HonNov

November 2, 2009. Kaitlan Shaub. HOMEWORK: Read pages 79 to 85. Reading analysis due Wednesday.

At the beginning of class we went over the Ancient Peoples and Their Gods packet:

__Sumerian important sentence__: To [the Sumerians] the great gods, who were the personified forces of nature, ruled the universe, and in the sight of the gods, man was nothing. __Sumerian important word__: gods __Sumerian important phrase__: Fear was a strong component __Egyptian important sentence__: Religion was the most powerful force animating Egyptian society. ALSO Egyptians were preoccupied with life after death. __Egyptian important word__: afterlife __Egyptian important phrase__: preoccupied with life after death

Went over answers to the back 14 questions. (Summary- Judiasm, Christianity, and Sumerian beliefs are all quite similar.) Comparison of the Babylonian and Noachian Flood Stories- This link elaborates on the similarities and differences between the story of Noah's Ark and the story of Utanapishtim. http://www.religioustolerance.org/noah_com.htm To the right is a picture of Noah's Ark on Mount Ararat.

November 3, 2009 Ali Steiner


 * Homework**- read pages 79-85 reading analysis due Wednesday

In the beginning of class we saw that National Geographic put 30 pages on their latest issue on the mummification of animals in Egypt. Some of the animals were dogs, cats, monkeys, elephants, lions, snakes, and more. [] Then we took notes on a power point...

Roots of the Indus Valley Civilization - unknown until mid-19th century discovery -excavations revealed two cities: Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro -site predates apperance of Aryans in India by 1,500 years -Harappa seen as an innovation, not a copy of Sumer -limited writing hinders knowledge of Harappa

Design/Construction of well planned cities -carefully planned -1,000 known Harappan sites by 2,500 B.C.E. -identical city layout for Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro -extensive public baths -homes with toilets connected to sewer system -regular plan suggests organization and bureaucracy -no monumental buildings -no evidence of social stratification Design/Construction of well planned cities -Questions of interpretation -artifacts suggest equality, efficiency, and public conveniences but also little change over time -sign of successful of stagnant civilization -no apparent central city -can't read language to answer questions -How did it move east to lay basis for successor. Aryan civilization of Ganges River?

After we took notes we got to work on the homework.

Zach Sterner__**
 * __November 4th, 2009

We went over the reading analysis and discussed what we wrote down


 * __What We Knew About the Indus River Valley?__**

- Traded with the Mesopotamians

- The Aryans inhabited India

- The Cities were walled because they were under threat of attack

- Architecture was similar to the Egyptians' architecture - There were no monumental structures in harappan cities

- Own Form of Crafts/Arts- Beading and Pottery

- Thought more was known, oops


 * __2 Most Important things that were learned?__**

-Organization of civilization extremely important. Trade and Civilization

- Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro were very similar in structure, appearance, and culture

- Little was known, Was different than other regions that were studied

-Planned Cities - System of weights/measurements Labor Specialization

- Apparent lack of social classes

- Planned cities reflect a political structure

Most surprising

- Found Recently - By accident

- Lack of defined social classes

- Organized Architecture - Cleanliness

- Hygiene

- How similar Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro were


 * __Things that we didn't understand__**

1) Why did the Aryans adopt religion but not writing?

- The writing might have been too complex - Have less of a reason to adopt it

2) They seem so intelligent and systematic but why didn't they develop writing?

3) Why were there no monumental structures?

( Only got part of the way through this because the period ended while we were discussing this)

Photograph of gateway excavations in Harappa, 1995. This is from the site on moodle: []