Saturday, March 31, 2007

Blog 27

AHHHHHHRRRGGGHHH!!!!!!

Creative Thinking Blog (Blog 26)

Ah.. Yess..., I've missed the last two blogs. But I don't have much time now, I'll just blog about creative thinking.

Sometimes, well, imagination shouldn't advance beyond that stage, it should just be left there. But for all the other things that we really want to do, it just...never reaches fruictation (sp, bwc). At our old school, our teacher also taught as a bit about that, but sometimes she didn't explain all the reasons. Not that she needed to anyways, we probably would have forgotten after an hour. I remember that Osler was very famous for its Future Problem Solving team, and we also learnt a bit about that. Even so, I haven't really applied it to my own problems. As of now, I do have some really big problems, and I definetly need to utilize it.

Friday, March 30, 2007

Tuesday, March 27, 2007

Formosa Blog 25

I will do the creative thinking blog tomorrow; I have to sleep now.

Monday, March 26, 2007

Nabari Blog 24

Sigh. I didn't do any homeworkt today after school. I stayed a bit after school working on the science lab with my group members, and then came home. I spent about 45 minutes organizing, and reading all over my report card + newsletters. Then, I made a timetable of what I was going to do that day, and then I just slept. Right now, I just finished dinner after waking up, and I have not time to do any homework. A large French and relatively important English project are both due on Thursdsay, and I still need to work quite a lot on it.

Quick Draw March 26 2007


Sunday, March 25, 2007

Cabbagetown Blog 23

I'm very pleasantly surprised by the efficiency in which I completed my homework today. I even had time for a dinner out, which I did not originally plan for. Now, I have pretty much completed everything I wanted, although there certainly is room for expansion.

Family Reflections 22, 23, 24

LESSON 22: Get your family together and decide to practice listening with your heart this week. Discuss among your family how you all feel when you're really listened to.
As of now, the Vancouver branch is currently doing it, while it will soon be in effect at other branches.

LESSON 23: What are some of the nonverbal ways your family communicates, e.g.., body language & attitude? How do you all interpret those signals?
Tone of voice and facial expressions are the most important. You can tell everything about a persons feelings, whether they really care about what you're talking, whether they will actually follow through on what they say, etc.

LESSON 24: Review the effectiveness of Z's communication in the video. What are examples of the ways your family communicates with one another effectively? In what instances are your family's communications ineffective?
We did not review Z's communication, but we did talk about our own ways of communication. We communicate very effectively when we're all happy, caring, and passionate about the subject at hand. However, we aren't very effective when we're defensive, angry, short-tempered, which happens when we're passionately divided over an issue, and cannot think from another person's perspective, and come from the PoV that I'm right, and you're wrong.

Family Reflections Lesson 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21

Lesson 16
Have every family member choose one role that relates to your family (e.g.., son, sister, father); set a goal that will have a positive impact in that relationship.

A goal is not the preferred method of improving and sharpening the saw to some people. A family member thought that having a goal causes other things to drop in importance, and if you have motivation and the means to do something, you just do it. Goals are quite restrictive too, and sometimes priorities are more of...feeling based.

Lesson 17
Completed

Lesson 18
A family member (not pointing out specifics) We operate in a very relaxed member, although we tend to be very quick to criticize the other, but this is generally in fun. We are quite comfortable with this.

Lesson 19 How can you help each other continue to think and practice win-win?:
The majority of family members think win-win, although some (including me sometimes) have a bit of trouble with that. In order to help us think win-win, a person who is neutral in the discussion or an outsider (to the discussion) can step in and remind the participants to think win-win. Then, we should immediately drop the issue, and talk about it again later, giving us time to reflect.

Lesson 20: Are there any situations at home that could benefit or be guided more clearly by drawing up a win-win agreement?
Not really. As of now, there aren't any situation in which a win-win agreement is needed, since no problems have arised, or they have arised but are resolved quickly. In most cases, the problems that may arise most likely won't be solved by a win-win agreement. In our family, we don't really have any written or verbal agreements, since we honestly don't care that much if somebody doesn't do something or whatever, and anyways, there is a sense that agreements are too binding, and they carry a negative conotation (bwc, sp).

LESSON 21: As a family, do you sometimes find yourselves not listening to each other? Does your family use some of the same inattentive listening styles that you saw on the video?

All the time! Oh, you should see me listen to other people! I part-pretend listen some of the time (although my brain is constantly thinking what I can do), and also word listening. Oh, and sometimes some of us pretend that we can't hear, even though its obvious we can. Especially if one of us is doing something at the time, ESPECIALLY if some of us are at the computer at the time!

Go Extension Lesson 23: Clear Communication

People-watch

Find a place where you'll see a lot of people. Based on what you are observing, how important is nonverbal communication?

It is quite important. With this communication, you can see whether a person is actually listening to you, and also if that person really cares about what you're saying. Nonverbal communication can come in many many ways. Also, it can tell you if somebody actually mean what they say or not, plus how they're feeling at that moment.

