Essays and Reflections II (World in the Making, Chapters 4-7)
THE WORLD IN MAKING
Please do Parts I and II.
Part I. Two Essays. Please choose two of the topics below. Write essays of about five paragraphs each on the two topics. Include three pictures with each essay.
Please follow these Keys for Success:
- Explain your points simply, like you would to another student.
- Write in short or medium-size paragraphs.
- Use specific examples from our reading handouts and discussion forums.
- Relate your answers to major concepts and trends you see covered in the chapters.
- Note how the pictures help us understand the topics.
- Societies of Eurasia. Explain what you see as remarkable about the societies in Chapters 4-6. Discuss at least three societies (such as Persia, China, India, etc) and note how each one is special, while also being typical of the era.
- Economies. Discuss how people made a living in three societies. How did trade and economic development impact the overall happiness of the people? Do you see the societies following different strategies or is it basically the same approach?
- Religion. Discuss what we know about the religious beliefs and practices in three of the early civilizations we have studied in Chapters 4-7. How was religion central to their lives?
- Worlds Apart. What do you find remarkable about the societies in Chapter 7? Discuss three cultures or cultural regions you see in the chapter (Bantu peoples, Maya, Pacific Islanders, etc). How does the history in these societies compare with what we saw in Eurasia?
Part II. Reflections on Primary Sources. Primary sources are documents or artifacts from a particular time period, that help us see what people were thinking. Please reflect on what you see in three sources from Sources for World in the Making or from the special sections in your main textbook called “Reading the Past” and “Seeing the Past.” Discuss how these documents or artifcts help us understand the changing societies in Chapters 4-7.
Address these questions in your reflections:
- What do we learn from specific documents or artifacts from the societies?
- How do you think think these people saw their own lives?
- How can ancient societies encrich our undertanding of the world or our shared humanity?
Answer preview
Eurasian society consisted of communities such as the Chinese, Indians, Greeks, and the Persians. They shared varying attributes, with some of them being similar while others were varying. The society experienced revolutions in culture and religion that made each of the societies to stand out. Their characteristics and changes in norms of life were driven by different social circumstances that were well attached to their cultures and religion. These societies were connected through trade and ideas that offered them…
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