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| Tiglath-Pileser the III |
In Chapter 1, “
Tiglath-Pileser The Third . . .” Campbell expresses his dismay at learning that his guard does not know who
Paul Joseph Goebbels is (if you don’t know who he is, click on
this link or
this one to find out). In the same chapter, Campbell hides his ignorance of the identity of Tiglath-pileser the Third. Both Goebbels and Tiglath-pileser are depicted here as great villains. And you can imagine why someone might think it important to remember their deeds. American philosopher
George Santayana (1863-1952) once wrote that "
Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it" (from
Life of Reason I).
If you were to make a list of ten historical figures American public school children should learn about, whom would you put on the list and how would you identify the importance of each in a single sentence? What factors shape your choices? How many on the list are villains? How many are Americans? How many are men? How many are women?
The clip below is a trailer for the 2005 documentary The Goebbels Experiment.
1. Aristotle
ReplyDelete2. Abraham Lincoln
3. Adolf Hitler
4. Benjamin Franklin
5. William Shakespeare
6. Martin Luther King Jr.
7. Jesus
8. Nikola Tesla
9. Cleopatra
10. Leonardo Di Vinci
1. Aristotle was a Greek philosopher who is credited as one of the most prominent founders in Western philosophy.
2. Abraham Lincoln was the sixteenth president of the United States and was the first to emancipate the slaves in the United States.
3. Adolf Hitler was the leader of the Nazi regime that almost succeeded in the annihilation of the Jewish people of Germany
4. Benjamin Franklin was one of the great founders of the United States of America and a brilliant inventor.
5.William Shakespeare was the most prominent poet and playwright in the English language.
6.Martin Luther King Jr. was a civil rights activist that helped lead the African American people closer to equal rights.
7. Jesus is the son of God and spread the love of the Lord throughout the world and is the reason we are able to go to heaven.
8. Nikola Tesla was the first person to convert AC current into DC current which allows us to harness the electricity for light switches, plug-ins, and etc.
9. Cleopatra was the last pharaoh of ancient Egypt and played a major part in the outcome of Egypt.
10. Leonardo Di Vinci was one of the most prominent Italian Renaissance figures, due in part to his wide areas of expertise and countless contributions to the art, science, and mathematics societies.
I whole-heartedly agree with Nik on numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, and 10. With that aside, I will list an additional ten.
ReplyDelete1. Albert Einstein- Although most famous for e=mc2, Albert Einstein also developed the theory of the atomic bomb, with drastic consequences that he never quite came to terms with.
2. Bill Gates- He was an integral part of creating Microsoft, one of the world’s biggest corporations, whose products facilitate our everyday lives. He is also the founder of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, which “is dedicated to bringing innovations in health, development, and learning to the global community.”
3. Sir Isaac Newton- This remarkable man developed the three laws of motion, and the theory of universal gravitation. His theories on gravity finally debunked the idea of heliocentrism, the idea that everything revolves around the earth (after many failed attempts by other scientists).
4. Winston Churchill- Provided some of the most inspirational speeches of all time, some say World War II would have been lost to Germany without his rallying speeches.
5. Alexander Graham Bell- Invented the telephone, which today is one of our most basic forms of communication.
6. Thomas Edison- Edison patented a record 1093 inventions, including the light bulb, the phonograph (basically a record player), and the motion picture.
7. Andrew Jackson- The only villain on the list. While some think of Andrew Jackson as “Old Hickory” and someone to be respected, I view him as one of the worst presidents in history. He is the one who sent the Indians on the Trail of Tears. He did this against the Supreme Court’s ruling that it was unconstitutional to do so. His response to them was, “John Marshall has made his decision; now let him enforce it!”
8. George Washington- Not only did he lead us through the American Revolution, but he was the first President of the Constitutional United States of America. He also set a very important precedent by resigning after two four-year terms contrary to popular demand. If he hadn’t, we might be a monarchy now.
9. Henry Ford- Yes, he invented the automobile, but in addition to that, he also invented the assembly-line style of manufacturing products, which is still in use today.
10. Musicians-From Bach to Led Zeppelin, music and the musicians who composed and performed said music had and have an enormous impact on society. Music and history are parallel sciences. Changes in musical ideas are directly related to changes in historical ideas and vice versa.
There are of course many more, these are just the ones who spring immediately to mind.
1. Johannes Guttenburg- invented the printing press. One of the most influential parts of history has been books. Guttenburg revolutionized the world of literature.
