Exam final

Question. Explain why some scholars have called the Ancient Egyptians a "death obsessed" culture. Do you agree?

Thesis: The ancient Egyptians were a death obsessed culture from there a large pyramids honoring pharos to the difficult way they used to preserve their dead.

Primary Source #1:
“The king ascends to the sky among the gods dwelling in the sky. He stands on the great [dais], he hears (in judicial session) the (legal) affairs of men. Re finds thee upon the shores of the sky in this lake that is in Nut (the Sky-goddess). 'The arriver comes !' say the gods. He (Re) gives thee his arm on the stairway to the sky. 'He who knows his place comes,' say the gods. 0 Pure One, assume thy throne in the barque of Re and sail thou the sky. . . . Sail thou with the Imperishable Stars, sad thou with the Unwearied Stars. Receive thou the tribute' of the Evening Barque, become thou a spirit dwelling in Dewat. Live thou this pleasant life which the lord of the horizon lives (Pyr. 1169-72)”

Mircea Eliade "From Primitives to Zen": THE DEAD PHARAOH ASCENDS TO HEAVEN
http://www.mircea-eliade.com/from-primitives-to-zen/166.html

Primary Source #2:
The holy ones are overcome before thee, and all Egypt offereth thanksgiving unto thee when it meeteth Thy Majesty. Thou art a shining Spirit-Body, the governor of Spirit-Bodies; permanent is thy rank, established is thy rule. Thou art the well-doing Sekhem (Power) of the Company of the Gods, gracious is thy face, and beloved by him that seeth it. Thy fear is set in all the lands by reason of thy perfect love, and they cry out to thy name making it the first of names, and all people make offerings to thee.

Papyrus of Ani; Egyptian Book of the Dead [Budge]
http://www.africa.upenn.edu/Books/Papyrus_Ani.html

Primary Source #3:
“while the skull is cleared of the rest by rinsing with drugs; next they make a cut along the flank with a sharp Ethiopian stone, and take out the whole contents of the abdomen, which they then cleanse, washing it thoroughly with palm wine, and again frequently with an infusion of pounded aromatics. After this they fill the cavity with the purest bruised myrrh, with cassia, and every other sort of spicery except frankincense, and sew up the opening. Then the body is placed in natrum for seventy days, and covered entirely over. After the expiration of that space of time, which must not be exceeded, the body is washed, and wrapped round, from head to foot, with bandages of fine linen cloth, smeared over with gum, which is used generally by the Egyptians in the place of glue,”

Ancient History Sourcebook:
Herodotus: Mummification, from The Histories
http://www.fordham.edu/Halsall/ancient/herodotus-mummies.html

Explanation of Argument:
The first source is about the spirit of the person after death. They are worship and expected to move on to an afterlife. The second source is the book of the dead. It is an entire book devoted to death and the quote is about how the spirits are holy and are wanted to be in peace after death. The final source is a bout how the Egyptians mummified there dead. They took a long time to make sure it was perfect and would last forever.



Question Who is a better model for modern historians: Herodotus or Thucydides? Why?

Thesis: Thucydides is a better model for a modern historian because his speeches and writing style are better than Herodotus and better express his ideas.

Primary source #1:
“After that I shall speak in praise of the dead, believing that this kind of speech is not inappropriate to the present occasion, and that this whole assembly, of citizens and foreigners, may listen to it with advantage. Let me say that our system of government does not copy the institutions of our neighbours. It is more the case of our being a model to others, than of our imitating anyone else. Our constitution is called a democracy because power is in the hands not of a minority but of the whole people.”

Pericles' Funeral Oration, c.490 BCE from Thucydides, The Peloponnesian War
http://www.historywiz.com/primarysources/funeraloration.htm

Primary source #2:
“True it is that kings, possessing as they do all that heart can desire, ought to be void of envy; but the contrary is seen in their conduct towards the citizens. They are jealous of the most virtuous among their subjects, and wish their death; while they take delight in the meanest and basest, being ever ready to listen to the tales of slanderers. A king, besides, is beyond all other men inconsistent with himself. Pay him court in moderation, and he is angry because you do not show him more profound respect--- show him profound respect, and he is offended again, because (as he says) you fawn on him.”

