HIST 331,    Medieval Mediterranean
(Also listed as CORE 365, JC)

Spring Semester 2008

Meets: Days 1-3-5, 1:00-2:10 pm, New Science Center 250

Writing Assignment #1

Due: March 26th

 

 You will select one region of the Mediterranean and research the history, geography, and economy of that region from the fifth through the fifteenth century. For the first assignment you will create a historical profile for the region, describing its people, their religion, culture, society, language, the major cities, trading partners, natural resources, and government structures. The second assignment will examine a major event in the history of the region, with a discussion of the primary sources. These papers are to be no more than seven pages in length.

 

Instructions: You will select one region  of the Mediterranean and compile a report profiling the region during the fifth through fifteenth century. Your profile should including (but is not limited to): the region's people, their languages and religion, society and culture; its major cities, climate, natural resources, geographic characteristics such as location, rivers, or mountain ranges; its trade, economy; and its system of government. You will explain how these factors influenced the history of your region between the fifth and fifteenth century by identifying trends and changes over time.  Try to determine if there was one historical event that changed history in the region.

 

Some suggestions for places are:

 

Note that some of these places are political entities and others are geographical regions.  Consult with me first if you want to study a place that is not on the list.

 

Bibliography: All sources must be cited in footnotes or endnotes, according to the Chicago Manual of Style.  You must include a bibliography of all works consulted, whether you footnoted them or not.  For proper format, consult the CMS at Citation Guides and Style Manuals

You are expected to consult the historians who have made a significant contribution to the study of your region. 

 

Format: Each paper must be at least  seven pages typed, double spaced, with one-inch margins on the top, bottom, and sides.  Grammar and spelling count toward your grade.  One grade will be deducted each day a paper is late..

 

Writing Assignment #2

Due: May 2

 

This is a continuation of your previous paper, in which you identified a major event that occurred  in the history of your region that occurred between the fifth and the fifteenth centuries. For this paper you will examine that event in greater detail. You will determine the causes of the event and the affect that it had on history. You will identify the historians who studied the event, explain their interpretations, and identifying the primary sources that they used. Bibliography and format are the same as the first paper.

 

 

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