Marcus Aurelius (Antonious)

Marcus Aurelius was orginally named Marcus Annius Catilius Serverus. When he became emperor he was given the name Marcus Aurelius Antonious. He was born in 121-180 in Ancient Rome. Under Diognetus's influenced young Marcus, he became a precocious Stoic at the age of 11 and remainded a devoted folloers of stoicism. Marcus Aurelius had an excellent education, he had became a Stoic philospher and he wrote Meditations in Greek as a source of his own guidance and self improvement.

Marcus raised new legions, even accepting slaves and gladiators, auctioned of furnishings from the imperials palaces to raise funds, and in 168 went with Verus to the front. Verus died in early 169, and Marcus was left to face the war alone. The barbarians were driven back, but still the war dragged on in a mixture of victories and barbarians were driven back, but still the war dragged on in a mixture of victories and defeats, with Marcus living mainly at the front, sometimes on the Danube, sometimes on the Rhine as the focus of crisis shifted. Gradually the Romans gained the upper hand, and by 175 we are told that Marcus was inteding to annex the lands of the tribes nearest the frontier when he was suddenly forced to call off the war because of the revolt of Avidius Cassius in the East.

THE BLACK DEATH

THE BLACK DEATH

The Black Death was a horrible epidemic which historians believe started in Africa and shot across Central Asia and then the European countries through trade. The main reason is through the fleas on rodents, and the rodents themselves. The plague got the name for one of two reasons. First, being the late stage of the disease, where skin would blacken due to hemorrhages , then leading to gangrene (pictures are on the internet, but some are just to crazy to force people to view while reading, so I will just leave you to google them). The second reason is due to the fact that it was so dark and morbid and there being no cure leading to imminent death. The Bubonic plague, being the current name of the disease, would cause the victim to swell, get a fever, and then spit blood. Upon this, the family and friends of the victim would usually abandone them, leaving them to die where they were and rot without a proper burial. This also, would leave the victim in a state of fear and being alone, dying without any hope or friendly voice, which in my opinion, is one of the most dark and brutal ways to go.

It is important to the world in multiple ways. This was a huge killing power, believed to have killed many millions during the 14th century. During the medieval times, it was supposed to have killed 30%-60% of Europes population. When it didn't strike the people directly, it would kill off the livestock and domesticated animals. Invading troops used the infected bodies of the dead in catapults, launching them over the walls of defending peoples. It was a huge factor in cities being lost, churches going down, and loyalty and kinship being destroyed. Some believed it was an angry God and his wrath upon the world. Others blamed the Jewish people, which led to the killing thousands of innocent people. Nonbelievers would find religion, while the religious would leave it.

Negative impacts on our world today can include, but aren't limited to, massive amounts of death. This slowed the growth of many cities and countries, which if not for the plague, could be alive and immense in knowledge/beauties. With the killing of thousands due to blame, it has made feuds between people that could still have the hatred for persecutions. Positive impacts could be that the Black Death helped the world shape into what it has become. Without the instance, we as people might not be ready for an immense epidemic. Sure they didn't have the technology and vaccinatiosn we do now, but we do have the written experiences of what happened and with that, a little more preparation to handle it. It also helped regulations for trades. Trading during the time period possibly got tougher and was watched to make sure that nothing like this would happen again.

Huns and Goths

Amminaus wrote about the Huns and Goths ten years after the events took place. Ammianus was prejudice toward the Huns and Goths and it was shown in his writings. His writings show sympathy towards the Goths because they were abused by the Roman gernals. The Huns and Goths are raised to be a race of savage beasts from birth. From the first moment when they exit the womb the baby Huns are marked with an iron so that instead of hair they have scars. The Huns believe it is best to grow up without beauty but rather to be a beast at sight. The Huns are enormous and have short legs so that people might just believe they are a beast or monster of some sort. The Huns do not care about the flavor of the food nor do they use fire to cook it. They would rather eat their food raw and the place the food between their thighs to warm it up a little bit. It seems that the Huns don't care for a life of luxury they rather live like a wild animal in the jungle. They do not sleep under a roof or even on a bed they sleep on their horse which does not seem very comfortable. The Huns live a life that most of us today would not even dream of and I don't mean that in a good way they finally decided to come out of the mountains and take over the lands of the Goths. The Goths were so afraid of this mention of the barbarians (Huns) taking over like a "whirlwind" that most of them fled their homes to find a safe place to hide out. This event was important to know because what if we today were put in a similar situation. We could look back and see what we could do better to handle the situation.