ReplyDelete2. Jesus Christ- whether or not you consider yourself christian, christianity, which is based off of Jesus life, has played a HUGE part in history, religious and otherwise, around the world.
3. Confucius- though now we only hear much about Confucius in Chinese restaurants when we read our fortunes, he is one of the father's of philosophy. He sought to bring harmony to the world. He wanted to teach people how to work together.
4. Adolf Hitler- Hitler is the most famous dictator of all time. He caused the biggest murder of any one group of people. He should be remembered as an example of what happens when too much power is given to any one human being.
5. The Prophet Muhammed- founded the Islamic religioun. The battle between Islamic countries and Christian countries has been a part of history since bible times. Most recently, Americans remember the Islamic terrorist attacks of the twin towers.
6. Abraham Lincoln- Lincoln was basically responsible for re-establishing the United States after the Civil War. He also was a major part of the slaves being freed.
7. Martin Luther King Jr.- He was a major part of African Americans become equals to the whites.
8. Elvis Presley- Not only is Elvis the “King of Rock n’ Roll,” but he revolutionized the way people see and treat celebrities and elevate them to god-like status’s.
9. Bill Gates- We live in the age of technology. Gates can be said to be the of it all.
10. Osama bin Laden- any American who reads will understand it without me having to explain. He caused a national tragedy that will be remembered forever.
I choose these people based on the effect they had on history. Of the ten, four are Americans, and none are women.
I agree with Micha Hobday when she says Americans should learn about Jesus Christ, Confucius, The Prophet Muhammed, Osama bin Laden, and Adolf Hitler. However, I would suggest students learn about these people in history as well:
ReplyDelete1. The founding fathers- they were men of great knowledge and assumed great power upon themselves that helped to shape the country we live in today.
2. Abigail Adams- one of the earliest women’s rights activists of our country, she stressed to her husband, John Adams, a founding father, to “remember the Ladies!”
3. Abraham Lincoln- the 16th president of the United States, he is most famous for the Emancipation Proclamation.
4. Clara Barton- after her work as a nurse during the civil war she founded the American Red Cross, which today aides in hundreds of disaster stricken areas around the globe each year.
5. Martin Luther King Jr. is one of, if not the most important civil rights activists in our nation’s history.
6. Rosa Parks- famous for her refusal to give up her seat on a bus, this woman is considered the mother of the modern-day civil rights movement.
7. William Shakespeare- perhaps the greatest writer and shaper of the English Language, his works have been published in every major living language today and are performed more widely than those of any other playwright.
8. Emily Dickinson- she is known for her creation of some 1800 poems, and is debatably the most influential female author in the English Language.
9. Thomas Jefferson- While better known as one of the greatest intellectuals of his time, and as a founding father of the United States of America, Jefferson also is credited with the discovery of electricity.
10. Bill Gates is credited with the invention of modern technology, and is one of the richest men in the world, although upon his death his fortunes will be divided among several charities. Such a generous man, I wonder what his family thinks?
Of my list, 9 are Americans, or became Americans when they betrayed England to create America, but I digress, numbers 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, and 10 are men, and four are women. I chose these people based on their direct influence of America and the world.
~Catherine Melton
I do not agree with Nik on Cleopatra and Jesus. Cleopatra was a strong, smart woman, but she didn't advance anything. And about Jesus, well, students shouldn't be taught something that may or may not be real.
ReplyDelete1. Adolf Hitler - Responsible for the killing of approximately six million Jews, known as the Holocaust.
2. Sir Isaac Newton - Scientist that developed world changing principles and theories, such as gravitational pull and the light spectrum.
3. Galileo Galilee - Father of Science who discovered that all planets do not revolve around the Earth.
4. Albert Einstein – Physicist who invented the theory of relativity and revolutionized the world of physics.
5. Abraham Lincoln – Created the Emancipation Proclamation that freed American slaves.
6. James Madison – Drafted and aided in the ratification of the Constitution of the United States - rules and basic rights of the citizens of America.
7. Thomas Jefferson – Created the Declaration of Independence – a statement proclaiming freedom from Great Britain and America as a free nation.
8. Gandhi – Philosophical leader of India who inspired worldwide movements of peace and freedom.
9. Christopher Columbus – Founded the Americas and set the world in motion for further explorations and settlements.
10. Antony van Leeuwenhoek – First person to discover cells (later confirmed by Robert Hooke).
1)Mohandas Gandhi-also known as the Mahatma, led a non-violent movement in India that called for independence from the British colonial government.
