why study history: portfolio review

In this module, we’ve learned a great deal about the value of history, how learning from the past may help provide definition to our present world perspective and how studying and learning from our ancient ancestors can potentially contribute in shaping our own future. Throughout this course, we have examined various civilizations and in each one we’ve learned about a myriad of aspects that helped influence our ancestors’ capacity to act responsibly and determine their roles or abilities to contribute to society.

For this reflection, you will answer the question:

“What can I, as an historian of the ancient world, learn and apply from the history of my ancient ancestors to my own role in contributing to and acting responsibly for the betterment of society?”

In order to answer this question effectively for your reflection you must:

Pick one common theme/criteria topic (from the list below) that you think significantly influenced an individual from the ancient world to act responsibly and contribute towards society.

o Technology

o Politics/Bureaucracy

o Law/Ethics

o Arts/Sciences

o Economy/Business

o Education

o Military/Police

o Religion/Morals & Traditions

Explain how at least one specific example (one individual) from at least three different civilizations covered throughout this course supports your selected theme/criteria. (So, your essay will talk about 3 different people – each from a different civilization that we discussed.) (topics discussed in this course: River Valley Civilizations, Ancient Aegean, Classical Greece and Persia, The Hellenistic World, Imperial India, Early & Republican Rome, Imperial Rome, The Rise of Christianity and Medieval Europe, The Rise of Islam, African Nations, Imperial China, and The Early Byzantine Empire.)
Support each of your examples with evidence from the articles in the reading in the learning activities about why we study history. In total, you must reference at least three of the articles in the learning activities,
Connect how understanding the history of your ancient ancestors in the context of your selected theme/ criteria has influenced your sense of responsibility and contributing role towards the betterment of society. In other words, what have you learned from their experiences that can help you act more responsibly today?
Lastly, make sure you provide proper internal citations and a properly formatted bibliography

For your bibliography, it does NOT have to be annotated. The only sources you’ll be using will be from your readings, so you MUST include internal citations and a full, properly MLA formatted bibliography with your paper, but you don’t need to annotated the sources in your bib.

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sources to include:

https://www.historians.org/about-aha-and-membership/aha-history-and-archives/historical-archives/why-study-history-(1985)

http://www.ascd.org/ascd-express/vol6/622-postma.aspx

https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2013/03/how-history-can-help-us-predict-the-next-pope/273945/

http://ocelotscholars.org/discussions/ice-age.html

https://www.academia.edu/1539830/Hodges_Final_Essay_On_Rhetorical_Uses_of_History_to_Understand_the_Present