Post 10: Darius

Darius was most definitely the best and most influential Persian leader. Darius is most noted for his innovative and incredible building projects, such as the Royal Road, a massive canal, and a bridge of boats. After years of disintegration, Darius united the Persian empire. He established a postal system and even helped the economy by having coinage, weights, and measures standardized. Religious tolerance was also practiced under the rule of Darius. And that is why Darius is so clearly awesome and obviously the most influential Persian ruler. 

Post 9: Hebrew History

Post 8: VIP Award

The Most Important......invention!

The Most Important Invention award will be awarded to.....cunieform! For being the most influential and important invention in the entire Sumerian civilization.

Post 7: Russo's Code

1.  If a man is caught stealing from the lunch ladies, he shall have his thumb chopped off by a cleaver.
2.  If a student sasses a teacher, he shall have his mouth duct taped shut for a week.
3.  If a student shall fail a test, they will be locked in solitary confinement for a fortnight.
4.  When the lunch lady messes up your sandwich, she shall repay you with 50 ka.
5.  If a student is dissatisfied with the teachings of a teacher, he has the right to rebel.
6.  Everyone shall share their 64-pack of crayons with the built-in sharpener with their commrades.
7.  Functional air conditioning and heat shall be installed in every single classroom.
8.  He who skips class shall receive 40 lashes.
9.  Those who assign homework must pay each student 50 shekels for their time and suffering. 
10.  For each teacher that is let go, each administrator must take a $100,000 pay decrease. 
11.  If an 18-year-old student wishes to sign themselves out, they shall have the right to.
12.  The couples who make out in the middle of the hallway shall be flogged. 

Post 6: Hammurabi's Code

All of Hammurabi's Laws!!!

1. If a man strike a free-born woman so that she lose her unborn child, he shall pay ten shekels for her loss.
2. If a man adopt a son, and if after he has taken him he injure his foster father and mother, then this adopted son shall return to his father's house.
3. If a man be guilty of incest with his daughter, he shall be driven from the place.
4. If a man let in the water, and the water overflow the plantation of his neighbor, he shall pay ten gur of corn for every ten gan of land.
5. If persons are stolen, then shall the community and . . . pay one mina of silver to their relatives.

 I put number 1 because striking women is avery bad thing to do, espically pregnant women. Number 2 made it to my list because I believe that it is wrong for parents to abuse their children, espically foster children. I put number 3 because incest is revolting. Number 4 is important because it is fair that if you ruin your neighbor's crops, you pay for the damage. Lastly, number 5 seems fair, because if a child goes missing, it is largely the community's fault, and they should pay for parents' suffering and losses. 

Post 5: The Fertile Crescent Dominates

Dear Travel Agent,

I have absolutely no desire to go to the repugnant Indus River Valley. Why would I leave a place as glorious and miraculous as the Fertile Crescent? Our fertile valleys are perfect for our thriving farming industry, and the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers provide for our superior irrigation systems. We have our own super advanced writing form, also known as cuneiform and education and religion are amongst our core beliefs. The first code of written law is also accredited with our civilizations, making the fertile crescent highly superior to the IRV.  The fertile crescent is constantly referred to as the "cradle of civilization" and it is way better than the Indus River Valley civilization.

Post 4: Come to the Indus River Valley

Come to the Indus River Valley!

We're surrounded by the Indus River and the Arabian Sea, so the Indus River Valley agriculture is thriving and we only have to protect one side of our land in a war. The large area of the IRV is surrounded by mountains, so wars and attacks are almost always avoided, disease is also prevented from getting in. We even have early forms of boats and carts for all your transportation needs! Some of our luxurious crops include, but are not limited to; wheat, barley, rye, peas, cotton, rice, and domesticated animals. But with our huge irrigation systems from the river, you'll never have to worry about your crops going hungry. The housing in the Indus River Valley is ideal for any living situation, as all houses have access to water and some even have two stories. So, come to the Indus River Valley, because it's way better than old, out-dated Mesopotamia!

Post 3: Timelines

Timeline Uno

Timeline Dos

I think timeline dos would make a better addition to the textbook. It is very clear and concise and the pictures make it easy to follow. The second timeline is short, sweet, and to the point, yet includes a lot of information. 

Post 2: 15 Facts

1. The Sumerians developed a calendar based on the moon
2. Sumerian writing is called cuneiform
3. Sumerians practiced polytheism, the belief in many gods
4. The Assyrians were the  first soldiers on horseback.
5. The Epic of Gilgamesh reflects Sumerian beliefs about life and death
6. Hitties were one of the first people to smelt iron
7. The Code of Hammurabi was a collection of Babyloian laws which dealt with all aspects of life
8. The present-day regions of Israel, Lebanon, and Syria were once called Phoenicia
9. The Phoenicians invented the art of glass-blowing
10. The alphabet was developed by the Phoenicians
11. Lydians were the first people to use coined money
12. Cyrus the Great was the Persian king who captured Babylon and took over the rest of the Fertile Crescent.
13. Zoroaster is the Persian prophet and teacher who developed an influential religious philosophy.
14. The strip of fertile land that begins at the Isthmus of Suez and arcs through Southwest Asia to the Persian Gulf is called the fertile crescent
15. Sumerians invented the arch

Post 1: Getting to know me

I am interested in history, Dave Matthews Band, shopping, The Office, studying abroad, and Clint Eastwood movies.

My hobbies are dance, tennis, sleeping, and participating in various clubs and cults.

I am a unique human being because I am empathetic, hardworking and enthusaistic.

I took this class because I'm really interested in learning about ancient civilizations because it is a topic that I do not know very much about.

Ancient Civilizations intrigue me because they were the building blocks of the modern world we live in today.

I hope to gain lots of knowledge about things that I was previously not knowledgeable about from this class.