Michelangelo became an apprentice when he was a. 13 years old b. 14 years old c. 17 years old
Of all the art forms, Michelangelo was most interested in a. mural painting b. portraits c. sculptures
Michelangelo found the experience of painting the Sistine Chapel a. easy b. enjoyable c. frustrating
Discussion/essay questions
Michelangelo’s depictions of human bodies are celebrated now. However, the nudity in his paintings and sculptures was controversial in his time. Some people thought it was disrespectful to paint nude figures in religious buildings. Why do you think it often takes time for people to appreciate art? Which types of art are controversial today?
Transcript
Michelangelo was an Italian Renaissance artist. He is known for some of the most famous artworks of all time. Michelangelo was born in Florence in 1475. When he was 13, he trained as an apprentice under the muralist Domenico Ghirlandaio. Although Michelangelo was very skilled in drawing and painting, he became more interested in sculpture, and he left his apprenticeship two years early. In 1504, Michelangelo completed his most famous statue, the 17-foot tall David. He was commissioned by the Pope to paint the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in 1508. Michelangelo found the Chapel frustrating. He was more familiar with stone than paint, and the job was very physically demanding. He even wrote a poem about his dislike for the project. However, the Chapel ceiling is still one of Michelangelo’s most recognizable pieces. Michelangelo lived a long life, and continued to create art as he got older. He died in 1564, at age 88.
Dante originally called his work a. Divina b. Commedia c. Tragedia
In the story, the ancient poet Dante receives guidance from is a. Virgil b. Homer c. Ovid
The language Dante wrote the poem in was a. Latin b. Greek c. Italian
Discussion/essay questions
Is there an author or poet who has made great contributions to your language? Who are they? What are some of their most famous works?
Transcript
The Divine Comedy is an epic poem by Italian writer Dante Alighieri. It was written in the early 1300s, in three books. Dante originally called his work Commedia. He used the word comedy to mean a story with a happy ending. Publishers later added the word “divine” to describe the subject matter. The poem follows a fictionalized version of Dante as he travels through the different parts of the Christian afterlife. Throughout his journey, Dante receives guidance from the ancient Roman poet Virgil, as well as a woman named Beatrice, who is likely inspired by a real woman from Dante’s life. The poem is famous for its contributions to theology, but also to language. During Dante’s time, poets in many parts of Europe wrote exclusively in Latin. Dante’s choice to write The Divine Comedy in his local Tuscan dialect was bold and unusual. His work helped create the standard language spoken by Italians today.
The Celtic holiday that led to Halloween was actually a celebration of a. an ancient god b. the new year c. the stars
On All Souls’ Day, costumed children usually offered people a. prayers for dead loved ones b. protection from evil c. scary stories
Today, trick-or-treating is most common in a. North America b. Europe c. South America
Discussion/essay questions
Do you believe in ghosts? Why or why not?
In some cultures, traditions about death are very serious. In others, they are more celebratory. How is death viewed in your culture?
Transcript
Every year on Halloween, millions of children put on costumes and ask their neighbours for candy. This tradition began in ancient Scotland and Ireland. The Celtic peoples who lived there celebrated their new year in the fall. They believed that at the end of the year, ghosts could travel into the land of the living. Dressing like a ghost was a way to protect yourself from evil. When Catholicism became the dominant religion in the area, the holiday became All Souls’ Day, a day to pray for the souls of the dead. However, the tradition of dress-up continued. Costumed children would knock on doors and ask for food in exchange for a prayer for dead loved ones. Over time, this practice became secular. Instead of prayers, children offered songs or “tricks.” Today, trick-or-treating is most common in North America, but it has also spread to other parts of the world.