Go Extensions Lesson 22: Genuine Listening

Translate this...
A translator helps people who speak different languages to understand each other. On the lines below, describe a situation that you feel strongly about and are willing to discuss with others. For example: angry about your unfair curfew.
I absolutely detest it when people of any nationality are very ignorant about the world, and are patriotic to the point at which they start to become insulting.

In groups of three, tell your story. One person will play the role of the Translator and listen genuinely to the emotional content and words. The Translator will then convey your feelings and words to the third person who will give a mirroring response back to you.When you have finished, switch roles so that each person gets to play the role of the Translator.

Saturday, March 24, 2007

Monroeville Blog 22

Due to various reasons, I will have to do 7 hours of work tomorrow. I hope I manage to get through, but I honestly doubt it, even though I am retrying some old tactics.

Friday, March 23, 2007

Santo Antonio Blog 21

There's only the weekend left in spring break. Sigh.

Thursday, March 22, 2007

Barrie Blog 20

I haven't watched figure skating or diving competitions in a long time. I didn't even know that there was the Worlds at Melbourne and Tokyo. Oh well, at least it hasn't finished yet, I think.

Wednesday, March 21, 2007

Managua Blog 19

Our house is still quite unorganized, although the essentials are in place, depending on what you classify as essential. In these past two days, we've been dealing with the old house, and not doing much in the new house.
Half the holiday has passed, and I still don't think that I've really done what I've want to do. Tomorrow, I'll make a list of all that I want to do. Then, I'll create a plan of action incorporating what I know about myself and all the things I've learnt about time management, productivity, task commitment, etc. Then, I'll do it. Of course, it still has to be flexible.
One of the dilemmas I have is flexibility. If the schedule is too flexible, I tend to procrastinate heavily. If its too fixed, then one hit can derail the entire system, and rescheduling things would be quite hard. Nevertheless, even if its fixed, I never ever follow the timeline. If I do, its because I overestimated the time needed for things like appointments, dinner, etc.

To:�@��
Sadly, I haven't heard Jupiter yet. I love Sora (そら), though.

Tuesday, March 20, 2007

Otsu Blog 18

Did I talk about Ayaka Hirahara before? I forgot. I might have.
Anyways, I'll repeat myself.
Ayaka Hirahara has an excellent voice. She can really sing, and much better than many other artists out there. If she signed on with Sony Music Japan instead of Dreamusic, I'm sure she would have much better record sales. Oh well. Then again, Sony might have led her into a completely different direction, and it might not work well either.

Monday, March 19, 2007

March 18 2007 Luxor March 19 2007 Sharaj Multimedia Blog x2

British Airways' London Eye. Or, well, nevermind. David Iliff. The pictures I chose haradly ever have anything to do with my blog. I just choose them because they look good.
A view of the British Museum Reading Room. See a higher quality picture of it here:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:British_Museum_Reading_Room_Panorama_Feb_2006.jpg

David Iliff




Luxor Blog 16

During the different times of the day, I would have wrote different things. I really didn't do much in this entire moving process. I feel like a stuckup spoiled child who gets everything done for him.
This time, the moving itself was actually quite fast. It took only about 3 hours, and was, in comparision, quite painless. It was mostly due to the fact that we had less things this time than previously. At the end of the day, we had 30 minutes to relax, and sort of realize the fruits of our labours. Okay, the fruit of my relatives + the mover's labours.

Sharaj Blog 17

Ahhh... We still have a lot to do. But, luckily, the internet and the TV is up, but still, for some reason I'm still quite bored.
I remember on the knitting field trip, I saw a billboard in purple, with the words "BE WORLDLY" in white. I've seen this message before. The first thing that came into my mind was BBC. I thought that the font was very similar, and the purple seemed just like the tint that BBC would use. There was nothing on the board aside from that though.

Saturday, March 17, 2007

Bampur Blog 15

We're really into packing today. I'm typing this during a lull. Oh, and I most definetly will not be able to post a blog tomorrow, and most likely not Monday either.

Friday, March 16, 2007

Filippoi Blog 14

Ahh... we're moving on Sunday and I haven't really started packing yet...
Finally the media pledge is over! I guess only now have I really realized the importance of the internet in my life. Same with music, though not so much TV. Maybe radio even.

I was browsing Facebook today. I find that those types of internet website do quite reflect our world and how we act. It's a bit exaggerated representation of how we act.

Kingdom of Heaven + Quick dRaw




You can't read it, probably

Thursday, March 15, 2007

Esperance Blog 13

Media Pledge-
Nothing really special today. Regular routinue, although I again felt very bored without the computer. There were many teasers, and sometimes not having near instant access to the info/entertainment that I want is quite... well, it requires some patience.

General Blog-
We were on a knitting on the go field trip, which meant that we rode on public transit for the entire school day, knitting. Of course, the field trip was also meant to increase our awareness of Vancouver's public transit system. Well, I thought that some of the people who needed this knowledge the most chose not to go, while those who least needed went without any complaints. Many of my peers used the supreme court of BC (I think) decision (saying that all mandatory field trips must be free, meaning that all field trips which will be tested/marked on must be free) a couple days ago as an excuse, since this field trip was apparently a not-mandatory one. They totally detested and hated the thought of spending the entire day doing nothing but riding on public transit, apparently. Some of their excuses were...not that reasonable. But anyways, they made the decision.

