Friday, April 30, 2010

What Do You Think?

Thinking is something that is different for each person.  Each person has a different brain and the way it works may vary.  Something that may cause people to think differently is their social classes. Based upon what social class you are born into can determine the type of thinking you do.  Everybody’s brain works differently based on what you do and how you act. Although people can be thinking about the same things what or how they think about them can differ. The views of the people in each social class are influenced by the way the people act and what they do causing each person to think differently.

            In the medieval times the people were broken up into many social classes. These social classes included, the knights, merchants, nuns, and peasants. (http://ht.ly/1F8XK) Each one of these classes had different views on life which caused their brains to think differently. For example peasants think more of how to survive in life not plan for the future. They are more worried about the present. They were treated so poorly and not wealthy at all surviving was something very difficult for them. This is why they lived in the present and not the past of future.  “Hence it happens that, abandoning their own dear country, the inhabitants of that land are forced to flee to that most cruel nation, the Lombards.” http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/600Theisles.html). They were worried about the present and didn’t plan very well so they were forced to flee. Each person’s brain is wired to think differently based on the lifestyle they live. Knights lived a violent fighting lifestyle so their mind was wired to fighting and violence. The way they thought always involved fighting. Someone was always the bad guy and the solved all problems by fighting. Not only were they trained to fight but also to protect their fellow citizens. They were guards and in charge to protect the land at which they live on. “Around the age of 13, the boy was apprenticed to a knight and became a squire. He was taught skill with the sword, lance, and shield and he learned the duties and responsibilities of a knight.” (http://ht.ly/1F8XK). At such a young age they are trained how to live their life and how to act and think according to being a knight so as they get older it becomes naturally to them and it becomes their normal way of thinking. Just based upon how these people live their lives it is apparent that they way people think is different and depends upon how you act and your lifestyle.

            In modern day, people also think different. Just like in medieval times it depends on your lifestyle and how you act. Two people could be thinking about the same exact thing but have different views and opinions on it. They way the interpret it can vary causing their thinking not to be the same.  If something simple like a piece a string and two people are each asked its purpose completely different answers could be given. One person might say a bracelet and the other might say it is used to tie something together. Both of these answers are right but are different based on the way the person thinks. They interpreted it differently. A person who thinks more about style would say it is a bracelet and someone who puts things together would use the other answer. Each person is different causing them to think differently also. Thinking can involve many different things and is influenced by many things. Any little thing can cause a huge change in the way someone thinks. No matter what time period it is people think differently and this is varied by the social class people are in, and they way they live their life.


"Choose a Guide." Ow.ly - Shorten Urls, Share Files and Track Visits - Owly. Web. 04 May 2010. .
"Choose a Guide." Ow.ly - Shorten Urls, Share Files and Track Visits - Owly. Web. 04 May 2010. .
"Medieval Sourcebook: Pope Gregory the Great: Concerning Taxation in Sardinia, Corsica, and Sicily, C 600." FORDHAM.EDU. Web. 04 May 2010. .

Thursday, April 29, 2010

12th Century Renaissance

What was the 12the century renaissance
The 12th Century Renaissance is a time period in which many changes occurred in the middle ages. These changes were social, economical, and political. Many new inventions occurred and advancements were made. Some inventions include a compass. Contact with other countries as something that also increased, being a social change. Although the Black Death occurred many good changes occurred that helped the country.

Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Monday, April 26, 2010

Friday, April 23, 2010

Favorite Artwork for Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History

My favorite piece of artwork from France, 1000-1400 AD was Chrismatory.  This was a small box decorated with angles all around the outside. It would be used to hold many different things like oils and chrisms for baptism and other purposes. I liked this piece of artwork because it is very colorful and I like the designs on the outside of it. This box was used to store many different things. They come in different designs but this design was catchy to my eye because of the colors and beautiful angles on the outside. 

^ picture source and information source. 

Thursday, April 22, 2010

What's So Wrong With Social Orders?

