Essay Assignment

The assigned readings “Perspectives on the Mongols and  “Perspectives on the Mongols #2” provide an opportunity to see the Mongols through the eyes of five cultural outsiders of the Mongol World: 1) Persian Muslim scholar and government official Ala-ad-Din Ata-Malik Juvaini, 2) European (Flemish) Christian friar William of Rubruck, 3) European (Venetian) merchant Marco Polo, 4) Kurdish Muslim historian Ali Ibn al-Athir, and 5) European (Italian) friar John of Plano Carpini.

Assignment

You assignment is to  read  carefully “Perspectives on the Mongols”  and  “Perspectives on the Mongols 2,”  compare  the five primary source accounts, and  address  the following questions in an essay:

How did the depictions of the Mongols written by foreign observers compare with the popular view of the Mongols as violent, irreligious, and uncivilized?  Did the foreign observers have differing opinions about the Mongols?  How did each of the foreign observers’ own cultural and religious backgrounds influence their opinions about the Khans and Mongol values?

 Requirements

1. Your paper must be 3-5 pages long, double-spaced.

2. Your paper must begin with a thesis. A thesis is a one- or two-sentence statement that provides a concise and clear response to the Essay Questions.

3. Your claims should be supported by specific examples and data. Your paper must incorporate evidence from all 5 of the primary sources.   You may consult the assigned secondary sources (like Weatherford’s book) for background information, but the bulk of your evidence should be drawn from the primary sources written by Juvaini, Rubruck, Polo, al-Athir, and Carpini.

4. Quotation marks must accompany ANY and ALL verbatim quotes (phrases and full sentences taken directly from another source).

5. Footnotes or parenthetical notes must include appropriate page number . For class sources (assigned readings), the author’s name and page number will suffice.  A full footnote, including page number, and web address (if applicable) is required for any outside source.  Please note that the use of outside sources is highly discouraged.

6. Proper attribution of all sources of quotations, statistics, and paraphrased sentences must be clearly cited in footnotes or parenthetical notes. Failure to do so may constitute academic dishonesty.

grade will be determined by:

· The strength and clarity of your thesis statement and organization of your argument. (Worth up to 10 points)

· Your use of primary source evidence & historical examples to illustrate your main points. (Worth up to 10 points)

· Your thoughtful engagement with the Essay Questions and course themes. (Worth up to 10 points)Top of FormBottom of Form