Now, going on the field trip was another...not so great experience. I remember we were talking sometime ago about punishment, whether it should be individual, collective, etc. Well, I find that shame and embarassment tends to be quite collective, even when the individuals who do it totally don't think that way. On the bus home, there was a person who used strong language filed with expletives (well, not really filled), saying that we'll poke people's eyes out when we knit on a bus. I heard quite a couple of other passengers nodding, and murmuring comments in agreement. He had a point. Our responce was...not that great. Upon leaving the bus, a certain individual (or a group, I don't know) chose to respond in a extremely disrespectful way. The individual chose to throw a bottle of water right at the window next to the person who told us not to knit on board. Sigh. I guess I was quite naive about MY8's. I used to go to classes (in elementary school) with people who demonstrated respect for everybody and were reasonable. Now, those certain individuals were terribly...disrespectful. Although the person who said it did not demonstrate that much respect to us either, it does not make a difference. And we MY8'ers probably use more expletives than that person ever did.

The MY'9s were... another thing. Overgeneralizing, I would say that I thought they, in general, were immature. Nevertheless, I'm sure they have many other positive qualities that I don't know, or experienced yet. However, from this first impression, I did and do feel that I was lucky I am in MY8, not MY9.

After typping out my thoughts about the day, I wonder about whether I did something similar? I think I may have, though, given the Lake Wobegon effect, and my personality, I tend to forget instances where I was not nice towards some people. And then become a hypocrit and blame other people who are doing another version of what I did. Sigh.

Wednesday, March 14, 2007

Townsville Blog 10, Broome Blog 11, Port Hedland Blog 12

I am taking the media pledge (no access to internet, TV, radio, music for five days). I only realized yesterday that we could use the internet for homework requirements, and that's why I'm online doing my blog right now.

Townsville March 12, 2007

The first day of the media pledge. So far, I did manage to keep my pledge after school, although I found it somewhat hard. I think that it will help my productivity and task commitment, because now I am not distracted by the internet. however, today I played chess with myself instead, so I might still be procrastinating. Nevertheless, I asked my family members not to watch TV or listen to the radio or music when I am present. I feel that I might not be able to complete all five days, though. In this perioid, I will be busy packing, getting ready to move on Sunday, so I might not even have the time to even watch TV or go on the Internet.

Broome March 13, 2007

Well, today, there were three breaches I was aware of outside school. After my piano lessons, we started moving some things to our new house. I saw the radio, and, forgetting about the pledge, I plugged it in and turned it on. 10 seconds later, my mom asked me why I was listening to the radio, when I was doing the media pledge? I immediately realized my mistake, and turned it off. I have to admit, though, that it was quite boring without the music. After some cleaning, we went to eat at McDonald's. They had some music playing, but I didn't really care.

When we were cleaning, I was sort of slacking off, and hanging around doing nothing. And when I was given a task to do, I had terrible productivity, and suddenly felt very hungry. Yeah. I know.

Port Hedland March 14, 2007

Ah. I am online right now. Well, it should be okay. I did not go to any website except those essential to completing my homework. I did not go on MSN or anything like that, although I did have to check my email. It should be okay, hopefully?

Public Transit Worksheet

AS 8/9 Name: MH Block: B/G Class: MYAS8
Transit in Vancouver Date: March 14, 2007

/13



1. What is the website to find information on bus and transit schedules for the lower mainland?
http://www.translink.bc.ca

2. Which form of transit operated by a bus company floats on water?
SeaBus.

3. Construction is underway for which part of the Skytrain Line?
The Canada Line (Richmond-Airport-Vancouver) and the Evergreen line.

4. How many stations are there on the millennium line?
29

5. What does it take to qualify for a concession fare?
You must have a GoCard, or be an elementary school student.

6. How much is a monthly transit pass?
$40.

7. What are the general rules for street proofing yourself?
Remember to keep an lookout for personal possessions, and also to keep a lookout in general.

8. How many people board public transit per day in the lower mainland?
Roughly 766,000.

9. What is the fastest way to get from Churchill to Langara College on public transit?
Take the 15th to Cambie and 41st , and then take the 49th to Langara College.


10. What time does the NightBus run until?
Rougly 4:00 AM

11. What authority do the Greater Vancouver Transportation Authority Police have?
The same authority the provincial police has: drug laws, arrests, enforcing criminal code beyond transit property, tickets for fare evasions, etc.
12. In Vancouver, you have to be very careful of rampant crime, including shootings, stabbings, muggings, and other random acts of violence. Is this statement true or false?
False

13. What does it mean that property crime is high in Vancouver?It means that theft/pick pocketing/etc. is high in Vancouver.

Sunday, March 11, 2007

Saturday, March 10, 2007

Bunbury Blog 7 and Port Vila Blog 8

Since yesterday my brother spent almost the entire day reinstalling windows, and a host of other stuff, I was not able to type my blog. So, I will write both of my blogs today.

