History

I studied different civilizations that have evolved around the world and had a better understanding of the French history and culture. I read about the subject through a variety of books, as well as YouTube channels, but also through regular visits to the vast number of museums in Paris. I delved into the different events and cultures that have existed and ruled over the world. 

I was able to visit the numerous museums and monuments throughout Paris. This included visits to medieval churches and belfries which pepper Paris: an example is the Saint Roch Church (where royalists were shot down by a young Napoleon de Bonaparte), or the very authentic Gothic church, Saint-Germain de l’Auxerrois. I visited the oldest vestiges of Paris found within the Arenas of Lutece, the museum of Cluny and even saw two Merovingian pillars within the relatively unknown church, Saint-Pierre de Montmartre.

I spent a lot of time exploring Egypt first. We were able to visit a huge number of tombs in Luxor, within the Valley of the Kings, the Valley of the Queens and The Tombs of The Nobles. We then headed for another magical trip to Cairo with its immense and prestigious Cairo Museum with the Mask of Tutankhamun, the Narmer Palette at the entrance, the 2 huge pyramidions, the numerous mummies and vast number of ancient sculptures of Kings and Queens. We went inside the very first pyramid ever built, the Pyramid of Djoser, also known as the Step Pyramid. We learnt a lot about the reign of the pharaohs, their lifestyle, hieroglyphs, invasions from Assyrians and how the Gods were everywhere in their everyday lives. I learnt a lot of ancient Egyptian history from 4500 BC during this trip. The most impressive part in the Valley of the Kings was seeing the tomb of Tutankhamun in all its splendor. We also explored the Nile River and even visited the Cruise boat on which Agatha Christie penned her famous book, “Death on The Nile”. We saw her room as well as the room where the singer Oum Khaltoum stayed. We visited Karnak, where the most impressive and hidden part is the Temple of Khonshu (re-imagined as a Marvel superhero in the “Moon Knight” series) and we even saw the Temple of Hatshepsut, the female Pharaoh, who brought peace and prosperity to Egypt. We visited the Ramesseum where my mother found the original colossal feet mentioned in Shelley’s famous poem “Ozymandias”. We were in awe at the sight of the Sphinx Alley and the remaining Obelisk of the Luxor Temple (the other Obelisk is at Concorde, Paris). We ended the trip with a visit to the Luxor Museum. The Step Pyramid was just a pile of mastabas, probably an indication of Mesopotamian influence. We then visited the Bent Pyramid, but I didn’t go inside as the slope was steep and the passage very tight (we needed to bend down). We entered and explored several other pyramids, including the famous Great Pyramid of Giza, we finished the trip with a visit to the Funerary temple full of giant bull tombs and then the Colossal Sphinx.

Ireland was also a treat as we planned a 2-week road trip across the country. Throughout this trip, we were impressed by the friendliness of the Irish people and how humble and kind everyone was, and this can be explained by their history and resilience. In Ireland, we started with the historic landmarks of Dublin, including Trinity College where my dad did a year of Erasmus. We saw its famous Books of Kells. We also visited the impressive Saint Patrick’s church and learnt how Saint Patrick was an English slave who went to England and brought religion to Ireland. We also visited the magnificent Christ Church Cathedral. Afterwards, we visited the famous Newgrange dating 5200 years at least, before heading to the historical town of Galway. We headed to Connemara and marveled at the beautiful Kylemore Abbey and its gardens. As we travelled south, we saw the beautiful Moher Cliffs and gorgeous metamorphic rock formations surrounded with history. We learnt about the Gaelic language, folklore and the violent history of the Irish people dating from so long and ending only a few decades ago. We visited the site of “IRE” and its lighthouse, as well as the famous Rock of Cashel with an amazing guide. 

I visited the numerous remnants of the inner walls of Paris built 800 years ago during Philippe August’s reign, as well as atypical places that contain much of French history like specific roads, covered markets called Les Halles, Covered passageways and even the first pharmacy of Paris. The different museums (the Louvre museum, the Carnavalet museum and the Archives museum are among my favorites) also contain a wealth of information.  Hence, I was able to visit Paris and in a way travel through time to its origins and foundation on the banks of the Seine River, imagining the different kings that ruled here, the French revolution and observe the hand of time through the changes in architectural style and progress that took place.

In the history course, I studied key events and turning points in world history, focusing on how civilizations evolved and interacted. I worked on various assignments involving primary and secondary sources, wrote essays on significant topics, and completed projects that deepened my understanding of historical themes. Through this, I strengthened my critical thinking and writing skills. I drew connections between historical events and present-day issues. The use of multimedia tools and close reading exercises helped me engage more effectively with the material. Overall, this course has enhanced my ability to analyze history from multiple perspectives and communicate my ideas clearly.