Social Orders are bad for many reasons. One reason they are so bad is because you are born into the class and are not allowed to change. It doesn’t give you the chance to define who you are, it is given to you. In medieval time periods there were many social orders. Some of them were slaves, peasants, aristocrats, and knights. People were but in these orders based on their heritage and the rest of their family. When they are born they are already put into a social order.
                People never got the chance to choose who they wanted to be. Today we have the chance to succeed and become an upper-class person. In medieval times they were stuck with what they were born with. Some peasants could be smart and have the ability to be aristocrats but they were never given the chance so they remained peasant. Slaves were slaves from the time they were born until the time of their death. They never got to be a part of any other social class. Once you were a knight you must stay a knight no matter how hard you try and how much you do not like it you will always be a knight. This forces many people in life to do things they may not feel comfortable doing or do not like doing. They never get the chance to change and they die miserable because they are forced to do things they do not want to. Social Orders always break the unity of a country. Instead of letting everyone be one and equal they have different social classes. Most of the people only associate with their social class because it is who they are with all the time. It is good to have unity in the nation because it shows that the nation is one and together fighting strong to survive. The medieval sourcebook said “a social system based on a society in which peasant agriculture is the fundamental productive activity; in which slavery is non-existent or marginal but peasants are tied to the land in some way; and in which a small elite defined by military activity dominates.” (http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/sbook1i.html#Feudalism) This shows that the classes were separated and people were treated differently, not equally base on their social order. The three main social orders were monks and priests, nobles and knights, and peasants. Each of these groups were treated differently based on who they were. Peasants were treated a lot poorer then monks and priest because their social order was not as high. Peasants were similar to slaves because they could be bought and sold. They were not treated as people but more as property. Once you were a peasant you must die as a peasant. This is unfair because they never got the chance to be treated equally and were treated poorly even if they did not deserve it. They were put in their social order based on their family and could not help that. They spent their life working for their owner and doing anything as long as they were working and helping. Nobles were the ones who owned the peasants. They controlled them and lived a better life because they never had to do much work since they owned peasants. This is not good because they never learned to live on their own and do their own work. If something were to happen to their peasant they would not be able to survive without them. Power and equality is different today than it was then. Today people have the same equal rights and everyone is treated equal. The power is given to the people and not just a handful of people. People cannot be bought and sold and used like property because everyone is equal. No one is better than someone else. Although the peasants tried multiple times to became free they would get punished and always stay a peasant. But if the slave tried to cry out, or to move from one place to another, a naked sword threatened him; and he found great enjoyment in the man's tears.” (http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/575Rauching.html) The peasants tried to act out and become free but they could not. It is unfair to people who have the ability to be smart upperclassmen but they are not given the chance because of the social order they were placed when they were born. Social orders are unfair and break the unity of a nation. 

Works Cited
FORDHAM.EDU. Web. 23 Apr. 2010. .
"Medieval Sourcebook: Crisis, Recovery, Feudalism?" FORDHAM.EDU. Web. 23 Apr. 2010. .

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Deadly Disease Short Story

Once upon a time  in 1732 in a place called Weeble Land  there was a deadly disease. No one knew what this disease was or how it came to be. But people started to turn green and brown. It starts with one body part and continues  until your body is a completely different color. Chunks of hair would fall off of their bodies until there was no hair left. It hit people at different times and in large groups. So you would see multiple people walking down the street with no hair and green bodies. No doctor or scientist could figure out how or why this was happening and it really started to scare the region.  This started happening to everyone and after they lost their hair, leaves and grass started to grow out of their follicles.  They continued their life as they would any normal day and acted like nothing happened. They didn’t feel bad but they looked bad and went through weird transformation. Although it took a long time eventually the whole population turned into trees and bushes! They would keep their feet and would be able to walk for about a 2 week period. Then they would be stuck in the spot once they lost their legs. This is the end of the transformation and they are now fully trees. Weeble Land lost its whole population and is now what you know as the Amazon Rainforest.

