Report Card Comments for Science

Report cards provide parents and guardians with essential information regarding their childs progress in school. Besides a letter grade, parents are given a brief descriptive comment that elaborates the students strengths or what the student needs to improve upon. Finding the exact words to describe a meaningful comment takes effort. Feedback also may vary by subject. What applies in math does not always apply in science. Its important to state a students strength then follow it with a concern. Below are a few examples of positive phrases to use as well as examples comments that indicate some concerns are evident. Positive Comments In writing comments for elementary student report cards, use the following positive phrases regarding students progress in science. Is a leader during in-class science activities.Understands and executes the scientific process in class.Has an analytic mind for science concepts.Takes pride in his science projects.Did a wonderful job on her __ science project.Strongest work is in science.Is drawn to our science corner in all his or her free time.Continues to turn in top-notch science assignments.Continues to conduct top-notch science experiments.Particularly enjoys hands-on science experiments.Has a naturally investigative nature in science.Is quite proficient in all science concepts and vocabulary.Is able to identify and describe all science vocabulary.Demonstrates an understanding of target science content and makes relevant connections.Demonstrates an enhanced understanding of science content.Meets all learning standards in science.Shows an understanding of systems that are designed to accomplish a task.Uses the appropriate science vocabulary in her oral responses and written work.Demonstrates a clear understand ing of the concepts and skills learned.Makes a great effort in science and is very inquisitive.Is doing a great job in science and always is the first to hand in assignments. Needs Improvement Comments On those occasions when you need to convey less-than-positive information on a students report card regarding science, use the following phrases to assist you. Needs to study for science tests.Needs to learn science vocabulary.Has difficulty memorizing scientific concepts.Many science homework assignments have not been handed in.Reading comprehension often interferes with __s ability to perform well on science tests.Understanding of scientific terms often interferes with __s ability to perform well on science tests.I would like to see __ improve her note-taking skills.I would like to see __ improve his vocabulary skills.Seems to show no interest in our science program.Needs to review science concepts and vocabulary as she is having a great deal of difficulty.Lack of attention in class may account for the difficulty he has with assignments.Needs to improve in science.Needs to develop more self-confidence in science.Does not appropriately use scientific inquiry skills.Demonstrates a week understanding of science content.Does not yet use science vocabulary appropriately.__needs to explore the connections between researched information and real -world applications.__needs to describe his observations more fully and link them clearly to the purpose of the experiment.__needs to use more information from previous learning and research to support his opinions.___needs to use exact measurements when recording scientific observations.___needs to acquire science and technology vocabulary and use it in both oral and written responses.

The Epic Of Gilgamesh Essay - 991 Words

The epic of Gilgamesh is a tale that displays multiple didactic messages throughout the course of the story. These morally oriented instructions that shape the epic’s characters are very much applicable to our current lives. Messages like: the importance of perseverance, that drive that pushes you to excel, the down side of sexual passion when not tempered, and how we need to keep our pride under control, not letting it cloud our judgement. These principled themes, among others, are clearly visible to the eyes of the audience. The epic of Gilgamesh exhibits a beautiful look at what a person with strong perseverance had do. The fact that Gilgamesh after the death of Enkidu, Gilgamesh’s greatest friend, he mourns for a while and then goes on a quest to the edge of the world in an attempt to find the key to immortality, is incredible. Gilgamesh’s journey takes him to Mashu, the twin-peaked mountain where the Sun rises on one side and sets on the other. The mountain that is guarded by two scorpion like creature that had no intentions of permitting Gilgamesh to pass through the tunnel that lead to the other side, but his passion persuaded them to. After traveling for hours in the darkness he emerges and proceeds to meet Siduri, the tavern keeper, who tells him that his desire for immorality is futile, but seeing how determined he was to reach Utnapishtim, the only immortal man. He then advances to Urshanabi, the ferryman, who takes Gilgamesh to Utnapishtim, but not afterShow MoreRelatedThe Epic Of Gilgamesh Essay1721 Words   |  7 PagesMany texts, both ancient and modern, explore the possibilities of living forever. The Epic of