Civilization Book 2 PDF

Giam
Alexis Gero
Gero, Alexis Friday, May 30, 2014 8:54:22 AM Pacic Daylight Time 70:56:81:af:f1:a3
This image displays the geography on which the civilization of Giam will thrive.
1
Introduction
Solitary trees, if they grow at all, grow strong.
- Winston Churchill
You dont need vision to know how untouched this
wilderness is. The air is the rst and easiest clue. Its
crisp and fresh, cutting through your mouth and into
your lungs like a knife. Then the air tickles your nose
until its numb. It smells wet, yet not humid, and of
grass freshly cut by Mother Nature. Another smell is
there too, though not as pleasant. Its yaks. This is
their land and has been for hundreds of years. Their
scent is irksome, though easily ignored if you are used
to it. The hides smell is thick and wild, and their drop-
pings are pungent to the nose.
Some of these scents are so powerful that they
conquer your mouth, as well. The mist emanating off
the distant mountains is moist and tastes slightly
briny from the large rocks perched above. Then the
yaks are there again. So strong that you can almost
taste their meat and blood. This is the wilderness; any-
thing goes.
As you walk, the earth below sinks beneath your
weight. The land here is soft, like a giant sponge, soak-
ing up all the rain that falls. The grass catches it too,
so dew hangs from the tips precariously. Sometimes it
falls on your shoes, creating small dark spots on the
hide. In fact, you are covered in yak hide. Their
coarse skin ranges from a chocolate brown to a spot-
ted black and white. Its rough and the hairs are spin-
dly. The hide is unpleasant, but necessary.
Then you can hear them again. The yaks are
moaning now, their sound neither a call nor roar.
That sets off the birds that are up in the mountains
and, hunting in the area. They squawk in protest as
they circle up and dip like skilled pilots. Yak moans
omit again. As they move, the grass rustles, the sound
faint but denite. A gentle wind ows through the
grass, even quieter than the rustling.
2
Finally, you open your eyes and fully under-
stand your isolation. The mountains dominate your
view, a picturesque silhouette in the background. Eve-
rywhere, there is the greenest grass you can nd.
Who needs any products to help it grow when it does
so copiously on its own? The grass covers everything
but the mountain in a blanket of near electric green,
rolling over small hills and at land. On top of the
grass is a slight mist, still sweeping in. The yaks are
up to their ankles in it, grazing obliviously. If you
look up you can see a cloudless blue sky that burns or-
ange when the sun comes and goes. Take a deep
breath. As you exhale, you can see your breath come
out in a white puff. Welcome to the mountains. Wel-
come to your home.
3
In order to thrive, the people of Giam must modify the land, but still keep its beauty.
CHAPTER 1
4
Modifications
We wont have a society if we destroy the environment.
- Margaret Mead
SECTION 1
Part II- Analysis of the Problem
The rst step in building a successful civilization is to
secure basic human needs such as food, shelter, and
clothing. Due to its geography, the major challenges
the civilization of Giam faces in achieving a basic
food and water supply include the following:
Figure 1.1
This well is similar to that of the one to be built in Giam
Human Changes to the Land
5
http://adaptivetransformations.les.wordpress.com/2010/08/cponte_brick_well1.jpg
1. A high plateau is a difcult place to build a civiliza-
tion because of its lack of natural wildlife and un-
dergrowth. The only immediate accessible wildlife
is yaks, though youll need them for much more.
Other animals live up in the mountains, though the
trek and scarcity of weapons makes it nearly impos-
sible. Weapons are challenging to create because
there are almost no trees, bushes, or shrubs in the
approachable area. This also makes collecting natu-
ral berries or nuts unobtainable. If another alterna-
tive to eating the yaks and gathering natural under-
growth is not found, your civilization would be
without two major food sources, and suffer in num-
bers, ultimately crumbling.
2. Another challenge in living on a high plateau is
nding a steady water source. The area already re-
ceives high amounts of rain, though it can be unreli-
able and unpredictable. If there were a surplus dur-
ing one week and a drought the next, there would
be no way to prevent sickness or dehydration.
Even if the rain kept a steady schedule, then you
would have no way to store it. The ground is soggy
and trees and stones scarce. Without a way to keep
reserves and store the water, it could also become
dirty and potentially fatal. Unless a way to store
and keep the water clean is found, this civilization
could become sick from viruses or bacteria, or de-
hydrated, from a lack of water, so there is no way
to survive, not to mention thrive and grow, and
would be razed before it has a chance.
Part II- Proposed Solutions
In order for the civilization of Giam to be success-
ful, it must rst learn to modify its environment. A
modication is a physical change, made by humans,
to their environment for the good of the society. For
6
example, the Greeks, farmed on steep slopes by
creating step-like terraces, or at areas (Frey 79).
Its important to make these changes because its al-
most impossible to nd an environment perfectly
equipped with all resources and the means to obtain
them.

