英美概况Week2.ppt

1、Europe: Ancient Greece, Roman Empire, Christianity,Brief History of Western Culture,Western culture, sometimes equated withWestern civilizationorEuropean civilization, is used very broadly to refer to aheritageofsocial norms,ethical values,traditional customs,religious beliefs, political systems, an

2、d specific artifacts and technologies. The term has come to apply to countries whosehistoryis strongly marked by European immigration or settlement (such asthe Americas andAustralasia), and is not restricted toWestern Europe.,Western Culture,Ancient Greece 776 BC 148 BC Roman Empire 44 BC 476 AD Chr

3、istianity (Byzantine Era) 476 AD 1453 AD,Where did Western Culture come from?,(Dates are approximate exact years will not be on the exam.),Often given credit for first origins of Western culture, as seen in: Political System Education System Philosophy Science The Arts Literature,ANCIENT GREECE,What

4、 is democracy? All citizens share in political power, regardless of status Around 500 BC, two rulers of Greek cities were fighting for power. The ruler of Athens needed the support of his people, so he suggested that everyone share in political power. The citizens were so enthusiastic that they easi

5、ly fought off the other rulers invasion. This new system led to a “golden age” for Athens.,Political System Democracy,Alexander the Great,Took the Greek Empire from this,to this!,Greek culture - heavy emphasis on education Reading, writing, literature, singing, playing a musical instrument (such as

6、the lyre or flute), and were athletic training for military service. Boys studied not for a job, but to become an effective citizen. Girls also learned to read, write and do simple arithmetic so they could manage the household. Ancient Greek philosophy focused on the role of reason and inquiry. Reas

7、on: the capacity human beings have to make sense of things, to establish and verifyfacts, and to change or justify practices, institutions, and beliefs. Inquiry: any process that has the aim of increasing knowledge, resolvingdoubt, or solving aproblem.,Greek Philosophy,Language Common (“internationa

8、l”) language Politics Independent city-states and democracy, not based on tribe or ethnicity Educational systems Designed for effective citizens rather than career-oriented Philosophy Reason and inquiry, logical thought Science Astronomy, Mathematics The Arts Sculpture, Architecture Medicine Hippocr

9、ates, Profession,Legacy of Ancient Greece,Even the White House mimics a Greek temple.,In 27 BC, Greece became a key Eastern province for the Roman Empire. “Although Rome, like Greece, was no longer democratic, the idea of democracy remained a part of the education of citizens, as if the emperors wer

10、e a temporary emergency measure.”,ROMAN EMPIRE,Roman Territory,“The enduring Roman influence is reflected pervasively in contemporary language, literature, legal codes, government, architecture, engineering, medicine, sports, arts, etc. Much of it is so deeply imbedded that we barely notice our debt

11、 to ancient Rome. Consider language, for example. Fewer and fewer people today claim to know Latin and yet, go back to the first sentence in this paragraph. If we removed all the words drawn directly from Latin, that sentence would read; The.”,Roman Influence on Language,Latin was the language of th

12、e Roman Empire. Though it is no longer a common language, it is the root of the five common “Romance” languages: French Italian Spanish Portuguese Romanian,Language - Latin,Places in the world where these languages are now spoken.,Language Roman Alphabet,Calendar (including Leap Years) Network of Ro

13、ads Political System Republic (President modeled as Augustan leader) Tax Collection Law/Legal Codes Architecture Language Sports,Roman Legacy,Also known as the Eastern Roman Empire The Roman Empire was divided in 395 AD The Eastern portion included must of Ancient Greece The Christian faith was spre

14、ading among the people. Roman Emperor Constantine did not make it the official religion, but (unlike previous emperors who killed Christians) supported it and created councils. These councils eventually led to the “institutionalization” of Christianity, leading it to become the official religion of the Byzantine Empire.,CHRISTIANITY BYZANTINE EMPIRE,Scientific Developments Spurred by desire