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

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

[prof-methos.livejournal.com]

"You have no curiousity about time periods before your own? Pity."

Re: INTRODUCTIONS

[actingltcrumpet.livejournal.com]

"Oh, I do," says Archie quickly, embarrassed. "It's just -- curiosity of a personal nature, I suppose. I admit to wanting to know what happened to some of my friends, er, after. Which I suspect it may be best for me not to know in too much detail. I would certainly be interested in learning more about the relations between Britain and France between that time and now, though."

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.