Stefan+G

S t e f a n G e o r g i e v PRIMARY SOURCE UNIT 4 Charlotte Dundas

The Charlotte Dundas is regarded as the world's "first practical steamboat", the first towing steamboat and the boat that demonstrated the practicality of steam power for ships.



Charlotte Dundas was designed by the Scottish engineer William Symington. She was built for towing on the Forth and Clyde Canal. She proved herself in a test in March 1802 by pulling two 70-ton barges 19 1/2 miles in six hours. The tug, 56 feet long by 18 feet wide was powered by a 10-horsepower adaptation of the Watt engine linked to a paddle wheel in a stern well.

Steamboats were an important component of industrial revolution that took place during the 18th century

Steam boats helped a whole lot in transportation of goods. It was easier to transport on rivers than on land and was much faster. Also steam boats helped in the transportation of troops at time of war. Additionally, steamboats drastically improved the economy.

The Charlotte Dundas was the first practical steamboat and it created a large impact on future steamboats to come.  I found the Charlotte Dundas interesting because it show's me how much ships and steam boats have evolved over time. The Charlotte Dundas demonstrated the practicality for steamships and it sparked further innovation for steamships.

       <span style="color: #550404; display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%; text-align: center;"> <span style="color: #550404; display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%; text-align: center;"> <span style="color: #550404; display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%; text-align: center;"> <span style="color: #550404; display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%; text-align: center;"> <span style="color: #550404; display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%; text-align: center;"> <span style="color: #550404; display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%; text-align: center;"> <span style="color: #550404; display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%; text-align: center;"> <span style="color: #550404; display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%; text-align: center;"> <span style="color: #550404; display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%; text-align: center;"> <span style="color: #550404; display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%; text-align: center;"> <span style="color: #550404; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 200%;">Primary Source: Katar

The Katar is a style of weapon found throughout India and was popular throughout the 1500s and 1600s. It was one of the most popular weapons to carry at that time. It is also known as a 'push dagger'. The horizontal H-shaped hilt results in the blade sitting above the user's knuckles. As this weapon spread throughout India, it became a symbol for social status for the nobility. The basic Katar has a short, wide, triangular blade. The handle is made up of two parallel bars connected with two cross-pieces.The blade would typically measure 1-3 feet in length. Most Katar daggers have straight blades, but in south India they were commonly wavy. Sometimes the blades were slightly curved making them suited for slashing attacks. Some blades were forked into two points, which would later develop into the Scissors-Katar. The force of a Katar thrust could be so great, that many blades were thickened at the point to prevent them from bending or breaking. This also strengthened their use against mail.

Due to the blade being in line with the user's arm, the most common attack was a direct thrust identical to a punch, thus getting the nickname 'push dagger'. This design allows the fighter to put their whole weight into a thrust leading to a more deadly attack. Similar to boxing, common targets include the head and upper body. The sides of the handle were great for blocking. This meant that a fighter could block a strike and very quickly return a thrust. This weapon was indeed very effective in battle and became popular throughout In dia and the Mughal empire.

During class one day, we talked a little bit about this weapon and I got interested in it. I greatly appreciate the mechanics of it. For example, the two sides of the handle provide excellent protection and blocking power. The Katar is very functional this way. A user can block and then stab very quickly due to the design and light weight of the weapon. The power of this dagger is another notable aspect. Since it is a 'push-dagger' or a 'punching-dagger', the user can put in their entire body weight into a single powerful punch that can pierce armor. The Katar became a very popular weapon both in battle and not. For example, princes and nobles wore the Katar as a sign of social status and were often portrayed wearing a Katar at their side. Not only was this dagger used for self-defense and battle, but it was also meant to show the wealth and position of the princes and nobles. Rajputs and upper-class Mughals would even hunt tigers with a Katar. For a hunter to kill a tiger with such a short-range weapon was considered the surest sign of bravery and martial skill.

So, the Katar had a great impact throughout the Indian subcontinent and the Mughal in the battle field and in the social setting.

I like the Katar for multiple reasons. For one, I think that it looks really interesting. I really appreciate the double sided blade and the handle. I also like the neat designs and engravings along the dagger and I am guessing that the higher class would likely have more engravings and designs on their Katar. What I like most of all about the Katar is how functional it is. The tough double-sided blade, the sides of the handle used for protection and the horizontal handle make the Katar a very lethal and powerful weapon. With the power of a punch concentrated into the blade, the Katar can even go through armor! The Katar is a really unique dagger and I have never seen anything quite like it. I have studied many types of weapons and I think that the Katar is one of the most efficient and useful ones so far.

