Response paper will be evaluated according Response paper will be evaluated according

to the following criteriato the following criteria::

Thesis (20 %) – Thesis (20 %) – have a well-defined and focused have a well-defined and focused thesisthesis

Analysis (50%) -- Analysis (50%) -- analyze (rather than narrate) the analyze (rather than narrate) the topic. Support your arguments by specific examples topic. Support your arguments by specific examples from at least two sourcesfrom at least two sources

Organization, style, and grammar (30%) – Organization, style, and grammar (30%) – your your ideas must be communicated in the standard ideas must be communicated in the standard academic English. academic English. However, if your paper’s However, if your paper’s oorganization, style, and grammar arerganization, style, and grammar are clearly clearly below these standards, you’ll automatically flunk the below these standards, you’ll automatically flunk the assignmentassignment..

Analysis of a primary source:

* How accurately (if at all) does the primary source (letter, diary, record, etc.) reflect the historical reality?  * What are the potential implications of the source’s assertions (in other words, does the author/s have an agenda? If so, what do you think it is?) * What are your main arguments to support or refute the source’s assertions (textbook, lecture, other texts). For example, “contrary to the source, other authors maintain that …” or “the description largely fits what historians have maintained for a long time…”

Artifact identification sample:Artifact identification sample:

This massive structure is a Ziggurat, built in the ancient Mesopotamian valley by the Sumerians and other nations of the region about 1,600BC. Among several practical functions of the Ziggurats were religious services and security, where the Sumerian kings and priests officiated during festivals and ceremonies. Since the shrines were accessible only through two or three stairways, a small number of guards could defend the Ziggurats from enemy invasions.

Ziggurats convey to us the ingenuity of Sumerian builders, for each structure was part of a temple complex that included a courtyard, storage rooms, bathrooms, and living quarters, around which a city was built. The use of brick led to the early development of the pilaster and column, and of frescoes and enameled tiles. Hence, the Ziggurats stand as a testament to the complex political structure of Sumer, whereby the kings and priests wielded tremendous power and mirror the kingdom’s economic potential since constructing such a complex structure involved a massive labor and economic effort.

Identification essay provides information about an individual, a place, or a historical event on the basis of the following questions:

•Who or What? •When? •Where? •What significant role did this individual/place/event play in history? Sample:

Mohammed The founder of Islam, Mohammed (Mahomet) was born about 570AD in Mecca in

what today is Saudi Arabia. When he was 40 years old, outside of Mecca he had visions of the angel Gabriel calling him to “recite” in the name of God the creator. He received revelations that were to become the first part of the Koran (Qua’ran) – the holy book of Islam. The Koran teaches faith in God, the coming judgment against unbelief, and the ideas of heaven and hell; it also describes duties appropriate to marriage, the family, and social life. Mohammed’s followers were called Muslims (Moslems) – “surrendered men,” since they had “surrendered” or submitted to one God (Allah).

By 630AD, Mohammed had raised a powerful army and had captured Mecca. After the death of Mohammed in 632, his successors were able to conquer all of the Arabian Peninsula, the Middle East, and North Africa, and Spain establishing one of the greatest empires of the Middle Ages. Although the empire soon fell apart, Islam has continued its victorious rise in the Middle East and Asia and becoming the fastest growing religion in the world with about one billion followers.

In-class essay will be evaluated by the following criteria:In-class essay will be evaluated by the following criteria:

Thesis – 20%Does the introduction contain a clearly defined thesis stating an arguable point? Does the introduction provide 2-3 general points that will be offered as proof to be defended in the body of the essay?

Organization - 20% Does the essay read as a comprehensive story with smooth transition points or do the component parts stand on their own disconnected from one another?

Analysis – 60 % Does the essay analyze (rather than narrate) the topic, making good use of evidence drawn from the texts (cite page numbers) and lectures?

Comprehensive essay sample:Comprehensive essay sample:

Question: Compare the basic principles of Judaism and Christianity. Why, in spite of its humble beginnings, did Christianity achieve the status of a world religion?

Although early Christians were persecuted, specific socio-economic and political circumstances forced Roman Emperors to embrace the new creed as a crucial universal bond that helped them solidify their rule and hold together the multicultural and multiethnic Roman Empire.