When living on a high plateau there can be many
challenges nding food. As stated before, there is a
lack of natural wildlife and undergrowth. In this area,
farming would be the best solution. Similar to the
Arab coastal plains where, most people were farm-
ers. (Frey 79) If you traded for seeds and planted
them, then there would be ample harvest, for the soil
is fertile. For meat, you could sometimes hike up into
the mountain to hunt. Or you could eat some of the
yaks while keeping others to breed. If these plans are
successful, then they may become a reliable food
source to fuel the reign of your civilization.
On high plateau, there can be many difculties in
obtaining and sustaining a reliable water source, for
there is no immediate surface water, or the means to
store it. Like the Arabs who, conserved rainwater in
canals and reservoirs (Frey 79) the area already re-
ceives high amounts of rain, and it is clean enough to
drink. Though the rain can be unpredictable in timing
and quantity. If you dug a well and then lined it with
rocks from the mountain, to seal it, surpluses could be
stored for droughts or the dry seasons. As the civiliza-
7
Earth steps, such as these, are a sucessful way to farm of steep slopes.
http://www.indiamike.com/india/attachments/41516d1359253491-co
me-on-kumaon-new-year-trip-2012-13-step-farming-view-after-sheragh
at.jpg
tion expanded, a bigger more procient structure
could be built, but in the meantime this is the best so-
lution.
8
The Roman Senate often met to debate issues of the civilization.
CHAPTER 2
9
Law & Government
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a3/Maccari-Cicero.jpg/1024px-Maccari-Cicero.jpg
That government is best, governs the least.
- Henry David Thoreau
SECTION 1
Part I- Lessons on Democracy
As Giams population grows, the best form of
government would be a hybrid of direct democracy
and oligarchy. This is similar to the government of
the Ancient Greek city-state Sparta. In Sparta, the
Council of Elders had the most power. It was made
up of two kings and 28 elected ofcials. The Spartan
Assembly could veto any laws proposed by the
Council. I am going to modify this form of govern-
Government is a constant balance of power, one that many civilizations struggled with.
Maintaining Civil Order
10
http://www.achterbergangelllaw.com/assets/graphics/gavel_and_balance.jpg
ment so on the Council there are no monarchs and
fty elected ofcials. Also, the Assembly would not
only have the power to veto, but also propose laws to
the Council to debate.
Another Ancient Greek city-state that I may
learn from is Athens. Athens is known for its experi-
mental direct democracy. Though I think democracy
is an effective form of government, Athens helped re-
veal the many issues that come along with it. Like
Fray says on page 257, Often, the assembly reversed
important decisions after just a few weeks. For exam-
ple, one week the Athenian Assembly might choose
to place a law that prohibits the sale of foreign items
within city limits. Then, ve days later, merchants
come and complain that they cant sell their imports,
so the Assembly repeals the law. From these mistakes
I may learn that constantly voting, creating laws, and
repealing them creates a capricious civilization.
Though citizens must have the right to vote and par-
ticipate in their government, constantly changing
laws and wasting resources on useless projects is an
unsuccessful path towards building a civilization.
Like George Santayana said in his book The Life of
Reason, those who cannot remember the past are
condemned to repeat it.
Ancient Rome is another example of a successful
civilization that Giam may learn from. After the fall of
11
The Athenians were known for rst experimenting with democracy. This
image shows a common gathering of Athenian men to debate an issue.
http://ploigos1.les.wordpress.com/2010/10/athens.jpg
the Etruscan Kings, Rome developed into a form of
oligarchy where the patricians, the wealthy, ruled
over the plebeians, the lower class. The patricians
abused verbal laws, twisting them to benet them-
selves. Eventually this caused to the plebeians revolt,
referred to as the Conict of Orders. From this I
have learned that to keep the civilians happy and set-
tled, you must equally distribute power and wealth. I
agree with what Cicero, a well-known Roman states-
man, said, The peoples good is the highest law. An-
other result of the Conict of Orders was the
Twelve Tables, a set of written laws that were posted
in the forum for all to see. This teaches me that re-
cording all laws is very important, so they are prop-
erly used by the citizens of Giam.
Part II- Code of Law
There are many threats to the society and order
of Giam. One of these threats is the presence of
crime, discrimination, lack of education in leadership,