Gilgamesh is just one of the stories examining this theory. The Gilgamesh tablets discuss many such issues pertinent to much of today’s population: what is the meaning of life? How will I be remembered? This age old topic is explored through many popular mediums today such as graphic novels and in the film industry. Additionally the immortal question is further studied in some scientific industries, toRead MoreEpic of Gilgamesh Essay1021 Words   |  5 PagesEpic of Gilgamesh . Mesopotamia, current day Iraq, derived its name from words meaning, the land between the rivers, which refers to the Tigris and Euphrates. This land was inhabited during the fourth millennium B.C.E. and throughout time transcended into political and military organizations. The significance of these cultures revolved around important warrior figures and their impact on society. The most important figure that will be discussed is the protagonist from The Epic of GilgameshRead MoreThe Epic Of Gilgamesh Essay998 Words   |  4 PagesThe Epic of Gilgamesh has many important female characters, and from them we can learn how females were viewed in ancient Sumerian society. The women are not typecast with simply one personality and role but instead are shown with many facets. In the Epic of Gilgamesh, women are shown as essential beings who can be either loving and nurturing or incredibly powerful and scary. Ways to combat mortality is a main motive for Gilgamesh and he could do it simply through his children as most men do withRead MoreEssay on Epic of Gilgamesh971 Words   |  4 PagesTitle: Gilgamesh Type: Epic Author: Anonymous Theme: The central idea of Gilgamesh was the greed that he had to receive eternal life. Gilgamesh was a selfish person who was half god and half man and wanted to keep his youth after seeing Enkidu die. Gilgamesh knew his destiny was not to receive eternal life because he was half man. He decided to go against the odds to fight against not having eternal life searching for the secret despite what the Gods told him. Exposition: The storyRead MoreEssay The Epic of Gilgamesh905 Words   |  4 PagesEgypt and Gilgamesh, king of Uruk, were such rulers. They were powerful and cunning individuals, yet they let their own selfish nature ruin the ability to be a great leader. Gilgamesh was said to be the spawn of a god and a human woman. His handsome features, great strength, and cunning intelligence were supposedly the best in the land. Yet, he did not rule his kingdom with justice. He often took advantage of his citizens for his own personal pleasures. The following quote, â€Å"For Gilgamesh, the KingRead MoreThe Epic of Gilgamesh Essay1245 Words   |  5 Pagesfantastical places, lies the narrative of a profound friendship between two men. In The Epic of Gilgamesh, an ancient Mesopotamian literary masterpiece, all of its events are centered around the development of the friendship between Gilgamesh, the tyrannical and stubborn king of Uruk, and the man created by the Gods to both complement and challenge his nature: Enkidu. Each of the three dream sequences in the epic represent different stages of Enkidu’s life – one portends his birth, another foretellsRead MoreThe Epic Of Gilgamesh Essay Essay982 Words   |  4 PagesThe Epic of G ilgamesh is an epic poem from four thousand years ago, from ancient Mesopotamia. It was written on clay tablets, and even if some part of sentences were not able to be recovered, the tale is understable. It is the oldest Epic found, and still one of the most famous too. While the stories are made of different Gods, cows talking, King with perfect strength, giant monsters, it seems hard to find similarities between the Epic and the 21st century. Yet by reading closely the passage fromRead MoreThe Epic of Gilgamesh Essay1139 Words   |  5 Pages nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;In the epic of Gilgamesh, Gilgamesh embarks upon a quest seeking immortality as a means to peace, meaning, and joy in life. He tries to reach it in many different ways, each as unsuccessful as its predecessor. The two main types of immortality are physical and through the actions or achievements of ones life. Gilgamesh tries first through his actions, but then undergoes a transformation which leads him to next attemp t physical immortality. He eventually comes back toRead MoreEpic of Gilgamesh Essay915 Words   |  4 PagesThe Epic of Gilgamesh is one of earliest known pieces of literature. Through years of storytelling and translation, The Epic of Gilgamesh became a timeless classic. This story is believed to have originated from Sumerian poems and legends about the king of Uruk, Gilgamesh. Throughout the epic, many themes arose about women, love, and journeys and the one I would like to discuss is the theme of death. Also, I will discuss if Gilgamesh accepts morality at the end of the story and the development ofRead MoreThe Epic of Gilgamesh Essay1522 Words   |  7 PagesThere are many vices and virtues displayed in the Epic of Gilgamesh. The Epic of Gilgamesh is a tale from ancient Babylon. Its hero, Gilgamesh the king of Uruk, is two-thirds god and one-third man. Throughout the epic, which consists of three stories, the character of Gilgamesh is developed. This is accomplished by changing the vices he possesses at the start of the epic, and replacing them with virtues he receives by its completion. â€Å"A virtue is a quality of righteousness, goodness, or moral

