Chapter 1, Lesson 1 (p. 4-7): Connections in the Roman Empire (Lesson Title)
Big Idea of Intro (one sentence)
We have a much broader worldview and understanding of other cultures than the Romans did in 150 AD.
Travel Then and Now (Subtitle)
B.I. - Big Idea (one sentence)
Because it took so long to travel in the Roman Empire, distances seemed farther away to them than it does to us,
Travel Within the Empire (Sub-sub title)
B.I. - Big Idea (one sentence)
People of the lower classes rarely travelled beyond their village.
S.D - Supporting Details (point form)
- go by foot, horseback, horse-drawn carts
- took a really long time to travel
B.I. People in the Roman Empire didn't know much about the world.
S.D
- didn't know much about other cultures
- took a really long time to travel
B.I. It was really slow to travel in the R.E.
S.D
- wagons - 60 miles/day
- today we can cover distances in about 1/3 of time.
B.I. Travel was slow and dangerous in the Roman Empire.
S.D.
- travel by ship
· often stormy
· people got sick - ex. scurvy (Vitamin C defiency)
· people had to rely on good winds
- travel by wagon - max. 60 miles/day
- travel by horseback - 100 miles/day
--roads were unpaved - could cause wagon to spill
Travel to Foreign Lands
B.I. Roman merchants engaged in much trade all across the Roman Empire.
S.D
- gold, textiles, papyrus (type of paper), glassware, wine
-According to Aaron and National Geographic - different metals (e.g. iron)
- travelled to other parts of Europe, China, India, SE Asia, North Africa
B.I. Sea travel was very dangerous.
S.D
- sailors had no navigational charts
- no magnetic compass
- storms
- sailors died - malnutrition, starvation, sickness, dehydration
- people rarely travelled
B.I. Today, people travel for many reasons.
S.D
- business
- pleasure
- modes of transportation are faster: cars, buses, trains, planes, cruises, etc.
Communication Then and Now
B.I. Communication during the R.E. was very slow.
S.D
- 30 days to send a letter from Rome to Britain.
- messengers - on foot - could only go 25 miles/day
- Official Roman postal service - max 100 miles/day.
B.I. Communication today is much faster today.
S.D
- internet - instantly
- television - news
- telephone
- radio
- satellite
- (texting)
- (postal system - whole countries connected in a matter of days)
B.I. The world seems much smaller today than in Roman times.
S.D
- Roman times- couldn't travel very far - seemed bigger
- today - we can travel faster and farther
- communication helps us maintain long-distance relationships much easier
- (humans have travelled to most of the world's surface)
Chapter 1, Lesson 2: The Expanding Horizon
B.I. Merchants used camels to travel.
S.D
· caravans - 5,000 camels
· could carry approx. 1000 pounds
· could withstand harsh weather
· didn't need much water
Merchants, Soldiers, Explorers, Pilgrims
Merchants
B.I. Traders traded in dry regions.
S.D
· camels were able to deal with the harsh weather
B.I. Traders traded a long distance.
S.D
· about 4,000 miles
Soldiers
B.I. People who needed quick travel used horses.
S.D
· horses - quicker, could go long distances
◦
B.I. There were 3 inventions that improved horse-back riding.
S.D
· stirrups - made it easier to ride, use a bow and arrow
· bit - made it easier to control horse
· horseshoe - helped protect the horses' feet; iron showes
B.I. Horses were used for warfare.
S.D
· used bow and arrow.
· Mongols of central Asia used them
Explorers
B.I. Explorers used ships.
S.D
· relied on good winds
· clear skies to navigate
B.I. Three sailing aids were invented to give safer passage.
S.D
· lateen sail
◦ triangle-shaped so ships can sail in any direction
◦ invented around AD 150
◦ used in Mediterranean seas
· sternpost rudder
◦ used by the Chinese
◦ made in 200 BC
◦ replaced oars - more effective on large ships
◦ under the ship - moved side to side
◦ able to navigate through bad weather
· magnetic compass
◦ always points North
◦ able to navigate through bad weather
◦ Chinese first used it
◦ long voyages and sailing into unknown areas now possible
◦ changed how travel decisions were made
Pilgrims
B.I. People began to travel as transportation became safer and more reliable, such as pilgrims and adventurers.
B.I. People began writing about their travels.
S.D
· Ibn Battuta
◦ travelled all over the Middle East
▪ Mecca, Tangiers, etc
◦ travelled for 30 years
◦ motivated by his Muslim faith
◦ his writing of his travels helped map makers
· Xuanzang
◦ Chinese pilgrim
◦ travelled over 5000 miles
◦ motivated by his Buddhist faith
◦ travelled from China to India
B.I. Pilgrims travelled long distances.
S.D
· some travelled over 5000 miles for religious purposes
Mapmakers
B.I. Because of travellers, mapmakers made good maps.
S.D
· explorers shared info with mapmakers
· greatest geographer/mapmaker was Ptolemy
B.I. There were differences in maps.
S.D
· Christian mapmakers would commonly put east at the top of the map to highlight their holy city in center (Jerusalem).
· common European maps called T-O maps.
· European maps often distorted worldview.
B.I. From 1200, European maps became more accurate due to the knowledge of others.
S.D
· Ptolemy - his work was translated and analyzed.
· Ahmad al-Faraghani - in 800s led a team of scientists to accurate measure the earth.