History Shorts: Ancient Greece and others (1250-320 B.C.)

The Sea Peoples (1200-1150 BC):
http://cicero390.blogspot.com/2010/11/sea-peoples-and-death-of-civilizations.html

Trojan War (1200 BC):

http://cicero390.blogspot.com/2010/11/history-shorts-trojan-war-1200-bc.html

Rise of Greek City States (800 BC):

http://cicero390.blogspot.com/2010/11/history-shorts-rise-of-greek-city.html

The First Olympics (776 BC):

http://cicero390.blogspot.com/2010/11/history-shorts-first-olympics-776-bc.html

The Draconian Code (621 BC):

http://cicero390.blogspot.com/2010/11/draconian-code-621-bc.html

Solon and Athenian Reform (594 BC):

http://cicero390.blogspot.com/2010/11/history-shorts-solon-and-athenian.html

Confucius (551-479 BC):

http://cicero390.blogspot.com/2010/11/history-shorts-confucius-551-bc-479-bc.html

Cyrus the Great (559 BC):

http://cicero390.blogspot.com/2010/11/history-shorts-cyrus-great-forms.html

Buddha (528 BC):

http://cicero390.blogspot.com/2010/11/history-shorts-buddha-attains.html

Marathon (490 BC):

http://cicero390.blogspot.com/2010/12/history-shorts-battle-of-marathon-490.html

300 Spartans (480 BC):

http://cicero390.blogspot.com/2010/12/history-shorts-300-spartans-at.html

Plataea and the end of the Persian War (479 BC):

http://cicero390.blogspot.com/2010/12/history-shorts-plataea-and-end-of.html

Parthenon (447 BC):

http://cicero390.blogspot.com/2010/12/history-shorts-parthenon-construction.html

The Peloponnesian War (431-404 BC):

http://cicero390.blogspot.com/2011/01/history-shorts-peloponnesian-war-431.html

The Death of Socrates (399 BC):

http://cicero390.blogspot.com/2011/02/history-shorts-death-of-socrates-399-bc.html

The Death of Plato (347 BC):

http://cicero390.blogspot.com/2011/02/history-shorts-death-of-plato-347-bc.html

Philip of Macedon Assassinated (336 BC):

http://cicero390.blogspot.com/search/label/History%20Shorts?max-results=20

Alexander and Gaugamela:

http://cicero390.blogspot.com/2011/02/history-shorts-alexander-great-and.html

Alexander’s Death (323 BC):

http://cicero390.blogspot.com/2011/03/history-shorts-alexander-greats-death.html

Aristotle’s Death (322 BC):

http://cicero390.blogspot.com/2011/03/history-shorts-aristotles-death-322-bc.html

History Shorts: Confucius (551 B.C.-479 B.C.)

Confucius was an ancient Chinese philosopher and political thinker. He emphasized personal and governmental morality and the correct nature of social and familial relationships and justice. Confucian thinking eventually transformed into a movement and surpassed Legalism and Taoism for prominence in Han China.  Confucius remains influential to this day and is one of the world's great philosophical traditions.

A clip on Confucius:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bR6Xdy8MHKg

An example of Confucius in pop culture (from Charlie Chan):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qExKnbsWQro

Turning Points in History: Confucius (551-479 BC)

Confucius is one of history’s great philosophers. His teachings have influenced China, Korea, Taiwan, Vietnam, and Japan. All he wanted was a government job. He never got it and thought his life a failure.

Confucius lived in an unstable time in Chinese history. It was a period of corruption and endless warfare. He wanted to return China to a golden age. So, he pushed for conservative reforms. The Chinese sage emphasized governmental morality, justice, and correct social etiquette.

His rules for behavior were strict. They dealt with personal morality and ethics. He also believed in merit and learning. His thoughts slowly gained strength and were ascendant about 300 years after his death. In the 20th century, the Maoists attempted to eliminate all Confucian thinking from China. They believed it antiquated. They failed and Confucius remains important to China and the Far East to this day.

Important writings include: Analects and The Five Classics.