Response Essay to Islam in the Crusades - 1413 Words

Bart Brown Strate HIS 120-02 3 October 2011 The Book of Contemplation / Islam and the Crusades From reading The Book of Contemplation I feel that the Franks are Inferior to the Muslims, in the eyes of Usama Ibn Munqidh. Throughout the literature when Usama refers to the Franks, a â€Å"may God curse them† usually follows. Usama rarely sheds a positive light on the Franks’ beliefs, actions, or practice of medicine. The first instance of Usama referencing the Franks was in the story â€Å"In the service of Nur Al-Din (Munqidh 43).† In the story Usamas family and possessions were being transported from Egypt to come to be with him. For the journey they were granted â€Å"safe passage† from the King of the Franks. Upon arriving to Acre, from†¦show more content†¦Upon arriving they saw â€Å"the entire army of Antioch† rush against the Franks, so they hurried to seize the advantage over them before the battle finished. One of the horsemen with Usama, Mahmud, had fallen and when Usama†™s group turned back to get him another had fallen and put in a choke hold by a Frankish knight, a few more spear thrusts were able to free him (Munqidh 68). In the story â€Å"Jum’a Accused of Cowardice† a few Frankish soldiers came upon a man grazing his animal (Munqidh 71). The Franks captured â€Å"the man and his beast,† afterwards Usama and his Uncle had 20 men ride off to rescue the man, shortly after the men turned back because they carried no spears. Jum’a rode off alone in pursuit and attacked the horsemen, chasing them back to their tents. The lord of Antioch had watched what happened and sent his men to disarm the two soldiers, after which the lord of Antioch had chastised his men saying â€Å" One Muslim horseman chases away two Frankish Knights! You aren’t men – you’re women!† In the story â€Å"The Status of the Knight among the Franks† Usama plainly states a few of his criticizing views of the Franks. T he first sentence of the story says, â€Å"The Franks (may God confound them) have none of the human virtues except for courage† (Munqidh 76). â€Å"They have neither precedence nor high rank except that of the knights – it is they who are the masters of legal reasoning, judgment and sentencing† (Munqidh 76). In the story he relates a story aboutShow MoreRelatedWhich Religion Is More Violent in History: Christianity or Islam?4367 Words   |  18 PagesWhich religion is more violent in history: Christianity or Islam? A Jewish–American author by the name of Isaac Bashevis Singer gave a quote which says; â€Å"Doubt is part of all religion, all religious thinkers were doubters†. Religion has always been very controversial in within society as there were always theories that were not proven as fact, problematic agendas within the various religions. The world most violent problems have everyone from politicians to ordinary citizen to simplisticallyRead MoreUnderstanding of Identity in Samuel P. Huntingtons Clash of Civilization1148 Words   |  5 Pagessphere has imagined a future world witnesses a clash of civilizations.According to his categorizationfrom a cultural perspective however; the world shall be divided into eight civilizations. This essay shall shed a light into the different understandings of theidentity and culture as in relation to Islam and the West having reference to different arguments and visions presented in the following scholarly sources. Samuel P. Huntington in his book â€Å" The Clash of Civilizations†has predicted that theRead MoreSlavery And Colonial Rule During Colonialism1459 Words   |  6 PagesFrench. These include working on plantations and military service. Even though the French and the British were profiting from the labor and oppression of Africans, they soon faced opposition for their use of slavery as a tool for economic gain. In this essay, I will explain these elements of slavery in colonial rule, by detailing information from Martin Klein’s Slavery and Colonial Rule in French West Africa, and Trevor Getz’s Slavery and Reform in West Africa. Klein discusses the status of the slaveRead MoreThe Consequences of Terrorism Essay1580 Words   |  7 Pagesthe background an origin of the term. The western contrived term was first used by used by the American President, George W. Bush, during tenure trigger of the war against terrorism happened. At Camp David George W. Bush in his speech said This crusade – this war on terrorism – is going to take a while, ... and that was the beginning of the frequent use of the term to legitimize and justify the actions taking place that had larger and hidden agendas. Agendas the people are not bothered about,Read MoreDoes the Theory of Evolution Contradict Creation?1326 Words   |  6 Pagesaddressed to those who claim to have faith but mistaken in understanding the theory of evolution . Here is described a number of scientific and logical explanation of the importance that shows why the theory of evolution is not in accordance with Islam and the fact of creation . Basic dogma of