An Ancient Athenian would look at our democracy and both approve and disapprove. They would disapprove because of our select way of allowing people to become representatives. Though you can vote for a representative, maybe you don't have the same ideas, but the chance of you ever getting to that position is incredibly slim. The Greeks had someone else go into the government all the time -as long as you were over twenty, male, and free, you could have a part in leading the country. Also, if you are from outside of America, or from outside of Washington D.C., then you still may become a representative. For the Greeks, you could only be a representative if you lived in Athens. They would, however, like our system of state votes. Each state has a certain amount of votes according to population, but since not everybody over eighteen can travel to one place to vote for the president, each state has an elector, who travels and votes for us, as a representative of a village votes for the whole village, if they are away. Although their democracy mirrors ours, the reflection is different, and they wouldn't entirely approve of it.

How do we see Mayan values in our modern world?

We see Mayan values in our modern world everywhere. In architecture, there are stairways that are designed like the temples of the Maya, with step levels, and the steps coming in. Our homes nowadays are also similar to theirs. Before, civilizations like Egypt made their roofs pointed. But the Mayan often made their homes stone with a flat roof, as many apartments and houses are today. In our modern world, Mayan women are still weaving and making tortillas. Although the Mayan women back then would not have worked, now many help to support their family by weaving and then selling their work. And of course, much of the food has remained. Today, whole restaurants are dedicated to the task of cooking Mayan food, although often adding the European adaptations. And of course, we are always looking for more of Mayan history - through stellae, through pyramids, and through remains. We are always keeping a part of this history with us.

Legalism v.s. Mohism

I'm choosing to compare the two Chinese philosophies Legalism and Mohism. Legalism was led by Xun Zi, who had once been part of Confucianism. He, however, was party to the belief that people are mainly evil, selfish, and sneaky. Mohism, on the other hand, led by Mo Xi, believed that all people needed love. While Legalism discouraged common people from literacy and the intellect, Mohism believed that all should be educated, especially in useful subjects like math or the sciences. Mohisms key principle and belief was universal love. The Mohist leader had to be wise, kind, and care about the people of other countries as much as his own. The Legalist ruler was to rule with an iron fist and use war to strengthen power. The Legalists believed that the law, no matter how unjust people believed it to be, was more important than morality. If the law was to strike every blind person that you come across, the law was more valued than the needs and feelings for the blind person. The Mohists believed in humanity - everyone was equal and a family. A child shouldn't respect the storekeeper any more or less than his teacher or uncle. They avoided gossip, cursing, and war. They tried their hardest to discipline themselves, and fought not for power, but only to protect themselves and others.

I think that the most effective way for a ruler to retain order is justice. Justice has many components to it. They mostly fall under Law and Order, but justice is key. We can have numerous laws, but if the are ridiculous, like "Only the First Lady may wear red" then we have a problem. For example, when a parents slaps a child for picking up the cat by its tail or for painting on the walls, that's just. Or for the law of having to pay double after stealing something is reasonable. And besides the law, a ruler must have fitting punishment for those who do not obey the laws. Someone shouldn't be thrown in prisoon because they drove twenty MPH above the speed limit. And the death penalty isn't for those who stole a $1000 pearl necklace. And the leader themselves should be able to understand the justice. What is the point of a king who doesn't realize how to best work with those who have broken the law? Nothing. Jusctice covers it all.

I think there is geographical luck. Papua New Guinea has poor soil and a limited amount of agriculture. There are almost no animals there, and they have to eat spiders for protein. In the Middle East there used to be city-states and villages. Those villages needed crops. Egypt had very fertile land by the Nile. In Africa, they grew millet and yams, but were lacking for squash grown in the Americas. In China, there were no animals that could be domesticated and eaten or used as work animals. People had to harvest the rice by themselves by hand. India has some food, but no animals. the ZFertile Crescent, or Mesopotamia, was the luckiest. They had horses, goats, and sheep. For them, it was easy to grow barley, rye, and wheat. Even nowadays, in New Guinea, they have to work hard and not cut slack just to feed themselves.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Farming

I think that the advantages of farming do outweigh the disadvantages, but just barely. While working with agriculture and livestock, it is easy for one to get their food. They have a dependable food supply. A farmer doesn’t have to worry so much about prices on vegetables going up. In fact, if he sells them himself, I’m sure that he will support it. Also, when you are a farmer, it isn’t as easy for you to move around with temporary housing. Therefore, you stay in one place, get into the neighborhood, and nobody is upset about leaving their friends. Lessons are also learned. It is always good to be concentrated and grounded. If you work with the land, you’re going to be a person who tends to be compassionate and knows to live in harmony. Farms are also often with neighbors. Neighbors mean communities, there to support you if anything goes wrong. Communities to buy produce. Of course, it takes time and energy to take care of plants. One can’t be impatient. If you eat your own food, and it has a mysterious disease, you can become ill. The lack of variety can also be very trying. And of course, there isn’t a farmer in the world who isn’t at the mercy of the weather. Droughts, floods, anything can completely destroy a whole crop for a farmer.