rebellion, and inequality. To prevent any of these
from happening you must create a set of basic laws to
be used over all of Giam. One of these laws is that all
crime is illegal and corporal punishment will be given
to anyone who violates it. Another basic law is the dis-
tribution of power and equality so that all people
12
This image captures the Conict of Orders, a ght for power between the plebe-
ians and the patricians of ancient Rome.
http://myhistro-content.s3.amazonaws.com/event/149052/1_large.jpg
have a voice in the government. If power is equally
distributed, it is less likely to have any discrimination
against race, gender, or disability. Something else
that might be of concern to Giam is having unedu-
cated people leading organizations, or not having lead-
ership at all. If there is any lack of leadership people
become disorganized, helpless, and in the end, revolt.
These are just are few issues that must be dealt with
in Giam.
It is written that all people shall follow these
laws:
I. Anyone with a position in government or leader-
ship must be fully educated. If they are hired and/or
lie about their education, he or she will be immedi-
ately removed. If it is found that they were lying, then
he or she will be sent to court for trial and punish-
ment.
II. Any form of verbal or physical harassment or
abuse (towards humans or animals) is considered a
crime, and punishment will be decided through a
court trial.
III. Anyone accused of a crime has the right to testify
in court. If he or she is proved guilty and still does
not want a trial, then the judge and jury shall decide
the punishment.
IV. If any form of partnership is broken (marriage,
business, etc.) then any possessions or wealth must be
equally divided unless both partners agree on another
solution.
V. If a man or woman is dishonest or does not give
full effort towards their job, then he or she will be
punished depending on the severity. (This especially
applies to doctors, construction workers, law enforce-
ment, politicians, etc.)
13
VI. Any form of slavery or ownership over other peo-
ple (besides the guardians of a child under 18) is ille-
gal and punishment shall be dealt in court.
VII. All people have equal rights and opportunities to-
wards education, employment, leadership, and the
pursuit of happiness.
These laws will
help Giam to keep or-
der and become a suc-
cessful civilization.
They help to support
values that I think are
important in any civili-
zation. Some of these
values are also present
in the Twelve Tables
and Hammurabis
Code. A few are equal-
ity, punishment against crime, honesty, full effort to-
wards your profession, and the right to divorce or
split a partnership. This similarity in values makes
some of the laws of Giam, the Twelve Tables, and
Hammurabis Code corresponding. For example, in
the Twelve Tables it states that anyone found guilty
of giving false witness hall be hurled down from the
Tarpeian Rock. Though harsh, this is similar to
Giams law number ve. While some laws are similar,
the citizens of Giam should avoid many values from
the Twelve Tables and Hammurabis Code. A few
that were repetitive were revenge, harsh punishment,
and trusting the gods to decide whether someone was
guilty. It is important to avoid this type of govern-
ment because it creates a whole civilization based,
mainly, on revenge. Then people cannot live happily
and in peace, and as shown by Rome and Mesopota-
mia, the civilization will collapse.
14
In ancient Babylonia, Hammurabis Code was
inscribed in stone and displayed for all to see,
similar to the Twelve Tables in Rome.
http://historymartinez.les.wordpress.co
m/2011/08/hammurabi-1.jpg
Part III- Political Leadership Lessons
from Julius Caesar
Julius Caesar is considered one of the most suc-
cessful and well known political leaders, and there
are many lessons that may be learned from his reign.
One of the most important lessons for Giam, is to
keep all people and classes happy and productive. If
the people of Giam
are dissatised with
their leaders, they
may revolt and the
civilization will be-
come corrupt. To
keep his civilians
happy, Julius Caesar
provided jobs for
the poor... (Political
Leadership of Julius
Caesar), reduced taxes, and provided free entertain-
ment. He quickly became popular with the lower
classes, though this jeopardized his relation to the
wealthier citizens of Rome. By reducing taxes and
slavery (another popular act) the aristocrats received
less money and had to pay more for labor. Caesar
also became unpopular with the Senate and govern-
ment in Rome. When he was rst elected, Caesar
gave himself more power and reduced that of the Sen-
ate. He also wore purple, the color of royalty, and the
sandals of the Etruscan Kings, the last rulers of
Rome. This was noticed by everyone, especially the
Senators, as Caesar portrayed himself as a king with
