Women in the Song Dynasty

"The boy leads the girl, the girl follows the boy; the duty of husbands to be resolute and wives to be docile begins with this" (371), states scholar Sima Guang highlighting the divide between men and women. In the past, men's masculinity was judged on their athletic ability. In this chapter however, we see that in the Song Dynasty, there was more of an emphasis on "calligraphy, scholarship, painting and poetry" (371). That was what was expected from men, but when we take a look at the roles of women, not much has changed. Women were seen as distractions to men's studies, and subordinate to their husband's. One of the hardest things to read about in this chapter was the practice of foot binding. This example of tightening patriarchy, spread heavily among the elite, but eventually extended to the larger part of Chinese society. Foot binding involves the "tight wrapping of a young girl's feet, usually breaking the bones of the feet and causing intense pain" (371). The practice emphasized the frailty of women and served to keep them in their "inner quarters" where Confucian tradition insisted they belonged. 

Women in the Quran

It is stated in chapter 9, that men and women in early Islam are seen as equals in the Quran. However, this is only true from a spiritual perspective. "Those who surrender themselves to Allah and accept the true faith…and are ever mindful of Allah-on these, both men and women, Allah will bestow forgiveness and rich reward"(426). If women acted in a proper way, they were equal to men in the eyes of Allah, but in the eyes of men, they were not considered equals at all. They were viewed as inferior and subordinate to their husbands. The Quran set strict guidelines on how Muslim women could live their lives. "Women were given control over their own property, particularly their dowries, and were granted rights of inheritance, but at half the rate of their male counterparts" (426). While women did have some rights, they were not close to obtaining the same benefits as men.                                                

Traveling Disease

TRAVELING DISEASE








In the earlier centuries, goods were not the only things that traveled from place to place. Horrible diseases that would wipe out massive amounts of people also traveled quickly to strike citizens. We are so lucky in the current age to have the medical technology that we use on a daily basis. Yet, reading about how scary and fast illness took over cities back then really stuck out to me. In 430-429 B.C.E. a sea born trade between Egypt and Greece brought a unidentified disease that killed almost 25 percent of Greece's army and completely weakened the city-state. Diseases like smallpox and measles were big perpetrators in leading to the political collapse of the Roman Empire and the Han dynasty. Two very big empires not only were devastated by the deaths, but the fact that it helped take the empires down is crazy to think about. In 1346 and 1348 the plague also known as the "Black Death" wiped out half the population of Europe. The famous italian writer Boccaccio wrote, "A dead man was then of no more account than a dead goat" (324). The thought of lives being taken so easily by these diseases makes we realize how fortunate we are today. However, though tragedy struck many a family, some people did benefit from these deaths. "Tenant farmers and urban workers, now in short supply, could demand higher wages or better terms" (324). Many empires did become immune to these diseases or at least found ways to resist these illnesses. The death toll however is not something we ever should forget. These infectious diseases traveled and people died painfully. It is history like this that really shows us how advanced we are in the technology and science department and there is still more to be discovered.

The Maya

Though many civilizations made immense progress and created some of the amazing materials we have today, it was really the Maya Civilization that produced the things we use almost everyday. For example, "Intellectuals, probably priests, developed a mathematical system that included the concept of zero and place notation and was capable of complex calculations" (274). On top of their advancements in math, they "created the most elaborate writing system in the Americas, which used both pictographs and phonetic or syllabic elements" (274). This was one of the first times that actual events, data, and religious or mythological texts were recorded. Instead of agricultural achievements that we saw in earlier civilizations, in the Maya Civilization we see more intellectual insights at the forefront. "Early scholars viewed Maya civilization as a peaceful society led by gentle stargazing priest-kings devoted to temple building and intellectual pursuits" (274).  Though the Maya Civilization rose and fell, elements of the culture are still left with us today.

