Iron, I bet, was a really big advancement to the Africans. Especially with trading, iron must have been a huge help to the Africans We use iron today a lot. Like for building tall structures. Iron is really strong, but can be melted too. In many places of the world, iron was useful. It still is today, but iron was rarely found, so this was a big advancement to many other civilizations too!
With Africa being in the place that it is... getting iron must have been tricky. Luckily, Africans went with caravans and would meet up with others halfway into the desert. So many people needed iron and other useful trading items Africa "carried" that either little villages or towns were settled. Many people would trade in these towns, probably because of shelter. Africa really helped us out by making iron!
As everyone knows, Africa is a hot, large, and mostly a dessert area. One place in Africa everyone knows about, is the desserts of Africa. Africa has many desserts which are all hot, humid, and large. With sandstorms, no water, and lots of dangerous animals, I think Africa's desserts would be the hardest to live in.
When living in the dessert, there really is no way to know what's coming. Sand is everywhere so no directions are useful. Plus, the hot sun is pounding on you all day, and there aren't a lot of trees or plants that provide shade in the dessert. Hazards include sandstorms, no water, and and lots of heat.
Many people in the early times, would travel along or even across desserts. Back then water bottles, cars, and air conditioning, weren't availible. How did they do that?! Out of all the places in the world, one of the hardest places to live in, in my opinion, would probably be Africas desserts.
Trading must have been a big part in Islam's growth. After a few years, many people were converted to Islam. When people started trading, the religion must have spread around. Trading was very important to countries and cities and settlements, but to the Muslims so was the religion of Islam. Many Muslims must have either told their partners in trading about their religion and/or slowly spread to many differnt countries to share Islamic beliefs with others. Today we can see Muslims all around the world. It's funny how, Islamic beliefs spread from trading.
Do you ever feel trapped because of things you follow or agree with. Like religous rules, or even standards. Well if you do...don't! Just go look at what the Muslim's believe in. Muslim's believe in the "Five Pillars of Islam." These pillars are standars and rules all Muslim's are told to follow. One of the pillars is to pray five times a day. Another pillar states that all Muslims should make yearly donations to the needy or charities. You might think these standards are tricky to follow but those aren't really the ones that Muslim's struggle with. One of the five pillars Muslims struggle with would probably be a trip to the Hajj in Mecca. All Muslims, at least once in thier lives are asked to visit the Hajj in Mecca. The Hajj is a place of worshhip and is actually considered the most sacred place of worship to the Muslims. So if you ever feel discouraged about what you follow, don't because sometimes, things are trickier for others and not you.
Muhammad was a Arabian man who, in the begining, lived a very hard life. Both of his parents died while he was at a very young age. He lived with his grandmother until his until his uncle took him. Muhammad traveled a lot with his uncle's caravans. Later, Mahummad got married and moved to a place called Mecca and later moved to a place called Medina. One day, when Muhammad went to a cave to meditate and pray and angel appeared to him! The angel told him to "Recite! Recite! Recite!" The angel told Muhammad to teach the people that there is one god and many other things. muhammad started a relgion called Islam. The people who followed Muhmmad were called Muslims. Many people at first diliked Muhammad and after a while started to listen to him. Muhammad started to teach many things about what the angel had told him. People listened from all around, and that is how the Muslim religion started.
My uncle slowly rode over the hills to my village, he was traveling on camel with many men. Everyone stopped and stared as he slowly rode by. He stopped at my pottery stand and hopped of his camel. I put down a pot and stood, "Hello uncle." I knew he had been a traveler, but what I really wanted to know is why he came to my village. After all, nothing important really happened here. He motioned me to get onto his camel. I sighed, "What would you like?" I tried to say it politely, for my uncle who had always been a very posturized man, replied, "I need to meet with your mother."
I guided him and his camel to my home. My mother was so happy her brother had come to visit. I was dragged along inside my home with my uncle and my mother; but was then seperated from the two when my uncle insisted he talked "alone" with my mother.
My mother came out with my uncle moments later. My uncle gave me a proposal, he wanted me to join his caravan! I stood motionless, should I go? I sighed, "I'm afraid I cannot go with you. I am sorry." I felt terrible, but my family needed the money I earned at my pottery stand. My uncle did a small cough, "I understand, good day." My mother hugged me in the doorway as we both watched my uncle's caravan drift off into the sunset. I felt good about my decision.
On Friday, of last week, I was a able to do an activity on class. All the 7th graders in Computech read about the sack of Rome for social studies and what went on at the time. I was "living" in Asia Minor and traded with Rome. I gave them silk for army men to protect Asia Minor, a province of Rome.
I would have like to have been a Barbarian. I would have liked to have fight and rule an empire. I would have liked to have been a Barbarian so I could've ruled a empire and become more weathly than I was already. Being a Barbarian would not have been fun in the beginning but towards the end Rome would have gotten what they deserved! Next time, I hope I get to be on the team that wins!
The day was just like every other day in New York. Hundreds of men and women headed to the Twin Towers to work and start of there day like any other; but they didn't know what was coming. September 11th, 2001 was one of the worst days in America's history.
I had just turned one and I (of course) had no idea what was going on. I don't remember a thing; but my parents do. Now that I am older, I hear many terrible stories about family members being lost in the tragedy. I am very lucky no one I knew was on one of those planes and am very grateful for it.
I think 9/11 has changed America. I think many people were affected by the news and sight. Not only did America stay strong, but we stayed together. 9/11 may have been one of the biggest tragedies in our book, but, it changed America, forever.
It feels like it starts ten months before it happens. It's everywhere, billboards, commercials, radio breaks, posters and signs. Yes, it the umcoming presidential election. I have mixed feeling about this topic. I care and I don't care at the same time. I care for the sake of my parents. I don't want to anything to make them have a hard time, but then again, I'm still pretty young. I mean its not like I have to pay the bills or taxes for my family. I earn my allowance and then either save or spend my money. I don't go through what they have to. On T.V. I'm always hearing or seeing how destroyed people's lives are in the U.S., how more then half of the people in the Unitedd States are jobless. It sounds bad, and I don't like it but, I'm only 12. I just have to wait till I'm 18!!!
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