A Ton of Crap (4 page)

Babylonia
As the last Sumerian dynasty fell, the Amorites came to power, basing their capital in Babylon. One of the most notable legal texts in history comes from this time period, when the king, Hammurabi, created one of the first sets of written laws. This is called the Code of Hammurabi. These laws were written out so that all would know the punishments if they disobeyed them. One of the most famous paraphrases of this code is “An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.”

PUNCTUATION

The Semicolon
A general rule is you can use a semicolon instead of a period when having two sentences without a conjunction in between them. For example, “Give me your number; I’ll call you when I get home.” A semicolon should also be used before introductory words like
however
,
therefore
, and
namely
. One can also use a semicolon when, if writing a series, one or more of the items contains a comma, or when two sentences are joined by a coordinating conjunction and there are commas in the first sentence.

NUMBERS

Roman Numerals
Roman numerals were at least somewhat influenced by the Greek number system based on the alphabet. Many believe Roman numerals were originally created based on the shape of the hand. One finger representing the number one as I, and V, meaning five, expressed as the whole hand spread out. Reading Roman numerals is fairly simple, as they are read from left to right, with the larger number at the beginning and other numbers added as you move to the right. To subtract, the smaller number is placed in front of the larger number.

EVOLUTION

On the Origin of Species
Darwin published his findings and his theory of natural selection in his book,
On the Origin of Species
, in 1859. Darwin stated that as a result of natural selection, organisms must have evolved over time, which led to the wide variety of species. He also stated that all of these organisms must have originated from a common ancestor. His beliefs were quite controversial at the time, as the British scientific world was closely linked to the Church of England.

LATIN

Medieval Latin
Medieval Latin was the form of Latin used in the Middle Ages, from a.d. 500 to 1500. While it was primarily used by the Roman Catholic Church, it was also found in literature, law, administration, and science. The major distinction found in the Latin used at this time is that it began to have a wider vocabulary, grammar, and syntax, influenced by the various languages of the time.

MESOPOTAMIA AND THE FIRST CIVILIZATIONS

The Hittites
No one knows the origins of the Hittites, and until recently, their language was undecipherable (it was in the Indo-European family). Their invasion brought the end of the Old Babylonian Empire; however, as they conquered Mesopotamia, they adopted the laws, literature, and religion of Old Babylon. The Hittites are most notable for their work involved in trade and commerce, which spread Mesopotamian literature and thought all over the Mediterranean.

PUNCTUATION

The Colon
A colon is used if one wishes to emphasize the second clause when writing two independent clauses. For example, “The time had passed: his date never showed up.” A colon can also be used when introducing a list, a quotation, an appositive (in which two phrases are placed next to each other, with one serving to define or change the other), or another idea related to the independent clause.

NUMBERS

Arabic Numerals
Arabic numerals were developed in India in a.d. 600, and it is the current system we have today. However, until a.d. 952, these numerals were actually written backward. In a.d. 952, this system was brought to Europe and the numerals were flipped. The shape of the numerals is actually derived from the number of angles in the shape of the number. The numeral 1 has one angle, the numeral 2 has two angles, and so on.

EVOLUTION

Genetic Drift
Another important aspect of evolution is genetic drift. However, unlike natural selection, genetic drift does not allow for adaptations. Rather, genetic drift is by chance. In every generation of an organism, chance plays a key part in who lives and who dies. Some individuals may leave behind more descendents than others, meaning the genes of these organisms will be passed on. The genes will pass on simply because of luck, and not because of a genetic advantage.

LATIN

Renaissance Latin
Similar to how the Renaissance in Italy placed emphasis on a return to Classicism, the Latin at this time was used to purge the language of the changes made from Medieval Latin. People wished to return to the language that was used in the Golden Age of Latin Literature during the Roman Empire. The humanists’ efforts were successful in education, but ultimately, this wish to return to Classicism would lead to the extinction of the language.

MESOPOTAMIA AND THE FIRST CIVILIZATIONS