Varnas

Before I read this chapter, I knew a little about the Caste System of India. I knew that it was pretty strict and specific, but reading about the Caste as Varnas intrigued me. Around 500 B.C.E, "the idea that society was forever divided into four ranked classes, or varnas, was deeply embedded in Indian thinking" (225). The system works as such; People are separated into one of four classes. The highest class is Brahmin, which was filled with priests and teachers. People who were considered "the most important" it seems, were the people that were mostly associated with God. So the spiritual aspect of life was very important to the people of India. The next class was the Kshatriya, which was filled with warriors and rulers. These men were in charge of protecting and governing the society around them. I am sure that there were a limited amount of people that could protect the people, so they were ranked higher then others. The third group was filled with farmers, merchants and artisans, called the Vaisya class. "These three classes came to be regarded as pure Aryans and were called the "twice-born", for they experienced not only a physical birth but also formal initiation into their respected varnas and status as people of Aryan descent" (225). The lowest members were the Sudra class and finally that class that I have learned the most about are the Untouchables. It really amazes me how undervalued these people were. They were treating basically like dirt and were not associated with any other class. The fact that the Caste System is still very present today makes me realize how different cultures and countries use religion.

Rome: From City-State to Empire

The evolution and expansion of the Rome empire was an interesting section to read in Chapter 3. Rome began as a very small poor city-state during the eighth century B.C.E. They were so weak and small that supposedly, "Romans were reduced to kidnaping neighboring women to maintain their city's population" (130). It would have to take a really smart and powerful leader to transform this struggling city into a thriving empire. Though Rome was originally ruled by a King, a republic known as patricians took control. However conflicts arose between the wealthy class and the poorer classes (plebeians). The first change to settle these disputes was a written code of law that gave protection to the lower classes. "The values of the republic- rule of law, the rights of citizens, the absence of pretension, upright moral behavior, keeping one's word-were later idealized as "the way of the ancestors" (130). Their political system is what really advanced the city of Rome. This took more then 500 years, but over time the Roman Empire branched out to be a commanding and successful, enterprise. 

The Law Code of Hammurabi

• How would you define the principles of justice that underlay Hammurabi's code? In what different ways might twenty-first century observers and those living at the time of Hammurabi asses that system of justice?

The famous saying, "An eye for an eye" is most commonly used when it comes to means of revenge, but not many people know that the origins of this saying came directly from the Law Code of Hammurabi. Law 196 states, "If a man put out the eye of another man, his eye shall be put out" (96). To my surprise, the law codes are actually reasonable. Before I read through the law codes, I expected that the laws for women and people of color to be extremely different from that of the ones of the white male. Not all of the laws are perfect, but most of them do give due justice to the party that was wronged. The purpose of the laws, in Hammurabi's own words were, "to bring about the rule of righteousness in the land, to destroy the wicked and the evildoers; so that the strong should not harm the weak…, to further the well-being of mankind" (95). There is not a lot written about the ruler Hammurabi in the documentary section, but his beliefs on how to run a empire are wise ones. As a young woman living in the 21st century, two laws under the Men and Women category stuck out to me. The first one was law 137, stating, "If a man wish to separate from a woman who has borne him children, then he shall give that wife her dowry, and a part of the usufruct of field, garden, and propriety, so that she can rear her children. When she has brought up her children…she may then marry the man of her heart" (97). While I do not believe that the woman should have to wait to raise her children to finally find love, the act of the man giving her a part of his possessions, is essentially the beginnings of child support. Though people today find it hard to get their exes to pay child support, the point of it is still great. Another law that I really liked, but found surprising is law 148. "If a man take a wife and she be seized by disease, if he then desire to take a second wife, he shall not put away his wife who has been attacked by disease, but he shall keep her in the house which he has built and support her so long as she lives" (97). I was surprised by this rule, because there is no rule in this century that is equivalent to it. This rule really looks out for the woman. I wish we had more rules that took care of women today. Besides the laws about the slaves and some about drowning yourself when cheating, these laws are not much different from the ones we have today. Sometimes I do believe in the "eye for an eye" tactic. To me some crimes just do not fit the punishment.  I respect Hammurabi and his decisions to give justice that was fair and equal for almost every member in his society. 

