2nd Year History Curriculum - II

The second unit is Pre-impirial Rome:

Ancient Rome by Mike Corbishley ( ISBN: 081605147X) has maps that can be used to illustrate events throughout the rest of the year.

31. Read The Story of the Romans by H. A Guerber (SR), chapters 1 – 6. Be sure to mention that this is the kingdom of iron and clay that Daniel prophesied. Point out the futility of Roman gods, but the obvious Providence of Jehovah. On pg. 16: remove "and they were very rude...know the whole story" This whole paragraph is written with an evolutionary view, as well as the belief that an educated person must know Roman myths. On pg. 17: remove "and his mother...appeared to him" and "She showed him that ... all his family." and "has been taught...so he at once". This removes the obviously mythical parts of the story. For the same reason, on pg. 19: remove "some of the gods whom ... stirred up a terrible tempest." and replace "a second god...the awful storm" with "the storm suddenly stopped." and replace "This was Venus, ...were a stranger and" with "She" On pg. 20: remove "Venus went away ...of Carthage" and "following her advice". On pg. 21: add "Aeneas thought that" before "the gods had decided that" and remove "people had not learned many.... children" which is evolutionary in outlook.

32. Read SR chapters 7 - 14. On pg. 29, tone down the praise of Numa Pompilius. On pg. 31: remove "As these Romans... foolish they have been". This paragraph assumes that education automatically makes a person more wise and righteous, which is not true. That is the work of the Holy Spirit. And no one has any excuse for sinning.

33. Read The Legionary by Peter Connolly ( ISBN: 0199104255) This book, and the one for the next lesson, each contain two elements: a biography of a particular Roman soldier, and details of Roman warfare such as structure of the fighting forces, weapons and armor used, clothing worn, etc. Skip the biography and read the parts applying to soldiers in general. If you need to shorten your curriculum, skip these to books altogether.

34. Read The Cavalryman by Peter Connolly (ISBN: 0199104247).

35. Read City by David Macaulay (ISBN 0395349222) pg. 1 - 52. David Macaulay is known for his books illustrating how famous edifices were constructed. This book shows the parts of a Roman city and how they were made.

36. Read City pg. 53 - 111.

37. Read SR chapters 15 - 21. On pg. 40: replace "was surprised to see a" with "thought she saw a". Also, remove the first sentence of chapter 17. A pagan cannot be an excellent king. On pg. 44. remove "although" and "knew she was a prophetess, he". On pg. 47: add "which they believe was" after "and kissed the earth", since the earth is not our mother! On page 48: remove the word pure with reference to Lucretia, in order to tone down the praise.

38. Read SR chapters 22 - 29. On pg. 58: remove "Their writers have said... bright and beautiful stars"(pg. 59) since this is mythology. On pg. 62: remove the last sentence "They were always the friends of the people." since I am sure that this is not true. On pg. 63: remove "Thus, you see, the plebeians....look after their interests." This sentence lauds welfare and claims that we need the state to look after us.

39. Read SR chapters 30 - 37. On pg. 64: remove "was a good son, and" to tone down the praise for pagans. On pg. 65: remove "Thus, you see, even in... many another hero". This paragraph implies that moral knowledge in humanity grows over time, instead of with submission to God. On pg. 68: remove "good and" from the first sentence. Again, I hate calling pagans good. On pg. 70: remove "because they were, in general, good and just for all the people." These laws could only have been good and just if they were identical to God's laws, which is highly unlikely. Since I don't know what these laws are, I can't call them good or just. On pg. 74: remove "although he was only a barbarian", since this implies that morality automatically increase with the sophistication of a society. On pg. 75: remove "and people nowadays ... true ones that follow." since we disagree that Roman myths are necessary to education.

40. Read SR chapters 38 - 45. On pg. 79: replace "military justice" with "discipline". I don't think that killing someone for disobeying an order can be called justice. On pg. 87: remove "Judging by this account ... knew how to exaggerate." I find it humorous that she relates obvious myths about gods without comment, but says that a snake can't possibly by 120 ft. long. Since dinosaurs and humans did coexist, according to the Bible, it is possible that in years back, there was such a thing as a 120 ft. snake, or snake-like animal.

41. Read The Young Carthaginian: A Tale of the Times of Hannibal by G. A. Henty (TYC) chapters 1 – 2. (Read chapter 3 during the literature time). Henty books all place a young boy in a historical situation. I have read several and found some more interesting than others. This is one of the more interesting ones. In all his books, however, Henty does a good job of including lots of historical detail while still maintaining the narrative. With this book, and several others to follow, I will be reading to the student during history and literature time. These books are literature, and so they can be included in the literature curriculum. Also, the books are long and not as fact-dense as other books in the history curriculum, so it helps to move through them faster.