Ah. Remember the excellent hospital drama I was talkign to you about? Well, I watched the final episode today. The plot was certainly excellent, and the actors were spectacular! They managed to convey their feelings excellently. The other mediocre one had actors who were posing for the camera rather than acting. I felt that the actors were acting, and not living their roles. Oh well.

____________________________________________________________________

I've been thinking a bit about how our teachers can take a lot more liberties with us now, since we're Grade 8.
One of our teacher calls some of us 'jerks', 'jackass', and accuses people of being 'liars'. You don't hear that in elementary school. Another teacher told the entire class to call a classmate 'the girl in the white shirt' because of her ego problem. Another classmate went up to the remaining MY teacher, and asked why did Britney Spears shave her hair, etc. And then the teacher replied that she thought it was a mix of drug abuse, post-partum depression, and plain depression. Hmm...
What would happen if my Grade 6/7 teacher did this? She would be caught in a scandal.

Thursday, March 8, 2007

Naypyidaw Blog 6

From tomorrow on, I will start completing timetables again. It is very important, and I realize that, although it may not be 100% effective, it can still help me relieve many of my problems.

Oh, and I do certainly need to review all the go stuff I have completed, for I have forgotten most of them and forgotten several of the lessons because I did not review + implement them regularly.

Wednesday, March 7, 2007

ベルリン,Berlin,柏林 Blog 5

(I can't type Chinese, so I'll try my hand at faking French. And maybe some romanized Japanese. Our teacher told us to type our blog in a foreign language.)

Le answer pour la problème est Berlin. Le line de jaune est le Parurin no Waru.

Tuesday, March 6, 2007

Unit 2 Social Studies

Chapter 3


Section 1

1) L0cate:
Pyrenees Mountains: mountains that divide modern day France and Spain.
Tours: A historic city in France.
Aachen: A historic city in Germany, to the west of the Rhine River.

2) Identify:
Clovis: King of the Franks, he led his country to fame in the late 400’s, conquering the lands between Pyrenees and central Europe. Charles Martel: The Frankish Mayor of the Palace, he was the de facto leader of the Frankish Kingdom. He was also responsible for forming a centralized government and the Carolingian Dynasty. Charlemagne: Charles the Great, the king reigning from 768 to 814. He was very important and respected.
Alcuin: A learned monk who was ordered to set up a palace school for the nobles’ sons. Treaty of Verdun: Treaty written by Charlemagne’s grandsons to divide the empire into three kingdoms.
Danelaw: Area in England occupied by the Danes.

3) Define:
Heretic: Enemies of the Church.
missi dominici: Royal officials that are responcible for keeping nobles in line.
parish: A district led by a priest.
tithe: Tax paid to the Church.
illumination: Art of beautifying pages by decorating the first letter of the chapter as well as the borders.

4) List two ways in which government in the German kingdoms differed from Roman government.:Firstly, Germanic governing was mostly based on custom, rather than extensive laws. Secondly, the German kingdoms relied on loyal warriors, rather than the people.

5) List three steps taken by Charlemagne to improve education.
Charlemagne invited scholars from all over Europe to his court. He also ordered monasteries to created place of learning and libraries. In addition, he created rules, which standardized education for the clergy.

6) What groups invaded Western Europe in the eighth and ninth century?
The Vikings/Danes, the Magyars, the Muslim, and the Slavs all invaded at one point or another.

Section 2

1) Define:
feudalism: A ruling system in which a king or a noble would grant land to his lesser nobles, and in turn grant land to his lesser nobles, etc. in return for military service, fees, and other.
knight: The lowest level of nobles, knights were mounted warriors who worked for his lord(s).
lord: A level of nobility.
vassal: A lesser lord when referred to relative to his superior lord.
feudal contract: A mutual agreement stating the responsibilities and rights of the lord and his knight.
fief: An estate given to a lord’s vassals.
chivalry: A code of conduct for knights which emphasized bravery, loyalty, and generousity.
tribadour: Wandering poets which entertained nobles at their castles.

2) How did the stirrup affect the nature of warfare?
The stirrup made armored knights on horses possible. However, the armor and horses were costly and difficult to master, therefore, training loyal knights was desirable. Since offering money was not an option, Charles Martel decided to offer land for military service. This helped feudalism expand, and with it, brought in a new form of warfare: feudal warfare.

3) (a) What duties did a vassal have?
The vassal was responsible for military service, payments, participating/influencing legal decisions, and other various services.
(b) What were the responsibilities of a lord?
The lord must protect his vassals , provide a court to settle disputes, and a guardian for the young children of a dead vassal.

4. (a) Where did feudalism develop first?
Feudalism first developed in northern France, then spread to surrounding western Germany, the Netherlands, and England.
(b) Where was feudalism weakest?
It was weakest at the frontier, in places like eastern Germany, Poland, Russia, Spain, and also in Italy.

5) List three causes of feudal warfare.
Nobles fought with each other over land, inheritance, power, etc. Warfare was usually used to solve conflicts involving rights/obligations of a vassal. Plus, many nobles enjoyed warfare.