ReplyDelete2)Alexander the great- was king of Macedonia and by the age of thirty was the creator of one of the largest empires in ancient history He was undefeated in battle and was tutored by famous philosopher Aristotle
3)Aristotle-often considered as one of the founding fathers of science.He delved into almost all dimensions of knowledge, including philosophy, science, art, literature, and Astronomy.
4)Leonardo Da Vinci-Leonardo is best known as an artist but he had carried out researches in architecture, civil engineering, anatomy, and astronomy
5)Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart- was an influential composer of classical music
6)Mother Theresa- helped the poor, sick, orphaned, and dying children and people. she opened up orphanages and did most of her work in Calcutta, India helping people in the slums.
7)Albert Einstein- a theoretical physicist who is famous for his theory of relativity
8)Abraham Lincoln- guided his country through the most devastating experience,the civil war, and freed the slaves
9)Martin L King Jr- civil right activist and an influential leader in the African american community
10)Thomas Jefferson- was the principal author of the Declaration of Independence
can't figure out the profile thing, my name is Tanner Powell
ReplyDeleteHmm... I've read the other lists, and I see a lot of repitions, so I decided I’d like to be unique and only put on names that deserve to go there, but are not currently in this list.
1)Amerigo Vespucci - of all the people here, I honestly figured he would be one of them. From Florence, Italy, he took all the knowledge out there from those before him, (for example: Christopher Columbus, who everyone seems to repeatedly put in this list) and went to this unknown “island.” He realized it wasn’t an island, but a new continent, and sailed on south to find the bottom. (never found it) This continent later was named “America” in his honor
2)William Harvey Carney - If anyone in America should know anything about our country, it shouldn’t be about Abraham Lincoln, George Washington, or even John Wilkes Boothe, yes they are important, but they should learn about honor, and how hard people fight for their honor. This guy, no one probably knows a thing about him. He is the first African American awarded the Medal of Honor, he was awarded it for his acts in the civil war. He was shot in the face, the shoulder, both arms and both legs, and still refused to let the American flag touch the ground.
4) Sir Edmund Perceival Hilary - He grew up, struggling through school, barely keeping his grades up, decided he loved math and science, went to colege, and discovered he loved climbing mountains. During WWII he along with a group of others attempted to climb Mount Everest, but turned back 800 ft. short of the top. Did he give up right then and there? No! He wanted to to reach the top, so instead he took the next expedition up there, knowing exactly what he was going through, struggled through and finally reached his dream.
5) Neil Armstrong - This guy was nothing special, a simple hard worker, who had a dream to do something amazing. He was the first guy to actually walk on the moon. The reason I believe everyone should know about him, not cause of his feat of walking on the moon, cause anyone on the ship could of done it as well. Instead it is because he inspired American’s everyone where his quote ”this is one small step for man, but a giant leap for mankind.” inspiration is too important, and I believe this is just one of many examples that our youth of the future needs to know.
6) Eminem - Uncommenly known as Marhall Mathers. He in my personal opinion is the “King of Rap” Despite having an absolute and terrible childhood, struggled through almost any kind of problem you could think about, from drugs, abuse, relationship problems, and being ridiculed. He kept his head up and followed his beliefs, and did his best to live out his dream. His songs, are full of emotion, and describe what at the current time he is going through in his life. I find this highly inspirational, and worthy of this list.
ReplyDelete7)J. Robert Oppenheimere - A brilliant mind, who sought to discover science. He, fascinated simply with learning and discovering what no one knew, strongly helped developed the first atomic bomb. He deserves to be on this list, cause everyone should be taught, failure to understand the consequences is no excuse for your actions. I don’t believe he realized while he was making the atomic bomb, just what kind of impact it would have upon our country, or even our planet. Everyone makes mistakes, hopefully we learn from not only our mistakes but those of the people before us as well.
8) Fidel Castro - Fidel, a communist, and could of been the end of America, or even the world as we know it today. He along withs someone else commonly posted on this, “Adolf Hitler” had a belief, that they took to the extreme. From killing everyone who wasn’t “perfect” or too doing whatever it took to make Cuba a superpower, and able to live under it’s own rule. They are considered evil dictators and extremists to their causes. Fidel, took his authority of power to a whole new level. He harbored nukes, and was potentially going to use them upon the United States. He deserves to be on this list, cause like Adolf, he made a huge impact upon the world.
