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After reading chapters 3 and 4 on Greek Civilization, including the primary sour

After reading chapters 3 and 4 on Greek Civilization, including the primary sources, answer the following question in essay form (1,200-1,800 words). Be aware that there are several parts to the question. Be sure to make at least one reference to the primary source documents in the chapter readings. There are two essay questions–please select one! The essay question has several parts to it. Although it may seem disjointed, answer the best you can each part with good transitions. Also, no cover page please! A note on length: Remember that you could write a “history of the world” in 800 words or in 8 million words. Its all a matter of the amount of detail you wish to bring into your work. You are being asked to demonstrate your knowledge and understanding of a topic in a limited amount of space. This is a useful skill to develop in this course. I’ve always admired this quote from a letter written to a friend by one of America’s great writers and cultural critics revealing how its more difficult to write briefly: “I apologize for such a long letter. I didn’t have time to write a short one.”—Mark Twain Select #1 or #2. Do not write both! 1.Discuss the cultural, geographic, and political reasons for the rise of the polis. What were the major differences in the way Athenian and Spartan society was organized? Did such differences make war between these states inevitable? What were the causes, course, and consequences of the Peloponnesian War (431-404 BC) on Greek society? Briefly explain how the events of the 4th Century B.C.E. Greek world allow the Kingdom of Makedonia to gain influence and power over Greece. If you have time and space, and did not answer this in your Discussion (one paragraph): Was Alexander the Great a visionary of globalization or a brutal, bloody conqueror? 2. W.H. Auden once remarked “Had Greek Civilization never existed, we would never have become fully conscious, which is to say that we would never have become, for better or for worse, fully human.:” What was it about Greek civilization that other generations have admired and attempted to emulate? What was the Greek contribution to the West and to the Western intellectual tradition? Does this quotation unfairly undermine the contributions of non-Western Civilizations? What’s the difference between Classical and Hellenistic Art [reference some of the photographs in your textbook]. You should discuss philosophy and drama in this essay, as well. Note on ancient sources. Ernst Badian (1925-2011) was one of the greatest historians of the ancient world. Professor Badian wrote extensively on Ancient Greece, Macedonia, and Rome. One reason that made him such a brilliant scholar was his penetrating and realistic approaches to some of the most basic issues of ancient history. Many of his students can remember his methodological maxims. Three of the most memorable for example was the following: 1. In choosing between two irreconcilable versions of an event, the historian is obligated not only to explain why the valid version is acceptable but also to explain how the unreliable version came into existence. 2. It is often the case that the meaning of a perfectly clear text is twisted to conform with “a priori” considerations, and many problems of ancient history owe their survival to this. Historians must resolutely cure themselves of a disease that textual critics, on the whole overcame a century ago. 3. Ancient historiography always tended to concentrate on individual acts and individual persons and to omit the background, either because it could be taken for granted as familiar, or because the technique for seeing it in perspective without distance of time had not yet been properly developed. –Perhaps you can consider these thinking points as you probe the primary sources in the textbook for the essay. A few more words on what it takes to be a good historian: What differentiates history writing from chroniclers is that historians try to understand and make-sense of the past, rather than just listing mindless dates attached with events. Historians do research, which means they search for sources and reading everything possible. Professional historians would need to visit libraries and archives to gain access to all of the sources. In our case, since we are not traveling, this means the textbook chapters and the written materials available on Moodle represent our sources. You simply won’t be prepared to write an essay, a good one anyway, without adequate and complete knowledge of the past obtained from reading the book. After you’ve done that, you can begin your writing. After reading the narrative found in the textbook, have it close by as a reference as you write your essay. Obviously, if you were publishing this essay in a professional journal you would literally need to read everything. Fortunately, we don’t in this class. As mentioned before, every essay must have a thesis statement in the first paragraph. This paragraph can be very short. Since this is not a formal research paper, this statement does not have to refined or perfect. You are stating for the reader the general argument you wish to make based on the questions that are asked. Don’t just “fact puke” to fill in pages. There must also be discussion and analysis. Facts are good, but it should be used as evidence to support the points you are trying convey. Make sure to include in the essay at least one citation, if not more, from the primary sources in your textbook (those special boxes are found interdispersed within every chapter). Some of the primary sources may not fit your arguments precisely. That’s fine. Just figure out a way to mention it then. Nothing is more exciting for a historian than to re-construct something that was quite unknown, and had not been written about from the original sources. This is where historians push the boundaries of historical knowledge and earn their money! Please understand that I don’t expect any blockbuster discoveries or insights in your essay. But that is what we are striving for. History encompasses all aspects of human activity–politics, economy, religion, art, daily life, gender, family, diplomacy, war, etc. When you are answering the essay question, be sure to think about this and make clear in your mind what it is that you are focusing on. “Okay, in this essay I am concentrating mostly about economic and social history”. It is also a good idea to give the reader a “feel” about the period written about. Wide ranging generalizations are needed of course in many essays, especially in an undergraduate history online essay. Admittedly, the essay questions that I ask are designed in a broad manner to allow you the freedom to answering it in a way you find most appropriate. But your arguments must still be supported by empirical details within the contours of historical interpretation. Don’t be afraid to use the “red pen” and revise your work if necessary. This usually requires a day or two away from the essay so you can look at what you’ve written with a pair of “fresh eyes”. Above all, be sure to begin the work as early as possible in the time frame of the unit. You can’t expect to write a good essay for Saturday if you just begin the readings on Thursday. Best wishes as you embark on the enjoyable, scholarly, and creative act of writing a history essay! ALL LINKS/PDFS TO INFORMATION YOU NEED ARE INCLUDED DOWN BELOW OR ATTACHED TO THIS DOCUMENT. LET ME KNOW IF YOU HAVE FURTHER QUESTIONS.