Empires in East and West
Compare and contrast Western and Eastern modes of empire and imperial culture from c. 350 BCE – 600 CE in an essay of 500 – 750 words (about 2 pages in typed, double spaced 11- or 12-point font). For purposes of this assignment, “Western” will refer to the empires of Alexander and his successors, Rome, and the Parthians. “Eastern” will refer to the Kushan and other South Asian states, the Han Empire of China, and bordering steppe peoples such as the Xiongnu.
This essay will be graded using an asset-based rubric, meaning you will be rewarded for fulfilling each item in the rubric, but you will not be penalized for extraneous information, misspelled words, or improper grammar. However, to achieve the highest scores, you must have a coherent and well-written essay, so it is still in your best interest to proofread, edit, and polish your writing. 20 points will be awarded for a “good faith” attempt on the essay (one-paragraph “snippets” do not count), with the other 30 points awarded according to the rubric standards below.
SLO #1: Analyze and interpret historical events and issues by assessing secondary and primary sources, including identification of multiple perspectives, quotation of sources, and evaluation of arguments.
Thesis Statement (5 points)
- The thesis must explain one similarity and one difference between Western and Eastern modes of empire or imperial culture.
- For purposes of this assignment, “Western” will refer to the the empires of Alexander and his successors, Rome, and the Parthians. “Eastern” will refer to the Kushan and other South Asian states, the Han Empire of China, and steppe peoples such as the Xiongnu.
- The thesis must make a historically defensible claim; the paper must contain an argument that can be corroborated or contradicted using evidence.
- The thesis must appear in the introductory paragraph of the paper.
- Merely re-stating the prompt is insufficient.
Document Contextualization (10 points)
- Demonstrate an understanding of the basic meaning of at least two primary source documents from the “Global Themes and Sources” sections in Chapters 6, 7, and 8 (5 points for each document).
- You may demonstrate understanding by correctly placing the document in valid historical context or stating its significance in your own words or contextual quotation.
- Cite documents using the Primary Source number in the book–i.e. “Primary Source 7.1” (parenthetical citations or footnotes are acceptable).
- Note that the “Interpreting Visual Evidence” entries do NOT count for this point.
Comparison Analysis (5 points)
- Analyze at least one similarity between Western and Eastern empires using evidence from primary and secondary sources.
- You may consider elements of society, politics, religion, trade, or other cultural phenomena in your analysis, but superficial comparisons like “both empires had an emperor” are not acceptable.
- You must link your argument to the primary sources or use additional evidence from the textbook to provide context. Please cite the page number in Worlds Together, Worlds Apart for specific historical evidence.
- You MAY include “Interpreting Visual Evidence” sections on this point.
Contrast Analysis (5 points)
- Analyze at least one difference between Western and Eastern empires using evidence from primary and secondary sources.
- You may consider elements of society, politics, religion, trade, or other cultural phenomena in your analysis, but superficial differences like “they spoke different languages” are not acceptable.
- You must link your argument to the primary sources or use additional evidence from the textbook to provide context. Please cite the page number in Worlds Together, Worlds Apart for specific historical evidence.
- You MAY include “Interpreting Visual Evidence” sections on this point.
Excellence Point (possible 5 points)
If you earn all 25 of the core points above, you may be eligible for up to 5 excellence points, which are awarded for particularly outstanding essays. Excellence points may be earned in several ways, some of which are listed below.
- The paper is persuasive and exceptionally polished writing, free or nearly free of spelling or grammatical errors (you must get this to be eligible for a 50/50).
- Your thesis is clear and comprehensive, well above the minimum acceptable standard.
- There is particularly insightful analysis of each document, and/or a concise and analytical discussion of more than two documents.
- Multiple points of comparison and contrast are explored and analyzed.
- There is proper historical context or secondary evidence throughout the paper and its document analysis, beyond the minimum required.