Feudalism and the Truce of God

Feudalism itself is a form of government developed in the time after the Roman Empire. This method of ruling enables weaker leaders to retain control over their land by contracting it out to others in return for their service to the king. This government structure is great for situations like the one that developed during the middle ages where there weren't the countries that we see today, but groups of allied kings that ruled over smaller areas. However, even though it is often classified as a type of government, the concept of Feudalism doesn't dictate in any way the way these kingdoms are ruled. Instead it simply provides a way for rulers to attain and retain power.

This type of rule is very good in theory, but it is one that requires good enforcement of the oath taken by the subjects who have pledged allegiance to the king. Without guidelines, the king would not be able to defend his land or even summon his army when he called on it. It is because of that oversight that rulers implemented laws for the lords and vassals to follow. One set of laws was brought forth by the Catholic church and is called the Truce of God.

The Truce of God was a set of rules designed primarily to prevent conflict on certain days of the year. In addition to providing new laws for people to abide by, it also provided punishments for those that would violate the law. These rules and regulations  dealt mostly with the carry and use of a weapon on Sundays and various holy days such as Lent and it was eventually amended to include Fridays as well. The idea behind creating this Truce of God was to keep Christians from fighting each other and more importantly, to keep knights from violent acts as much as possible. If one of the codes were broken though, the Truce of God contained the information needed to carry out a fitting punishment for the crime and goes so far as to tell who would be the one to implement the punishment as well. It's safe to say that without this code of ethics and the addition of many others, Feudalism may not have lasted in the middle ages. 

The Holy Kaaba

The Kaaba is a cube shaped building located in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. The Kaaba is the holiest location in the Muslim faith. The building is thought to be more than two thousand years old. A mosque, called Masjid al-Haram, was built around the Kaaba. All Muslins are supposed to make a pilgrimage to the Kaaba at least once during their lifetime, also when Muslins pray they must face toward the Kaaba.

The Kaaba was built using granite from the hills surrounding Mecca. In the eastern corner of the Kaaba is the “black stone”. The black stone is believed to be a meteorite that has been around since the time of Adam and Eve. Some pilgrims attempt to kiss the stone as Muhammad did when he founded the religion of Islam. When Muhammad founded Islam he made the Kaaba the central point.

The Kaaba is still maintained to this day. The cloth surrounding the Kaaba is replaced once a year. The black stone and the marble base are sprayed with scented oils. Each year thousands of pilgrims flock to the Kaaba to worship and prove their faith to Islam and Allah.

A 3-D view of the Kaaba can be found here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=40SNX5wLntU.

The Revolution of the Heavenly Spheres

The article is contained in the dedication or preface of Copernicus’ book, The Revolution of the Heavenly Spheres. Copernicus was trying to explain to the Pope, Paul III, that what he states in the book is not heresy nor is he trying denounce the Bible in any way. He states that his theory that the sun is the center of the universe and the Bible can coexist, because it doesn’t change the ideas of the church merely the idea that the Earth is the center of the universe.

This document written by Nicolaus Copernicus was important because it was a major event that in the astronomy world. Until that time most scientists believed in the Ptolemaic idea that the Earth was the center of the universe with the elements: earth, water, fire and air around the Earth. This theory also believed that the sun and stars oppositely rotated around the sun in a twenty-four hour period which explained night and day. The only problem with the theory is that it lacked an explanation for the elliptical orbit. Copernicus’ idea had an explanation for all of these mysteries. The large problem is that in the day the document was written, religion and science went hand in hand and the Earth at the center explained that heaven was beyond the planets.

The Revolution of the Heavenly Spheres impacted our world because it is the basis of Copernicanism, belief that the sun is the center of the universe, which we hold as truth to this day. Though Copernicus did not get wide acceptance for his work mainly because it was too technical for most people to understand; it paved the way for others like Tycho Brahe, Johannes Kepler and Galileo Galilei who eventually gained widespread support for Copernicanism.

The English Bill of Rights (1689)

After the Parliament overthrew and beheaded King Charles I, it did a bit of experimentation to rule England as a republic. Ultimately, England asked the Dutch ruler William of Orange to become the new king. However, before this came about, the Parliament wanted some reassurances about what life would be like under the new king and so they crafted the English Bill of Rights.

