Genghis Khan

Based on the biography of Genghis Khan's life, I believe that he can be interpreted in both ways. I say that he is both a psychopath and leader at the same time. From the biography, the historians concluded that Genghis experienced situations in his life that made him change and become what he was known for; an example would be when nine year old Genghis lost his father from poisoning. Following this event, Genghis started changing into someone else that people feared. Another example would be that Genghis killed his half-brother over a quarrel between fish; this further showed his ruthlessness. Genghis is also the greatest leader because of the amazing accomplishments that he achieved such as defeating various nomadic tribes and picking the best soldiers/strategies. However, even though Genghis did these things, he still faced situations that made him desperate in order to survive or achieve his goal. For example, when one of the nomadic tribes attacked Genghis' tribe, he quickly escaped with the most important people (family, best soldiers, etc), but he left behind his wife. So, knowing all of this information, I consider Genghis to be geared not completely toward a certain end of the human spectrum, but someone whose characteristics change based on the events of a given time.  

Life On An Early Medieval Manor - "Capitulary de Villis"

In my opinion, the material life and conditions within the Carolingian countryside were very good. However, this "good" only applied to the rich who had stewards and could afford all the luxuries of their estates. The conditions were kept especially clean to please the lords, while there were so many materialistic goods within the house unimaginable. For example, the living quarters included not only standard sleep equipment such as beds and pillows, but so many other items such as tables, benches, weapons, etc; nothing you'd find in a ordinary home. The amount of goods estates give a good impression on the power of the owners. Overall, the "Capitulary de Villis" was most beneficial to the stewards because it told them how and what to do in estates, but at the same time, this decree also was used by the lords to gain more wealth and power.

Postclassical India and Western Europa Map

Tang and Sui Map

Mathematics vs. Religion

1. The overall selection proves that math doesn't have much connection to religious aspects of science. The selection points out the main issues with math. Islamic values didn't have much say on the sciences of the world. In fact, they really didn't do much against mathematics as they never really detested or endorsed it.

2. Al-Ghazzali says that mathematics and religion should be separated because math involved concrete evidence and facts whereas religion is based off of faith. He mentions that math has things that cannot be argued against because there is nothing to fight against if the thing you're fighting are facts, while religion can be interpreted in many different ways; there is no right answer. Overall, neither of the two directly affect one another in a positive or negative way, so he believes that they should be kept separate.

Al-Ghazzali and Plato: Truths

Al-Ghazzali and Plato's stories are similar in that both try to understand the "truth" of life. They both went away on their own path to try to understand the meaning. However, even though they both tried to understand the truth of life, they differed in how they approached it. Al-Ghazzali's work involved a majority of religious aspects while Plato's didn't. Plato believed in that finding the truth comes through contemplation and reality, while Al-Ghazzali uses Allah as a guide to truth.

Constantinople and Baghdad From Benjamin of Tudela

In the views of Benjamin of Tudela, he gives many similarities of the both of these magnificent cities. Both of the cities are overflowing with wealth and prosperity which is the greatest known factor of these places. As stated by Benjamin, he says that each of the cities were filled with precious and important metals such as gold and silver. Because of the cities' immense wealth and prosperity, they've attracted many types of people such as merchants. Also, similarly in both cities were the types of religious figures although not the same faith. In Constantinople, there was the Pope who ruled over Rome and the church. In Baghdad, there was a person known as the Caliph, who was the leader the Muslim religion and everyone obeyed him. However, Constantinople differs from Baghdad in that it doesn't focus on helping needy people, it only improves already well off things such as luxury. In Baghdad, the Caliph helped all poor peoples and improved life for all classes.

Map of Byzantine Empire and Dar-Al-Islam

The Quran and Its Followers

The teachings of Islam are different than those of Zoroastrians, Jews, and Christians in the fact that it follows another path of worship. In Zoroastrianism, followers only believed in two beings, Ahura Mazda (good god), and Angra Mainyu (bad god), and they had to have good morals to be well off in the afterlife. Also with Judaism and Christianity, having good morals and believing in your faith allowed you to go to the afterlife in peace. The one thing that Zoroastrianism, Judaism, and Christianity have in common is that their religions are not forced on them as in Islamic beliefs. In the Quran, it says that Allah is the only god and everyone has to worship him, if you don't, you damned to a horrible life. By forced, I mean that people had to submit to all of Allah's whims if they wanted to get a chance in the afterlife, and by submission, you have to do everything he says without question.