Darwinism proposes that life came into existence by itself spontaneously as a result of coincidences . This view is completely contrary to the belief in the existence of Gods natural creation . The biggestRead MoreConflict Between Religion And Conflict3009 Words   |  13 PagesMuch of the discussion about religion in context of conflict and global politics today focuses on the Muslim world. This is not only because of the events of 11 September 2001, even for some time before these events, it has been believed that Islam was problematic because in its belief system, religion and politics could not be separated - meaning that the Muslim world was challenging to west (Mandaville, 2014). With this hypothesis, it is easy to underline simple conclusions about the link betweenRead MoreChristianity as a Unifying Influence in the History of Europe6059 Words   |  25 Pagesthe Dark Ages it was the only unifying force. By the Middle Ages people defined themselves by their religion and in Europe this religion had become Christianity. Through its missionary work, its monasteries, its education, it pilgrimages, its crusades, its influence on art and architecture and its Papacy it had united the peoples of Europe. By the thirteenth century all of Europe was Christian. Its ideas penetrated every aspect of life and every political and economic arrangement. Its churchesRead MoreMuhammad Alis Achievements1905 Words   |  8 Pagesthere are few opportunities in life to prove yourself a man; Muhammad Ali took advantage of every one that came his way, in doing so became loved by not only his countrymen, but also the world, and became immortal in his own time. In this essay I will discuss about if this boxing great really did cause a stir among the people of the world, what factors helped him, his moral and religious beliefs and did he really achieve what he set out to do in the quote above. It allRead MoreDiscuss the Advantages and Disadvantages of Using Focus Groups as a Research Tool5114 Words   |  21 PagesThis essay is going to analyse the use of focus groups as a research method in modern day social sciences. The disadvantages and the advantages will be discussed, and furthermore the use of focus groups as a research method against using other research methods will be evaluated. A case study will also be reviewed in order to describe the use of focus groups; furthermore the case study would be critically discussed in order to reflect on the success or the failure of the study. Using this case studyRead MoreUnderstanding Religious Identity and the Causes of Religious Violence7269 Words   |  30 Pagesthe world order is really in the process of being redefined by major civilizations and religious groups. Amongst the many possibilities of confrontations that Huntington’s thesis examines, foremost are the existing frictions and hostilities between Islam and the West, the latter, to a certain extent, being an allusion to Christian culture and values.2 Huntington maintains that trends in global conflict after the end of the Cold War are increasingly appearing at the civilizational cleavages illustrated

Six Major Tenants of Personality Theory Essay - 2500 Words

Six Major Tenants of Personality Theory Karissa Stuart Liberty University Abstract This paper will review the six major tenants of personality theory. The first discussed are the foundations of psychology, which are: nature versus nurture, the unconscious, and view of self. Each of these foundations are important to the development of a psychologically healthy person. Nature versus nurture is a long time debated concept within psychology that argues whether a person’s behaviors are derived from genetics and what are derived from the things we learn. The unconscious is a part of the mind that humans are unaware of, but it is responsible for dreams, sexual desires, and even aggression. The view of self is important because it†¦show more content†¦In cognitive psychology, the unconscious is responsible for subliminal information processing (Bargh Morsella, 2008). Freud believed that the unconscious was responsible for repressions, which are slips of the tongue, dreams, and certain types of forgetting. He also believed that the only way the unconscious could be proved is indirectly. Adler believed that all humans are guided by plans or goals that they are either dimly aware of or totally unaware of. This is how he viewed the unconscious. He rejected Freud’s view that the unconscious was majorly influenced by repression (Ansbacher 1982). Regardless which view one stands by, the overall conclusion on the unconscious is that it is a part of the mind that one is not fully aware of what occurs there. The bible says in 1 Corinthians 2:16 that we have the mind of Christ. Despite having an unconscious aspect of our mind, we still are supposed to think purely. By filling our thoughts and heart with things that are noble, pure, honorable and right are the things we are to dwell on according to Philippians 4:8. If we fill our hearts and conscious mind with these things, then it will also influence our unconscious. View of Self The last foundation of psychology is the view of self. The view of self or self-concept is a generalized term to describe how one perceives themselves as a whole,Show MoreRelatedThe Theory Of Career Counseling1072 Words   |  5 Pagesstates that John Holland’s theory is the most widely used, respected, and researched theory of career counseling (pg. 148). With research providing a foundation of effectiveness and usefulness, Holland’s theory provides a positive framework for assisting clients achieve career and occupational satisfaction. Holland notes various personality types providing one with insight into their interest, traits, and factors that ultimately lead to career happiness. The six personality types previously identifiedRead MoreMethods For Modifying Behavior And Behavior Modification935 Words   |  4 Pagestackle countless problems within children. 