The document is important in that it is a very early statement that the king is no longer to be considered divine and omni-powerful. The powers of the monarch are curtailed greatly and the powers of the Parliament to make or approve the laws of the land are detailed. It also states that the populace can retain arms. Also, the members of Parliament cannot be persecuted for actions taken in Parliament and that the election to the Parliament is to be free. It further goes on to state that an army kept inside the kingdom without the consent of Parliament in a time of peace is illegal. It is important in that the rights of citizens are not to be curtailed by the capricious nature of a king.

The document had a great impact on the writers of the American Constitution some 100 years later. In fact, article 10 of the American Bill of Rights is virtually a word for word copy of the tenth article of the English bill of rights: “Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.” The founding fathers undoubtedly used much of this document to make our constituion.

Leonardo De Vinci & Michelangelo

Leonardo was born in the small town of Vinci, in Tuscany, near Florence. He was the son of a wealthy Florentine notary and a peasant woman. In the mid-1460s the family settled in Florence, where Leonardo was given the best education that Florence, a major intellectual and artistic center of Italy, could offer. He rapidly advanced socially and intellectually. He was handsome, persuasive in conversation, and a fine musician and improviser. About 1466 he was apprenticed as a garzone (studio boy) to Andrea del Verrocchio, the leading Florentine painter and sculptor of his day. In Verrocchio's workshop Leonardo was introduced to many activities, from the painting of altarpieces and panel pictures to the creation of large sculptural projects in marble and bronze. Leonardo da Vinci is best remembered as the painter of the Mona Lisa (1503-1506) and The Last Supper (1495). But he's almost equally famous for his astonishing multiplicity of talents: he dabbled in architecture, sculpture, engineering, geology, hydraulics and the military arts, all with success, and in his spare time doodled parachutes and flying machines that resembled inventions of the 19th and 20th centuries. He made detailed drawings of human anatomy which are still highly regarded today. Leonardo also was quirky enough to write notebook entries in mirror (backwards) script, a trick which kept many of his observations from being widely known until decades after his death.

Michelangelo Buonarotti is definitely in competition for the top spot. Writer, sculptor, painter and architect, this Italian artist created some of the world’s most well-known artworks, from the sculptor of David to the painting of the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. If Michelangelo was a true “renaissance” man, it is in part, no doubt, to the various artistic influences and teachings of his time. He studied painting under the Florentine painter, Ghirlandaio. At the Medici academy, he would study sculptor under Bertoldo. He competed with Leonardo Da Vinci in the world of painting and he was commissioned by Pope Julius II, to erect his tomb and to paint the Sistine Chapel. In the Florence of his time, where his study of anatomy would later make his sculptures masterpieces of the human form, he was influenced by Dante, Giotto and Savonarola. His ideology was influenced by the Neoplatonic philosophy. He attempted to achieve in his own life a Platonic image of beauty of the human form and all material things as a mirror of the inner soul combined with Christian ideas of sin. He was a successful poet, having written hundreds of sonnets.

Chronicles of the 4th Crusade

During the end of the 11th century and the beginning of the 12th century the Forth Crusade took place. It was a conflict that ended between the Byzantines and the Westerners which were trying to take over Constantinople. In this selection Geoffrey de Villehardouin was describing in full detail, the military actions that took place in the forth crusade. In 1199 Pope Innocent III wanted to recapture Jerusalem, but the Franks and Venetians were not caring about it too much. In 1204 the Western crusaders captured Constantinople. They accomplished all that by making hits everywhere they could. They seized the port, captured the Tower of Galata, attacked by land and sea and apparently Emperor Alexius and his army couldn’t keep up. The emperor Alexius faced them but did not attack, they decided to give up to the crusaders.
This selection is very important because the crusaders recaptured what they wanted and they also take Constantinople. It is also important because of the expansion of trade and economic contacts the expeditions facilitated. It made everything so much easier to transport one thing to another place. I think it affects our world today because it showed how Muslims and Christians worked together. Even though they were different religions they knew how to put that aside and show their appreciation for eachother.