ultimate power. This act especially gained him even
more enemies, and, On March 15, 44 B.C.E., the as-
sassins struck. As an unarmed Caesar entered the
Senate building, a group of senators attacked him
15
Julius Caesar was Romes most well known em-
peror, and was assassinated early in his reign.
http://www.american-pictures.com/genealogy
/descent/photos/Julius.Caesar.2.jpg
with daggers, stabbing him 23 times. (Political Lead-
ership of Julius Caesar).
Such was Caesars demise to the joy, though
mostly heartbreak, of Rome. From Caesar I must
learn, that though you must try to keep everyone
happy, or at least the majority of the people, keep a
special eye on the ones with greater power, for those
are the ones who will decide the success of Giam.
16
Part IV- Political Leadership Lessons
from Augustus Caesar
Throughout his reign as Romes rst em-
peror, Augustus Caesar was constantly taking action
based on the mistakes of Julius Caesar, his adopted
father. However, the changes he made to the Roman
Empire were effective and long-lasting. He was much
more successful than Julius in pleasing both the ple-
beians and the patricians. As soon as he came into
power, Augustus handed the government over to the
Senate, and, gained allegiance from senators by ask-
ing their advice on important political matters. (Politi-
cal Leadership of Caesar Augustus) He restored the Pax
Romana, or the Peace of Rome, ending wars and ex-
panding the empire without bloodshed. Augustus re-
paired 82 temples and built new statues, theaters, and
a forum. To distract the thousands of unemployed ple-
beians he staged gladiator ghts, chariot races, and
brought in exotic animals. Augustus encouraged his
wealthy friends to donate to local artists and writers.
Finally, he lived a modest life, his public image was
that of a hardworking and strict but honest father g-
ure. (Political Leadership of Augustus Caesar) Through
these acts, Augustus Caesar became extremely popu-
lar with the people of Rome.
But Augustus also enforced many unpopular
acts. The most widely criticized was the banning of
17
This image is a Roman forum that I built in Minecraft based off of ones in
the Roman Empire created by Augustus Caesar.
any adultery or vulgar acts. ...Unmarried adults and
childless married couples lost the right to inherit
money or property. (Political Leadership of Caesar
Augustus) Augustus also taxed single women without
children on all belongings. He promoted family and
children above all, giving tax-break to families that
had several children and/or had stayed together for a
long time. Another unpopular act was the raise in tax
towards the end of Augustuss reign. When soldiers
demanded a higher pay, taxes were raised to meet
their demands.
In conclusion, the civilization of Giam has much
to learn from the successes and failures of Augustus
Caesar, from his relatable, modest lifestyle, to his un-
popular raise of taxes, Augustus is considered one of
the greatest rulers of Rome.
Part V- Decline of the Western Roman
Empire
The decline of the Western Roman Empire was
caused by many things, but the most destructive were
18
Here, statesmen mourn over the body of Augustus Caesar,
who died on the return of a trip to Capri.
http://www.mainlesson.com/books/horne/statesmen/zpage067.gif
Gallery 3.1 Lorem Ipsum dolor amet, consectetur
military spending, unemployment, and political cor-
ruption. Military spending became a large drain of
Romes wealth, and left little for other crucial activi-
ties. When the civilian resources began decaying, Ro-
mans no longer wanted to support and ght in the
military. Soon, Rome began, hiring soldiers recruited
from unemployed city mobs or worse from other
countries, (Decline of the Western Roman Em-
pire) creating an expensive and unreliable army.
Unemployment also became a big problem in
Rome. Farming on large estates that used slave labor
became ubiquitous, and farmers could not compete
with the fast production and low prices. Many farm-
ers were left unemployed and the city became full of
angry, unemployed people who used crime as their
only pastime and option for survival. Also, Rome was
importing grain for 100,000 people, another outlet for
their waning wealth.
Another main reason for the decline of Western
Roman Empire was political corruption. The Praeto-
rian Guard assumed complete control over the selec-
tion of the emperor, and in 186 C.E. they began auc-
tioning off the throne, selling to the highest bidder.
This system proved extremely ineffective and, dur-
ing the next 100 years, Rome had 37 different emper-
ors- 25 of whom were removed from ofce by assassi-
nation. (Decline of the Western Roman Empire)
To avoid, and learn, from the devastating fate of
the Western Roman Empire, Giam will address each
problem accordingly. First, to keep from military
