After your reading and research, you should have a basic picture in your mind of what it might have been like to live in those ancient cultures. To help clarify that picture, for this discussion, you are asked to

• role-play the part of a resident in ancient Mesopotamia, China or India.

Instructions

Based on at least two sources (primary or secondary, not your eText), imagine you resided in Ancient Mesopotamia, China or India during the period covered in this module. You can play the part of any fictional citizen, ruler, priest or what-have-you. Whatever role you do assume, complete the following:

Introduce yourself to your peers in a post that identifies you and your role. Use actual terms from the period to make this come alive.

• Explain why your people created permanent settlements.
• Describe your religious traditions and compare these to other ancient civilizations described in this module.
• Explain what you believe is the single (only one) greatest cultural achievement or innovation which you, as an ancient human, will leave for your descendants and why?

Make sure to incorporate historical evidence from the sources and source types noted in the prompt to support your points and use proper citations. You may use sources other than those found in the Recommended Resources, but you should write at least 300 words in your response.

Reference requirements:  Includes at least two quotes or paraphrases as evidence from relevant sources of the type required in prompt; includes properly formatted citations and a bibliography of sources in one of the approved formats (MLA, APA, or Chicago Style for Humanities.

 

Research and Plagiarism

American Historical Association. “Statement on Standards of Professional Conduct (updated 2019).” American Historical Association. Accessed March 15, 2020. https://www.historians.org/jobs-and-professional-development/statements-standards-and-guidelines-of-the-discipline/statement-on-standards-of-professional-conduct.

ASAPScience. The 9 BEST Scientific Study Tips. YouTube. September 3, 2015. https://youtu.be/p60rN9JEapg. 3:25.

CCCOnline. “Academic Integrity Tutorial.” CCCOnline. Accessed March 15, 2020. http://media.ccconline.org/ccco/Training/AcademicIntegrity/Students/ResourcesCredits.html.

Indiana University. “How to Recognize Plagiarism: Tutorials and Tests.” Indiana University, School of Education. Last updated December 18, 2019. https://plagiarism.iu.edu/tutorials/index.html.

Rael, Patrick. “Reading, Writing, and Researching for History.” Bowdoin College. 2004. Accessed March 15, 2020.                           https://courses.bowdoin.edu/writing-guides/.

General Resources

BBC. “Ancient History.” BBC. Accessed March 15, 2020. http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ancient/.

Díotima. Accessed March 12, 2020. https://diotima-doctafemina.org .

Fordham University. Internet Ancient History Sourcebook. Fordham University. Accessed November 25, 2019.                       https://sourcebooks.fordham.edu/ancient/asbook.asp.

Institute of Human Origins. Becoming Human. 2008. Accessed November 25, 2019.                                                             http://www.becominghuman.org.

The Met. “Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History.” The Met. Accessed March 15, 2020. https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/chronology/.

Ministère de la Culture. Lascaux. Musée d’Archéologie Nationale. Accessed November 25, 2019. http://archeologie.culture.fr/lascaux/en.

Smithsonian. “What Does it Mean to Be Human?” National Museum of Natural History. Last Updated November 18, 2019.  http://humanorigins.si.edu.

Mesopotamia

Collon, Dominique. “Mesopotamia.” BBC. Last updated July 1, 2011. Accessed November 25, 2019. http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ancient/cultures/mesopotamia_gallery.shtml.

“Mesopotamia.” The British Museum. Accessed November 25, 2019. http://www.mesopotamia.co.uk/menu.html.

“Mesopotamia.” Great Empires of the Past: Core Concepts Video Clip Library. Films on Demand. 2010. Accessed March 15, 2020. https://ccco.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://fod.infobase.com/PortalPlaylists.aspx?wID=151823&xtid=41675&loid=217860. 2:48.

Egypt

“Ancient Egypt.” The British Museum. Accessed November 25, 2019. http://www.ancientegypt.co.uk/menu.html.

NOVA. “The Inside Story: Pyramids.” PBS. 1997. https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/pyramid/.

PBS. “Egypt’s Golden Empire.” PBS. March 15, 2006. http://www.pbs.org/empires/egypt/index.html.