Calvin on Predesination

The 1500's marked a time of religious reformation, where people were beginning to question the Catholic faith. One person imparticular was John Calvin ,he was the second son of five born to Gerard Cauvin, (in Noyon,France), and at the age of twelve he became a chaplain at the Cathedral of Noyon. In 1523 he went to study law in Paris at the College de Montaiqu University under the advisement of his father. Then, on April 3oth, 1529 he signed his chaplaincy and one of his younger brothers took his place,later on Feb.26th,1531 he resumed this position and finally on May4, 1534 he resigned. Also, in 1534 he began writing his book "The Institutes of the Christian Religion", which was finally completed in the Latin edition of Geneva 1559. Later, in 1536 he fled to Switzerland were he formed his religion (Calvinism) or bestowed his beliefs on the people of Genvea. His influenced their way of thinking with his theological views on how train and discipline their children and encouraged the Genoan women to read and divorce their abusive husbands. The Genoan people following Calvin's religious theological doctrine, which he expressed in the acronym TULIP . The letter T-of the acronym stood for Total Peprarity and the U stood for Unconditional Election, while the L stood for Limited Atonement. The I stood for Irresistible Grace and finally the P stands for Perserverence. Furthermore, in Calvin's teachings Total Depravity means that man is unable to find is own salvation, it is only possible through God. Secondly, Unconditional Election means that God has the right to choose who goes to heaven and who goes to hell. Thirdly, Limited Atonement means that God died for the sins of some(people predistined to go to heaven) and not others ( people predistinied to go to hell). Fourthly, Irresistible Grace means that if God gave his grace to certain people they were predistined for heaven. Finally, Preserverance of the Saints argues that the saints will always be under God protection until they go to heaven. In other words "Once a saint, Always a saint."


Why is this important and did it have an impact on our world today?

This question I leave for you to answer.

Significance of Roman Slaves

by: Johnnathan Albrecht

There were numerous slaves in the Roman Empire by the second century AD.
The article I read, “Slaves in Roman Law”, included 2 historical law writings. The 1st being “The Institutes” written in the 2nd century AD, and the next was “The Code of Theodosius”. These were some of the written laws about slavery in the Roman Empire showing the treatment of slaves as it came to freeing them through manumission, and later their treatment by their masters.

The Roman laws governing slaves as of the 2nd century said nothing of their treatment, except for the fact that slaves who were tortured as the result of being questioned about a crime that they were believed to be guilty of lost any hope of becoming Roman citizens, or even Latin’s. This ensured that upon receiving their freedom they would be as close to being slaves as any person in the Roman Empire.
These subjects as they were known by, couldn’t even come within a hundred miles of Rome.

The other slaves who were freed during the 2nd century through manumission became either Roman citizens or Latin’s. Latin’s were lower than Roman citizens in that they could not receive anything by will or make a will, but they could become Roman citizens by marriage and children. The sons of freedmen who were Roman citizens could even serve on city councils.

The fact that these men were able to get there freedom made the rest of the slaves of the Roman empire hopeful that they too may one day get their freedom, and possibly even Roman citizenship. This would have stabilized what was essentially the majority of the labor force in Roman society. These slaves would have been doing everything from working in the house to dying in the mines, Jobs that the plebeians were unwilling to do, being given “bread and circuses” to keep them docile.

This treatment of the Roman slave with the hope of freedom set up some of the same treatment of people in modern time. There are many people who have been brought to the US from other countries illegally with the promise of freedom here once they have worked off their debt to those who brought them. This is kind of a modern day form of the slavery seen in Rome that both use the promise of freedom to keep those they are trying to control in line.

“The Code of Theodosius” stated the treatment of slaves by torture, and the punishment of owners for the deliberate killing of their slaves. I believe that this came about because of the loss of slave base in the 5th century when the empire had long since stopped expanding. These 1st sets of laws laid a foundation that kept Roman life alive long enough for it to shape the world we know today through the treatment of those we think are beneath us.

Origin of the Kaaba/blog by Bruce Herrera

The kaaba mostly recognized as a historical monument 627 ft this monument stretches to the skies above this monuments purpose is for religious practices in the middle East. Most of it constructed from Granite and other materials like steel.
The Kaaba was the put in the center of mecca now known today as Saudi Arabia.
Other names of the Kaaba are Bait ul Ateeq which means independent and liberating.
This is a well respected monument that is a holy
part of Islamic beliefs. Up above to the right hand corner is a gathering during the night.

