What is Islam? (extra credit)

One of the student from my 10:00 session will be giving a presentation on Islam this week (Tuesday, April 19, 8:03 p.m. in the Centennial room.  I will give you a few extra credit points for going to the presentation and adding your comments here. 

What did you learn from the presentation?  Note in particular anything you learned that might help as you prepare a potential essay response to the generalization that Muhammad created "one of the world's most attractive and compelling religions"? 

Machiavelli (extra credit)

Please read Chapters 15-19 of Machiavelli's The Prince (either pp. 84-104 of the Signet edition or at the link below).

Add a comment or two here giving your impressions of Machiavelli. Try to say something that would help another students trying to prepare on essay on Renaissance achievements.

http://www.fordham.edu/HALSALL/basis/machiavelli-prince.html

Pico Della Mirandola (extra credit)

Renaissance humanists had a very positive view of mankind. They greatly appreciated past human achievements, and had an exceptionally high view of human potential . Read through some of Pico della Mirandola's Oration on the Dignity of Man. Cite a line or two that particular well illustrates Pico's "humanism," i.e., either his appreciation for the past or his optimism about human potential. As an alternative, just cite a line that you particularly like from this work and explain why you like it.

Joan of Arc (extra credit)

There are many fascinating stories connected with the Hundred Years' War and, fortunately for us, some good translations of some of the best source material for this period.  We have, for instance this account of the trial of Joan of Arc.  Read through the selection and note what you find particularly interesting or important.

Boccaccio's account of the Black Death (extra credit)

Read Boccaccio's account of the plague in Florence at the link below. What can you tell about Boccaccio's values and concerns from this account? In what ways might seeing the kinds of things he describes affect his writing and his general view of life?

http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/decameronintro.html

Heloise and Abelard (extra credit)

Choose one or two of the letters of Heloise and Abelard at the link here. What did you find particularly interesting in these letters?  Does anything particularly surprise you?