Sofia Perozzi - Quinn Civilization

Quinn
THE ANSWER TO WHAT MAKES A SUCCESSFUL

CIVILIZATION
By: Sofia Quinn Perozzi
Perozzi, Soa Tuesday, June 3, 2014 11:16:13 AM Pacic Daylight Time 70:56:81:af:eb:9d
SECTION 1
When a person walks through the barren plains of
this environment, the first characteristic they notice is
the shadow of the towering mountain peaks behind
them. This sloped and mountainous landscape is
raised high above sea level. Looking around the beauti-
ful scenery atop these rocky mountains is an incredible
sensation. The skies are painted in an immaculate array
of orange and yellow while the sun is setting. The air
tastes almost earth-like and saccharine. A gentle, whis-
tling breeze drifts through, with its calming flute-like
sound. Livestock is scattered across the landscape with
Among the plains of this barren landscape, the civilization of Quinn will arise.
1
Introduction
their distinct calls, which can be heard from miles away.
The cold and moist grass feels soft but sometimes
prickly. Down the mountain, a person could simply see
the changes in elevation along the stunning horizon be-
hind the faded and mystifying mountaintops. The abun-
dant trees around the base of the mountain scatter
their pine needles, creating a rich, tangy fragrance.
With all the emptiness around someone in this vast en-
vironment, they realize how alone they really are.
It is in this favorable geographic environment that
the civilization of Quinn will be founded. It is a civiliza-
tion whose design takes it inspiration from the study of
past civilizations such as the Arabs, the Aztecs, the
Greeks, the Mayans, the Mesopotamians, and the Ro-
mans among others. This book will document the nec-
essary steps to take in order to create a successful civili-
zation.
2
People are children of their environments
-Shinichi Suzuki
CHAPTER 1
3
Modifications
SECTION 1
Part l- Analysis of the Problem
The first step in building a successful civilization is to
secure basic human needs such as food and water.
Due to its geography, the major challenges the civiliza-
tion of Quinn faces in achieving a basic food and water
supply include the following:
The highlands and mountains can be a very difficult
place to create a flourishing civilization. One main rea-
son is because there is no sign of water nearby. Having
Human Changes to the Land
4
water is crucial to survival because it is important for hu-
mans to both clean and hydrate themselves. Without
the ability to clean oneself, there is a higher possibility
of catching sicknesses or deceases. Also, if humans
lose too much body fluid from not drinking water they
could get a headache and become drowsy. Having the
ability to accumulate rainwater and spring water is un-
common in this location. Rainwater is extended
throughout this hilly landscape in order to irrigate the
land, making it difficult to collect. Spring water can be
found across the mountain range but climbing up the
peak and then dragging a limited amount of water
back down is a difficult task. The people of this grow-
ing civilization have a choice to make; they could either
find a solution to this issue, or face death by thirst and
decease.
Another crucial factor of having a successful and thriv-
ing civilization is food. The civilization of Quinn is fac-
ing a facing a major issue effecting their food source in
this vast environment; domesticating the animals scat-
tered across the landscape for not only food but also
transportation and clothing. The difficulty with domesti-
cation is first and foremost, capturing these wild crea-
tures and making sure that there is no chance of es-
cape. The people of this civilization would also have an-
other laborious job; to create tools and weapons for kill-
ing the live-
stock and feed-
ing the society
with its grow-
ing popula-
tion. A stable
food supply is
an absolutely
necessary fac-
tor to a civiliza-
tion because
without it,
there is starva-
tion, showing
that the soci-
ety is barely
scraping by.
Undoubtedly,
catching food such as livestock and cattle and growing
5
A necessity to creating a successful and
thriving civilization is having a stable food
supply. A society would face starvation
without it.
http://theeconomiccollapseblog.com/wp-
content/uploads/2010/10/World-Food-Su
pply.jpg
Gallery 1.1 Stable Food Supply
food is essential to not only creating a prosperous civili-
zation, but also surviving.
Part ll- Proposed Solutions
Adaptations are changes that humans make to them-
selves to benefit their survival motives. Environmental
modifications are physical changes made to a land to
fit the way they live and help their civilization thrive.
These two factors play important roles in civilizations
because they decide whether a society will survive,
thrive, or die. An example of an adaptation is when a
person changes the way they dress to fit the weather in
a specific environment. A couple of examples of modify-
ing are collecting resources from the mountains for the
construction of tool and weapons and cutting down
pine trees to use its wood for shelter. The nature
around an environment can also modify a landscape.
For example, when a volcano erupts it modifies the
land and itself by blowing off its top.
Since the civilization of Quinn is located in the high-
lands and foothills, there is an alternate solution to
spending hours and hours searching for water. Instead,
the people of Quinn modified the land to build wells to
extract the abundant amount of water that is stored un-
derground. This civilization has adapted to collecting
stones from the nearby mountains for the construction
of shovels and digging deep down into the earth to cre-
ate the start of the well. They also were required to col-
lect additional resources from the mountains and cre-
ate a wall of stone
bricks around the
hole. Lastly, the
one factor that is
yet to be com-
pleted is the pro-
duction of a
bucket for draw-
ing ground water
out of the hole.
This environ-
mental modifica-
tion is similar to
the environmental
modifications
made by the Ar-
abs. In the coastal plains, [Arabs] built deep wells to
6
The civilization of Quinn needed to modify
the land in order to extract the abundance
of groundwater. Similarly, the Arabs irrigated
their land by building wells in the coastal
plains.
http://enviro-assist.com/images/Stone_Well.
jpg
Gallery 1.2 Wells
irrigate the land (Frey 79). Unquestionably, the civiliza-
tion of Quinn is in great need of a manageable way to
collect water for their hydration.
One large issue facing the civilization of Quinn is do-
mesticating the animals surrounding the landscape so
that they can reproduce and create a stable food sup-
ply. To solve this
problem, the peo-
ple of Quinn pre-
formed an adapta-
tion to collect
stones from the
mountain and cre-
ate tools and
weapons for scar-
ing, but also feed-
ing and leering
the livestock so
they stay in an en-
closed area. Qs
figured that if they
successfully do-
mesticated these animals, they could use them for not
only food, but also transportation. These adaptations
and strategies made by the people of Quinn are similar
to the adaptations made by the Greeks in about 500
B.C.E. As stated by Frey, Farmers kept a few oxen,
mules, and donkeys for plowing and transportation
(249). Also, They raised sheep and goats, which can
graze on the sides of mountains. Sheep supplied wool
for clothing, while goats provided milk and cheese
(Frey 249). In the end, the adaptations made by the
Greeks to create a successful civilization is much the
same as the adaptations made by Quinn to have ani-
mals that provide food, transportation, and clothing.