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Knight Job Application


  1. Q. What are some good qualities that you think would make you a good knight for King Arthur?
  2. A: I think that I am intelligent, and well-prepared for battle, if I need to be in it. I can do many jobs, and I am very handy. Though King Henry II never made me a soldier, I think that I would be good at that as well as any other job.
  3. Q. Would you be able to work with any horse that King Arthur gives you, regardless of any previous experience with it? (instead of a horse you bring with you).
  4. A: Yes. I can work with trained or untrained horses, so either way, I can work well. However, if possible, I would like to work with my own horse, because we have had time to get to know each other, and I believe that I would be most productive with my own animal.
  5. Q. What sticks out most about you that would make you a better knight above other applicants?
  6. A: I think that I am particularly good at adapting to any situation. I can move from being a soldier to guarding a castle, to almost anything else. If you need me to do a job, I can try to the best of my ability to fulfill that task in the most productive way possible. Many people are not able to do this, and I think it is one quality that makes me a more superior candidate.
  7. Q. What are your expectations out of this job?
  8. A: I hope to serve the people and King Arthur to the best of my ability by being a Knight of the Round Table. Since I was young, I have always wanted to be in such a noble position as a knight, and this would be the ideal job for me.
  9. Q. Prior experience with horseback riding?
  10. A: Yes, I ride horses everywhere I go. In order to get into town, I need to ride a horse. 
  11. Q. Who have you worked for? Kings/ Queens?
  12. A: I have worked for King Henry II. He made me stand at the gate of his castle and make sure no intruders came in. 
  13. Q. Do you own a horse?
  14. A: Yes, I have owned this one horse for quite some time that is very well trained. 
  15. Q. Have you ever taken part in a battle?
  16. A: No, I have never been in a battle before. King Henry II never made me a soldier. I want to get this job to protect the people and the king. If that means participating in war, I wouldn’t mind a bit. 
  17. Q. Do you know how to handle and work with weapons?
  18. A.I have never been in battle and had to handle weapons but I do know how to handle things like knives and swords.
  19. Q. Do you have any family you will be leaving while your at battle?
  20. A: I do have a family. I am married and have three children. I have prepared my family in case that I get this job for me not being home and told them everything. They want me to have this job and wish for me to fulfill my dreams.
  21. Q. Do you know the responsibilities of a knight and that you are responsible for protecting yourself and the rest of the army.
  22. A: Yes, I realize that I am responsible for protecting myself and the rest of the army. They are like my family and once I become a knight I will look out for them and protect them like there are my own family. IMAGE FROM: http://www.flickr.com/photos/blind_beholder/3575959910/

Monday, April 19, 2010

How is Blogger Helpful in Class?


Blogger is helpful in Western Civilization  class because you can post things worldwide that everyone can  look at.  This is helpful because people can leave comments on how you did and how you can improve it or give their views. Also people in your class can look at it for ideas and they can help you by leaving comments. It is a way for anyone to look at your writing and give you feedback on it. It is very helpful because you can get a lot of information and help each other.

Thursday, April 15, 2010

How was the Medieval concept of power and equality different from our contemporary concept?

The medieval concept of power and equality is very different than our concept today. In medieval times people were born into their class and that decided the amount of power they had. Today everyone has an equal chance to succeed in life and have a lot of power. In the medieval times you weren't given a chance the chance was given to you based on your heritage. We have the idea of equality in our lives today. We are not categorized into groups like they were in the medieval times. Not everyone was treated equal because some people were in a higher class. Today by law everyone is treated equally and there is no discrimination. Today is different because we are given equal opportunities and not treated based on our heritage and family background. 


Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Describe the Medieval Imagination

The medieval imagination was based mainly on religious beliefs. They were very prepared for things they tought might happen. Their mind was set to always be prepared and they questioned things they weren't sure would even happen. For example, they debated weather or not they should preach to a dog head if they every saw one. It had a human soul so they weren't sure if they should preach to it. They never saw this and it was pretty unlikely that they ever would but they wanted to be prepared. They believed the world was going to end and wanted to be as prepared as possible for when it does. Today we find some of these things crazy but it is the way their minds and imaginations worked and what they thought.

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Do human beings have an innate instinct to be free?

Yes, humans have an innate instinct to be free, especially citizens in the United States. In the United States we have a lot of freedom. We have freedom of speech, and can do many things on our own.  We have a lot of freedom with what we do but we also have laws to keep us maintained and under control. In America we focus a lot on freedom and equality without letting our country get out of hand.  The statue of liberty is one way we show our freedom in the United States. The idea developed from a roman goddess that stand for freedom of many things. Making a statue was one way she show we are a free country. Since we have these privileges it is instinct to be free and many humans would not know any better. 


Monday, April 12, 2010

Why do you think the Church and the monasteries became the centers of learning?

The church and monasteries became the centers of learning because people trusted them and believed their teachings. The people follow their church leaders and will learn from them because they trust them and want to know the knowledge of God that the leaders have.  They base everything they know on the bible and their Gods. Learning from the church will give them more knowledge about their Gods and help them to become smarter. The Charta Caritatis says that "also that there shall be sedulously directed to God prayers, beseechings and exhortations as well for me as for all, according to the order in which mention has been made of them above." God helps them with everything they know so their churches become the center of their learning.  

Image From: Wikimedia Commons