Thematic Essay (Introduction & Conclusion)

A thematic essay is an essay students have to write about a theme, and give two examples in history of the specific theme. An introduction that could work for every essay is:

1. Throughout Global History (theme) has/have a major impact on people.

2. (Theme) is/are…

3. The importance of (Theme) can be seen in… Example 1 & 2.

A conclusion that could also work for every essay is:

1. The example of (Example 1) and (Example 2) clearly demonstrate the importance of (Theme) .
2. (Example 1) is important because….

3. (Example 2) is important because….

Example: Introduction

Throughout Global History wars have had a major impact on people. Wars are battle fought by opposite group to get what they want in exchange. The importance of Wars can be seen The Crusades and The Mongol Conquest.

Example: Conclusion

The examples of The Crusades and The Mongol Conquest clearly demonstrate the importance of Wars. The Crusades were important because it increased culture diffusion between the Middle East and Europe. The Mongol’s Conquest was important because it also increased trading in the Silk Road.

Cultural Diffusion

By: Deyadira Abreu & Melanie Mejia

Cultural diffusion is the spreading of ideas or products from one culture to another. During the Crusades from Europe to the Middle East, there was a lot of cultural diffusion between the Christians and the Muslims. During this time period, trade increased because of the crusades. This brought several different ideas and inventions to Europe. When Pope Urban II started the first crusade thousands of people left their manors for the first time. When they returned back there was cultural diffusion between Europe and the Middle East. This cultural diffusion develops a middle class, the growth of town and cities and many other things.

One idea or invention that was introduced as a result of the crusades was national taxes. Today, most of the countries pay taxes which give a big helps schools, hospital, food stamps, and healthcare.

Gladiator Fights and Distractions We Have Today

In ancient Rome times there were circuses held to bring entertainment to the citizens. These events were free so thousands of people attended them. In these events, they had special people performing, they were called gladiator. Gladiators are people forced to fight with each other and animals. Gladiators were slaves, criminals and Christians. Gladiator fights were held to distract the masses (common people) from problems in Ancient Rome. Today there are many ways that Americans get distracted from real problems in the U.S. some of them are: watching TV, shopping, music, clubs, cars, and video games. We think that Americans today are not different from the Romans because we both enjoy violence and use appealing things to distract us from what is really happening worldwide.

The question of the day is: What modern day distractions can be compared to gladiators fights in Ancient Rome

Melanie Mejia & Deya Abreu

How did Hellenistic culture start?

King Phillip II was the king of a kingdom north from Greece called Macedonia. He wanted to take over the world, so he gathered up a big Macedonian army to fight the countries he wanted to take over. His first attempt to conquer a country was in Greece. It was easy for him to take over Greece because Greece had many separated city-states. He took over by fighting one city-state at a time. After he conquered Greece, he attended his daughter’s wedding and was walking in front of his bodyguards to show that he wasn’t scared of anybody. Suddenly, one of his bodyguards came running behind him and stabbed him. Unfortunately, King Phillip II died and now it was up to his 20 year-old son (Alexander) to take over. Alexander wanted to keep on fulfilling his father dream to conquer the world. He continued conquering new lands including Persia, Egypt, and all of India. Alexander had many techniques when it came to fighting at the battlefield. For example he created the siege tower to take over Tyre. Alexander got the name of Alexander the Great because of his wonderful techniques in the battlefield. After conquering Persia, Greece, Egypt, and all of India Alexander the Great combined all the conquered religions to form a new culture called Hellenistic culture.

What culture was created from all the conquered cultures King Phillip II and Alexander the Great took over?

Melanie Mejia & Deyadira Abreu

Athens vs. Sparta

Would you rather live in a state that is only based on military service or a state that helps you with your education? Athens’s type of government is democracy, which the leader is elected by voting. Athens is a city state in Greece that concentrates in arts and education. Athens also values each individual personally. Sparta’s type of government is oligarchy, where the leader serves the military. Sparta is controlled by Athens, which started the Peloponnesian War. Sparta won the war and left the Athens in chaos.

What city state in Ancient Greece is control by military service?

Deyadira Abreu

Philosophers

Why is there so much suffering in the world? This would be a question asked by many philosophers. A philosopher is a person that seeks answers to difficult questions. In Greece the word philosopher means “love of wisdom”. The first philosophers came from Athens in Ancient Greece. When Athens lost to Sparta during the Peloponnesian War, many people were left clueless because they had never been through so much misery. After the war several great thinkers appeared; philosophers. Some of the philosophers from Athens were Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, and Protagoras. Some of these philosophers developed things we still use today, like Aristotle developed the scientific method.

What did the philosopher Aristotle develop that we still use today?


Melanie Mejia