6) How did the treatment of women change in the 1100’s?
Troubadours glorified noblewomen in their pieces of work, and the code of chivalry granted them protection and cherishment.

Section 4: The Medieval Church

1) Identify:
Peace of God: A tactic used by the Church to reduce feudal warfare, the Peace of God was a period in which there should be no fighting.
Inquisition: A court created by the Church to deal with people suspected of heresy, or having views that conflicted with those of the Church.
Rule of St. Benedict: Created by St. Benedict, his rule emphasized asceticism and was used by his monastery and other religious orders.
Hilda: One of the most famous nuns of all time, Abbess Hilda was greatly respected by even the royal families.
Francis of Assisi: Although a wealthy young man, he chose to be a monk, and established the Franciscan order of monks.
Dominic: A founder of another order of monks, the Dominicians.
Book of Kells: An illuminated religious manuscript.
Albigensians: Based in southern France, their views conflicted with those of the Church’s, and were eliminated by them.
2) Define:
Sacrament: The seven sacred rites, which led to life in heaven.
Excommunication: When a Christian disobeyed the Church, he/she could be excommunicated, and then they would be treated as outcasts.
Simony: The trade of religious offices.
3) What two tasks faced the Church in the early Middle Ages?
They had to convert non-Christians, and to adapt the Church organization.
4) Describe two ways in which the Church influenced feudal society.
Almost all official ceremonies in feudal society had ties to the Church. The clergy had control of many tracts of land, and there were parishes all over the place.
5) Why did Christians believe the sacraments were important?
Due to the fact that only the sacraments could lead to salvation and life in heaven, the sacraments were very important. The Christians thought that life in heaven was much more important than life on earth.
6) List two ways in which religious orders improved medieval life.
Some of the religious orders were also charitable organizations, and helped the well-being of the society. Others were like research and development labs, and discovered new techniques which benefited most of the citizens.
7) How did the Cluny reforms affect the Church?
The reforms helped improve discipline in the clergy.

Unit 2 Chapter 5

Unit 2-Building National Monarchies

Chapter 5: Growth of Royal Power in England and France

Section 1

1) Identify:
William the Conquerer: The Duke of Normandy, he led the Norman invasion in England, succeeded, and became the ruler of England.
Domesday Book: A collection of all property values in England, this book dictated the amount of tax that a citizen should receive.
Magna Carta: An agreement between the nobles and John, which stated the obligations of the king and the rights of the nobility.
Model Parliament: The first ever parliament created in 1295, called so because it was a model for later parliaments.
Hugh Capet: Originally the Count of Paris, he was elected by feudal lords to be the King of France.
Estates General: An assembly of all the three estates (the clergy, nobility, and townspeople).

2) Define:
exchequer: A central treasury in England, it kept all the tax records.
grand jury: A jury to decide which cases to bring to court.
trial jury: A jury to deliver a verdict on the case.
common law: Standardized legal principles across England, created by court decisions.
limited monarchy: A form of governing in which the monarchy does not have absolute power.

3) How did William keep control over feudal lords in England?
William forced all the barons to swear allegiance to him, and that everybody owed loyalty first to the king. He also created a jury to collect information on property values, which eventually became the Domesday Book.

4) What economic power did Parliament acquire in England?
The Parliament had final say over any tax changes in England.

5) What methods did French kings use to increase their landholdings?
They engaged in warfare with other nations, and also gained land by marriage and diplomacy.

6) Why did Philip IV call the Estates General?
He called the Estates General because he disagreed with the pope over an issue, and wanted to demonstrate that he had the people’s support.

Section 2:The Struggle Between Popes and Emperors

1) Identify:
Holy Roman Empire: Lands ruled by King Otto, Duke of Saxony, and his heirs.
Gregory VII: Originally a monk, he was elected to be a pope in 1073. He was famous for his part in the investiture controversy.
Concordat of Worms: An agreement between the Church and the Holy Roman Empire over investiture, it stated that the Church could choose its bishops and abbots.
Innocent III: One of the most powerful popes ever, Pope Innocent III exercised power over rulers.

2) Define:
Lay investiture: A ceremony in which an emperor invested a bishop several symbolic items.

3) What ties did Otto I have with the Church?
Otto I supported the Church’s work, and was able to appoint bishops and archbishops.

4) Why did Gregory VII excommunicate Emperor Henry IV?
The Pope excommunicated the Emperor due to challenges and differing opinions over lay investiture.

5) What actions by Frederick I threatened the pope?
Frederick I’s invasion of northern Italy and Sicily through marriage threatened to invade the Papal States.

6) Give one example of how Innocent III exercised authority over secular rulers.
Innocent III managed to excommunicate King John, which demonstrated his authority.

Section 3: Strong Monarchies in Spain and Scandinavia

1) Locate:
Cordova: Once the thriving centre of Spain, it is now a medium sized city in southern Spain.
Granada: The last Muslim holding in Spain, it fell to the advancing Christian armies in 1492.
Portugal: A country situated west of Spain, on the East Atlantic coast of Iberia.
Castile: A kingdom in Spain that existed in the Medieval times.
Aragon: Another medieval kingdom in Spain that united with Castile under the rule of Ferdinand and Isabella.