7
In about 500 B.C.E, Ancient Greeks and
farmers adapted to keeping donkeys, oxen,
and mules for plowing and transportation.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/com
mons/4/47/Donkeys_at_farm_sanctuary.jpg
Gallery 1.3 Ancient Greek Uses For Live-
stock
The peoples good is the highest law
-Cicero
CHAPTER 2
8
Law and Government
SECTION 1
Lessons of Democracy
Lesson #1: Effect of Laws
One of the most important lessons that should be
learned about Athens, Sparta, and the Roman Repub-
lic is being aware of how a law could affect and serve
the people, not oneself. In the Roman Republic, the
laws that have been put to use have not created equal-
ity, but instead have unfairly benefited the leaders of
aristocrats or Patricians. As of 509 B.C.E, the civiliza-
tion had become a republic; despite the fact the repub-
Figure 2.1
Maintaining Civil Order
9
lic only included the Patricians. In the society of Quinn,
equality is an important factor to their success. Allow-
ing only a specific type of person, such as a Patrician,
to make all the important decisions eventually creates a
tyrant. As stated
by Frey, Be-
cause laws were
not written
down, Patricians
often changed
or interpreted
the laws to bene-
fit themselves.
When the Plebe-
ians, who made
up 95% of the
Roman popula-
tion, finally rec-
ognized that
they deserved
more political rights, they began to fight for what they
wanted by [marching] out of the city and [camping] on
a nearby hill (Frey 319). Once people start to realize
how unfair the rules are, they begin to rebel against
their civilization, creating war. The society of Quinn, re-
alizing the possibility of their society falling apart they
chose to create equal terms for each citizen. The Patri-
cians knew that without the Plebeians, the army would
be incapable if an enemy attacked the city. The civiliza-
tion of Quinn will be a democracy that includes all citi-
zens in the government and votes on laws and leaders.
Lesson #2: Age Restrictions in a
Government
Important lessons that could be learned about deter-
mining laws from Athens and Sparta are that the proper
age for people to work in the government is 18. 18
year olds have a bigger imagination than 30 and 60
year olds, which are helpful for creating new ideas that
will help their civilization, thrive. Although they have
not been around as long as other members, they could
to contribute and form a better living environment.
This specific age group used when to become a citizen
in the ancient civilization of Athens, is the perfect age
in the Quinn government. Frey stated on page 261,
"All men over the age of 18 who were born in Athens
10
The Patricians were aristocrats in the Roman
Republic who ruled for a long period of time.
http://sites.psu.edu/deathoftiberiusgracchus/
wp-content/uploads/sites/7415/2013/10/rom
an-senate-2.jpg
Gallery 2.1 The Patrician Rule
were Athenian citizens." In Athens, the Athenian men
or citizens were required to come to the Assembly
meetings otherwise, "slaves would round up more citi-
zens with ropes dipped in red paint" (Frey 261) Al-
though the 18 year olds were not yet allowed to make
decisions in court, they were allowed to witness laws
being passed. The Athenians most likely included men
at the young age of eighteen to participate in viewing
government because they have new ideas that could
make a civilization better than it already is. Although,
they did understand that the age of 18 should allow in
something in someway, they didn't realize unlike the
civilization of Quinn, that they should also be included
in their government. The society of Quinn with defi-
nitely be sure to include incorporate people 18 years of
age in government because incorporate new ideas and
laws that will make the civilization thrive.
Lesson #3: Amount of People Included in a
Government
Important lessons learned about the methods used for
a specific amount of people in a government are that
there should be an average range of people. For exam-
ple, in the city of Athens, "A group called the council
of 500 met everyday. The council ran the day-to-day
business of government and suggested new laws"
(Frey 261). The disadvantage to having a Council of
500 are that
there are too
many ideas be-
ing spread,
which causes
no depth in a
conversation
about one
idea. In the
civilization of
Sparta, "The
important deci-
sions were
really made by
a much
smaller group
called the
Council of Elders" (Frey 265). An issue with having the
Council of Elders with 30 people is there are not
11
The Council of 500 were a group of people
elected by the Athenian citizens who suggested
new possible laws for their society.
http://ploigos1.files.wordpress.com/2010/10/athe
ns.jpg
Gallery 2.2 Council of 500
enough voices being heard causing fewer ideas among
the group and making laws too easy to pass. Although
the administrations of Athens and Sparta included
amounts of people too high and too low, the Roman
Republic contains a reasonable amount of people in
their govern-
ment. As
stated by
Frey on
page 318,
"They put
most of the
power in the
hands of the
Senate. The
Senate was a
group of 300
men that the
Patricians
elected". A
group of 300 in a government is the perfect amount of
people to have included in a civilization's government.
The civilization of Quinn will definitely incorporate a
council of 300 in their government because there are
not two many or too little ideas being shared, there can
be depth in discussions on each topic, and there are
enough voices being heard.
Code of Laws
In all civilizations, people have restrictions or laws to
maintain order. Laws remind people the difference be-
tween right and wrong. In the society of Quinn, it is
greatly expressed that laws are key factors to create a
successful civilization. A major threat for the civilization
of Quinn is having ineffective laws and causing the soci-
ety to fall apart. The mistakes and accuracy of past laws
such as Hammurabi's Code or the Twelve Tables have
shown how important it is to have boundaries and pun-
ishments. For example, in 509 B.C.E, when the citizens
of Rome created a new government called the Roman
Republic, they created laws to punish for undisciplined
people. Some of the laws they created were "A person
who had been found guilty of giving false witness shall
be hurled down from the Tarpeian Rock" or "A dread-
fully deformed child shall be quickly killed". The factor
of a death penalty for most laws in this ancient city is ex-
12
One of the important laws of the Twelve tables
clearly stated that if anyone gave false witness in
court, they will be hurled from the Tarpeian Rock.
http://opusmei.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/chu
cked_off_the_tarpeian_rock.jpg
Gallery 2.3 Tarpeian Rock
tremely harsh. Although their laws are very effective,
they are quite unnecessary. The civilization of Quinn
will try to maintain the good factors of past govern-
ment in their laws and try to not repeat their mistakes.
