History of Western Civilisation - Wednesday 5th Period: Discussion 1: Introduction and Sumeria

[prof-methos.livejournal.com]

All right, then. I bet you all thought that I wasn't going to make you do the stand-up-and-introduce-yourselves bit. Sorry.

Since this section of the class is all about discussion and sharing ideas, I think we first should share our names. I'm not going to ask why you're taking this class, since I imagine most of you are taking it because History 101 is something of a basic requirement. Instead, tell me what period of history has some meaning for you. A different time than your own, please, if you are historically displaced or from somewhere other than Earth. If you know nothing about another period in history... make something up. Please.

Then we're going to spend the hour talking.

Optional reading I totally gave you all yesterday:
Sumerian Language Page -- http://www.sumerian.org/
Wikipedia Entry on Sumer -- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sumeria
The Electronic Text Corpus of Sumerian Literature -- http://www-etcsl.orient.ox.ac.uk/

[[OCD Threads up. Comment away!]]

Comments

ATTENDANCE: Sign In

[prof-methos.livejournal.com]

Please sign in *below* the person above you, so the thread will collapse.

Re: ATTENDANCE: Sign In

[suzotchka.livejournal.com]

Ivanova signs in. She doesn't seem to have woken up significantly over lunch.

INTRODUCTIONS

[prof-methos.livejournal.com]

Your name, and what period of history has some meaning for you. If you don't know any history... lie to me.

Re: INTRODUCTIONS

[suzotchka.livejournal.com]

"Ah, my name is Susan Ivanova." Ivanova hesitates, not really sure what to say next. "I suppose I have a fondness for the golden age of Imperial Russia, around the beginning of the eighteenth century to the beginning of the twentieth. My father spoke very highly of that time as one of progress and expansion for our people. I never agreed with him on the second, but I have to admit that it still holds some romance for me."

Re: INTRODUCTIONS

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"I'm Isabel Evans." She paused, trying to gather her thoughts and not have it seem that most of this is coming from all the romance novels she's read. "I'm intrigued by Elizabethan England. I'm always amazed that one woman could rule so long, and so well, at that time in history."

Re: INTRODUCTIONS

[harried-potter.livejournal.com]

"I am Harry Potter. My favourite period of history is the completely fictional period described in the gothic novels of, amongst others, Walpole and Shelley, with lots of dark haunted castles and ghosts and fainting ladies. Reminds me somewhat of Hogwarts, where i come from". He smiles and sits down.

Re: INTRODUCTIONS

[actingltcrumpet.livejournal.com]

"Archie Kennedy," he says, standing up. "I suppose my own time period -- that is to say, the era of the Napoleonic Wars -- means the most to me, as I'm curious about, well . . . what happened after, er, my time."

Uneasy about elaborating further, Archie clears his throat and sits back down.

Re: INTRODUCTIONS

[janet_fraiser]

"My name is Janet Fraiser," said Janet. She wasn't even five feet tall yet, with long, red hair that framed her face and made her look slightly younger than her sixteen years. "I'm the person you're all being threatened with. I'm also someone to come to if you don't want to bother Dr. Pierson directly, or if you just need a little bit of help. You can find me in the library most days in between classes. Also, I'm particularly interested in Egyptian history and how their mythology was both a product of and influenced by their culture."

Re: INTRODUCTIONS

[psi16.livejournal.com]

Her education in the Corps had provided little in the way of formal history education; what she had learned, she learned by reading and researching on her own...or had gleaned from picking the minds of others on some of her less-principled days. It was enough to keep her interested, to keep her reading outside of the Corps classes. She hoped it would be enough to get her through here, too.

"Lyta Alexander," she said at length. "I've always had a fascination with the American Colonial and Revolutionary period. There was so much involved, so much at stake, and many of them were willing to risk everything they owned for what they felt to be a just cause. And somehow they managed to maintain a clarity of purpose." She paused, shaking her head. "I'm not so sure the same could be said of every fight for freedom. Not even my own."

[OOC: Grr. I will post properly. Really.]

Re: INTRODUCTIONS

[bruiser-in-pink.livejournal.com]

"I'm Molly Hayes and, uh, I really like the Greeks. Their architecture is really neat and I've always like their myths."

