claiborne

Democracy or an Excuse FC

Symposia is looked at as a democratic reality that made all men equal as they drank from the same vessel. By taking part in drinking with like minded men they became equal rather than separation through different levels of water in their wine. Plato's use describes the relationship of students to their teachers through sharing wine, ideas, and philosophy at the symposion. Would this sharing of culture truly be a democratic enterprise if looked upon now? In the cult comedy T.V. show That 70's Show, the young teenagers sit down to get high on marijuana and talk about their ideas, complaints, and just to be apart of a group. If we looked upon wine in a symposia as a break through in democracy, would this meeting of teenagers be a breakthrough in democracy if it was during the same time period or rather just a time to get physically/mentally impared with your best friends?

Campaign Literature from Pompeii- FC

Of today's topics the political campaigns of Pompeii pose to be most interesting. In this reading we see through the numerous campaign slogans that those running for office are asking for the votes of the people. This is unique because we see a society run with order and guidelines that all must follow, the Rule of Law. This reading was different from the other readings in this sense, due to the fact that the other passages showed examples of Rule by Law, where the king/Emperor ruled and was exempt from his own laws. Pompeii was giving the people the choice to pick their political leaders and hold them accountable for their actions. This type of government and the role with which its people play in it sounds a lot like the political system we have hear in the United States , a democracy. Doesn't it to you?

Chavin de Huantar

Reading Resources

For student who takes a class because they are interested in the subject and not just because it is required, here is a reading list of resources available in special topics in world history.

The readings avoid the "tour of the world" or "Disney Small World" approach and are organized according to themes in the way we discussed on the first day of class.

World History Journal

Notice that in the blog linked to the right, World History Journal, that there is a listing of all their posts according to "age." As we are in "Ancient" history right now, some of you may find the posts interesting.

World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland

The World Economic Forum is probably one of the most powerful designers of world destiny, and yet few Americans tend to engage with what his happening in this small resort in the Swiss Alps. For years, many of the major economic decisions of the world, including many of the free trade decisions that affect our lives have been made here (such as the decision to engage in the NAFTA). Our course begins with the smallest unit of human group organization in the hunting and gathering kin groups that transition to cities or nomadic tribes.

Looking more than 7,000 years into the present, is this single meeting (that the Times of London calls a "beanfest of pomp and platitude") a sign that society has "evolved" into something greater such as a world body of mutually respectful humanity, or is it a sign that society has essentially remained the same - with the increase in commerce we see a small cadre of economic elite attempting to dominate society through meetings in resort towns?

Regret?

Utnapishtim's regret makes me wonder if Noah had a ton of regret in the Biblical story or if he was just happy to be alive.

Gilgamesh's longing-FC

I find it very interesting that early in the story Gilgamesh wants to have a legacy. He is concerned about what will be remembered of him after he has passed. He is echoing, thousands of years ago, what seems to be a universal longing of mankind, and that is to leave an impression upon their world, to impact it and change it so that long after we are gone, we will be remembered. Consequently we see Gilgamesh concerned with what hs legacy is going to be. Throughout the ages poems, songs, and stories have been written on this topic but I find it very interesting that thousands of years ago this was also one of the foremost thoughts in the mind of a character in a story pounded out on tablets.

BEER -fc

I think Dr. Dormady was smart with starting us off with beer, definitely something to catch our attention. As college students we see how beer influences our lives every weekend, or every day for some people but I had never thought about when beer was invented only grateful that it had been. The Author I thought had a great approach to the history and how it affected early civilization with how it was a form of payment and celebration, I wish he would have told more if people actually got highly intoxicated from it or could control themselves and got some form of punishment. The Mesopotamians and Egyptians saw beer as a god-given drink but in one part someone says,” Take not upon thyself to drink a jug of beer. Thou speakest, and an unintelligible utterance issueth from thy mouth” I do not think this quote is completely true, yes some people drink too much and start acting stupid but I feel that beer helps people socialize and makes it easier to speak, do other people think this is true or that beer is the origin of stupidity?

Beer- FC

I thought the author of "The History of the World in 6 Glasses," had an interesting approach to world history. The connection to civilization and beer was never in my mind. I think he makes many compelling arguments and his logic is fairly sound. I do have some hesitations. The first would be that most of the substance of the first two chapters, however logical they are, are still in essence speculative. As he points out in the book, the writing he deals with in these chapters are cuneiform and hieroglyphics. Although beer played an important role in the cultures of the time period in which the sources are taken from, it is still in the realm of speculation to assume that it was one of the main factors of the start of civilization. That being said, any arguments on this time period would be speculation and the author does use many sounds arguments that do lead to his conclusion. Thoughts?

FC

He starts us off with beer?

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