Justinian's Code

1) What is the role of women in the Byzantine Empire? How do you know?

The role of women throughout the entirety of the Byzantine Empire was one thing: please males. If a woman could do that job successfully in society, then they would fulfill their only true job. Women's rights at this time were very limited, as in they couldn't do nearly half the things men could such as marry according to their own will. Marriage ties in with their role of pleasing males, as in many women who were already married became concubines (mistresses) for them. However, even with all the negative factors against women, there were still some positives. For example, women could remarry if both partners agree to it and they would become a free woman again. Overall, the Byzantine Empire remained a patriarchal society as seen in various places in history.

2) Why does Justinian's background matter when reading this document?

Justinian's background matters when reading this document because of what his previous life used to be before becoming the emperor. In his early life, Justinian was a peasant like the other hundreds of thousands of people living in the empire. Since he used to be a peasant, he knows what it feels like to live with not much in life and he could understand their pain. Justinian would rather do things such as place laws that favored the weak over the powerful because of his knowledge of peasant life.

Catastrophe of the Roman Empire

The wikipedia and I agree with each other. I agree that the reason many empires such as the Roman Empire declined because of various events that plagued it. Events such as invaders and disease led to their downfall. As stated by J.B. Bury, he says, "The gradual collapse of the Roman power...was the consequence of a series of contigent events." Besides the various events like diseases, the Roman's greed for power and land is what also made their empire more unstable. With the amount of land that they controlled, it was nearly impossible to keep all places stable.

Venn Diagram: Fall of Roman Empire and Han Dynasty

The Silk Road: A Simulation Reflection

Today was a rather interesting day. My class tried to play out what life was like during the time when empires used to travel the Silk Road for trading and business. I came to understand that life was not as easy as it looked; in fact, it was the complete opposite. The Silk Road was a dangerous place for all people traveling it because of the many possible negative outcomes that can arise from it. The Silk Road had both its benefits and downfalls for the societies that participated in it. Downfalls included things such as death, being robbed, or even having to hire guards to protect you. Benefits are given to those who can complete their travel safely and properly trade with other societies.


The actual simulation that was done in class today didn't work as planned in my group. My group was robbed and cheated by from other groups. Also, when other societies came to us looking for trade, we couldn't really ask for much or give much because we had lost a lot of money. The amount of cons overpowered the pros in this trading activity about the Silk Road. The greatest cons was the language barrier between societies which made trading nearly impossible and the person who controls the currency of all the societies (banker). The pros were the language advisers who could help trading with different societies easier and the banker who wisely used money. The language adviser in my group was Hammad and the banker was Jay. They both did great jobs, however, there was too many obstacles such as the low number of advisers/bankers to the rest of the class (societies). I want to know how real life advisers and bankers actually did this process because Eurasia has an enormous population and it's not easy to get around. Overall, I believe that this simulation worked wondrous for the class because it properly showed what trading felt like during the early days of the Silk Road. 

The Roman City Video

b) What is the Forum and where is it located? Why is that symbolically significant? What other Classical Era society located politics in this way?

- The Forum was a place of order and it was located at the heart of the Roman city. The Forum was full of life and activity as it contained various buildings such as temples, offices of the government, and theaters. The reason the Forum is so symbolic is because it's the center of attention and where all the main events happen. Another Classical Era society that located politics in the center of the city were the Greeks.

c) How does an aqueduct move water? How is this like or unlike the way a qanat worked in Persia?

- An aqueduct moves water by natural forces. It's used mainly in downward motions and this creates the motion needed to transport or move water to large populations such as cities. Stone blocks were used to build the many arches and supports to move the water to far places. The aqueduct and qanat are similar in that they each transport water through force, but the efficiency is where they split apart.

f) Why can’t Marcus Fabricius marry Aiden? How does this compare to attitudes about marriage in Classical Era India?