In order to maintain order and the important factors of
past government, the civilization of Quinn has created
laws as well as penalties for any violations. Q's have cre-
ated laws and sorted them into the five most important
categories: Justice, equality, property, heath/safety,
and family. The main category, justice, contains laws
such as " If someone is proven guilty or lies in court,
they are forced to go to prison for twenty years", "Eve-
ryone must be able to defend oneself in court other-
wise they are sent to prison for not having a testi-
mony", "If an escaped prisoner is found, the finder
gets a reward from the government". The second most
important classification is equality. This category con-
tains laws such as "People cannot be persecuted for
race, heritage, or religious beliefs" and "People are al-
lowed to marry opposite and similar genders". If any-
one is oppressed for any laws in the class of equality,
they must serve five years in jail. Another classification
of laws in the Quinn civilization is property. The law that
is most expressed in this category is "If a robber has
stolen something from a person and is found, they
must return the item that was stolen and serve five
years in jail". Also, a significant law class in the society
of Quinn is health/safety. In this class, an example of a
law is "Those who are ill or carry diseases must stay in-
doors until they are no longer contagious".
Political Leadership
The main lesson that should be learned from Julius
Caesars reign and creating a successful civilization is
to satisfy each citizen and earn peoples trust with each
regulation. Julius Caesar maintained political leader-
ship well in ways such as employing citizens by creating
new roads and public buildings, staging gladiator con-
tests and allowing slaves to view them for free, and re-
ducing taxes by making tax collections fair. Julius Cae-
sar proved through these examples of using his power
to benefit the people and stay in power. Julius Caesar
also used his power to earn the trust of the citizens in
order to stay in power. For example, gained trust by
giving land to landless peasants and solders who
13
fought with him (Julius Caesars Rule as Dictator). This
action had obtained him trust from the peasants and
solders because it made him seem as if he were a gen-
erous ruler. Julius
Caesar not only sat-
isfied most citizens
during his reign,
but he also earned
their trust and cre-
ated a successful
civilization.
Although Julius
Caesar had used
his political leader-
ship to satisfy most
of the civilization,
the senate was dis-
pleased by many
of his actions. The
senate was both-
ered by Julius Caesars ruling for reasons such as stamp-
ing his name on coins, creating a statue of himself wear-
ing royal purple and to have the statue placed it in a
temple. Although the senate was not pleased with
those such actions, they were most exasperated when
Julius Caesar had taken away their power. Julius Cae-
sars reign was not only all in name, but his real title was
a dictator. Julius Caesar not only never truly was given
enough power to be considered a king, he also practi-
cally replaced the senate by appointing civil officers
and judges in their place. As stated in the article Ju-
lius Caesars rule as a dictator, In 45 B.C.E., the Sen-
ate made Caesar dictator for a 10-year period and he
instantly became the most powerful figure in the Repub-
lic. Caesar became king in all but name. Julius Caesar
was not a monarch even though he had obtained a
good deal of political power. Being that Julius Caesar
was quickly gaining more power, the aristocrats worried
that Rome would be restored to a monarchy and his
leadership would be given to an heir. This realization
put the senate in agreement to kill him and keep Rome
as a republic. Since Julius Caesar had used his political
leadership to take away the senates power, he eventu-
ally had been overthrown by the government.
14
Julius Caesar was the dictator of the Roman
Republic.
http://businesslife.ba.com/Media/images/le
ssons1113h-Business-Life-Julius-Caesar-cred
it-Superstock-2050a036-dfe9-435d-b73a-d2
8c7c47b5d9-0-450x521.jpg
Gallery 2.4 Julius Caesar
Caesar Augustus mainly used his political leadership
effectively, but he still had created many unfair laws
that had ineffective outcomes. Throughout his reign,
Augustus put much thought into family related regula-
tions. For example, unmarried, childless women had to
pay special taxes on all property they owned. Also, un-
married, childless adults lost all rights to inherit prop-
erty or money. Being that most of Augustus unpopular
laws were mainly about family matters including mar-
riage and children some people not only sometimes
never find the person that they would like to marry, but
also some women, based on their health are not in
good enough condition to have a child. While the in-
complete families are suffering the consequences of
not being married or not having a child, other com-
plete families receive rewards such as tax-relief or po-
litical privileges. As stated in The Political Leadership
of Caesar Augustus, The state offered rewards-such
as political privileges and tax relief-to couples who
stayed together and had many children, while unmar-
ried adults and childless married couples lost the right
to inherit money and property. All family values were
not only closely watched by Caesar Augustus and the
government, but they also made a law that actors
could preform if there is a possibility that they will of-
fend family matters. The main issue that Augustus was
causing, but he had been unable to notice was how
some families just dont work out. Punishing incom-
plete or unhappy
families is unfair if
it means that they
are forced to lose
their possessions
or pay extra
money. Caesar
Augustus used his
political leader-
ship well in many
ways, but when it
came down to
family related mat-
ters, he made un-
fair and ineffective
decisions.
Decline of the Western Roman Empire
15
Augustus Caesar founded and was the
first emperor of Roman Empire.
http://www.civilization.org.uk/wp-content
/uploads/2012/08/Augustus-Boston-MFA
.jpg
Gallery 2.5 Augustus Caesar
Part 1:
The two main factors that affected the Roman Empire's
downfall were declines in morals and values and politi-
cal corruption. Decline in morals and values made for
an unsuccessful civilization in the Roman Empire be-
cause of the people who inspired other to make bad
decisions such as stealing or murdering other people.
