Holiday Fun: Jon Stewart Explains Plato's Allegory of the Cave

The Daily Show with Jon Stewart
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Debate Smack-Down + Exam Review

HW:
DBQ -- without the essay question -- is here. Directions:

• print it out
• annotate it for 
• background info (on the writer, subject, context -- use the Medici video info + any other source
• key words and phrases/ideas of the document: what aspect of the Renaissance is it an example of?
• group the documents in as many categories as you can. Aim for 2-3 documents per category. (Why? Because a category is your body paragraph topic sentence, and your documents are your main supporting evidence for the paragraph.)

Big Era 3, 4, 5, Powerpoints combined in one file here. Download and, if you're smart, outline for main ideas and time periods.

Debate instructions

Speech Requirements:
Length: 50-70 seconds. (You will have a brief cross-examination round--1 minute--at the end of each round.)
Rhetoric: I want you to use 2 of the following 3 "tricks" of persuasive speaking:

1. Reductio ad Absurdum (Latin for "reduce to absurdity"): Again, the example we used in class was the argument that Leonardo's sketches of submarines and helicopters were examples of European "technology."

To reduce that argument to absurdity, argue it like you believe it at first, but then steer it to a conclusion that shows how silly ("absurd") the agrument is. Example:

Leonardo's submarine was such impressive technology that you could tear the drawing from his journal and drown as you tried to drive it underwater; similarly, his helicopter was so impressive you could tear that drawing out, hold it over your head as you jump off a cliff, and plunge to your death under it. Great technology, those drawings. But only if Europe could actually make them--which it couldn't. We're talking technology here, not fantasy.

2. Analogy: Comparing two dissimilar things to draw out the difference. Example:

China's ships compared to Europe's ships about the way a Lexus compares to a tricycle.

Much more memorable than the boring, straight, and literal "China's shipbuilding was superior to Europe's."

3. Irony: Saying the opposite of what you mean. Example:

"If you want an example of a supremely superior religion for its tolerance of all other cultures' religious beliefs, look no further than Christian Europe. The Christians were more tolerant than all other religions combined."

The overwhelming evidence, from Crusades to crimes of heresy, shows the opposite is true. The audience gets the joke. And the audience likes you more for saying "Christian Europe was intolerant of other religions" in a more clever way. Irony is great.

Renaissance 2 + Debate line-up

Remember: Debate Tuesday. You know who your partners and opponents are; I'll give you your topic on Friday. (Have you put your second choice for each factor in green?)

HW: Blame Frankie Hearne (or thank him) for tricking me into thinking Thanksgiving Break was a "no-homework weekend." He won that round.

But now I have to win Round Two. I try not to assign over 30-45 minutes of HW as a rule. But by Friday, I need you to watch the entire video below. You'll be quizzed. (It's about Boticelli, Michelangelo, Raphael, Leonardo, and Lorenzo "the Magnificent" Medici, and if you're not a mere moneyed barbarian, you should want a bit of true Cultural and Artistic knowledge anyway.)

Thanks, Frankie :)

Renaissance 1: Culture and Economics

HW: Debate Prep part 1

The debate will be Tuesday of next week. The schedule and rules:


Due Wednesday: Complete Chart + Your Choice for Each Factor

Credit: 15 points. Share this file with me in Gdocs, named "[your name] db".
 
1. Pull out your old notes and charts, and make ONE chart:

• Row headings: Muslims (Abbasid), Mongols, Ming China, Renaissance Europe
• Column headings: Political, Economic, Social, Religious, Science/Technology, Foreign Relations
• fill each cell in the chart. This data will form your arguments. You will share it with your opponent.
• In each column, make the font red for the box that shows your choice of "best" for that factor, and green for your second choice. (You can change your mind once, at the end of the Renaissance unit).
   

Warning: You will write a one-paragraph argument for each of three factors I'll assign you after class on Wednesday Friday (that's three paragraphs total), so make sure you have enough strong evidence to argue for each factor: Three really strong arguments per factor is your goal.

Again, you are not saying "One civilization is best in every way." You're saying,  "Civ. A was best politically and scientifically, Civ. B was best socially, Civ D was best religiously, etc."