spending, I would create a mandatory draft to keep
the military constantly supplied. (Something similar
to Swedens, who has a required two years of military
service.) To keep the soldiers happy they will have
short terms of service, and if they choose to continue
19
During the decline of the Western Roman Empire, Romes streets be-
came dangerous and crime-infested.
to serve will be paid well and have later benets in re-
tirement and health insurance.
In order to prevent unemployment in Giam, I
would rst create a minimum wage and ban slavery,
to keep from cheap labor. For the unemployed I
would create civil projects to better the civilization
and get them back on their feet. Also, I would con-
stantly promote local farmers and organic food by
helping to grow surrounding farms and creating farm-
ers
mar-
kets to
present
local
crops.
Fi-
nally,
to keep
from political corruption in Giam, I would create an
effective system to distribute power and choose lead-
ers, and have it used throughout the whole civiliza-
tion. This selection shall be mainly done by a higher
council, though every leader must have the peoples
consent, lest they revolt against authority.
http://www.ancientworlds.net/aworlds_media/ibase_1/00/07/93
/00079375_000.jpg
20
Markets, like this one, were huge trade centers between locals.
CHAPTER 3
21
Belief Systems
http://palsbeforegals.les.wordpress.com/2012/09/21.jpg
Some of the major world religions are (from left to right) Judaism, Buddhism, Hinduism, and Christianity.
Its not the events in our life that shape us, but our beliefs as to what those
events mean. - Tony Robbins
SECTION 1
Why Do Civilizations Need a Belief
System?
Civilizations need a belief system so that people
feel that they have a purpose. Humans need some-
thing to live for, otherwise we nd there is no reason
to live at all. We are strange; we need a goal to strive
for, a place of harmony to work towards. No major
empire on Earth has ever not had a belief system,
and most believe we need one to live, that we owe
http://www.phibetaiota.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/Global-Conict-Today.JPG
Religions are practiced throughout the world in many different ways.
Impact of Belief Systems
22
our creation to some god or another. Also, a civiliza-
tions values and morals are often based off their be-
liefs. Without some guidance from a higher power,
people dont know whats right and wrong. Religion
can can turn into a set of morals for people to follow,
and eventually is spread throughout a civilization. Be-
liefs can unite a group of people, make them a commu-
nity, then bring more together, to create a civilization.
In order to further understand the importance of
a belief system on society, and their inuence on their
followers, acknowledge the moral dilemma below:
Obey or Resist
Joe is a fourteen-year-old boy who wanted to go to camp very
much. His father promised him he could go if he saved up the
money for it himself. So Joe worked hard at his paper route
and saved up the $40 dollars it cost to go to camp, and a little
more besides. But just before camp was going to start, his fa-
ther changed his mind. Some of his fathers friends decided to
go on a special shing trip, and Joe's father was short of the
money it would cost. So he told Joe to give him the money he
had saved from the paper route. Joe didn't want to give up go-
ing to camp, so he thinks of refusing to give his father the
money.
Hindus believe in dharma, or duty, and karma,
the good and bad that contributes to your place in the
next life. Therefore, if Joe were Hindu he would give
his father the forty dollars. Its his dharma to obey his
father, and he would
get good karma for
being seless and
helping. Also, Hindus
believe in nonvio-
lence, and a confronta-
tion between Joe and
his father could lead
23
Dharma is one of the core beliefs of Hindu society.
http://www.thr5.com/lost/dharma-initiative-logo.jpg
to some form of violence. So, if Joe were to be a fol-
lower of Hinduism, he would follow his dharma and
obey his father.
If Joe were Buddhist he would follow the belief
of being ...aware but not attached to your emotions,
thoughts, and feelings, and therefore give his father
the money.
He would
recognize
his desires
and try to
rid of them
by helping
others and
following
The Four
Noble
Truths.
Also, Buddhists believe in promoting good actions
and love. Giving his father the money could help Joe
follow the Middle Way, and eventually reach nir-
vana.
One of the core Confucianist beliefs is respect-
ing your elders and obeying those above you. So, if
Joe were Confucianist he would obey his father and
give him the forty dollars. Confucius also believed in
the ve basic relationships, one them being father and
son. The one listed rst always holds more power, fol-
lowing similar beliefs. In conclusion, if Joe were Con-