Also, people who made other bad choices such as wast-
ing money at parties or drink until they were ill influ-
ence other citizens to do the same. Lastly, in the Ro-
man Empire, the main bad influence for bad behavior
was gladiatorial combats. Political corruption in the Ro-
man Empire made for an unsuccessful civilization be-
cause there had been difficult problems with choosing
a new emperor. There largest issue with electing a new
emperor was that the Romans had never created a sys-
tematic way to choose until 186 C.E, but even their
new method was not very effective. As stated by De-
cline of the Western Roman Empire, "Unlike Greece
where transition may not have been smooth but was at
least consistent, the Romans never created an effective
system to determine how new emperors would be se-
lected." They had started allowing the Praetorian
Guard to make the decision, but their procedure was
to sell the throne to the highest bidder. This technique
was very ineffective because there had been thirty-
seven different emperors over the next one hundred
years and twenty-five of those emperors had been re-
moved from office by murder. Declines in morals and
values and political corruption affected the downfall of
the Roman Empire mainly by the behavior of the citi-
zens and the method of finding a new leader.
16
In the Roman Colosseum, citizens would fight in gladiatorial
combats to their death for the entertainment and viewing of
slaves, who had free admission.
Gallery 2.6 Gladiatorial Combats
Part 2:
The civilization of Quinn will try to prevent a decline of
morals and values and political corruption in their civili-
zation in many ways. The civilization of Quinn will pre-
vent a decline of morals and values in the society by
creating a positive environment. The government will
be teaching the difference between right and wrong
and how their decisions can affect people around
them. Also, the citizens of Quinn will be taught that if
they affect the civilization in a way such as robbery or
murder there will be large consequences for their ac-
tions. "Unlike Greece where transition may not have
been smooth but was at least consistent, the Romans
never created an effective system to determine how
new emperors would be selected." (Decline of the
Western Roman Empire) The civilization of Quinn will
prevent political corruption from occurring in their civili-
zation by creating a democracy where the citizens vote
on who will become the elected leader. The public will
also decide who is allowed to participate in the govern-
ment and create new laws. Allowing the citizens to par-
ticipate in the voting process, allows them to at least
get a say in which person would make a good candi-
date. Declines in morals and values and political corrup-
tion will be prevented in the civilization of Quinn by cre-
ating a positive environment for the citizens of Quinn
and create a democracy to allow people to vote for
elected leaders.
17
This is the government building in the civilization of
Quinn where laws and other important political de-
cisions are made.
Gallery 2.7 The Civilization of Quinn
As a [person] believes, so will the person act.
-Sam Harris
CHAPTER 3
18
Belief Systems
SECTION 1
Importance of Belief Systems
There are various religions and belief systems in this
world. These have helped shape our morals, thoughts
and choices throughout history. These beliefs are
passed down from generation to generation and affect
how you live your life and the decisions you make on a
daily basis. Whether you were raised as a Hindu, Bud-
dhist or Confucian, it affected the belief system you
have. This belief system within a society creates a uni-
fied, and organized environment that respects specific
traits. When you share the same beliefs, it creates an
understanding of what is expected from other people
within a society. When societies honor and use these
Figure 3.1
Impact of Belief Systems
19
specific traits to decide between right and wrong, or
make any kind of important decision, it creates cohe-
sion and togetherness. Religion helps to define what
traits are expected from people. The religions of Hindu-
ism, Buddhism, and Confucianism have taught their fol-
lowers to be certain qualities such as kind-hearted, re-
spectful of their elders, selfless, and honest. Actions
that are taken by a citizen within a society influences
and guides others toward those same decisions. A be-
lief system is important for a successful civilization be-
cause it encourages unity, teaches citizens to have spe-
cific morals and values, and guides others.
To better understand the role of belief systems within a
civilization and how they can influence the actions and
decisions of a person, consider the following moral di-
lemma:
"In 1842, a ship struck an iceberg and more than 30 sur-
vivors were crowded into a lifeboat intended to hold 7.
As a storm threatened, it became obvious that the life-
boat would have to be lightened if anyone were to sur-
vive. The captain reasoned that the morally right thing
to do in this situation was to force some individuals to
go over the side and drown. Since the only possibility
for rescue required great efforts of rowing, the captain
decided that the weakest would have to be sacrificed.
They, after all, would be the one most likely to die any-
ways."
People of the Hindu religion, would most likely solve
the moral dilemma, "The Overcrowded Lifeboat" by
opposing the captain's idea. Three of the main traits
and beliefs of the Hindu religion are Karma, nonvio-
lence, and caring for one's soul. It would be against
their belief system to stand by the captain and agree
with his idea to sacrifice the weakest individuals. Sacri-
ficing the lives of one or more of the physically incapa-
ble individuals by sending them off the side of the
boat, so they drown, would be both cruel, barbaric, but
most importantly violent and creating bad Karma. As
stated by Frey, "Hindus believe that all life forms have
a soul, so Hindus respect all forms of life and avoid do-
ing them harm" (148). For precisely this reason, it
would be against a person's belief system. If they were
to kill or allow a human to drown, then they might be
the recipients of a barbaric act in the future. Further-
20
more, Hindus also believe that souls are rewarded for
good deeds.
Therefore, if
they performed
this task it would
not be caring for
their own and
others soul. If a
Hindu person
opposed the
captain's idea,
which contrasts
their religious
beliefs of
Karma, nonvio-
lence, and car-
ing for one's
soul, it would
eventually create a safe environment and community
because other Hindus were taught the same ideals and
believe the same things. This unity among a society cre-
ates a long-lasting and successful civilization because
the citizens agree on how people should behave in cer-
tain situations. Anyone who might not agree and up-
hold these Hindu traits would not be a good civilian or
leader and therefore might not be able to live happily
and successfully in a Hindu society. Again, a person of
the Hindu religion who objected the captain's idea be-
cause of their main religious beliefs, which are Karma,
nonviolence, and caring for ones soul, prohibit them
from murdering a physically weak person.