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The theories that will be discussed in the relation to the development of personality are the Big Five trait theory, with emphasis on neuroticism, a phenomenological approach, and finally the learning and cognitive approaches. A synthesis of the approachesRead MoreCRJ 110 Final Exam3676 Words   |  15 Pagesinfluence social policy? 8. Describe the various participants in a criminal event. A) Offenders bring with them certain background features, such as personal life experiences, a peculiar biology (insofar as they are unique organisms), a distinct personality, personal values and beliefs, and various kinds of skills and knowledge (some of which may be useful in the commission of crime). Like the offender, the criminal justice system also contributes to the criminal event, albeit unwillingly, throughRead MoreCritical Review On Moral Reasoning3548 Words   |  15 Pagesreasoning. The main focus of this literature review is to assess the understanding on moral reasoning exhibited by participants in previous research. The chapter is divided into three main sections. It begins with a critical review of the research and theories presented in lieu of ‘moral reasoning’, and then the review focuses on the interrelationship of education, accountants and moral reasoning. The final section of the chapter presents the conceptual framework for the research. 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Aztec Human Sacrifice †a Detached View Free Essays

string(47) " arrival at the exquisite truth of the matter\." In searching for a thesis for this paper, I was faced with a singular problem. With the ghastly subject of human sacrifice, what could possibly be argued and defended? During my reading and research, the stark and horrible reality of a butchered, battered, or burned human being slain in some grisly, weird ceremony for some equally weird gargoyle-like idol nearly caused me to choose another subject. Yet, years ago, when I read Gary Jennings’ novel Aztec, I was fascinated with his description of the Aztec’s sacrifice of prisoners during the dedication of the great pyramid in Tenochitlan: â€Å"The hearts of †¦ perhaps the first two hundred of them, were ceremoniously ladled into the mouths of Tlaloc and Huitzilopochtli until the statues’ hollow insides could hold no more, and the stone lips of the two gods drooled and dribbled blood†¦ Those who have read Jennings’ novel know that the foregoing is but a mild example of some of the graphic barbarism he describes. We will write a custom essay sample on Aztec Human Sacrifice – a Detached View or any similar topic only for you Order Now During my first reading of that novel, I would have never believed that I could come to the conclusion of my thesis. My thesis is this: There appears to be an intolerable paradox between the barbarous religious practices and the rather high state of civilization in the Central Valley of Mexico. This paradox undoubtedly led the early Spanish missionaries to regard the conquered Indians as devil worshipers. However, I believe that it is possible to regard the Aztecs as civilized people who also happened to perform human sacrifice. They performed human sacrifice in reaction to their view of the world and how they cope within it. Maintaining those two opposing viewpoints requires an understanding and a detached view which may have more to do with the study of history than the study of human sacrifice. The Aztecs, of course, had no monopoly on the practice of human sacrifice. Earlier cultures (the Maya, the Toltecs and others) provided the cultural base for human sacrifice upon which the Aztecs took to new heights. According to Encyclopedia Britannica, excavations in Egypt and elsewhere in the ancient Middle East have revealed that â€Å"numerous servants were at times interred with the rest of the funerary equipment of a member of the royal family in order to provide that person with a retinue in the next life. The burning of children seems to have occurred in Assyrian and Canaanite religions and at various times among the Israelites. Rites among the ancient Greeks and Romans that involved the killing of animals may have originally involved human victims. † The Aztecs, as previously stated, took the practice to new heights. In 1487 (five years before Columbus arrived to the East and two years after Henry VII began the Tudor dynasty in England) the greatest orgy of bloodletting of human sacrifice