The document compares and contrasts the ancient Roman civilization and the Cherokee Native American tribe. The Romans and Cherokee had distinct styles of dress. The Romans wore tunics and togas, while the Cherokee women wore deer skin dresses and the men wore breechcloths and shirts. Both groups wore cloaks and moccasins. Their religious beliefs also differed greatly. The Romans practiced polytheism with many gods and goddesses, while the Cherokee believed in medicine men and sacred numbers. Their ways of life were different as well. The Romans communicated through public speeches and had gender roles where women stayed home. The Cherokee participated communally in hunting, farming

1. Ashley Bell<br />5th period<br />2-24-11<br />Compare/ Contrast essay<br />Cherokee vs. Romans<br />A civilization with life based on military and a civilization based on religious beliefs and customs. These civilizations are known as ancient Rome and the Native American tribe, the Cherokee. These two civilizations may have been around for many centuries, and they still exist today, but there are several differences that over power the similarities, the ways of dressing, their beliefs, and life styles are the major factors that contribute to the civilizations.<br />The styles of dressing differs the most between these two civilizations. The ancient Romans wore tunics with underclothes made of linens. Tunics are used the whole year, but in the winter the people wore two or three tunics in order to keep warm. This garment is the basic form of clothing for most of the Roman citizens. Free Roman citizens were able to wear togas. These were generally just large blanket like cloths that were wrapped around the body without any undergarments. The people also wore cloaks to protect themselves from bad weather, and the three main types of footwear for the people were calcie, (mix of sandal and shoe), sandals, and slippers (mostly for indoor use). The Cherokee Indians have a different type of dress altogether. The Cherokee Indians wore clothing that was either woven or made from deer skin the women wore dresses and the men wore pants.<br /> Everyone wore shoes called moccasins. In the winter everyone wore a cloak made of fur to protect them from the cold, just like the romans. Women’s dresses were close fitting, sleeveless, and came to about to the middle of the thigh. Dresses were usually made out of deer skin. The shoes worn by the women were decorative moccasins that laced all the way up to the knee. The moccasins of the high status women were covered with colored seed-beads. Children went around without clothes in the warmer months, but in the colder months they wore woven clothes, fur robes and moccasins. The men wore deer skin breechcloths (similar to today’s style of underclothing) that was tied between their legs, which was worn in the warmer months and in the colder months they wore deer skin shirts with fur robes and moccasins, usually made out of muskrat or beaver skin with fur inside to keep their feet warm. Now the beliefs of these two civilizations are very different. The ancient Romans believed in many gods and goddesses, this is known as Polytheism.<br /> They believed that the gods and goddesses provided them with the knowledge they needed to overcome any obstacles they faced. The head god was known as Jupiter and he was in charge of every god and goddess, and his wife was Minerva. Each god and goddess was known to have had their own specific field, for example Minerva was the goddess of wisdom, medicine, science, and war. They also believed in life after death and the immortality of the soul. This was a very complicated belief system; once the person had died they were met by Mercury (messenger of the gods) and taken to Charon the ferryman who led them across the Styx (river) to Hades. The Cherokee Indians had a different belief system. The Cherokee Indians believed in medicine men, the people that performed healing rituals to those that were ill or wounded.<br />Also, the medicine men help with mental problems as well. They also believed that certain numbers played roles in the ceremonies. The number four and the number seven were two important numbers. Four stands for the cardinal directions and seven stands for height of purity, sacredness, and the seven clans of the Cherokees. The dead were buried in small tombs or in mounds. The families would then mourn for seven days. If the deceased was a male the wife was expected to stay alone for a long period of time. The one thing they did not believe in was multiple gods. The ways of life for these civilizations are also rather different. The Romans communicated through public speeches to the citizens. This usually happened if there was an issue for the entire population to hear.<br />Their entertainment came from dramas, poetry, mimes, and epics, which were performed in outdoor theaters. The men and women also had their place in society. The women were considered inferior to the men, and the men had the right to do participate in any government issue, while the women had to stay at home and tend to the house. The women were also allowed to divorce for necessary reason. The Cherokee on the other hand had different styles of life. The Cherokee women stayed at home like the romans but they all helped each other with the sewing, cleaning, and the cooking.<br />The men went out and did the hunting and the farming. The women were also allowed to participate in the issues of the tribe, such as the choosing of a new leader or what to do about new forms of trade with other tribes, because the issues relate to all of the people not just the men. The women were the heads of the household, and the men were just there to supply meat and to father the children. They also instead had a very large community centered on hunting and farming. The natives did not use currency; instead they traded beads and foods for what they wanted to have. They were also very musically oriented, especially at ceremonies. They used instruments made out of clay pots with the animal skin stretched over them to form drums. These are used for the ceremonies and entertainment.<br />The Romans were more of a civilized culture, dependent on trade, while the Cherokee Indians had all of the food and things to supply life right where they were located. These two civilizations may be very different but they both benefit the world in a bigger way. They each brought inspiration for many of the things people still practice or partake in today.<br />