Judaism and Christianity are two related world religions. Judaism was founded by Abraham as a monotheistic religion – that is the belief in one, universal god. According to Judaist teachings, God and Abraham struck an agreement – the Covenant – according to which ancient Jews would believe and revere only one God. In exchange, God would love and protect Jews as the chosen people (I-34-35)(I-34-35). The second important premise of Judaism is that God’s love to Jews is contingent upon their belief in him. If they stop following his guide, they will be punished. The oral traditions of Judaism were written down in the series of books called the Old Testament roughly between 500 and 300BC (I-67/II-143)(I-67/II-143). Christianity took its roots from Judaism, and also is a monotheistic religion.

Yet, despite their close relationship, Christianity and Judaism took a different path of development eventually became hostile to each other. The point of rupture between the two religions was teachings of Jesus Christ, who defied the Jewish traditional religious establishment, and whose appeal to the masses won him a significant popular backing (I-(I-46-47/II-145-48)46-47/II-145-48).

The founder of Christianity is believed to have been a man named Jesus. Born about 4AD in The founder of Christianity is believed to have been a man named Jesus. Born about 4AD in a Jewish family in Bethlehem, Palestine, Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist and followed his a Jewish family in Bethlehem, Palestine, Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist and followed his preaching of the coming of heaven and washed off his sins in the Jordan River. Jesus began preaching to preaching of the coming of heaven and washed off his sins in the Jordan River. Jesus began preaching to the poor and sick in Judea – then a Roman province -- and convinced them to follow the teachings of the poor and sick in Judea – then a Roman province -- and convinced them to follow the teachings of God God (II/173, 191-93)(II/173, 191-93). The major tenet of this new religion -- called Christianity due to the Greek word . The major tenet of this new religion -- called Christianity due to the Greek word Christos (the Messiah) – is the belief in one universal God, who loves and protects the human kind. Christos (the Messiah) – is the belief in one universal God, who loves and protects the human kind. Salvation and the kingdom of heaven are attainable by everyone who puts his/her trust in the All Mighty. Salvation and the kingdom of heaven are attainable by everyone who puts his/her trust in the All Mighty. Around 32AD, Jesus was apprehended by the Jewish leadership alarmed by his growing popularity Around 32AD, Jesus was apprehended by the Jewish leadership alarmed by his growing popularity among the masses, Fearful of Roman reprisals, Jewish elders handed Jesus over to the Romans, who among the masses, Fearful of Roman reprisals, Jewish elders handed Jesus over to the Romans, who crucified him.crucified him.

While Christianity started as a small religious group, it gradually attained wide following. While Christianity started as a small religious group, it gradually attained wide following. Several reasons contributed to its growth. After Jesus’ death, his work was continued by charismatic Several reasons contributed to its growth. After Jesus’ death, his work was continued by charismatic leaders such as Peter and Paul, who gained popularity in Europe, especially Greece and Italy. leaders such as Peter and Paul, who gained popularity in Europe, especially Greece and Italy. Christianity offered salvation to everybody, regardless of social status and wealth – poor and rich, sick Christianity offered salvation to everybody, regardless of social status and wealth – poor and rich, sick and healthy, princes and slaves. Therefore, it became especially popular with common people. The and healthy, princes and slaves. Therefore, it became especially popular with common people. The charismatic work carried out by Christian priests, and their dedication to the cause contributed to the fact charismatic work carried out by Christian priests, and their dedication to the cause contributed to the fact that many affluent people supported and financed Christian institutions that many affluent people supported and financed Christian institutions (I-76-78/Ii-189-191)(I-76-78/Ii-189-191). While in the . While in the Roman Empire the Christians suffered persecution, the decline of the Empire compelled emperors to Roman Empire the Christians suffered persecution, the decline of the Empire compelled emperors to seek a device that would unify the diverse imperial population. Such a device was a single religion, and seek a device that would unify the diverse imperial population. Such a device was a single religion, and Christianity seemed to be popular enough to serve this purpose. In 313AD it was declared state religion, Christianity seemed to be popular enough to serve this purpose. In 313AD it was declared state religion, and from that moment on Christianity would eventually gain the status of world religion since the Roman and from that moment on Christianity would eventually gain the status of world religion since the Roman Empire ruled on three continents, and thus Christianity affected many people of different cultures, Empire ruled on three continents, and thus Christianity affected many people of different cultures, languages, and histories languages, and histories (I-51-2/II-214-216)(I-51-2/II-214-216). .