First Civilizations: Gender Roles

In my previous blogs, I have discussed inequality of the sexes and my confusion on when the separation actually began. When reading about the first civilizations these questions were answered. Though the rise of agriculture was seen as a godsend to many people of the time, the practice of it did create divisions between men and women. Particularly, the use of "animal-drawn plows and the keeping and milking of large herds of animals" (73).  This new form of agriculture became much harder and heavier for women to carry out. Which meant they were left at home, while men would tend to this work. This was just the start of the divide. Also due to agriculture, the population was growing faster then ever. Which resulted in women staying home and caring for their children, instead of getting a job. These examples did create a gap between the sexes, but rules and regulations enforced by society were the real culprits. In Mesopotamia, "various written laws codified and sought to enforce a patriarchal family life that offered women a measure of paternalistic protection while insisting on their submission to the unquestioned authority of men" (74). These laws gave the upper hand to men. A husband could have sexual relations with his servants, but the wife's punishment for cheating would be death. A woman who was sexually assaulted by her husband, could also have sever consequences for his crime. Wealthier women could own businesses, but it was all under the watchful eyes of their husbands. Patriarchy was at its finest and I feel that this was the beginning of the problems women have to deal with everyday. Looking back on the small tribes and bands, their lifestyle was egalitarian. Men and women were created equal and they led easy lives. Unfortunately, with new promises for a better future, came unequal playing ground for many women.

Nisa's Story

While reading about Nisa's story in the document section, I was struck at the similarities between her lifestyle and the lifestyles of many women today. Before reading her story, I assumed Nisa's opinions and personality would be very different from mine and other women living in the 21st century. I came to find though, that as a growing woman, Nisa experiences with love and lost are extremely relatable. On account of living in a small community or living her "life in the bush",  Nisa's family taught her the importance of giving all that she could to anyone who needed it. She was happiest when she received food and unhappy when people were stingy. Nisa's hate for stinginess especially came to light with her numerous lovers. As Nisa states, "One man can give you very little. One man only gives you one kind of food to eat. But when you have lovers, one brings you something and another brings you something else" (49). I found this very interesting. When a girl is not happy with a man, they leave them and move on. However, I always felt that this this type of feminist outlook developed during more modern times. I assumed because she did live in a secluded environment, that wives would stay with husbands no matter what they did. I highly respect her decision because it was one that benefited her and not done for the pleasure of her husbands. Her first marriage to her husband Tashay was an arranged marriage, but it was not one that was filled with strife. The marriage was full of love and respect for the other. When she lost her husband, her view on losing the people she loves is full of raw emotion. She states, "The death of your parents, husband, or children-they are equal in the amount of pain you feel when you lose them. But when they all die, you really feel the pain. There is no one to take care of you; you are completely alone" (49). Overall, Nisa's views on life are very modern, considering that she lived in a quiet atmosphere with not many people.  She is a independent thinker and a strong woman whose experiences with the San People should be admired.

One of the most interesting sections of chapter 1 was learning about the simple lifestyle of the Paleolithic societies. These small societies consisted of no more than fifty people. On account of the size, relationships were very intimate and respected. These bands were egalitarian, meaning that they believed everyone was considered equal. It makes sense that these relationships would be very personal ones, but the concept of them living in a egalitarian society is what interest me. What was the exact reason equality between the sexes slowly decreased? I know that men would soon become more violent when war came into the picture, but when did women becoming subservient to their husbands become a social norm? I am not saying that we must follow their exact lifestyle, but I do long for those more balanced relationships between men and women that these bands thrived on. With the use of technology and media, we have become an extremely antisocial society. Unfortunately, that has diminished the use of manners and the need for physical and emotional intimacy.