occurred during the fierce rule of Ahuizotl. I have already quoted Gary Jennings’ description of the carnage, and I will quote one more passage to illustrate how the Aztecs in a ceremony lasting four days sacrificed at least 20,000 prisoners to their insatiable god Huitzilopochtli: â€Å"The prisoners endlessly ascended the right side of the pyramid’s staircase, while the gashed bodies of their predecessors tumbled and rolled down the left side, kicked along by junior priests stationed at intervals, and while the gutter between the stairs carried a continuous stream of blood which puddled out among the feet of the crowd in the plaza†¦ Although Jennings’ Aztec is, admittedly, a work of fiction, I have seen his descriptions corroborated elsewhere; for example, G. C. Vaillant’s The Aztecs of Mexico describes the scene: â€Å"†¦ At the start of the dedication, the captives stood in two rows, and (they) began the grisly work of tearing out the victim’s hearts†¦ † Returning to my thesis, how could the practice of human sacrifice be looked upon as anything less than barbaric, even to the point where Aztecs could be regarded as uncivilized? The answer, in my opinion, arises from their view of their creation, their position in the world, their relative importance therein, and how they were only holding on by a thread. If the Judeo-Christian God took only six days to create the heavens and earth (and rested on the seventh day), the Meso-American deity took awhile longer to get it right. The Aztecs believed that the sun and earth had been destroyed in a cataclysm and were regenerated four times. They believed that they were living in the fifth, and final, stage of creation, and (according to Meyer and Sherman’s The Course of Mexican History) â€Å"that in their age of their fifth sun, final destruction was imminent. † Meyer and Sherman also point out another interesting (and revealing) aspect of how the Aztecs regarded themselves in the cycle of their cosmology. The accepted view of â€Å"a natural cycle† was that humans occupied a rather lowly position in the food chain of the gods. The cycle held that since the sun and rain nourished plant life and sustained man, man should give sustenance to the sun and rain gods. One might infer from the foregoing view that the Aztecs placed a low value on human life. To add to the paradox of sacrifice versus civilization, the evidence is that the Aztecs regarded the individual human as â€Å"a most significant locus of the meditation of the human and divine. † In Aztecs – An Interpretation by Inga Clendenin, the author focuses in on the actual meaning of the word â€Å"sacrifice. In her analysis of the Nahuatl linguistic iterations covering the separate meanings of death and sacrifice, she (gradually) comes to the conclusion that Aztecs regarded sacrifice as a payment of the debt incurred and only fully extinguished by death, â€Å"†¦ when the earth lords would feed upon the bodies of men, as men had perforce fed upon them. † What I liked most about Inga Clenninden’s writings on the Aztec wa s her mixture of sometimes excruciating detailed scholarship (I had to have a dictionary handy at all times) along with her eventual arrival at the exquisite truth of the matter. You read "Aztec Human Sacrifice – a Detached View" in category "Papers" Concerning debt of humans to the gods she states the truth of the matter in two exquisitely perspicacious sentences: â€Å".. (T)he Mexica knew that all humans, unequal as they might be in human arrangements, participated in the same desperate plight: an involuntary debt to the earthly deities, contracted through the ingestion of the fruits of the earth†¦ It is that divine hunger which appears to underlay the gross feedings of undifferentiated mass killings. While everyone in Aztec society had the same debt, Aztec religion and its black-robed, blood-caked priests served to pay everyone’s daily dues for continuation in humanity’s last Tonatiuh yet a while longer. Through obeisance and observance of the needs of the pantheon of gods and with the complicity of the Aztec society at large (and often even with the active cooperation of the victims), the priests performed their killings, according to Clendinnen, openly and everywhere: â€Å"†¦ not only in the main temple precinct, but in the neighborhood temples and on the streets. The Aztecs believed that without human sacrifice and the offering of the most precious and sacred thing the human possessed (blood), the sun might not rise to make its way across the sky. This rather strange and naive belief was supported by a mythology in which Huitzilopochitli, their fierce bloodthirsty god played a central part. But first, an explanation of the Aztecs’ beliefs regarding the creation of their current age does shed some light on the role of sacrifice and Huitzilopochitli’s cult, which later ran rampant and reached its zenith in the sacrifice of 20,000 at the dedication of the temple in 1487. A succinct description of Meso-American mythology appears in The Daily Life of the Aztecs by Jacques Soustelle. The ancient Mexicans believed that the two parent gods lived at the summit of the world. Their â€Å"unending fruitfulness† produced all the gods, and from it all