May 28

Today was my last class of Western Civilization and my last class with Mr. Schick. I  am glad that I had Mr. Schick and I enjoyed his class.  He was probably one of the most funniest teachers I have had and it helped being in his favorite class.  Instead of having a party, like most of my other class, we took the essay portion of the final exam today. Mr. Schick gave us the topics so we could prepare for the three essays.  I wrote all the essays last night, so I felt good after class was over. I finished just in time. I feel confident that I did well. Mr. Schick had these cute little blue notebooks that we wrote the essays in. It kind of felt like being in second grade again with the small notebooks that had wide spacing. I feel confident that I did well and will be preparing for the scantron portion by studying old test. Sad to say this but I think this is my last blog. I will miss my class, Mr. Schick, and all the good laughs we had: "Just grab some land." "Are you crying?" and all the rhythms Mr. Schick says before the test. Also all the pinto boy jokes and Jayla being late and her answering the phone... It was a great second semester!!

May 27

Today in class we went over the Rome test. I got to see the one question that I got it wrong. Most people got that one wrong. I am fine with my score. Tonight I will prepare for the exam in class tomorrow. I would be lying if I told you I am not nervous. But I will be fine. I would rather write the essays tomorrow than on Wednesday when I will take the rest of the exam.

May 26

Today we took our last test on Rome. I thought it was pretty easy. One or two that I guessed on, but most I knew. Like always Mr. Schick had some funny answers and questions. I am going to miss him next year. Tonight I will start preparing my essay. Not sure which ones I will do. I am glad that we only have to write three of them. Also we will be writing them in class and not during our exam time. This gives me more time to get the multiple choice questions done. I ended up getting a 98%.

May 22

Today we went over the schedule for the rest of the year. We also went over the Powerpoint. Mr. Schick is going to add more slides over the weekend and post the exam topics. We will have to write three out of the four essays. Here are the notes I took today in class:

"Crossing the Rubicon"

• after the victory, Julius wants to go to Rome and have a celebration to take power 
• senate says no, stop at the Rubicon and only take your elite soldiers to Rome
• but he choose to talk into Rome with all his soldiers  
• he made his decision when crossing the Rubicon 
• the senate gets him into the Senate Chamber and stabs him to death  

May 21

Today in class we finished the presentations. My group went today. I think we did well and people thought the pot looked really good. Today there was also a project on Gladiators and a trivia game. The Gladiators group made a cool model of a battle scene and the trivia game board was neat and creative.  Everyone did a great job on their project. I think we all deserve As. The test was moved to Tuesday and Mr. Schick started to talk about the exam. Instead of having to write an essay on the exam day, we will be doing it in class on Thursday. We are going to discuss it and Mr. Schick is going to post the topic over the weekend so we can take the notes. The notes are not only a good study guide for the essay, but also the multiple choice questions.

May 20

The projects continued today. Three more groups present. Jayla showed us her Roman pot, and we also heard two diary entries- one from a patrician and one from a plebeian. I think the best presentation so far was Alex and Arthur's lego model. They did an amazing job and they also had a powerpoint with a good amount of facts. They really involved the class, making jokes here and there. I hope our presentation is as good as theirs tomorrow.  

May 19

Today in class, we started the presentations. I enjoyed the food, but I wish that it was later in the day. I am not one to eat pasta and salad at 8 in the morning. Overall, I think they deserve an A on their three course meal with a traditional drink.  Just a suggestion, maybe have a little bit more history. The second presentation was great. I thought the song really followed what we were learning about. David's powerpoint had a lot of good information, but it was kinda boring compared to food and music. I think today was a great start! My group is preparing to go on Thursday.

May 15

Since Mr. Schick is from Chicago, he likes the blues. BB King passed away last night, so Mr. Schick showed our class a song from one of his concerts. I have heard his songs before because my dad is a guitar player. I still enjoyed it. Mr. Schick gave us the rest of class to work on our projects. While we worked on the projects, Mr. Schick played some more songs. Today was a good class.

May 14

Today was an hour late bell, so the times of the mods where different. Mr. Schick must have forgot what bell we were on because Dylan and Parker had to go to his room and get him. So that basically took up a whole. Then the second mod we continued the powerpoint:

Poor Plebs

How do you keep the plebs happy?

• The poet Juvenal said the people "anxiously hopes for two things: bread and circuses"
• bread (free grains from the state) and entertainment (Circus Maximus, Colosseum)
• the government gave this to them partly to keep them alive, but more to distract them, while the government took their land 

A Change in Rule

• Tiberius Gracchus recognized the advantages of courting the plebeians (even though he was eventually killed by the Senate) 
• military generals worked that angle- lead an army that conquers land, then gives them a share in spoils 
• soldiers' loyalty was to their military leader, not to Rome or the Republic (in it for the money) 

Nobody Did That Better Than Caesar 

• Julius Caesar (100- 44 BCE) 
• highly successful- conquered the huge territory of Gaul (France)  
• fought with his own soldiers in battle 

He Could Play the Game of Politics

• made the common folks happy 
• made friends in high places 

- Pompey (a general who conquered Syria and Palestine) 

- Crassus  (the richest man in Rome, one of the richest man in history)

• these three men formed the First Triumvirate- "rule of three men" 
• made this to rule and gain power 

Jessica, Alyssa, and I glazed the pot today with a clear shinny coat. The glaze will make the pot darker too. Once the pot is fired, it will be done. 

May 13

Today in class, we had a pop quiz. I did not do well on it. I definitely have to study the branches of government of both the United States and ancient Rome.  The last question made everyone crack up. "Just grab some land!" While Mr. Schick was grading the quiz, we were allowed to work on our project. My group worked on the powerpoint.  We still have to write the paper and finish the powerpoint. Tomorrow during mods 7 and 8 we will finish our pot.

