Civilizations: artifacts created between 27 BCE and 1521
11956Answer the following prompt using artifacts as primary sources:
Focusing on the theme of imperialism: What two artifacts created between 27 BCE and 1521 CE do you believe are most novel in representing empires around the world?
Artifacts are primary sources that historians study when trying to make sense of the past. In a thesis-based essay, explain the significance of both items to the practice of imperialism and growth of empires. Be sure to include an image of each selection either in the body of the paper or appendix.
Each artifact should focus on unique aspects of life as well as empires from different regions during this timeframe; for example, if your first selection relates to transportation in China, then do not choose another one related to this field, civilization, and continent. Your goal is to assemble a pair of primary sources highlighting diverse points on the spectrum of physical remnants during this transformational period of world history.
If I were tackling this assignment, these might be my two examples: the Pont du Gard aqueduct bridge and Double-headed serpent statue (neither of which is available for your essay). On an obvious and explicit level, the former is a marvelous piece of Roman engineering, and the latter is a stunning work of Aztec art. While their prima facie attributes need to be addressed, the more interesting inquiry covers the deeper and implicit representations of each:
What does the mere existence of this cultural inheritance tell us about the people who made them?
Beyond surface-level treatments, what does a deeper exploration reveal?
How can this academic journey enrich our knowledge of the topic and also explain the role of these primary sources in understanding imperialism?
To find selections, explore the websites from leading museums, universities, and libraries, as they contain not only many of the foremost artifacts available, but also have informative articles and educational resources. In the interest of expanding your learning of this topic, do not reference any single institution’s holdings more than once and do not use the artifacts already covered in the course.
With these primary sources, initially offer an educated interpretation of their importance in support of your thesis. Address each one individually, but also provide a unifying explanation of commonalities between them when you cover the overarching theme.
When analyzing each object specifically, start by asking the following questions:
What kind of primary source is it?
Who is the author or creator?
Why was it made?
Who was the intended audience, user, or recipient?
How does it fit with the prompt?
What can we learn about history from this item?
What is your overall assessment of the artifact and its usefulness for the study of your topic?
Note that some questions might be unanswerable, while others will be central to your analysis; additionally, you will posit your own questions to strengthen your response. From those answers you will then develop your interpretation. We have already practiced these analytical skills in the discussions, so consider this paper as a culminating activity.
When examining ephemera from the past, we cannot fully appreciate their value without also understanding the world that created them. An essay that attains mastery not only sets an historical foundation underpinning the thesis, but also weaves together different sources to form a compelling narrative and proper context.
Because I want to gauge how well you have learned the topic, working from the textbook alone (or any single source for that matter) will only hinder your progress, so use a variety in creating a robust defense. To accomplish this, in addition to the abovementioned artifacts, you will locate two additional secondary sources (either scholarly articles and/or books) from outside the course.
There is, however, one stipulation: Because I will be reviewing your sources, all information must be digital and either publicly available online or accessible through the National University Library website; therefore, physical books or materials only in print are impermissible. Be sure to include the URL (exact location address) for the title of each source as hypertext. For example, if I cited Eyewitness Knight, I would enter the book as a reference in the works cited with a hyperlinked title following this format:
Gravett, Christopher, and Geoff Dann. Eyewitness Knight. New York: DK Publishing, 2007.
To summarize the use of sources, a complete submission will consult and list in the works cited a total of five: the textbook, two artifacts, and two academic secondary sources. An exemplar essay will synthesize all these materials into an insightful explanation of the prompt directed by a clearly articulated thesis.
Present your essay in 12-point Times New Roman font, double-spaced, with one-inch margins on all sides. A complete document will be at least 2,000 words of original writing: Quotations, in-text citations, and references will push the total word count higher. Formatting and citations need to follow either The Chicago Manual of Style or APA. Use footnotes when inserting in-text citations; remember to provide not only the source, but also the page number for a paginated document: Simply placing the author’s name and date of publication is not sufficient. Your work will be evaluated using the rubric in the syllabus.
Throughout the drafting process, be precise in your writing and careful to avoid plagiarism. Unless placed inside quotation marks and followed by a full citation, all ideas and words need to be your own. Do not forget that paraphrased passages must also be properly cited. Concerning academic integrity, you cannot resubmit work from a previous assignment or course, as this is self-plagiarism. For further guidance in the syllabus, review the sections on plagiarism and paraphrasing as well as the rubric.
On a new, but related academic integrity note, please understand that any use of artificial intelligence software such as ChatGPT or similar computer program to write or assist in the production of your essay is considered plagiarism and will result in failing both the assignment and course.
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