The Scottish War for Independence

Today, let’s travel back to the 13^th and 14^th centuries, to learn about two great men in Scottish history.

 

William Wallace, born c. 1270, was a great hero of Scotland. William’s father also had opposed the English and, in the end, had lost his life for Scottish freedom. William Wallace met and married Marion Brad. But Marion was supposed to marry the Sheriff of Lanark’s son.

But Marion didn’t what to marry him because the Sheriff had killed her father and brother.

Now Wallace was a wanted man. William Wallace was able to gather a band of Scots who were ready to fight for the freedom of Scotland. The Sheriff and an English Captain Thorn, however, were on Wallace’s trail. While William was out with his men, the Sheriff of Lanark found Marion and killed her. That night, after Wallace had found his wife’s dead body, William and his men attacked Lanark, killed the whole English garrison even the Sheriff and Caption Thorn. Not one Scot was killed in the battle. Thus William Wallace’s battle for the independence of Scotland had begun.

William’s greatest victory was the Battle of Stirling Bridge. The English army, under the command of John de Wernne and Hugh de Cressingham, planned to cross the River Forth near Stirling Castle. But two men stood in their way, William Wallace and Andrew Moray. The odds were against the Scots; English- 200-300 cavalry + 10,000 foot soldiers; Scots-36 cavalry + 8,000 foot soldiers. On the morning of September 11, 1297 the battle began.  The English sent their knights across first. The Scots spearmen ran down the hill and towards the English, cutting off the escapes route back across the bridge. Then the Scots attacked the trapped bowmen, knights, and foot soldiers. For one hour the Scottish slaughtered the English. The rest of the English fled leaving the hated Hugh de Cressingham dead. The Scottish had won a great victory.

 

In December of 1297 Wallace was knighted and was given the title The Guardian of Scotland. But Edward I chased William even more. Finely, on Aug. 5, 1305 he was arrested. William Wallace was hanged, beheaded, disemboweled, and quartered.

 

But the Scottish Wars were far from over. Before William had died he had given a knight, named Robert the Bruce, the title of Guardian of Scotland. But Robert also had rights to the Scottish throne. So on March 25, 1306 Robert the Bruce and his wife were crowned king and queen of Scotland. But soon King Edward herd about it and began chasing Robert. Robert and his men tired again and again to fight back but they were always defeated. It was during this time that the famous story of Bruce and the spider came about. Click here to read. Inspired by the spider, Bruce exclaimed,” I thank God! The spider has taught me a lesson. No more will I be discouraged!”

 

In this time, however, a new king, Edward II, was appointed to the throne.

 

Encouraged, Robert the Bruce set out and captured 90% of the castles ion Scotland. Finely Edward had had enough. He marched to Scotland with 100,000 soldiers. Robert the Bruce met him at Bannockburn with 30,000 men. On June 24, 1314 the battle began. As Robert was riding in the front of his men to encourage them, an English knight, Henry de Bohun, saw his chance. He rode at Robert with his lance aimed at Bruce’s heart, Robert rode towards Henry and at the last moment Robert severed his horse to the side and backhanded his axe into Henry’s head. Henry de Bohun was dead before he hit the ground, splitting in half. The Scottish army charged the English and completely destroyed them. One Scot fought it all the way to King Edward II, but was cut down before he could kill the English King. Edward II fled for his life. Despite Robert near death, his only regret was that he had broken his favorite axe. Finely in 1328 Scotland became an independent nation.

 

What do we lean from these men? To press on even in the face of difficulty and to never ever lose heart.

 

Samuel Duarte

The Investiture Controversy’s

Today I would like to tell you about the Investiture Controversy’s. What are the Investiture Controversy’s? Investiture means, ‘The act of installing a person in an office, rank, and order’. In the Investiture Controversy’s it was a disagreement about who would appoint bishops to the church. When did the Investiture Controversy’s take place? The first disagreement took place in 1076, just ten years after the Norman invasion of England. The second one started in 1162 and happened in England.

 

The first one started in 1076 and never really had an ending. The Holy Roman Emperor, Henry IV, appointed three bishops. But the Pope, Gregory VII at the time, only was allowed to appoint bishops. In 1076 Gregory wrote a letter to Henry asking him to repent. In retaliation, Henry IV, called a council, and the men decided to denounce the Pope and asked him to leave Rome. Gregory VII than turned and excommunicated Henry IV. This meant that he was no longer to be treated as Emperor. It was decided that Henry needed to go to the Pope and repent. Henry IV met Pope Gregory VII at Canossa, Italy. There Gregory lifted the Ban of Excommunication. But the conflict was far from over.In 1080 Henry IV besieged Rome and took it. Gregory fled. He died in Salerno, Italy.His last words were, ‘I loved righteousness and hated iniquity; therefore I die in exile.At last in 1122 an agreement was made, the Pope would appoint bishops and the Emperor would give the bishops blessing.