8)Mark Zuckerberg - while struggling through college, and going through relationship problems, he created my favorite past time in the world, Facebook. He is the worlds youngest self-made billionaire, and continues to make Facebook grow, and prosper today.
9)Alexander Graham Bell - This guy he invented the telephone, despite being laughed at and ridiculed, he worked hard, and because of him cell-phones exist today.
10)Sean Parker - while not a significant person, or even a very important person in our history, our government or in our everyday lives. In fact he is a terrible person in general. He invented napster and helped found Facebook. I use Facebook and Napster both quite often and to me he is very important.
This is Cerina Stiles.
ReplyDeleteI agree with some of the names on other peoples list but not all of them. Here are the ten I would choose:
1.Buddha- His full name is Siddhārtha Gautama he was a spiritual teacher from ancient India who founded Buddhism.
2.George Washington- He was the first president of the United States. He was in office from April 30, 1789 to March 4, 1797.
3.Mahatma Gandhi- His full name is Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi. He was and Indian nationalist leader. He originally studied law but become one of the major political and spiritual leaders of his time.
4.Abraham Lincoln- He was the 16th president of the United States.
5.Albert Einstein- Revolutionized mathematics and physics. Was considered one of the most influential voices in the peace movement in Germany during World War I.
6.Walt Disney- He, of course, is the one who started Walt Disney. He created the original Mickey Mouse. His characters have been very influential in the lives of millions of children and even some adults. He was a very successful entrepreneur.
7.Nelson Mandela-He was a prisoner in South Africa and became the first black president in South Africa. He's one of the most oppressed people who changed the world.
8.Charles Darwin- Created the Theory of Evolution.
9.Jim Thorpe - He played professional American football, baseball and basketball. He also won Olympic gold medals in the decathlon and the pentathlon. He is one of the most versatile people who changed the world of sports.
10.Adolf Hitler- He was an Austrian- born German. He became a politician and the leader of the Nazi Party. He is best known for his leading roles in World War II and the Holocaust.
This list is not in any particular order because they are all great people who should be learned about. If I could I would put 100 people on this list instead of just 10.All of the people on my list are good people except for one. It is important to learn about the bad people as well as the good. Four of them are Americans. Amazingly enough there are no women on my list that’s not to say that there aren’t some important women in history that should be learned about they just aren’t as important as these ten.
The lists look great, there are many I wished I would've thought of. Here's my list:
ReplyDelete1)Jesus- For obvious reasons. He's known througout the world, and in my opinion he is the first icon that toddlers learn about.
2) Justin Bieber- The kid is 16 and he has an empire bigger than most recording artists.. and his voice is like a girls.
3)Clint Eastwood- Many can learn to be a "Man" from him.
4)Adolf Hitler- Major villian ; known for killing ruthlessly and conquering many nations.
5)Columbus- "Discovering" America. But also for his crimes he committed. I view him as a villian.
6)Rockefeller- Went from rags to riches.
7)Bill Gates- Created most widely used computer program. Richest man ever.
8)Harry Truman- Made the dreadful decision to drop the atomic bomb. Not a villian, but that wouldnt have been my choice to drop the bomb.
9)Rosa Parks- Stood against segregation and potentially started the beginning to the end of segregation.
10)George Washington-Obviously 1st president of U.S.
But also gave up his power to remain from starting a monarchy.
Most of this list is comprised of males. Not for any particular reason other than some of these idols are in the past and were known for their leadership qualities. Few villians, because we tend to remember the helpful and non-villian people and look as them as heroes.
I definitely agree with many of the names already posted in other people’s lists, but here’s mine:
ReplyDelete1. Jesus Christ – Despite your personal view of Christianity, the story of Jesus Christ did a great amount in theology and philosophy around the world.
2. George Washington – After leading us through the revolution, he became the first president of the United States. He also set a very important precedent by resigning after two four-year despite the will of the public. If he hadn’t our government could easily have slipped back to monarchy.
3. Abraham Lincoln – 16th President of the United States, most well-known for the Emancipation Proclamation.
4. .Adolf Hitler – He was an Austrian- born German. He would later become a very influential politician, and leader of the Nazi party in Germany, most commonly known for his role in the Holocaust.
5. Martin Luther King Jr. – He was one of the most important and influential leaders of the African American movement towards equal rights.