A person whose belief system is from the religion of
Confucianism would most likely solve the moral di-
lemma of "The Overcrowded Lifeboat" by supporting
the captain's idea. The Confucian religion highly values
respecting their elders. Assuming the captain is older
than most, controls the boat, and is also most likely
from a higher class of people, a Confucian would be in-
clined to agree with the captain's idea. For example,
Frey stated, "All people [Confucians] must respect and
obey those above them. In particular they must respect
their elders" (208). While other values such as honesty
or kindheartedness would contradict the idea of sacrific-
ing the life of another, their religion believes that it is
more important to respect their elders and the higher
21
The Hindu symbol, Om represents the omni-
present source of all existence. Most Hindus
utter Om as an expression of spiritually in
their daily rituals.
http://www.chelmsfordfaiths.plus.com/Hindu
ism/Images/aum-200.gif
Om (or Aum) the Hindu Icon
classes. A Confucian person would concur of the cap-
tain's idea be-
cause of the fact
that they value a
highly respected
elder or wiser
being. This
agreement of
their values and
traits creates a
unified and suc-
cessful society
where everyone
in the commu-
nity has similar
opinions and
morals. Though
Confucians might object to sacrificing a frail person be-
cause of it being an unkind act, the authority that an
elder has would override this decision.
After examining how these two different belief systems
could affect our actions in a completely different way,
we can see how certain morals and values affect life
and death choices. Having rules or guidelines for what
is acceptable behavior creates a responsible, agree-
able, and unified environment. If these people on the
boat all had different belief systems about what should
be done or who should be cast overboard it would cre-
ate an unstable and chaotic environment. Perhaps they
would start fighting with one another and everyone on
the boat could possibly die instead of just one or two
people. When societies and groups of people think in a
similar manner, it creates unity. Religion and various
other teachings from the scriptures allow people to live
in harmony because they all agree with certain traits
and values.
Role of the Catholic Church and its Belief
System in Medieval Europe
The Roman Catholic Church in Medieval Europe grew
in both economic and political power after the collapse
of the Western Roman Empire in 476 C.E. The Catholic
Church was the center of community activities. It held
meetings, concerts, religious services, as well as provid-
ing education, and caring for the poor and sick. Most
22
A important code of behavior would include
younger citizens offering a seat to an elder.
Confucian teachings state that younger peo-
ple should offer their services and guidance
to an elder.
http://factsanddetails.com/media/2/200802
25-lao08.jpg
Confucianism Respect of Elders
citizens put their faith in God and went to Church in or-
der to keep disasters from occurring by prayer, but
more importantly, to save their souls after death. Since
the Church provided such a vital role in each person's
daily life, they acquired great wealth. The Church also
increased their wealth by collecting 10% of tax on
someone's earnings. As stated by Frey, "By the year of
1050 C.E, it was the largest landholder in Europe"
(Page 33). Some of their land was acquired from gifts
given by nobles and rulers who needed the support of
the Church to keep their records but also for their lead-
ership they provided in everyone's daily life. These rul-
ers were also worried about their own afterlife. More
political power of the Catholic Church was gained be-
cause of how educated they were. Often the Church of-
ficials were the only ones able to read and write in Latin
and therefore had more knowledge than others. Over-
time, the Church organized itself in a structure similar
to the Roman government. Each person in the system
was ranked based on his or her job. In order to main-
tain their power they considered what knowledge to
share with people who couldn't read and write. After
the Church began to educate nobles, the Church
clergy began to worry that studying writers such as Aris-
totle, would cause people to question the Church's
teachings. Also, "Ancient texts were greatly respected
in the universities, but the Church was sometimes un-
easy about them" (Frey, page 38). Aristotle taught that
logical thinking created wisdom and knowledge. How-
ever, faith was not something that could easily be ex-
23
Pews
Bibles
Cross
Quinn Civilization Sacred Space
plained as logical. Although Aristotle believed in logic
and reason, Saint Thomas Aquinas believed and tried
to explain that faith and logical thinking were equal
gifts from God. He called this new concept natural law.
Natural law is defined as nature possessing the ability
to guide moral thinking. Saint Thomas Aquinas's teach-
ings were used as rhetoric to help promote the Catho-
lic beliefs. The Roman Catholic Church first gained its
power by having a significant role in people's daily
lives and later controlling money and knowledge.
The Catholic Church influenced people's deeds and
thoughts during the Middle Ages by teaching them to
live a moral life by receiving The Seven Sacraments.
Based on the beliefs of the Catholic Church in medie-
val Europe, people believed in God and an afterlife in
which the soul moved on after the body died. The
Catholic Church taught its believers that receiving The
Seven Sacraments was essential for entry to heaven
and salvation. These sacred rights were considered a
gift from God and were believed to bring grace and
blessings. If you followed these teachings you would
be granted admission to heaven instead of facing eter-
nal suffering in hell. As stated by Frey, "The Sacraments
marked the most important occasions in a person's
life" (Page 34). The first Sacrament is Baptism. This is a
ritual where a priest gently pours holy water over the
head of a being. The completion of this Sacrament
24
Penance
Extreme Unction
Confirmation
Matrimony
Holy Orders
Baptism
Eucharist
The Seven Sacraments
http://www.americancatholic.org/features/gfx/articles/Sacraments
.jpg
grants a person entry into the church. The second Sac-
rament is Eucharist, a service where a priest conse-
crates bread and wine to become the body and blood
of Christ. This Sacrament is a representation of Jesus
and receiving his presence in a believer's choices and
actions. Penance or reconciliation is the third Sacra-
ment. This ceremony is where a citizen confesses their
sins to a priest in order to receive God's forgiveness.
Receiving God's forgiveness is significant because it
gives a person a feeling of being cleansed from your
sins and recognizing his faults. The next Sacrament is
called conrmation. Confirmation is a formal declara-
tion of becoming a full member of the church. Confir-
mation is an important factor in the Catholic Church be-
cause it confirms a person's belief in god and leads
them closer to salvation. Holy matrimony, or marriage,
is the fifth Sacrament. Matrimony is a formal union of a
man and woman that is blessed by the church and a
priest who performs the ceremony. The sixth Sacrament
is the holy order where a man becomes a member of
the Catholic clergy in the state of a Priest, Bishop, Car-
dinal, and Pope. The final holy Sacrament is extreme
unction or last rights. The extreme unction is a blessing
anointed to a person in danger of death by a priest.
This blessing granted by the church is also known as
the Sacrament of the sick or dying. Receiving as many
of these Sacraments as possible would ensure an after-
life in heaven. A believers deed and actions including
the fulfillment of The Seven Sacraments, all determine
whether their soul will gain entry to heaven and salva-
tion or be banned to eternal hardship in hell.