 

The second part of Investiture Controversy took place in England from 1162 to 1171. After the death of the Archbishop of Canterbury, Henry II needed to appoint a new archbishop. He turned to his good friend Thomas Becket. Thomas was born in 1118 and studied law in Paris. Thomas Becket was appointed Archbishop of Canterbury on June 2, 1162. But sadly Henry thought that by his friend at the top meant he could do whatever he wanted to do. Not the case. Thomas took his job very seriously. When Henry II tried to appoint his on bishops, Thomas said no. Henry tired to kill Becket but he fled to France. In 1170 Henry II and Becket resolved their dispute. Thomas returned to England and resumed his office of Bishop. But the troubles were far from over. While he had been in France, Becket had excommunicated two bishops who had supported King Henry II in his trying to appoint bishops. Henry, quite upset said, ‘who will rid me of this meddlesome priest.’ Four of Henry’s knights sailed to England and stormed Canterbury Cathedral. They found Becket saying his evening prayers. Thus on December 29, 1170 Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury, was murder by and sword blow to the head.His last words were,’ For the Name of Jesus and the protection of the Church I am ready to die.’

 

This murder sent a tremor though Europe. Henry II later repented and Thomas was made a Saint. As a result of the Investiture Controversy’s the church and the state became more separate. This all paved the way for the Reformation.

 

 

Samuel Duarte

The Battle of Hastings

After King Alfred defeated the Danes, the people of England lived in peace.  This peace however was broken by William of Normandy.

When Edward I died, the people realized that he had left no heir. The people of England voted on who they wanted.  They picked the Earl of Wessek, Harold Godwinson.  Harold’s succession to the throne caused a lot of disputes.  Harald of Norway thought that he had more right to the throne of England than Harold of Wessek did.  Harald teamed up with Harold’s brother Tostig.  King Harold Saxon’s met Harald’s and Tostig’s men at Stamford Bridge.  Thus was entered The Battle of Stamford Bridge.  After a long and bloody battle the Saxon’s defeated the Norwegians. Harald of Norway and Tostig were both killed in this hideous battle. This battle killed two birds with one stone, not only was Harold able to keep is throne the battle also ended the Viking age.  But King Harold troubles were far form over.

William of Normandy believed he was the rightful successor and that Edward I had appointed him as king.  William organized an army and sailed for England.  King Harold had to drag his form the north of England all the way to the south of England.  This 250 mile march was made in three days.  William and Harold met at Sinlack Hill near the town of Hastings on October 14, 1066.  Harold led his Saxons to the top of the hill, and William led his men at the bottom of the ridge.  The Battle of Hastings was thus ushered in.  Charge after charge William led his men up the hill but Harold and his Saxon’s drove them back.  On one attack the Saxon’s forced the Normans to retreat.  But the day was not to be the Saxon’s.  William turned on the pursuing Saxon’s and crushed them.  Then William told his archers to shot high and long.  This weakened the Saxon’s even more.  Finely an arrow shot by an unknown archer hit King Harold in the eye.  He died and the Saxon’s were routed.

After a short siege of Loudon, William entered the city and crowned on Christmas Day, 1066.  Thus began the Norman conquest of England.

Samuel Duarte

Erik the Red and Leif the Lucky

 

Today I would like to tell you about three men.  Their names are Erik the Red and Leif the Lucky.  When we hear of Vikings we think of one or both of these men.  But how much do we actually now about them?

First off we need some background information.  Erik the Red was born in Norway, somewhere near the town of Stvavanger. His father, a man by the name of Thovald Asvaldsson, got involved in a bloody feud and killed a man. He was banished to Iceland where Erik was born.

After Erik the Red married, he killed two men.  Like father like son!  Erik was then exiled to water or he had to travel for three years.  He had heard about land to the west so he led a group of men to go exploring due west.  The first year, 982, he landed on the eastern side of Greenland.  However the eastern side is very harsh.  So the next year, 983, he sailed to the west side.  He explored this area for two more years then headed back to Iceland. In 985 he landed back home. Erik then began to promote the land he had discovered.  He wanted people to colonize it, but the land was not very inviting.  To make it sound more inviting he called it Greenland.  He got 450 people to come with him.  They landed in a place known as Qagssiarssuk.

Later Leif, his son, tried to convert his father to Christianity, but Erik wouldn’t leave the false gods.  Erik died in the winter of 1003.  He was buried at a place near the town of Brattahlid.