In spite of its humble beginnings, a strange creed preached by a Palestinian Jew named In spite of its humble beginnings, a strange creed preached by a Palestinian Jew named Jesus has become the most popular (numerically) religion of the world. Although Christianity evolved Jesus has become the most popular (numerically) religion of the world. Although Christianity evolved from Judaism, this affiliation was conveniently forgotten as the Christian Church turned against the Jews from Judaism, this affiliation was conveniently forgotten as the Christian Church turned against the Jews in the Middle Ages. The relation between the two religions has remained strained until this very day.in the Middle Ages. The relation between the two religions has remained strained until this very day.

Primary source analysisPrimary source analysis

DocumentDocument: :

“By the second half of the 19th century, the Ottoman Empire had become a poor image of what once was the mightiest military power. His majesty’s officials have become corrupt, greedy, and increasingly ignore my advice and

recommendations.”- E. Bartoli, French diplomat in Istambul, 1874

Sample of document analysis (part 1)Sample of document analysis (part 1)

Bartoli seems to complain that as a French representative he exercises little influence at the Ottoman royal court. Indeed, if placed in the broader context of the Ottoman-French relations in the 1870s, the letter does reflect the changing political atmosphere in Istanbul.

Written three years after France's humiliating defeat in the war against Prussia, the letter indicates that the attitudes of the Ottoman officials, who had previously regarded France as a European superpower, started to shift and the admiration for the French army and navy has changed to a barely concealed contempt. In the 1870s inebriated by the victories over Austria and France, the German Empire began claiming its position as a world power. Accordingly, German military and diplomatic missions to the Middle East sidelined their French, British, and Russian counterparts. More and more the Ottomans (and the Persians) favored German military experts and engineers over the French and the British. As importantly, the “capitulations” (trade privileges) previously granted exclusively to the French and British merchants, now were extended to the Germans (31).

(part 2)(part 2)

At the same time, the author is raising an important issue of the sustainability of the Ottoman government, which by this time was ridden with corruption and inefficiency. By the early 19th century the Ottoman empire was but a bleak image of the once-mighty state. Its armed forces were poorly trained and paid, and its outdated navy was no match for French or British steamboats (34). The situation in finances and administration was as appalling. Some provincial governors, who accumulated considerable wealth by mercilessly taxing their subjects, ruled as they pleased in total disregard of the government in Istanbul. Others such as the Governorship of Syria, which elicited Bartoli's complains, had virtually become a safe-heaven for smugglers, pirates, and bandits who ran entire districts unopposed since the administration was on their payroll (37).

In my opinion, even if the Sultan wanted, his power over his governors had faded, and starting a war against Syria entailed the intervention of the European powers, ever ready to exploit the empire's political instability (39-40). For that matter, in 1874 the situation in the Caucasus and in Moldavia required the deployment of the bulk of the Ottoman army against the potential Russian invasion. The Berlin Congress of 1878 would further weaken the centralized power of the Sultan, opening the road to the decline and the eventual collapse of the empire..

Identification essay provides information about an individual, a place, or a historical event on the basis of the following questions:

•Who or What? •When? •Where? •What significant role did this individual/place/event play in history? Sample:

Mohammed The founder of Islam, Mohammed (Mahomet) was born about 570AD in Mecca in

what today is Saudi Arabia. When he was 40 years old, outside of Mecca he had visions of the angel Gabriel calling him to “recite” in the name of God the creator. He received revelations that were to become the first part of the Koran (Qua’ran) – the holy book of Islam. The Koran teaches faith in God, the coming judgment against unbelief, and the ideas of heaven and hell; it also describes duties appropriate to marriage, the family, and social life. Mohammed’s followers were called Muslims (Moslems) – “surrendered men,” since they had “surrendered” or submitted to one God (Allah).

By 630AD, Mohammed had raised a powerful army and had captured Mecca. After the death of Mohammed in 632, his successors were able to conquer all of the Arabian Peninsula, the Middle East, and North Africa, and Spain establishing one of the greatest empires of the Middle Ages. Although the empire soon fell apart, Islam has continued its victorious rise in the Middle East and Asia and becoming the fastest growing religion in the world with about one billion followers.

