Lauren+M

=School of Athens: Diogenes of Sinope= Diogenes of Sinope (412-323 BC), a cynic philosopher (who believes that only selfishness motivates human actions and who disbelieves in or minimizes selfless acts or disinterested points of view), a student of Antisthenes, who lived in Corinth. Diogenes, a philosopher, lived in a big barrel, instead of a traditional house. During the nights he went house to house with a lantern, knocking on doors to find if there was "an honest human inside." This showing people that there is no honest person in the town. When him and Alexander the Great meet, Alexander found him sitting in front of his barrel, facing the sun. As a great admirer of Diogenes, Alexander then asked him if there is anything he needed or could give to him. Diogenes thought for a while, and then asked politely if Alexander could step aside, because by standing in front of him with his horse, he was blocking the sun from his face! This answer very much so impressed Alexander, and that he said that if wasn't Alexander, he would have liked to be Diogenes. He connected to the Renaissance primarily because he was a Greek philosopher and during then discovery and the revival of Greek texts were greatly influential to the Renaissances. Also this philosopher did almost the complete opposite of what society thought was acceptable

= = = = =Unit 2: Primary Source=

"Dome of the Rock" Great PS! -SW
Originally a Mashhad (a shrine for pilgrims) the Dome of the Rock was not only used for religious purposes but also politically. Chaliph Abd El-Malik placed the monument on the Haram as-Sharif (Noble Sanctuary) in order to enshrine the sacred rock from which, Muslims believe, Muhammad made al-isra',(the Night Journey and ascended to visit Allah in heaven). Along with the theological component, however, there was also a political purpose for the construction of the Dome. During the late 7th century, the Muslim culture was torn by conflict between many different Muslim groups, each of which claimed to be Muhammad's only heir.

According to tradition, Muhammad first choose Jerusalem as theqibla (the direction the faithful should face during prayer). Later, the prophet redirected his followers to face the city of Mecca when praying, to symbolize Islam's independence from the other monotheistic religions that had chosen Jerusalem as their most holy city.

During the late 7th century, however, Chaliph Abd El-Malik wanted to not allow his followers from making the pilgrimage to Mecca because he was worried that they might fall under the influence of one of his Muslim rivals.He, therefore, constructed the Dome in the hopes of making Jerusalem as the major Muslim pilgrimage place, so that he could keep his followers and get even more.While Mecca has remained the qibla for Muslims, Jerusalem is seen by Muslims as the third holiest place in the world. The pilgrimage to Jerusalem, known as the Taqdis,(the final destination of the main pilgrimage), allowing Muslims to remember the significance of the city to their faith.



WOW! The fact that even the slightest thing as the direction in which one prays making such a big difference is a really great example to the rigidity of Islam in its practices. It's also really interesting that the different deviations of Islam would "steal" followers from each other during pilgrimages. Personally, that sounds very sacrilegious and defeating the purpose of religious pilgrimage. Do you think you could equate the follower stealing to modern day suicide bonding? Great Job Lo ;) -SydJo = = = = =The Mayan's= Beginning with the Olmec, this culture was the earliest of the major Meso-American civilizations, which lively is known as the fostering influences behind the Mayan, Aztec, and also other later societies. The Olmec were spreading along the eastern coastal Mexico between 1200 and 400 B.C. and are remembered for building massive earthen mounds, sculpting giant basalt heads, and building large and successful cities that existed for hundreds of years. As the Olmec declined, the Mayans rose to importance. Historical evidence seems to show the presence of a Mayan culture in present day Mexico at least as far back as 1800 BCE, but their greatest influence was put forth between 200 B.C. and A.D. 1000. Settlement was widespread in the Yucatán Peninsula and traveled southward into Central America. Different from the later Aztecs, the Mayans did not have strong administrative control over an empire, but instead made as a series of largely independent city-states, such as Palenque, Tikal, and Chichén Itzá. Olmec masterwork

The Mayan’s contributed greatly too many societies, by developing an advanced writing system. Their history, entrusted to cactus fiber parchment, fared poorly against the ravages of time and Spanish censors saw to the destruction of much of the remainder. However, many of their carvings on stone have survived and provide much of what is known today about their civilization. Also the Mayans were gifted in mathematicians who developed the concept of zero, and astronomers who inferred that a solar year was a little more than 365 days. Writing System

They also came up with The Mayan calendar which was the system of calendars used in Latin America. The Mayan calendar was based on already existing ideas of seasons and the year but they were the most documented and therefor the most famous.

The fall of Mayan civilization by 1100 B.C was already well under way. The causes were unknown, but some theories point to warfare, crop failures, and disease as leading prospects. The society was also enervated by its religion, which emphasized that human blood was extremely pleasing to its gods. Nobles mutilated themselves and their blood flowed onto fabric, which was burned as an offering. As time passed, those offerings were not enough so this resulted to human sacrifice. Victims had their still beating hearts cut from their chests and displayed to throngs gathered for these spectacles. Most of those were prisoners from battles, others were Mayan volunteers looking to satisfy the gods. Although by the time the Spanish had arrived which was around A.D. 1520, the Mayans were a diminished civilization. Their great cities were abandoned and the parts of their population were extensively dispersed