Before taking Pre-modern in the West, I had no knowledge of the ideals and fundamentals behind the religion of Islam. I grew up in a Christian home and have a good understanding of the Christian religion and its belief in salvation through Jesus. To my surprise, I learned that the Christian faith and Islam share many similarities that date back to some ancient historical figures.

One of the similarities shared includes their acknowledgment that Jesus lived and that he was a prophet. Despite the belief that Jesus lived, Islam believes that Jesus was never crucified on the cross. The denial of this event countermands the very idea that Jesus died and that his resurrection did not occur. Christianity, however, believes that Jesus died on the cross, was resurrected from the dead, and paid for the sins of mankind so that they may be saved from an eternity in hell. Islam and Christianity consider Jesus a great prophet but identify his divinity differently. For example, Islam finds it blasphemous to recognize Jesus as God, because they believe in only one God, Allah. Christians believe in the holy trinity which is made up in three coequal and coeternal forms in God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

Another similarity between both religions are the stories told in both the Bible and the Qur’an. Although some of the stories are shared in both books, Christians believe that the Qur’an is not the Word of God, and accept only the Bible as divine. However, the Islam religion believes that the Bible agrees with part of the Qur’an, but do not agree with the belief that Jesus was divine and he is the way to salvation. Islam believes that to be saved, one must fully submit to the will of Allah and that salvation may be granted by his mercy alone.

While both of the religions share some foundational similarities, they differ in the interpretation of specific prominent figures and events. Both of the beliefs are not mutually exclusive but are mere interpretations of different groups of people who were influenced by their way of life and ideals. Fundamentally, they do not agree, but both religions were shaped by events that are captured in both the Qur’an and the Bible.  It is important to note that historical events such as the crusades aided in creating a divide between both religions, making the similarities seem like mere coincidences.

 

By Carlos Gallardo

Word count: 404

At the Naval Academy, studies focus mostly on students acquiring technical skills that can be applied in our respective communities when we commission. Instead of war tactics, we focus more on the makeup and operation of equipment that could potentially be used in a time of war, and the ethical studies of war. Unlike our counterpart at the United States Military Academy, there is not an immediate need to learn war tactics. Despite the lack of training in war tactics at USNA, we can still compare to how the Art of War is applied to our military today.

 

The Art of War focuses on the importance of strategy against a foe and understanding the enemy, the environment, and the reason of the leaders. For example, if a general does not value the life of his men, and sends them to fight at a disadvantage with no regard to their well-being, the chances of winning the battle decrease exponentially. Although the Naval Academy does not necessarily teach war tactics, the lessons taught in the ethics courses help to ensure that the future commissioned officers are able to make decisions that are not detrimental to the unit they will eventually be leading. As future naval officers, we are taught different philosophies, and we conduct case studies by the various philosophical theories to understand the pros and cons of our decisions. By understanding

 

According to the Art of War, Sun-Tzu states that to achieve victory, a military must “have officers and men who share a single will.” For officers and to obtain a single will means for them to understand the ideals of their nation and their goals in winning the war. It is the officers’ job as leaders to motivate, educate, and take care of their men while at the same time understanding the enemy. The courses in ethics may not provide insight into war, but it provides us with an understanding of reason, which serves well when we have to make decisions in combat.

Although the way we fight wars is much more different than years past, we can still use the fundamentals taught in the Art of War. However, I find it more useful for leaders to study ethics as it will be necessary when making decisions that can determine the life and death of other people in their command.

 

by Carlos Gallardo

Word Count: 408

 

Works Cited

Sun-Tzu. The Art of War. Trans. John Minford. London: Penguin, 2009.

The Roman Empire experiences many changes in power throughout its duration. Despite how long ago the Roman Empire existed, there are definite similarities in the way people’s desire for power can cause chaos and revolt within a nation-state. During the 3^rd Century Crisis, the Roman Empire nearly collapsed due to unrest caused by civil war, an economic downfall, and plaques. The Romans allowed the turmoil to occur in the empire because it failed to limit the power of individuals and the empire was too vast to be controlled by one central government. Similar events have occurred in modern western states around the world. One particular state that experienced a dramatic change in government was Argentina.

Argentina experienced a power vacuum in which several attempts to overthrow the government occurred. Due to the crumbling of the economy and the rising inflation, the country was dismayed by rebellion causing instability in the government. A military junta led by Jorge Videla successfully took the power of the government in 1976, and to keep power, began killing thousands of people who were opposed to their political agenda. Similar to the Roman Empire, Argentina’s economic state continued to worsen and led to more violence in the country. The country had turned from a democracy to an Authoritarian state. Although Argentina’s military coup lasted only seven years, the events that led to its control of the government is similar to the 3^rd Century Crisis.

