Leilani+M

=Primary Source Unit 3: The Table of Ranks=

== = =

=
The table of ranks was a formal list of ranks in the Russian military, government, and royal court. It was composed of a complex system of titles and honorifics that were each classified with a number that signified a specific level of service or loyalty to the Tsar. This list was created mainly due to Peter the Great's distrust of the anti-reformist Boyars. This list was also one of Peter's most bold reforms and was a low blow to the power of the Boyars. Before the list, high-ranking state positions were hereditary, but after the establishment of the Table of Ranks, even a commoner could work their way up to bureaucratic hierarchy with sufficient hard work. The eighth rank was very sought after because once this rank came with hereditary nobility. This caused a new wave of people to replace the Boyars and dominate the civil service in Russia, which made sense because the government reforms of Peter the Great were aimed to modernize the Tsardom of Russia. We also know that Peter the Great rid the Boyars of their beards by placing a tax on them and got rid of their super stylish sleeves, so clearly the Table of Ranks was just one of the many reforms he set to limit the power of the Boyars and change the rule of Russia.======

This is interesting because of the other countries like England that had such a clear rank in society for everyone. They demonstrated the idea that people were born into classes instead the new concept that you get yourself higher in society. What time period is this list from? Is it around the time that England and France were starting to see Bourgeoisie, after the Industrial revolution? -Grace Lane

=Primary Source Unit 2: Iroha Poem from the Heian Period= = Great idea for a PS. -SW =

=
The first record of this poem record date back to 1079. This poem is famous for having sentences that contain every letter of the alphabet, known as pangram, as well as containing each character of the Japanese syllabary exactly once. The first appearance of this poem was in seven lines.======

以呂波耳本部止

千利奴流乎和加 餘多連曽津祢那 良牟有為能於久 耶万計不己衣天 阿佐伎喩女美之 恵比毛勢須

intoxicated, in the world of shallow dreams.
Research has shown that putting together the last syllables of the Japanese in Manyogana, the alphabet with Chinese characters used in Classical Japan, has revealed a hidden message. This message is "die without wrong-doing." It is thought that this might be a eulogy for Kukai. a Japanese monk who died during the Heian Period. The author of this poem is unknown and some even say that Kukai himself may written this poem, though there is no evidence that he did. The Heian period produced a whole array of poetry and literary works. I think this poem as well as the others that were written in this time period show that Kana (Japanese syllabic script) became a huge part of Japanese literature in this period and continues to appear in modern Japanese today. This poem also shows how the Japanese language that was used in the Heian period has changed and evolved into what it is today. Certain characters in this poem aren't written how they are in this poem anymore. = =



= = = = = = =Primary Source Unit 1: Ancient Egyptian Medicine=

The medicine of the Ancient Egyptians is some of the oldest documented. It was very advanced for its time including things like setting of bones, non invasive surgery and sets of pharmacopoeia (books containing lists of medicinal drugs.) The main sources of information about ancient Egyptian medicine came from writings. The document above is the Edwin Smith Papyrus. This document includes the diagnosis and treatment for injuries. The Edwin Papyrus offers a rational and scientific approach to medicine, whereas other papyri are medical texts based on magic. This papyrus also included research methods for diagnoses and treatments and was therefore viewed as a learning manual. In the Odyssey, Homer wrote:‍‍‍‍ "In Egypt, the men are more skilled in medicine than any of human kind" and "the Egyptians were skilled in medicine more than any other art."‍‍‍‍

This document is the Ebers Papyrus. It contains charms and spells meant to turn away disease-causing demons as well as 877 prescriptions. It may also contain the earliest documented awareness of tumors.

The Egyptians were also very skilled in mummification- do you think that their well developed medical knowledge came before/after/with the mummification skills? Were their studies helpful in increasing their overall life quality at all? Did life spans increase? Cool idea Leilani! Diana Lu

=Class Starter: The Trung Sisters=

=
In 39 C.E. Trung Trac and Trung Nhi, born in northern Vietnam, led revolts against the Chinese who had ruled Vietnamese since 111 B.C.E. After repelling a small Chinese unit from their own village, they assembled an army consisting mostly of women and were able to liberate Nam Viet as well as 65 cities and resist Chinese attacks for three years. The sisters were born into a military family with their father being a prefect of a region in Northern Vietnam called Me Linh. When a neighboring prefect came to visit Me Linh, he brought his son Thi Sach who met and fell in love with Trung Trac and shortly married her. Thi Sach also took a stand against the Chinese which resulted in a public execution that spurred Trung Trac to take up his cause and further rebel against the Chinese.======



=Defeat=

=
The sisters were considered queens in Vietnam until under General Ma Yuan, a huge army was gathered to suppress the rebellion which eventually defeated the Trung sisters. Vietnam tradition says that the sisters escaped and committed suicide by drowning themselves in the Day Hat River. Chinese sources claim that they were beheaded and their heads were sent to the Han court. By late 42 C.E. Ma Yuan regained control of the Red River Delta area and the Chinese were able to secure their rule over the Vietnamese.======

=The Trung Sisters Legacy=

=
Today the Trung Sisters are held in a very high esteem in Vietnam as they led the first resistance movement against the Chinese after many years of occupation. The anniversary of their deaths is remembered on Vietnamese Women's Day and the Vietnamese hold annual ceremonies honoring them which take place on the sixth day in the seventh month of the lunar calendar. In almost every Vietnamese city there is a street named "Hai Ba Trung" in honor of the sisters. Many statues and temples are dedicated to them like the one shown below. Trung Trac and Trung Nhi are powerful symbols of resistance and freedom in Vietnam and in women in history.======





=School of Athens Assignment=

=
I chose to focus on Pyrrho of Elis, (360 -270 BC), because I thought he looked mysterious and cool standing by himself in the corner. I also thought it was interesting how he was the first skeptic philosopher and that he taught that nothing can be known due to every statement having a contradiction with equal justification. Fun reasons! -SW ======

Pyrrho's ideas of skepticism influenced the thinking of philosophical writings during the Renaissance. Writers such as Michel de Montaigne, Pierre Charron, and Blaise Pascal reflected skepticism in their work which undoubtedly was a result of Pyrrho's teachings and ideas. Pyrrho also traveled with Alexander the Great during his exploration in the East, who also appears in the painting.

Another character that could have been added into //The School of Athens// is Galileo.



I think he would be a good character to represent in the painting because he was an Italian philosopher, mathematician, physicist, and astronomer who played a key role in the Scientific Revolution. He is named as "the Father of Modern Science." His discoveries contributed to the scientific, astronomical, and mathematical advances made during the Renaissance, which was the rebirth of knowledge.