Saturday, April 20, 2013

Very important Vikings

Vikings were a Scandinavian people who thrived in the Middle Age and were famous for their quick attacks all over Europe's coast in longboats which held up to three hundred men.  They fought counties such as Ireland and France.  Erick the Red was an explorer who discovered Greenland and Iceland in 968 and founded settlements.  He named the land he discovered "Iceland" even though it was beautiful there because he wanted people to not venture there.  Ironically, Greenland was actually an icy land, even though people went there expecting it to be green and lush.  Leif Erickson, son of Erick the Red, reached North American around 1000 AD.  Viking literature included writings such as Eddas meaning long poems, and Sagas meaning long tales.  Vikings spoke Danish, Netherlandic, Swedish and Icelandic among other languages.  The Viking era was barbaric and violent, but after they turned Christian they became more civilized.

Plant Perspective: Day 9: Peas

Yesterday, I remember peaking from the soil and Alicia being so excited.  Today, all the other peas sprouted and I couldn't wait to see Alicia's reaction.  The look on her face was more excited than when she saw Angel for the first time.  Okay, maybe not THAT excited. -Taylor

Crowded Much? Plant perspective: Day 15

Today everyone has sprouted and I am making it official.  I feel like we aren't a big family because we are divided by an imaginary barrier's in the pot.  Half of us are spinach and the other half of us are peas.  I like to call them "high maintenance" because eventually the peas are going to need a little support.  I guess being a spinach has benefits like not being forced in the vine family.  The good thing is, I like being me. I am unique like any other veggie, although people aren't to fond of my taste...  That's another benefit, I will never go extinct!  I never wanted to die anyways.
-Mikie

Day 3: Plant Perspective: Spinach

I am so self conscious of my seed size.  I am so microscopic compared to the pea's... - Jamie

Sunday, April 7, 2013

Day 3: Plant Perspective: Peas

Today I was dying of thirst and right when I began to lose faith in the girl she appeared and gave us a generous drink of lukewarm water from the closet.  I love her so much, because I feel she is so perfect.  Today nothing much happened, because it's a Sunday and everyone is taking this day to relax, well everyone except the girl.  I overheard her name was Alicia and I think that is a beautiful name.  Alicia and the peas.

Day 2: Plant Perspective: Peas

4/06/13 Someone grabs us from the table and we go to the balcony.  I can smell the dirt the person is shoveling into the pot.  My heart begins to beat faster and faster.  Then I hear the scissors opening up the packet and then I see her: A young girl with brown hair smiling at us.  She pours us one by one into five special dirt valleys.  I am #3 and I didn't see who else was chosen to grow.  The rest of my family gets stored in a closet on the balcony and I am comforted in knowing they are nearby.  Before the girl leaves she gives us a fabulous drink of clean cold water.  The girl comes back about three more times to water us and she acts very gentle and kind.  I close my eyes and sleep for the night, because today was good.

Day 1: Plant Perspective: Peas

04/5/13
The paper walls almost touch each other and we are all crammed at the bottom.  It's so dark and we want to be planted.  Someone picked our pouch from the rack of packets at Home Depot and I am so grateful.  The drive to our new pot made me a bit homesick and when we got to the unfamiliar location we got placed on a table for the night to rest.

Mr. Charlemagne

During Carolingian Dynasty, that lasted from 751AD- 987AD, the throne was passed on from father to son.  Pepin the Short had three sons and Charlemagne was the one to receive the crown.

Charlemagne was Pepin the Shorts son and he had 2 major goals when he was king.  He wanted to bring all of western Germany under his control and make all the Germanic people Christians.  Which would eliminate the religious tolerance from before.  To achieve his two goals he defeated unruly mobs in Italy and he attacked the Saxons who lived in what today is northern Germany.  Charlemagne was busy attacking and even went agains the Muslims in Spain.  By 800 Charlemagne had created a large empire that included most of the Germanic territories.

Several achievements were acquired by Charlemagne.  In 800 he was crowned by the Pope the title of, "Roman Emperor."  This was important because the pope claimed the political right to crown the king. During his rule, Charlemagne limited authority of nobles, established royal agents to watch over counts, he opened a palace school and had monasteries to train future monks and priests.

After Charlemagne he crowned his son, Louis the Pious emperor.  He wasn't an effective emperor, so his three sons: Lothair, Louis the German, Charles the Bald fought for power.  Finally, the Treaty of Verdun was created and it divided the empire into 3 kingdoms and this lead to a weakened central authority and a new governing system called Feudalism.

Monday, April 1, 2013

Frank Empire Notes!!


The Middle Ages began in 500AD and lasted until 1000AD and they were based on classical Roman Heritage, Roman Catholic Church and Customs of Germanic Tribes.  Germanic tribes include the Visigoths, Ostrogoths, Vandals, Angels, Saxons, Magyar, Franks and Britons.  These tribes lived in current day Spain, Africa, Italy, Saudi Arabia, Ireland, Scotland and Great Britain.  The Franks, in particular, settled in current day France.

The Franks were from Gaul, also known as current day France and Switzerland.  In 511AD Clovis became the first King of the Franks who united all of Franks into one kingdom.  After praying for a victory in battle he converted to Christianity because he won.  After Clovis, someone else had to rule over the Franks.

The Kings divided land among their heirs, each generation had more rulers and therefore less land.  In 700 the position, Mayors of the Palace, became the most powerful in the Frankish Kingdom.  These Mayors controlled royal households and estates, armies and the policy.

Eventually, Charles Martel came into action in 732 AD and he defeated Muslims at the Battle of Tours, which prevented Europe from becoming part of the Muslim Empire.  Martel's son began the Carolingian Dynasty(751AD-987AD) and instead of the Mayors being most powerful, there were kings once again.

The Carolingian Dynasty from 751AD-987AD became the new kings for the Frankish Empire.  Pepin the Short was Charles Martel's son and forced Lombards out of Rome which earned the pope's appreciation.  He was made King of the Franks, appointed by Pope and the Carolingian Dynasty began.