Nicks Geographic Angle

Following my post in which I defined 10 terms regarding Rome, we took a deeper look at two of them in order to create a comparison in culture. More specifically, we were instructed to write about the differences between Roman patricians and the Roman plebians . Further, we were to make a correlation between these two "social classes" of Rome and those of Greece. This discussion and comparison are listed below:  Firstly, let's define patricians and plebians in regards to Rome: Patrician: Wealthy landowners who held most of the power. (Personally, they seem to be the aristocrats of Rome). Plebians: A group dominated by the common farmers, artisans, and merchants who made up the majority of the Roman population. Now that we have our definitions, a deeper analysis should be done on these classes, both of which were explained to have been struggling for power reign over Rome . Regarding power, Patricians seemed to have a distinct advantage over that of the Ple...

After a considerably successful test and essay, we relaxed yesterday to catch up on our new chapter, Rome . While at first, I wouldn't be able to tell a difference between the two, after studying Greece I believe that has changed. As for today, we were simply instructed to define terms that we found within the chapters. The terms were briefly explained in Mr. Schick's blog to be vital to our understanding of Ancient Rome. And if they're anything like the terms which we reviewed for Greece, they will be utilized in numerous tests and papers throughout the upcoming weeks. The 10 terms are listed and defined below:  Republic- A form of government in which the power rests with citizens who have the right to vote for their leaders. Patrician- Wealthy landowners who held most of the power. (Personally, they seem to be the aristocrats of Rome). Plebians- A group dominated by the common farmers, artisans, and merchants who made up the majority of the Roman population. Trib...

As discussed yesterday, we were instructed to write an essay question which would be used on the upcoming test. As a matter of fact, we were informed that our test (or at least part of it) is going to be during our class time this Thursday. Meaning we have a fair amount of time to study still; though, we expect to receive more information regarding the format of the test soon. My essay question and explanation is as follows: As we discussed in class, Socrates was a man of austere philosophy and even gave his life for his beliefs. With that said, write a five-paragraph essay explaining the life Socrates, how, and why he was put to death. Starting with your first paragraph, describe the Socratic Method and some possible ways we see it reflected in our world today. For your second paragraph, describe Socrates' nature (personality) based upon how he thought, acted, taught others. And In your third paragraph, give a general overview of Socrates' crimes and how they contradict...

After we were informed that a test is on the horizon, we were instructed to not only consider a possible essay question; but, to compose 5 objective questions. This test will likely cover a majority of the content that was covered prior to our departure from normal classes.  That means a quick visit back to my notes from class as well as a visit to my past blogs, both of which will surely assist me in creating an essay question (mentally) and 5 objective questions. Those questions are listed below as well as a brief explanation of their validity:  Question 1.)   Alexander the Great tamed a horse which was said to be untamable by his father and his peers, what was that horse's name? a. Achilleus b. Bucephalus (Correct Answer) c. Hercules d. Phillip Explanation: While ensuring students know Alexander the Great's horse's name, the question also causes the test-taker to double-guess that it's not Phillip (II), another name familiarized in that lesson....

Today, after plenty of time to reflect on our prior Western Civilization studies, we watched a relatively short clip into Plato's life and philosophy. While watching the video, we were instructed to keep in mind several questions that highlight the main points of the video. For instance, in the video, there's plenty of discussion of " The Forms ", from Plato's view to modern correlations. Now, what exactly were The Forms ? Well, that was the first question which we had to consider while watching.  How did Plato define The Forms ?  The Forms , as defined by Plato, were the ideal frameworks in which things would exist, their ideal form . As a result of this idealogy, Plato roused his fellow Philosophers to ponder the groundwork of each perfect form so that they may be continuously taught as is, easily understood,  rather than pushing a false narrative that will complicate matters. It became more apparent that this form idealogy was one of the founding prin...

After a long (and much appreciated) Easter Break, we returned yesterday to a post which instructed us to brainstorm the responsibility which we have as citizens to ensure the safety for ourselves and others. This means remaining adamant of the social distancing measures which have already been taken. And while this has seemed to flatten the "curve" a little, some medicines have shown to be promising in helping the sick. With the assistance of private companies (such as GM and Tesla), our nation and others have been making ground on the supplies which we now have to fight Coronavirus (these supplies include Masks and Ventilators).  With that said, we were instructed to write a poem today which relates to our studies in Greece. This came after I was informed that April is National Poetry Day, so all the more fitting. I was surprised by the extent of the freedom we have in writing this poem as well. Mr. Schick made it clear to have fun and to be creative with not only our s...

Today, rather than a deep analysis of a new subject, we were instead instructed to find two images of classical Greece Architecture. A subject which I truly enjoy learning about. Those images are posted directly below:  First Image: The Parthenon, Acropolis of Athens Likely one of the most recognizable structures in Greece would be the massive structure located on the hill of Acropolis, The Parthenon. This structure was likely created over an eleven-year span (447 BC - 438 BC) and was dedicated to the goddess Athena. The structure, incredibly after over 2,000 years still remains intact; though somewhat damaged from the years of exposure it's been put through. It is also important to realize that this structure stood as a symbol for the religions which the Greeks practiced since it represented one of their goddesses'. Through the wars, fires, looters, weather, and use it has undergone, it is a true culmination of the Greek's strong engineering ability that the...

After several blogs discussing the COVID-19 Pandemic (a very serious subject), it seems that we're getting back to our Greek curriculum. To begin, we read about the Greek Theater, more specifically their Drama and History themes. Both of which withhold very unique aspects and characters; for instance, a tragedy would normally be a serious drama with a character with extraordinary abilities and personalities (such as excessive pride). After reading, we were instructed to answer several questions with an in-depth analysis. The questions are listed, answered, and reviewed below:   1.) Describe the kinds of dramas that were performed in the theaters of ancient Greece.  Similar to the dramas of today, Greek entertainment seemed to focus on two central themes: Tragedy and Comedy . Both of these themes seemed to have perks of their own depending on the type of entertainment you desired; though, possibly more interesting was the vast content that was categorized under e...