mankind was born. The sun was born when â€Å"the gods gathered in the twilight at Teotihuacan and a little leprous god â€Å"covered with boils,† threw himself into a huge brazier as a sacrifice and â€Å"rose from the blazing coals changed into a sun†¦ † This sun was motionless and it needed blood to move. So the gods â€Å"immolated themselves, and the sun, drawing life from their death began its course across the sky. † To keep the sun moving on its course, â€Å"so that the darkness should not overwhelm the world forever, it was necessary to feed it every day with its food, ‘the precious water’†¦ human blood. † Every time a priest fed the gods at the top of a pyramid, or in the local temple, the disaster that always threatened to fall upon the world was postponed once more. About the time of the Crusades in Europe, the Aztecs migrated from the west into the Valley of Mexico. They brought with them their strange hummingbird god Huitzilopochitli, who, according to Victor W. Vonhagen in his The Aztec Man and Tribe gave the Aztecs some rather sound advice: â€Å"†¦ wander, look for lands, avoid any large-scale fighting, send pioneers ahead, have them plant maize, when the harvest is ready, move up to it; keep me,†¦ always with you, carrying me like a banner, feed me on human hearts torn from the recently sacrificed. † †¦ all of which the Aztecs did. The mythology surrounding Huitzilopochitli’s origins was also revealing. The Aztecs believed themselves to be the â€Å"people of the sun. † This god’s fierce preeminence is surpassed only by the Aztec view of his mother Coatlicue. Victor Von Hagen describes the Aztec sculpture of this powerful and awesome goddess: â€Å"†¦ her head of twin serpents, her necklace of human hands and hearts, her arms claw-handed, and her skirt a mass of writhing serpents†¦ † The Aztecs believed that Huitzilopochitli sprang alive and fierce from his mother to vanquish his brothers, the stars, and his sister, the moon who had conspired to kill his mother. Coatlique, an earth goddess, conceived him after having kept in her bosom a ball of hummingbird feathers (i. e. , the soul of a warrior) that fell from the sky. His brothers, the stars of the southern sky, and his sister, a moon goddess, decided to kill him, but he exterminated them with his weapon, the turquoise snake. The Aztecs followed the hummingbird’s twittering and became the dominant culture of a civilization that by the time Cortes and his group of scruffy adventurers landed in 1517 numbered in the millions. It is difficult to imagine an ancient, complex civilization like the Aztecs with a daily life that centered around the grisly practice of human sacrifice. The average Aztec only had to look at the stone idol of household god to be reminded of what nourished that particular deity. Deities other than Huitzilopochitli had their own feast days in the Aztec calendar and, accordingly, demanded their own sustenance. Slave children were drowned as an offering to the rain god Tlaloc. The fire god’s victims were given hashish and thrown into the blaze. Those who represented the god Xipe Totec were fastened to a frame, shot with arrows, and then had their corpse flayed (the priests dressed themselves in the skin representing the â€Å"new skin† of spring). Here we have the phenomenon of how the person being sacrificed was symbolically transfigured into the image of the god and his own temple. In most cases the victim was dressed up so as to represent the god who was being worshiped. Just as the gods of old had accepted death, the person reenacted and became that sacrifice. Moreover, according to Jaques Soustelle in The Daily Life of the Aztecs, â€Å"when ritual cannibalism was practiced on certain occasions, it was the god’s own flesh that the faithful ate in their bloody communion. † As the Aztec cycle continued and a shortage of â€Å"god food† occurred, the Aztec â€Å"Flowery Wars† replenished that supply. Militarism, elevated to a virtue, became ever intertwined with Aztec society. In fact, a warrior’s status was determined by the number of captives he delivered to the sacrificial altar. Whether as a battlefield casualty or ending up as a captive on the altar of an enemy tribe, this â€Å"flowery death† was desirable and noble, and a place in the clouds was reserved for that warrior. Returning one last time to Gary Jennings’ graphic description of the prisoner sacrifice on that day in 1487, when long lines of captives shuffled along the avenues toward Tenochitlan up the pyramid staircase towards the twin temples of Tlaloc and Huitzilopochitli: â€Å"†¦ any prisoners, however complacently they came to their fate, involuntarily emptied their bladders or bowels at the moment lying down under the knife. The priests – who†¦ had been clad in their usual vulturine black of robes, lank hair, and unwashed skin – had become moving clots of red and brown, or coagulated blood, dried mucus, and a plaster of excrement†¦ † It is indeed difficult to read of such gore and barbarism without relegating the Aztecs to the level normally r eserved for far less developed and organized societies. Although the Aztec period is considered by historians as not having reached the heights of civilizations of the classic