Crash Course. “Ancient Egypt: Crash Course World History #4.” YouTube. February 16, 2012. https://youtu.be/Z3Wvw6BivVI. 11:54.

Western Asia

Fordham University. Internet Jewish History Sourcebook. Fordham University. Accessed November 25, 2019. https://sourcebooks.fordham.edu/jewish/jewishsbook.asp.

Iran Chamber Society. “History of Iran.” Iran Chamber Society. Accessed March 15, 2020. http://www.iranchamber.com/history/achaemenids/achaemenids.php.

The Mariner’s Museum. “Phoenician Exploration.” The Mariner’s Museum. Accessed March 15, 2020. https://exploration.marinersmuseum.org/watercraft/phoenician-ships/.

UNESCO. “History of the Excavations.” Çatalhöyük Research Project; World Heritage Site. Accessed March 15, 2020. http://www.catalhoyuk.com/project/history.

University of Oxford. “Judaism & the Jewish World.” Oxford Centre for Late Antiquity. Accessed May 18, 2020. https://www.ocla.ox.ac.uk/judaism-and-the-jewish-world.

University of Oxford. “The Sasanian World.” Oxford Centre for Late Antiquity. Accessed May 18, 2020. https://www.ocla.ox.ac.uk/the-sasanian-world.

Ancient China & India

Asian Art Museum. “China’s Terracotta Warriors: The First Emperor’s Legacy.” Asian Art Museum, San Francisco. February 22, 2013 – May 27, 2013. https://exhibitions.asianart.org/exhibitions/chinas-terracotta-warriors-the-first-emperors-legacy/.

NOVA. “Ancient Chinese Explorers.” PBS. January 15, 2001. https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/article/ancient-chinese-explorers/.

The Met. “Buddhism and Buddhist Art.” Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History, The Met. February 2007. https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/budd/hd_budd.htm.

Image Galleries

Collon, Dominique. “Mesopotamia.” BBC. Last updated July 1, 2011. Accessed November 25, 2019. http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ancient/cultures/mesopotamia_gallery.shtml.

Dodson, Aidan. “Twelve Great Dynasties of Egypt Gallery.” BBC. Last updated February 17, 2011. Accessed November 25, 2019. http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ancient/egyptians/great_dynasties_gallery.shtml.

Partridge, Robert. “Sacred Animals of Ancient Egypt Gallery.” BBC. Last updated February 17, 2011. Accessed November 25, 2019. http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ancient/egyptians/animal_gallery.shtml.

Partridge, Robert. “Treasures of Tutankhamun Gallery.” BBC. Last updated February 17, 2011. Accessed November 25, 2019. http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ancient/egyptians/tutankhamun_gallery.shtml.

Ray, John. “Voices of Ancient Egypt Gallery.” BBC. Last updated February 17, 2011. Accessed November 25, 2019. http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ancient/egyptians/human_gallery.shtml

Tyldesley, Joyce. “Development of the Pyramids Gallery.” BBC. Last updated February 17, 2011. Accessed November 25, 2019. http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ancient/egyptians/pyramid_gallery.shtml

Waterson, Barbara. “Ancient Egyptian Gods.” BBC. Last updated March 29, 2011. Accessed November 25, 2019. http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ancient/egyptians/gods_gallery.shtml.

Wood, Michael. “Egyptian Top Ten.” BBC. Last updated March 29, 2011. Accessed November 25, 2019. http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ancient/egyptians/top_ten_gallery.shtml.

peer 1 discussion board:  (respond on different page for the 2 peers)

requirements:  Two substantive posts that meet or exceed the word count guidelines left for other students by due date; comments further conversation regarding topic content.