May 12

Today in class we finished watching the video on Rome. I personally think that he was a little power hunger, but he wanted the power to protect the people, not to rule over them. I do not think it was right for the senate to immediately go out and beat him to death. If it really was a Republic, they would have put him on trial or question him before killing. I am glad we watch movies in class, especially this one. It really made that time come to life and easier to understand.  

May 8

Mr. Schick was not here today, so we were able to work on our project. Alyssa, Jess, and I started the powerpoint and  the one page essay. We got about 10 slides down. We also check on our pot and told the art teacher that it has to be ready by May 18. He said  that the pot will be done before that.

May 7

Today in class, we watched a video on Rome. It followed the powperpoint perfectly. It brought what we are learning about to life and it gave us a day off of note taking. Mr. Schick also explained the academic completion coming up. He wants me to join a team. I personally don't think I am good at trivia, especially with date, but well see. He has some sample questions that he will give me.

May 6

That's A Roman legion, clear as day

• 5000 soldiers, not in it for pay (not yet) 
• the Roman army's elite heavy infantry 
• recruited exclusively from Roman citizens 

The Punic War 

• 264-146 BCE
• Rome vs. Carthage 
• three different wars 

 First Punic War 

• fought over who is going to control the sea routs 
• 264-241 BCE 
• naval battles for control of the strategically located island of Sicily 
• Rome wins this one 
• fought on war ships 

Second Punic War 

• 218- 201 BCE 
• 29 year old Carthaginian general Hannibal almost takes over Rome
• attacks Rome from the North after crossing Iberia (Spain) and the Alps
• lays siege to much of the peninsula for 15 years, but he could never make it into Rome
• Rome won 

Third Punic War 

• 149-146 BCE
• Rome wanted to remove the threat of Carthage 
• Scipio, Tiberius Gracchus, and other mercilessly attacked the city 
• Carthage was burned for 17 days; the city's walls and buildings were destroyed 
• when war ended, the last 50,000 people became slaves
• rest of territories were annexed, and made into the Roman province of Africa (became part of the Roman Empire)

Economic Change, Social Upheaval

• slaves poured into Italy (50,000 Carthaginians, 150,000 Greeks, ect.)
• by the end of the second century BCE, there were over a million of slaves in Italy
• small farmers lost their land to aristocrats (for little or no money) if they couldn't pay their debts, sometimes because the men of the farm were fighting in battles
• slaves did the work on the farms for the rich
• the big farms became massive estates called latifundia

May 5

Rule of the king is replaced by the rule of two consuls ("gotta be better than one") 

• consuls are elected officials 
• term of office: one year- ten years later could run again 
• always aristocrats (patricians) 
• patrician traced their descent from a famous ancestor or pater ("Father")
• duties: dealing justice, making law, commanding the army
• one consul could veto the other (reducing the power of the individual) 

A Challenge from the "regular folks" 

• 5th century BCE- patrician dominance of the government was challenged by the plebs ("people")  
• plebs were 98% of the population 
• how did the patricians dominate? 

- plebs had to serve in the army, but could not hold office 

- plebs were threatened with debt slavery 

-plebs had no legal rights 

"No legal rights," you say?

• plebs were victims of discriminatory decisions in judicial trails
• Rome had no actual laws, just unwritten customs
• Patricians could interpret these on their own advantage 

So, plebs refused to serve in the military until... 

• laws were written out (The Law of the Twelve Tables)
• these laws (on tablets) were posted in public (in 450 BCE) 
• tribunes ("tribal leaders") were elected 

SPQR- Senatus Populusque Romanum

• designates any decree or decision made by "the Roman Senate and People"

Res publica- means the people's affairs 

brand new republic, ready to run, 

• democracy (the people's assembly and the tribunes)
• aristocracy (the senate - approx. 300 members) 
• plus monarchy (the consuls) 
• not a tyranny 

Gov't.: ancient Roman vs. USA 

• originally, the US modeled their new gov. on the model used by ancient Romans 
• both had three branches of government - executive, legislative, judicial
• both have legal code- Twelve Tables, Constitution, Bill of Rights 

Executive

Rome: 

• two consuls 
• one year terms
• each has veto power 
• controls the military 
• could appoint a dictator in a crisis for a six-month term 

USA:

• President and VP 
• four year terms 
• can veto proposed laws 
• Commander- in- Chief 

Legislative

SPQR:

• Senate - 300 members- aristocrats- members for life
• Assemblies- members for life 

USA: 

• Senate- 100 senators (2 from each state- six year term) 
• House of Representatives (435 members -two year terms) 

Judicial

SPQR:

• Praetors 
• chosen by the Centuriate Assembly
• one year term 

USA: 

• Supreme Court 
• nine members 
• appointed by the President, confirmed by the Senate
• lifetime terms 

Legal code

Twelve Tables 

• publically  displayed 
•  gave rights to plebeians, not just aristocrats
• only protected free-born male citizens (not women) 

Bill of Rights 

• First ten amendments of the constitution  

May 1

Jessica, Alyssa, and I made the pot today during mods 5 through 8. Mr. Schick was kind enough to let us work through his class. We got the basic shape of the pot. On Monday, we will make the handles and the top and bottom stand of the pot. We will decorate the pot too. Then the pot will be done and we will make a powerpoint with information and facts on pottery in ancient Rome. So while we did this, the other students in the class where allowed to do homework.  So today was a great day to get a big chunk of our project done.