History can be difficult to understand. The way it is told and interpreted depends on the point of view of a person or a culture, the time period from which it is being viewed and a thousand other variables that affect what is actually perceived as the truth of history. One of the greatest tools for anyone wanting to learn more about the past is often overlooked. Maps do more than tell us how to get where we’re going. Maps give us visual representations of the past. They can illustrate growth and movement of civilizations, the spread of various cultures, patterns that repeat themselves throughout time and so much more. Today we’re bringing you some fantastic resources that will help to illuminate the past and explain it in ways you may never have considered. These are great sites to use on your own or in the classroom. Continue reading
Category Archives: Education
Maps, Part I: Defining and Explaining our Past, Present and Future
AntiquityNOW Introduces the Education Topic Matrix
AntiquityNOW is pleased to announce the launch of our Education Topic Matrix, an index of content for educators to use as supplements to their classroom curricula. This matrix includes all our blog posts, Kids’ Blog posts, educational projects, videos, creative writing, arts and crafts, curricula as well as our partner projects, organized by region and era. It’s cross-indexed, covers a wide variety of subjects, is easy to search and is organized under headings that teachers can readily recognize. And the best part? It’s completely free. Continue reading
In Praise of Teachers—4,000 Years of Preparing the Next Generation
UPDATE! This post was originally published on May 7, 2013. As long as humans have existed, people have learned from one another. It’s in our DNA. This is the genetic matrix upon which great civilizations evolved and centers of knowledge arose. For those who become the teachers, they take on the mantle of an ancient and noble art. AntiquityNOW is an enthusiastic supporter of teachers and their contributions through the often tumultuous but ever intriguing course of history. In that spirit we will be announcing on Tuesday, October 14 a very special resource tool specifically designed for teachers that can help them demonstrate to their students how the ancient past is not as distant as they may think. Stay tuned!
For more about inspiring and influential educators throughout history, check out our slideshow celebrating World Teachers’ Day 2013.
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Who was your favorite teacher or professor? Can you still remember his or her lectures, an activity you did in class, a lesson that changed the way you think about the world? Great teachers make an indelible mark on their students and are often remembered long after those students leave the classroom. In honor of Teacher Appreciation Day, we take a look back at some of antiquity’s greatest educators and how we continue to use their teachings and methods today. Continue reading
Posted in Blog, Education, Public Life
Tagged ancient history, AntiquityNOW, Buddha, Confucius, education, Jesus, Socrates, Teacher Appreciation, teaching
A Brief History of the Timeless Dilemma of Censorship and America’s Response
Image courtesy of Tyler Menezes on Flickr.
The life of Socrates is in the hands of 500 reticent jurors. He stands trial for poisoning the minds of Athenian youth and inspiring rebellion with anti-democratic teachings. Silently, the jurors cast their ballots into one of two urns that represent guilt or innocence…
Socrates was found guilty and sentenced to death. Shielding the public from dangerous ideas outweighed one man’s right to free expression on the scales of Athenian justice. Throughout history, society’s weighing of public good against individual rights has shaped the history of censorship. It’s a dilemma both ancient and familiar. Continue reading
Posted in Blog, Communications, Crime, Culture, Education, Human Rights, Law, Literature, Politics, Public Life
Tagged American legal system, ancient history, ancient law, AntiquityNOW, book burning, censorship, Jewish Law, Plato, Roman Law, Socrates
Exploring LegacyQuest 2014! Your Own VIP Pass to an Ancient Fashion Week
This week’s featured video is another Honorable Mention from The Baldwin School in Pennsylvania. Complete with ancient models, ancient advertisements and most importantly ancient fashion, viewers get a VIP pass to an ancient Greco-American Fashion Week. This clever film was created by middle school students Alexa May, Lindsey, Caroline, Anna and Sasha with the help and inspiration of their teacher, Jeannette Keshishian. Continue reading
Exploring LegacyQuest 2014! Building a 21st Century Soccer Stadium Using Tips From 1st Century Rome
This week’s featured video is from The Baldwin School in Pennsylvania and received an Honorable Mention. Viewers are taken to a modern construction site where the architectural features of the past are shown to inspire the present. The ingenious film was created by middle school students Margaret, Emma (Karly), Charisma and Paige with the help and inspiration of their teacher, Preston Bannard. Continue reading
One Museum’s Quest to Preserve Niger’s Precious Cultural Heritage
Boubou Hama National Museum
Niger does not get a lot of press when it comes to the protection of its cultural heritage. Often it is overshadowed by news about antiquities from its neighbor to the south, Nigeria, and the restitution of the Benin Bronzes taken from that region. However, the people of Niger are proud of their heritage and want to protect and preserve it. One man in particular, Maki Garba from the Boubou Hama National Museum, contacted AntiquityNOW, eager to share the work that’s being done at the museum to ensure that Niger’s past is not lost. Continue reading
Posted in Blog, Culture, Education, Public Life
Tagged Africa, ancient history, AntiquityNOW, Boubou Hama National Museum, Maki Garba, National Museum of Niger, Niger, Sahara, Tenere Desert
Exploring LegacyQuest 2014! Time Travel: Greek and Roman Architecture
This week we’re featuring another video from a group of students who received an Honorable Mention for their excellent filmmaking efforts. This entry from The Baldwin School in Pennsylvania takes us back in time to Ancient Greece and then fast forwards to Ancient Rome before returning us to the present day, comparing and contrasting architecture throughout the journey. It was created by middle school students Armina, Gloria, Jordyn and Vivienne (Vivi) with the help of their teacher, Jeannette Keshishian. Continue reading
Exploring LegacyQuest 2014! World News Live: Roman Architecture Edition
The student filmmakers in the next video in our Exploring LegacyQuest 2014 series received an Honorable Mention for their fantastic work. This entry from The Baldwin School in Pennsylvania illuminates Roman architecture and its connection to modern architecture. It was created by middle school students Veda, Hope, Risa, Emily and Abby with the help of their teacher, Jeannette Keshishian. Continue reading
Exploring LegacyQuest 2014! Greek Storytelling: A Modern Twist on Persephone
In week three of our Exploring LegacyQuest 2014 series we’re featuring the festival’s third place winner. This entry from The Baldwin School in Pennsylvania takes a fun and original approach to uncovering the ancient Greek practice of storytelling. It was created by middle school students Allison, Saachi, Jattu, Emma and Ivonna with the help of their teacher, Jeannette Keshishian. Continue reading
Posted in Blog, Culture, Education, LegacyQuest, Literature, Public Life
Tagged Ancient Greece, ancient history, AntiquityNOW, education, film festival, LegacyQuest, Persephone, storytelling
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