42. Read TYC chapters 4 – 5. (Read chapter 6 during the literature time).

43. Read TYC chapters 7 – 8. (Read chapter 9 during literature time).

44. Read TYC chapters 10 – 11. (Read chapters 12 & 13 during literature time). Chapter 13 is to be read during literature time on Friday (even though there is no history class on Fridays).

45. Read TYC chapters 14 – 15. (Read chapter 16 during literature time).

46. Read TYC chapters 17 – 18. (Read chapter 19 during literature time).

47. Read TYC chapters 20 – 21. (Read chapter 22 during literature time).

48. Read SR chapter 46. On pg. 94: replace "unlucky" with "unsuccessful" and "luck" with "success". Read Archimedes and the Door of Science by Jeanne Bendick (ISBN: 1883937124) (ADS) chapters 1 – 3. Beware that this book needs some editing because it is too complimentary. I can't be more specific because I borrowed this book from the library.

49. Read ADS chapters 4 - 6. This section of the book includes some experiments to try. They may be over the head of a 2nd grader, though. Be guided by the abilities of your own child.

50. Read ADS chapters 7 - 14.

51. Read SR chapters 47 – 51. On pg. 102: remove "But it was now time... part of the oppressed people." This sentence implies that the poor need the government to provide for them. For the same reason replace "needed" with "wanted" in the next sentence. And add "desired" before "rights". Remove "an excellent" in the description of Cornelia. Also replace "clearly showed how bad it was" with "claimed that it was bad". Discuss the tyranny and oppression that democracy (mob-rule) leads to. Also show that people will always be helpless when they depend on the government to give them handouts, instead of making their own way. Read SR chapters 52 – 53.

52. Read SR chapters 54 - 62. On pg. 120: remove "Although he was one of the greatest generals who ever lived" Again, I hesitate to call a pagan the greatest in the world. How can he ever stack up to Lee or Jackson or William of Orange? On pg. 121: replace "even a barbarian has" with "he has" to remove the evolutionary undercurrent.

53. Read Roman Fort by Peter Connolly (ISBN: 0199104263) pg. 2, 5 – 9, 12 – 23 (ignoring specifics of Hempsteads), 26 – 29. This book describes the building of a Roman fort in Britain. Like Legionary, ignore the specific story and focus on the general details about Roman forts.

54. Read SR chapters 63 – 65. Read Julius Caesar by John Gunther (ISBN: 0394905431) (JC) pg. 3 – 10, 13 – 33. This book will need to be edited beforehand, since it is far too complimentary and welfare-friendly. I borrowed it from the library, however, so I can't be more specific.

55. Read JC pg. 34 - 74.

56. Read JC pg. 77 - 107.

57. Read JC pg. 111 - 128.

58. Read JC pg. 130 - 172.

59. Read SR chapters 66 – 69. Read Cleopatra by Diane Stanley and Peter Vennema (ISBN: 0688154808). This is a picture book about the life of Cleopatra. Read SR chapter 70. On pg. 134: replace "very beautiful when" with "if" since the student may not learn Latin and the works may not be beautiful.

60. Read Augustus Caesar’s World by Genevieve Foster (ISBN: 0964380323) (ACW) pg. Xi – 26. I really like the illustrations in this book. I also like the narrative style and I think that it has a good level of detail. I also enjoy the perspective of the book: looking at all parts of the world during a specific period of time. This perspective is particularly interesting because the time period in question includes the Incarnation of our Lord. She shows the state of everywhere from Japan to the Peru at this most pivotal moment in history. Be warned, though, Ms. Foster does NOT write from a Christian perspective. She makes some shockingly heretical statements in this book. I could only find this book on Christian websites, so this came as a surprise to me. However, with some editing, it is useful. On pg. xiii: remove "like that of offering burnt animals to God?" and "pleasant ones, ... Christmas season". We did not discard animal sacrifice, Christ brought it to its end. Remove "above all" and "that will be forever...have been spoken?" This sentence foreshadows the main error of this book, that there is some universal truth which all people have access to and all religions have at least a piece of, and that humanity is getting closer to all the time.

61. Read ACW pg. 26 - 55. On pg. 37: replace "$15.00" with "$140.00". This book was written in 1947, and according to the Federal Reserve, $15 in 1947 is worth about $140 today. Pretty sad, huh?

62. Read ACW pg. 56 - 84. On pg. 69: remove "and so he was devoted to the Law... diligently for righteousness" The Pharisees were devoted to their own laws, not God's laws. I find the comparisons of the Pharisees with the Puritans particularly repugnant.

63. Read ACW pg. 84 - 111. On pg. 93: remove "The age of the Messiah ... ever seeing repeated." I find this comparison of the Messiah and Saturn disgusting. On pg. 94: remove "His words used to describe ...the one most pure in heart." (pg. 96). This whole passage is even worse than the one above. Here Foster tries to liken Virgil to Isaiah. I shudder.

