Essay 1 What is history (west civ proj)

There are four main theories for explaining history. These include Linear, Cyclic, Hegelian, Vortex theories. History is the study of past human events so that people can discover their causes and plan for the future. By studying history we can better predict reoccurrences and important events (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History). Out of the four theories I believe that the Vortex theory best describes how history works in the world. I will briefly explain each theory and provide some examples to back up my decision.

The first type of history is linear history. This type of history is similar to a time line. Something occurs and then something else occurs after the first. The two occurrences are linked because the second occurrence happened because the first occurrence took place or there was a cause and than its effect occurred after. This type of history is more commonly accepted in the West. The implication of this theory is that we only have one chance to do things right and this idea is also backed up in Christian religious teaching and in the Holy Bible which does not believe in reincarnation. This idea is not universal among all people. I do not believe that this is the correct type of history because it does not account for why the historical instances occur when they do (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philosophy_of_history).

The second type of history is cyclic history. This type of history has a repeating cycle of occurrences. This theory is more common is the East. In some cultures cyclical history is not only the reoccurrence of events, it also can include reincarnation. This means that a person is born, dies, and then is reincarnated into another body. With this theory of history it is impossible to decide where it should begin. This is why it is a never ending repeating cycle. It is impossible to tell if you are born first because you cannot be born without being reincarnated, you cannot be reincarnated without dying, and you cannot die without being born. The implication of this theory is that people can be reborn until they do right in the world and this is backed up by the Buda’s teachings and India’s ancient calendar made up of four ages that make up the Great Year. The Great Year is said to last over 4 million normal solar years and is characterized by growth in the power of evil. Human experiences can be similar which makes us think that history is repeating itself, when it really is not. I do not believe that cyclical history is the correct type of history because it has little evidence in its favor (http://www.hyperhistory.net/apwh/essays/comp/cw01cyclicalhistorylinear.htm).

The third type of history is Hegelian’s theory of history. This theory was thought of by German the philosopher and also historian, George Frederick Hegel (see #1 picture on the left from http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:SBZ_1948_225_Georg_Wilhelm_Friedrich_Hegel.jpg). This theory uses an equation to explain his history. It is Thesis + Antithesis = Synthesis. This theory shows that a situation leads to another situation and those two situations lead to one out of many possible outcomes. The implication of this theory is that a small occurrence can add up to create a much larger outcome that affects history its self. An example of this was when Hegel explained the Louis XVI’s rule over France is a thesis which leads to the French Revolution. That war was the antithesis and both of those created the synthesis of Napoleon reconciling the revolution (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thesis,_antithesis,_synthesis).

The fourth type of history is the vortex theory. I think that the theory of history as a vortex is correct because history acts more like what this theory describes. That idea of history can be explained by a funnel. At a specific time the funnel begins to get wider. It will continue to grow until it reaches its maximum size. After that is will get skinnier and skinnier until it stops shrinking. Then is continues to grow larger again. This was thought of by William Butler Yeats (see # 2 picture on the left from http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:William_Butler_Yeats_1.jpg) and is similar to what happens to an accordion. It took William Butler Yeats many years to put together his hypothesis so that is could be accepted by the world. It explains that history goes from larger to smaller events and then larger or even smaller to larger and then smaller. This is like how the Roman Empire was nonexistent, became a superpower, and then fell. The empire goes from small to large and then small. The implication of this theory is all of man’s civilizations are founded, grow, and then when it is their time they will collapse because nothing can stay the same forever. The flocculations of civilizations show the high and low points of the vortex and is always changing (http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/57550/william_butler_yeats_gyre_system.html?cat=38.associatedcontent.com/article/57550/william_butler_yeats_gyre_system.html?cat=38).

All of the theories have a different way to explain how history works. The linear theory of history explains that history is a line with a beginning and end that does not repeat. The cyclical theory of history explains that history is either a repeating circle of life or in some religions different stages in a long calendar. The Hegel theory of history explains that history starts with two related events that can form many possible outcomes. Finally the vortex theory of history explains that history is not something that repeats or is a line but is an accordion that shows the high and low points of civilization in the world. I believe that the vortex theory is the most accurate of all the theories because it describes consistently what happens to civilizations and explains their beginning, growth, and collapse. I don't believe that a circle with repeating cycles could describe this type of history or even a straight line with a beginning, middle, and end because they leave out the smaller details like the flocculation of human civilizations including their growth and collapse. I believe that Hegel’s theory also cannot properly describe history because his theory only explains how two related occurrences and lead to an outcome. The importance of Hegel’s hypothesis continues to affect our way of thinking to this day.