2) Identify:
Ferdinand: King of Aragon, who married Queen Isabella to create the largest kingdom in Spain.
Isabella: Queen of Castille, who later married the heir to the Kingdom of Aragon.
Margrete: Queen of Denmark, she was most famous for uniting Denmark, Norway, and Sweden peacefully, and elected by nobles to be the ruler of Norway and Sweden.

3) Define:
reconquista: The reconquest of Spain led by Ferdinand and Isabella, which ousted the Muslims from the Iberian peninsula.

4) What attitude did Muslims in Spain take toward Jewish communities?
The Muslims were tolerant towards the Jewish, which enabled the Jewish communities to flourish without fear of religious discrimination.

5) How did the marriage of Ferdinand and Isabella help unify Spain?
The marriage unified the kingdoms of Aragon and Castile, effectively creating the largest kingdom in Spain. After that, the unified kingdom led the reconquista, which brought more Spanish land under their control.

6) What led to frequent warfare among Scandinavian nations?
Trade and boundary disputes led to dispute among the Scandinavians.

Section 4: Decline of Medieval Society

1) Locate:
Avignon: A city in France, it used to be the residence of French Popes.
Aquitaine: Led by Eleanor of Aquitaine, it was under English control after the marriage of Eleanor of Aquitaine and Henry II. It was taken back by the French in the Hundred Years’ War.
Crécy: Sight of one of the most important battles in the Hundred Years’ War, many new innovations were brought into the battle field by the English.
Poitiers: Another important battle, the result was again a decisive victory by the English.
Orléans: Site of a battle in the Hundred Years’ War which drove the English back.
Reims: Site of where Charles was declared the King of France in 1492.
Calais: The only remaining English holding after the Hundred Years’ War in mainland Europe (France).

2) Identify:
Black Death: The bubonic plague which once spread through Western Europe in the mid-late 1300’s.
John Wycliffe: A professor of theology at Oxford University, he raised questions about the Church’s authority over spiritual matters/
John Huss: A person who believed there were corruption in the Church, and was eventually accused of heresy and burned at the stake.
Hundred Years’ War: A war between England and France fought between 1337-1453.
Joan of Arc: A peasant girl who was extremely patriotic and led France on the road to victory before she was caught and burned at the stake.

3) Describe one effect of the Black Death in Western Europe.
The Black Death cause an enormous population loss.

4) What led Philip IV of France to kidnap the pope?
Due to a disagreement over whether to tax the clergy or not, Philip IV of France kidnapped the pope and began the Babylonian Captivity.

5) Why did the Church lose prestige and power during the late Middle Ages?
The Great Schism and the Babylonian Captivity scandals caused Church power over rulers to decline, and scarred the prestige of the Church.

6) How did new technology help the English in the Hundred Years’ War?
The new technology enabled the English to battle much more effectively, use new military tactics and to defeat the French comprehensively.

7) List one result of the Hundred Years’ War:
(a) in France: Nationalism was on the rise, due to the actions of Joan of Arc.
(b) in England: The Parliament received many additional rights during the war for authorize new taxes to fund the war.

Chapter 5 Review

Recalling Facts:
Indicate whether the following events occurred in England, France, the Holy Roman Empire, or Spain.
1) King John signed the Magna Carta:
England.
2) Crusading knights fought to expel Muslims:
Spain.
3) Philip IV called the first Estates General:
France.
4) The jury system developed:
England.
5) Rulers clashed with the pope over lay investiture:
Holy Roman Empire.
6) Rulers used the Inquisition to enforce religious unity:
Spain.
7) A strong bureaucracy supported the king’s power:
France.
8) Rulers tried to govern both Germany and Italy.
Holy Roman Empire.

Chapter Checkup:
1) Describe how each of the following affected royal power in England:
(a) the exchequer: This acted as the royal treasury, and with its tax records, increased royal authority in England.
(b) royal courts: These courts established common law, and were popular among the citizens, and increased royal authority.
(c) common law: Generally accepted legal principles laid out by royal court decisions. These principles helped increase royal power, because these principles were connected to the royals, and not to another vassal.
(d) the Magna Carta: A charter that declared the rights and responsibilities of the King and the nobles, this severely limited the King’s royal authority.

2) (a) Why were William the Conqueror’s heirs able to unite England more easily than French rulers were able to unite France?
Although England was still a feudal society, the vassal’s rights were limited, and the king had much more control over his vassals. The French royalty was not able to defend the country against the Viking raids, thus causing vassals to set up their own powerful independent states.
(b) How did French rulers increase royal power?
The French nobles elected a ruler, the Count of Paris. Slowly, the rulers gained land an power by diplomacy, marriage, and war.

3) (a) Why was there conflict between the Church and Holy Roman Emperors in the 1000s and the 1100s?
The conflicts were mainly due to power over the Church the Holy Roman Emperors had.
(b) How did the conflict affect the political developments in Germany and Italy?
The conflicts did not allow time for the rulers to focus on their own national unity, and thus the vassals became more and more powerful.