period, it is clear that the Aztecs and the cultures of the Central Valley were sophisticated and well organized. There may have been as many as 30 million inhabitants of that area (although some scholars believe that count is somewhat exaggerated), and the breathtaking sight of Tenochtitlan must have impressed Cortes beyond words. The question remains: Does existence and abhorrent (to us) practice of human sacrifice disqualify the Aztecs from full membership in the â€Å"club† of civilizations? Apparently, the Spanish felt that the answer to the question was an unequivocal yes. The horror and disgust that newcomers must have felt may have helped the Spanish convince themselves that the native religion was another form of devil worship and provided subsequent justification for destroying their culture. Jaques Soustelle gets to the heart of the matter in The Daily Life of the Aztecs. He says that the Aztec practice of human sacrifice was a great factor in making the two religions which confronted one another totally irreconcilable. In the early battles, some conquistadores ended up as captives and sacrificial victims of the Aztecs themselves, and this practice lent a particularly remorseless attitude on each side of the struggle between the Aztecs and the Spanish invaders. If we can understand the motives and the religious and cultural perspective of the Spanish, who massacred, burnt, mutilated and tortured their conquered natives, it is likely that the definition of cruelty differs from culture to culture. It follows, therefore, that it is possible to use the same perspective towards human sacrifice on the part of the Aztecs. Works cited: Jennings, Gary, 1980, Aztec Von Hagen, Victor W. , 1958, The Aztec, Man and Tribe Vaillant, G. C. , 1944, The Aztecs of Mexico Clendinnen, Inga, 1991, Aztecs An Interpretation Meyer, Michael C. , and Sherman, William L. , 1995, The Course of Mexican History Pre-Columbian Civilizations: MESO-AMERICAN CIVILIZATION: Postclassic Period (900-1519): AZTEC CULTURE TO THE TIME OF THE SPANISH CONQUEST: Aztec religion. Britannica Online HUMAN SACRIFICE: Britannica Online XIPE TOTEC – Britannica Online â€Å"Tlaloc† Britannica Online. How to cite Aztec Human Sacrifice – a Detached View, Papers

Indus Valley Civilization free essay sample

The Indus valley civilization was the largest of four ancient urban civilizations Mesopotamia, Egypt, South Asia, and China. It was discovered in the 1990s but most of its ruins remain to be excavated. The Indus civilization was huge; it covered from Mumbai (in Marashta, India) in south up to Himalayas and northern Afghanistan in north. The far west of the Indus civilization is as far west as Arabian Sea coast (in Baluchistan, Pakistan) next to the Iranian border. The east of that large civilization ends a thousand miles to the east in India, beyond Indias capital (New Delhi in Uttar Pradesh state). World History witnessed wars, struggles, succession wars, revolts, since its beginning. Indus valley civilization was the only civilization where there was no war, no struggles, no revolts. The Indus valley people made deals not war, and created a stable peaceful and developed culture. This civilization has significance for not only historians and archaeologists but for the common man also. We will write a custom essay sample on Indus Valley Civilization or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page It was best known for its spectacular city planning and had surpassed all other contemporary civilizations. The Indus civilization knew the measuring tools of length, mass, and time. They were the first people to develop a system of uniform weights and measures. Their measurements were very precise. They also were good agriculturalists, and their economy was depending on gardening. The Indus people had a wide variety if domesticated animals like camels, cats, dogs, goats, sheep, and buffalos. In Indus valley civilization, the society was divided into three districts social groups. One group ruled and administered the city. The other group included the people who were associated with trade and businesses activities in the city. The third group was the labors who worked in the city. They also included the farmers who cultivated wheat and barley as their main crops. Animals like buffaloes, sheep, and pigs were bred. Fish, mutton, beef, poultry, and pork consisted the food they ate. Men also seemed to have worn ornaments like fillets, necklaces, finger rings, and armlets. Women were fond of ornaments like earrings, bangles, bracelets, necklaces, girdles and ankles made of shell beads, gold, sliver, and copper. The peaceful life of the Indus valley people bred a sense of complacency. Hence, when the Aryan invaders poured in from the Northwest, they encountered little or no resistance. City after city fell, and the pathetic remains of the people were either assimilated into the conquerors way of life, or fled further south. In fact, the fall of Mohenjo-daro, almost 3,500 years ago, typified this decay. In terms of achievements in town planning and civil administration, this was a great setback, as more than a thousand years were to pass before anything of this magnitude was accomplished in India again.