Here's hoping for a complete week of school! I apologize for the missed assignment last week - tough luck, I know. I wanted to have our discussion about the death penalty before posting it and we didn't get there until later in the week than I'd anticipated. Thanks for all the distressed messages at the last minute! Although this is Spirit Week (go Cougars!)
please be prepared for an energetic and rigorous work week!
In light of
the amazing uprisings in Tunisia and Egypt over the past two years and the recent news from that region I feel that it is
appropriate to step away from our focus period and take a look at world events.
You might be surprised that the US is so involved in events that seem so far removed from our domestic issues. However, the US has many important interests which must be carefully protected in the Middle East.
Of all the countries to experience significant upheaval in the last two years Egypt is by far the most important to US interests. After extensive protests and riots the Egyptian people unseated a government that had been in control for decades. The regime of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak was a close supporter of
America over the last 30 years and kept peace with Israel (Egypt was the
first Arab country to sign a peace agreement with Israel during the 1980s).
Unfortunately there is ample evidence to suggest that President Mubarak limited the rights of Egyptians (hundreds were arrested and tortured on a weekly
basis, accused of minor crimes) and allowed an economy to develop that has
made a very small minority extremely wealthy (think billionaires) while many
live in terrible poverty (less than $2 a day).
The new government of Egypt was freely elected - a first in the nation's history. Unfortunately, the Muslim Brotherhood, a political party that advocates radical Islamic policies, took power. The US provides Egypt
with about $2.5 billion a year, much of it in military aid (if you've been
watching the events on the news, you've heard the debate about the US giving fighter jets to Egypt - all
of which were produced in the US and paid for by US tax money...yours!). Why
would the US government provide such support? Because Egypt is a loyal ally that
a) has great influence in the area; b) controls the Suez Canal (through which comes much of the
oil that Americans use); and c) is NOT a radical Muslim regime that threatens to
attack Israel.
Of course we had hoped that what came out of the protests would be
a "peaceful transition" to democratic government with greater freedom and
economic opportunity for its citizens. However, in 1979 we witnessed a very
similar chain of events in Iran. It might surprise you to know that Iran was a
very close ally of the US during the time it was ruled by the "Shah", but many
people, especially young radical Muslims, were unhappy with his rule and forced
the Shah to flee the country. It happened so quickly that many American embassy
workers were unable to get out of the country. Most of those US citizens spent
the next 15 months as hostages while President Jimmy Carter unsuccessfully tried to
free them. The hostages were finally released on the very day the President
Ronald Reagan took office, but I'll comment on that in a moment.
Your
homework this week is to research the Iran Hostage Crisis on the link
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/shared/spl/hi/picture_gallery/04/middle_east_iran_hostage_crisis/html/1.stm
. As you examine the photos and read the summary I want you to consider the
possibility that a similar situation could occur in Egypt and answer the
following questions: How should the US react to these events? If you
were speaking for the President, what would you tell the Egyptian citizens?
Considering Iran, what should the US have done to free the hostages? Should the
US military have invaded, given the dangers of starting an all-out war and maybe
causing the execution of the hostages?
I will make a couple of
observations: first, there are those that suspect that Reagan and his team had a
secret deal with the Iranians to keep the hostages in captivity until he became
president. There is absolutely no evidence to prove this but after Carter worked
for their release for more than a year it's embarrassing to some that Reagan
gets the credit. Of course, during the election Reagan had hinted that he would
do whatever it took to get the hostages out, and it's likely the Iranians feared
an immediate attack.
Second, of special significance to us is that one
of the hostages, Terry Waite, is now a professor at UK in the department of
Diplomacy and Foreign Affairs. He is a recognized expert in world politics and
is on major news networks nearly every week informing Americans about current
events.
The requirements of this assignment are exactly the same as
those that preceded it. Have a good week!
Sunday, January 27, 2013
Sunday, January 13, 2013
Homework 2, Due Friday, January 18, 2013
Although this week we will be finishing our coverage of the great reformers who ushered in
the age of Protestantism we will turn our attention a little closer to the modern day for this assignment. In
honor of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. I want to pause to reflect on the
Civil Rights movement as it transpired in the state of Kentucky. While we spend
a great deal more time discussing the topic in US History it is important to
note that the issues of civil rights are very central to the human story of
world history. It is in fact one of the great forces behind the development of
western civilizations - that notion that "all men are created equal, that they
are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights".