The 3^rd Century Crisis differed from the Argentine Military Coup because the Romans had several strong military powers that were fighting for control of the empire. The Roman’s had a form of democracy that included a Senate but lacked the rule to limit military groups that were loyal to their respective generals. Argentina’s military coup was caused by political ideologies rather than just a desire for power.

By investigating the past, we can access the types of events that result in the power vacuum of a country. The Romans provide people with a template on how to prevent a future crisis. If countries today focus on building their economies, but avoiding an arms race and limiting the powers of the government and powerful individuals, events such as the 3^rd Century Crisis and the Military Coup in Argentina can be prevented or minimized. It is essential to look at history to avoid making the same mistakes people have continued to do for generations.

Word count: 400

Works Cited

Mark, Joshua J. “The Crisis of the Third Century.” Ancient History Encyclopedia, Ancient History Encyclopedia, 16 Oct. 2018.

“Argentina’s History and The Dirty War.” Madres De Plaza De Mayo, 18 Dec. 2012.

In today’s politics, representation gives people a government that does not run under a mob-like rule. The founding fathers found it necessary to avoid a government that was governed by the elite, so that all people, regardless of race, gender, or social status, would eventually be heard equally. The representative democracy model provides the best balance in government.

In the Athenian democracy, the majority rule and do not permit the minorities, such as metics, women, and slaves, to vote. Even though discrimination and oppression is a reality in the present, representative democracies provide the minorities with the security of their fundamental rights. Under a representative model like the U.S. government, minorities have a better chance to be heard and represented fairly.

In a representative government, elected officials are chosen to represent the values and opinions of a group of people. The politicians are well educated in law and policy (foreign and domestic), and often seek out the guidance of other well-educated individuals when debating political issues. When discussing new proposals, they use ample time to review the pros and cons of the proposed law and make decisions based on the overall interest of the state. In the Athenian model, the greed and selfishness of the assembly led to a juror payment system. The failed system eventually led to people receiving payments for attending festivals. The system left Athens’ economy in ruins, thus resulting in little money to support its military forces.

Politicians make the decisions on foreign policy. In Athenian democracy, laws and foreign policy (e.g., treaties and alliances) were unstable because of public persuasion. One example is the shifting alliances between Athens and Sparta. The general population, who are usually less educated and easily manipulated, do not offer stability in the decisions made in government. Representative democracies provide more stable foreign policy and laws.

Overall, the U.S. representative democracy is more efficient than the Athenian democracy model. It provides equal representation of minorities, prevention of full elite control, and educated decisions on foreign policy and state laws.

There are many movies based on historical data that provide an idea of events transpired in the past. The movie 300 is based on the Battle of Thermopylae in which 300 Spartans courageously stand up against a great Persian army.  The movie accurately provides a glimpse of the dominance of Spartans in battle. The Spartans were known for their warrior-like tendencies. According to Demaratus, King Xerxes of the Persian Empire had to “deal with the strongest kingdom and town in Greece, and with the bravest men” (Demaratus on the Spartan Way of Living).  The movie also provides a glimpse of the mind of King Xerxes and his opinion on the Spartan people. King Xerxes was boastful and overly confident that his vast army would trample over the small-numbered Spartans. However, King Leonidas and his Spartans gave the Persian army a loss in their numbers.

While the movie does provide a glimpse of the Spartan culture, it does not provide an accurate portrayal of the events that took place in the Battle of Thermopylae nor their true nature. There are several examples of the inaccurate facts about the Battle of Thermopylae shown in the movie. For example, King Leonidas never meets with King Xerxes because King Xerxes did not engage on the battlefield. According to an epitaph by Simonides, King Leonidas died in conflict early in their stand against the Persian Armies (Demaratus on the Spartan Way of Living). In the movie 300, King Leonidas survives until the very last battle in which he injures King Xerxes. The movie 300 also portrays the war between the Persian Empire and the Greeks as the end of the Persian Empire. However, despite the loss in the war, the Persian Empire continued to rule a vast part of the world.

The producers of the movie 300 changed some of the historical representation to appeal to the audience. The movie is not only based on the Spartans and Persians at the Battle of Thermopylae but focuses on the perspective of King Leonidas. Had the movie stayed true to historical data and King Leonidas not lived past the second day, it would have been a completely different movie. The movie not based on the love of a king for his kingdom and his queen would likely have resulted in a documentary-like perspective on the Spartan stand against the Persians.

Despite the inaccuracies in 300, the movie allows people to gain an interest in the history of the Greeks and their battle against the tyranny of King Xerxes and his Persian Empire. In the movie, King Leonidas is seen as a man of reason, integrity, and love for his home and people. King Xerxes, however, is portrayed as evil, unreasonable, and greedy. The producers created the film in such a way to appeal to people who love a story in which the force of good overcomes evil. It provides Hollywood with a perfect story.

 

Works Cited

“Demaratus on the Spartan Way of Living.” Greece, A History of Ancient Greece, Mythology, history-world.org/Greek%20Sparta.htm.