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2nd Quarter Research Assignment You must choose one of the following options and develop a thesis driven essay that addresses all parts of the question posed. You should rely on the analysis primary source material to support your position (this is NOT a literature review). Your response should be 2-3k words, contain complete MLA citations and be submitted through turnitin.com. Be sure to review the rubric for complete expectations. Students should be able to demonstrate: 1. An awareness of social, political and economic factors motivating European powers and the impact of cultural diffusion or assimilation on indigenous cultures. 2. An ability to narrow a broad assignment topic into a manageable, well defined thesis. 3. An ability to gather and analyze a variety of primary and secondary sources. 4. An understanding of cause and effect within the assigned topic and of the process of drafting a research paper. Option #1 Examine the influence of the Enlightenment in Prussia and Austria-Hungary. To what extend do Enlightenment ideals affect their societies? You must incorporate into your thesis concepts of a socio-political spectrum as discussed in Baradat. Option #2 Compare the American and French Revolutions. How would you explain each in the context of the Baradat readings? Make sure you analyze social, political and economic factors. Option #3 The Baroque world emerges from the Renaissance at a time when Europe was progressing in many areas from science to philosophy. If art reflects life, are the works of this period reactionary, conservative, progressive or a combination of the afore mentioned? Focus on a few specific figures to support your thesis. Option #4 Women and the Enlightenment. Did women really play a significant role in the Enlightenment? Examine this question and develop your thesis focusing on the analysis of primary documents to support your position. Option #5 European exploration and colonization in the 16th-18th Centuries Examine European exploration during the above time frame in one of the following areas: The Americas West Africa The Indian Ocean Explain how European social, political and economic values and goals shaped the manner in which Europeans interacted with the indigenous populations in your region. You should develop a clear, defendable thesis that addresses the above topic, and support your arguments with both scholarly interpretations and your own analysis of evidence. |