Belief System of Quinn
In an effort to create a successful civilization, the peo-
ple of Quinn have established their own belief sys-
tem. It shares similar religious beliefs and teachings
with other world religions and helps the people of
Quinn encourage unity, teach citizens to have specific
morals and values, and guide others. Here are some
examples:
The first tenet in the Quinn civilization belief system is
called Delzzufnoc (Dellsufnock). Delzzufnoc means
to be a loyal citizen of one's religion and society. Q's
auspicious practice of Delzzufnoc is an event that oc-
curs every year on the first day of the New Year. This
25
ritual occurs in the oldest church, which is in the cen-
ter of town, where people gather together each year
to show they are loyal civilians of their society and
their religious beliefs. This is an annual ceremony
where they say prayers about how they can achieve
the fundamental goals of self-motivation, honesty,
and forgiveness. They ask for strength to achieve
these three
key character-
istics. When
Delzzufnoc
demon-
strates these
three charac-
teristics, it
builds unity
among the
civilization
and proves a
citizen's closeness, belief of God, and the goodness
of others. The ceremony of Delzzufnoc lasts for one
week starting on the first day each year. Each day dur-
ing this special week, the citizens of Quinn try to
meet new people at the ceremony and possibly have
them over for a meal to show they are good at practic-
ing Delzzufnoc. Additionally, they profess their alle-
giance with Quinn and preform community service to
show love for their civilization. This important relig-
ious event is similar to the fifth Islamic pillar called
Hajj. As stated by Frey, "By bringing Muslims from
many places and cultures together, the Hajj promotes
fellowship and equality". (Page 100) Likewise to
Delzzufnoc, the goal of Hajj is to bring Muslims to-
gether from all over the world in order to create fel-
lowship and equality. This teaching promotes both
unity and loyalty towards civilians of a specific relig-
ion. For example, when citizens invite new friends and
fellow believers of Delzzufnoc to their homes each
year, it creates a larger society of unified believers.
These similar traditions of Delzzufnoc and Hajj pro-
duce proper moral values, which influence others.
The teachings of the first tenet, creates a successful
civilization because believers learn to be loyal citi-
zens, unified as a community, and closer to God.
26
Participation in this ritual builds unity and creates
a strong affiliation with the Quinn Civilization.
Gallery 3.1 Delzzufnoc
The second tenet in the belief system of the Quinn
civilization is called Flirzg (Flerzg). The meaning of
the second tenet, Flirzg, is to be honest and forgive.
Flirzg is practiced when citizens visit church on an as-
signed day and confess their lies and mistakes to a
priest. The citi-
zen must wear a
long white
dress (regard-
less of gender)
and take a bath
in holy water be-
fore entering
the church. By
doing this, the
citizen will have
been purified
and cleansed
from evil. After
they have been
cleansed, they will perform a ceremony of truth and
wisdom. A citizen of Quinn will promise to become a
better person and learn from their mistakes. Once a
civilian has confessed all of their sins and made their
promise, they will have been forgiven by God and
granted permission to enter heaven. The ceremony
lasts about a daylong and a citizen will be freed from
their duties the next day. The ceremony is a very calm-
ing ritual that creates inner peace within one's self.
This significant religious ceremony is much the same
as the Catholic practice of Reconciliation or confes-
sion. As stated by Sandra DeGidio, "Forgiveness only
comes after you recite your list of sins, agree to suffer
a bit for them, do something to make up for your of-
fenses, [and] give some guarantee you won't commit
the same sins again" ('The Sacrament of Reconcilia-
tion: Celebrating God's Forgiveness"). Similar to Rec-
onciliation, the sacrament of Flirzg helps make for a
successful civilization because it causes people to rec-
ognize their mistakes and learn from them. Also, be-
cause the citizens know they are forgiven, they will
feel a sensation of tranquility. Since God is their role
model and citizens are striving to follow in his foot-
steps, they will be more forgiving themselves, and ac-
27
An honorable citizen of Quinn attends Flirzg,
which is a ritual to ask God for the forgive-
ness of their sins.
Gallery 3.2 Flirzg
cepting of other people's flaws. This ritual makes the
citizens of Quinn a more peaceful and unified commu-
nity knowing God has forgiven them.
Aifos (fs) is the third tenet of the Quinn civiliza-
tion belief system. The religious belief of Aifos is de-
fined as "Self Motivation". The custom of the third
tenet is to work hard and achieve substantial goals,
which prove their motivation to work hard. Showing
that one is self-motivated and hard working can be
achieved in different ways. For example, if a citizen is
a good businessman or woman, then they are ex-
pected to donate a certain percentage of their wealth
or income to charities or the church. If an individual is
not a businessperson, it is still necessary to prove
they are a hard working individual and high achiever
by donating their time and efforts toward a charity or
the church. For instance, if a citizen is a singer and
doesn't make much money, they could host an event
where they charge others to view one of their perform-
ances. Then, they could donate the proceeds to an im-
portant cause or the church. If a citizen has no talent,
and is not a successful businessman or woman, they
could show their efforts through prayer. These actions
will inspire others to do the same and show the value
of hard work and importance of church and religion.
The religious belief of Aifos is similar to the third Is-
lamic pillar of Zakat. As stated by Frey, "According to
the teachings of Islam, Muslims must share about one
fortieth (2.5 per-
cent) of their in-
come and pos-
sessions with
their poorer
neighbors."
(Page 98) Com-
parable to Zakat,
Aifos is prac-
ticed by donat-
ing time and
money to a char-
ity or church, but
if these actions are not possible, then worship or
prayer is an acceptable way to show hard work and Ai-
fos. The citizens who do not have enough money to
28
Each individual is asked to achieve their own
greatness by participating in Aifos. Any tal-
ent or greatness a citizen may have is ex-
pected to be shared through their own time
or money.
Gallery 3.3 Aifos
share or any talent, can be pillars of the society by
forming prayer groups that teach the lessons of the
Quinn religion. Whether citizens choose worship,
time, or money to prove their support to society and
religion, it promotes a unified understanding of impor-
tant values and expectations. Aifos, which promotes
hard work, effort, and high achievement, is para-
mount to a successful civilization because it creates a
unified community that contains similar values, dona-
tions to the needy, and prayer.
