Western Civilization Reading Response #12

Blog 11

The main theme of the reading is that the German people need to be united to create German nationality. Unifying Germany after World war one when they lost, they need to come back and show the world that they are a force to be reckoned with. Also the balance of power has been thrown off and Hitler really wants a piece of that power.

It seems to me that Hitler is demonstrating the 5 elements of effective communication. This is really important without people taking action after listening to Hitler’s speech I don’t believe his plan for unification would have worked. Listening and being engaged are key to the 5 elements because without them one would not be able to understand in order to take action.

Hitler’s’ Speech sounded a lot like something that a cult leader would profess to their followers in order to get them hooked on their ideals. I thought that was interesting be because If you think about it the German nation at that time during world war two really was like a cult. The Nazis were a very huge effective cult for what they were told to do. If you were not a part of the cult you were pretty much killed or you lied about being part of the cult, in order to keep your life. I think that being in Germany was a very scary time for anyone not in the “ Nazi Cult” because you had nothing to support your family with. It was even scary for those in the “Nazi Cult” because if they did not follow Hitler’s orders you would be killed for treason. 

Western Civilization Reading Response #11

 The theme of this reading is to show what the first manufacturing city of the world was like and how people lived then. I think this is an interesting lifestyle for an entire population of people to follow.  I thought it was interesting because people of today have such high standards now as compared with back then. Anyone who lives like this today is considered a slob or even a homeless person because they live in such filth that there is no wonder why there was so much disease back then. I feel like people are caught up in work and not paying attention to their health they just want to live for the moment and not for the future. The TV Show Hoarders is similar to how people lived back in the first manufacturing city. They don’t throw anything out and they live in absolute filth. Unlike people back then there is help for them and living in filth is not normal.

-A.Webb  

Western Civilization Reading Response #10

The overall theme of the reading is that child labor is a bad thing but was very common in the 18 Hundreds. Many children were forced to work ridiculous hours and with minimum pay, they were also forced to work under unsafe conditions and a lot of them were killed because of this. I feel like it was their parents fault for making the kids work at such young ages, but then again maybe they really needed the money.

I thought it was interesting that all of the people who worked in the coal mine in the first article worked in the nude. I was also concerned that these people could have contracted asbestos because they did not have any protective gear in case of an explosion.  I was amazed at the age at which a child would start working in a factory from the second article. I am glad that the standard for everything has changed over the years.

This reading made me think about sex trafficking, I have been hearing a lot about it lately and I think that they have a relationship. Basically children are being forced to work beyond their will and have no chance of getting out of the vicious cycle. The only way they have out of this is by death. It sounds extreme but it is reality. This also made me think of sweat shops that are in foreign countries. These places don’t have child labor laws like the America, and children are forced to work under unreasonable conditions for little pay.

-Amanda Webb 

Western Civilization Reading Response #9

The main theme of the reading is weather coffee houses were a waste of time or a good place for social engagements like political topics. Also weather coffee was actually good for you because it is a stimulant, and how controversial Coffee houses were due to that factor from the mid 16^th hundreds to the mid 18^th hundreds.

Something that stood out to me is that how people strongly opposed coffee houses in that century and without the occurrence of those coffee houses then we would most likely not have the coffee houses we have today like Adams brothers or Joes java or Starbucks, in which people go to enjoy the company of their friends and Coffee which makes the world go round if you are a college student.

I thought it was very interesting that something as simple as a coffee house could bring about so much controversy. However things like this happen today there is so much controversy over Mc Donald’s and how their food is really bad for you. A lot of people try to raise awareness to this factor and yet nobody chooses to listen or they don’t care. The movie Supersize created lots of controversy just like how political radicalism in coffee houses created lots of controversy as well. 

-Amanda Webb 

Western Civilization Reading Response #8

            James I on the Divine Right of Kings (1609)

1)     The overall theme of this reading is Divine Right and how kings were actually thought to be Gods themselves, for they asserted the same authority as God does to a certain extent. Also how God himself calls them Gods, and how the state of the monarchy is the most powerful thing on this very earth. These Kings are the fathers of their political families.

I really would like to know how and why the whole monarchy system got started because who really know if they are of royal blood and how does one become of royal blood?  It deeply interests me how the first people who started the monarchy system became Kings and Queens. Also it is interesting that one of the three grievances that one must avoid is challenging the “ancient rights” of their predecessors; is it because they had something to hide or some other interesting story.

 One could compare this to the differences of social class that we have in American and how kids in grade school and middle school get picked on often by other kids for being of a different social class. If one attempts to challenge the higher authority they get beat up, because they tried to disrupt the system for the better. It always made me wonder why this sort of thing happens if everyone is equal is our democratic society today. 