 

Leif Ericson or Leif the Lucky was born during the late 970s.  In his 20’s went to Norway, and there he was converted to Christianity.  He went back to Greenland and his mother became a Christian but his father Erik the Red would not leave his Old Norse gods.  In 1001 Leif left Greenland with 35 men.  They landed on a place he called Helluland, thought to be on the southwest end of Baffin Island.  He the sailed to ‘Markland’, considered to be somewhere on the coat of Labrdor.  In the fall of 1001 he landed in Vineland.  It seems to be the northeastern tip of Newfoundland.  He returned to Greenland in the spring of 1002.  His nickname, Leif the Lucky, was given when he saved some castaways. Those men where really lucky!

 

To wrap it up, Columbus wasn’t the first person to reach North America. It was discovered 300 years before him by Leif the Lucky.

 

 

Samuel Duarte

 

 

 

Charles Martel

 

During the end of the Merovingian dynasty, the kings became lazy.  Instead of kings, the people had what they called, The Mayor of the Palace.  One of these, Mayor Pepin, had a son named Charles.

 

Charles mother imprisoned him because he was an illegitimate son.  He escaped and went off to find his fortune, or rather fight for it.  His first battle didn’t go along to well, he realized he had very little men and fled.  However, this was the only battle that he lost!  After the defeat, he railed his men and defeats his enemies.  Charles had three tactics, appearing where his enemies lest expected, attacking when they lest expected and attacking how they lest expected.

 

Charles could have made himself King of France, he ruled like one, but he never took mare than Mayor of the Palace.

 

To the south of France, the Muslims were taking the Iberian Peninsula by storm. They invaded France in 732, and soon Charles was headed south. The two armies’ met on the plain of Tours, hence the name, The Battle of Tours.  For a week the two armies faced another.  The teo armies were not at all the same, the Arab army was mostly cavalry and the Franks were an army of foot soldiers.  Finally the battle lines were placed.  The Franks formed a firm wall.  For the whole day the Arab horsemen charged again and again, but each time the Franks held on.  That night both armies were exhausted.  The next day the Franks awoke, but no Arabs!  Fearing ambush the Franks sent out searching parties, but the Arab camp was empty, and in fact the Arabs fled back to Spain!  Charles then pushed them back to North Africa.  Finally, the Muslims had been stopped, Christendom had been saved.  Charles was then given the name Charles Martel or Charles the Hammer.

 

Charles Martel died and left his son Pepin to rule in his place.

 

 

 

 

Samuel Duarte

 

 

 

 

King Arthur

Today I would like to tell you about a man named Arthur.  He is known best as King Arthur.

Before the Romans invaded England it was inhabited by people known as Britons.  When the Roman Empire started to decline, the Angles invaded England.  By the 5^th century, the Angles had a strong hold on England.  Soon afterwards the Saxons, who were from Germany, also invaded England.  In the mist of all this there stands one great man, the legendary King Arthur.

Arthur was born in 465 A.D. We get most of our history about him and the time he lived in from the book, ‘The History of the Early Kings of Britain’ by Geoffrey of Monmouth.  King Arthur led the Britons in 12 battles.  The most famous of these battles was the Battle of Bandon Hill. Geoffrey reported that Arthur killed 960 men in the battle.

The Anglo-Saxons were defeated in the battle; however the Britons could never drive the Anglo-Saxons out completely.  Eventually they lived in peace until the invasion of the Normans in 1066.  Today the people of England are the descendants of Britons and Anglo-Saxons.

Arthur was eventually taken up as a figure of ancient chivalry.  His leadership, bravery and chivalry are all great examples.  But with time he was taken up as a legend.   Did Arthur really kill 906 men?  Did he really meet his doom at Camlonn?  Was he killed by Morded, and did Lancelot really lie about the Excalibur?   I don’t believe all these things, but he was real great man. (Pun intended)   But what about the Knights of the Round Table? You decide!

 

                                   Samuel Duarte

 

Samuel’s Creed

                                                I am all in Christ.

                                     If all my life, is to His service.

                                        If all I do, think and say,

                                    Is with Him always in mind.

                                                So if all I do,

                                                   Is to Him,

                              Then all my life is through HIM.

Celts and Han Dynasty

Today we will look at the Han dynasty and the Celts. I will show you some differences and similarities between them.  The Celts lived in Europe and the Han dynasty was in China.

The Celts was and is the most populous group in Europe. In fact most people in Europe are descended from the Celts.  As with the peoples in the Han dynasty they lived in many places in China.  The rulers of the Han dynasty put people in charge of different places, they ruled like miniature kings. The men (called Mandarins) ruled in China up to the present day.  The Celts also had men over them.  The order was nobles (head of clans) artisans, druids (controlled religion, medicine, law, and education) bards, and peasants.  Both the Celts and the Han dynasty where a peace loving people.  The Celts and Han dynasty where very intelligent people.  The Celts invented soap, made massive burial mounds marked with large megaliths, and the infamous, Stonehenge.  The Han dynasty also had important things happen.  They discovered the each year has 365 ¼ days.  They invented the compass, seismograph and built bridges with bamboo.  Most important of all was discovering how to make paper.