6. Alexander Graham Bell – Invented the telephone, which after years of research and development has become our most basic form of communication.
7. Thomas Jefferson – Most well-known as one of the greatest intellectuals of his time, and as a founding father of the United States of America.
8. Charles Darwin – Most well-known for his controversial Theory of Evolution.
9. Mohandas Gandhi – Philosophical leader who led a peaceful, non-violent protests inspiring movements for peace around the world.
10. Thomas Edison – Edison patented over 1,000 inventions, such as the light bulb and the motion picture.
Bill Gates/ Steve jobs
ReplyDeleteThese are the two men most responsible for bringing computers into every home and revolutionizing the world view of technology.
Martin Luther King Jr.
The most celebrated American civil rights movement leader. He is also a shining example that non-violent protest can have as much of an impact and reach as many people as rioting and revolution can have.
George Washington
Yes, he was the first President of the United States of America, but in addition to that, his work on the Constitution and his merit in the revolutionary war make him a figure every American should know about.
Thomas Alva Edison
One of the greatest American inventors, holding 1,093 US patents many still in use today, the most prolific being the light bulb.
Adolf Hitler
Hitler should be studied to understand how one man can manipulate a nation into doing almost anything. Although Hitler is no doubt a villain in history, his ability to lead is a phenomenal example of the impact one man can make on the world.
Aristotle
Aristotle is arguably one of the greatest minds in ancient history who did much of the ground work for modern science and western philosophy.
Leonardo da Vinci
The embodiment of the Renaissance man his contributions to art and math are still felt today.
Stephen Hawking
Much of his work in theoretical physics and cosmology was not only ground breaking but has aided many of the world’s leading scientist’s in their own discovery’s. Hawking is also a tremendous example of how an individual can overcome a debilitating illness and still lead an extraordinarily productive life.
Clara Barton
One of the driven women America is known for who founded the Red Cross.
John Dale
Zach Truitt
ReplyDeleteI would choose Genghis Khan, Adolf Hitler, Abraham Lincoln, William Shakespeare, King Richard III, Alexander the Great, Gandhi, George Lucas, Aristotle, C.S Lewis.
Genghis Khan started as an ordinary member of his tribe. After defeating his tribal leader in a duel Genghis' tribe was obliterated. While seeking revenge Khan united not just Mongolia, but conquered almost all of the known world. No overlord has ever started with less, or gained as much territory.
Adolf Hitler brought Germany to unity and made it a super-power. Using charisma and propaganda to incite a war that went from traditional territorial expansion to a "World War". Hitler's writings and strategies show him to be a very educated and impressive man.
Abraham Lincoln was a man who held his duty and his country above all else. When his country was falling apart he took a sympathetic view to the opposing side, and made decisions for the best possible outcome that he could create. When it came to issues such as slavery and states' rights Abraham made clear decisions guiding a nation in turmoil. Lincoln's death not only brought unrest, but reinforced the values and choices that he held while in office.
William Shakespeare created a plethora of new worlds and used his craft to better express his views on mankind. Shakespeare's work not only influenced those of his own time, but every generation since he lived. Shakespeare's works are still popular and relevant in today's world. In this way it can be said that he has shown us part of what it means to be human. Whether dealing with tragedy or comedy, Shakespeare's tales influence people from all walks of society.
King Richard III was a great king and tactician. He was a leader in the New Holy Roman Empire. Richard known as the Lionheart, was a king of a Germanic tribe, and is a well known general mentioned in many histories.
Alexander the Great expanded the Greek culture in a large part of the world. He is known for building the Great Library of Alexandria which was the center of world culture for centuries. The library later burned in a war. Alexander also studied the art of Philosophy to some extent.
Gandhi is well known for his act in the "peaceful revolution" in which India through mostly nonviolent acts and civil disobedience gained some freedoms from Great Britain. Gandhi is known for many quotes that are posted at peace riots world-wide.
George Lucas using the thriving media of film created a subculture in society. This culture is made up in part of fans of sci-fi tradition, and in part by fans who only recognize his work. There are even people that have created a religion based on the popular hit Star Wars.
C.S. Lewis impacted the Christian world with his writing, giving many a view that they hadn't explored before, and bringing clarity to others. Even in the secular world Lewis' book series The Chronicles of Narnia have been popular and have been made into hit films enjoyed by both secular and Christian audiences.