Due Friday Tuesday:

Credit: 15 points. Share with me in Gdocs
2. Three 1-minute speeches (written like body paragraphs) arguing for three factors (I'll assign them Wednesday Friday) and against your opponent (I'll assign him/her Wednesday).
Graded for:
a) topic sentence and organization (transitions)
b) persuasive arguments and strongest evidence.



Tuesday: Debate
Credit: 70 points

Joking with the Padre

This is awesome (and interesting, from a "Reading Like a Historian" way--remember our discussion of Noah's "world" flood? Check out what this priest says about how some of Jesus' sayings in the Bible may have been totally funny 2000 years ago, but we don't get the joke today).

And listen to Colbert's joke about God and the suicide at the end. Classic.

The Colbert Report
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Crusades Seminar, Mongol Discussion HW: China's Golden Age

Download the textbook readings on the Tang, Song, Yuan (that's the Mongols under Kublai Khan, which you read about in the Mongol DBQ, so you're skipping that chapter), and Ming.

Again, the question for this quarter is, based on its 'Golden Age,' which major civilization would have best ruled the world?

So take notes on the "strengths and weaknesses" of China. Focus on how civilized it was, not so much on names and dates. We'll go more deeply into the Ming on Monday.

Reminder:
Quiz next Monday (30 points): Christianity, Islam (<<won't be on quiz), Middle Ages in Europe (textbook reading), First and Third Crusades.  

Crusades Part 2 and Mongols

Download this Mongol DBQ. HW: Make a Google Doc with a T Chart and invite your partner and me:
 BARBARIC   |     NOT BARBARIC

Read the DBQ for HW. List 9 items in each column.
ALSO take any notes on Sourcing, Contextualizing, Corroborating, Close Reading.


40 min. Seminar Thursday (50 points): Questions on Crusades documentary (the same ones you prepared for today). (Outline notes for Part 2 here.)


Quiz next Monday (50 points): Christianity, Islam, (<<won't be on quiz), Middle Ages in Europe (textbook reading), First and Third Crusades.

The Crusades, Part One

In Class:
I have a minor surgery today (nothing serious), so Mrs. Zitur is filling in (thank you!):

Download Seminar Questions and Video Outline.

A. Class discussion of HW questions: 10 minutes *strict limit--you're watching a 55 minute video in class!*:
1. Why did Western Europe become such a mess after the fall of the Western Roman Empire? (Remember, the Eastern Empire in Byzantium (Turkey) was still around. Only Western Europe became "Dark".)

2. What was the basic relationship between Charlemagne and the Roman Catholic Church?

3. Why did Charlemagne's empire fall?

4. What is feudalism as a political system?

5. What is the manorial economic system?

6. Which civilization would you rather have lived in--Medieval Europe or Abbasid Islam?
--If you have any questions about the questions above, reply to this blog post so I can answer them online.

Bring your outlines to class Tuesday for me to check them.


-------
B. Look at seminar questions on the file you downloaded, and clarify what your homework is (3 minutes, strict).


-----
C. Watch "Holy Warriors, Part One." 
Don't take notes. Just watch it straight through. I've taken notes for you, so let yourself learn from the film.


If you're absent, here's the film on YouTube: watch up to 46 minutes, then stop.

Islam's Rise and Spread pt. 2

In Class:
Key questions:

1. How did Islam spread--by force, persuasion, or both? How did it treat non-Muslims? (Gather evidence in bullet points from Wikipedia--I approve it because I've reviewed it for accuracy--and keep them for the final tests):

1 Conversion

• 1.1 Phase I: The Early Caliphs and Umayyads (610-750 AD)
• 1.2 Phase II: The Abbasids (750-1258)
• 1.3 Phase III: Dissolution of the Abbasids and the emergence of the Seljuks and Ottomans (950-1450)

2. What contributions did the Abbasid Caliphate (750-12500; capital in Baghdad) make to civilization in terms of science, art, technology, government, economics? (Chart it from the movie The Awakening, first 20 minutes, and see Textbook, p. 273-79)