   It is amazing how two people groups in different places and at different times where able to have so much in common.

Signing off,

Samuel Duarte

History 6 Overview

This year I took History 6 in the Ron Paul Curriculum.  It taught by Bradley Fish.  Today I am writing the last essay for the 6th Grade History.  I will give a overview what I learned and studied.

First, let me introduce you to our spacecraft,” The Window of History.”  Board with me as we look at history from the time of Adam and Eve to Odoacer the king.

We start at the beginning of time at the Creation of the World.  We watch as Adam and Eve sin and are kicked out of the Garden of Eden.  We head straight into the life of Abraham, and soon find ourselves at the start of Israel in the land of Egypt.  From now on, we will look at one people group at a time.  We take a break to look at Egyptian culture and history.  We come back right as Israel is headed out of Egypt and into the Promised Land.  The time of the judges quickly passes by as we race on.  Soon we find ourselves in the life of King David.  We see how God worked in his life and how God used him, to become the great 20 times removed grandfather of Jesus Christ.  The times of the kings slows us down, as we look at each king separately.  Rehoboman’s reign splits the kingdom into Israel and Judah.  Asa, Jehosphat, Abijah, Ahab, and others rule in this time.  But Israel and Judah leave God to sever false gods.  Soon God disciplines them, sends Assyria and Babylon to punish them.   After a hundred or so years, God lets them return to the Promised Land.

Soon we leave Israel and go to Greece.  There we lean about Greek men, Socrates, and the Peloponnesian War.

But far too soon, Alexander the Great invades Greece, destroying it.  Alexander though, dies too young to see the new super power enter the scene, drum roll please, Rome.

                                                                    

We watch as Romulus and Remus fight, the Punic Wars unfolds.  And in the end, Rome comes out victorious.  The Republic is soon overthrown by Julius Caesar.  We watch as he is murdered by Brutus and Cassius, in a plot to overthrow the dictatorship and restore the Republic.  Caesar Augustus takes over the place of his uncle, and with Mark Antony, defeats Brutus and Cassius.  However Antony turns and starts to attack Augustus behind his back.  Augustus defeats Antony and Cleopatra and establishes the Roman Empire.

Jesus of Nazareth, the long awaited Messiah, is born, crucified, and is resurrected, founding a new religion, Christianity.

Soon, Emperor after Emperor passes by.  We watch as Polycarp makes his stand before God and man, Augustine writes “The City of God”, and Patrick spread Gods Truth to Ireland.  Soon, the Roman Empire starts to fade away.  Pounded on all sides by barbarians, it starts to weaken.  Finally on October 28,467 A.D., the Western Roman Empire falls.  Odoacer becomes king, as the curtain falls and we land safely home.

I have really enjoyed the way Bradley Fish teaches.  If you want a good Christian history curriculum for your student, you have found it.  Looking back, I have learned so much, I can’t want for next year!

Hope you’ve enjoyed our travels.

Samuel Duarte

Stewardship and the Christian life

 

 

By Samuel Duarte

This week we learned about how and why the earth and climate don’t work together flawlessly.  This leads us to ask the questions, Does God care?  Is he in control?  Or are we at the mercy of nature?  And, how should we live as stewards in this world?

      Thankfully God has not left us alone.  He still preserves and always sustains his creation.  We as human beings have a task to work on.  God has commanded us too, ‘be fruitful and multiply and to fill the earth and subdue it and have dominion over the fish, and so forth.  The Hebrew verb כּבשׁ (kĕbăš to subdue) shows the act of dominance by force.  Also the Hebrew word רדה (rādāh, ‘to rule, to have dominion’) overlaps with kĕbăš.   Sadly there are two ditches that people fall in to.

First, some people think that we should value animals as highly as we do humans.  Calv in DeWitt believes that we are not the only ones commanded to take domain.  He claims that Gen 1 is telling the animals to take domain.  However DeWitt must not have read farther on in Gen 1.  Gen 1:28 says to mankind, ‘Be fruitful and multiply,’ it also says,’ subdue it and have dominion over creation.   God does not command the birds, fish, or livestock to have domain over the creation.

     The second ditch that people may fall into is taking the Bible, in saying to subdue the creation, means they can destroy the earth.  This is not the case!  We have domain over the land to use it in the way God intended it to be used.  We are to subdue the earth rightly.  To say it simply, we need to exercise domain without being destructive.

As we wrap this up, let us understand that being a Christian means being a good steward.  God has given this earth as a blessing for us to use.  As we live our lives we need to have a heart that loves God and wants to obey him by caring for his creation.