Chapters 3, 4, 5 & 6

In reading chapters 3, 4, 5 and 6, it came across to me that not much has changed in how humankind interacts with one another since the formalization of civilizations many centuries ago. 

• women still subordinate in many countries
• economic inequalities still exist
• countries still go to war brought about mostly by male rulers
• slavery still exists, with sex trafficking being the worst offender
• severe punishments still used to control human behavior
• trained military forces still needed

The pursuit of land and conquering other countries, however, isn’t as high as it once was on the list of today’s rulers like it was with Alexander the Great.  He was an amazing warrior.  After his death, however, the land was divided up among Macedonia generals. In time what he conquered reverted back to independent nations once again.  Was the bloodshed worth it?

I appreciated the concept of the code of law written by the new republic of Romans for the benefit of the plebeians.  It made me think of our U.S. legislative branch.  These elected officials are supposed to represent us, the new age plebeians. Today it seems they represent more the elite and themselves and less the needs and interests of the average U.S. citizen.  Then there is our U.S. Supreme Court who these days need a reality check.  How can I trust these esteemed lawyers who can’t even have a unanimous vote on important issues that impact our nation and the average citizen.  Hmmm. 

I have been impressed with the Romans, Chinese, and Greeks on what they contributed to society.  The Romans' engineering fetes are to be marveled at.  China also matched Romans in building roads, bridges, aqueducts, canals, and protective walls.  China also contributed a number of other things such as uniform weights and measures, currency, standardizing the length of cart axles, gun powder, and written Chinese language, etc.  The Greeks were intellectuals with their philosophy and educational system. In fact, Romans sent their sons to Athens for a Greek education in literature, philosophy, and art. I would have loved to sit in, but I'm the wrong gender.

The countries we are reading about, however great they were, would collapse as things started to turn bad for their countries.  They could pick themselves up and go forward, but not always to return to their great influence.  The Roman Empire became too large and expensive to maintain and never returned to its once great Empire.  Even though China ran into similar problems, it was in a better position to pick themselves up due to its homogenous population, productive agriculture, and metal works industry.  

I wonder about the U.S. and all its problems, especially with the banking issues that just about destroyed the world as we know it.  Will we still have the influence we once did?  Do we want that kind of influence?  Will China surpass us?  Will we be able to avoid World War III with China and other countries who want very much to knock us off our perch?  I for one don’t want to see that happen.  I want us to find ways to get along.  What history is telling us is that it’s better to find that middle ground and find ways to support one another.  We are all in this together and need to learn to play nice lest we destroy humankind for a very long time if not forever.

So Christianity and other religions or beliefs started spreading throughout the world.  Isn’t it interesting, however, that popes feel women shouldn’t have a main role in church services.  I find this fascinating that some men have such a hard time with women in positions of authority.  What are they afraid of?  Have men ever looked at their track record in running the planet and felt very positive with the results?  How many thousands of innocent men, women and children have they killed through war?  How satisfied are they with their track record on polluting land, air, and water through industrialization?  Not all men are guilty and not all women are innocent in how we treat our planet.  I know many men who support the strides women and their daughters have made.  But why can't all men be more interested in what all of us have to offer to the world than what the gender is of the one doing their best to improve and contribute to humankind.  After all, the odds are they wouldn't be here without their mother.

   

Chapters 1 & 2 - Feedback

The first few chapters are so interesting to me.  I am always humbled by the creativity and tenacity of our ancestors.  They had no books or Internet to help them, but they sure had their creativity and instinct. I feel ill equipped to live as the paleolithic people did, however, if I were raised in their time period no doubt I would learn their ways.  I wonder what they would think of the twenty-first century? 

It dawned on me last Friday at work, as I was wishing co-workers to have a great weekend, that people in the stone age didn’t have a calendar.  They had no reason to look forward to Friday or the weekend.  Every day was followed by the next. What they had were seasons and no calendars.  Yet somehow they learned when to plant crops by watching the seasons.

As a woman, I much prefer the paleolithic time period for its equality of the genders vs. the civilized communities. I now see how things evolved into a patriarchal society with women having to fight for equality all over again as we progressed through the ages.  

I find it fascinating that they felt there was a higher power and believed in a “supernatural” world.  I’m a Christian and believe in a higher intelligence. I’ve been reading some interesting books on the subject recently that have strengthened my belief.  Also taking a nutrition class and learning how the body processes food is enough to convince me there is an intelligent design.

I also found it interesting that for a time these agricultural villages were able to function without strong leadership or a formal political system until civilization evolved. The first one to arrive on the scene were chiefdoms that use positive reinforcement to encourage cooperation within the village.

I am fascinated they figured out how to make beer and wine!  That’s the first I’ve heard of this fact.  Wine making started in 5400 B.C.E and beer was widespread by 4000 B.C.E. Wonder how the flavor would compare to the wine and beer of today?

Seems as civilization started developing, along with it came all the struggles of large groups of people living together and needing a central authority to guide the masses - just as we need today.  Also violence came into being to enforce obedience.  I wonder how many people were put to death under the law code of Hammurabi?  I am glad to have missed 1800 B.C.E.

        Overall, I liked the way Strayer compared Egypt and Mesopotamia and the similarities and differences in their local regions.  It showed that location can be every thing when developing a civilization.  Although Egypt did well for sometime they did eventually get taken over for awhile by other civilizations.   

Done

Actually set it up, yippee skippy!  Once step for technology!