Download Mid-Term Thesis Development

Writing 1/3 of the COT and COMP while evaluating
60% of the WHAP curriculum for the mid-term… and
beyond!!!!!
Directions:
 As you read the first two arguments (either COT or
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COMP) ask yourself which 2 are they (continuities or
changes or similarities or differences)
Fill in the missing argument
Identify region(s)
Identify key people, places, events and developments
in the region(s)
Expand your thesis to reflect an expansive core
argument
In the Middle East from the Neolithic Revolution to 600 C.E, monotheistic
religions will begin to dominate the geopolitical landscape and Empires like the
Greek, Roman and Persian will battle for predominance
Think of:
Ancient river valley developments(
agriculture, specialization of labor,
rise of technologies like
metallurgy)and development of
relgious architecture, texts, and
universalizing belief systems. These
seem to illustrate cultural and
political changes
Thesis: however, the development of
agrricultural staples like wheat,
ceareal grains and barley will
remain an important component to
foster stability of the varying
governments
The Indian Ocean 600-1750 would utilize the same monsoon winds for trading
such lucrative items as spices and sugar
Think of:
Role of technologies to facilitate
Indian Ocean trade, empires and
groups involved from Chineses and
Indians to Dar Al Islam. Beliefs and
laws governing these territorial
expanses of the Indian Ocean basin.
These appear to be continuities to
identify a change
Thesis: however the European forces
of the Portugese, Spanish, Dutch
British and French would gain a
footing in trading port enclaves on
the coasts of Africa and Asia to tap
into the pre-existing trade of sugar
and spices
The Silk Route 200 B.C.E- 1450 C.E was an important trading region linking the
East to west utilizing nomadic caravanseri
Think of:
Groups controlling trade including
China, India, Rome, Byzantine, Dar
Al Islam and the Mongols, items
being traded like silk, horses, gems,
paper, gunpowder. Religions spread
like Islam, Buddhism and
Christianity. This appears to be two
continuities requiring a change
Thesis:
However, the Mongols control over
the entirety of the Silk route
facilitated the travel of such
notables like Marco Polo and Ibn
Battuta whose travelogues became
the inspiration for countless
explorers for years to come
The Atlantic World 1492-1750 forever changed the social make-up of Latin
America through miscegenation and developed a socio-political castas system
based on the racial constructions of the Europeans
Think of:
The Columbian Exchange,
Motivations including God,Gold
and Glory and the manipulation of
markets for the favorable balance of
trade and the Trans-Atlantic slave
trade ( Chattel slavery) the rise of
slave trade kingdoms in Africa
ioncluding Dahomey, Kongo and
Benin as well as the Great dying and
introduction of new crops and
animals on both sides. This one
looks like its looking for a
continuitiy
Thesis:
However , the staple crops of corn,
tomaoatoes and potatoes would still
be maintained on the encomiendas
utilizing the traditional labor
system in Latin America known as
mita.
Eastern Asia 600C.E-1450 C.E was guided through the Chinese Mandate of
Heaven controlling the favorable balance of trade along the Silk Route
Think of:
The Chinese Dynasties of Sui-TangSong-Yuan and early Ming Dynasties
are involde in here as well as Japan
and Korea(Sinification), The
Mongol conquest, early voyages of
Zheng He and Chinese protoIndustialism also known as their
commercial revlution can all be
included as it looks as if a change is
required here
Thesis:
Howver the Mongol conquest of the
Yuan Dynasty dimunitized the role
of Chinese citizens rendering them
second class in favor of foreign
rulers
South Asia 600-1750 was ruled through a series of Muslim powers including
the Delhi Sultanate and Mughal Empire and became increasingly divided
amongst religious divisions of Islam and Hinduism
Think of:
The role of trade and Islam as it
penetrated the region, the role of
the Mongols and how they paved the
way for the rise of the Mughal, the
role of geography on the
fragmentation of South Asian
society. This one seems to be
looking for a continuity.
Thesis:
However, Hinduism and its caste
system would serve as the glue to
cement the fragmented subcontinent providing a sense of
morality, social rigidity (caste) and
identity
Eastern Europe 1450-1750 continued to be influence by trade in the
Boshorous, Black and Baltic seas while continue its Orthodox Christian
leadership
Think of:
End of the Byzantine Empire and
the rise of the Ottoman Empire, the
role of Russia’s rise and their
Westernization campaigns under
Peter the Great as well as the
constant need for warm water ports.
This appears to be looking for a
change.
Thesis:
However , the rise of Russia and
their need to thwart off the yoke of
Mongol oppression (Golden Horde)
led to the modeling of Russia first
navy and the Baltic Sea city of St.