Comprehensive essay templateQuestion: Compare the basic principles of Judaism and Christianity. Why, in spite of its humble beginnings, did Christianity achieve the status of a world religion?  Thesis:Despite their close relationship, Christianity and Judaism took a different path of development and eventually became hostile to each other. The point of rupture between the two religions was teachings of Jesus Christ, who defied the Jewish traditional religious establishment, and whose appeal to the masses won him a significant popular backing. In my opinion, while the early Christians were persecuted, specific socio-economic and political circumstances forced the Roman emperors to embrace the new creed as a crucial universal bond, which helped them hold together the multicultural Roman Empire.

Arguments and specific examples: 1. Judaism and Christianity are closely related world religions. Judaism was founded by Abraham as a monotheistic religion – that is the belief in one, universal god. According to Judaist teachings, God and Abraham struck an agreement – the Covenant – according to which ancient Jews would believe and revere only one God (67-71). In exchange, God would love and protect Jews as the chosen people. The second important premise of Judaism is that God’s love to Jews is contingent upon their belief in him. If they stop following his guide, they will be punished. The oral traditions of Judaism were written down in the series of books called the Old Testament roughly between 500 and 300BC. Christianity took its roots from Judaism, and also is a monotheistic religion (74-76).

2. The founder of Christianity was born about 4AD in a Jewish family in Bethlehem, Palestine. Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist and followed his preaching of the coming of heaven and washed off his sins in the Jordan River. He preached to the poor and sick in Judea – then a Roman province -- and convinced them to follow the teachings of God. The major tenet of this new religion -- called Christianity due to the Greek word Christos (the Messiah) – is the belief in one universal God, who loves and protects the human kind. Salvation and the kingdom of heaven are attainable by everyone who puts trust in the All Mighty (II/112). Around 32AD Jesus was apprehended by the Jewish leadership, which was alarmed by his growing popularity among the masses. Fearful of Roman reprisals, the Jewish elders handed Jesus over to the Romans, who crucified him (74).

 

 3. While Christianity started as a small religious group, it gradually attained wide following. Several reasons contributed to its growth. After Jesus’ death, his work was continued by charismatic leaders such as Peter and Paul, who gained popularity in Europe, especially Greece and Italy (81-3). Christianity offered salvation to everybody, regardless of social status and wealth – poor and rich, sick and healthy, princes and slaves. Therefore, it became especially popular with common people (89). The charismatic work carried out by Christian priests, and their dedication to the cause contributed to the fact that many affluent people supported and financed Christian institutions. While in the Roman Empire the Christians suffered persecution, the decline of the Empire compelled emperors to seek a device that would unify the diverse imperial population. Such a device was a single religion, and Christianity seemed to be popular enough to serve this purpose. In 313AD it was declared state religion, and from that moment on Christianity would eventually gain the status of world religion since the Roman Empire ruled on three continents, and thus Christianity affected many people of different cultures, languages, and histories (91-2).

Although Christianity evolved from Judaism, this affiliation was conveniently forgotten as the Christian Church turned against the Jews in the Middle Ages. The relation between the two religions remains strained until this very day. In spite of its humble beginnings, a strange creed preached by a Palestinian Jew named Jesus has become the most popular (numerically) religion of the world.

 

History 189 Test 3 (midterm).History 189 Test 3 (midterm).

1. Mercia2. Wessex3. Flanders4. Normandy5. Aquitaine6. Burgundy7. Al Andalus8. Lombardy9. Papal States10. Kingdom of

Two Sicilies

11. Saxony

12. Bavaria

13 Poland

14. Hungary

15. BE15. BE

GUIDELINES FOR WRITING FILM RESPONSE PAPERS

(1) The point of any good movie is not the action, but the message. Hence, do not just summarize the film. If there is no analysis involved, then you have not responded, only regurgitated. If the movie is based on true events, you should evaluate the level of analogy and either justify or criticize any differences the movie exhibits with respect to the original story it is based on.

(II) Do not try to be a film critic. Do not worry about the actors’ performances (except insofar as they might be relevant in evaluating the film’s success in making its point) or the subtleties of direction and editing. The issues are what count. Your target is a particular theme, not filmmaking.

