Some Rhymes

Thomas Hobbes Said old Thomas Hobbes with a snort, "All human lives of the sort Quite unfettered by kings Are mis'rable things, Being nasty, brutish, and short." Magna Carta In days of Old, When knights were bold, And most trade was by barter, The English barons forced King John To sign the Magna Carta. Machiavelli Niccolo said it is right For princes to lie, cheat and fight. But this sneaky slob Couldn't hold down his job, Which is why he was forced to go write.

FOR WORLD HISTORY STUDENTS

Welcome to the new semester. We're going to cover a few things about eastern and southern Asia, the European enlightenment, nationalism, revolutions, colonialism, and the highly destructive 20th century.

FOR LSN GOVERNMENT STUDENTS

Welcome to the new semester. We're going to cover the Executive and Judicial branches this quarter. The last quarter will covers issues of foreign and domestic policy.

Martin Luther and Martin Luther King

Many students confuse the names of Martin Luther and Martin Luther King.

Martin Luther was a German religious reformer of the 1500's. He is famous for his translation of the Bible into German, criticizing various practices of the late medieval Roman Catholic Church, and his doctrine of Justification by Faith alone.

Martin Luther King was a 20th century American Civil Rights leader. The son of a father named Martin Luther King, Sr., he was the grandson of an African-American clergyman who clearly admired the work of the 16th century German.

Both Martin Luther and Martin Luther King were Christian clergymen, both wanted to change things that seemed wrong to them, but 400 years and the Atlantic Ocean separate them.

Montesquieu and the Separation of Powers

The great baron, de Monstesquieu
Was looking for something to do.
In the space of three days,
He split power three ways.
I think it's amazing, don't you?

Charles-Louis de Secondat, Baron de Montesquieu, was a French nobleman of the 18th century. He did not like France being under an absolute monarch, and thought that the British had a better system after William and Mary became king and queen of Great Britain in 1689. Montesquieu thought that the British divided power three ways:

The Parliament makes laws (legislative power).
The King enforces and carries out laws (executive power).
The courts interpret laws (judicial power).

His ideas had a great influence on the American Constitution, which described the powers of the legislative branch (Congress) in Article I, the executive branch (President) in Article II, and the judicial branch (Supreme and other courts) in Article III.

The pictures show Baron de Monstequieu with and without his wig. How would you like to dress like that?

Map Changes for World History Students.

This map shows the territories ruled by CHarles V, who spoke Spanish to God, French to friends, Italian to women, and German to horses. What modern countries were parts of Charles V's empire?

This next map shows Europe in 1648, after the Thirty Years' War ended. Can you see if there are any lands which Charles V ruled which are no longer under the Habsburg dynasty?
















Remember Marco Polo, who visited China in 1285? Here is a map of the China that Kublai Khan ruled. The dynasty to which Kublai Khan belonged was called the Yuan. It was a period when the Mongols, a people who were foreign to the Chinese, ruled China.











Are there any modern countries that were part of the Great Khanate of Kublai Khan which are no longer part of China?


Next, since we've heard reports about Zhu Yuanzhang, who founded overthrew the Yuan dynasty and started the Ming Dynasty, here is a map of China under the Ming Dynasty.








Who ruled more land--the Yuan emperor Kublai Khan, or the Ming emperors?

Something to think about:

During the period between 1350-1700 A.D., we divide European history into ages of Renaissance, Reformation, Exploration, and Royal Absolutism. During the same period of time, the Ming dynasty ruled China during the years 1368-1644 (it lasted until 1683 on Taiwan!).

Important Concepts for Government Students

LSN Government students need to be sure they understand the following concept:

limited government -- The powers of government are limited, not absolute.

rule of law -- Leaders are expected to follow the law.

separation of powers -- different branches of government have different functions, responsibilities, and duties. The legislative branch makes laws; the executive branch carries out laws; the judicial branch interprets laws.

federalism -- state and national governments share power.

opportunity cost -- The thing given up in order to get something else. For example, giving up liberty is the opportunity cost for a government that is able to make quick, decisive actions.