Homework 1, Due October 22, 2010

As we continue our discussion of the history of Rome I want you to consider the enormous amount of dedication and sacrifice it must have taken for the democratic system to have been adopted - and then notice how quickly the Romans lost it with the dawn of the age of emperors. The right to choose our representatives in government is sacred and includes an incredible responsibility. Voters absolutely must make an honest effort to understand the issues and carefully consider the longterm effects of the proposed plans in order to make a reasonable choice. For example, polls conducted this week on college campuses in states where key elections are being held found that many of the students were unaware of the positions of the candidates - on issues the students said they cared about! (I suppose we can all be thankful that the youth voter turnout is consistently low).

This week's assignment is an exercise in democracy. I want you to visit the site http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/2010_Elections/page?id=10476449 to view an analysis of the upcoming election. Then I want you to choose any election on the ABC News site and report back on it. Who is the incumbent, who is the challenger (include the party affiliation) and who does ABC News think will win? Then find a news story about the campaign and share what you learn (cite your source). Finally, tell us who you think should be elected (or good/bad points about both candidates if you wish to keep your politics a secret).

Remember that the minimum requirement is 200 words - you don't have to write a book! Your responses to your classmates have been good; keep up the good work!

Homework 8, Due October 15, 2010

For the next couple of weeks we will be studying the greatest western empire of all time - the empire of ancient Rome. So much of western culture is derived from Rome - our languages, laws and politics, and even forms of recreation. Of course, as you've already noted, Rome was built on the heritage of other cultures that came earlier, but nowhere else do we see all these special western traits come together quite like the Roman empire. You might know, for example, that the Italian, French, Spanish, Portuguese, and Romanian languages are all derived from the old Latin (called "vulgar Latin" because it was the language of the common people). You might even know that half of the modern English language is directly descended from the vulgar Latin (we'll discuss why when we talk about the history of England). But did you know that most of the major European cities today are built on the locations of Roman military forts? At the peak of the Roman Empire, not only did Rome control the Mediterranean world and the Middle East, but also North Africa and almost all of western Europe.

If you are a native of Kentucky it is likely that you have very little Roman ancestry, however. It is more likely that your ancestors (and mine) were uncivilized people like the Gaelic (or Celtic) or Germanic tribes. So how did the culture of Rome become the basis for the culture for all the rest of the European people groups? Well, that's an important topic we'll discuss in lecture over the next few days.

Your assignment for this week is to research life in ancient Rome and identify ways that Romans were SIMILAR TO residents of modern Somerset. Go to www.worldbookonline.com (choose the student section) and find the article "Rome, ancient" (found at the link http://worldbookonline.com/student/article?id=ar474350&st=life+in+ancient+rome ). You will have to sign in to World Book: your id is "scs" and your password is "cougars". Identify and discuss two topics of similarities that you find.

Remember that your essay must be at least 200 words and you must leave comments on the essays of at least two others (totally 150 words). Your essays are due Friday evening by midnight; the responses are due Sunday evening by midnight. Give it your best effort!

Fall Break, October 4-8, 2010

Hope you are enjoying your fall break! There is no new assignment this week; however, for those of you who have missing assignments from previous weeks, here's your chance for make up work. Under THIS POST ONLY, submit your essay, being careful to label it (include the homework number and original due date). Essays must be at least 400 words in length and can earn you up to 50% credit (which is far better than the zero you currently have!).

See you next Monday!

Homework 7, Due Friday October 1, 2010

Perhaps the most important contribution of ancient Greece to modern western culture is the concept of government "by the people." Throughout history in many cultures the ability to govern has belonged to powerful minorities that maintained their position by dominating society with overwhelming power. This concept led to abuses and inequalities that could usually only be corrected by revolution and violence. The Athenians imagined a new power structure - one that can best be described as an "employee government". Government officials are "hired" by the citizens and can be "fired" just as easily.

The practice of democracy in Greece was not exactly like the democracies of today. Because the citizens of a city-state like Athens lived in a relatively small geographic region it was possible for the decision makers to meet in a public forum to discuss the pressing concerns of the day. Imagine if you will what it would be like if all the decisions concerning taxes, war, and building projects for Pulaski County were made in public votes held at the Center for Rural Development. Can you imagine the community involvement and the passionate advocacy that would take place? By comparison, in the modern US democratic system the citizens are so spread out that it is impossible for a meeting, and often people feel that decisions made in government only barely affect them. That's why we choose representatives to speak for us in Frankfort and Washington, D.C.

This week's assignment is to visit the following British Broadcasting Company website and read about government in ancient Greece:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ancient/greeks/greekdemocracy_01.shtml

Answer the questions: Should democracy be updated to better serve US citizens? With the invention of the internet, should the process be changed, and, if so, how?

Your work this past week was especially good - keep it up! Have a good week.

Homework 6, Due September 24, 2010

This week we will continue our study of ancient Greece. The assignment will take us away from ancient history, however, and cover current events in Greece, giving us the opportunity to become familiar with modern news sources. You should remember that the media, while providing our primary source of information about the world around us, is made up of people just like any of the rest of us - usually having beliefs and causes we'd like others to follow as well. You should read every article with the question in mind: "What is the author's argument (point) and should I agree?" For instance, research has shown that members of the modern US media tend to be somewhat more liberal than the rest of the US population, and often those liberal beliefs are subtly reflected in their writing. Rember, there is no law against having an opinion, and the media is under no obligation to refrain from trying to influence you. It is up to you to read carefully and apply the lessons of critical thinking before you form your own opinions.

Go to the link http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1987368,00.html and read the recent Time Magazine article dealing with current events in Greece. After reading the article search the web for other quality news sources that discuss these events. In your essay, summarize the events of the article and state your opinion as to why these events are happening. Answer the question: Could this happen in the US? Why or why not?

Some of you have fallen behind in your homework. Remember that this will have a detrimental impact on your grade! For those of you who have stayed on top of your assignments, congratulations on your efforts and learning to manage your time successfully. Have a good week!

Homework 5, Due September 17, 2010

After reading your essays this past week I am proud of the work you all are doing. Your comments have been good also, especially considering that the subject matter has not been controversial (which would be easier to generate differing opinions about the issues). So, keep up the good work!

This week's assignment will focus on Egypt and the Middle East in the modern era. Here are a list of significant events, people, and issues from the last 100 years. Choose ONE to research and report for your essay. Remember that your essay need only be 200 words (no less), and your responses must total at least 150 words.

Six-Day War
Intifada
First Gulf War
Anwar El Sadat
Yitzhak Rabin
Yasser Arafat
Golda Meir
Camp David Accords
Oslo Accords

Research your topic and then report your findings. Answer the question "Why is this person/event/issue significant to world history?" Remember to cite your sources (you may use the web sites we've explored in previous assignments or search for information elsewhere, but be careful about websites you visit! I look forward to reading your work!

Homework 4, Due September 10, 2010

For this week’s assignment we are going to get more practice doing basic research. Go to www.worldbookonline.com and sign in. Your log in id is “scs” (no quotes, no punctuation) and the password is “cougars”. Enter the World Book Student site and search for articles related to the history of Egypt. There are few requirements as to the topic – find something that interests you. You will need to reference an article and a related table, map, or special report in your essay. Be sure to fully cite your references (don’t just name the website, but list the website, article name and author, and date you read it).

Some of you have been writing essays that are nearly a thousand words long. Congratulations overachievers! However, you are overworking me – so stop. The minimum is 200 words and your essay should be at least that long if you want credit. However, feel free to put a sock in it after getting your point across. That will be greatly appreciated!