History Essay

HI 100 Essay

Directions: Choose one of the following questions/prompts to respond to with a short essay. See the rubric below the questions for further information on grading.

Questions:

1) In 476 C.E. Odoacer deposed the Roman Emperor Romulus Augustulus, arguably ending the Western Roman Empire. Was the “fall” of the Roman Empire inevitable, or could it have been avoided? Explain.

2) Christians and Muslims have a long history of conflict in the West. How can the relationship be improved amongst the adherents of both faiths so that they can co-exist peacefully?

3) Renaissance humanist Petrarch claimed that the Middle Ages were a period of darkness where Classical antiquity was forgotten. Was he right?

4) Charles I was a remarkable king in the Early Middle Ages. Does he deserve the moniker “Charlemagne”?

5) Religious and political authorities (like the papacy and kings, respectively) have struggled for power amongst themselves in the West. By the end of the Renaissance, which group had more power, the Church or monarchical rulers?

6) The persecution of Jews is evident throughout the course of Western civilization. Did the extent and methods of this ill-treatment increase, decrease, or remain relatively the same in the Middle Ages as opposed to antiquity?

7) In 2000 a group of historians identified the microbe Yersinia pestis (which is responsible for the Black Death) as the most significant historical “figure” of the past millennium. Justify this conclusion.

8) Renaissance means “rebirth” in French. Is this an appropriate term for the period of time from the 14th to the 16th centuries? Why or why not?

Rubric for grading essay:

Components	4 points	3 points	2 points	1 point
Introductory Paragraph	-is a “thesis” statement that...(it is Ok to be one sentence the important thing is to get into the point exactly) -has a topic -has two or three controlling ideas ( reasons ) - complete sentences	-is missing one of the aforementioned aspects	-is missing two of the aforementioned aspects	-is missing three of the aforementioned aspects
Body Paragraphs	-first sentence has a relevant controlling idea -successive sentences have ample, distinct, specific, accurate supporting evidence regarding the controlling idea that prove the thesis correct (3 to 4 evidences to support the overall conclusion).	-is/are missing one of the aforementioned aspects	-is/are missing two of the aforementioned aspects	-is missing three of the aforementioned aspects
Conclusion	-restates thesis (topic and controlling ideas) -has a concluding statement (identifies significance of thesis; i.e. How is the point you’re making important in regards to Western civilization in general?)	-is missing one of the aforementioned aspects	-is missing two of the aforementioned aspects	-is missing three of the aforementioned aspects
Format/ Grammar, Spelling, Punctuation	-writing is neat and free from grammatical, spelling, and punctuation errors -essay is 1-1.5 pages in length	-is missing one of the aforementioned aspects	-is missing two of the aforementioned aspects	-is missing three of the aforementioned aspects