Initial posts are due by 11:55 p.m., ET, Thursday
Peer responses are due by 11:55 p.m., ET, Sunday
All discussion assignment participation should be informed by your critical synthesis of assigned reading, supplemental resources and additional research.
For your weekly “initial post,” you must address the assigned questions/topics with a thoughtfully-constructed response.
All initial posts should be cogently argued and supported by a minimum of two credible source citations from assigned or supplemental reading (ideally, with 50% or more citations from additional research via peer-reviewed journal articles or credible book chapters) and include citations.
For your participation posts, you must construct and post at least two “substantive” replies to your course-mates’ or instructor discussion conversations. Substantive replies must incorporate a minimum of one source/citation to support post observations and analysis (to include all footnote or end note source information); and must link the discussion(s) to the assigned lesson or course objectives.
If you meet or exceed these discussion participation expectations, you will earn full credit for weekly discussion participation. Your assessment scores will be documented each week in the course Gradebook; along with specific feedback describing shortfalls and reasons for any deductions.
Please address the following question:
When Osman was starting out in about 1280, he controlled a fairly limited bit of real estate and surrounded by other Seljuks whose territories operated much like his did. What was it about the reign of Osman that was different? Why was he more successful than his neighbors? Osman’s heirs continued to expand west. How significant to their successes was the weakness of their neighbors, the Byzantines and various Seljuks? Are these weaknesses sufficient enough to explain why the Ottomans rose to power? Or was there a strength to the Ottoman system of rule that aided them?
reference:
Osman’s Dream : The History of the Ottoman Empire
Caroline Finkel