Check out this short video. It refers to the Katar as a different name: Jamadhar media type="custom" key="25071336" END That was really interesting! I remember talking about that in class, and it was fascinating to get a little more detail on the weapon. Are there any of these weapons in existence today? And how long did they usually last, even with the addition of material to make the blade thicker? And did the thicker blade make it more difficult to wield due to a heavier weight? Very fascinating! -OW Wow Stefan! Your primary source is a weapon? I never would have guessed... Anyway, how does this compare to the other weapons during this time period? Also, going along with OW's question, how heavy was it? You said it was light, but it sure doesn't look like it! Nice job on explaining the Katar! -ED Typical Stefan. I was wondering, also along OW's question, if the Katar is still used today? I certainly haven't seen it. If it isn't as popular today, I'd like to know why that would be. Were there problems with it in warfare? Or did warfare eventually change so much (as well as the fall of empires that used it) that it was no longer useful? ~ Marisa Gonzalez-Mabbutt <span style="color: #a40e0e; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;">(Class Starter) <span style="color: #a40e0e; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;">Nicolaus Copernicus

<span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%; text-align: left;">**Born**: 19 February 1473 <span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%; text-align: left;">**Died**: 24 May 1543 <span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%; text-align: left;">He was 70 years old when he died

<span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%; text-align: left;">Regarded as one of the central figures of the Scientific Revolution, Copernicus (1473-1543) postulated a heliostatic theory in his De Revolutionibus Orbium Coelestium (1543). However, he did maintain that planetary orbits were circular, and many believed that his system did not reflect the physical universe.

<span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%; text-align: left;">In the early 1500's, when virtually everyone believed Earth was the center of the universe, Nicolaus Copernicus proposed that the planets instead revolved around the sun. Although his model wasn't completely correct, he formed a strong foundation for future scientists. Other astronomers did build on his work and proved that our planet is just one world orbiting one star in a vast universe that contains both, and that we're far from the center of anything.

<span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%; text-align: left;">Nicolaus Copernicus was born in the city of Torun, in the province of Royal Prussia, in the Crown Kingdom of Poland. His father was a merchant and his mother was the daughter of a wealthy Torun merchant. He was the youngest of four and he never married or had children.

<span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%; text-align: left;">When Copernicus was just a boy, his father died and his maternal uncle, named Lucas Watzenrode the Younger, took little Copernicus under his wind and helping him in his education and career. There are no surviving primary documents on the early years of his education and childhood. <span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%; text-align: left;">Copernicus traveled to Italy at the age of 18 to attend college, where he prepared for a career in the church. As part of his education, he studied astrology which was reading the stars to learn about future events. Astrology was, at the time, important for priests and doctors. Astronomy, the motion of heavenly bodies, was an important element of this.

<span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%; text-align: left;">(Today, astronomy is a recognized science, whereas astrology is not.)

<span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%; text-align: left;">During the time he attended the University of Bologna, he lived and worked with astronomy professor named Domenico Maria de Novara, doing research and helping him make observations. When he returned to Poland, his room was in one of the towers surrounding the town with an observatory. This gave him ample time and opportunity to study the night sky. <span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%; text-align: left;">**Languages**: Copernicus spoke Latin and German with equal fluency. He also spoke Polish, Greek and Italian. The majority of his surviving works are written in Latin. <span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%; text-align: left;">Why in Latin? Because Latin was similar to how English is today. Latin was the language of the academia.

<span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%; text-align: left;">In 1514, Copernicus distributed a handwritten book to his friends that told his view on the universe. In it, he proposed that the center of the universe was not Earth, but that the sun was near it. He also suggested that Earth's rotation was the reason for the rise and setting of our sun, the reason for movement of stars, and that the cycle of seasons was caused by earth's revolutions around the sun. Finally, he (correctly) proposed that Earth's motion through space caused the retrograde motion of the planets across the night sky <span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%; text-align: left;"> <span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%; text-align: left;">Retrograde Motion or Apparent retrograde motion is the motion of a planet or other body in a direction opposite to that of the other bodies within its system as seen from a particular place or vantage point.

<span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%; text-align: left;">"The motions that produce retrograde motion. As Earth passes a superior planet, such as Mars, the superior planet will temporarily appear to reverse its motion across the sky" - From Wikipedia article - Retrograde Motion

<span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%; text-align: left;">On his deathbed at the age of 70, Copernicus published his book called - De Revolutionibus Orbium Coelestium - or "On the Revolutions of the Heavenly Spheres". In his book, Copernicus established that the planets orbited the sun and not the earth. He also lay out his model of the solar system and the path of the planets.

