World History Homework Two Answers - Student Two

-- Renee StJ in progress -- 1. What do you think was the main secret to Alexander the Great's enormous success?

He was homeschooled by Aristotle, who was one of the smartest philosophers who ever lived, which made him very good at tactical planning.

2. What about the Greek geography was unique and conducive to the development of democracy? Explain a bit.

Greece was very rough and mountainous, which made people cluster in smaller city-states instead of giant capitals, so places like Athens could more easily have democracy.

3. Explain the big advance in language mentioned in the lecture, which might have been even more significant than the invention of the wheel.

Herodotus and Thucydides created the world's first history. They wrote about the Persian and Peloponnesian Wars and unlike today's history weren't biased but just wanted to record the truth.

4. Pick a significant advance in knowledge by the Greeks and comment on it.

The Greeks created the world's first philosophy, but I'm not sure how valuable it was before Christian scholastics and philosophers explained it in the light of God.

5. Aesop's Fables: pick one you like best and explain why, or comment on all of them as a group.

6. Socrates, Plato and Aristotle: who impresses you most, and why?

Socrates impresses me most because he was willing to die for his beliefs. Lots of philosophers talk about beliefs and freedom, but he was actually willing to die because he believed in the laws that convicted him. He also taught at the Academy, which was a lot like homeschooling of today.

7. Pick an ancient people other than the Greeks and briefly describe them.

Honors Questions (answer any 3 in addition to the above questions)

H1. Do you think Jesus taught in Greek? Explain.

H2. The Persian Wars. What can you say about them?

H3. Greek mathematics, philosophy, drama, literature and architecture. Which do you like best, and why?

H4. "Democracy is not the best for fighting wars!" What aspect of Greek history might you cite to support that statement? Explain.

H5. Write about anything related to the lecture.