World History Homework Five- Model

1. List the "Five Pillars of Islam."

2. How is Islam different from Christianity?

The major difference between Islam and Christianity is that Islam combines governmental and military ideas with religious ones. Christianity instructs its followers to be good citizens and follow their own governments for the most part (Jesus said "Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s," and the Bible and Christian tradition uphold good citizenship), while Islam, at least for much of its past, has militarily conquered land and set up its own government. Islam adopted some of the violence that seems typical in the Middle East, and contains elements of theocracy, making it both a religion and an ideology. Shariah is considered the only fully approved form of government in Shia Islam. (Addison)

3. Charles the Hammer, Pepin the Short, and Charlemagne: which one is your favorite, and why?

4. Describe what you like about feudalism in Western Europe.

5. Explain the difference between the Sunnis and the Shiites, and give examples of one country controlled by each.

6. Current events: Comment on the table of Islamic populations by country. Do you notice anything interesting about it?

7. Briefly describe four major civilizations or tribes in South America, as discussed in the lecture.

H1. Do you think King Arthur, or anything told about him, is based in fact?

H2. Current events: Is democracy possible in Iraq, as the United States has been trying to accomplish for six years?

I absolutely believe that democracy is possible in Iraq. True, we have not fully succeeded in six years, and true, the Middle East is a traditionally violent place, but six years of partial failure does not mean we can never succeed. When there were elections in Iraq, common people were excited to come out and vote. I remember seeing a photo of a woman in a burqua smiling and giving the peace sign. ... I think that the common people as a whole really want freedom, and that if the theocracies and dictatorships were removed, there could be peaceful democracy. ... [I]t is almost impossible to destroy the desire for freedom that exists in man. (Addison)

H3. What is your view of "chivalry"?

H4. Do you think Islam will overtake Christianity in the number of believers? Explain your view.

H5. Why do you think feudalism developed independently in Western Europe and Japan at around the same time in history?

H5. Revisit the issue of Muhammad Ali being allowed to avoid the United States draft based on converting to Islam. Islam allows fighting only in "Holy Wars," and Ali said that the Vietnam War was not a "Holy War" and thus it was against his conscience to fight in it.

H6. Do you think the term "faith" properly applies to any religion other than Christianity?

H7. Comment on the history of feudalism in Japan.