fucianist he would obey his elders and give his father
the money.
Belief systems all over the world inuence our
decisions every day. Whether its a moral dilemma or
how to dispose of a y, we are shaped by our beliefs.
These beliefs can also help us to make hard decisions,
with what is considered morally right and wrong in
24
Confucius, or Konfuzi, was a strong believer in obeying those
above you, and it remains one of the core beliefs of Confucian-
ism.
http://mrkash.com/activities/images/confucius.jpg
the situation. But no matter what we can always rely
on our beliefs to get us through thick and thin, as
they progress and change throughout our lives.
Belief System of Giam
In an effort to create a successful civilization, the
people of Giam have established their own belief sys-
tem. It shares similar religious beliefs and teachings
with other world religions and helps the people of
Giam live with strong moral values. Here are some ex-
amples:
In Giam, one of three moral values is generosity,
or as the locals say, alitas. To demonstrate this, the
people of Giam must donate a minimum of 2% of
their earnings each year. The donation can be given
to the poor or a charity of personal choice. This is
similar to the Muslim moral of Zakat, where people
must donate, one fourteenth (2.5 percent) of their in-
come and possessions with their poorer neighbors,
(Frey page 98). Giam will become a better civilization
by enforcing this because people will learn to help
one another. By enforcing good habits early on it will
lead to a more generous spirit later in life.
Another value that should be imposed in Giam is
25
The moral value of alitas is similar to the Muslim value of Zakat.
http://islam.ru/en/sites/default/les/img/story/2012/12/Zakat1.gif
peace of mind and peace with oneself, or pax. To es-
tablish this, the people of Giam must pray and reect
every Sunday at sunset for at least an hour. This can
be done anywhere quiet
and peaceful, but services
are held at a local temple.
This relates to Christianity,
which,...put special empha-
sis on love and mercy,
(Frey page 352) and had
people go to church every
Sunday morning. This will
help the citizens of Giam
because they can reect on
their sins and better pre-
pare for future situations.
Also, when you have a clear mind you are more likely
to make good decisions.
The nal value that the people of Giam should
embody is respect, or secundum. To keep this a part of
everyday life, you must respect and obey those above
above you. This is very
similar to the Confucianist
5 Relationships and that,
all people must...obey
those above them, (Frey
page 208). Enforcing this
value will help to better the
civilization of Giam be-
cause people will learn to
be obedient and are less
likely to revolt or become
controversial.
26
Gallery 4.1
Belief Structures of Giam
Three moral values I want my civilization to em-
brace are respect, honesty, and love. My sacred tem-
ple represents the Confucianist value of respect be-
cause you must take off your shoes before entering
and you cannot lie, commit crime, or use vulgar or of-
fensive language within the temple. Also, you are ex-
pected to give up your seat, because there are few, to
the elderly or women who are pregnant. You must
also show respect for nature, watering the plants and
being gentle towards the vines. Everything that inside
is holy, and should not be damaged in any way.
Impact of Belief Systems in Medieval
Europe
In the High Middle Ages, the Roman Catholic
Church was the focal point of society. It provided
leadership and refuge in an unstable time, and people
learned to obey and depend on the church. One way
it helped people, was to give answers to questions
about life and natural phenomena. The church also
educated upper class children, for nobles and clergies
27
http://media-cdn.tripadvisor.com/media/photo-s/03/bc/a9/e1/st-jame
s-s-roman-catholic.jpg
The Roman Catholic Church greatly inuenced Medieval Europe.
were the only literate people. This teaching at the
monasteries later led to the rst universities. Another
inuence of the Roman Catholic Church was to con-
vince people to follow the Sacraments. By telling peo-
ple there was a possibility of another better life after
death, they were motivated to work hard in this life.
These are only a few ways the Roman Catholic
Church inuenced every day life, though the surface
has barely been scratched.
28
The difculty lies not so much in developing ideas as in escaping old ones.
- John Maynard Keynes
CHAPTER 4
29
Ideas
http://news.rice.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/0114_SCIENTIA-b-310x208.jpg
SECTION 1
Advancing Ideas Within a Civilization
As an effect of Humanism, European society
drastically altered many traditional ideas, including
the worth and power of the individual. One way it