The Kentucky Historical Society has constructed a wonderful website dealing with the Civil Rights movement in Kentucky. It can be accessed at the link http://205.204.134.47/civil_rights_mvt/ . The stories that are told are available in print and oral (and sometimes video) format. Browse the topics available and report back on two interviews (include identifying information such as name, location if given, etc.) You can download the free software that will allow you to hear the actual interviews or simply read the transcripts. What do these interviews teach you about life in Kentucky during the era? How different are things today? Is racial inequality still an issue that must be addressed? If so, how? If not, why? Please be respectful in your comments.
For full credit please follow the directions of these assignments completely: a 250 word essay is due on Friday evening. By Sunday evening you will need to have responded to at least two other essays (a total of 150 words in your responses).
The Kentucky Historical Society has constructed a wonderful website dealing with the Civil Rights movement in Kentucky. It can be accessed at the link http://205.204.134.47/civil_rights_mvt/ . The stories that are told are available in print and oral (and sometimes video) format. Browse the topics available and report back on two interviews (include identifying information such as name, location if given, etc.) You can download the free software that will allow you to hear the actual interviews or simply read the transcripts. What do these interviews teach you about life in Kentucky during the era? How different are things today? Is racial inequality still an issue that must be addressed? If so, how? If not, why? Please be respectful in your comments.
For full credit please follow the directions of these assignments completely: a 250 word essay is due on Friday evening. By Sunday evening you will need to have responded to at least two other essays (a total of 150 words in your responses).
Sunday, January 6, 2013
Homework 1, Due January 11, 2013
Welcome back from Christmas break! I hope our class discussions of critical thinking and academic writing have been useful. Learning to write well and make compelling, logical arguments are central goals of any modern education and are skills that will serve you well in the future as you pursue your career. Do your best on this assignment and commit to staying faithful to your homework in the upcoming semester. Your grade depends on it!
As we continue to study the Reformation, this week's homework will give you an opportunity to do some meaningful research. We'll return to www.worldbookonline.com and use the school's subcription: the user id is "scs"; the password is "cougars". Chose the student version (not children) and search for "Reformation". This should provide you with more than 130 articles, several pictures, and a recommended web site.
Your assignment is to research an aspect of the Reformation with which you are unfamiliar and report your findings. Were you living in that era, would you act as the reformers did? Would you be willing to face the powerful resistance for the promotion of what you see as truth? Include the answers to those questions in your response.
As before, your essay must be at least 250 words in length and must be posted by midnight on Friday evening. You must respond to at least two other essays (a total of 150 words in response, due by midnight Sunday evening). Please be respectful and thoughtful with your comments. Have a great week!
As we continue to study the Reformation, this week's homework will give you an opportunity to do some meaningful research. We'll return to www.worldbookonline.com and use the school's subcription: the user id is "scs"; the password is "cougars". Chose the student version (not children) and search for "Reformation". This should provide you with more than 130 articles, several pictures, and a recommended web site.
Your assignment is to research an aspect of the Reformation with which you are unfamiliar and report your findings. Were you living in that era, would you act as the reformers did? Would you be willing to face the powerful resistance for the promotion of what you see as truth? Include the answers to those questions in your response.
As before, your essay must be at least 250 words in length and must be posted by midnight on Friday evening. You must respond to at least two other essays (a total of 150 words in response, due by midnight Sunday evening). Please be respectful and thoughtful with your comments. Have a great week!
Monday, December 10, 2012
Homework 6, Due December 14, 2012
Your assignment this week will be the last of the semester - you're almost halfway done! This week we will be discussing the English Civil War known as the War of the Roses. Your assignment is to research a battle or important individual and report your findings. You will find important information to get you started at the site http://warsoftheroses.com/ . Remember that you will receive no points for plagiarized material! The requirements for this assignment are exactly the same as those that preceded it. I hope you enjoy it!
Sunday, December 2, 2012
Homework 5, Due December 7, 2012
The purpose of this class is to teach you valuable information
about our western culture and cause you to think more deeply about our present
and future. In this week's assignment we will continue our study of the Renaissance,
specifically focusing on the tremendous art work that was created. I would like
you to begin by reading an overview of the period found at the link
http://www.learner.org/interactives/renaissance/ and comparing the Renaissance
period to today. How are we different? How are we alike?
Then look at the artwork found at http://history.hanover.edu/courses/art/111ren.html . Select a single piece of artwork that appeals to you and introduce it in your essay. Who was the artist and when was the work created? Where was the work created/where is it today (if it is mobile)? Why does this particular piece appeal to you?