Ancient History Sourcebook: Herodotus: The Persians Reject Democracy/Darius' State
http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/ancient/herodotus-persdemo.html

Primary Source #3:
“… wrote the history of the war between the Peloponnesians and the Athenians, beginning at the moment that it broke out, and believing that it would be a great war and more worthy of relation than any that had preceded it. This belief was not without its grounds. The preparations of both the combatants were in every department in the last state of perfection; and he could see the rest of the Hellenic race taking sides in the quarrel; those who delayed doing so at once having it in contemplation. Indeed this was the greatest movement yet known in history, not only of the Hellenes, but of a large part of the barbarian world”

The History of the Peloponnesian War, Thucydides
http://classics.mit.edu/Thucydides/pelopwar.1.first.html

Explanation of Argument:
The first source is from Thucydides and it is about the Peloponnesian war. He writes to remember all that gave their lives to free his country. The second source is from Herodotus and it is about the beginnings of democracy in Greece. The third source is from Thucydides and it is the history of the Peloponnesian war. He is the best historian because he knew that war was great and wrote about.


Question: Considering all of the conflict of the first century BCE, was Rome better off as an 'empire' than as a republic?

Thesis: Rome was better off as a republic because it had less conflict and war than when it was an empire.

Primary Source #1:
“When a debt has been acknowledged or a judgment has been pronounced in court, 30 days must be the legitimate grace period. Thereafter, arrest of the debtor may be made by the laying on of hands. Bring him into court. If he does not satisfy the judgment (or no one in court offers himself as surety on his behalf) the creditor may take the debtor with him. He may bind him either in stocks or fetters, with a weight of no less than 15 lbs.”

THE TWELVE TABLES
http://www.csun.edu/~hcfll004/12tables.html

Primary Source #2:
“Now, the greatest alarm that fortune ever brought upon the Greeks was when Xerxes invaded Europe: for at that time all were exposed to danger though an extremely small number actually suffered disaster. The greatest sufferers were the Athenians: for, with a prudent foresight of what was coming, they abandoned their country with their wives and children. That crisis then caused them damage; for the Barbarians took Athens and laid it waste with savage violence: but it brought them no shame or disgrace.”

Ancient History Sourcebook: Polybius (c.200-after 118 BCE): The Destruction of Corinth, 146 BCE
http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/ancient/polybius-corinth146.html

Primary Source #3:
“means to give him battle, he occupied the citadel of a town called Cannae, into which the corn and other supplies from the district round Canusium were collected by the Romans, and conveyed thence to the camp as occasion required. The town itself, indeed, had been reduced to ruins the year before: but the capture of its citadel and the material of war contained in it, caused great commotion in the Roman army; for it was not only the loss of the place and the stores in it that distressed them, but the fact also that it commanded the surrounding district.”

Ancient History Sourcebook: Polybius (c.200-after 118 BCE): The Battle of Cannae, 216 BCE
http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/ancient/polybius-cannae.html

Explanation of Argument:
The first source shows that Rome had more control when it was a republic. The second and third sources are after it become an empire. Then it did it became the target of war and destruction and was not liked by countries around it.

Question: Were the Vikings "barbarians"?

Thesis: The Vikings were barbarians and through all the historical research they seems to be much more just as violent and blood thirsty as some believe.

Primary Source #1:
“It was in the autumn that he appeared before Paris with a very strong army…But he did not force them to raise the siege. He made terms with them and signed a shameful treaty. He promised to pay a ransom for the city, and gave them leave to march unopposed into Burgundy, to plunder it during the winter.”

Viking Raids in France and the Siege or Paris (882 - 886)
http://www.deremilitari.org/resources/sources/vaast.htm

Primary Source #2:
“It had to be in such a way, however, that the king should summon the Gotlanders to the levy after the winter, and give them a month's respite before the day of mobilisation and, furthermore, the date of mobilisation shall be before mid-summer, and no later. Then it is a lawful summons, but not otherwise. Then the Gotlanders have the choice of travelling, if they wish, with their longships and eight weeks' provisions, but no more. Nevertheless, if the Gotlanders are not able to take part, then they are to pay a fine of 40 marks in coin, in compensation for each longship; but this, however, is at the following harvest and not in the same year that the summons was made. This is called the 'levy-tax'.”

Military Organisation in the Guta Saga
http://www.deremilitari.org/resources/sources/guta.htm

“The burning of Tours The Danish pirates, making their way into the country eastward from the city of Nantes, arrived without opposition, November eighth, before Tours. This they burned, together with the church of St. Martin and the neighboring places. But that incursion had been foreseen with certainty and the body of St. Martin had been removed to Cormery, a monastery of that church, and from there to the city of Orleans. The pirates went on to the chateau of Blois[9] and burned it, proposing then to proceed to Orleans and destroy that city in the same fashion.”

The Earlier Ravages of the Northmen
http://www.shsu.edu/~his_ncp/Northmen.html

Explanation of Argument:
The sources all show that the Vikings were violent and would do anything for cash. In the third source they sacked Paris to get ransom money. In the second source they were preparing for raids and travel to Europe. In the first source they siege cities to get more plunder.

