Final Quiz

I have really enjoyed this class for many reasons.  This is the first class that I have taken at Notre Dame De Namur.  I was a senior at San Francisco State University while I worked at my families business when my father passed away unexpectedly.  I focused my attention on the business and did not return to school for three years.  Returning to school has meant a lot to me.  I forgot how much I enjoy learning.  History classes have always been especially enjoyable for me. 

This class has had a heavier workload than I originally anticipated. It moves incredibly fast and the reading requirements are difficult to keep up with while trying to help run a business. Fortunately, the class has been fun and the material is incredibly interesting. 

I remember the first time we were asked to work in groups.  I felt that I was outside of my comfort zone and really wished I could find a way to avoid it.  The assignment was to read a excerpt from the Epic of Gilgamesh. We had to take a small part of the excerpt and act it out in a group.  It seemed incredibly silly but it ended up being fun.  It was a fun way to break up a extended class period. In the end I actually learned a lot. I was surprised at the incredible similarities between modern societies and ancient ones. It also gave me insight into the origins of many issues that we have today.  Learning about ancient cultures and the way that they viewed issues such as slavery, homosexuality, the environment and feminism has allowed me to view these issues as more of an outsider looking in.

I have been able to see the way that the past has shaped the world.  The rise of Western European influence being a relatively new concept was something that I had never known.  I always enjoyed history and felt I had an above average understanding of it.  It turns out that I knew very little about anything that happened before 1492.  I had taken philosophy classes and was aware of the work of Plato, Aristotle, & Socrates but I would not have been able to place them on a time line.  Now I can place most major civilizations accurately in a timeline and confidently discuss the relationships that they have had with one another. Prior to this class I was aware that Columbus had gone in search of a easy trade route to the "riches of Asia" but that did not mean anything to me.  I was amazed at the trade routes of the silk, sand and sea roads.  While I completed my research paper on The Great Depression I was surprised by the effect it had globally.  It had never occurred to me that the failure of the markets to correct itself during The Great Depression had added support to the anti-capitalist Nazi party in Germany.  I realize that was not the cause of Nazi Germany but it did have influence as Germany struggled to rebuild after WWI.

When I was in school as a young person I don't remember anything about the Islamic world.  Occasionally, I would have a class with somebody who was Muslim but that was rare and they always seemed so different.  I know that they must have come from another country but I had never imagined the rich history of the Arab Culture or the short but mighty dominance of the Persian Empire. I think it is so important that today's educators educate their students on the Muslim religion.

The debate we did in class regarding China and the Mongols was fun and I left feeling surprised that I had gotten to a point where I could even "hold my own" in a debate on subjects that I had just recently even heard of. Four weeks ago I had absolutely zero idea who the Mongols were and where they came from.  More entertaining than that, however, was how we beat the guys during the exercise where we were not allowed to speak.  It definitely gave all of us some insight into the ability of power to corrupt.  I was surprised that I actually got excited when we found a way to overcome the situation.  I understand that it was only a class exercise but I truly felt empowered when I first heard the computer spit out the answer.  It also made me feel closer to the other girls in the class because we had accomplished something together.

Ultimately, I am very impressed that we read that entire book in ten weeks.  I am even more impressed that I have retained a majority of it.  I started another class two weeks ago and was able to utilize my new understanding of world history to promote a lively discussion regarding the affect of colonialism and how it relates to the gap in economic prosperity between poor and wealthy nations. 

I can not express enough how much I enjoyed this class. I forgot how much I love to learn. I have learned a lot.  I feel like I have been through a lot in the last few years and the opportunity to finally finish my education means the world to me. There was a time when I would have taken it for granted and I am grateful that I have learned to really appreciate it.

Thank you Ms Andrews and the rest of the class for you participation in this opportunity.  I look forward to the rest of my classes at Notre Dame.