Vladimir of Kiev's Acceptance of Christianity

Vladimir ruler of Russes, or what is today Russia, was confused as to which countries religion to follow. He had been approached by Bulgarians, Germans, Jews, and then Greeks. Each claiming their religion to be the rightful one. Each religion was different in their own way, the Bulgarians worshiped in a temple called mosque where they would bow to different unknown Gods and practiced unique rituals, but none had the sense, peace or happiness. What was found in those Bulgarian’s faces was sadness. The Germans offered great performances, acts, and shows. Their ceremonies were rich, but they didn’t give off that fulfillment either. On the other hand, the Greeks offered something different. A religion full of splendor, where in beautiful and magical buildings you felt and saw God.

Unable to decide without knowing each religion in depth, he sent out ten wise men, as emissaries, to arrive at each country and view how they practice their faith. These emissaries were astonished with the Greek faith and its glory. They immediately returned and told Vladimir how beautiful and perfect it was. Vladimir of Kiev, decided to take his army and takeover of Kherson, a city in Greece. Vladimir warned Basil and Constantine that he wanted their unwedded sister’s hand in marriage. Basil and Constantine were taken by surprise and responded that, “they couldn’t give their sister’s hand in marriage to someone who was pagan, or someone that didn’t believe in their God or follow their faith.” The only way he could have her, and their kingdom was to accept their faith, and baptized into Christianity.

Vladimir, who at the time suffered from a disease that made him lose his sight, agreed to be baptized with Anna, Princess of Greece, he went with her priests and was baptized. She said her God, could cure any disease, and Vladimir said that if it were true, and he were cured, that would be his almighty God. Once baptized, he regained his sight, and knew at once that he had found the one true God.

Once he returned to his capital, he ordered all of the pagans (Idols) be destroyed. He had Perun, the highest Slavic God, tied to a horse’s tail, and dragged to a river where he was to be thrown in. Those that had not yet been baptized cried over those Idols being destroyed. Later, they were ordered to obey, and accept the new religion by being baptized in a river, and they knew Vladimir had accepted it because it was for a good reason. Vladimir was satisfied with having his vassals and people accept the Greek God, and offered those help, food, and treasures in his castle. Those that couldn’t manage to reach the castle for illnesses, disability or weakness, were helped as well. He had wagons full of food go throughout the towns, taking goods to individuals who were unable to reach the palace. Vladimir of Kiev died a great ruler, and firm believer in Christianity.

The Divine Rights of Kings

"Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he."-Proverbs 29:18

Complacency has

no place here,

I will put blessings

in your heart lest no fear.

With him "fearful desolation"

abides in your presence,

walk with me, I'll show you

unconditional faithfulness.

You wanted a king

so far, so near,

but you'll come crawling

back just to hear

"I warned you of that man

so wicked and corrupt,"

as I'll turn my shoulder

with your face staring up.

You didn't believe he had

nothing to offer your people,

when all along eyes should've

been focused on the steeple.

But you still have a chance

to crown me as your king,

you'll learn that all I have

to offer is your everything!

The Second Letter of Cortez to King Charles V of Spain

Hernan Cortez was a Spanish conquistador that was one of the first to successfully pierce Mexico bringing an end to the Aztec empire and paved the way for Spanish colonization of Mexico. As Cortez blazed his path of conquest, he wrote letters to King Charles the V of Spain. This second letter that Cortez wrote to King Charles describes his efforts to keep his men from deserting him and how he managed to divide and conquer the native tribes of Mexico, all in the name of Christianity and the for the King of Spain.

Hernan Cortez’s motivation was in his desire to win favor with King Charles the V and obtain royal favor. While Cortez desired to obtain royal favor, he also truly desired to spread Christianity to the native peoples of Mexico. In this letter, that Cortez writes to the King it is obvious that he feels as if the weight of the fight and the journey is all upon him. In the text, he describes to the King how, “I attacked two towns…”, “I took them by surprise…”, “I left them pacified…” His narrative to King Charles describes a man that has conquered an entire land on his own. He laments to the King that his men wanted to leave him and abandon him. Only at Cortez's urging that God was on Spain's side and that nothing was impossible to God was Cortez able to persuade his men to continue on to complete their conquest. Cortez used the fact that he was doing God’s work as justification to destroy and take what he wanted. He claimed to be doing it for the spread of Christianity and for his king. Cortez was able to conquer and take control of ancient people in their own land. He was able to convince these people that they had brought the killing and torture of their own people upon themselves by not submitting to Christianity immediately.