changed was that social mobility skyrocketed. Peo-
ple began to give an, emphasis on individual dignity
and an interest in nature and human society, (Frey
320). This led to the idea that you could achieve
greatness with hard work, instead of social standing.
Ideas have radically changed hundreds of civilizations throughout time. From the early Hominids to Ancient Greece, the development of new con-
cepts has helped to shape our society today.
The Power of Ideas
30
http://digitalmba.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/The-Power-of-Ideas-990x300.png
Science also advanced with Humanism. When peo-
ple questioned the church, some began experimenting
to explain natural phenomena. After they were suc-
cessful, people began questioning everything. As a re-
sult, Humanism formed new values for future genera-
tions.
Humanism radically changed the government,
belief system, and culture of Europe during the Ren-
aissance. Government was immediately ipped on its
head, as individual dignity led to the decline of feudal-
ism, which opened the door to monarchy. There was
also a separation of church and state. The Bubonic
Plague decimated the population, and with less peo-
ple there were more opportunities to own land and
goods. Also, when the church failed to end the Bu-
bonic Plague, people lost faith and questioned other
beliefs. People no longer relied on the church for an-
swers. This also led to a change in culture. Renais-
sance thinkers prized individual achievement more
than a persons class or family, (Frey 321). Individu-
als gained beauty and respect, and were depicted
more in art and
literature, rather
than religious g-
ures. These
changes, and
more, molded the
values that have
become pillars of
our society today.
Humanism
also inuenced
the government,
belief system, and culture of Giam. The government
began by providing free education from kindergarten
to high school. That way everyone has an education
31
http://www.renewthemindministries.com/wp-con
tent/uploads/2012/04/humanism.jpg
Leonardo da Vincis Vetruvian Man helped to il-
lustrate his explorations in human anatomy.
and an equal chance at achieving greatness. Also, hu-
manists would support the idea of a more democratic
government, instead of a higher council of ofcials.
Giams belief system would also be inuenced by Hu-
manism. There should be religious freedom, and also
the right to set up sacred sites to practice any relig-
ion. But there shouldnt be anything restricting citi-
zens from a personal relationship with their holy g-
ure. Finally, the culture of Giam is changed by human-
ism. An interest in the arts and literature will prosper,
and children can develop talents from a young age.
The government should also grant loans to
thinkers and artists to advance the technology and be-
liefs of the civilization. As you can see, Humanism
greatly changed the civilization of Giam in leadership,
education, and the arts.
The Danger of New Ideas
During the Reformation of the Catholic
Church, the church had many questionable practices
that caused people to believe it was corrupt. Within
the church, the clergy acted immorally; having affairs,
living in palaces, and selling high ofces through the
practice of sim-
ony. The peo-
ple became an-
gry that the
clergy lived in
such luxury,
and at one
time there
were three
Popes, each
claiming that
they had com-
32
http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2009/02/13/o
pinion/13indulgences.large.jpg
One of the ways that the Catholic Church became cor-
rupt was that they sold salvation for land or money.
plete power. The Catholic Church also became
greedy, taking tithe from everyone, and became ex-
tremely wealthy. They also began the practice of in-
dulgences, where people could pay for salvation with
money, gifts, and land, without actually being pun-
ished. These practices and demands caused people to
question the church, but also led to new ideas about
how the church should be ran and new branches of
Catholicism.
The ideas and questions of Reformers differed
from that of the Catholic Church, and became a
threat to their power. Catherine of Siena, and Italian
mystic, was one of these Reformers. She and other
mystics emphasized personal experience of God more
than formal observance of church practices. As a re-
sult, she was declared a heretic and burned at the
stake. Another one of these Reformers was Desider-
ius Erasmus. He was a priest, and wanted to reform
the church from within. He published a book called
The Praise of Folly, which exposed the injustices of the
church to the people. Their ideas differed from the tra-
ditional values of the church because they supported
a personal relationship with God, salvation through
good works not indulgences, and that clergy should
act as a example and live a life of poverty. These were
33