3. Why did the Abbasid Caliphate collapse? (see WHPOI Textbook, p. 271--the Islam chapter as a separate file is here)


Homework: European Christendom--The Medieval Period (a.k.a. "Dark Ages")
Read the Medieval Europe section from the textbook and outline, following this format, pages 353-54, and read the rest below:
1. Charlemagne Unites the Germanic Kingdoms (pp. 353-57)
2. Feudalism in Europe (pp. 358-63)

--Be able to answer these questions (you don't have to write them, but you might be quizzed or "seminared" on them--they're not hard if you do the readings):
1. Why did Western Europe become such a mess after the fall of the Western Roman Empire? (Remember, the Eastern Empire in Byzantium (Turkey) was still around. Only Western Europe became "Dark".)
2. What was the basic relationship between Charlemagne and the Roman Catholic Church?
3. Why did Charlemagne's empire fall?
4. What is feudalism as a political system?
5. What is the manorial economic system?
6. Which civilization would you rather have lived in--Medieval Europe or Abbasid Islam?

Islam 1

Video Viewing Guide: Download now.

IASAS Friday, QUIZ Tuesday

Quiz Tuesday on Judaism, Christianity, questions and terms on Wednesday's post.

HW:
All: Read this Powerpoint giving background on Islam.
A4: I'll make a short podcast covering what we didn't finish in class Wednesday--questions 5-8--when I'm feeling better. So check back here by Saturday 7p for that.


Enjoy IASAS. Me, I'm going to crawl somewhere and die.

Judaism and Christianity pt. 2

Interesting Current Events:

Limony Snicket:

Historically, a story about people inside impressive buildings ignoring or even taunting people standing outside shouting at them turns out to be a story with an unhappy ending.

Republican Presidential Candidate Front-Runner Mitt Romney in his Financial Investment Company days. 

Blind Spots: Watch this video as a critical thinker. What's missing?



Cultural Diffusion: How many influences will we probably find in Judeo-Christian (and Islamic) beliefs?



10 min. prep for Discussion: Chart sources of conflict,  similarities and differences, between Judaism and Christianity. Include:

• Jewish and Christian scriptures (Hebrew Bible, "New Testament," Gospels)
• Who the "Chosen People" are to Jews? To Christians?
• Beliefs in afterlife: is there one? Who goes to Heaven? Who goes to Hell? Why?
• Different values re: Law, Good Works, Faith.
• Interpretation of Hebrew prophets (esp. Isaiah) to Jews, to Christians.
• Interpretation of "Messiah" to Jews, to Christians.

Terms you should know:
Judaism:
Abraham, Ishmael, and Isaac
Monotheism

Covenant
Promised Land (Canaan and Palestine)
Hebrew Bible

Christian Bible: "Old Testament" and "New Testament"

Moses' Law 
Ethical Monotheism

Torah
Babylonian Captivity/Destruction of First Temple (586 BCE)
Writing of "Genesis" (500 BCE-100 CE) 

Prophets (especially Isaiah)
Persian Liberation/Second Temple Period
Here's your textbook chapters on Judaism and Christianity in a smaller file. Skim pp. 168-72 and find answers to these questions.

1. Is there much evidence of Jesus' life from non-Christian sources in the Roman Empire?

2.You know the Babylonians destroyed Israel's first temple, and that they rebuilt it under the Persians. When was the next catastrophe for the Second Temple?

3. Jesus died around 29 CE. How long did it take for Christianity to grow from a small cult in an unimportant corner of the Empire into a major religious movement? How can you explain its late growth?

4. How did Roman Religion die? Because everybody chose Christianity and just dumped Jupiter and Juno and all the other pagan gods? Or is there a political reason?

5. What institution grew in Christianity as it spread throughout the empire? How was it organized?

6. What is "orthodoxy" and "heresy"? Who defined these?

7. What did Augustine contribute to Christian dogma in the late 4th century? What effects would these have on people in Europe from this time on?