Sources:

Cyclical and Linear History. Web. 27 Jan. 2010.<http://www.hyperhistory.net/apwh/essays/comp/cw01cyclicalhistorylinear.htm>.

History. Web. 27 Jan. 2010.<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History>.

Philosophy of History. Web. 27 Jan. 2010. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philosophy_of_history>.

Thesis, antithesis, synthesis. Web. 27 Jan. 2010.<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thesis,_antithesis,_synthesis>.

William Butler Yeats' Gyre System. Web. 27 Jan. 2010.<http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/57550/william_butler_yeats_gyre_system.html?cat=38>.

Picture source:

SBZ 1948 225 Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel.jpg. Web. 27 Jan. 2010.<http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:SBZ_1948_225_Georg_Wilhelm_Friedrich_Hegel.jpg>.

William Butler Yeats 1.jpg. Web. 27 Jan. 2010.<http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:William_Butler_Yeats_1.jpg>.

Essay 2 Big Stuff (west civ proj)

Art, monuments, and agriculture all developed thousands of years ago by ancient civilizations. These civilizations include the Harappa civilization and many others in the Fertile Crescent. I will be discussing the origin of art, the development of agriculture, and the creation of large monuments in the Indus Valley and Mesopotamia.

Agriculture was developed around 5500 B.C. when people started forming groups and settling in Europe. They started to grow and harvest wheat and barley. The farmers began to move toward the west. Later some farmers began to use functional (not artistic) pots that weren't painted. The development of farming and the generation of food for harvest lead to the need for a more efficient method of preparing the ground for planting. These early farmers quickly saw the advantage of harnessing the power of oxen to pull the plow. This method of cultivating the ground made farmers more productive. Farming led to cooperation between different people. This cooperation led to the formation of villages. Farming would allow people to make many other advances later in time like the development art and construction of monuments (http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/ht/?period=02®ion=euw#/Key-Events).

Monuments were constructed about 4200 B.C. in Europe when farming had lead to organized groups. Some of those groups created large free standing monuments in northwest Europe. Some of these monuments had rooms inside them. The monuments were constructed out of large blocks of stone. Initially, royalty or privileged members of the communities were buried in mounds along with stone tools like axes. Later, the monuments that were constructed served as tombs for the elite members of the community. They were entombed in the monuments with some of their earthly possessions and beakers containing wine, suggesting a religious implication. These elite people were thought to be warriors who were revered by their peers. The megaliths seemed to honor the important people in that society (http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/ht/?period=02®ion=euw#/Key-Events).

The civilization in the Indus valley became known as the Harappan Civilization (See picture from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Civilt%C3%A0ValleIndoMappa.png ). This civilization was around through the Bronze Age and they were very advanced. This civilization had a wide trade network and traded for many raw materials. The civilization domesticated many animals and crops. They domesticated the water buffalo. They also domesticated cotton, dates, peas, and even sesame seed plants. In the valley, barley and wheat were domesticated and grown. The civilization had large urban cities that were highly developed. They were much more developed than places in ancient Europe at this same time (around 3000 B.C.). They had major cities called Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro in ancient Pakistan. The cities were more advanced than anything in that region and included urban planning and good hygiene. The cities are the earliest example of well thought-out city planning in the world. They are organized on a grid. This grid was likely employed to protect the houses from noise as well as offering a buffer for the citizens to enjoy a bit of privacy. Additionally, there were wells in each home. The well equipped the house with clean water which provided sanitation. The clean water was used for drinking. Many homes also had a room dedicated for bathing. And most houses had drains. The sewer systems took waste water along the streets and out of the city. The waste water was covered to prevent contamination of the wells. Some of the houses had courtyards also. There were large stone walls around the cities. These walls served two purposes. First, they would prevent unwanted intruders. In addition, they severed to stem the frequently occurring flood waters. The city dwellers were most likely traders and even artisans. They made many beautiful pieces of art. Some example of the art includes glazed beads and clay seals with animals, inscriptions, and people carved into them. The residents also made art out of gold, bronze and terracotta. Necklaces and statues were also carved by the artisans. In some towns there were even large temples where people worshiped. These temples could be some of the largest structures in the city. The region used wheeled carts and boats to trade goods to places as far as Greece. Traders would have to travel through barren deserts and across the Mediterranean Sea to accomplish this feat. It is believed that they used their punched coins in their trading interactions. This civilization died out for no apparent reason around the 2000 B.C. Theories for this range from an earthquake like the one recently experienced in Haiti which could have caused an epidemic of disease to the sewer system failure poisoning and killing its residents (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indus_Valley_Civilization).