64. Read ACW pg. 112 - 140. On pg. 116: remove "One of the very important battles ... the world was going forward." This paragraph ties justice, freedom and the rule of law to human development rather than obedience to the law of God. On pg. 139: replace "find it wise to nail the cross" with "think it wise to nail the cross". There is nothing wise about blending Christianity with pagan religion. That is sinful. On pg. 140: replace "all other early races" with "many other early races". I know at least one race that didn't practice human sacrifice: the Israelites. Also, remove "It may be possible...slow in dying." It is not known that there were more savage natives in Gaul when the druids arrived. That assumption is based on evolution.

65. Read ACW pg. 141 - 169. On pg. 150: remove "Under its great dome ... dome of any temple." Appalling, damnable, blasphemous...I trust that I don't need to explain why. On pg. 152: remove "The Jews had a sacred book ...days of their race." Here she uses a lowercase "g" to refer to the god of the Jews. And she likens the Bible to Homer. Yikes! On pg. 158: remove "a lover of truth and". Virgil, a pagan, did not love truth. On pg. 159: remove "just as all races of people must have been once upon a time." The race of Israel did not have gods that were spirits of the forest. Also, remove: "And that is ... Great Spirit of the Universe". This is just wrong.

66. Read ACW pg. 170 – 185, 192 – 207. On pg. 171: replace "wisdom of the Magi" with "order of the Magi" and remove "one of the great prophets of the world". They were not wise, nor was Zoroaster a great prophet. On pg. 174: remove "And we do rightly so?...layer upon layer." As mentioned before, it was not wise or right to blend Christianity with pagan festivals. On pg. 185: remove "All the years of his life ... the rest is but explanation." Hillel's supposed summary of the law of God forgets the greatest commandment and decreases the requirements of the second greatest commandment by stating it negatively. Pages 186 - 191 are Foster's summary of the Pentateuch. I didn't even bother to read it. There is no way I am going to let this spouter of blasphemy summarize the law of God for my children. On pg. 194: remove "more or less reasonably". Describing the worship of emperors as even slightly reasonable is ludicrous. On pg. 204: remove "the wisdom of the Egyptians". Moses learned of God, not the Egyptians. Also remove "Those two old obelisks ... thirteen centuries later." This passage asserts that an Egyptian pharaoh, Akhenaton, was the first to conceive of One God. This is false. Adam was the first and the knowledge of One God has always existed on this Earth, by God's grace. This passage also takes an evolutionary view of religion, as if the idea of One God was an inevitable part of human development. On pg. 207: remove "Originally, Akhenaton ... today is not yet ready to accept."(pg. 209) More of the same.

67. Read ACW pg. 210 - 238. This lesson, the one before it, and several after it, have a lot of passages on the religions of the world at this time. If you want to shorten your curriculum I would start with these passages. I am including them, though, for two reasons. Since one's religion affects everything that one does, it is impossible to study a civilization without studying its religion. Secondly, all of the religions mentioned are still held on this earth, though with different dressing. Since anti-Christianity often claims to be new and enlightened, it will strengthen our children's defenses to realize that "there is nothing new under the sun". And the passages in question are short, so we are not dwelling unduly on error before the student has been sufficiently steeped in truth. If you chose to read these sections be sure to discuss the major errors of each false religion with your child. That will help keep the focus of our teaching where it should be, on the law of God. On pg. 213: remove "one of the greatest of the all ...harbor toward the city" (pg. 214) Some unnecessary praise of philosophers and criticism of the Creation story. On pg. 214: remove "how long those six days were supposed to be, and other" and "And though he held fast ... down in Ancient Hebrew" This passage asserts that there are many similarities between Greek philosophy and the Bible. This may appear to be true at a quick glance, but further investigation shows that they are completely at odds. On pg. 215: remove "and will probably keep on asking forever." At some point everyone will know the answers to these questions. Pg. 216: remove "just as pure sunlight ... different colored windows" This simile does not hold. On pg. 218: remove "His teaching was ...body was ugly." Pagan philosophy is not beautiful. On pg. 220: replace "great" with "famous" when speaking of Plato and his work. Add "Plato believed that" in front of "once the world itself..." On pg. 222: remove "People's mind can never ... into a baby's shoe." Evolutionary view of man. On pg. 223: "For each nation, like each person ...found in this world." I have already addressed such comments. On pg. 233: remove "One law there is ... in the skies" and "as they advanced beyond the state of savages". On pg. 235: remove "mistaken" from before "Spanish conquerors", "wonderful" from before "calendar", and "They were the first civilized Americans". On pg. 236: remove "but they had looked back ... which they had started counting." This does not fit with the Biblical timeline. It may have been adjusted by atheist scientists, as the Egyptian timeline has been. On pg. 238: remove "But they had separated, ... mysterious Mayans."

