Laws, Justices and DEATH....

I found the documents interesting to read because for two reason. First, the laws for "Crime and Punishment, Justice (96)" is very intriguing. The consequences for any Law breaking either deals with jumping the cliff or death. Which some way I can understand but it seemed that the cliff was their answer for anything if someone broke the law. Then again, I  can also imagine people who will jump the cliff and just swim on to the shore and not even die. Also, death... how did they kill people who broke the laws. There isn't any specification of how to kill.

Second, the roles/responsibility/accountability if a man or woman is either unfaithful, abusive, adulteress etc is also written as a law. I thought it quite entertaining to read through them and of course--consequences for breaking the law will be "thrown into the water (97)." Again, I thought--what is the significance of throwing someone off the water if by chance they know how to swim? If they can swim then what is their other option of death? 

As this weekend is "Catch up" with Blogs, I will prevail.

I posted my first real blog and I'm in great relief that I did. At the same time, I have a couple more to go. No worries, all will be done by Sunday.

I have a lot to say about writing my Document paper (It's late, and I have no shame of saying so) and answering the questions for chapter two will be my goal for this weekend. Stay tuned while I go on a little rampage to finish my homework.


-MJ

Chapter 1

My apologies for my lateness of blogging; but it's better late than never.

Part one in Ways of the World by Robert W. Strayer--It is quite interesting that a thirty page chapter has a lot of  facts that I sort of knew but didn't. First the spread of agriculture amazed me of how it all started and the story of Ishi opened my mind to be more understanding of the past.

The "Spread of Agriculture and Pastrolism.." map caught my attention because of the coincidence of   "the migration of Homo sapiens across the planet and created new conditions that made agriculture more possible (28)." In some way makes sense--with our global warming and change of agriculture we (as human) move to where the resources are and how it will benefit our existence/livelihood.

The Global Spread of Agriculture and Pastoralism

Even with the migration to new places, exploitation of resources, creating new technologies and domestication of plant species (I was amazed amazed that there are 200,000 plant species--and only "several hundred have been domisticated..(31).")--I was more intrigued with the story of Ishi. The last Paleolithic man/ last man of the Yahi tribe. He's world/culture disappeared when the American Gold Rush brought huge amount of "settlers, miners, and farmers (37)." This story brought some mixed feelings of our time colliding with the "old times." Anyways, this youtube- link is an hour documentary about Ishi.

Overall, this chapter opened my eyes/mind to the past that I haven't really understood and the thought that we started off as an "egalitarian" society. Which world would I choose...well, I don't know yet. I'm looking forward to learning more about the past.