Monday we learned about Japan during the 16th and 17th centuries. This was the age of the Samuri. Late 17th century the samuri became more administrative and less soldier and were encouraged to use their skills in less violent ways, such as Sumo Wrestling. We did some Pillow Sumo. There is a lot of ceremony involved. First you set up your dohyo, your ring, we used a rope,  and put the pillars to represent N, S, E, and W. ( our construction paper) then you stand on opposite sides and clap once.

Then you stomp faster and faster to scare away the evil spirits.
Then you throw salt across the ring,
and take a sip of water to purify yourself.
Then you stride to the center of the ring, 
and the Stare Off begins, in which you have 4 minutes to intimidate your opponent.
At some point during those minutes you begin to attempt to push or pull your opponent out of the ring.

And out she goes.

Julia wrote:

Hideyoshi first was a peddler. Then he joined the Samuri army of Oda Nabunaga. First he was a sandal bearer. Later Oda Nobanaga made him a general. When Nobunaga died in battle four samuri fought over his place, but Hideyoshi took it first. He tried to take over China but Korea didn't let them pass through. Hideyoshi never conquered China. When Hideyoshi died he left his throne to his son Hideyori. The five advisors that were supposed to help Hideyori fought for the throne. Ieyasu won within the five and he started gathering an army. This army was called the Eastern Army. The Western Army was loyal to Hideyori. When Ieyasu finally attacked, he killed Hideyori's family and Hideyori killed himself. Jesuits were Christian missionaries. they came to Japan to spread Christianity. When the Shogun, Ieyasu, asked his advisors about the men the advisors said to beware of them. The the shogun forced all the missionaries out of the land. His son, Hidetada, executed Japanese Christians. His son Iemitsu, completely closed Japan to the outside world.

Tobacco and unwilling colonists, Slavery.

We learned today about the growing of tobacco in Virginia, the Triangle Trade, the middle passage, the Portuguese Slave Trade, and Nzinga an African Queen who fought the Portuguese.

Julia's map of the Atlantic showing the Tobacco going to England from Virginia and the Triangle Trade route.

*Photo coming soon*

Joshua's drawing of Queen Nzinga's clever "chair" when meeting with the Portuguese.

*Photo coming soon*

Sophia wrote:

John Rolfe planted Spanish tobacco in Virginia. The people in England thought smoking was great, but King James thought smoking was terrible. John sent the new tobacco to England and they loved it but it is hard to grow. So they hired indentured servants. What they got in return was money and clothing, England traded from one country to another in a triangle. This was called the triangular trade.

Nzinga was the queen of an African Kingdom. Portuguese have been trading with them but now they are attacking. Nzinga's brother asked if she could talk to the Portuguese and have a treaty. She went and the Portuguese agreed but not for long. Nzinga's brother died and she took over but then she died and Portugal took over until 1975.

The Dutch in America

Julia's picture of Peter Stuyevesant the notorious governor of New Amsterdam who cleaned up the mess of previous governors but lost the settlement to the English.

Sophia's map of the settlements of England, France and Holland.

This is Joshua eating his succotash. He cut up the squash for it.

This is Julia eating hers. She opened the can of corn and added it.
This is Sophia, her food was very hot! She opened the beans and added them.

Mom cut up the onions, and bacon.

                 This is our Indian succutasch made of : Beans, bacon, Onions, Corn, and Squash.

Holland wanted land in America. So they made a company called the Dutch West India Company. They bought a island for 24 dollars! They built homes on it and named it New a Amsterdam. The town began to fall apart. So Peter Stuyvesant fixed it up. The English took it and named it New York.                                  written by Joshua                                                                                              

We have learned about some of the English and French and Dutch Explorers of the New World and the Native Americans they met there. We built a Wigwam and ate fish, cranberries, dandylion salad, and jerky. 

We learned a little bit about Shakespeare one of the most famous playwrights during Elizabeth's reign. We enjoyed making up insults and learning about pentameter and reading lines from a midsummer nights dream.

We learned that Martin Luther's ideas influenced King Henry the VII to declare his religious independence from the Pope, and divorce his wife in the search for a male heir. He was unsuccessful, but one of his daughters, Elizabeth became one of the most loved and feared Monarchs of England. We made ruffs to show something of the common dress of that time. We got a little carried away but then so did the Elizabethan's occasionally.

Then we learned about Martin Luther and his 91 theses that changed how christians viewed their church leaders. We made faux stained glass windows to represent stories from the bible since that was how many people in the Middle Ages learned their religion, from the pictures in the windows of the Cathedral.

This is one wall of our Cathedral of Gilroy.