4) (a) Describe the Church at the height of its power under Innocent III:
The Church was almost all-powerful in spiritual and political affairs, although there were several major problems that were not revealed at the time.
(b) What types of attacks were made on the Church in the 1300s and the 1400s?
The monarchs initiated the Babylonian Captivity, and The Great Schism was another major scandal. People like John Wycliffe and John Huss questioned the Church’s practices.

5) (a) Describe the reconquest of Spain:
Christian forces led by Ferdinand and Isabella managed to force the Muslims out of Spain.
(b) How did the unification of Spain affect Muslim and Jewish residents?
The unification of Spain under Isabella and Ferdinand ended the policy of religious toleration, and the Inquisition forced the Muslims and the Jewish out of Spain. Others, who had converted, were sometimes accused of heresy.

6) (a) How did the Hundred Years’ War affect royal power in France?
The war increased royal authority, due to growing respect for royalty and the freedom to increase taxes, enabling the royalty to establish a standing army and reduce dependence on vassals.
(b) How did it affect royal power in England?
On the other hand, royal authority diminished somewhat in England, due to the new rights the Parliament received in return for passing new taxes. A new civil war started, and during this struggle, the majority of the feudal nobles died. After the war, the Tudor dynasty was created, and although there were very few nobles left, the Tudors still had to answer to Parliament.

For Further Thought
1) (a) How did the relationship between the monarch and the Church differ in England, France, Spain, and the Holy Roman Empire?
Each of these countries promoted different policies, and each had different aims.
(b) How would you explain the differences?
Spain enjoyed an excellent relationship with the Church, due to the staunch support of the Church by Isabella. She wanted the Church to be a powerful ally. The Holy Roman Empire had deep connections with the Church, nevertheless, there were many bitter disputes that led to disastrous consequences for one party or both. The Empire wanted to also rule the Papal States in central Italy. England wanted to curtail Church power, and it ended up terribly, with Pope Innocent III excommunicating King John. France wanted to tax the clergy, and then later kidnapped the Pope, and set off the Babylonian Captivity. In that period, the French had much power of the Church, although later on The Great Schism caused great disgrace to the Church.

2) (a) Describe the investiture controversy.
The Holy Roman Emperor could effectively appoint high-level church officials through lay investiture, which was an initiation ceremony. The Church resisted against this power, and banned lay investiture.
(b) Do you think Gregory VII should have forgiven Henry IV and readmitted him to the Church? Explain.
It was the Pope’s obligation to forgive Henry IV, although it would not have been a good ending. Nevertheless, if the Pope chose not to readmit Henry IV, the investiture controversy would not have gone further, and the Pope would not have to go into exile.

3) An English soldier who saw Joan of Arc burned at the stake exclaimed: “We are lost; we have burned a saint.” How did the death of Joan of Arc help the French in the Hundred Years’ War?
Her death, although a humiliating experience, was a great inspiration to all of France. Patriotism skyrocketed upward, and helped turn the tide against England.

4) New technology often affects the outcome of battles.
(a) Explain how this was true during the Hundred Years’ War.
The new technology used by the English helped tremendously in the early success of the English army.
(b) What new technology had affected warfare in the early Middle Ages?
The stirrup also greatly affected warfare.
(c) Do you think the technological developments of the early Middle Ages were more important than those of the late Middle Ages? Explain.
I believe the early developments were more important than the later developments, since the early developments were mostly related to farming techniques and others which could apply to most peasants. Later development generally centered around English warfare, which, although very important, failed to win the Hundred Years’ War.

Developing Basic Skills
1) Study the map on page 90. Then answer the following questions:
(a) What information is shown on the map?
The map showed French and English holdings in France at various stages in the Hundred Years’ War.
(b) What lands did English kings hold in France in 1429?
The English kings held northern and south west France.
(c) How did these holdings change between 1429 and 1453?
The lands were dramatically reduced to just Calais.
(d) How did these changes probably affect royal power in France?
Obviously, the increase of lands greatly increased royal power.
2) Reread the excerpts from the Magna Carta on page 80. Then answer the following questions:
(a) What type of document is it?
A primary document.
(b) What does the document say about the king’s right to tax?
All taxes must first be approved by the common council.
(c)Who met in the “common council”?
Archbishops, bishops, abbots, earls, greater barons, other vassals, etc.
(d) What rights does the Magna Carta protect?
The Magna Carta protects the right of the Church to be free from the royalty, the rights of the common council, and the right of fair trial of a free man.
(e) What do you think were the main concerns of the English barons?
The baron’s main concern was probably to make their rights and traditions protected and guaranteed.

3) Make a chart with two columns and five rows. Title the columns Early Middle Ages and Late Middle Ages. Title the rows Government, Law, Warfare, Economy, and Social Classes. Use what you learned about the Middle Ages in Chapters 3, 4, and 5 to complete the chart.