The civilizations of Mesopotamia were also advanced. These civilizations located there were Sumer, Babylon, Akkadia, and Assyrian empires. These cultures flourished during the Bronze Age. This area became known as the “cradle of civilization”. Sumer is located in the south of Iraq. At about 5000 B.C. this civilization had advanced agricultural techniques. These techniques include large scale cultivation, irrigation, and the employment of laborers especially around the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. Sumer was divided into about twelve city states. Every city state was arranged around a temple with its own patron god. The city states were either ruled by a governor or a king. The Ubaid period began at about 5000 B.C. It featured many advances in art in Mesopotamia. Many types of pottery were created during this period. The Uruk period was after that and it had less styled pottery and more mass production. The Sumer civilization made structures out of mud brick and cement because trees and minerals were uncommon. The houses were often destroyed to make room for others and that raised the elevation of the cities. This civilization was also the first to use writing, the plow, and architectural arches (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sumer).

I believe that change is good over the course of history. As each civilization advances and dies out a more advanced civilization takes its place and uses the last civilization as a stepping stool. The newer civilization uses the advances of the older one to become better. The Sumer and Harappan civilization both died out but much more advanced and powerful ones took their place. The civilizations I listed, all made major contributions like city planning, sewage disposal, water availability, large scale agriculture, writing, religion, and architectural breakthroughs that are still amazing to this day. Change leads to bigger and better things in the world.

Sources

Indus Valley Civilization. Web. 29 Jan. 2010.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indus_Valley_Civilization .

Sumer. Web. 28 Jan. 2010. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sumer.

Western and Central Europe, 8000–2000 b.c. Web. 28 Jan. 2010. http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/ht/?period=02®ion=euw#/Key-Events.

Picture source:

File:CiviltàValleIndoMappa.png. Web. 29 Jan. 2010.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Civilt%C3%A0ValleIndoMappa.png .

You accidentally discover an invention (west civ proj)

If I accedentaly discovered an invention and it could same millions of lives I would put a patent on it first. I would then have the patent secured when I reliease my findings to the public. If I don't wait then my idea will get stolen and I would not get the credit of profet form this idea. I would also not get any of nthe profet from my invention. It would still save millions if lived it it took 3 months longer to get the patent.

Image source:

Light bulb Edison.jpg. Web. 29 Jan. 2010.<http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Light_bulb_Edison.jpg>.

The significance of megaliths (west civ proj)

At about 4200 b.c. farming had lead to organized groupes. Some of those groups created large free standing monuments in northwest Europe. Some of these monumaents had rooms inside them. The monuments were constructed out of large blocks of stone. After this some elite people were buried in mounds along with stone tools like axes. Later some of the elite are buried in tombes along with beakers. These people were thought to be warriors. The megaliths seemed to honor the important people in that society.

Source:

Western and Central Europe, 8000–2000 b.c. Web. 28 Jan. 2010.http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/ht/?period=02&region=euw#/Key-Events.

The significants of the rise of agriculture (west civ proj)

Around 5500 b.c. people started forming groups and settling in Europe. They started to grow and harvest wheat and barley. The farmers began to move towards the west. Later some farmers began to use pots that weren't painted. The development of farming lead to the creating of the ox plow. This plow made farmers more poductive. Farming lead to cooperating between different people and the creation of villages. Farming would alow people to make many other advances later in time.

Source:

Western and Central Europe, 8000–2000 b.c. Web. 28 Jan. 2010.http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/ht/?period=02&region=euw#/Key-Events.

Which theory of history is correct is correct (west civ proj section 1)

I think that the theory of history as a vortec is correct because history acts more like what this theory describes. This was thought of by William Butler and is similar to what hapens to an acordian. It explaines that history gets from larger to smaller and then larger or even smaller to larger and then smaller. This is like how the roman empire was non exestant,became a superpower, and then fell. The empire goes from small to large and then small. This is the most acurate of all the theories because it describles cansistantly what hapens to civilizations. I don't beleive that a circle could describe this type of history or even a straight line.

Notes 1/21/19 West Civ Proj

Ideas of History - History is a line the doesn't repeat. History is cylic that repeats. Hegelian Theory of History is Thesis + Antithesis = Synthesis. William Butler's Vontex theory of history is like a acordian that gets larger, smaller, and larger.

West Civ Project


Hegelian Theory of History


Thesis + Antithesis = Synthesis




Please complete another layer of the chart.




I


Event 1: John, strongest kid in class, doesn't tie his shoes + Event 2: John picks on group of kids, bullying them.




Event 3: = John chases the kids, but slips out of his shoe.






II


Event 1: John sprains his ankle. + Event 2: John gets jumped on the way home from school.


Event 3: John goes to the hospitol.






III


Event 1: John has a broken arm. + Event 2: John needs surgery.




Event 3: John's family doesn't has the money for surgery.