Re: INTRODUCTIONS

[ihatedenmark.livejournal.com]

I'm Hamlet Dane Jr, and I suppose that I have two favourite periods.

I've always felt an affection for the tales of my Viking ancestors back in the early centuries of Danish history. I'm actually named after Amleth, a Viking prince of Jutland who managed to defeat his wicked usurping uncle Feng to reclaim his crown. I can only hope that my own family troubles might end as happily.

I also have an affection for Elizabethan England, although I've never been able to put my finger on quite why that is...

Re: INTRODUCTIONS

[dorky-broots.livejournal.com]

"Broots, and I really like the later half of the twentieth century, especially the 90's, and will probably like the twenty-first even more. It was during this time that technology really boomed and we got such things as the internet and cell phones, which I cannot live without."

Re: INTRODUCTIONS

[blueskin-mystiq.livejournal.com]

"My name is Mystique. I like reading about the Renaissance, because ideas and learning were very important. I read about military history...in part to know what people are capable of."

Re: INTRODUCTIONS

[sakuracchyan.livejournal.com]

Still ignoring her mun's lack of punctuality and ability to follow rules or directions, Sakura stands up. "Kinomoto Sakura," she states, and then ponders for a moment. "...and as for periods of history... I'm not very familiar with the history taught here, but I'll agree with Isabel," She passed a meek smile at Isabel as she mentioned her. "...because I've read a little on Elizabethan England."

She really hoped that it wouldn't look bad for her to simply agree with another classmate -- she really didn't know very much about Western history at all; that was why she was taking the class.

DISCUSSION

[prof-methos.livejournal.com]

What is "Western Civilisation"?

Re: DISCUSSION

[janet_fraiser]

"Doesn't it typically refer to European culture, a large portion of which is derived from Greek and Roman society?" asked Janet. "Though much of that has been transferred to North America, as a large portion of the population of this continent is of European descent." She frowned, going over some of the reading from yesterday, and the discussion. "Other influences would be Islamic, wouldn't it? And Mesopotamian as well. If writing originated there and spread throughout the globe, I'd imagine other cultural aspects would have also had to."

Re: DISCUSSION

[blueskin-mystiq.livejournal.com]

Slight snort. "A contradiction in terms?"

Re: DISCUSSION

[dorky-broots.livejournal.com]

"Typically, I think it's the people's of Europe and Eur-Asia and maybe North America. I know the Greeks and Romans were included in this. Somehow, the US is as well, though I'm not sure how since it can be argued that it's to the east of Europe. Then again, directions are easy to argue."

DISCUSSION 2

[prof-methos.livejournal.com]

As Ms. Fraiser brought up yesterday, iconic images are part of our cultural heritage. What images bring to mind ancient civilisations for you? A plow? A wagon wheel? Mud brick buildings? A squiggly line indicating water with a sheaf of wheat indicating grain, put together indicating beer? Give me some images.

Re: DISCUSSION 2

[harried-potter.livejournal.com]

"The spinario (http://www.utexas.edu/courses/citylife/imagesr/spinario.jpg). Because people of ancient civilisations plucked their feet all the time? They had no shoes, you see...They stepped in things."

DISCUSSION 3

[prof-methos.livejournal.com]

General Sumerian discussion. If you were an overacheiver and did extra reading, wow us with your brillance here.

Re: DISCUSSION 3

[janet_fraiser]

"The Sumerian language is, so far as we can determine, completely unrelated to any other languages," said Janet. She'd gone through the extra reading last night. "Their culture was rather pessimistic, their afterlife was horribly depressing, and they developed the first codified legal system. So we can blame them for the lawyers, right?"

DISCUSSION 4

[prof-methos.livejournal.com]

Anything you want to bring up. This is a good place to ask questions of the teacher.

TALKING AMONST YOURSELVES

[prof-methos.livejournal.com]

About non-class topics? Naughty, naughty.

Re: TALKING AMONST YOURSELVES

[janet_fraiser]

Janet slipped Lyta a note. Enjoying your first week of classes?

AFTER CLASS

[prof-methos.livejournal.com]

Anything you need to see Dr. Pierson or Janet about? This early in the semester? Ask here.

OOC

[prof-methos.livejournal.com]

Aaaaaand, for everything else.

Re: OOC

[ten-and-chips.livejournal.com]

Awww, no bigass lecture of doom. Pity.