Cultural Perspectives and Social Realities in Ancient Societies

Cultural Perspectives and Social Realities in Ancient Societies

Discussion Part 1

Question 1

The Greco-Roman world was characterized by high levels of structured racism, and this is something that would offend a visitor from the Han Dynasty. Even in the literal world, Roman and Greek writers explicitly displayed racist attitudes in their works.

Question 2

I agree with the statement that “the histories of Africa and the Americas during the second-wave era largely resemble those of Eurasia”. One of the reasons for the similarities is that the spread of the Chavin cult in the Americas resembled the spread of religion in the Americas.

Question 3

One of the reasons to support the statement is the complete physical separation and lack of contact between African and American societies. Also, the geographical and cultural separation between Meroe, Axum, and the Niger River cemented the isolation. To challenge the statement, the Chavin cult provided a measure of economic and cultural integration.

Discussion Part 2

Question 1

One of the obvious challenges the local community faces, as shown in the poem, concerns extreme poverty. The locals’ economic activities were also unsustainable.

Question 2

In his poem, Po Chu is trying to question the authority’s lack of concern for the people. One of the outstanding issues is the concern about government wastage. Another outstanding issue Po Chu shows in the poem is the desperation among people.

Question 3

Du Fu’s poem shows that he is a realist who faces his problems without fear. Du Fu reflects on people’s suffering and the subsequent decline in their earnings. Also, Du Fu’s patriotic feelings towards his country and people stand out.

Question 4

Despite being elites, Du Fu and Po Chu delve into the issue of the exploitation of people experiencing poverty. Their elite status reinforces a genuine perception regarding their literally works since it is clear that they are not speaking out of desperation.

References

Strayer, R. W. (2019). Ways of the World: A Brief Global History with Sources. Bedford/St. Martin’s.

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Robert W. Strayer, Ways of the World: A Brief Global History. Combined/Fourth Edition. Bedford’s St. Martin’s/McMillian Learning: Boston, MA. 2019.

Discussion Part 1:

From reading Chapter 5 and Chapter 6,

1. What might an observant Chinese traveler from the Han dynasty era find surprising or offensive in India or the Greco-Roman world? What similarities might he or she notice?
2. “The histories of Africa and the Americas during the second-wave era largely resemble those of Eurasia.” Do you agree with this statement? Explain why or why not.
3. Do you believe that the cultures and societies discussed in this chapter were developed in isolation? Is there any evidence to support this? Is there any evidence to challenge this?

 Discussion Part 2:

From reading Working with Evidence Source 8.3: Life in the Fields,

1. What challenges do farming communities face in these two poems?
2. How do you interpret Po Chu-I’s poem? What aspects/elements stand out to you in this poem?
3. How do you interpret Du Fu’s poem? What aspects/elements stand out to you in this poem?
4. How does knowing the authors’ elite status (Po Chu-I and Du Fu) shape how you read and interpret the poems, if at all?