During the course of the semester we have studied several different ancient civilizations around the Mediterranean basin, the Red Sea, and the Persian Gulf. Choose one of these civilizations and write a paper that argues in favor of why it is important for us to learn about this civilization today.
Sources:
Choose from the sources that we have been studying throughout the semester to locate the information that will help you write a convincing argument. Please note: Just as with Papers 1 and 2, the sources you need to complete this task are the texts we have studied during this course. There is no need for you to go out and find sources on your own. In fact, I would urge you not to.
Audience:
When you write Paper 3, your imaginary audience will be a group of people whose opinion you need to change so that they agree with you. This group of people could be anything from the members of your book circle, to the members of the PTA meetings at your children’s school, the readers or editors of a major newspaper, an elected representative, a good friend, a historical figure we have learned about this semester, or the extraterrestrials who have arrived to make contact. The choice is yours. The format of your paper will depend on which audience you choose to address, e.g., a letter, a PM, an op-ed, an article, a speech. Again, the choice is yours.
Passing Grade:
Regardless of the format you choose, for a passing grade your paper needs to be written in your own words and consist of a thesis statement, an argument, a conclusion, and a list of works cited. It needs to contain accurately included quotes immediately followed by accurately formatted footnotes as well as summaries of the information found in your sourcesaccording to the Chicago Manual of Style (Notes and Bibliography). The paper should be no more than 1,500 words excluding the bibliography (1490–1510 words is acceptable). For more information, please see the rubric below.