Greetings, my name is Zaidu. I am a scribe in the Chaldean Empire. The Chaldean empire is in what used to be Babylon. Our ruler, Nebuchadnezzar created our empire in 612 BCE after the rebellion and fall of Nineveh. Not many people understand or can write in cuneiform, so people look to scribes like me. I went to a scribal school, which was provided as an offset from the ziggurat of the city. I would learn alongside other boys that were becoming scribes or priests. I also learned other things like numeric’s and astrology to help. Keeping records is very important, especially with keeping track of debt. I have a very important role, and I am quite proud of it. Without me we could not have monuments with inscriptions, letters that could be written and read, and stories, as well as our history, would not have been able to have been properly recorded. Though, it took me a good while to learn, about twelve years. My most important tools are my reed, a stylus and writing tool, and clay tablets. Despite the hard work, the city is beautiful. Nebuchadnezzar II is a heavy handed ruler, and had some tenancy for violence, honestly it is a little scary, I’m glad I am not in the way of his violence. The city is still flourishing. The hanging gardens have been seen as a wonder of the world. Babylon was already settled when we came so we kept it that way. Though the ziggurat was redone by Nebuchadnezzar II. We settled because the agriculture is more important. The crop surplus is an essential part of the city, and farming is an important thing for our people because it gives them purpose and helps establish further trade culture. We can trade crop for other goods that come in from the rivers.

The Chaldean Empire (625 – 539 B.C.). (n.d.). Retrieved October 7, 2021, from http://www.thelatinlibrary.com/imperialism/notes/chaldean.html.

Hays, J. (n.d.). NEO-BABYLONIANS (Chaldeans). Facts and Details. Retrieved October 7, 2021, from https://factsanddetails.com/world/cat56/sub402/item1527.html#:~:text=and%20Temple%20of%20Bel%20Babylon,their%20Biblical%20name%20the%20Chaldeans.

Mesopotamian education and Schools. History. (2018, July 2). Retrieved October 7, 2021, from https://www.historyonthenet.com/mesopotamian-education-and-schools.

Peer 2:

Hello, my name is Bhavana. I am a resident of ancient India, during the Jain period in 468 BCE.

My family originally migrated to India as apart of Aryan tribes, first residing in Punjab, India. My people originally decided to remain nomadic, but eventually developed permanent settlements in the area because my people had to choose between kinship and mobility. Because kinship is an essential aspect of my ancestor’s values, my people began to stay in settlements and form communities, while others remained nomads (Module 1).

My religious traditions as a Jain follows many of the same practices as Buddhism. However, Jainism and Buddhism not only occurred during 6th century BCE, but one ancient text shows the connections between my ancestry as a Veda nomad, and my current Jain beliefs. The text is a translation from Prakrit, a traditional Indian language, the book “Akaranga-sutra, I, 8, 1-3-IV-8 “. The Jain Doctrine states, “Thoroughly knowing the earth-bodies and water-bodies and fire-bodies and wind-bodies, the lichens, seeds, and sprouts, he comprehended that they are, if narrowly inspected, imbued with life, and avoided to injure them; he, the Great Hero” (Oxford, 1884). This demonstrates one of my Veda traditionalist core values, which is that all things (including inanimate objects) have souls, and must be protected.

In my opinion, I feel that the best invention of my culture is the hospital. As someone reaching their fourth ascetic of life, it is very important to me that I am able to receive care when I get sick, and my children and great grand children will be able to access care if they ever fall ill as well. This can ensure that my family will remain, and my bloodline will continue to preserve our sacred traditions (Tiwari, 2013).

Bibliography

Akaranga-sutra, I, 8, 1-3-IV-8, Translation from Prakrit by Herman Jacobi, Jaina Sutra, part 1, in Sacred Books of the East, (Oxford, 1884), PP. 85-7 Primary Sources Hinduism, Jainism, and Buddhism (essaydocs.org)

Jainworld. (n.d.). Jain Boys and Girls Name. Jainworld. Retrieved October 6, 2021, from https://jainworld.com/societies-sanghs/jain-boys-and-girls-name/#:~:text=%20Jain%20Boys%20and%20Girls%20Name%20%201

Module 1. (n.d.). Media.ccconline.org. Retrieved October 6, 2021, from http://media.ccconline.org/ccco/2020Master/HIS111/eText/Sections/Section1/Page5.html#_Toc38718098

Tiwari, S., & Pandey, N. (2013). The Indian concepts of lifestyle and mental health in old age. Indian Journal of Psychiatry, 55(6), 288. https://doi.org/10.4103/0019-5545.105553