29
A [person] may die, nations may rise and fall, but an idea lives on.
-John F. Kennedy
CHAPTER 4
30
Ideas
SECTION 1
The humanist mindset was based on questioning
older theories and traditions in order to create and
promote a new understanding of life. Humanist beliefs
eventually changed people's perceptions of many
things including the government, social standings, art-
work, literature, science, mathematics and the church.
Humanists tried to balance the old traditions with new
or improved thoughts. They chose to believe that peo-
ple were in control of their own lives and therefore
didn't accept things exactly as they had in the past. Al-
though humanists still believed it was significant to con-
sider the teachings of God and the Catholic Church,
Figure 4.1
Power of Ideas
31
they also felt it was of importance to have emphasis on
individuality. They understood that God could not do
everything for them. So, they began to ask probing
questions based on how they could affect their lives in
a positive way without the help of God. While many em-
braced these Renaissance ideas, some institutions
were more opposed to these new thoughts. As stated
by Frey, "For the church, life after death was more im-
portant than life on Earth" (Page 321). This idea had
previously helped the church maintain and keep the
church at the highest level of importance. However,
now with these new ideas of individuality, the church
felt threatened. The church continued to use fear and
suggest that changing God's laws or reinterpreting
them differently could affect a person's afterlife in a
negative way. Despite the fact that the Church believed
this, Humanist's ideas continued to spread. Humanists
wanted people to question everything and make life on
earth better, if possible. Many humanists tried to bal-
ance their individual interest in daily life with their relig-
ious faith. Humanists believed in the teachings of God,
but they based their own mindset on affecting their
lives in a positive way in order to create a new under-
standing of their daily lives. They believed that they
were in control of their own lives and greatness.
Humanists also caused advances in art and painting dur-
ing the Renaissance by depicting their artwork to ex-
press the changing traditions from the Middle Ages to
the Renaissance.
Humanists influ-
enced Renaissance
painters by spread-
ing their new inter-
est in improved
classical or Greek
culture. The objec-
tive of these paint-
ers was to portray
real people show-
ing both settings
and emotions in
real life situations.
Previously paint-
ings were not real-
istic. Painting in
32
A Renaissance painter named Leonardo Da
Vinci was inspired by humanists who were
looking to improve Classical/Greek Culture.
One of his most famous paintings, the
Mona Lisa is significant because it por-
trays different techniques and perspectives
including shading or showing real-life emo-
tions.
mons/6/6a/Mona_Lisa.jpg
Gallery 4.1 The Mona Lisa
the past had a much more rigid appearance. Renais-
sance painters strived to show different art techniques
and different perspectives. The main advance in art-
work was influenced by the humanist's perspective of
artwork. To make it look more realistic, they used new
techniques in order to create these illusions in their
paintings. These techniques included changing the size
of objects that were to appear closer or farther away.
Those that were closer were larger and those that were
farther away were smaller. They also used connecting
lines as they receded into the distance to show depth.
Based on depth, Frey stated, "The smaller a painted
object, the farther away it appears to be. The larger an
object, the closer it appears to be" (Page 326). They
also shaded objects in order to create a three-
dimensional effect in their artwork. The result of the
paintings created during the Renaissance completely
differed from the flat perspective portrayed by paint-
ings during the Middle Ages. Artists such as Michelan-
gelo depicted scenes such as "The Last Judgment".
This painting showed real emotions including fear. In
conclusion, during the Renaissance, humanists
changed and advanced artwork stimulating an interest
in classical culture and by portraying their paintings to
include depth by using different techniques.
The reformation was a period where people begin to
think differently about the Church and question certain
practices and traditions. During this time, people be-
gan to notice the corruption among clergy members.
They noticed priests and nuns broke the vows of not
marrying or having children. It was also brought to their
attention that the
Church had accu-
mulated a great
deal of wealth.
Priests, Bishops,
and Popes did
not behave in a
humble manner
because they
lived in elegant
palaces and wore
jeweled robes dur-
ing mass. People
began to ques-
33
The Catholic Church accumulated vast
wealth during the Middle Ages because the
clergy began to charge people for the for-
giveness of their sins from God.
http://smartpei.typepad.com/photos/uncate
gorized/church_selling_indulgences.gif
Gallery 4.2 Selling of Indulgences
tion practices of how they raised this money. For exam-
ple, although reconciliation was the true solution to
gaining God's forgiveness, the Church clergy chose to
charge people for the forgiveness of their sins and
these were called indulgences. Many Christians had be-
come profoundly disturbed by the misuse of indul-
gences and God's forgiveness. Also, people realized
that instead of being offered a job based on their skills
and merit, people could get a position of authority by
paying for it. As stated by Frey, "The Church also sold
offices or leadership positions. This practice is called
simony" (Page 348). These practices where people
could buy a position of authority or gain God's forgive-
ness by paying for them made people question the
Church's true values. Instead of acting with proper mor-
als, the Catholic Church had obtained vast wealth dur-
ing the Middle Ages because they charged people in
order to clear themselves from sins or get a position of
authority.
Many of the ideas from reformers were different from
the traditional teachings of the Catholic Church. A
priest in the 1300's named Jan Hus questioned many
of the Catholic teachings. Hus noticed many of the
teachings that were described during mass were not
stated in the bible. Hus recognized that the original pur-
pose of the Catholic Church was to learn the virtuous,
upstanding, and
admirable morals
and values that
Jesus Christ ex-
hibited in the bi-
ble and behave
in a similar way.
He wished to pu-
rify the Catholic
Church and he
believed in order
to achieve this
goal, it was neces-
sary to translate
the Bible to the
common lan-
guage. As stated
by Frey, "[Hus be-
lieved] the true
34
Jan Hus, an ordained priest noticed differ-
ences from the Bible and teachings from the
Catholic Church. He wished to translate the
Bible to the common language. Eventually,
he was charged with heresy and burned at
the stake.
mons/0/07/Jan_hus_1.jpg
Gallery 4.3 Jan Hus
head of the Church was Jesus Christ" (Page 351). Jesus
Christ presented a life God wanted others to live by.