Petersburg ( window to the west)
North America 600-1750 underwent dramatic changes through European
deforestation and the expoitation of markets through private joint stock
companies like the Virginia Company
Think of:
The Columbian Exhange and the
influence of diffeent European
nation’s settlement pattern
including the English and French
settlers (in addtion to Dutch and
Spanish) the role of family
settlements, great dying, racial
segregation laws, colonial trade for
tobacco, timber and fur and the
beginnings of self-governmet which
would foster the revolutions of the
next periodization. This one looks
like its lookibg for a continuity
Thesis:
However, Native Americans would
continue to battle over territories
maintaining their dominance of the
fur trade market and isolating
themselves in forest and
mountainous communities of their
ancestors.
In Western Europe 200 B.C.E- 1000 C.E witnessed the decline of the Roman
Empire’s centralized authority and the interconnectivity of the trade in the
Mediterranean World
Think of:
Fall of the Roman Empire and the
rise of medieval regional kingdoms
known as feudalism and the system
known as manorialism, think
isolation and the role of Moors (
Southern Spain in 711) and Vikings
and Magyars the role of the Roman
Catholic Church and monasteries,
the breifly lived Carolingian
Empire. This one looks like a
continuity its looking for
Thesis:
However, the role of the Roman
Catholic Church would serve as the
glue to hold the decentralized
European kingdoms together
providing them faith, morality and
record keeping and tax collection.
Central Asia 600-1450 gave rise to Mongol conquest and subsequent political
domination under the Great Khan in Kharakorum leading to trade items
passing through silk routes on its periphery
Think of:
Role of the Central Asian Steppes,
Mongols unification under Ghengis
Khan, the rise and fall of the
Mongols and their impacts
including the role of Samarkand
along the Silk Route trade and its
greatest Muslim ruler Tamerlanse
and his Timurud Empire. This one
looks like its looking for a
continuity
Thesis:
However, the lack of arable land
would lead to furthered
nomadicism and their essential role
as tourguides, protectors and
navigators along the 8000 miles of
the silk route
From 600-1750 both the Sudanic Kingdoms and the Aztecs utilized their strong
military to maintain safe trade routes, both were profoundly guided by their
religious zeal, however
Think of (Now Comparisons):
The role of the Columbian exchange,
the fact the Europeans could get into
the interior of the Americas but not
Africa, the role of disease, religion,
and trade. Who gets the favorable
balanec of trade and why, the role of
slavery, indentured servitude and
the mita system. Impacts of
gunpowder weaponry on both Africa
and the Aztecs. The role of
polytheism, Islam and Christianity.
This one looks like its looking for a
difference.
Thesis:
However, the Europeans were
interested in conquest of the
Americas leading to the great dying
(due to AmerIndian lacking
immunities to smallpox) while
reaming in port cities in Africa
primarily interested in Slaves fro
their sugar plantations
The Middle East and East Asia from 200 B.C.E- 1450 C.E both restricting
women’s rights by limiting their access to realms outside the domestic sphere,
denying them political equality under the law, however
Think of:
Rome, Byzantine , Abbasid and
Mongols in the Middle East while
the Han, Sui, Tang, Song, Yuan and
early Ming Dynasty (as well as Japan
and Korea in East Asia) and the roles
these empires have on trade, empire
building, role of nomads,
religion/philosophy. It’s a pretty
wide series of choices you have here.
Its looking for a difference.
Thesis:
However, Islam will serve as a
unifying political and cultural
component of the Umma (Muslim
Community) while Buddhism will
have to be compromised initiall
reviled by government then
compromised through neoconfucianism
In Latin America and Western Africa 1900- Present, the role of race would play an
important component in the face of the law and politics, both would be economically
dependent on the “West” for neo-colonial pattern of debt regulations , however
Think of: ( oh wait, we have’nt
covered this yet)
Imperialism (old and new), Atlantic
Revolutions, Industrial revolutions,
Social Darwinism, Capitalist ideas (
finite amount of materials so the
competitive idea of maintaning
favorable balance of trade, WWI,
decolonization, Cold War,
Globalization and other stuff we will
cover fro ch 17-24)
Thesis:
However, decolozization would
become established with the help of
the United nations giving way for
the irth of independent nations like
Ghana, and Kenya although through
violent measures and incomplete at
times.