Question: What was the significance of the Black Death and the 100 Years' War to the development of Europe as we know it today?

Thesis: The Black Death was devastating to Europe and killed almost 1/3 of the population. The 100 years war was also devastating and pitted the Europeans countries against each other. Both of these things contributed to the decline in the development of Europe.

Primary Source #1:
“In Florence, despite all that human wisdom and forethought could devise to avert it, as the cleansing of the city from many impurities by officials appointed for the purpose, the refusal of entrance to all sick folk, and the adoption of many precautions for the preservation of health; despite also humble supplications addressed to God, and often repeated both in public procession and otherwise by the devout; towards the beginning of the spring of the said year the doleful effects of the pestilence began to be horribly apparent by symptoms that shewed as if miraculous.”

Medieval Sourcebook: Boccaccio: The Decameron – Introduction
http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/boccacio2.html

Primary Source #2:
“That every man and woman of our realm of England, of what condition he be, free or bond, able in body, and within the age of threescore years, not living in merchandise, nor exercising any craft, nor having of his own whereof he may live, nor proper land, about whose tillage he may himself occupy, and not serving any other, if he in convenient service, his estate considered, be required to serve, he shall be bounden to serve him which so shall him require; and take only the wages, livery, meed, or salary, which were accustomed to be given in the places where he oweth to serve, the twentieth year of our reign of England, or five or six other commone years next before. Provided always, that the lords be preferred before other in their bondmen or their land tenants, so in their service to be retained; so that nevertheless the said lords shall retain no more than be necessary for them; and if any such man or woman, being so required to serve”

Ordinance of Laborers, 1349
http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/seth/ordinance-labourers.html

Primary Source #3:
“The English remained a considerable time on the field, and seeing they were delivered from their enemies, and that night was approaching, they retreated in a body to Maisoncelles, where they had lodged the preceding night: they again fixed their quarters there, carrying with them many of their wounded. After they had quitted the field of battle, several of the French, half dead and wounded, crawled away into an adjoining wood, or to some villages, as well as they could, where many expired. On the morrow, very early, king Henry dislodged with his army from Maisoncelles, and returned to the field of battle: all the French they found there alive were put to death or made prisoners. Then, pursuing their road toward the seacoast, they marched away: three parts of the army were on foot, sorely fatigued with their efforts in the late battle, and greatly distressed by famine and other wants. In this manner did the king of England return, without any hindrance, to Calais, rejoicing at his great victory, and leaving the French in the utmost distress and consternation at the enormous loss they had suffered.”

Battle of Agincourt, 1415
http://www.deremilitari.org/resources/sources/agincourt.htm

Explanation of Argument:
The first two sources show the destruction caused by the Black Death. Many died and the labor force was much small. Also the hundred years war caused more destruction in France and England. This war caused many more deaths bringing down Europe’s population even lower.

Question: How does Henry VIII maintain power while breaking away from the Catholic Church?
Thesis Henry VIII maintained power by creating his own religion and forcing people to convert to it.

Primary Source #1:
“I have no fear but when you heard that our Prince, now Henry the Eighth, whom we may call our Octavius, had succeeded to his father's throne, all your melancholy left you at once. What may you not promise yourself from a Prince with whose extraordinary and almost Divine character you are acquainted? When you know what a hero he now shows himself, how wisely he behaves, what a lover he is of justice and goodness, what affection he bears to the learned I will venture to swear that you will need no wings to make you fly to behold this new and auspicious star.”

Lord Mountjoy to Erasmus, 1509
http://englishhistory.net/tudor/monarchs/henry8.html#Nine

Primary Source #2:
“He speaks French, English, and Latin, and a little Italian, plays well on the lute and harpsichord, sings from book at sight, draws the bow with greater strength than any man in England, and jousts marvelously. Believe me, he is in every respect a most accomplished Prince; and I, who have now seen all the sovereigns in Christendom, and last of all these two of France and England in such great state, might well rest content.”

Contemporary description of Henry VIII
http://englishhistory.net/tudor/henrydes.html

Primary Source #3:
“He was most fortunate in war, although he was constitutionally more inclined to peace than to war. He cherished justice above all things; as a result he vigorously punished violence, manslaughter and every other kind of wickedness whatsoever. Consequently he was greatly regretted on that account by all his subjects, who had been able to conduct their lives peaceably, far removed from the assaults and evil doings of scoundrels. He was the most ardent supporter of our faith and daily participated with great piety in religious services....”

Obituary of Henry VIII
http://englishhistory.net/tudor/hobit.html

Explanation of Argument:
All the sources show that Henry was well liked and backed by his people. He was in charge of is country and anything he did went. Henry ruled through strength, power, and religion.