Hus could see that the clergy was not living their lives
according to Jesus
Christ and the bi-
ble because they
were incorrectly in-
terpreting it to the
people. For this
reason, he ques-
tioned the pope's
authority. This
questioning was
threatening to the
Church and there-
fore, Hus was ac-
cused of being a
heretic and
burned at the
stake. Another re-
former named
Martin Luther
also had different
opinions from the Catholic Church. "Like many Chris-
tians of his time, Luther asked the question, 'What must
I do to be saved?'" (Frey 352). He realized what the
Church was telling people to do was different than the
information in the bible. The church said salvation had
to be earned while the bible led him to believe that sal-
vation is received through faith as a gift from God. His
argument claiming the bible was the source of religious
teachings was very threatening to the powers of the
pope and Church. Consequently, the church excommu-
nicated him and was pressured by German Authorities
to keep quiet. Any reformer of the Catholic Church had
brought new ideas and threatened the power of the
Church.
The Quinn Civilization encourages many traditional be-
liefs. One significant belief of the Quinn civilization is
Delzzufnoc. To be included and well thought of in the
Quinn society, a person needs to be very loyal to their
religion by attending church and acting in a unified and
similar way. However, Humanist beliefs encourage indi-
viduality and independent thinkers. Citizens of the
Quinn civilization need a unified society while human-
35
Martin Luther was a reformer who had differ-
ent opinions about the Catholic Church after
he recognized that the bible contained differ-
ent information from what the clergy was tell-
ing the public. He claimed the bible was the
source of religious teachings and eventually
it caused the church to excommunicate him.
http://cp91279.biography.com/1000509261
001/1000509261001_2163219489001_Histo
ry-Martin-Luther-Sparks-a-Revolution-SF-HD-
768x432-16x9.jpg
Gallery 4.4 Martin Luther
ism focuses more on the individual. As Frey stated
about the humanist mindset, "They began to create a
philosophy based on the importance and dignity of
each individual" (Page 320). Humanists wanted the abil-
ity to achieve greatness and control their own lives as
opposed to the Quinn Civilization where each citizen is
expected to be unified and be similar. Also, the Church
in the Quinn society has a beautiful fence constructed
of diamond. A person of a humanist mindset might
question how the Church accumulated the money to
pay for these diamonds. They might also believe the
church was lacking in appropriate morals by caring
about worldly possessions. If the people of the Quinn
society take on more of these individual ideas, it could
threaten the cohesiveness and unity of the civilization.
In order to deal with these types of issues, there is a
council of 300 in the government system. For example,
this council would meet and discuss how these dia-
monds are affecting the morals and values of Quinn citi-
zens. Since the civilization is a democracy, the council
could vote based on what they believe is the correct de-
cision. As a democracy, the council will decide whether
an idea is an acceptable compromise or should be re-
jected. This council is made up of both men and
women who are 18 years or older and are voted into
this council by the entire society. This will allow the soci-
ety to grow and take on new ideas that are agreed
upon by the society. The civilization will not stay stag-
nant because it will
continue to grow.
Having this demo-
cratic council will
allow new ideas to
be discussed and
appropriate deci-
sions to be made,
which will keep the
society in tact and
successful for
many
centuries.While
the Quinn society
likes many tradi-
tional beliefs it en-
courages culture
and the arts.
36
Queen Elizabeth l lived from 1533-1603
and was the daughter of King Henry Vlll
and Anne Boleyn. While she was devoted
to her country, she was a free thinker and
a supporter of culture and the arts.
https://hankwhittemore.files.wordpress.c
om/2012/09/queen-elizabeth-1-kings-an
d-queens-9843855-1500-1650.jpg

Gallery 4.5 Queen Elizabeth l of England
Queen Elizabeth l of England lived from 1533-1603
and she was the daughter of King Henry Vlll of England
who created the Protestant religion. Queen Elizabeth
was raised in a separate residence from the royal court
and her father after her mother had been beheaded.
She was a
gifted and
highly edu-
cated stu-
dent who
knew English,
Greek, Latin,
French, and
Italian. She
became
Queen at
age twenty-
five. As
Queen, she
was strong-
minded and
devoted to
her country.
She was not a traditional ruler because she was an un-
married, strong, and independent woman. One of the
ways she showed she was a Renaissance woman was
her was willingness to change rules or laws based on
their popularity. Since she created stability for England,
culture and arts thrived during her long reign as
Queen. "She supported theater, fashion, literature,
dance, and education" (Frey 341). Artists, writers, danc-
ers, musicians, and other cultural figures were wel-
comed to the court. She invited the famous playwright
and poet William Shakespeare to the royal court many
times. Her independent thinking allowed culture to ad-
vance because of her stability and freethinking
Queen Elizabeth l of England would fit perfectly into
the Quinn Civilization. She embraced many old tradi-
tions, but was also a flexible and independent thinker.
Other than the Church, the theater is the most visited
building in the Quinn civilization. This piece of architec-
ture provides the citizens of a community with a public
forum for entertainment. Musicians, actors, public
speakers, and other performers provide the citizens of
the Quinn society entertainment and amusement when
37
Even as an untraditional leader, Queen Eliza-
beth l created stability in her country through
her long reign. Her support for artists, writers,
musicians, and other cultural figures gave them
the ability to prosper.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commo
ns/4/45/Elizabeth_I,_Procession_Portrait..jpg
Gallery 4.6 Queen Elizabeths Uncustomary
and Humanist Beliefs Allowed Culture and the
Arts to Thrive During the Renaissance
they present their talents through concerts, plays, or re-
citals. As stated by Frey, "Culture thrived under her"
(Page 341). The Quinn civilization very much values and
appreciates tradition and the arts. They especially en-
joy watching singers and musicians. Therefore, Queen
Elizabeth l of England would be the best representative
of the Quinn society who balanced tradition with new
thoughts.
38
The Quinn Civilization Theater is the most visited building in the
society other than the Church. Queen Elizabeth created stability
within her country because she supported many cultural figures
allowing it to prosper. Similarly, the civilization of Quinn has cre-
ated this piece of architecture as a public forum for entertainment,
which allows all musicians, actors, public speakers, and other
types of performers to present on stage.
Gallery 4.7 The Quinn Civilization Theater

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THE ANSWER TO WHAT MAKES A SUCCESSFUL

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