COMPREHENSIVE ESSAY:
EARLY WESTERN CIVILIZATION
DIRECTIONS: Please work on this assignment, as a Microsoft Word document. The focus of the essay is on the important specific contributions of each historical topic in this course on the development of Western Civilization. The comprehensive essay presents a great opportunity for students to demonstrate their
ability to synthesize an extensive amount of historical material in a coherent manner. To meet the history program writing requirement, all students are required to compose a well-organized, insightful, analytical,
factually based essay relying on both the course lectures and the course textbook. NO OTHER SOURCES CAN BE UTILIZED! This is NOT a research paper. The essay assignment will be graded based upon the quality of its historical analysis (clarity, insightfulness, and depth), content
(organization, use of examples and variety), format (being followed), and writing style (including flow, editing, spelling, and grammar). Please proofread your assignment closely.
REQUIRED ASSIGNMENT FORMAT:
Essay: Your essay should be eight to ten full pages in length. Essays are allowed to be longer than ten pages. Please use one-inch margins on top, bottom, right, and left sides of your pages. Please double-space your essay and use 11 to 12-point sized font. You may choose the font style. Your essay should include an introduction paragraph, body paragraphs with source citations at the end of the paragraphs, and a conclusion paragraph foryour essay. Your essay should use complete sentences, and paragraphs with the first sentence indented. Please utilize my required format for the source citations in the essay which is shown below:
Lecture Citation Format: (Lectures, Historical Topic Name) Example: (Lectures, Ancient Near East)
Textbook Citation Format: (Textbook, Chapter or Chapters) Example: (Textbook, Ch. 1 or Chs. 1 & 2)
Outline: After your essay, you should have a detailed two to three pages outline of your essay using a Roman numerals type of format with multiple categories and numerous subcategories. The purpose of the outline is to help you organize your essay and to provide the reader
with insight into how you structured your essay.
Works Cited Page: After your outline, a basic works cited page is required with my straightforward required format of the source citations shown below. The purpose of the works cited page is to acknowledge that the textbook and lectures are your only sources for your essay.
***Cole & Symes. Western Civilizations. Combined Volume. Brief Sixth Edition. New York. W. W. Norton &
Company, 2023. Print or Digital.
***Will be turned into TURN IT IN so no plagiarism!!!!
NO generative AI programs like ChatGPT and other AI programs
ESSAY PARAMETERS:
Introduction Paragraph: Paragraph 1 (approx. 1/3 to ½ page length) Please analyze the development of Western Civilization.
What is your central thesis (your main argument) or theme (main idea); up to three themes (main ideas) are allowed which you believe dominated the formation of Western Civilization? A thesis is a statement that is put forward as a premise to be proven by your essay. A theme is the main idea
that occurs throughout your essay.
Next, connect your thesis or theme(s) to a broad overview of Western Civilization from 3200 B.C.E. to 1750 C.E.
Body Paragraphs of Essay: Paragraphs 2 through 12 Please provide one paragraph (approx. 2/3 to ¾ page length) for each historical topic. Please describe the important specific contributions of each of these historical topics to the development of Western Civilization:
-Near Eastern Societies (Paragraph 2) (includes the Mesopotamians, Egyptians, Indo-Europeans, Hebrews, Phoenicians, and Persians) (discuss these societies contributions in a brief manner to keep this paragraph the same length as your
other historical topic paragraphs)
-Classical Greeks (Paragraph 3)
-Hellenistic Greeks (Paragraph 4)
-Roman Republic (Paragraph 5)
-Roman Empire (Paragraph 6)
-Early Middle Ages (Paragraph 7)
-High Middle Ages (Paragraph 8)
-Late Middle Ages (Paragraph 9)
-Italian Renaissance (Paragraph 10)
-Religious Reformation (Paragraph 11)
-Age of Exploration (Paragraph 12)
The essay must discuss equally in length and depth all of the above listed historical topics. The contributions discussed should be a mixture of political, military, economic, cultural, societal, technological, and intellectual advances throughout
the essay. The types of advances may vary based upon which historical topic is discussed. Please provide specific factual examples to support your analysis throughout your essay.
Conclusion Paragraph: Paragraph 13 (approx. 1/3 to ½ page length) Restate your thesis or theme(s). Synthesize or summarize the main points of your essay that support your thesis or theme(s). Explain how the historical topics have influenced
the development of Western Civilization in the past and in the present.
Due Date: Sunday, April 20, 2024.