(III) Your first paragraph should be an introduction to your topic—that is, the issue or issues on which you are going to focus. It should be a brief paragraph—maybe four or five sentences. Be sure to say which aspect of the movie, specifically, will be discussed in the paper. If you want to emphasize and discuss issues that are secondary in the movie, still try to mention the movie’s central theme or themes.

(IV) The main body of your essay should be the exploration of your theme or themes, using characters, scenes, symbols, and situations in the movie to show how the movie supports or contradicts your understanding of a particular topic. It should be composed of, preferably, three distinct paragraphs – each of them discussing your impressions and thoughts as related to the film in question.

(V) Pay close attention to basics like grammar and punctuation. Proofread your essays.

(VI) Your conclusion should contain a short summary of all points comprised in your

argumentation.  

Your response paper will be evaluated by the following Your response paper will be evaluated by the following criteria:criteria:

1. Introduction – 20%Does the introduction contain a clearly defined thesis stating an arguable point? Does the introduction provide 2-3 general points that will be offered as proof to be defended in the body of the essay?

2. Body - 40% Do the body paragraphs take the 2 -3 points mentioned in the introduction and analyze (rather than narrate) them, making good use of reasons and evidence drawn from the text book as well as other research sources? Are sources (at least 2) properly quoted?

3. Structure, grammar, style – 30% (while the content and structure of the essay form the basis of the grade, mistakes such as spelling errors and faulty punctuation can and will have a negative impact on the grade of the essay exam).

4. Conclusion – 10%Does the conclusion restate the thesis, summing up the essay in a clear and concise way?

SampleSample

Battle of Neretva is a 1969 a Yugoslav partisan film. The film was

directed by Veljko Bulajić and depicts a massive Axis offensive against the Yugoslav Partisans in 1943. The offensive was also known as the “Fourth Enemy Offensive” and occurred in the area of the Neretva-River in Bosnia-Herzegovina (I/146-147).

The film is based on the true events of World War II although it conveys the impression that the Partisans as well as their enemies were ideologically motivated. In reality, the bulk of the population in wartime Yugoslavia held no rigid political loyalties. Instead, they were forced to survive as best they could and their allegiances shifted according to the situation. For example, the Chetniks, who are portrayed as the inveterate enemies of the Partisans, were not a single unified force, but initially fought alongside the Partisans against the Germans and then joined the Germans against the Partisans (I/45-51).

Bosnia-Herzegovina especially represented a contentious mix of political ideologies, ethnicities, and religious beliefs – including nationalism and communism, and Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, and Muslim denominations – and consequently, the war there was particularly cruel (II/13-18). The film crafts a fascinating narrative of rival radical ideologies, particularly between the multinational vision of the Communist Partisans versus the xenophobic nationalism of the Serbian Chetniks and the Croatian Ustaše. Although the film emphasizes the battle between the Partisans and the Axis powers, Bulajić stresses its local dimension – the conflict between the citizens of the former Yugoslavia. As Commissar Stole says “hatred between the same people is the most vicious.’”

The film correctly shows that the Partisans fought for much more than mere survival – from the beginning Tito envisioned the war against the Axis powers mutating into a revolutionary struggle and turning Yugoslavia into a communist state (II/64-68). Although most Serbs initially joined the Partisans to survive the Ustaše genocide, the Partisan leadership from the beginning emphasized the importance of social revolution that would change the country’s political and socio-economic landscape. In other words, the unique conditions of the Axis occupation and the bitter ethnic and ideological conflicts engendered the revolutionary movement united in its primary objectives.

To sum up, the Partisans never viewed the armed struggle against the Axis powers from a purely military prospective, but were determined to transform this struggle into a political battle to create a “genuinely multinational socialist society.” This fact alone helps explain why the Partisans were much better organized than the Chetniks, particularly in creating the so-called “free zones” – the Neretva basin was but one – in which they set up the small replicas of revolutionary society, later superimposed upon the entire Yugoslavia (II-221-223).

Sources:Sources:

I. I. Jozo Tomasevich. War and Revolution in Yugoslavia, 1941-1945: The Chetniks. Stanford, California: Stanford University Press, 1975.

II. John K. Cox, The History of Serbia. Westport, Connecticut and London: Greenwood Press, 2002.