<span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%; text-align: left;">Although he Copernicus changed the layout of the universe, he was still slightly wrong. He believed the classical idea of the planets orbiting in perfect circles. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">Copernicus was also a worthy mathematician, though mathematics is not what he is most commonly known for. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">The moving picture is known as the Tusi-couple. Copernicus had a small connection and studies related to it, but it was first proposed in the 13th century.

<span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%; text-align: left;"> <span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%; text-align: left;"> <span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%; text-align: left;">**Time to summarize**: He engaged in lengthy observation of the heavenly bodies and he came to the conclusion that the sun is the center of the solar system. The earth was just one of a couple of planets orbiting the sun. Copernicus' observations disproved the Ptolemic theory.This theory held the earth to be the center of the universe. His work was greatly important for the advancement of science. <span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%; text-align: left;">Copernicus was a mathematician, astronomer, physician, quadrilingual polyglot, classical scholar, translator, artist, Catholic cleric, jurist, governor, military leader, diplomat and economist.

<span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%; text-align: left;">His vision of the universe (pic):



<span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%; text-align: left;">His multiple astronomical observations were used by Johannes Kepler to formulate Kepler's Laws of Planetary Motion, which showed that the planets went around the Sun in ellipses, not circles!

<span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%; text-align: left;">Isaac Newton used Kepler's Laws to figure out the equation for the force of gravity between the Sun and planets. This was one of the starting points of all physics <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%; line-height: 1.5;">So, Copernicus to Kepler to Newton.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%; line-height: 1.5;">His impact, even after his time, is definitely significant.





<span style="color: #a00303; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 550%;">The End

This is **Hypatia**. I like her because she is one of the few women in The School of Athens. She was a Neo-Platonist philosopher, mathematician, and astronomer. She lived and taught in Alexandria and died in 415. It is unsure when exactly she was born. I found her interesting because she is considered to be the first woman  of any importance in the  history of mathematics. She is one of few women drawn in the painting and I felt as if she needed to be recognized more. She is, also, kind of an attractive lady. Just saying.
 * Hypatia Of Alexandria **

Hypatia shows how women were pretty important and how they can contribute to society. We know **his**tory, but what about **her**story? :-)>

Hypatia connects to the Renaissance through education and learning. She was a great philosopher, mathematician, and astronomer. She is well known for being a great teacher. Humanism is another way she connects to the Renaissance. Humanism is a cultural and intellectual idea during the Renaissance that emphasized secular concerns and It led to the rediscovery and study of the literature, art, and civilization of ancient Greece  and Rome. Hypatia, as a teacher, contributed to the idea of Humanism by being a teacher and a scholar.

** William Shakespeare** should definitely  be included in the School of Athens! His literature and poetry influences us to this day. He is such a huge figure in history and he should not be ignored. He influenced the Renaissance by focusing on the individual traits that made up his characters. Shakespeare wrote 154 sonnets, 5 long poems and 38 plays. In the course of doing that, he added vocabulary and familiar phrases to the English language. Need I say more? He was a great influential figure that lived his entire life during the Renaissance. He should be painted in the School of Athens. Right now. Someone should just go to that painting and draw him in. Great suggestion, I agree. -SW

Baba Vida (Баба Вида) The Second Primary Source

Greetings. For the second primary source I decided to chose something from my own culture. I decided to go with a Bulgarian castle called Baba Vida or "Баба Вида" in Bulgarian.

Here are some pictures:

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">This Fortress is located within the port town called Vidin in Northwestern Bulgaria. It has two fundamental walls and four towers. It is the only entirely preserved castle in my country. Most were destroyed by the Ottoman invasion. The construction of it began in the 10th century in the place of an ancient Roman watchtower.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">It was the central defensive mechanism of Vidin and the Baba Vida Fortress withstood multiple attacks and sieges. It withstood an eight month siege by the Byzantine forces led by Basil II. (Basil II is the guy who blinded every Bulgarian soldier and left only 1 in every 100th with one eye to lead the army back home).

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">On the other hand, this castle has also been captured by different armies including the Hungarians and the Ottomans. Then, it was used as a munitions store and prison.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">In the 14th century, it played the role of royal residence of Tsar Ivan Stratsimir.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The literal translation is: The old lady - Vida.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The name "Baba Vida" comes from a legend involving three Bulgarian princesses who were sisters. Two of them married rashly and wasted their inheritances. The third was named Vida and she remained single and built the castle.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">So ladies, instead of getting married, you should build a castle. <span style="color: #ff0000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">!!!!!

