Byzantine Webquest and the Hagia Sophia

The Byzantine Empire was geographically position at a highly strategic location, at a crossroads between Europe, Asia, and Africa. List two bodies of water bordering Constantinople and two ethnic kingdoms lying to the north.

Describe the role mosaics played in the Byzantine (Orthodox) church. Just wikipedia it and look at some mosaics and describe why they are important.
Define a mosaic and then describe them







Go to this site and skim for information http://www.wsu.edu:8080/~dee/MA/BYZ.HTM
Scroll down to Justinian and answer the following questions.

1. During the reign of Justinian, lessons from the fall of Rome had been learned. List two attempts made by Justinian to avoid the mistakes which contributed to the decline of Rome.



2. How important is the Corpus iuris civilis to civil law in Europe then and today?





3. Scroll down to Byzantine Christianity, what was the Iconoclastic controversy, explain the two sides.




Go to a new site: http://www.metmuseum.org/explore/Byzantium/byzhome.html Click on timeline

4. Tell me what happened on the following dates and why you think they are important.
639, 1054, 1081, and 1453





5. (click back) Go to works of Art (Click on the Madonna and child picture), describe the picture and why it is important representative of the Byzantine Art









6. Go back to works of Art ===click on presentation of temple? Why is the painting important? i.e what does it celebrate and what is the festival associated with it? Describe what it is about.











7. Put these in your notes ---From the glossary define the following words, Abbasid dynasty, Patriarchates, icon, Great Schism, Copts






8. http://www.sacred-destinations.com/turkey/istanbul-hagia-sophia Look at the pictures and read the short paragraph about this beautiful building. Jot down some notes. Explore the interactive map of the building, just enjoy and describe what you see. This is amazing building so please click on several places and describe what you see.

Time Traveler to the Song Dynasty

Scenario: Through the magic of time travel, you have been sent back to the Tang Dynasty in China, however, due to experimental technology you only have 50 minutes. During this time gather as much information as you can, because then you will be brought back to 2007, where you will use your information to quickly write up an article of your visit. What you seen and learned for our "newspaper," no more than 5-6 paragraphs.


Task: You will have 40 minutes, to gather as much information on the dynasty as you can.
Create a simple graphic organizer if you like, or you can take notes on what you come across.
Pay attention to SPRITE-- Political, Economic, Religious, Social, Intellectual (technology, arts, and inventions), and Architecture (pagoda).

Focus on the golden age during the Tang Dynasty and achievements
--economy—who they traded with and how far
--don't focus on Empress Wu, she can be mentioned, but focus on big ideas, not on rulers.

Websites you can consult for "your time travels"


http://chinaknowledge.de/History/Tang/tang.html

Basic information and background of the dynasty. This is nicely laid out.


http://www.metmuseum.org/TOAH/hd/tang/hd_tang.htm
Objects from the Tang dynasty


http://www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/prehistory/china/classical_imperial_china/tang.html


After forty minutes of note taking and research, you will write up a creative news article or letter to a friend which is no more than 5-6 paragraphs in length, it is not a formal essay. It does not have to have a formal thesis.