- Marcus Fabricius can't marry Aiden because of the fact that she is not a citizen of Rome. This fact relates heavily towards India and their caste system laws. In India, it's said that people can only marry if they're in the same social level (caste), while in Rome, you must be married to someone who has their allegiance to that specific city as you do and no where else.

Rome's Transition?

Rome transitioned from a republic to an empire because of the fact that its society couldn't be properly regulated fairly from the immense size of the land that they occupied.

Everyone in the world has a reason for doing something. In Rome's case, there must have been something else that made the societal laws break apart because order can remain secure under large territory if properly executed.

Greece and India

1. What’s McNeill’s argument?

- McNeill’s argument is that Greece and India developed societies that were different because of their cultural beliefs and structure.

2. How does McNeill define Caste? Does this match up with the textbook’s definition?

- He defines a caste as people who eat properly happily with one another and they marry their family members off. The textbooks definition spoke more about the actual differences physically such as more money or nobility.

3. What three feelings and thoughts helped to maintain the idea of caste:

1. The first was ceremonial purity

2. The second was similarity between people, something along the lines of a community

3. The third was the Varna Doctrine

4. Are these convincing?

- These feelings and thoughts are convincing because in a caste system, everything is based on social and political power. These ideas keep the caste system remaining harsh and strong.

5. Why did caste itself not cause strong political organization to form?

- The caste itself didn't cause strong political organization to form because they revolved around people who were self-centered and greedy. The caste members only were around other caste members instead of governmental organizations.

6. What causes Indian religion to shift from deity pleasing to the act of worship itself?

- The thing that caused Indian religion to shift from deity pleasing to the act of worship itself was praying. The priests or Brahmins of the caste system had integrated into the minds of people that their questions could be answered by the gods and that gave them a lot of power in society.

7. How did the Upanishads change the nature of Indian religion and thus the goals of Indian society?

- The Upanishads changed the nature of Indian religion and thus the goals of Indian society changed because of reincarnation. The main idea of their religion was based on the fact of breaking away from reincarnating and becoming one with Brahma, achieving a peace of mind.

8. How does McNeill define “Territorial Sovereignty?”

- McNeill defines "Territorial Sovereignty" by saying that each state has its own rights and ability to self-govern.

9. Why did Greeks turn away from religion as an explanatory factor in organizing society?

- Greeks turned away from religion as an explanatory factor in organizing society because it only hindered their progress; they couldn't make things up from the imaginations of people, they needed to use facts and state with reality.

10. What was the consequence of the Greeks’ rigid adherence to the polis?

- The consequence of the Greeks' rigid adherence to the polis was that there was no place for agreements, it was either they did something or not.

11. Do you buy his argument? Why or why not?

- The main idea of this article was that India and Greece are different societies. I agree that this argument is good because McNeill explains in detail why both these societies are different. In India, religion and social classes was more important than in Greece, whereas in Greece, trade and economy was more.

Alexander's Conquests

Aegean Sea Region

Alexander The Great: Was He Really "Great"?

After hearing and watching about all of what Alexander did, I believe he truly deseves the title: "The Great." He thought of and planned out various battles and conquests throughout his lifetime. It's almost unreal to believe that his influence spread over to many parts of the world such as the Middle East area. To become a great leader, that takes decades worth of experience. As history has shown, young rulers that don't know much of the world around them will easily be defeated by foreign enemies or internal conflict. Alexander is an exception to this, in his twenties, Alexander managed to do all these amazing feats. However, as all great people, there are always critiques about them. In Alexander's case, it was his heavy drinking ability. People believed that Alexander's character was too carefree and dangerous, but I believe that he always had a reason to do something. Alexander and his armies became drunk against foreign enemies in order to become more offensive and fearless. The title: "The Great" doesn't come into the hands of every ruler, only the wisest and most cunning individuals earn it. Overall, I believe that Alexander of Macedon earned his fame through effort and the urge to never give up

Bhagavad Gita!