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">These days, you don't see many castles in Bulgaria. Most of them were destroyed by the Ottomans! Baba Vida is the best preserved castle in Bulgaria.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I find it interesting how much this castle has been through. I think this shows that we, Bulgarians, also, have the might to build castles. Hopefully this castle will attract people to learn more about our history because we have many interesting events and battles.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Another interesting thing I find about this castle is just how the rocks used to build this tell a story. Let me elaborate. So sometimes walls or parts of the castle were destroyed and people would go back and fix it. So every couple of decades, they would go and fix a wall or something. Each time the rock looks different from the previous. So it makes a visual timeline in a way and it shows how much this castle has gone through.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Right now it is a museum and a popular tourist attraction.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Here is a video that you will check out: <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sPBQG60F0Dk

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Here is a second video that you will check out: <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MLKFyh9ePRw

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">(The videos are short)

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">On a side note, since it was located on a port town, maybe lots of trade happened. Maybe the castle was a key involved in trade.

Anyway, I thought this castle was quite cool and yeah... I enjoyed learning more about it. Good day!

<span style="background-color: #a40e0e; color: #0084ff; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">THE END

<range type="comment" id="475782548_1">Very cool! It was unique and I like how you were able to fit some of the history as well as some analyist based on the condition and the area. I would just like at ask if Bulgaria was it's own civilization or was it part of another civilization. Good job! - Kevin Littrell</range id="475782548_1">

<span style="background-color: #ff5c5c; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 190%;">The Gold Coffin of Tutankhamun (King Tut)

<span style="background-color: #ff5c5c; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">

<span style="background-color: #ff5c5c; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">He died young at the age of 18. He is better known as King Tut and he ruled egypt from 1333 to 1323 BCE. <span style="background-color: #ff5c5c; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">The mummy of King Tut was found by Howard Carter in 1922. <span style="background-color: #ff5c5c; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Now, enough about King Tut. I am interested in his coffin. <span style="background-color: #ff5c5c; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">

<span style="background-color: #ff5c5c; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">This is the gold coffin of Tutankhamon! It is made of 450 pounds of solid gold! 450! According to my calculations, that is a lot of gold. Three coffins were used to hold the body of Tatankhamon.

<span style="background-color: #ff5c5c; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">I really found the coffin very interesting. For one, it contains 450 pounds of solid gold. Also, it is amazing how detailed and beautiful it looks. It blows my mind how long ago this was made and what a perfect condition the coffin is in. To this day, this is the best work of gold ever made.

<span style="background-color: #ff5c5c; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">I think this shows us how advanced the Egyptians were. I mean, to create something that complex and cool mostly out of gold is just amazing. We are lucky somebody found this, because if it stayed hidden for 3000 years, it could have just as easily stayed hidden for 3000 more.

<span style="background-color: #ff5c5c; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Even though the coffin was made 3000 years ago and it obvious how advanced Egypt was. It has beautiful designs, drawings, and hieroglyphs. I wish I could go and visit the coffin, because that is just amazing.

<span style="background-color: #ff5c5c; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;"> If you are reading this, I want you to just think about something for a second. Think about how long ago the coffin was made. Think about how it is made so perfectly out of GOLD. And look at what a great condition it is in! Your mind has been blown

<span style="background-color: #ff5c5c; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Now, let me tell you some more about King Tut's tomb. It is located at the valley of kings. It is very small, tough. Historians believe that Tut died too early and so they could not build him such a huge tomb as some other Pharaohs. Because it was so small, it hasn't been opened or found for so many years. Finally, in 1922, Howard Carter was the one to find it.

<span style="background-color: #ff5c5c; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">

<span style="background-color: #ff5c5c; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">

<span style="background-color: #ff5c5c; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Here is a picture of the layout of the tomb: <span style="background-color: #ff5c5c; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">

Here is a great video that you will check out right now: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5HKVE5fw9JY

<span style="background-color: #ff5c5c; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">CONCLUSION:

<span style="background-color: #ff5c5c; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">I am fascinated by Egyptian culture and the history of the pharaohs. I always have been. Learning about this coffin was awesome. I am still amazed at how much gold was used in this. Thank you, and have a nice day! Dude.

Pretty awesome stuff Stephan. I'm glad to hear you find this so amazing. Its really quite incredible for a young pharaoh. -SW

Emma was here! :) 12/21/13