8. How did Christianity triumph in the Roman Empire? When?

Monotheisms: Judaism and Christianity (UPDATED)

Update Tue. 3.45p: 
I was brain-dead after school yesterday from the sleepless night before grading your DBQs all night. Plus some of my annotations didn't save to the Diigo server. So: the point of these readings are to get some answers to the basic questions we rose yesterday:

1. What are some of the causes of the conflicts between Jews and Christians, Jews and Muslims, Christians and Muslims? You won't get much on the Islam part yet, but there's a lot in tonights readings that sheds light on the disagreements between Jews and Christians. (Remember Ishmael, though. That's one element of the Muslim-Jewish tension, among many, many more.)
2. What are the main similarities and differences of these three monotheisms?
3. Source, contextualize, corraborate, close read: how might historians "read" all of these texts? (This one requires a strong imagination and agile mind. It's also one of the most interesting questions in the world. Socrates would have loved it.)

Highlight and annotate at least 2 or 3 points on each reading--even if you don't see annotations from me. Feel free to comment on others' annotations if you see them: extend, qualify, challenge.

----------------------------

Check your SAS gmail for an invitation to Diigo. You can highlight and leave sticky-notes on websites with it.

Add the Diigo toolbar to your browser so you can highlight easily.


Diigo V5: Collect and Highlight, Then Remember! from diigobuzz on Vimeo.

In class today we covered most of the Judaism readings. There are a few more for you to read (they're short). Be sure you're signed into Diigo before reading them. I've left question in sticky-notes for you to answer. Answer them by highlighting the passages on each page that you think give the answers or deserve mention, and leave brief sticky-notes explaining why you highlighted them. (That's probably 2 or 3 highlights per reading:

• Passover
• The Shema
• Four proverbs
• Psalms 19, 137
• Song of the Suffering Servant: Isaiah 42:1-9 

Next, go through the same highlighting/annotating about the following primary sources from the Christian scripture (the "New Testament"):

• Early Christianity
• The Christian Scriptures
  • Background from the Jewish Bible
  • The Baptism of Jesus
  • A Miracle based on faith (Mark 5: 25-34)
  • On Forgiveness, Sermon on the Mount
  • The Beatitudes
  • The Golden Rule
  • Salvation and Damnation linked to Deeds (Matthew 7: 13-23)
  • The Ascetic ideal
  • The Trial and Crucifixion of Jesus
  • The Last Supper

Monday Seminar Prep

Concepts from Class:

• 9-11: Saudi and Pakistani allies v. Iran
• Arab Spring: Tunis, Egypt, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Libya
• Cold War: Soviet invasion of Afghanistan
• CIA support of Osama Bin Laden's mujahideen ("holy warriors," Muslim "crusaders") against Soviets
• 1979 Iranian Revolution
• 1953 CIA-MI6 Coup d'Etat in Iran for British Petroleum
• Guns v. Butter
• Occupy Wall Street

 

Rotating Weekly 3-Minute Speech:

Start a Google Reader account.

1.     Sign into your SAS gmail

2.     Go to http://reader.google.com

3.     Subscribe to 

• http://fulltextrssfeed.com/feeds.washingtonpost.com/rss/opinions/right-leaning
• http://fulltextrssfeed.com/feeds.washingtonpost.com/rss/opinions/left-leaning

4.     You will be scheduled to give a 3-minute presentation on the current event of your choice. It must follow these conditions:

a.     You can make a connection to the ancient empires, politics, religion, and/or economics of anything we've discussed so far this year

b.     You prepare an outline and present it to me two days before your speech

c.      You create a Slide Presentation using conscious design values (present it to me when you present your outline)

For Thursday's Seminar:

Remember, you have to bring in hand-written notes with sources and main ideas.
Use at least 3 of the articles listed here.
Make connections between those articles--all about the USA today--and the ancient Roman Republic and Empire.



Seminar Questions: 

1. Are there any strong parallels between modern America and the Decline of the Roman Republic after the Punic Wars?

• Required by Thursday: Read World History: Patterns of Interaction, pp. 155-62 on the Roman Republic's Rise and Fall. (I'll have a podcast ready on this subject soon, but this is a decent overview.) Focus on:
• Social issues after the Punic Wars
• Economic issues after the Punic Wars
• Political breakdown after the Punic Wars (especially the Gracchus brothers)

• Required by Thursday: For a current events controversy about the wealth gap in the United States, read this New York Times article by billionaire Warren Buffett (remember, take notes as you read), and then watch Jon Stewart discuss it (and notice he features opposing points of view in the video, though he's obviously biased against them):

The Daily Show with Jon Stewart
Get More: Daily Show Full Episodes,Political Humor & Satire Blog,The Daily Show on Facebook

2. Using the Roman Empire as our model, in what ways is the United States today an empire?

• pp. 162-5 for the Roman Empire background. Read weblinks (coming soon) on USA.