According to the Bhagavad Gita, the Caste systems flow smoothly in a certain path for each individual. For example, in the passage, it states, "As a man, casting off old clothes, puts on others and new ones" (The Bhagavad Gita). Anyway, between the teachings of Zarathustra and Confucius, there are various connections that can be made. In the teachings of Zarathustra and the Bhagavad Gita, there is the mention of a soul which is the connection of similarity between them. However, the difference is that in the Bhagavad Gita's teachings, everyone has to be detached from their desires such as winning, while in Zarathustra's teachings, people can enjoy life, but only in moderation. Also, in Zarathustra's teachings, there is a needing to save the soul, whereas in the Bhagavad Gita, it says that all souls of people are reincarnated into something different. With Confucianism and Bhagavad Gita, the connections are that they both believe in a certain way to live life effectively ("The Way" with Confucianism, while "Detachment" with Bhagavad Gita).  They contrast by exactly what people do to live their lives; Confucianism involved avoiding both religion and metaphysics, while the Bhagavad Gita greatly had to do with religion as its core element.

The Indian Invention of Arabic Numerals!

The Indian invention of Arabic numerals are so important because they changed how societies around the world thought and lead to different possibilities of creativity. These Arabic numerals are basically the root or standard for the rest of the world and they're efficient and easy to use because of their simplicity. Also, not only did mathematics in general develop greatly, but other fields involving math like astronomy were also improved.

Map of China

Ideas To Prevent Destruction: The Han Empire

Throughout the history of Han empire, there were many problems that completely destroyed it from the inside out. For example, there was the problem of land distribution, the rich were not helping the peasants, and rebellion/banditry was happening everywhere. Even after the era of Wang Mang, the newly established Han empire still followed the same pattern of destruction. If I was in Wang Mang or Han Wudi's shoes, I would come up with various ways to protect the interests of the emperor and the empire as a whole. For the problem of land distribution, I would cut the amount of taxes inflicted upon the peasants and give them money to pay off their debts. After this, I would implement various laws that reduced the power of the wealthy and helped the people in need (peasants). Such laws would include things like abolishing slavery, equal land distribution, and equal rights. As for the issue of rebellion/banditry, these problems would slowly vanquish as stability would overcome the empire. If such problems didn't cease, I would simply call for a meeting with the high class ministers to discuss each major problem, and then go on from there to solving them. Finally, the worst trend in all of these empires has been the greed and selfishness of the emperor and their families. If they gave some kind of respect or helping hand towards their people, then various emperors would've lived longer and more happily. Also, each new empire or dynasty that forms does the exact same thing as the previous, which doesn't promote any advancement in society or life in general. The Han empire collapsed because of it's inability to protect its people and if my ideas were considered, then such ruthless rebellions and destruction of lives would've never happened.

Daoism Is...?

After the reading of various Daoist writings, I believe the true meaning of Daoism is that all humans should be simple in their daily lives and respect the world (nature) around them.

Confucianism

1) Is this a religion or not?  Why do you think so?

- I believe that Confucianism is not a standard religion. It's not a religion because it's only made up of ideals and beliefs, things that all religions imply in their own way. In Confucianism, it only tells people what Confucius believed from his life and experiences. These ideals and beliefs are just opinion based and they deal with life of ordinary people in societies.

2) Does this reading support the idea that people are born good/bad/neutral? Refer to three examples (using the book, section and line number as the citations) that support your point of view.

- This reading does support the idea that people are born, bad, and even neutral. However, even though some types of people are born in a certain way, outside influences can affect the development of a person. For example, Confucius talks about society and oppression. He writes, "Advance the upright and set aside the crooked, then the people will submit. Advance the crooked and set aside the upright, then the people will not submit" (Book II: Chapter XIX, Confucius). When talking about the different types of people in the world, whether they are good, bad, or neutral, Confucius always talked in a positive way, he always thought of the best circumstances. For example, he says, "I will not be afflicted at men's not knowing me; I will be afflicted that I do not know men" (Book I: Chapter XVI, Confucius). Since Confucius believed in a positive, good way, the teachings he brought to his people were long-lasting into the future. One of the most important teachings of Confucius had to do with the appearance and knowledge of people. He says, "Fine words and an insinuating appearance are seldom associated with true virtue" (Book I: Chapter III, Confucius). Overall, Confucius taught to the people, (good, neutral, or bad) that anyone can change, it's just how much devotion and effort they put in.    

