explore their descriptions to make an argument about cross-cultural interactions in the premodern world

PICK ONE TOPIC! A or B

PLEASE NO OUTSIDE SOURCES

RESOURCES ATTACHED

Unit 9

http://depts.washington.edu/silkroad/texts/faxian.html

http://depts.washington.edu/silkroad/texts/pegol.html

Unit 10

http://depts.washington.edu/silkroad/texts/carpini.html

http://depts.washington.edu/silkroad/texts/rubruck.html#court

I am aware that one transcript attached says Unit 12. That is the one that should be used for unit 10. My instructor switched them up and forgot to change the name of the file.

 

Topic A

In Unit 9, we described some of the ways that the Silk Road facilitated both the spread of religion and the dispersal of commodities.

In an essay of 600 to 1200 words, explore the videos and the primary source evidence to make an argument about some of the ways the Silk Road created a form of (near) globalization. In the end, you should persuade your reader, through your thoughtful analysis of the historical evidence that succeeded in creating aspects of a common culture in throughout Eurasia.

When organizing your ideas and drafting your essay, follow these guidelines:

1. Build your analysis using the course materials. The basis of your essay should be the primary source material found at the end of Unit 9 under “Unit 9 Resources.” By all means, take the ideas and evidence offered in the videos (and please note that we have provided transcripts of the videos as well.) This information will provide context for the primary resources.

*DO NOT base your observations on other evidence that you locate on the web or elsewhere. Remember, a big part of this essay is showing us your mastery of the course material we have assigned.*

2. After reviewing the material from Week 9, use both primary sources to make a persuasive case about the role of the Silk Roads in creating a new form of globalization. While you want to show that you understand the larger trends in the material, take the time to explore in depth these specific sources.

3. When you refer to specific historical evidence (which should be something you do frequently throughout the essay), indicate, in parentheses, the location in the course materials of the evidence.

4. Do not simply copy what we (or anyone else) have said. If you do, use quotation marks to indicate that the words were written by someone else and be sure to indicate your source for the quotation in parentheses. Plagiarism is a serious violation of GSU policy that leads to severe penalties!

5. To qualify for a grade in the C range, your essay must be at least 600 words (which is approximately 2 double-spaced pages, depending on the formatting of your document). B-range essays must be at least 900 words, and A-range essays must be at least 1200 words. However, meeting the word requirement does not mean that you will necessary receive a certain grade.

We will grade the essay out of 100 possible points according to these criteria:

Up to 30 points for the student’s grasp of the larger historical context covered in the units

Up to 25 points for the appropriateness of the student’s choice of examples to analyze in depth and proper citation of these sources

Up to 25 points for the quality of the student’s analysis of those examples

Up to 20 points for appropriate grammar and graceful expression

 

Topic B

Friar John of Pian de Carpine and William of Rubruck each provide a description of a Mongol court. In an essay of 600 to 1200 words, explore their descriptions to make an argument about cross-cultural interactions in the premodern world. In the end, you should persuade your reader, through your thoughtful analysis of the historical evidence, that the Mongol empire shaped cross-cultural exchange and interaction in critical ways.

When organizing your ideas and drafting your essay, follow these guidelines:

1. Build your analysis using the course materials. The basis of your essay should be the primary source material found at the end of Unit 10 under “Unit 10 Resources.” By all means, take the ideas and evidence offered in the videos (and please note that we have provided transcripts of the videos as well.) This information will provide context for the primary resources.

*DO NOT base your observations on other evidence that you locate on the web or elsewhere. Remember, a big part of this essay is showing us your mastery of the course material we have assigned.*

2. After reviewing the material from Week 10, use both primary sources to make a persuasive case for the Mongol empire’s role in shaping cross-cultural exchange and interaction. While you want to show that you understand the larger trends in the material, take the time to explore in depth these specific sources.

3. When you refer to specific historical evidence (which should be something you do frequently throughout the essay), indicate, in parentheses, the location in the course materials of the evidence.

4. Do not simply copy what we (or anyone else) have said. If you do, use quotation marks to indicate that the words were written by someone else and be sure to indicate your source for the quotation in parentheses. Plagiarism is a serious violation of GSU policy that leads to severe penalties!

5. To qualify for a grade in the C range, your essay must be at least 600 words (which is approximately 2 double-spaced pages, depending on the formatting of your document). B-range essays must be at least 900 words, and A-range essays must be at least 1200 words. However, meeting the word requirement does not mean that you will necessary receive a certain grade.

We will grade the essay out of 100 possible points according to these criteria:

Up to 30 points for the student’s grasp of the larger historical context covered in the units

Up to 25 points for the appropriateness of the student’s choice of examples to analyze in depth and proper citation of these sources

Up to 25 points for the quality of the student’s analysis of those examples

Up to 20 points for appropriate grammar and graceful expression