After reading chapters 3 and 4 on Greek Civilization, including the primary sour

After
reading chapters 3 and 4 on Greek Civilization, including the primary
sources, answer the following question in essay form (1,200-1,800
words). Be aware that there are several parts to the question. Be sure
to make at least one reference to the primary source documents in the
chapter readings. There are two essay questions–please select one! The
essay question has several parts to it. Although it may seem disjointed,
answer the best you can each part with good transitions.
Also, no cover page please! A note on length: Remember that you could
write a “history of the world” in 800 words or in 8 million words. Its
all a matter of the amount of detail you wish to bring into your work.
You are being asked to demonstrate your knowledge and understanding of a
topic in a limited amount of space. This is a useful skill to develop
in this course. I’ve always admired this quote from a letter written to a
friend by one of America’s great writers and cultural critics revealing
how its more difficult to write briefly: “I apologize for such a long
letter. I didn’t have time to write a short one.”—Mark Twain Select #1
or #2. Do not write both!
1.Discuss the cultural, geographic, and political reasons for the
rise of the polis. What were the major differences in the way Athenian
and Spartan society was organized? Did such differences make war between
these states inevitable? What were the causes, course, and consequences
of the Peloponnesian War (431-404 BC) on Greek society? Briefly explain
how the events of the 4th Century B.C.E. Greek world allow the Kingdom
of Makedonia to gain influence and power over Greece. If you have time
and space, and did not answer this in your Discussion (one paragraph):
Was Alexander the Great a visionary of globalization or a brutal, bloody
conqueror?
2. W.H. Auden once remarked “Had Greek Civilization never existed, we
would never have become fully conscious, which is to say that we would
never have become, for better or for worse, fully human.:” What was it
about Greek civilization that other generations have admired and
attempted to emulate? What was the Greek contribution to the West and to
the Western intellectual tradition? Does this quotation unfairly
undermine the contributions of non-Western Civilizations? What’s the
difference between Classical and Hellenistic Art [reference some of the
photographs in your textbook]. You should discuss philosophy and drama
in this essay, as well.
Note on ancient sources. Ernst Badian (1925-2011) was one of the
greatest historians of the ancient world. Professor Badian wrote
extensively on Ancient Greece, Macedonia, and Rome. One reason that made
him such a brilliant scholar was his penetrating and realistic
approaches to some of the most basic issues of ancient history. Many of
his students can remember his methodological maxims. Three of the most
memorable for example was the following:
1. In choosing between two irreconcilable versions of an event, the
historian is obligated not only to explain why the valid version is
acceptable but also to explain how the unreliable version came into
existence.
2. It is often the case that the meaning of a perfectly clear text is
twisted to conform with “a priori” considerations, and many problems of
ancient history owe their survival to this. Historians must resolutely
cure themselves of a disease that textual critics, on the whole overcame
a century ago.
3. Ancient historiography always tended to concentrate on individual
acts and individual persons and to omit the background, either because
it could be taken for granted as familiar, or because the technique for
seeing it in perspective without distance of time had not yet been
properly developed. –Perhaps you can consider these thinking points as
you probe the primary sources in the textbook for the essay.
A few more words on what it takes to be a good historian: What
differentiates history writing from chroniclers is that historians try
to understand and make-sense of the past, rather than just listing
mindless dates attached with events. Historians do research, which means
they search for sources and reading everything possible. Professional
historians would need to visit libraries and archives to gain access to
all of the sources. In our case, since we are not traveling, this means
the textbook chapters and the written materials available on Moodle
represent our sources. You simply won’t be prepared to write an essay, a
good one anyway, without adequate and complete knowledge of the past
obtained from reading the book. After you’ve done that, you can begin
your writing. After reading the narrative found in the textbook, have it
close by as a reference as you write your essay. Obviously, if you were
publishing this essay in a professional journal you would literally
need to read everything. Fortunately, we don’t in this class. As
mentioned before, every essay must have a thesis statement in the first
paragraph. This paragraph can be very short. Since this is not a formal
research paper, this statement does not have to refined or perfect. You
are stating for the reader the general argument you wish to make based
on the questions that are asked.
Don’t just “fact puke” to fill in pages. There must also be
discussion and analysis. Facts are good, but it should be used as
evidence to support the points you are trying convey. Make sure to
include in the essay at least one citation, if not more, from the
primary sources in your textbook (those special boxes are found
interdispersed within every chapter). Some of the primary sources may
not fit your arguments precisely. That’s fine. Just figure out a way to
mention it then. Nothing is more exciting for a historian than to
re-construct something that was quite unknown, and had not been written
about from the original sources. This is where historians push the
boundaries of historical knowledge and earn their money!
Please understand that I don’t expect any blockbuster discoveries or
insights in your essay. But that is what we are striving for. History
encompasses all aspects of human activity–politics, economy, religion,
art, daily life, gender, family, diplomacy, war, etc. When you are
answering the essay question, be sure to think about this and make clear
in your mind what it is that you are focusing on. “Okay, in this essay I
am concentrating mostly about economic and social history”. It is also a
good idea to give the reader a “feel” about the period written about.
Wide ranging generalizations are needed of course in many essays,
especially in an undergraduate history online essay. Admittedly, the
essay questions that I ask are designed in a broad manner to allow you
the freedom to answering it in a way you find most appropriate. But your
arguments must still be supported by empirical details within the
contours of historical interpretation. Don’t be afraid to use the “red
pen” and revise your work if necessary. This usually requires a day or
two away from the essay so you can look at what you’ve written with a
pair of “fresh eyes”. Above all, be sure to begin the work as early as
possible in the time frame of the unit. You can’t expect to write a good
essay for Saturday if you just begin the readings on Thursday. Best
wishes as you embark on the enjoyable, scholarly, and creative act of
writing a history essay!
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