Jaime Roberts-Jones and Drew Prichard
10 th gr. Honors World History
SUMMER READING ASSIGNMENT FOR 2012/13
Welcome to Honors World History! The curriculum next year covers mostly western world history from the Renaissance through the twentieth century. However, it is impossible to understand western civilization without an introduction to Classical
(Ancient Greek and Roman) history and culture. Therefore to give you the necessary grounding for the course, you will need to read and understand much of the attached reading packet. We will continually refer to the Ancient Greeks and Romans throughout the year, so it is very important that you complete this assignment. This isn't painful -
Classical history and culture are fascinating!!! Have a GREAT SUMMER - I look forward to seeing you in the fall!
Instructions:
 The reading itself is quite simple, however it contains a lot of information.
Depending on how fast you read, this entire assignment should take around 5 hours total. I strongly recommend you spread it out over a few days - if you try to do it all in one sitting, you'll be overwhelmed and you won't absorb the material.
 You are not reading for specific events in history, but rather for the bigger historical and cultural picture. Think in terms of cause and effect. You can skim or skip anything on military strategies or wars - I am only interested in a war's causes and effects.
 You do not need to take notes, although some may help you.
 Do answer the questions below, which you will hand in on the first day of school in the fall.
 I will hand back your answers on the second day of school, and you will have a quiz on those questions the third day of school.
***FIND ALL READINGS ON ROBERTS-JONES SWIFT WEBSITE.
***PASSWORD TO OPEN ALL SUMMER ASSIGN. DOCS. IS: machiavelli
Read each section for Chapters 5,6, and 7 and answer ALL of the following questions from the Section Review AND my own added questions. You may use bullets.
Chap. 5, Ancient Greece :
Chapter 5, Section 1:
Chapter 5, Section 2:
Chapter 5, Section 3:
Chapter 5, Section 4: p. 108, numbers 1 and 5 p. 114, numbers 1 and 6 p. 122, numbers 1, 2a, 4b, 5, 6, 7, 8a
-Why did the Golden Age end? Be specific.
-Why was Alexander the Great's Empire so short lived?
(My real question: Why don't empires work?)
(continued other side)

Overall chapter questions -Pericles said, "Unlike other nations, we Athenians do not call a man who takes no part in public life quiet or unambitious; we call such a man useless." How would
Pericles evaluate the behavior of citizens who fail to vote in elections today?
-How did the arts reflect the Golden Age and decline of
Athens?
Chap. 6, Roman Republic :
Chapter 6, Section 1: p. 135, number 1
-Explain Roman religion, the emergence of the republic, family values, division of classes and the army. In what ways did the Romans imitate the Greeks? p. 141, numbers 2 and 7a Chapter 6, Section 2:
Chapter 6, Section 3: -What do you think were the key reasons that the Roman
Republic fell and why? Be specific.
-How and why was Julius Caesar able to rise to power?
Why was the Roman Empire willing to accept one-man rule?
Overall chapter question: -Compare the Roman ideal of gravitas with the Athenian ideal of arête . What do the differences in these tell about the civilization they represent?
Chap. 7, Roman Empire:
Chapter 7, Section 1:
Chapter 7, Section 2:
Chapter 7, Section 3:
Chapter 7, Section 4:
Why was Caesar Augustus such a successful emperor?
(My real question: What makes a good emperor?) p. 160, numbers 3a and 4b p. 164, numbers 1, 2, 3 and 4 see below
Overall chapter questions: -"Rome's most lasting contribution to later civilizations was its law." To what extent do you agree with this statement and why? What other achievements of Roman civilization are enduring?
-What do you see as the major reasons for the fall of the
Roman Empire? Many compare the Roman Empire with the U.S. today. What parallels do you see, and could this mighty country have a similar end? How could we prevent it?