Recently, the ancient history class tried Alexander the Great. The conqueror of territories reaching from Europe to India was tried for a crime against humanity. Charged with cultural genocide, the prosecution worked to show how his policy of "Hellinization" (installing Greek institutions like the Greek language) served to destroy the unique cultures of those areas he had conquered. Despite the testimony of his former teacher, and those who felt their lives had been improved under his reign, the jury, made up of students from Mr. O'Gorman's civics class, found the defendant, Alexander the Great, guilty.
Our second big case saw Socrates tried. The respected philosopher was charged with endeavouring to corrupt the youth of Athens. It was alleged that his teaching style, the Socratic Method, encouraged students to question elements of life that should not be questioned. In particular it was asserted that this led to the youth of Athens questioning the traditions and religious beliefs of the community. In a turnabout, the jury found the defendant not guilty!