Much of Cortez’s success was due to the religious beliefs of the time period and the need of countries and peoples to obtain land and wealth. Many people today commit acts in the name of their country and God that are unspeakable and intolerable. To this end, our world is much the same in this day and time in that religion and acquisition of lands drives our behavior in how we treat other peoples.

http://library.thinkquest.org/4034/cortes.html

Thucydides on Athens

THUCYDIDES

In 460 B.C.E., a general named Thucydides was born. He became

a Greek historian who wrote the History of the Peloponnesian War, in

which he participated. This war between the Spartans and the Athenians

occurred from 431B.C.E to 404B.C.E. Being that Thucydides was an

Athenian aristocrat, he was exiled by the democracy because of the failed

attempt to keep Athenians from losing against the Spartans. Soon after

this incident, he continued to gather and analyze evidence of what was

happening at that time. He focused on the principle of cause and effect.

Due to his rationalization, he was considered the father of “scientific history.”

Thucydides had a strong interest in studying human nature to better his

knowledge of behavior.
In our society today, some people do not realize the importance

of history. Thucydides acknowledges that human nature is unchanging,

meaning that events that have happened in the past will likely reoccur in

the future. In his analysis, it is not the gods who are entirely responsible

for people’s downfalls, but it is the people themselves. He felt that humans

are never satisfied and always seem to want more. They are eventually

defeated by this form of greed and blame the gods instead of taking
responsibility for their actions.
Developing an understanding of Thucydides’s thoughts brings us to

the point that he was an intellectual man who believed that Athenians

were their own worst enemy. Athens was prosperous in the beginning, but

because of bad decisions, on the part of the leaders, it came to a crash.

Even though some one can tell us how to prevent a situation, does not

mean that we will abide by the certain warning.

Leonardo Da Vinci

The Italian renaissance was filled with amazing artists and men of genius. One of these men was Leonardo Da Vinci, son of Ser Piero Da Vinci. He was not only a wonderful artist but also a scientist and an inventor. Even in his own time he was widely known and respected and has continued to be for generations. Some people have said he did not create with his own hand but with the hand of God. He was an amazing painter who could master any subject no matter how difficult. He gave meaning to the term “Renaissance Man”.

It is important to learn about Leonardo Da Vinci and the renaissance; in order to learn what inspired him to create some of the most influential works of art in history, as well as, learn about the facts. Most important is the great deal of techniques and inventions that Leonardo and the other great people of that time came up with; which we still use today.

His techniques and inventions have made a great impact on the modern world. You may know that Leonardo was an architect and an engineer. However, did you know he invented tanks, cannons, a parachute, and even the helicopter? He created the basis of modern day technology. He also opened the door for magnificent advances in art. For instance, the Mona Lisa, which is one of the most treasured works of art in the world today. His amazing life has led to the creation of numerous documentaries about his life and work. There is no denying that Leonardo was one of the most intelligent and influential people the world has ever seen.

Aristotle on Slavery

Aristotle believed in something called “Natural Slavery” meaning he believed that some people were naturally meant to be masters and others to be slaves. Aristotle also believed that there were several things that one should consider about slaves. 1.) Slaves are only concerned with 3 things, work, food, and punishment. 2.) Even though they are slaves they still have needs and should be taken care of. 3.) Slaves should be offered a goal to keep them motivated. Some might wonder how Aristotle’s theory on Natural Slavery is still relevant today, it’s because to an extent we today are still slaves. When at work there is an Employer and Employee(s), ( Master and Slave(s) ) the employees all report to the employer and are given task(s), most employees are obedient and do as they are without question. They all concern themselves with work, food (lunch hour), and punishment (getting fired, docked pay, etc.). And like some slaves employees are offered a goal to work toward (a promotion, or paycheck.)

Greek Version)

Αριστοτέλης πίστευε σε κάτι που ονομάζεται  Natural Slavery  έννοια πίστευε ότι μερικοί άνθρωποι ήταν φυσικό να είναι πλοιάρχων και άλλες να είναι σκλάβοι. Επίσης, ο Αριστοτέλης πίστευε ότι υπήρχαν πολλά πράγματα που θα πρέπει να ληφθεί υπόψη σχετικά με σκλάβους. 1.) Σκλάβοι είναι μόνο με 3 πράγματα, εργασία, τρόφιμα, και η τιμωρία. 2.) Ακόμη και αν είναι οι σκλάβοι που εξακολουθούν να έχουν ανάγκες και πρέπει να ληφθεί μέριμνα. 3.) Σκλάβοι πρέπει να προσφέρεται ως στόχο να κρατήσει τους κίνητρα. Κάποιοι θα αναρωτιούνται πώς Aristotle  s θεωρία για το Φυσικό δουλεία εξακολουθεί να είναι σήμερα, It  s γιατί σε βαθμό που σήμερα εξακολουθούν να είναι σκλάβοι. Όταν κατά την εργασία υπάρχει εργοδότη και εργαζομένου (-ων), (Master και Slave (s)) όλοι οι εργαζόμενοι στην έκθεση του εργοδότη και έχουν καθήκον (ες), οι περισσότεροι εργαζόμενοι είναι υπάκουοι και να κάνουν ό, τι δεν ερώτημα. Όλοι ασχολούνται με την εργασία, τροφή (γεύμα ώρα), και η τιμωρία (να απολυθούν, σταθερή αμοιβή, κλπ). Και σαν σκλάβους εργαζόμενους προσφέρονται στόχο να εργαστούν προς την κατεύθυνση (μια προώθηση, ή εκκαθαριστικό σημείωμα.)

Marco Polo and the Mongols

Marco Polo on Chinese Society Under the Mongol Rule
Translated by W. Marsden and rendered into modern English by A.J. Andrea

Typically when one thinks of Marco Polo one thinks of a great explorer who went to many distance lands to bring back secrets untold. Marco Polo was indeed a talented person for as a linguist he was able to learn in detail multiple languages. His father was a trader that traveled to new and adventurous lands. Through this travel Polo was able to become part of distant courts, meet high ranking rulers and gather wisdom and riches of these lands. Polo reportedly kept extensive journals of his travels and peoples he encountered. Though these journals have came under suspicion in both past and present day as to the validity of his travels to China, Polo did leave interesting information on the Mongols and Turks.
As Polo writes it is not hard to realize he had a kind of admiration for the Mongols. He writes of the richness of the people, how the well off are dressed in silks and furs. The men have multiple marriages, yet maintain a content household. He seemed to admire how the men’s households are enriched by the thriftiness of the wives. Polo also wrote of the ceremonies associated with the passing of a Khan. Polo goes on to tell of how fierce the people are as warriors and how they were able to be mobile so they could invade and control distant lands.
The Mongols were a band of roving horsemen that became highly skilled warriors to control the best grazing lands for their livestock. The Mongols were able to become successful in their invasions under the rule of Genghis Khan. According to our text, The West, Genghis was able to unite the quarreling tribes under his rule and sweep through other societies to become one of the most extensive empire in the history of the world. The Mongols were able to become such a force because of their mobility and the cavalry tactics they used in battle. The Mongols are also to only force that were able to launch a successful winter campaign against Russia. The Mongols started to loose power when their reputation to be invincible was lost in a defeat against Syria. The tribes started to fall apart as there was much contention to become the Khan and the Mongols were never able to recapture the glory of the empire again as in Genghis’ days.




When Genghis was alive he promoted the trade routes that cross his lands. Once he conquered a new territory he established Mongol Peace and promoted the trade routes. After his death though with the internal turmoil between the tribes, one had to feel a little uncomfortable or wary to travel the caravans that took the trades cross land. One leader by the name of Tamerlane had victories that equaled Genghis’ but his troops pillaged the rich cities along the trade routes causing the rest of the Western civilization to look for safe trade routes to China.


So how did all of this effect the west? If the Mongols had not virtually stopped trade the West would have not started looking for safer trade routes. Christopher Columbus went in search of a sea route to the Indies for gold and spices. Once Columbus came back from his expedition without falling off of the map and finding new land that no one had even thought had existed, it set others in search of places to either provide safe trade routes, provide slaves, produce crops, pillage for spices and gold, or be colonized for the land in which the explorer came. So the Mongols had inadvertently set into motion the settlement, of far distant lands.