Maps of Persia

Passage Response: Zarathustra on Good and Evil

Zarathustra makes the assumptions that human nature and the capacity of humans to make good choices are all linked together. He talks about how Ahura Mazda will shower you with praise and righteousness, but Angra Mainyu will take your soul and corrupt you forever. The passage states, "These are the Good and the Evil, in thought, and in word, and in deed" (Irani). Zarathustra is also saying that humans will naturally do the right thing because of the certain rewards that will be offered to them, such as going to paradise. He believes that people will error in their ways when the evil spirit of Angra Mainyu brings destruction. Overall, Zarathustra believed that doing the right things in life is the best path to follow because it benefits all humans and influences good morals that are passed down in younger generations.

Copy of Peer Response

Hello, this is Prateek. Manas's skull was on Mesopotamia. Okay, so there are two things that I liked about Manas's project. One thing I liked was the fact that he made all his pictures very neat. I also liked how each internal and external picture was placed next to each other to make clearer distinctions. Two ways that Manas could have improved in was trying to find deeper connections in his region. Also, maybe elaborating a little more on some of the drawings. So, a similarity between ours would be the fact that we drew each internal/external picture in a way that made it easier for readers to quickly understand. A difference between ours would be that mine is a little more detailed as it shows more of what's happening in each picture. One last thing, I was wondering why you didn't fully write out all the information that should have been in the key? Overall, I believe that you did a great job, Manas, and I hope you continue writing good works of art later on.

History Skull Project

 

This is the History Skull Project!
The other people in my group were: Hammad Sadiq, Harsha Chittoor, and Jay Patel.
Latin America is the region that my group was assigned to.

Theme #1 - In this picture, it's talking about agriculture for the Olmec people. In the skull, the picture shows a man working on his field. Outside the skull, the picture shows people looking at villages prospering because of the surplus of food from agriculture. I made this choice because it shows the true meaning of how early people in Latin America lived and thrived. I believe this picture best represents the life of the average human in Latin America because foraging became hard from the lack of certain animals such as cows and chickens, so agriculture became the better method of food supply.

Theme #2 - In this picture, it's talking about the development of architecture in Latin America. In the skull, the picture shows laborers carrying large blocks down from a pyramid and this shows how they made such great architectural achievements. Outside the skull, the picture shows a ruler who is making the laborers build a head statue. I made this choice because it shows how elites had so much power and they could get anything they wanted. The picture best represents the life of the average humans in Latin America because it gives a vivid image of how life was back then.

Theme #3 - In this picture, it's talking about conflict that rose between different people in Latin America. In the skull, the picture shows a man from another village plotting to attack the king of another. Outside the skull, the picture shows the outsiders killing a king from another village. I made this choice because it shows how disputes between different peoples led to wars and conquering of other villages. The picture best represents how people solved their problems and gained knowledge.

Theme #4 - In this picture, it's talking about trading of people in Latin America. In the skull, the picture shows workers using obsidian and jade into making various things such as jewelry and sharp objects. Outside the skull, the picture shows two people from different places in Latin America trading goods that they each don't naturally have. I made this choice because it shows how different people interacted with others and how relationships were formed. The picture best represents the life of the average humans in Latin America because they were living by what they had and they rest of the world didn't know about the Americas until much later on.

Theme #5 - In this picture, it's talking about social classes in the Olmec society. In the skull, the picture shows laborers building a giant head for the elite. Outside the skull, the picture shows laborers bowing to the king's every whim. I made this choice because it shows how society was similar to other societies across the world and the unfairness of the social classes. I believe this picture best represents the life of the average humans in Latin America because there wasn't much option for laborers and people of lower classes than to serve the elites.