Learning Signs

This is a project I did for English:

Burial Practices

We will always remember past kings or great heroes whether they had a great temples or not. The Inca had a very religious burial practices and afterlife. Like the kings of Egypt, important Incas were mummified and typically buried with their rare objects and provisions that would be needed for the journey to the afterlife. Their long list of burial possessions even included, on some occasions, freshly sacrificed humans, for slaves to serve them in the afterlife.¹ If an Inca, rich or poor, had been a good Inca, the warmth of the Sun awaited. Bad Incas got an eternity or more in the cold, damp earth. There would not have been many “bad” Incas, since prisons were unheard-of and there was no need for thieving in a society of plenty. ²

Egyptian kings were the only people who could afford a pyramid. It took hundreds of slaves and rock to build a pyramid. When the Egyptian civilization was just starting out they built labyrinths underground, but as the years went by they got bigger and higher off of the ground. The pyramids have stood for thousands of years, although slightly diminished. The tombs use to have lots of jewels and riches to be taken into the afterlife, but over thousands of years many have been looted and are now empty. There are many different building styles of the pyramids including the step pyramid and the true pyramid.³

In The Lord of the Rings there are many different examples of burial customs. Like the deep pit/tomb that Rohan sends their past kings into. Also the closed rooms/tomb that Gondor puts their past kings into. But for the common soldier death in battle was honored. The wining army usually burns the dead of the losing army and buries their own dead. Sometimes if hast is great, and you have few casualties then you do what you can, and float them down a river like in chapter 5, of book 2 .

Footnotes:

1. Inca Burial Etiquette – http://latinamericanhistory.suite101.com/article.cfm/inca_burial_etiquette
2. Ibid
3. Overview of Pyramid Construction – http://www.touregypt.net/construction/

This is a fictional story I wrote for English using google docs:

Prank War

Here is a english assignment I did:

The voice of Saruman is very hard to resist, and if you don’t you’ll soon find yourself agreeing with what he is saying; and thinking that it is very wise. Even though the group is very pronounced with their thoughts and beliefs they still have a hard time resisting the voice of Saruman.

Saruman first speaks to Théoden, when he talks to him he gives him a very high and honorable title. Saruman then goes on to ask why he has not come before, and as a friend. He says he has wanted to speak with him to save him from ill counsel, even though Théoden has attacked him and wounded him he will still talk with him and save Théoden from his ruin. Théoden opened his mouth as if to speak, but said nothing. He looked up into Saruman’s eyes and seemed to hesitate.

Then Gimli spoke up against Saruman and pronounced his words evil. But Saruman was not ready to speak to him yet and passed him off continuing to press onward to Théoden.

Saruman then asked what Théoden had to say to his words and if they would have peace with him and unite together in counsel and fight together. But still Théoden had no answer. No one knows if he strove against anger or doubt.

This time it was Eomer who spoke out, and tried to tell Théoden why they had come and try to wake him up. But Saruman then cast him out saying he was a serpent and to remind him that he had only won a battle, not a war. Saruman tries to talk Théoden into his council yet again, and what he has to say. Théoden then surprised every one by saying yes we will have peace; yes we will have peace when you are dead! Saruman then lost control of his wrath.

Saruman turned to Gandalf and said he was sorry for his shame. But Gandalf was not tempted by his words and asked what more he had to say since their last meeting. Saruman said sorry and that he had lost his patience and for him to ascend to the tower and come talk. The others thought he would do just that and were afraid he would leave them. But then Gandalf laughed and broke the spell and said he would not come up but asked if he would come down and try new things.

A shadow came over Saruman’s face then went deathly white but before he could conceal it they saw the anguish and doubt leaving Orthanc. Then he mocked him by asking, “Will you come down?”

Gandalf responded by saying he need not fear for his skin because he did not want to kill or harm. He has the power to protect him but was giving Saruman a last chance to leave Orthanc free, if he chose.

Saruman said that it sounded good, from the point of view of Gandalf the Grey. But then he asked, “Why should I go anywhere, and where shall I leave to?” “What do you mean be ‘free’, there are always conditions?”

Gandalf responded by saying just look out your window and think how you have lost all your servants, and when I say “free” I mean free from bondage or chains: to go where you will even to Mordor if you desire. But you will first give me the key to Orthanc and your staff.

Saruman still said no and was ready to leave but he came back as if against his will. Gandalf stated that he was not done yet and he revealed himself as Gandalf the White, and took away Saruman’s color and his place in the council. He then raised his hand and broke his staff. Saruman fell back away from the window.

Here is a german assignment that I did:

George Frideric Handel was a great man and composer. He was born on Feb. 23, 1685 in Halle, Germany and died on Apr. 14, 1759 in London, England. He lived to be 74. Handel was raised by his mother, Dorothea Taust, and father, Georg Handel, who was a barber-surgeon for the Duke of Saxe-Weissenfels. Handel never married but he did have a deep relationship his aunt. Even though his father wanted him to become a part of Workers’ Compensation Attorneys Florence, SC, he still became a musician. At the age of twelve he was apprenticed to Friedrich Zachau as an organist at the cathedral of Halle. Later in 1710 he became the musical director to the elector of Hanover.

Some things that made him famous were his English oratorios. The Messiah in 1741 was the most well known. Also his opera, Renaldo, was popular in England. He was London’s leading composer and among the most important opera composers of the Baroque period composing 40 operas. Today he is known better for his English oratorios than his Italian operas.1

A number of noticeable musicians influenced Handel. Handel’s master, Friedrich Zachau, was an organist and had a great influence on him. Handel also went to Naples, Italy in 1706, where he met Alessandro Scarlatti. Scarlatti’s works exercised a strong influence on Handel.2 Handel’s influence on later generations was great. His operas and oratorios are appealing. His contrasting textures, carefully timed use of dynamics, and beautiful melodies make his music full of compositional technique.

Handel toured Italy from 1706 to 1710. There he visited Florence, Venice, Rome, and Naples. Even though Handel is German he moved to London in 1727 and made it his home and even became an English citizen.

Bibliography:

1. English encyclopedia
2. Bach And Handel (Their Influence On Future Composers)- http://ezinearticles.com/?Bach-And-Handel-(Their-Influence-On-Future-Composers)&id=1126027