-A.Webb 

Western Civilization Reading Response #7

1)    1)  I think that it is weird how King Henry VIII could do all this stuff like divorced and remarried and break the normal church rules whenever he wanted. I understand that he was the one controlling just about every aspect of his church, however I think that there should have been a higher power over him. Like more of a democratic system to prevent this kind of stuff happening. Which I think why allot of monarchy’s faded away, however allot of them still remain in place just with modified systems.

2)      2) I really wonder what the United States even the world would be like today if there were things like this going on. I feel like life as we know it would be different and church would be more of a weird place that one was forced to go to because your king made you go. I like the separation of church and state because it’s a good effort for the government to keep its nose out of church business and keep them from controlling the church.

Anne Boleyn’s speech reminded me of Monty Python and the holy Grail, when the lady was accused of being a witch and the only way to “prove her innocence” was to see if she was made of wood or duck. I thought it was very interesting that Anne did not want to pass the blame on to anyone else, even though it’s not her fault. Also I thought it was interesting that she did not try to prove that she was innocent. I would like to think that she almost wanted to die because then she would be in heaven where she would be safe.

Western Civilization Reading Response #4

1)      The theme of the reading is the unfair treatment of people who did almost nothing to a person who is superior to them. In which that person or persons received a punishment and showed no real justice to anyone. They only made the problem or problems more complex and confusing.

2)      In the first reading I thought it was very interesting that the priest defended these two slaves who had defied their master, and the law. I find it very refreshing that this priest would stand up for these people even after they had broken the law. It truly shows that people in this time truly do have high regard for moral law. I also think it’s interesting how the priest just let the slave diver have the salves back, in all reality knowing that they would be killed. Again there is probably nothing that the priest could have actually done to help the runaway slaves.

For some reason this reminded me of “The Hunch back of Notre dame” because there is an authority figure and they decide to persecute and point out the one person who is so different that everyone else. The authority figure and the town dwell on their differences and don’t even bother to look past the fact that this person is actually someone worth getting to know. Because your differences make you unique and no one should have to be put through something like this just because they are just that different.

-Amanda Webb 

Western Civilization Reading Response #2

1. The basic theme of the reading is making one stronger by taking away the luxury's that make life comfortable and in the eyes of a Spartan make you weak. The Spartans really wanted their men to be rough and tough and be able to withstand any force of nature.


2. I thought it was interesting, because of the extreme regulations that were laid out by Lycurgos that all boys in Sparta had to follow. These boys were trained to tackle any think that came their way, like famine or frost through the training they received from Lyucrogs.Also the fact that cowardice was not at all tolerated by the Spartans. It really shows that Sparta was truly a militaristic state. 


3. I really see where and how we can credit allot of things to the Greeks, like how they shaped our modern day military maybe not in the weapon department but in the training and making soldiers strong and courageous. It also seamed like a real boot camp and it would really reform a young immature boy into a very mature man. 


4. Again I would like to compare the Spartans with the modern day military and or boot camp because the Spartans were the foundation of the military. Also the Spartans and the military help to reshape the broken or messed up teenagers. I think that they are quite similar with the exception the Spartans taking away simple things like shoes and clothes. They both show you how to live a structured life, and how to take care of your self in difficult situations. The Spartans also remind me of modern boy scouts and how they are taut to survive  and always be prepared for the hard times. 
-Amanda Webb 

Western Civilization Reading Response #1

1) The theme of the Reading is that orphans are not always going to be left behind in the dust and are given second chances to become something greater than them selves. It also shows that even if you come from nothing and have no royal blood in the family one has the ability to rise above the rest.

2)Many things stood out to me epically when someone  would willingly take care and raise a child as their own son, it makes me think that people were particularity generous and kind people. Also why would a goddess fall in love with someone who is a lowly subject. Although crazier things have happened.

3) It makes me wonder how theses God's come into power, and why people worship them.  Also who gave them these special powers, to help other people. It Almost reminds me of a Disney movie,where someone of higher social status falls in love with someone of lower social status and it does not seam to work out in the beginning but ends up working its self in the end.

4) I would compare this to Harry potter because he was a an orphan and he was able to rise above everyone else and become something bigger and better than his life as an orphan.   It relates to the legend of Sargon because they were both orphans and they both grew up to have better lives and are famous because what they have achieved, and how they have achieved. They both started out with little to nothing and soon found their place in the world and were able to expand their horizons and realize their dreams.