Jake+B


 * Unit 3 Primary Source: Saint Basil's Cathedral**



Saint Basil's Cathedral is a Russian Orthodox church located in the Red Square in Moscow, Russia. The cathedral has many names, like The Cathedral of Vasily the Blessed, The Cathedral of the Intercession of the Blessed Virgin on the Moat (the official name) or Pokrovsky Cathedral. The building is no longer a church, and instead is now a museum (the building was confiscated from the church by the Soviets and turned into a museum due to the Soviet Anti-Theist campaigns). The cathedral was built under the first Tsar of Russia, Tsar Ivan IV, more commonly known as Ivan the Terrible. Construction on the cathedral started in 1555 and finished in 1561. The cathedral itself consists of a central church (the Church of Intercession) surrounded by 9 smaller chapels. The 9th chapel was not built until 1588, and was built atop the tomb of Saint Vasily, also known as Basil. Ivan's purpose for building the church was to commemorate his successful battle victories against the Mongols, and the taking of Kazan. The cathedral was built by Potsnik Yakovlev, who was rumored to have been blinded after the cathedral was finished so that he could never build something as beautiful again.


 * Semester 1 Class Starter: Galen**



Galen of Pergamon was a Roman physician, surgeon and philosopher born in 130 AD. He is most famous for his influence on a variety of different medical practices, like anatomy, physiology, and neurology. Many of Galen's thoughts on medicine and how the body works were unrivaled and influenced Western medicine for over 1300 years. Although he was a philosopher, he is more famous as a man of medicine because most of his philosophical works have been lost or destroyed, where as his medical discoveries have made a lasting impact on society.

Galen was born in Pergamon (near modern day Bergama in Turkey) in 130 AD. His father, Aelius Nicon, was an architect, which allowed Galen the pleasure to pursue whichever path he chose. In school, he studied mathematics, logic, grammar and philosophy. His path changed to medicine when his father had a dream that Galen was to do so. When Galen's father died, he moved to Alexandria where he studied medicine. Little is known exactly what he studied in Alexandria, but it is believed that he learned about anatomy through autopsies of monkeys. In 157, Galen returned to Pergamon and became a surgeon to gladiators, but later moved to Rome to practice medicine. After he moved to Rome, Galen was drafted into the army to fight in the war against the Germans. When the Antonine Plague (which is believed to have been smallpox) hit Rome, Galen became the personal physician to the emperor, Marcus Aurelius, and his son and heir, Commodus. Galen had had much experience with the plague and was present during its initial outbreak while in the army stationed at Aquileia. It is believed that Galen remained in Rome until his death in 200 AD at the age of 70. An artists sketch of what Pergamon was believed to have looked like
 * Life of Galen-**

The preferred medical practice of Galen was anatomy, although he did practice physiology, neurology, pathology, and pharmacology (and as a philosopher practiced logic). Galen contributed to all of these fields, but some of his biggest and most well known contributions were:
 * Medical Practices and Contributions-**
 * Clearly identifying the trachea
 * Determining that the larynx produces voice
 * In the circulatory system, distinguished light blood and dark blood
 * Explained the difference between motor and sensory nerves (in his work //De Motu Musculorum//)


 * School of Athens: Raphael Sanzio**

Raphael Sanzio (shown in the brown hat and robe) was an Italian painter who lived during the Renaissance era from 1483-1520. Sanzio stood out to me because of his profound use of detail in all of his works of art. His most famous painting is //The// //School of Athens//, in which he himself is included. Sanzio is connected to the Renaissance through his paintings and frescoes in which he demonstrates many elements of Renaissance artwork. Sanzio himself is of the Renaissance, which makes him more of a "Renaissance man" than most of the people in the painting (//The// //School of Athens// depicts many people of other time periods: Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle to name a few).



Someone who should have made his way into //The School of Athens// would be Leonardo da Vinci. Da Vinci was an all-around brilliant human being who is remembered as an excellent painter, sculptor and inventor. He is most famous for his painting, the //Mona Lisa,// and for the extensive drafts collected into his fabled notebooks. Da Vinci is arguably one of the most quintessential thinkers of the Renaissance age, and is well deserving of a spot in //The School of Athens.// His contributions to society, in the past and in the present, have helped to make for a better world. Some believe that Raphael placed Leonardo in the painting as Plato..... -SW


 * Unit 2 Primary Source: Aztec Sacrificial Rituals**

Sacrifice played a major part of Aztec culture. Compared to Mayans and Incas, the Aztecs performed the most amount of sacrifices, and are better known for it. Aztecs believed that, in order to please the gods, sacrifices must be offered. The Aztecs would offer sacrifices to many of their gods for many reasons. If there was no rain, sacrifice. If the crops weren't faring so well, sacrifice. This picture depicts a man being sacrificed by a group of men. One of the men in the group, presumably in charge of the sacrifice, holds the victim's heart in his hand. Aztecs commonly, like in this picture, ripped out the hearts of those being sacrificed. Other accounts have shown that bodily dismemberment was also common. Judging by the appearance of the sun, one could conclude that this sacrifice is most likely to one of the sun gods. The Aztecs believed that they were the "Chosen People" of the gods and that is was their duty to sacrifice to the gods. Blood played a key role in Aztec sacrifices as it was thought by the Aztecs that blood helped the sun cross the sky and that blood helped to give nutrients to the earth. Due to these Aztec beliefs, human sacrifice and blood offerings were prevalent throughout the Aztec Empire.


 * Unit 1 Primary Source: The Roman Colosseum**

The Roman Colosseum is a work of architectural ingenuity and has withstood the test of time. Construction on the Colosseum was started in 70 CE by Vespasian, and was finished in 80 CE under the reign of Titus. The Colosseum was used as an amphitheater during the Roman Empire, and is now a major tourist site in the middle of modern Rome. It was estimated to hold around 50,000 to 80,000 people at the height of its use. The Colosseum did not always look as it does now. The smoothed down slabs above the arches were originally seats for the patrons of the Colosseum. The important senators and the wealthy equestrians sat closest to the Colosseum floor, where the best view were. The middle classes sat in the middle sections, and the woman and plebeians sat in the very top. The floor of the Colosseum was made of sandstone, and in the bottom right corner of the picture, a recreation of the original floor can be seen. Under the floor lie the tunnels that housed the gladiators and the animals. A part of the Colosseum that was destroyed and never reconstructed was the giant awning that formed the roofing over the Colosseum. Its purpose was to provide shade and cover for the citizens of Rome. When people think of the Colosseum, they think mainly of gladiator fights. But, that is not all the Colosseum was used for. It was also used for wild animal “hunts”, chariot races, sacrifices (of prisoners and people the Romans didn’t like), and plays. All of these events were held in order to entertain the masses. Food and wine was also provided for the patrons, thus the Roman idea of “bread and circuses”.