http://www.discerninghearts.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/04
/St.-Catherine-of-Siena-3.jpg
Many years after she was burned at the stake, the church declared Catherine of
Siena a saint.
only a few people who helped to start the movement
of the Reformation.
The church retaliated to these Reformers in a
few ways. First, they declared Martin Luther, the
main instigator, a heretic and excommunicated him
at the Diet of Worms. Unfortunately for them, Lu-
ther had the support of several princes who hid and
protected him from the Catholic Church. Also, the in-
vention of the printing press helped to augment his
ideas, as he was able to share his concepts with more
people. Luther continued to grow his denomination
of Catholicism, despite the churches protest. There
were many religious wars that were ignited during
this time. Finally, in 1555, the wars ended with the
Peace of Augsburg. In this treaty, ...each prince
within the Holy Roman Empire could determine the
religion of his subjects, (Frey 353). This was a huge
win for Lutherans, and the religion grew further
across Europe.
In the civilization of
Giam, there are different
punishments for those
who disrupt the peace. If
someone attacks the soci-
ety in a criminal way
they should be given the
death penalty after being
declared guilty by a jury.
This is only if the community agrees that the person
has caused too much havoc to continue living. Indi-
viduals who peacefully offer new ideas should be
heard out by high ofcials, though if their ideas cause
an aggressive and violent movements they should be
put in prison until the movement ensues. Ideas that
try to advance Giams technology and way of think-
34
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_TCiUauzPX
hk/TJlZ6eCB50I/AAAAAAAAALM/c
Yp0xC1T8zs/s1600/Gandhi1.jpg
Mahatma Gandhi used peaceful resis-
tance to inspire change in India.
ing should be equally considered among tradition. If
ideas prove threatening to the peace, they will be dis-
missed. Threatening ideas are ideas that provoke or
encourage violence or conict. These are only a few
ways of dealing with those interfere with the daily life
of the citizens of Giam.
These strategies will help to make Giam a more
successful civilization. If issues arent properly dealt
with they could lead to larger controversy, and even-
tually violence. Our methods will be affective because
it gives the entire society a say in each trial, and lets
others share their progressive ideas. Some ideas may
cause a disruption of everyday life, and then should
either be diffused or compromised. Hopefully, these
methods prove effective and help Giam continue suc-
cessfully for generations.
Power of Individual Ideas
Galileo Galilei, better known as just Galileo, was
an Italian philosopher, astronomer, and mathemati-
cian. He is most known for his theory of the Heliocen-
tric model, compared to the former Ptolemaic model.
In tradition, people believed that our Solar System ro-
tated around the Earth, while Galileo proposed that it
was centered around the
sun. This theory led to con-
ict with the Catholic
Church. Humans like to
be at the center of every-
thing, and if they nd
there is more out there,
they feel threatened. The
Church supported the
Ptolemaic theory, believing
humans and their religion was the most important.
35
http://www.foxdelta.com/products
/wireless/galileo/galileo.jpg
Galileo helped to shape modern science
with his many controversial theories.
Galileo was charged with heresy after he continued to
spread his ideas, despite the churches objections.
In Giam, I believe that people like Galileo would
be welcomed. While his theories were controversial,
they also opened up to a whole new age of explora-
tion. People became more curious about the rest of
the world, and universe, instead of just advancing
their own civilization. Ideas that threaten a societys
power should be considered from a scientic stand-
point. If there is evidence that the theory could help
advance Giam, it should be accepted, even if it goes
against prior beliefs. In conclusion, Giam would be
open to Galileo, and people like him, so that their
ideas could help propel Giam to further advance-
ments.
36
Bibliography:
Frey, Wendy. History Alive!: The Ancient World.
Palo Alto, CA: Teachers Curriculum Institute, 2011.
Print.
Frey, Wendy. History Alive!: The Medieval World
and Beyond. Palo Alto, CA: Teachers Curriculum In-
stitute, 2011. Print.
37

Civilization Book 2 PDF

Hochgeladen von

Dokumentinformationen

Originaltitel

Copyright

Verfügbare Formate

Dieses Dokument teilen

Dokument teilen oder einbetten

Freigabeoptionen

Stufen Sie dieses Dokument als nützlich ein?

Sind diese Inhalte unangemessen?

Copyright:

Verfügbare Formate

Civilization Book 2 PDF

Hochgeladen von

Copyright:

Verfügbare Formate

Giam

Das könnte Ihnen auch gefallen