6/2:

Today we took a test. It was short and a little easy. I don't think I got a 100% but I do think I got a high A. Our classes got cut short today. So I guess that is why our test was short. It was about the end of the Roman Empire. I know one question I got wrong but I got the extra credit right. Maybe I did get a 100% but I won't know until tomorrow or Monday. I got an 85% not what I expected. All I care about is if it drops my grade or not.

6/1:

Today we talked about our test. It is going to be short. Tomorrow is going to be short anyways because we have an assembly. Then we talked about grades and how to add them up. Our exam is next Wed. We then checked our quiz. Here are the answers:

1. By barbarians on land and pirates on sea
2. inflation 
3. Worked for lower pay than Roman soldiers
4. False; During the third century, the only groups actively interested in political office were armies. 
5. True
6. False; The eastern half of the empire included most of the major cities and centers of trade. 
7. Constantine
8. Huns

That is all we had time for because one person left and one person came late and we had to repeat the answers. We went into further detail with a lot of answers too. The test is basically on the handout we got.  

5/27:

Today we continued to highlight on the paper. We have a test Wednesday. After we finished that Mr. Schick handed out a review sheet. It was for homework but I finished it in class. We don't have school Monday and we don't have class Tuesday. I think it will be a little bit hard. I  need an A to raise my grade. We have 5 classes left.

5/26:

It is very humid and hot out today. Today we went over the handout. We only got halfway through. We highlighted the important points. Here are those important points:

• In A.D. 476, a barbarian king took over the rule of Rome
• The process of decline took place in three stages
• Trade was disrupted by barbarian raids and by bands of pirates on Mediterranean sea lanes
• Rome's small industries produced only wine, cheese, and glass
• Overworked soil lost much of it's fertility
• Tribes of northern barbarians called Goths repeatedly overran the legions guarding the Danube frontier
• Roman soldiers fought only for money
• Raised cash rewards to attract recruits
• Recruited barbarians
• Collected a certain amount of tax, if that limit wasn't collected the collector would have to pay it

That is a review of what we did. 

5/25:

Today we went over our Roman test. I got an 83% on it. Not as good as I thought I did but at least it is not a failing grade. That took up most of the class time. He handed out another reading paper. That is for homework to night. We have to read answer 5 questions and define 10 words. Here are the Q's & A's, and vocab words:
Vocab:

1. Inflation- when there is a huge increase in prices
2. Diocletian- one of the greatest emperors; a strong-willed army leader & son of a slave, emperor of the eastern side
3. Constantine- one of the greatest emperors; First emperor of the western side
4. Eastern empire- ruled by Diocletian; rich
5. Western empire- ruled by Constantine; made of farms
6. Edict of Milan- freedom to follow the religion you want 
7. Constantinople- the new capital named after Constantine
8. Huns- a nomadic people from central Asia 
9. Attila- Hun leader; short man with a flat nose and thin, graying beard 
10. Leo I- first truly powerful pope of Rome

Questions:

1. What economic problems did the empire face in the third century?
2. By the third century, how had Rome's army changed since the days of the republic?
3. (a) What important religious change did Constantine bring about in the empire? (b) What political change did he bring about?
4. (a) Why did Germanic tribes invade the empire in the 400's? (b) Why was the empire unable to drive the invaders out?
5. (a) List three reasons why Diocletian should be considered a successful emperor. (b) List three reasons why he might be considered a failure. 

Answers:

1. Local officials usually lost money b/c they were required to bay for costly circuses and baths. Less and less money came in as taxes. The only groups actively interested in politics were the armies. 
2. Soldiers fought strictly for money, not for patriotism. To attract recruits into the army, the government promised ever higher cash awards. Emperors began to recruit barbarians. The loyalty of barbarian troops to the empire could hardly be trusted.
3. (a) freedom to follow the religion you want. (b) end of persecution of Christians
4. (a) ? (b) Because they were already weak. 
5. (a) stopped the decline of the empire, made the borders safe again, and made the emperor considered an exalted person again. (b) wages for the troops added to the already crushing load of taxes, price controls failed, Christianity continued its rapid growth

5/23:

Today in class we peer reviewed out papers. I barely got any corrections which I guess is a good thing. Tonight and tomorrow we have to fix our paper and print out our final copy. I think I will get a good grade but I won't no till later. Today was a fun class though. I peer reviewed Sarah and Caitlin's papers. It was a short class kind of so our then that we didn't do anything.

5/20:

Mr. Schick was absent today, so we had a sub. Our sub was Mr. A. We worked on our essays. I got half way done. I find it kind of confusing. Not that much only the Republic part. I don't know the parts in the Republic. If there is any. Or if there's parts in the emperor. I think a lot of people were almost done. I think we used the time wisely. The essay is on the difference between the Roman empire and republic. We have to turn in our rough draft on Monday.