3. Are there any strong parallels between contemporary America and the Roman Empire during its decline?

• textbook pp. 173-77 for background on Rome. Read weblinks (coming soon) on USA.

4. In what ways can it be argued that 9-11 was or was not the result of "imperial" US foreign policy?

• For starters, watch the first ten minutes (required) of this video on the background of US policy over the last 50 years in the Middle East:

Thu, 10-6: Roman--and American--Republics

In Class: The Flaws of Republican Government, Past and Present


Practice Seminar: 

• What were the main causes of the failure of Republican democracy in ancient Rome?
• List them by category > specific examples
• Are there parallels to the USA today?
• Case study: Warren Buffett's "Buffett Rule"
  

Roman Republic Podcast is done.  You don't have to watch it now, but remember it when it comes test-review time. It includes many connections between past and present, and occasional analysis and insight that our boring textbook tragically lacks.

I did my best to squeeze the entire 500 years of the Republic into about 30 minutes. Download it here. Again: if you use iTunes to watch it, you can jump around to the chapters that you want to review quickly and easily. (Subscribe to the podcast channel in iTunes by going here.)

Here's the YouTube version. It has no chapter navigation, so iTunes is really a smarter choice.

Tue, Oct. 4: DBQ in Class, Roman Republic and Empire HW

In Class: 
DBQ.

After you finish/HW: Prep for Next Week's Socratic Seminar

Next week (date to be announced), we're having a seminar on the questions below. Start preparing now.

The most important instructions:

1. Start preparing now. You have a lot of research and note-taking to do between now and next week. You won't be able to do it all the night before.
2. As you gather evidence, record your sources. In the seminar, you have to back up your evidence with where you got it. 
1. "How do I do that?"
• Take notes, and after each note, write where it came from (Book or Website name, Article title):
3. Organize your evidence under the questions below.

Seminar Questions: 

1. Are there any strong parallels between modern America and the Decline of the Roman Republic after the Punic Wars?

• Required by Thursday: Read World History: Patterns of Interaction, pp. 155-62 on the Roman Republic's Rise and Fall. (I'll have a podcast ready on this subject soon, but this is a decent overview.) Focus on:
• Social issues after the Punic Wars
• Economic issues after the Punic Wars
• Political breakdown after the Punic Wars (especially the Gracchus brothers)

• Not required, but good TV for better understanding: For a really good dramatization of Rome at the time of the assassination of Tiberius Gracchus, watch the series starting below. (The rest of the series is on a "Rome" playlist on my World History Youtube Channel.)

• Required by Thursday: For a current events controversy about the wealth gap in the United States, read this New York Times article by billionaire Warren Buffett (remember, take notes as you read), and then watch Jon Stewart discuss it (and notice he features opposing points of view in the video, though he's obviously biased against them):

The Daily Show with Jon Stewart
Get More: Daily Show Full Episodes,Political Humor & Satire Blog,The Daily Show on Facebook

2. Using the Roman Empire as our model, in what ways is the United States today an empire?

• Required for Mon., Oct 10 : Read pp. 162-5 for the Roman Empire background. Read weblinks (coming soon) on USA.

3. Are there any strong parallels between contemporary America and the Roman Empire during its decline?

• Required for Mon., Oct 10: Read textbook pp. 173-77 for background on Rome. Read weblinks (coming soon) on USA.