In 2014, a group of religious leaders made a doomsday prediction about a. lunar eclipses b. meteor showers c. solar flares
The doomsday belief called “Y2K” predicted that a. the Abrahamic God would make a final judgement of humanity b. vital technology would start to malfunction c. a deadly pandemic would spread across the world
The 2012 panic was caused by misinformation about a. a nearby supernova b. an ancient Mayan calendar c. an alien invasion
Discussion/essay questions
Have you heard of any other doomsday predictions? Have you ever believed any of them? Why or why not?
Why do you think it is so common for humans to predict the end of the world?
Transcript
Throughout history, many people have predicted the end of the world. These predictions are often religious, using clues from Abrahamic texts. In recent years, a group of religious leaders proposed that a pattern of lunar eclipses in 2014 warned of the apocalypse. However, some doomsday beliefs come from fears about science or technology instead. One of the most widespread panics was Y2K, a belief that the beginning of the millennium would cause vital technology to stop working. Like myths and conspiracy theories, doomsday predictions can spread easily over the internet. One example of this is the 2012 panic, where misinformation about an ancient Mayan calendar made some people believe that the end of the world would take place on December 21st, 2012. Other doomsday predictions have included phenomena from outer space, such as asteroids and supernovas.
A scripture is a text that represents the voice of a. the general population b. a religious organization c. one or more deities
Scriptures often contain a. parables b. plays c. parodies
The scripture that has been translated most comes from a. Christianity b. Islam c. Buddhism
Discussion/essay questions
Do you practice a religion? What are some of its laws and customs?
Some religions have oral traditions instead of texts. Why is this an important difference?
Transcript
Some of the most widespread books in the world are scriptures. A scripture is a religious text that is believed to represent the voice of one or more deities. Scriptures often contain moral teachings, laws, and parables. These texts are likely to be translated into many languages and sold in many countries. As early human civilizations became more advanced, they spread their religions through travel, trade, and war. The most commonly sold religious texts belong to the Abrahamic religions: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Hinduism, Buddhism, and Sikhism also have sacred texts. The Christian Bible, which was originally written in Hebrew and Greek, has been translated into more than 700 languages. It is the most translated text in the world.
The Silk Road was a. a landmark b. a military route c. a trade network
The use of the Silk Road began during a. the Black Death pandemic b. the Han Dynasty in China c. the rise of the Ottoman Empire
Merchants stopped using the Silk Road during a. the 14th century b. the 15th century c. the 16th century
Discussion/essay questions
How has the spread of ideas changed since the Silk Road? What are some of the effects of information being widely available?
Transcript
The Silk Road was an ancient trade network that allowed people to transport goods across Eurasia. It gained its name because silk was one of the most popular commodities traded on its routes. Merchants who travelled along the Silk Road also traded horses, spices, tea, weapons, and gunpowder. However, people didn’t only trade goods on the Silk Road. The travelling between countries caused the spread of religion, including Christianity and Buddhism. Journeys along the Silk Road also may have caused the spread of the Black Death. The use of the Silk Road began during the Han Dynasty in China, and continued until the mid-15th century. By then, the Ottoman Empire was making it difficult to travel from Europe to Asia, which caused explorers to look for different routes through the sea.
The writer of Waiting for Godot was a. French b. Irish c. English
The play is considered a a. romance b. tragicomedy c. tragedy
Waiting for Godot became famous because a. it criticized religion b. it subverted common play structures c. it told an epic story
Discussion/essay questions
Do you prefer stories with exciting plots or thought-provoking ideas?
Transcript
Waiting for Godot is a 1952 play by Irish writer Samuel Beckett. Beckett originally wrote the play in French, and translated it into English a few years later. It is considered a tragicomedy. The play is about two men, Vladimir and Estragon, who speak to each other while they wait for a man named Godot to meet them. Godot never arrives. Waiting for Godot became famous for subverting common play structures. Besides the conversations between Vladimir and Estragon, not much happens in the play. Many people have opinions about the hidden meaning of the story. Some critics believe that Waiting for Godot is a religious allegory, and that Godot represents God. Others believe that the play represents the mundane parts of life, and that Godot represents death.
