Assignment Instructions: You may use only materials found in the assigned readings on the course site. Please see the rubric for specifics about how your essay will be evaluated. The format is exactly the same as the one used in the unit essay assignments during the semester. Make sure to fully answer each question you choose.
Compose a separate essay (1000 words minimum each) on two (2) of the questions below.
1. Why were some “barbarians” more successful in creating enduring kingdoms than others in early medieval Europe from the 5th to the 10th centuries? What were the most lasting consequences of both the successes and failures of “barbarian” rule in these various places during this period?
2. Compare and contrast what it meant to be Christian in the 5th, 10th, and 15th centuries C.E. Analyze in terms of the beliefs and practices of the major groups, including the Church and its clergy, that made up medieval European society during each of these periods.
3. The movement of people is a recurring theme in medieval history. Identify the main phases of these movements from the 3rd to the 15th centuries. Compare and contrast their forms, motives, and impacts, analyzing what they had in common and how they differed as Europe evolved during the Middle Ages.
4. Analyze the status of women as it evolved in medieval society from late Antiquity up to the Renaissance and the kinds of attitudes expressed about them and their behavior. What changed most and what remained the most unchanged? What avenues, if any, existed over time for medieval women to realize more expression and control over their lives?
5. As Roman and then early European society became more Christian, so it increasingly became what one recent historian has described as a “persecuting society” during the Middle Ages, especially after the 11th century. Does the evidence we’ve considered this semester in our readings support this claim or not? Consider in terms of evolving forms of persecution, its scale and duration, why certain groups were targeted, and what attempts, if any, were made to prevent or mitigate its effects.
6. Periods of rising insecurity punctuate the history of medieval Europe from the 3rd century C.E. to the 14th century. Compare and contrast the major periods of insecurity and instability that occurred during the Middle Ages as well as their ensuing recoveries. What accounts for their similarities and differences?
Ask yourself these questions before you submit your essay. They all reflect what’s in the rubric and on the discussion boards. These are what I look for as I evaluate your essay. Watch the video on rewrites for more on all this. Hope it helps!
1. Do I open with an introduction that lays out all the parts of the question and situates the topic in historical context?
2. Do I address each part of the question using only the images and primary sources provided on the course site and in our textbook? Don’t use outside materials!
3. Do I use paragraphs to group together at least two sources/images to support each of my main points as I address each part of the question? Three is even better!
4. Do I identify each image and source’s point of view? Who wrote it? When? Audience and purpose? Kind of document? Don’t just number the source!
5. Do I analyze how the sources relate to the question or do I simply just describe them with little reference back to the question?
6. Do I make sweeping generalizations and use anachronisms*? Or instead do I limit my analysis to what the evidence supports and keep focused on the historical context?
7. Do I address change over time in my analysis? Do I use the textbook to connect my essay to relevant historical trends?
8. Do the sections of my essay buiild one to the next? How does the point I just made in one paragraph lead to the next one I plan to make?
9. Do I close with a conclusion that sums up the main takeaways of the essay, including change over time?
10. Did I proofread my essay to correct errors and improve its clarity and organization?
* An anachronism is a chronological inconsistency in some arrangement, especially a juxtaposition of people, events, objects, language terms and customs from different time periods. Anything that is out of its historical time and place is an anachronism. A common example is to apply standards and norms from today that were different from those in the past, to say, for example, that people have always wanted to be equal or that women have always worked in the home. Those are both sweeping generalizations and anachronistic.