4. In what ways can it be argued that 9-11 was or was not the result of "imperial" US foreign policy?

• Required for Mon., Oct 10: For starters, watch the first ten minutes (required) of this video on the background of US policy over the last 50 years in the Middle East:

Fri., Sep. 30: DBQ Prep

**Update 2**: Sunday, midnight: Greece Podcast
Another podcast: Ancient Greece, from Beginning to End (Crete, Mycenae, Dorians, Classical Athens, Alexander and Hellenism--with a long pause for Socrates and Philosophy, and a few comparisons with China. You don't have to listen to it before the DBQ--it's long (45 minutes), and the textbook chapters are enough--but it will be assigned before the Unit Test, so it's your choice. And I think those of you who are thinkers will see that I tried to make it interesting (because it is). Right-click and "Save as..." here.  

**Update 1**: Sunday, 12.45 p.m.
As promised, an overview of China in a podcast. Download it here (Right Click > "Save as..."), and open it in iTunes or any player that plays m4v files. 

I did the whole Shang, Zhou, Qin, and Han. If you just want to skip to Qin and Han, scroll to about 15.45 (if you go to View > Chapters, you'll see each dynasty's chapter. Click on it to go straight to that section). Qin and Han are about 30 minutes altogether.

The audio is a bit soft in the Zhou section, but louder in Qin and Han. I didn't have time to add pictures in the Qin/Han section as much as I wanted. Maybe I'll do that later, but for now--take notes on the audio. I tell you what textbook pages I'm discussing as I go, so follow along in your textbook if you think that will help.  

 

For the DBQ Tuesday:

You won't see the question until you are in class. You'll have ten minutes to gather your thoughts, outline, make new groupings, and so forth.

Annotate DBQ at home with:

• analysis and background info (see Ashley's DBQ draft for success here, and for a pretty good "advanced road map" in her thesis)
• "insights" about the meaning and significance of the subject, and of the individual docs themselves (Brett's formative DBQ is a fine and depressingly rare example of insightful student writing)
• Good possible groupings that are general enough to include 2-3 docs, but not vague. See the "common social studies categories" in an earlier post, and remember our mini-lesson on the board about "bucketing."

FAQs:
1. "What can we bring to class?"

• the DBQ, annotated on laptop OR on print-out. Your choice.
• hand-written notes: NO FULL PARAGRAPHS: short bullet points only of 2/3 of one line maximum. If it looks like a paragraph, I WILL CONFISCATE IT!!! (Yes, I'm screaming and using !!!. That's how serious this is.) 
• the Formative Greek DBQ rubric with my red-ink feedback (to remind you what to improve over last time) 

2. "Can we write on our laptops?"
--No. Hand-written. WRITE LARGE AND CLEARLY. DOUBLE-SPACE. LEAVE MARGINS.

3. "What other docs will we have?"
--DBQ checklist
--Rubric (new: simpler, clearer, cleaner)

Wed., 9-28: Institutions and Philosophy + Ancient Chinese Empires

Two excellent DBQ drafts from students (exemplar 1, exemplar 2). Look at them, "grade them" according to the Rubric, and compare them with your own to see how to improve.

In Class:
1. Matrix seminar discussion.
a. What's it's message?
b. What institutions does Morpheus mention?
c. What symbolism did you notice?
d. What connections to Plato's "Cave" did you find?
e. Compare and contrast Greek and Chinese philosophy. What are their major differences?

2. DBQ mini-lesson: Effective "grouping" (a.k.a. "bucketing").

3. Athens Focus: The Peloponnesian War.

3. Read World History: Patterns of Interaction (blue) textbook on Qin (pp. 104-109) and Han Dynasties (pp. 200-207) as background info for Tuesday's DBQ.

Focus especially on Qin and Han government:

• how it worked, 
• changes and continuities from Qin to Han
• what theory--and what responsibilities--justified the ruler's right to rule

Monday, 9/26: Writing Workshop 2 + Greek Philosophy

Announcements
1. See updated HW at bottom.

Why 9/11? Is America an empire? 