Both the Han Dynasty and the Mauryan Empire in the classical era ushered in
great periods of peace and prosperity, both would regulate its populace
through the governance of law through either religion or philosophy, however
Think of: (this is more like it)”
The classical era is 600 B.C.E-600 C.E
and involves specifically the Han
and Mauryan here. Think of the role
of religion (Hinduism and
Buddhism) as well as philosophy
(Legalism, Taoism and
Confucianism) the role of trade,
military and governance, This one is
looking for a difference
Thesis:
However, lack of a clear line of
succession would create over 500
years of fragmentation for the
Mauryan Empire (until the rise of
the Gupta ) while the reinforcement
of Confucians 5 relations ships and
the Mandate of Heaven would lead
to a smoother transition into the
next periodization
The Inca Empire and the Roman Empire both centralized their authority
through the development of roads, both provided for the social services of their
large populations , however
Think of:
This on infuses two different
periodizations, both actually have
so much in common including
roads, forced labor, engineering,
role of religion, large centralized
empires, great monumental
architecture . The geography,
however leads to distinct differences
including terrace farming, vertical
economies and lack of wheel and
written language in Inca. This is
looking for a difference.
Thesis:
However, the Incas had to overcome
tremendous geographic adversity in
the Altiplano of the Andes while the
Roman’s had an environmental
mosaic which facilitated great
centralization
North America and Africa 1492-1750 were both exploited by the European
desire to manipulate the land, labor and capital, both were infused with
Christian beliefs through missionary zeal. However,
Think of:
The Columbian Exchange and the
role , chattel slavery, decline of
Sudanic Kingdoms, role and pattern
of European colonial settlement in
the Northern colonies, role of
protestantism and racism as well as
trading networks which were now
prominantly focused on the Atlantic
world. This one is looking for a
difference.
Thesis:
Africa would thwart off any pattern
of European settlement due to
geographic constraints, disesae as
well as pre-existing Empires (Kongo,
Benin, Ife, Dahomey) while the
great dying and gunpowder
weaponry would facilitate an easier
pattern of settlement for Europeans
in North America
Decolonization in South Asia and Sub Saharan Africa both followed a pattern
of violent and non-violent resistance, both struggled with the dependency of
their former colonial overlords, however
Think of ( have’nt covered this yet)
WWI and WWI , United Nations
establishment of decolonization,
Cold War powers entaglement,
legacy of the exploitation of
colonialism, nationalist leaders like
Ghandi, Mandela, Kwame Nakruma,
etc. This one is looking for a
difference
Thesis:
South Asia would inevitably get its
independence through the peaceful
protests of Mohandis Ghandi while
the violent protests of the Mau Mau
uprising in Kenya would see
independence but with close
economic ties to its former coloinial
Ruler (Great Britain)
The role of religion in Western Europe and the Middle East 600-1450 served
top bolster the political authority of its leaders, inspired monumental building
of impressive edifices, However
Think of:
Feudalism/dark ages/manorialism/
recovery and commercial revolution
(Crusades) in Western Europe and
the rise of Dar Al Islam ( Abbasid
Caliphate-Golden Age) as well as fall
to the Mongols 1258 to identify the
comparative rise and fall of these
notable regiosn whose interactions
would be integral to understand
their developments. It looks like
you’re looking for a difference.
Thesis:
The Mongol interactions would lead
to increased interaction and a
Renaissance and age of exploration
for Western European Kingdoms
while the last Abbasid Calip will be
sacked in Baghdad by the Mongol IlKhanate paving the way for the rise
of the Ottoman’s Turkish Empire
Coercive labor patterns in Latin America and Eastern Europe1450-1750 was
utilized to provide intensive agricultural labor, was a means of subjugating a
particular minority of people, however
Think of:
Serfdom in Russia and Indentured
servitude and chattel slavery in
Latin America. This labor was
essential to the Empires which
exploited it and contributed to the
wealth and rise of Russia, Spain,
France, England, Portugal and the
Dutch. It looks like you are looking
for a difference here
Thesis:
Serfdom in Russia was done by
Russia authorities to Russian
people’s who were treated harshly
while it was the European colonial
authorities which were forcing labor
of indigenous and Africans to
procure wealth in materials through
mercantilistic policies.
Feudalism in Japan and Europe 600-1750 saw the decentralization of political
authority due to the lack of centralized political leadership, established
militarism to protect against neighboring enemies, however
Think of:
Decentralized governments and the
comparative role of geography in
both Europe and Japan and the need
for military aristocracies with
absent centralized governments.
Think , also, of religious and
historical development differences (
who were their cultural influences).
This one is also looking for a
difference.
Thesis:
Europe’s Crusades, black death and
Age of exploraton would centralize
their authority and lead to the
oveseas expanse of their empires
while the Tokugawa Shogunate’s
centralization and ethnocentric
manner would lead to the increased
isolationist policies even closing
thei doors to immigration and
emmigration.