68. Read ACW pg. 239 - 264. Don't forget to point out the major errors in the false religions. On pg. 250: replace "2,000 years" with "1,500 years" and remove "but many centuries before that" to fit with the Biblical timeline. Remove "Then, like all other ... full of unseen spirits." Not Israel. On pg. 257: replace "one upon which all great teachers of every land agree" with "as follows." This suggests that all religions share some common truth, which is not true. Also, someone lately pointed out to me how much less demanding Confucius' version of the golden rule is. In requires no positive action, no sacrifice, no putting yourself out of your way for another. All it requires is that you aren't actively mean. Of course, no one could even do that without God's help, but still, they are not the same thing. Remove "so pure and simple ... to understand." and "That was good, ... far in the future" Unchanging rules (like the 10 commandments) do not stifle a culture. False religion does, though. On pg. 260: remove "when the Jews ...Arabian desert." She keeps harping on this theme that the Jews were once semi-savage nomads. It annoys me. Also remove "more primitive" from the last sentence. On pg. 261: remove "It is the first ...in the world today." She says that the Rig Veda is the oldest holy book, written in 1000 B.C., but Moses wrote in the 15th century B.C. Something is wrong with her math. On pg. 262: remove "or Jahveh" I shudder as she lists Jehovah with Aton or Ahura Mazda and Brahma, all false gods. On pg. 264: replace "holy" with "extraordinary". Buddha was not holy. Replace "greatest" with "most popular". The two are not identical concepts, just think of Bach and Beyonce. Remove "and pure of heart" and "in one of the late sacred ... one of these ways." Damnable thoughts.

69. Read ACW pg. 265 – 268. On pg. 268: remove "great" from before "religion of China". Buddhism is not great. Also, replace "gospels" with "works". The Buddhist holy books should not be given the name gospels, which means good news. Remove "This is the story ... will reign among mankind." (pg. 272). We will skip reading the story of Buddha's life, just like we skipped the Greek and Roman myths. Read pg. 274 – 286. On pg. 278: remove "meaning 'Prince of Peace' " and "also to" before "be spoken of". Comparing Christ to Ping Ti, even if in name only, is horrible. On pg. 279: remove "no one knows exactly, ... seen in starlight." This passage is humanist propaganda about how the gospels don't agree with each other. Also remove "are the two men". She must be forgetting about Mark. On pg. 284: remove "And the earth was ... clap their hands." This passage is supposed to be Jesus' thoughts, but they are nothing like what the Alpha and the Omega would ever think. Even if they sounded appropriate, I would hesitate to put any thoughts in Jesus' head, so to speak. On pg. 286: remove "Those great prophets ... top of a hill?" Here the boy Jesus is thinking of the prophets with admiration and doubting his ability to follow in their footsteps. So, so, so wrong! Please skip pages 287 - 294, which are Foster's summary of the Old Testament prophets. Just like her summary of the Pentateuch, I didn't even bother to read it. With her humanist worldview, she will surely get it wrong. Read pg. 295 – 307. On pg. 299: replace "but according to Matthew, he may have been" with "when he was" and "and this would be" with "he took". Again she says that the gospels contradict each other. Also, remove "He could almost feel ... the promised land!" Again, I don't like putting thoughts in Jesus' head. For that reason, on pg. 300: remove "The House of the Lord ... people kneeling!" Also, replace "legend" with "story". Calling the story of the fall of Jericho a legend, implies a doubtful attitude towards Scripture. On pg. 301: replace "1,200" with "1,500" to fit the Biblical timeline. Also, remove "There Jesus saw it for the first time" On pg. 303: remove "Jesus did not sleep ...wise quiet eyes." (pg. 304) Again she is presumptuously ascribing thoughts and actions to Christ. On pg. 304: remove: "So absorbed was the boy ... left for home." Jesus was in complete control of this situation; it was not some mistake on his part.

70. Read ACW pg. 308 – 316. On pg. 311: remove "slowly, and their own way, develop and become civilized." which displays an evolutionary view of man. Also, remove "what future wars might have been avoided" which assumes that a large empire creates more peace than small independent states. On pg. 316: remove "This is from the story ... for it lies within each."(pg. 319). This is Foster's summary of Jesus' life and teaching, which is something else I didn't bother reading. Read pg. 320 – 325. On pg 323: remove "they had felt his presence with them." which implies that Christ was only there in spirit, rather than in bodily resurrection. Also, replace "preach the gospel to every creature" with "make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit." because that is what he actually said. On pg. 325: remove the last paragraph. Read SR chapters 71 – 74.

71. Review the Pre-Imperial Rome unit. Cook a meal from The Classical Cookbook, if desired. (See previous post for details about The Classical Cookbook.

72. Test on Pre-Imperial Rome.