Watch adults debate that here. Our first Summative Seminar (the week after the DBQ) will include the question, "Is America an empire?" So this might give you good evidence to discuss:



In Class:
A. Writing Workshop 
1. Hand-Outs:

1. Cause/Effect Essay Drafts--look at feedback, clarify the changes you need to make for final revision, hand back to me. I'll return them later for you to revise and submit for Summative Grade.
2. Revised Essay/DBQ Rubric
3. "Formal Academic Essay Don'ts"

2. Collect Greece DBQ drafts.
--I'll check only these things:

• Complete Thesis Sentence + Road Map 
• Body Paragraphs (I'll only check one):
• Full Topic Sentence at beginning of paragraph
• Proper Document inclusion and citation
• Transitions within and between paragraphs

 3. Mini-Lesson: Writing Introductions and Conclusions (Powerpoint here)

B. Greek Philosophy:

Mini-Seminar: Practice making contributions before we have a Seminar Test

1. The Babylonians were not harsh to all the societies they conquered. They were very harsh to the Hebrews in Israel, though. What do you think made the Babylonians decide to destroy the Jewish Temple and deport the leading Jews to Babylon?

2. What was the difference between the Jews, who the Babylonians punished, and the other cultures that they tolerated?

3. What do you know about Jesus? What was his religion? Who crucified him? Why was he killed?

4. What do you know about Socrates? 

5. What do Socrates and Jesus have in common? Why did Confucius' life escape this?

What is philosophy, and why is it dangerous to practice it?

Watch the three videos below:



Confused? See if this clears things up:



HW:
1. Watch this podcast (download it) on Confucianism and Taoism. Since your DBQ will include China, going a bit deeper into these two philosophies will help. Pay attention to specific quotes and main ideas, because they may show up on tests.

2. Watch this clip from The Matrix, and be prepared to discuss how it relates to Plato's Allegory of the Cave:

Thu, Sep. 22: DBQ Workshop

In Class:

A. Writing Workshop: DBQ

1. Compare "bucket" patterns in fours, present which ones you thought best (best label, most documents supporting it).
2. Use this DBQ checklist to learn what an "A" looks like for

• Thesis Sentences
• Topic Sentences
• Incorporating Documents as evidence
• Analysis and insight

Homework:  Greece DBQ


Download and do "Greek contributions to Western civilization" DBQ. Use the Checklist linked above. In your essay, only include:

1. A thesis sentence + road map (original if you're good, cliche if you're average)
2. Topic sentence 
3. Three body paragraphs:
4. 2-3 documents per body paragraph
5. Strongest argument in first body paragraph, weaker ones next.

Print out and bring to class.

FAQs:
1. "Do we have to answer the questions under each document?"
--No. But you should be able to in your head, and on future tests.

2. "What are the common "buckets" (grouping categories) for history essays?"
These are the basic ones, though others are possible too:

• political
• economic
• social
• cultural
• religious
• geographic 

Week 6: Tuesday, Sep. 20: Philosophies of China

Announcements:

I spent much of the weekend trying to put out fires because of technology, and that consumed time and caused bumps--including unclear HW instructions. So here's the policy: if my instructions are unclear--I mean obviously unclear, not little nit-picky things--then trust me to be reasonable and not blame you. Choose the easier choice: in this case, between "do the worksheets" and "don't do the worksheets," choose the second one. I'll understand and won't penalize you.

But do do the easier choice faithfully--in this case, the readings. (And you should always annotate, at least lightly, when you read. It helps you find the stuff later that you found most important the first time you read. Annotating--light annotating--should be a habit for this class.)


Two Changes:

1. We've Moved: The Moodle server is obviously unreliable. That's not Moodle's fault--it's a good software. It's the fault of the free server. So we're moving to this Blogger site, which is run by Google. Google never goes down. So we can trust that we won't have "site down" problems from now on.
2. File-Sharing Won't Surprise Us Anymore: SAS encouraged Dropbox to share files. Our class discovered that Dropbox has a data limit for file sharing. So I'll be using SugarSync instead of Dropbox now to share files. Nothing will change for you. You'll still just be clicking and downloading links. We just won't be surprised by "service suspended" bombshells anymore.
3. Just to inform you: I'm still working on my Research Methods class for my Master's Degree. My research proposal paper is due to my professor today (and I still have to do the research by reading a lot of books and designing a research experiment, and then carrying it out, so I'm not saying "It's over."). I should have more time to devote to teaching instead of homework starting tomorrow.

Click the link below ("Read more") to see today's lesson notes: