Bell Work

KISSIAH

 

August 23, 2016

 

Bell Work counts as one test grade. Bell work is a daily assignment you complete independently when you enter the classroom. It is part of our daily class procedure. Bell work is written in your composition book. Write the date on a line. Underline the date and start your bell work note on the same line.  Go to the next line to begin the next day. If you don’t have your composition book, you are still expected to write the note on a sheet of notebook paper, then write it in your composition book for homework. Review your bell work notes before each test.  Keep up with your BELL WORK composition book. It will be collected at the end of every nine weeks and counts for one test grade.

 

BELL WORK

August 25, 2017

Procedure:

TWO SHARPENED Pencils Colored pencils Textbook Agenda Write assignments and homework in agenda Ongoing assignments on desk Bell work

 

August 28, 2017

BELL WORK

GRAPES

Civilizations can be analyzed using the GRAPES model. GRAPES stands for:

Geography – landforms, water features, and the environment Religion – belief systems about deity, right and wrong, and death Achievements – great accomplishments and contributions Politics – government and law Economics – production and distribution of goods and services: money Social Structures – organization of people within a society

Bell Work

August 29, 2017

History is divided into two parts: BC (Before Christ) and AD(Anno Domini). These two periods are sometimes labeled BCE (Before Common Era) and CE (Common Era).

August 30, 2017

Decade: A group of 10 years  Century: A group of 100 years  Millennium: Ten centuries grouped together, or a period of 1,000 years 

 

 

August 31, 2017

Paleontologist: A historian who studies fossils to learn what the world was like long ago

Archaeologist: A historian who studies the past by looking at what people left behind

Anthropologist: A historian who studies human culture and how it develops over time

September 1, 2017

Fossil: plant or animal remains that have been captured in rock Artifact: an object made by people

September 5

 Bell Work

Historians use the following types of evidence to learn about the past:

* Material objects such as clothing, pottery, and jewelry

* Written materials such as letters and documents

September 6

primary source : firsthand evidence of an event in history secondary source: document or written work created after an event

September 7, 2017

NO BELL WORK

September 8

NO BELL WORK

September 11-14

NO BELL WORK

September 11 NO BELL WORK: You do not have to write the following:

 

On the morning of September 11, 2001, a group of 19 terrorists hijacked four American passenger airplanes that were flying from the East Coast to California. The hijackers used the planes as flying bombs against American targets. Two planes hit the two towers of the World Trade Center.   A third plane crashed into the Pentagon. The fourth plane crashed in a field in Pennsylvania after the passengers tried to overcome the hijackers.  Almost 3,000 American citizens died.

September 15

Geography is an area of study that deals with the location of countries, cities, rivers, mountains, lakes and other natural features on earth.

September 18

Representative government-citizens vote for people who serve the will of the people.  

Federal System- government that divides power national and state government

 

September 19

Separation of powers-the division of power among the three branches of government. The three branches of government are:

Legislative Executive Judicial

September 20

Amendment: Amendments are additions to the Constitution of the United States of America. There are 27 amendments to the U.S. Constitution.

Bill of Rights-The first ten amendments to the U.S. Constitution

September 21

 All citizens have rights and responsibilities

September 22

NO BELL WORK

September 25

• Longitude and latitude are imaginary lines that geographers use to identify locations on the surface of Earth.

September 26

• Maps distort the size and shape of landmasses because they are flat and the Earth is round. There are four main map projections: Mercator, Robinson, Goode’s Interrupted and Triple-Winkle.

September 27

There are Six Essential Elements of Geography.

The World in Spatial Terms Places and Regions Physical Systems Human Systems Environment and Society Uses of Geography

BELL WORK CHECK IS OCTOBER. Bell work will be posted on website for you to catch up on Monday, October 1. It must be written in a composition book.

 

 

September 28

There are seven continents and four oceans.

Continents:

North America South America Europe Asia Africa Australia Antarctica

Oceans:

Atlantic Pacific Indian Arctic

October 2, 2017 

Supply: The amount of good or service a supplier wants to sell.

Demand: The amount of something a consumer wants to buy.

Opportunity Cost: What is given up, such as time or money, to make or buy something.

October 3, 2017

NO BELL WORK

BELL WORK CHECK IS OCTOBER 9th.

Bell work is on website for you to catch up.

Bell Work must be written in a composition book.

1. Be ready to check and turn in vocabulary builder activity 2. Complete Chapter two lesson two review3. READ Chapter Two Lesson Two4. Finish Continents foldable

 

October 4, 2017

Traditional Economy: An economic system in which custom decides what people do, make, buy, and sell

Command Economy: An economic system in which a central government decides what goods will be made and who will receive them

Market Economy: An economic system where individuals make choices about what to make, sell, and buy

The Paleolithic Age, also known as the Old Stone Age, began about 2.5 million years ago. It lasted until about 8000 B.C. 

October 6, 2016

• Paleolithic people were nomads who survived by hunting and gathering their food. • During the Paleolithic Age, people discovered how to make fire. They developed better tools and spoken language. Art grew more complex.

If you were absent yesterday, you will need to see me after attendance and bell work to make up your test.

October 9

NO BELL WORK

October 11

No Bell Work

October 12

No Bell work

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Second Nine Weeks

October 16

• About 100,000 B.C. the most recent Ice Age began. 

• During the Ice Age, the level of water in the oceans went down. As a result, the Bering land bridge was revealed connecting Asia and North America. 

October 17

• Humans survived the Ice Age by adapting to their surroundings. They changed their diet, built sturdier shelters, and used animal skins to make warmer clothing. 

October 18

• The Neolithic Age began around 8000 B.C., at the end of the last Ice Age, and lasted until about 4000 B.C.

October 19

• During the Neolithic Age, farming began to replace hunting and gathering. People also tamed animals. The move to settled farming is known as the Agricultural Revolution. 

October 20

NO BELL WORK

October 23

An increased supply of food made it possible for people to settle in villages.

People were able to take up jobs other than farming.  . • At the end of the Neolithic Age, people discovered that mixing copper and tin formed bronze, which was stronger than copper alone.

Between 3000 and 1200 B.C., the use of bronze spread. This time is known as the Bronze Age. 

October 24

• Four great river valley civilizations emerged during the Bronze Age—Mesopotamia, Egypt, India, and China.

October 25

• The earliest known civilization developed in Mesopotamia in the region between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers. Mesopotamia means “the land between the rivers.”• Around 4,000 b.c., farming villages began to develop along the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers. Farmers used floodwaters to irrigate the land.

October 26• Since food became plentiful, not all people needed to farm.Some became artisans who specialized in making certaingoods. Goods began to be traded.

Cave Art Today

Write your name and class on your cave art Remember your cave art should have authentic subjects. Share in the work of cleaning up your table. 1. Throw away paper2. Put away scissors3. Straighten desks4. Clean floor around desks

October 27, 2016• People began to live together in locations that favored trade.By 3000 b.c., several villages had developed into cities inSumer, a region in southern Mesopotamia.

October 30• Sumerian cities developed into city-states, self-governingregions that included a city and its surrounding area.• The people in the city-states practiced polytheism. Each

city-state was ruled by a king. This position became hereditary.

October 31• Social groups developed in Sumerian city-states. Thesegroups included an upper class, a middle class, and a lowerclass.

November 1• Sumerians created many inventions including a writing system called cuneiform, the wheel, and the wooden plow. Many of these inventions were copied and improved upon by later civilizations.

November 2• Sumerians wrote the world’s oldest story, an epic poemcalled the Epic of Gilgamesh.• Around 2340 b.c., an Akkadian named Sargon united Sumer and Akkad. In doing so, he formed the Mesopotamian Empire, the world’s first empire.

November 3NO BELL WORK

November 6, 2016 • Eventually, the Assyrian Empire extended from the Persian Gulf in the east to the Nile River in the west. The empire’s capital was at Nineveh. The empire was ruled by a king and was divided into provinces.

November 7• The Assyrians modeled their culture on the culture of the Babylonians. • Around 600 b.c., the Chaldeans conquered the Assyrians and formed the New Babylonian Empire.

November 8• King Nebuchadnezzar reconstructed Babylon and built the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, which became one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.

November 9

• The people of Babylon traded with caravans that passed through the city and thereby brought much wealth to the city. They also made many scientific advances

November 13Around 5000 b.c., early Egyptians settled in the Nile River valley because of its fertile soil. Nearby desert lands provided protection from invaders.

November 14• The Nile River provided resources and protection. The river kept out invaders but allowed Egyptians to travel and trade with one another.

Midterms:50 questionsDecember 13-15Chapters 1-6Use Study Smart PRACTICE tests and Benchmark Notecards to study

Next Bellwork check is DECEMBER 6. It covers October 16-December 6

November 15 • Regular flooding of the Nile River brought fertile soil from the mountains to the valley. Egyptians farmed during the dry season by irrigating their crops. They dug basins to hold water and canals to carry water directly to the crops.

November 16• The Egyptians developed their own form of writing, called hieroglyphics. You need

November 17 NO BELL WORK

November 27• By 4000 b.c., Egypt was made up of two kingdoms, Upper Egypt and Lower Egypt.

• In 3100 b.c., King Narmer united the two kingdoms and established a system of rule called a dynasty. In a dynasty, power is handed down through the family, usually from father to son.November 28• Egypt’s Old Kingdom began around 2600 b.c. The ruler of Egypt was called a pharaoh. The pharaoh was the political and religious leader of the people.

November 28 • Egypt’s Old Kingdom began around 2600 b.c. The ruler of Egypt was called a pharaoh. The pharaoh was the political and religious leader of the people.

November 29

• Ancient Egyptians worshiped gods that controlled nature, including gods of the sun and the Nile River. Ancient Egyptians also believed in an afterlife.November 30, 2016 • The Egyptians believed that after death, a person’s soul took a long journey to a better place. They preserved the bodies through embalming, which taught the Egyptians about the human body and medical treatments.

December 4• Pharaohs were buried in magnificent stone pyramids. Their possessions were buried with them. • Thousands of workers were needed to plan and build pyramids. Over time, this helped the Egyptians develop skills in mathematics, geometry, and engineering.

December 5• Egyptian society was made up of several classes or groups. The upper class included the pharaoh and his family, his army generals, nobles, and priests. The

middle class was made up of merchants and artisans. The largest class included unskilled workers, such as farmers and laborers.

December 6, 2016• During the Middle Kingdom (c. 2055-1650 b.c.), Egypt took over nearby lands. The additional farmland and wealth helped Egypt’s population to grow. • The arts became important during the Middle Kingdom, as pharaohs ordered the building of new temples, tombs, and other structures. @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@

When you finish copying Bell work, use the highlighters to highlight Bell work. Please return all highlighters.

Highlight DATES ONLY between:

October 16 and December 6, 2017Highlight days that indicate no bell workYou should have 30 days total. Number each date

Put the final number over on the blank page next to your final bell work entry. Have your textbook, pencil and chapter 6 Study Smart packet on your desk.

December 7, 2016• Egypt declined in the 1600s b.c. when it fell under the rule of the Hyksos. Egyptians learned new fighting technology from the Hyksos and later overthrew them. • During the New Kingdom, Queen Hatshepsut expanded Egypt’s boundaries peacefully through trade, and King Thutmose III expanded it through war. When you finish copying Bell work, use the highlighters to highlight Bell work. Please return all highlighters.Highlight DATES ONLY between:October 16 and December 6, 2017Highlight days that indicate no bell workYou should have 30 days total. Number each datePut the final number over on the blank page next to your final bell work entry.

Have your textbook, pencil and chapter 6 Study Smart packet on your desk.

December 8, 2016• In the late 1300s b.c., King Amenhotep IV decided to change the Egyptian religion. The people did not like the change, and Egypt grew weak. • King Tutankhamen restored the traditional religion, but he died young. He is famous today because of the treasures found in his tomb during the early twentieth century.

Have your textbook, pencil and chapter 6 Study Smart packet on your desk.

December 11• Ramses II returned Egypt to greatness by conquering Syria and signing a peace treaty with the Hittites. He rebuilt temples, which helped Egypt’s economy. •

After the death of Ramses, Egypt declined and was conquered by the Libyans. The Kush people from the south also ruled Egypt for 60 years before the Assyrians took over in 670 b.c.

Clear your desk of everything

December 12, 2016• The Nubians lived in an area later known as Kush, which is located to the south of Egypt, along the Nile River. Nubians did not have to rely on the Nile River for their water; their lands were fertile and contained gold. • Egypt conquered Nubia in the 1400s b.c. and ruled it for 700 years. Nubians adopted Egyptian traditions such as building tombs and using hieroglyphics.

December 13, 2016• During Egyptian rule, the kingdom of Kush rose to power. Around 750 b.c., the Kushites conquered Egypt, and in the 720s b.c. Piye established a new dynasty. • The Kushites were overthrown by the Assyrians in 671 b.c., but they learned to make iron from their new rulers, which made their tools and weapons stronger. • In 540 b.c., the Kushites established the city of Meroë. For centuries, the city was a major center for trade and iron production. • In a.d. 350 the armies of Axum invaded Kush and destroyed Meroë. Axum was an important trading center located in the present-day country of Ethiopia.

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Welcome back!

January 4Ancient India• India is a subcontinent whose geography includes theHimalaya on the north; the Indus, Ganges and BrahmaputraRiver valleys and fertile coastlands to the east and west; andthe Deccan Plateau in the subcontinent’s southern two-thirds.• The main climate feature of India is the monsoon. Monsoonrains bring water for crops, but can also cause flooding.

January 8• The first civilization of the Indus Valley was marked by thelarge, well-organized cities of Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro.The cities were made of baked brick and laid out in gridpatterns.

January 9• As the people of Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro disappeared,the Aryans migrated as far as the Ganges River. Theyestablished a society based on farming and trade.• The Aryan civilization developed writing (Sanskrit), literature(the Vedas), and the varna social class system in India.

January 10NO BELL WORK

January 11• The people of the Indus Valley farmed and made metaltools, cloth, and jewelry. They built temples, and theytraded with Mesopotamia.• The sacred texts of Hinduism are the Vedas and theUpanishads, writings of Sanskrit prayers and ceremonies.

January 12• The basic beliefs of Hinduism include: a single spirit calledBrahman encompasses all living things; the ultimate goal is

union with Brahman; this union is accomplished by creatinggood karma (actions) in each reincarnation of the soul.• Buddhism was founded by Siddhartha Gautama, a wealthyprince who left his possessions to find enlightenment andthe end of suffering.

January 16• Siddhartha’s teachings, stated in the Four Noble Truths andthe Eightfold Path, include: eliminating desire will eliminatesuffering, and meditation and giving up material things helpbring about enlightenment.• There are two divisions of Buddhism. Theravada Buddhistsfollow Buddha’s teachings, but do not believe that he was agod. Mahayana Buddhists believe that worshipping theBuddha helps them follow the Eightfold Path.

January 18• Jainism was founded by Mahavira, who was called the Jina.The main belief of the Jains, ahimsa, is that all life is sacredand that followers must never take even an insect’s life. Likethe Buddhists, they believe in the elimination of desire.• The teaching of ahimsa influenced twentieth-century Indianpatriot Mahatma Gandhi to seek freedom from British rule through peaceful protest.

January 19• Chandra Gupta Maurya unified northern India throughmilitary might and established the Mauryan Empire. As aruler, he was well organized. He was also harsh, fearingrebellion and harm to himself.

January 22• Ashoka is considered the greatest Mauryan leader. Althoughhe began his reign with conquests, he turned to peacefulrule when he converted to Buddhism. He worked to improve

the lives of his people. He set up carved pillars around theempire with advice and sayings meant to inspire peacefuland respectful living. He also built stupas (shrines) toencourage Buddhist practice.

January 23• Five hundred years after the fall of the Mauryan Empire, theIndian people were again united under the Gupta dynasty.Samudra Gupta, son of the first emperor of the Guptadynasty, Chandra Gupta, led the people into a golden ageunder the Hindu religion. Religious temples, art, andliterature developed during this time, as did trade. Pilgrimsoften traveled to temples and sacred sites.

January 24• Gupta society was quite advanced. Literature in Sanskrit,including religious texts and epic poems, was written.Architecture consisted of religious structures, temples,palaces, shrines, and monuments. Indian mathematiciansinvented a symbol for zero, and they developed the writtennumber system we still use today. Their system ofastronomy was based on the idea of a round Earth revolving around the sun. Medical doctors performed surgery and tried to find the causes of illnesses.

January 25China

• People in China first settled along the Huang He, or Yellow

River. The Huang He provided early China with rich soil, butit also often flooded and has cost millions of lives.• The Chang Jiang, or Yangtze, is another river in China andthe longest river in Asia. Early farmers grew rice along itsshores.

January 26• Mountains and deserts cover much of China. The mountainsand deserts limited contact between China and othercivilizations.• China’s first dynasty was the Shang. Shang kings ruledChina from 1750 b.c. to 1045 b.c. The Shang king was thepolitical, religious, and military leader.

January 29• Warlords, who ruled territories, and other royal officialsformed an upper class of aristocrats. Most Shang people,however, were farmers.• The Shang worshiped many gods. They honored theirancestors and used oracle bones to seek guidance.

January 30• Early Chinese writing used pictographs and ideographs.Chinese artists of the time made beautiful objects of bronze.They made vases and dishes from clay and carved statuesfrom ivory and jade.• The Zhou dynasty followed the Shang. The Zhou ruled formore than 800 years. Zhou kings had strong armies andsoon ruled over a larger territory than the Shang.Do not write on desks.

January 31• Zhou kings claimed that the Mandate of Heaven gave themthe right to rule China. The Mandate of Heaven is the beliefthat the Chinese king’s right to rule comes from the gods.

• The period from 400 b.c. to 200 b.c. is known as the “Periodof the Warring States.” During this time, aristocrats ignoredthe king’s commands and fought with each other.

February 1• Early Chinese society was made up of four social classes:aristocrats, farmers, artisans, and merchants.• Chinese aristocrats were wealthy. They lived comfortablyand owned large plots of land.• Most Chinese people were farmers who rented fields fromaristocrats. Farmers had to pay taxes and work one month ayear on government projects. In wartime, they were forcedto serve as soldiers.

February 2NO BELL WORK

February 5• Chinese families practiced filial piety. This means thatchildren obeyed and respected their parents and took careof them when they got old. The work done by Chinesemen—farming, fighting wars, and running the government—was considered more important than the work done bywomen. Women’s major responsibility was raising childrenand seeing to their education. Women also managedhousehold affairs and family finances.

February 6• The Qin dynasty came to power in 221 b.c. Qin Shihuangdi,the founder of the Qin dynasty, ruled China with absolutepower and harsh punishments.

• Shihuangdi Qin sought to unify the country. To accomplishthis, he established a currency that everyone had to use. Heundertook huge building projects, including a canal thatconnected central and southern China.

February 7, 2018• Qin planned to join and strengthen walls built by earlierrulers to create a barrier across all of northern China tokeep out invaders.• The Qin dynasty ended in 206 bc

February 8• In 202 b.c. the Han dynasty came to power. The first strongHan ruler was Han Wudi. In an effort to improve thegovernment, he instituted an examination system for civilservice workers.• China’s population grew during the Han dynasty. Newtechnology helped farmers grow more food. During thistime, the arts flourished and the ideas of Confucius gained influence

February 9• During the Han dynasty, trade expanded. The Silk Roadlinked China with its western trading partners. Buddhismalso made its way to China along the Silk Road.• Many of the emperors who followed Han Wudi were weakand dishonest. People eventually rebelled against the Hanrulers. By a.d. 220, civil war divided China.

February 12

After the end of the Han dynasty, China had no centralgovernment.• The Sui dynasty restored order. Work began on the GrandCanal, and the economy began to grow.• In a.d. 618, the Tang dynasty took over China and carriedout many economic and civil reforms. China had its first andmost powerful female ruler, Empress Wu.

February 13• Later, China prospered under the Song dynasty.• Many Chinese adopted Buddhism during the Tang Dynasty.The government began to fear the religion’s influence anddestroyed Buddhist monasteries.

February 14• The Tang and Song dynasties backed a new understanding ofConfucianism, called neo-Confucianism. It taught that peopleshould be concerned about this world as well as the next.• Confucianism absorbed some Buddhist and other beliefs,and taught people to live in harmony with nature and to findpeace of mind.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

February 15

The Warring States Period is the name given to nearly two centuries (475-221 BC) when rival Chinese States battled for territorial dominance. Ultimately, the Qin state was victorious and Emperor Qin Shi Huangdi formed the Qin Empire.

February 16, 2018No Bell Work

Happy Chinese New Year!Clear your desk of everything else except a pencil and colored pencils.

Copy into your Chinese New Year booklet and illustrate:The Red Envelope

During Chinese New Year, red envelopes are typically given by the married (or elderly) to children and the unmarried. The red symbolizes good luck and the money wishes the recipient good fortune for times to come. The red envelopes are also used to fend off bad spirits.

February 19• Tang and Song rulers used civil service examinations to hiregovernment officials. The examination system soon createda new class of leaders called the scholar-officials.• During the Tang dynasty, Chinese farmers improved theirirrigation systems and developed new kinds of rice, whichled to greater crop yields and population growth.

February 20 NO BELL WORK

February 26• New roads and waterways built during the Tang dynasty alsoimproved conditions for travel and trade. The Silk Roadreopened and trade thrived.• During the Tang and Song dynasties, the use of coal to makesteel improved the quality of life for many Chinese. They usedsteel products to build, farm, and defend China’s borders. Bell work is due Wednesday, March 7, 2018

February 27

• The Chinese developed a way to manufacture paper and to print books using wooden blocks and ink. Later, Chinese printers developed movable type, which allowed them to print books more efficiently.

• Gunpowder provided the Chinese with effective weapons, and improvements in shipbuilding and navigation tools allowed the Chinese to travel and trade far from home.

February 28• The Tang and Song dynasties were a golden age for Chinese culture. Poets

celebrated nature and the shortness of life in their writings. • Landscape paintings portrayed nature as a great unknowable force. Painters

often wrote poems in calligraphy on their artworks. • During the Tang dynasty, Chinese artisans became skilled at making porcelain, a light, fine pottery that became prized around the world.

March 1• The Mongols became the first non-native rulers of China. They were skilled warriors and horsemen who used terror to defeat their enemies.• Genghis Khan united the Mongols and led them to conquer northern China. • The Mongols proved to be effective and peaceful rulers. Since many trade routes were now under Mongol control, people could trade in peace and grow rich. March 2• By a.d.1279, Kublai Khan finished conquering China and established the Yuan dynasty. He set up the capital city in Khanbaliq (now Beijing). • The Mongols were culturally different from the Chinese and lived separately from them, but they were tolerant of China’s religions.• China prospered from trading overland and overseas. Goods came by ship from all over the world. European travelers, such as Marco Polo, began to explore China’s vast empire.

March 5

• The Mongol-ruled empire went into decline at the end of the thirteenth century. In a.d.. 1368, a military officer established the Ming dynasty.• Ming rulers restored the civil service examinations that Mongol rulers had suspended. They also rebuilt roads, canals, and farmlands. China’s economy and population grew.

March 6 NO BELL WORK

March 7 • Under the Ming, the arts flourished in China. Chinese writers produced novels as well as dramatic plays.• Ming emperors sent out fleets of ships to travel the world, spread China’s influence, and bring back information and technology. When the voyages stopped, China’s foreign trade and shipbuilding skills declined.

March 8• Despite efforts to cut off China from the outside world, European traders and missionaries still traveled to China. They had little influence on the Chinese.• By a.d.1644, the Ming dynasty collapsed and China was taken over by the Manchus.

GREECEGreek civilization began on a mountainous peninsulasurrounded by seas with many islands. As a result, Greekcommunities were often isolated. The Greeks created manyindependent city-states. This lack of unity weakened Greece,making it easier to be conquered.• The Minoan civilization began on the island of Crete andinfluenced the Mycenaean civilization that arose on theGreek mainland. The Mycenaeans outlasted the Minoans andmay have conquered them.

January 5, 2017• Wars and earthquakes helped cause the fall of theMycenaean civilization around 1100 b.c., followed by a “darkage .” During that time, the Dorians, a people known formaking iron weapons and tools, invaded and drove theGreeks off the mainland. The Greeks also adopted thePhoenician alphabet.• Greeks returned to the mainland and the “dark age” ended.The Greek population grew. This led the Greeks to establishcolonies around the Mediterranean Sea, in places such asItaly, North Africa, and western Asia. The colonies increasedtrade and spread Greek culture.

January 6, 2017• The Greeks developed the modern concept of citizenship.Each city-state was called a polis. Free, land-owning mencould become citizens. Citizens could vote, hold public office,

and defend themselves in court. Citizens were alsoresponsible for serving in the government and defending thepolis by serving as hoplites, or soldiers, in the army of thecity-state.• In the 600s b.c., there were many political changes inGreece. Farmers, merchants, and artisans wanted reforms.The unrest led to the rise of rulers with total power, calledtyrants.January 9, 2017• Although many tyrants were fair rulers, by the 500s b.c.most city-states had replaced them with either an oligarchyor a democracy. An oligarchy is a government in which afew wealthy people hold power over the larger group ofcitizens. In a democracy, all citizens share in running thegovernment.

January 10, 2017• The city-state of Sparta created a military oligarchy with avery strong army. Spartans boys trained for war from anearly age. Sparta's economy was based on farming and theSpartans had many slaves.• The Spartan government resisted change. Citizens wereprevented from traveling and there was little trade. Spartanwomen did have more rights than other Greek women, suchas the right to own property.

January 11, 2017• Athens developed from a city-state ruled by fair tyrants to ademocracy. In the 500s b.c., the tyrants Solon, Peisistratus,and Cleisthenes made reforms that gave citizenship to allfree men and helped the poor.• An assembly of all male citizens became the main governingbody of Athens. The assembly was aided by a council of 500citizens, who introduced laws and helped run the dailyaffairs of the city-state.

January 12, 2017

• The Persians built a powerful empire in Southwest Asia. Thisempire was so large that its rulers divided it into provincescalled satrapies. Persia had a large, permanent army and avast network of roads. Persians believed that their kingsruled by the power of the god Ahura Mazda.

January 13, 2017• In the 400s b.c., Persia tried to expand into Europe and tookcontrol of some Greek colonies in the Mediterranean area.This led to war between Athens and Persia.• Persia invaded Greece, but the Athenians defeated a muchlarger Persian army at the Battle of Marathon in 490 b.c. ThePersian king Xerxes led another invasion in 480 b.c. and wona costly victory over the Greeks at Thermopylae. Later in480 b.c., the Greeks destroyed a huge Persian fleet at theBattle of Salamis.

January 17, 2017• The Persians lost a final battle at Plataea in 479 b.c. againsta combined army of Greeks from many city-states. After thisdefeat, the Persian Empire weakened and becamedefenseless against outside attacks.

January 18, 2017• After the Persian wars, Athens entered a golden age ofprosperity and achievement led by Pericles. He rebuiltAthens and formed a group of city-states called the DelianLeague. Pericles also expanded democratic government andencouraged trade.

January 19, 2017• Athens was a direct democracy. All citizens met to debateand vote on government issues. This worked in Athensbecause the city-state did not have many citizens. Womenhad no political rights and there were many enslaved peoplein Athens who helped build its prosperous economy.

January 20, 2017• Sparta did not join the Delian League. Instead, it becamethe leader of a group of city-states opposed to Athens.When Athens tried to interfere with Spartan alliances, warbroke out in 431 b.c. Historians called the war thePeloponnesian War because Sparta was located in the Peloponnesus.January 23, 2017• Sparta had a stronger army, while Athens had a strongernavy. Sparta surrounded Athens but could not capture it.Then the Spartans joined with the Persians and built a navy.They conquered Athens in 404 b.c.• Sparta ruled its newly acquired empire much as Athens hadruled its empire before. For 30 years, city-states rebelledunsuccessfully. Then, in 371 b.c. the city-state of Thebesoverthrew the Spartan empire. The Greeks were so busyfighting each other that they failed to notice the growth ofthe powerful Macedonians to the north.

January 24, 2017NO BELL WORK

January 25, 2017NO BELL WORK

January 26, 2017The Greeks all believed in the same gods, goddesses, andmyths. The 12 most important gods lived on MountOlympus. Zeus was the chief god, and each Greek city-statehad a god or goddess as its protector.• To find out the future, Greeks visited sacred shrines where apriest or priestess, called an oracle, offered prophecies.

January 27, 2017• The poet Homer composed epics, which are poems aboutbrave heroes.• Aesop’s fables feature animals as the main characters andteach a lesson.

• The first dramas were written in the fifth century b.c. byAeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides, and Aristophanes.• Works of Greek art and architecture expressed ideals ofmoderation, balance, and harmony. This is known asclassical style.

 

• The Greeks all believed in the same gods, goddesses, andmyths. The 12 most important gods lived on MountOlympus. Zeus was the chief god, and each Greek city-statehad a god or goddess as its protector.• To find out the future, Greeks visited sacred shrines where apriest or priestess, called an oracle, offered prophecies.• The poet Homer composed epics, which are poems aboutbrave heroes.• Aesop’s fables feature animals as the main characters andteach a lesson.January 30, 2016• The first dramas were written in the fifth century b.c. byAeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides, and Aristophanes.• Works of Greek art and architecture expressed ideals ofmoderation, balance, and harmony. This is known asclassical style.January 31, 2017• In ancient Greece, philosophers developed a new body ofknowledge called philosophy. The Sophists rejected the ideaof absolute right or wrong.• Socrates developed a way of teaching through askingquestions, referred to as the Socratic method, andencouraged students to think for themselves. He was accusedof corrupting the youth by encouraging them to rebel. He wassentenced to death and died by drinking poison.February 1, 2017• Plato, Socrates’ most famous student, distrusted democracy

and believed in rule by philosopher kings. He started aschool called the Academy.• Aristotle followed in Plato’s footsteps and wrote more than200 works on science, biology, astronomy, government, andpolitics. His ideas influenced the way Europeans andAmericans created their systems of government.February 2, 2017• Herodotus and Thucydides were two Greek historians.• Ancient Greek scientists included Thales, an astronomer,Pythagoras, a mathematician who developed thePythagorean theorem, and Hippocrates, the father ofmedicine. Hippocrates wrote a list of rules for doctorsto follow, known today as the Hippocratic Oath.

February 3, 2017• King Philip II of Macedonia, a small kingdom north ofGreece, created a strong army. He planned to unite theGreek city-states and destroy the Persian Empire. Heconquered most of Greece by 338 b.c.February 6, 2017• Before Philip could carry out his plans, he was killed. His sonAlexander became king and commander of the military forces.Over the next 12 years, Alexander conquered the PersianEmpire and Egypt and went as far east as northwest India.

February 7, 2017• When his tired soldiers refused to go on, Alexander led themhome. They crossed a desert where heat and thirst killedthousands. Shortly after arriving home, Alexander died ofwounds and fever at age 32.• Alexander, known as Alexander the Great, extended Greekrule. He also spread Greek language and culture throughoutsouthwest Asia and Egypt.February 8, 2017• Alexander’s achievements marked the beginning of theHellenistic Era. During this period of time, Greek, or

Hellenistic, culture spread to all his conquered lands.• After Alexander’s death, his generals fought. They dividedhis empire into four kingdoms: Macedonia, Pergamum,Egypt, and the Seleucid Empire.February 9, 2017• The Hellenistic kings built new cities. They brought Greekartists, engineers, artisans, writers, and architects to thesenew cities.• The Hellenistic kings built new cities and remodeled oldcities. They modeled their cities after Athens and otherGreek cultural centers.February 10, 2017• Two Hellenistic writers were Appolonius, who wrote the epicpoem Argonautica, and Theocritus, who wrote nature poems.• Greek New Comedy developed in Athens, which remainedthe center of Greek theater. The playwright Menanderserved as its most important poet.• Epicurus founded a way of life that emphasized happinessand pleasure. This is called Epicureanism. Zeno foundedStoicism, which promoted reason over emotion.February 13• Aristarchus discovered that Earth circled the sun.Eratosthenes concluded that Earth was round and measuredits circumference.• In mathematics, Euclid wrote Elements, which describesplane geometry. The most famous Hellenistic scientist wasArchimedes. He worked on solid geometry, discovered pi,and invented machinery and weapons.• The four Hellenistic kingdoms could not work together.Meanwhile, the city-state of Rome grew into a major power.Gradually, Rome took control of Greece.

February 14, 2017NO BELL WORKFebruary 15, 2017NO BELL WORK

February 16, 2017• People in China first settled along the Huang He, or YellowRiver. The Huang He provided early China with rich soil, butit also often flooded and has cost millions of lives.• The Chang Jiang, or Yangtze, is another river in China andthe longest river in Asia. Early farmers grew rice along itsshores.

February 17, 2017• Mountains and deserts cover much of China. The mountainsand deserts limited contact between China and othercivilizations.• China’s first dynasty was the Shang. Shang kings ruledChina from 1750 b.c. to 1045 b.c. The Shang king was thepolitical, religious, and military leader.

February 20, 2017• Warlords, who ruled territories, and other royal officialsformed an upper class of aristocrats. Most Shang people,however, were farmers.• The Shang worshiped many gods. They honored theirancestors and used oracle bones to seek guidance.

February 21, 2017• Early Chinese writing used pictographs and ideographs.Chinese artists of the time made beautiful objects of bronze.They made vases and dishes from clay and carved statuesfrom ivory and jade.• The Zhou dynasty followed the Shang. The Zhou ruled formore than 800 years. Zhou kings had strong armies andsoon ruled over a larger territory than the Shang.

February 22, 2017• Zhou kings claimed that the Mandate of Heaven gave themthe right to rule China. The Mandate of Heaven is the beliefthat the Chinese king’s right to rule comes from the gods.• The period from 400 b.c. to 200 b.c. is known as the “Periodof the Warring States.” During this time, aristocrats ignoredthe king’s commands and fought with each other.

February 23, 2017• Between 500 b.c. and 200 b.c., three major philosophiesdeveloped in China: Confucianism, Daoism, and Legalism.• Confucius urged people to follow the ways of theirancestors. He believed people should place the needs ofothers above their own needs.

February 24, 2017• Laozi introduced Daoism. Daoism instructs people to freethemselves from worldly desires and live simply. One aim ofDaoism is for people to live in harmony with nature.• Legalism stressed the importance of laws. Aristocratssupported Legalism because it emphasized force and did notrequire rulers to consider the needs or wishes of their people.

@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@February 27, 2017• Early Chinese society was made up of four social classes:aristocrats, farmers, artisans, and merchants.• Chinese aristocrats were wealthy. They lived comfortablyand owned large plots of land.• Most Chinese people were farmers who rented fields fromaristocrats. Farmers had to pay taxes and work one month ayear on government projects. In wartime, they were forcedto serve as soldiers.February 28• Chinese families practiced filial piety. This means thatchildren obeyed and respected their parents and took care

of them when they got old. The work done by Chinesemen—farming, fighting wars, and running the government—was considered more important than the work done bywomen. Women’s major responsibility was raising childrenand seeing to their education. Women also managedhousehold affairs and family finances.

March 1, 2017• The Qin dynasty came to power in 221 b.c. Qin Shihuangdi,the founder of the Qin dynasty, ruled China with absolutepower and harsh punishments.• Shihuangdi Qin sought to unify the country. To accomplishthis, he established a currency that everyone had to use. Heundertook huge building projects, including a canal thatconnected central and southern China.

March 2 2017• Qin planned to join and strengthen walls built by earlierrulers to create a barrier across all of northern China tokeep out invaders.• The Qin dynasty ended in 206 b.c.

March 7, 2017• In 202 b.c. the Han dynasty came to power. The first strongHan ruler was Han Wudi. In an effort to improve thegovernment, he instituted an examination system for civilservice workers.• China’s population grew during the Han dynasty. Newtechnology helped farmers grow more food. During thistime, the arts flourished and the ideas of Confucius gainedinfluence.

• During the Han dynasty, trade expanded. The Silk Roadlinked China with its western trading partners. Buddhismalso made its way to China along the Silk Road.• Many of the emperors who followed Han Wudi were weak

and dishonest. People eventually rebelled against the Hanrulers. By a.d. 220, civil war divided China.

Bell WorkMarch 8, 2017

View the Terra Cotta warriors. Consider the leader who created them. Describe the characteristics of a leader who would create such a vast and remarkable project. Be ready to share your response.

Bell WorkMarch 10, 2017

How did the Qin Shi Huangdi packet you completed this week change your perception of the Terra Cotta Warriors and the type of leader who created such a vast and remarkable project?

February 12

After the end of the Han dynasty, China had no centralgovernment.• The Sui dynasty restored order. Work began on the GrandCanal, and the economy began to grow.• In a.d. 618, the Tang dynasty took over China and carriedout many economic and civil reforms. China had its first andmost powerful female ruler, Empress Wu.

Clear your desk of everything except colored pencils and pencil.

February 13• Later, China prospered under the Song dynasty.• Many Chinese adopted Buddhism during the Tang Dynasty.The government began to fear the religion’s influence anddestroyed Buddhist monasteries.

You need colored pencils and a pencil and Chinese New Year notes on your desk.

You need your Chinese New Year Notes and your colored pencils on your desk. Clear your desk of everything else

February 14• The Tang and Song dynasties backed a new understanding ofConfucianism, called neo-Confucianism. It taught that peopleshould be concerned about this world as well as the next.• Confucianism absorbed some Buddhist and other beliefs,and taught people to live in harmony with nature and to findpeace of mind.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Pick up white boards, markers and erasers.Clear your desk of everything else except your Chinese New Year Notes and a pencil.

February 15

The Warring States Period is the name given to nearly two centuries (475-221 BC) when rival Chinese States battled for territorial dominance. Ultimately, the Qin state was victorious and Emperor Qin Shi Huangdi formed the Qin Empire.

Pick up white boards, markers and erasers.Clear your desk of everything else except a pencil.

February 16, 2018No Bell Work

Happy Chinese New Year!Clear your desk of everything else except a pencil and colored pencils.

Copy into your Chinese New Year booklet and illustrate:The Red Envelope

During Chinese New Year, red envelopes are typically given by the married (or elderly) to children and the unmarried. The red symbolizes good luck and the money wishes the recipient good fortune for times to come. The red envelopes are also used to fend off bad spirits.

February 19• Tang and Song rulers used civil service examinations to hiregovernment officials. The examination system soon createda new class of leaders called the scholar-officials.• During the Tang dynasty, Chinese farmers improved theirirrigation systems and developed new kinds of rice, whichled to greater crop yields and population growth.

Clear your desk of everything except your Chinese New Year booklet and colored pencils.

Continue to work on booklet

February 26• New roads and waterways built during the Tang dynasty alsoimproved conditions for travel and trade. The Silk Roadreopened and trade thrived.• During the Tang and Song dynasties, the use of coal to makesteel improved the quality of life for many Chinese. They usedsteel products to build, farm, and defend China’s borders. Bell work is due Wednesday, March 7, 2018

On your desk: PencilTextbookChinese New Year NotesChinese New Year Review17-3

March 28, 2017

• The Chinese developed a way to manufacture paper and toprint books using wooden blocks and ink. Later, Chineseprinters developed movable type, which allowed them toImperial China• Gunpowder provided the Chinese with effective weapons,and improvements in shipbuilding and navigation toolsallowed the Chinese to travel and trade far from home.

March 29, 2017• The Tang and Song dynasties were a golden age for Chineseculture. Poets celebrated nature and the shortness of life intheir writings.• Landscape paintings portrayed nature as a great unknowableforce. Painters often wrote poems in calligraphy on theirartworks.

March 30, 2017• During the Tang dynasty, Chinese artisans became skilled atmaking porcelain, a light, fine pottery that became prizedaround the world.• The Mongols became the first non-native rulers of China.They were skilled warriors and horsemen who used terror todefeat their enemies.

March 31, 2017NO BELL WORKApril 3, 2017• Genghis Khan united the Mongols and led them to conquernorthern China.• The Mongols proved to be effective and peaceful rulers.Since many trade routes were now under Mongol control,people could trade in peace and grow rich.

April 4, 2017• By a.d.1279, Kublai Khan finished conquering China andestablished the Yuan dynasty. He set up the capital city inKhanbaliq (now Beijing).• The Mongols were culturally different from the Chinese andlived separately from them, but they were tolerant ofChina’s religions.

April 5, 2017• China prospered from trading overland and overseas. Goodscame by ship from all over the world. European travelers,such as Marco Polo, began to explore China’s vast empire.• The Ming dynasty ruled China after the Mongols. Ming rulerssponsored voyages of trade and exploration. Later, Mingofficials stopped the voyages because they believed thevoyages were too costly. They also thought these voyagesthreatened traditional Chinese culture.

January 4Ancient India• India is a subcontinent whose geography includes theHimalaya on the north; the Indus, Ganges and BrahmaputraRiver valleys and fertile coastlands to the east and west; andthe Deccan Plateau in the subcontinent’s southern two-thirds.• The main climate feature of India is the monsoon. Monsoonrains bring water for crops, but can also cause flooding.

April 7, 2017• The first civilization of the Indus Valley was marked by thelarge, well-organized cities of Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro.The cities were made of baked brick and laid out in gridpatterns.• The people of the Indus Valley farmed and made metaltools, cloth, and jewelry. They built temples, and theytraded with Mesopotamia.

April 10, 2017• As the people of Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro disappeared,the Aryans migrated as far as the Ganges River. Theyestablished a society based on farming and trade.• The Aryan civilization developed writing (Sanskrit), literature(the Vedas), and the varna social class system in India.• The sacred texts of Hinduism are the Vedas and theUpanishads, writings of Sanskrit prayers and ceremonies.

April 11-April 14, 2017

NO BELL WORK

April 17, 2017• The basic beliefs of Hinduism include: a single spirit calledBrahman encompasses all living things; the ultimate goal isunion with Brahman; this union is accomplished by creatinggood karma (actions) in each reincarnation of the soul.• Buddhism was founded by Siddhartha Gautama, a wealthyprince who left his possessions to find enlightenment andthe end of suffering.

April 17-April 21, 2017NO BELL WORK

April 24, 2017

• Siddhartha’s teachings, stated in the Four Noble Truths andthe Eightfold Path, include: eliminating desire will eliminate

suffering, and meditation and giving up material things helpbring about enlightenment.• There are two divisions of Buddhism. Theravada Buddhistsfollow Buddha’s teachings, but do not believe that he was agod. Mahayana Buddhists believe that worshipping theBuddha helps them follow the Eightfold Path.

April 25, 2017• Jainism was founded by Mahavira, who was called the Jina.The main belief of the Jains, ahimsa, is that all life is sacredand that followers must never take even an insect’s life. Likethe Buddhists, they believe in the elimination of desire.• The teaching of ahimsa influenced twentieth-century Indianpatriot Mahatma Gandhi to seek freedom from British rulethrough peaceful protest.April 26, 2017• Chandra Gupta Maurya unified northern India throughmilitary might and established the Mauryan Empire. As aruler, he was well organized. He was also harsh, fearingrebellion and harm to himself.• Ashoka is considered the greatest Mauryan leader. Althoughhe began his reign with conquests, he turned to peacefulrule when he converted to Buddhism. He worked to improvethe lives of his people. He set up carved pillars around theempire with advice and sayings meant to inspire peacefuland respectful living. He also built stupas (shrines) toencourage Buddhist practice.

April 27, 2017 NO BELL WORK

April 28, 2017NO BELL WORK

May 1, 2017• Five hundred years after the fall of the Mauryan Empire, theIndian people were again united under the Gupta dynasty.

Samudra Gupta, son of the first emperor of the Guptadynasty, Chandra Gupta, led the people into a golden ageunder the Hindu religion. Religious temples, art, andliterature developed during this time, as did trade. Pilgrimsoften traveled to temples and sacred sites.

May 2, 2017• Gupta society was quite advanced. Literature in Sanskrit,including religious texts and epic poems, was written.Architecture consisted of religious structures, temples,palaces, shrines, and monuments. Indian mathematiciansinvented a symbol for zero, and they developed the writtennumber system we still use today. Their system ofastronomy was based on the idea of a round Earth revolving around the sun. Medical doctors performed surgery and tried to find the causes of illnesses.May 3, 2017

• Italy’s location and climate have attracted people forthousands of years.• Rome’s location on the Tiber River made it easy to movegoods through Italy and to and from the Mediterranean Sea.The location also protected the city from pirate raids.

May 4, 2017Wild Adventures field trip. No bell work.May 5, 2017Wizard of OZ movie. No bell work.

MAY 8, 2017• Between 800 b.c. and 700 b.c., a group of people calledLatins settled in Rome’s hills in central Italy. This marks thebirth of Rome, and the people living there became known as

Romans.

May 9, 2017• Greeks and Etruscans moved into the area. They influencedRoman culture, architecture, religion, and military style. Intime, the Etruscans took control of Rome.• Around 509 b.c., the Romans overthrew their Etruscan kingand set up a republic. A republic is a form of government inwhich citizens elect their leaders. The United States today isa republic.

May 10, 2017• Rome developed a strong army. They formed groups ofsoldiers called legions. Roman legions were skilled atfighting and could move quickly around a battlefield. By267 b.c., the Romans controlled most of Italy.• In general, Rome ruled fairly and effectively. Romans letsome people they conquered become full Roman citizens;others became allies, or friends, of Rome.

May 11, 2017• Early Rome had two classes of people: the patricians, whowere wealthy landowners, and the plebeians, who were poor.• At first, plebeians did not share equal rights with patricians.Eventually, they won the right to take part in the Romangovernment. Plebeians elected officials, called tribunes, to represent them in the government.

May 12, 2017• The Roman Republic had three branches of government.One branch, made up of the Senate and an assembly, madelaws. A second branch ran the daily affairs of governmentand was led by two consuls, or heads of government. Thethird branch served as judges, called praetors.• A system of checks and balances prevented one branch fromgetting too powerful. For example, one consul could veto, orreject, a decision made by the other consul.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxwpEiQ5rdZxmQNZiV0Abig/live

May 15, 2017• During a crisis, the Senate could appoint a temporarydictator, or strong leader who was given complete control ofthe government. That person was expected to step downonce the trouble had passed.• Rome’s legal system was based on the rule of law, whichmeant that everyone was treated the same way under thelaw. Roman citizens were also expected to fulfill their civicduty, or help their country.

May 16, 2017• Rome fought three wars with Carthage, Rome’s main rivalfor control of the Mediterranean region. These wars werecalled the Punic Wars. In146 b.c., Rome defeated Carthage and made it a province, orregional district, under Rome’s control.

May 17, 2017• In the 140s b.c., Rome conquered Greece and began toexpand its territory into Asia.• Small farmers in the Roman Republic began to fall into

poverty and lose their land. They could not compete withwealthy Romans who owned latifundia, or large farmingestates. As a result, poor farmers moved to Roman cities ingreat numbers.

May 18, 2017• Roman leaders used a “bread and circus” policy to feed andentertain the poor, who were now crowding the cities. Theseleaders wanted to prevent the poor from revolting.• Roman military leaders began to seek and gain greaterpolitical power.

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May 19, 2017• In 60 b.c., the first triumvirate, or political group of threepeople who are equal in power, was formed to rule Rome.These three leaders were Crassus, Pompey, and Julius Caesar.• By 50 b.c., the triumvirate had ended. Caesar and Pompeystruggled for control of Rome.• In 44 b.c., Caesar defeated Pompey in a civil war. Caesarbecame Rome’s first dictator for life, but members of the

Senate killed him that same year.• After Caesar’s death, the second triumvirate was formed, led byOctavian, Antony, and Lepidus.• Antony and Octavian soon became rivals, and another civilwar broke out. Octavian captured Alexandria within a year. At thelast battle, Antony received false news that Cleopatra had diedand killed himself. When Cleopatra heard that Antony had died,she killed herself.• Octavian became the next dictator of Rome. He renamedhimself Augustus.• The leadership of Augustus was the beginning of a time ofpeace and prosperity for Rome called the Pax Romana thatlasted 200 years.• Augustus strengthened the army, protected Rome’s borders,and rebuilt in marble many of Rome’s buildings. He namedproconsuls, or governors, to run each of Rome’s provinces.• After Augustus died, his son, Tiberius, ruled effectively. Aseries of cruel dictators, however, ruled Rome after him.• During the a.d. 100s, Rome was ruled by the Five GoodEmperors. They ruled during a time of peace and prosperityand did not abuse their power. They built aqueducts, orhuman-made channels, to bring water from the country tothe city.• By the a.d. 100s, the Roman Empire was almost the size ofthe United States today, making it one of the largestempires in history. Roman system of money was used allover the empire. Due to the use of a common money andgood transportation networks, trade grew throughout theRoman Empire.

The capital of the Roman Empire was Rome. Wealthy nobles,artisans, shopkeepers, and enslaved people lived in the city.• The Roman family was important in Roman culture. Thefather was the head of the family. Women had few rightsand were not full citizens.• As Rome conquered more territories, the number of

enslaved people increased. Enslaved people worked inhomes, on farms, and helped build bridges and roadsthroughout the Empire.• Romans adapted Greek ideas about religion, science,architecture, art, literature, and theater.• The Roman language, Latin, served as the basis for manyEuropean languages.• During the a.d. 200s, the power of Rome declined becauseof a weakened government, a failing economy, and invasionsby Germanic groups.• Emperors such as Diocletian and Constantine tried to reformthe empire.• Emperor Constantine moved the capital of the Empire to thecity of Byzantium. The city was renamed Constantinople.Today, it is called Istanbul, Turkey.• Emperor Theodosius divided the Empire into two empires:the Western Roman Empire, with its capital in Rome, andthe Eastern Roman Empire, with its capital inConstantinople.• Over the next several hundred years, German invaders—including the Vandals and Visigoths—gained control of mostof the Western empire.

• Rome had a lasting impact on the modern world. Eventoday, Rome influences law, government, art, architecture,language, and religion.

Before the rise of Christianity, the Roman Empire controlledJudaea and Galilee in the ancient land of Israel. The Jewshoped a deliverer would rescue them from cruel treatmentby the Romans. They wanted to make Israel an independentJewish kingdom.• Around a.d. 30 a young Jewish preacher named Jesus begantraveling throughout Judaea and Galilee. He gathered agroup of followers known as disciples or apostles. Jesus

used stories to teach people about God and the main beliefsof Judaism.• As his influence grew, the Romans began to see Jesus as athreat to their power. On the Jewish holiday of Passover,Jesus was arrested, accused of treason, and sentenced todeath by crucifixion. After his death and reports of hisresurrection, Jesus’ followers continued to spread hismessage. People who accepted the teachings of Jesusgradually became known as Christians.• As Christianity spread throughout the Roman Empire,Christians came into conflict with the Romans. Because theRomans believed the new religion was a threat, they beganto punish Christians. But Roman persecution did not stopChristianity from growing and becoming a powerfulmovement.• Christianity spread to East Africa. The empire of Ethiopia,also known as Abyssina, was powerful in the region. TheEthiopian city-state of Axum adopted Christianity as itsofficial religion in a.d. 334.• Almost four centuries after the death of Jesus, the Romanemperor Theodosius made Christianity the official religion ofthe Roman Empire. Early Christians met in people’s homes.Eventually they began to write down their beliefs and toorganize the church along the lines of a hierarchy.• Bishops and archbishops were church leaders with the mostauthority over religious matters. The bishop of Rome, orpope, believed he was more powerful than all the otherbishops. This caused a conflict between Latin-speakingChristians and Greek-speaking Christians, who did notaccept the pope’s authority over their churches.

• The Americas are made up of four geographical areas: NorthAmerica, Central America, South America, and theCaribbean. These areas include many different geographical

features and climates. Major features in North Americainclude the Rocky Mountains and the Mississippi River. Majorfeatures in South America include the Andes and theAmazon River.• The first people came to America from Asia. They werehunters and gatherers who used the resources of theirenvironments for food, clothing, and shelter.• At the end of the last Ice Age, agriculture began in theAmericas. The earliest farming areas were in Mesoamericaand the Andes. Farming led to the development of complexcivilizations in the Americas.• Early Mesoamerican civilizations included the Olmec, theZapotec, and Maya.. In South America, early civilizationsincluded the Chavín and the Nazca.• In North America, early people developed a variety ofcultures. In the area now known as the AmericanSouthwest, the Hohokam and the Anasazi developed twodifferent cultures based on agriculture.• East of the Mississippi River, another culture arose. They areknown as Mound Builders because they built large moundsto serve as tombs and places for ceremonies. The Hopewellwere mostly hunters and gatherers, but the Mississippianswere full-time farmers who grew corn, squash and beans.Some Mississippian cities contained 10,000 people or more.• About a.d. 300 the Maya developed a civilization with over50 city-states in southern Mexico and Central America. Mayaachievements included calendars, mathematics, and awritten language.• About a.d. 900 Maya civilization collapsed althoughhistorians are not sure why. The collapse may have beencaused by warfare among the city-states or by falling foodproduction.• Many different Native American cultures developed in thedifferent geographic regions of North America. These regionsincluded the Far North, the Pacific Coast, the Southwest,the Great Plains, and the Eastern Woodlands.