Early Middle Ages
Late Middle Ages
Government
Feudalism with a weak monarchy
Strong monarchy with weak feudal lords
Law
Dictated by local lords
Common law
Warfare
Intranational warfare with the introduction of stirrups
International warfare with new technology
Economy
Trade at bare minimum, economy were peasants farming their lord’s lands, fees and taxes
Trade revival with the Hansetic League, money economy
Social Classes
Feudalism-King, Nobles, Knights, Peasants
Establishment of middle class (merchants, guilds, etc.)

(a) What was the immediate cause of the First Crusade?
Pope Urban II needed knights to satisfy the Byzantine’s request for help.
(b) What were the long-range causes of the Crusades?
To increase the glory and prestige of the Church, and also to unite it.
(c) How did the Crusades reflect the growing strength of medieval Europe?
The Crusades were bravely fought, and it symbolized the rise of Europe in the face of Muslims and Jews. Plus, the stunning success of the first Crusade was astounding.

Ivanovo Blog 4


I challenge all of you to guess which city this satellite photo is of. Actually, I might be doing this for a while. Personally, I wouldn't be able to guess which city this is of. It's pretty hard to guess, but this city is famous throughout the world. Now, if you cant guess, I'll give you a hint. That yellow thing you see is something that does not exist in its entirety (sp) today.

Monday, March 5, 2007

Dhiddhoo Blog 3

Hm... I think Olson is Commonwealth/American, but I'm not sure. Hauck is German, he told us that. Hu is Chinese, I heard she came from Shanghai. Todd I would guess is Commonwealth/American, same with Hyde and Keon. Lee is most likely Chinese. Des Mazes is harder, but its European (or at least traces its roots to Europe). Most likely not western European or Scandinavian. I'm not sure about Mediterranean, but I doubt so. So that leaves only Eastern/Central Europe. I don't think its one of the Warsaw Pact countries, though it could have been Germany. Could it be Yugoslavian? It might be German, I don't know. Jewish? Not sure really.

Sunday, March 4, 2007

Cali Blog 2

I have given up complaining about work. Now, I find it useless, and complaining about it isn't interesting or helps me in anyway. I don't release steam by complaining about. However, we really don't get that much homework.

Saturday, March 3, 2007

(A long-winded 'summary' of T2) Blog 1 (2006-2006 T3)

Its term 3 now. I have done 85 blogs in the past term. And all of the multimedia blogs.

I haven't been pouring my heart out in blogs so far. I haven't really have much issues, come to think of it. My life is quite simple. No complex relations, responsibilites, and things to think about. Afterall, I am not that old.
Although listening to popular music is not condusive for studying, I find that it helps me get into the mood of writing blogs. Even so, the quality of my blog does not increase.
I am supposed to use Bloom's taxonomy when writing my blogs. I don't, usually. At least not consciously. And I don't put a lot of effort into it, usually. I do slip in some of it occasionally, but not a lot.
Reading others blogs inspire me to look inside myself, and think about who I am. I don't think about what I want to be inlife, because right now, I have no set goals. There is no one thing I am super passionate about. And if there's one thing I have discovered about me, I find that my preferences change. Not constantly, but when they change, they change significantly. Luckily, that doesn't apply to my personality.
I have just discovered an entire new set of blogs. Unless from those people who explicitly allow me to read their blogs, I never take the info from them and spread it around. Although I still read it.
I tend to be neutral about anything. Not surprisingly, I like Switzerland. Even though, I do have my moral principles, and I will stand up to them. So, if its like WWII, I won't be another Switzerland. It's a quality that I have developed in MY. It's because I don't like engaging in pointless conversation and getting other people to hate me. Ahhh... now come on, who hates an ethical Switzerland??? although people hate Denmark (cartoons and riots).
For some reason, Miss Anderson and Ms. Pylarinos are at the top of my head right now.
In many cases, I tend to try to guess who a person is ethcnically by their names and their physical appearance. Pylarinos I believe is Greek, while Anderson is probably Commonwealth/American. Home Economics and Fashion Design graduates at Kwantlen? And then getting an education degree at UBC. Hmmm... Never heard of that before. But when have I heard about teacher's education degrees? Oh, and now on a new tangent... the best design school out there is the Parsons School of Design I believe, but what is the equivalent for home economics? I'm somewhat clueless about cooking universities and colleges too.
I have a quite novel view of 'maturity'. For some reason, I think to be mature is to not care about those who are 'immature'. Its quite subjective, and people enjoy many activities that are considered' immature'. It provides a break from other more stressful and boring matters. But, it sometimes is embarrasing when you see what some people do. Even worse is when they expect that others be all nice to them. I guess that it might be a 'group' thing. Luckily, I am immune from it. At least for now.
I don't spent much time decorating my blog. Why? I don't feel its important. I am not artistically talented. I have no vision.
I generally don't use teen collequalism (sp) and slang, because I find it limiting. It just...isn't my style. Because I never started using it, people don't expect me to use it. They don't expect anything else from what I am. Of course, most of you probably don't know the 'whole' me. However, nobody really needs to. It is not a requirement to know the 'whole' me.

Thursday, March 1, 2007

Byblos Blog 85

Hello! Have to go to sleep now, bye!