The requirements for this assignment are exactly the same as those for all preceding assignments. God bless!
Then look at the artwork found at http://history.hanover.edu/courses/art/111ren.html . Select a single piece of artwork that appeals to you and introduce it in your essay. Who was the artist and when was the work created? Where was the work created/where is it today (if it is mobile)? Why does this particular piece appeal to you?
The requirements for this assignment are exactly the same as those for all preceding assignments. God bless!
Sunday, November 25, 2012
Homework 4, Due Nov 30, 2012
Welcome back from Thanksgiving break! Only a few weeks left in the semester, so
be sure to keep up with your assignments! We'll be studying some very
interesting history over the next few weeks, and I know you'll be interested in
some of the individuals we discuss. One such individual is a true "Renaissance
Man" - Galileo.
As most of you already know, Galileo was, among other things, a scientist who was tried for an unusual crime (by today's standards) - teaching "non-biblical" beliefs, namely that the earth orbited the sun! Although he was convicted and forced to publicly declare that he had been wrong, he was never tortured or imprisoned (his principle punishment was the requirement that he do penance, which his daughter did for him). Since no equipment had been invented that allowed anyone to see the orbits, both sides based their arguments on other things, such as math (both sides were wrong) and the interpretation of scriptures. So how did this get started?
As we learned previously, the discovery of ancient Greek and Roman history by the Crusaders absolutely revolutionized Europe. In a few short centuries Europe would go from being woefully primitive in comparison to the Arabs, Chinese and Indians (people from India), to being the dominant military, commercial, and educational force in the world. However, it's important to point out the the ancient Greeks and Romans weren't exactly foolproof - their own information was sometimes nothing more than an educated guess. The biggest perpetrator was Aristotle himself. The great man is responsible for so much wisdom and creativity, but his greatest contributions to history are probably the things he got wrong! For example, he believed that the heart circulated air through the body, not blood. For centuries, despite the increasing evidence to the contrary, many people refused to accept the fact that Aristotle was wrong. And he had another guess that was wrong also - the order of the universe.
Aristotle was at least inciteful enough to realize that many of the ancient myths about the night sky were wrong, but he was responsible for convincing many people that the earth stood still and the sun, moon and stars orbited around it. The Egyptian astronomer Ptolemy claimed to have proof that Aristotle was right (therefore the earth-centered theory was called the Ptolemaic Model). When this theory was brought back from the Crusades in the 1300s, many Europeans automatically accepted that it was true, and even found scripture that, the believed, backed up his assertions. For example, Psalm 93:1: “Thou hast fixed the earth immovable and firm ...” and Psalm 96:10: “He has fixed the earth firm, immovable ...”.
Although the 16th century astronomer Copernicus described a "heliocentric", or sun-centered, universe as being the only model that explained the movement of the stars, by the time people were exposed to this view the Ptolemaic Model was considered sacred. When Galileo Galilei came along, he wrote a book called "Dialogues Concerning Two New Sciences" in which he had two smart characters (one believed the Copernican Model, the other was smart enough to listen to him) and one character that was obviously supposed to be simple (named Simplicio), and he argued for the geocentric model with ridiculous and shallow arguments. It was open opposition to what the Catholic Church held to be true, and the dumb character seemed to resemble the Pope (Galileo's longtime, and soon to be ex-, friend).
Galileo's trial in the 1630s was complex because a great deal of politics was involved and ended in the manner I mentioned earlier. Within fifty years of his death the Catholic Church reversed its decision and embraced the Copernican Model (of course, we know now that neither the sun nor the earth is fixed, nor is our solar system the center of the universe). Why it concerns us today is that we still face questions about the compatability of scripture and science. While many people today embrace faulty science in order to argue that the Bible isn't true, we Christians have seen over and over that science proves the Bible's teaching.
Your assignment this week is to consider the story of Galileo and answer the following questions: How should Christians have acted toward the Copernical Model in the 1600s, and why? If the scriptures in Psalms do not imply that the earth literally stands still, what do they mean? (you'll need to read the verses around them for context). And, finally, what can Christians do today to ensure that mistakes like these don't occur again?
I look forward to reading your answers. The requirements for this assignment are exactly as those that have preceded it. Thanks and have a good week!
As most of you already know, Galileo was, among other things, a scientist who was tried for an unusual crime (by today's standards) - teaching "non-biblical" beliefs, namely that the earth orbited the sun! Although he was convicted and forced to publicly declare that he had been wrong, he was never tortured or imprisoned (his principle punishment was the requirement that he do penance, which his daughter did for him). Since no equipment had been invented that allowed anyone to see the orbits, both sides based their arguments on other things, such as math (both sides were wrong) and the interpretation of scriptures. So how did this get started?
