Saturday, December 12, 2009

Safe and Sound








History Short Essay Question
Safe and Sound

Imagine the citizens of al- Andalus running about in Cordoba, safe and sound, trading, communicating, and learning with others. This is the golden age of Cordoba. At the time of its highest peak, Cordoba flourished in politics, economy, social culture, and technology. Because of its powerful period, the citizens were carefree and at peace.

The citizens of Cordoba didn’t have to worry about lack of civilization or power. This was because of its politics. The government always had a standing army with few mercenaries to fight, just in case there were opposing groups that invaded. A standing army is an army that is maintained in times of peace and war. Having the kind of government with this kind of army contributed to the golden age because it gave tranquility to the citizens, for they didn’t have to risk being conquered. Also, in times where a powerful faction commenced war, Cordoba was always prepared and organized for battle. This relates to modern day because the United States has a standing army like al- Andalus, ready to fight off invaders. This aspect of politics helped Cordoba become a safe city in their time of golden age.
A safe city is a happy city. But what if it was rich, too? Cordoba also grew in its economy during the golden age. They had many irrigation systems to provide for water, which made agriculture common for those in al- Andalus. The citizens often traded foods with others, and it made them wealthier. They also traded goods such as silk and leather with each other because Cordoba produced many of these things. It was important to be wealthy then, for it made life simpler. They didn’t worry about depressions or lack of money. This relates to today because the United States is wealthier than all the other countries of the world, and it makes others want to move to there. But now, it is easy to understand that because the U.S. relies on too much money, it is falling apart. This shows that although money was good for Cordoba, since wealth made Cordoba a very famous city, it was not the main part of the golden age for al- Andalus. But, Cordoba’s economy still helped greatly in their highest period.
The citizens of Cordoba had different ways of living as well as similar. This was due to their social culture. Many scholars came to Cordoba to study, bringing knowledge of other cultures with them. It made Cordoba vary in culture because everyone had a different life to live. With contrasting ways of living, Cordoba was a very interesting city. Also, the citizens had things in common because Cordoba had many public baths. They related there, since there were many hours of communicating at public baths. This is like modern times because many people gather at places such as shopping centers and business meetings to communicate and share culture. Sections of Cordoba did one thing, and other sections did another thing. Every difference and similarity was an element to Cordoba’s culture. Cordoba’s social culture was a great part to its golden age.
Lastly, the citizens were abundant in knowledge. They flourished in technology, an important source of power. Many Muslim scholars added to the study of other mathematicians, or began new researches. They created accurate maps and calendars. Other scholars also made books on medical philosophy. They wrote about doctor- patient relationships. Technological awareness in Cordoba was important to the citizens’ everyday lives. It helped them know vital things such as dates and locations. It is similar to today, because many countries keep learning new things by the discoveries of historical scholars. Also, modern humans write about relationships and how to treat others and yourself, which is in the subject of philosophy. These contributions to knowledge were important to Cordoba’s golden age.

Thanks for readingg as if anyone readit at all

-SunnyKim<3

1 Comments:

Blogger Smruthi Maganti said...

FYI: I did read it. :) And second, your answers were very interesting, especially about the philosophy.

December 17, 2009 at 8:21 AM  

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