As we learned previously, the discovery of ancient Greek and Roman history by the Crusaders absolutely revolutionized Europe. In a few short centuries Europe would go from being woefully primitive in comparison to the Arabs, Chinese and Indians (people from India), to being the dominant military, commercial, and educational force in the world. However, it's important to point out the the ancient Greeks and Romans weren't exactly foolproof - their own information was sometimes nothing more than an educated guess. The biggest perpetrator was Aristotle himself. The great man is responsible for so much wisdom and creativity, but his greatest contributions to history are probably the things he got wrong! For example, he believed that the heart circulated air through the body, not blood. For centuries, despite the increasing evidence to the contrary, many people refused to accept the fact that Aristotle was wrong. And he had another guess that was wrong also - the order of the universe.
Aristotle was at least inciteful enough to realize that many of the ancient myths about the night sky were wrong, but he was responsible for convincing many people that the earth stood still and the sun, moon and stars orbited around it. The Egyptian astronomer Ptolemy claimed to have proof that Aristotle was right (therefore the earth-centered theory was called the Ptolemaic Model). When this theory was brought back from the Crusades in the 1300s, many Europeans automatically accepted that it was true, and even found scripture that, the believed, backed up his assertions. For example, Psalm 93:1: “Thou hast fixed the earth immovable and firm ...” and Psalm 96:10: “He has fixed the earth firm, immovable ...”.
Although the 16th century astronomer Copernicus described a "heliocentric", or sun-centered, universe as being the only model that explained the movement of the stars, by the time people were exposed to this view the Ptolemaic Model was considered sacred. When Galileo Galilei came along, he wrote a book called "Dialogues Concerning Two New Sciences" in which he had two smart characters (one believed the Copernican Model, the other was smart enough to listen to him) and one character that was obviously supposed to be simple (named Simplicio), and he argued for the geocentric model with ridiculous and shallow arguments. It was open opposition to what the Catholic Church held to be true, and the dumb character seemed to resemble the Pope (Galileo's longtime, and soon to be ex-, friend).
Galileo's trial in the 1630s was complex because a great deal of politics was involved and ended in the manner I mentioned earlier. Within fifty years of his death the Catholic Church reversed its decision and embraced the Copernican Model (of course, we know now that neither the sun nor the earth is fixed, nor is our solar system the center of the universe). Why it concerns us today is that we still face questions about the compatability of scripture and science. While many people today embrace faulty science in order to argue that the Bible isn't true, we Christians have seen over and over that science proves the Bible's teaching.
Your assignment this week is to consider the story of Galileo and answer the following questions: How should Christians have acted toward the Copernical Model in the 1600s, and why? If the scriptures in Psalms do not imply that the earth literally stands still, what do they mean? (you'll need to read the verses around them for context). And, finally, what can Christians do today to ensure that mistakes like these don't occur again?
I look forward to reading your answers. The requirements for this assignment are exactly as those that have preceded it. Thanks and have a good week!
Monday, November 12, 2012
Homework 3, Due November 16, 2012
As we've studied the history of Christianity in the days of the Roman Empire and
the centuries after its fall, I hope you've had an opportunity to consider the
incredible price that was paid by early Christians as they faced terrible
persecution for their beliefs. The bravery of these men and women is astounding,
and modern Christians should be mindful that we have the Word of God preserved
only by His grace and their faithfulness. Of course, people are still being
martyred and imprisoned today for their Christian beliefs.
This week I'd like you to research a Christian martyr and share his/her story along with a personal lesson we can learn from them. Here are a couple of good websites you can access to begin your work.
http://www.biblebelievers.com/foxes/findex.htm
http://www.allaboutfollowingjesus.org/voice-of-the-martyrs.htm
Remember that your response must be at least 250 words and that you must respond to at least two others (a total of 150 words). Failure to complete your homework assignments can have a dire effect on your grade!
This week I'd like you to research a Christian martyr and share his/her story along with a personal lesson we can learn from them. Here are a couple of good websites you can access to begin your work.
http://www.biblebelievers.com/foxes/findex.htm
http://www.allaboutfollowingjesus.org/voice-of-the-martyrs.htm
Remember that your response must be at least 250 words and that you must respond to at least two others (a total of 150 words). Failure to complete your homework assignments can have a dire effect on your grade!
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