The Mongols: Barbarians or Nah?

There is no debate among historians that the Mongols had their brutal side.  But when the day of historical judgement comes and Mongol's good and bads are placed side by side on the balance scale which way will the scale tip?  Make your own judgement.  Click on the link and follow the directions in the Student Guide Sheet.  Be sure to complete the suggested steps for each document.  Be sure to respond to the following question in the Blog. (one response of your opinion and a response to a classmate's).

The Mongols:  Barbaric or Nah? support your answer with evidence from the documents.
How Barbaric Were the Mongols?


Watch this video to help you formulate an opinion.

Southernization by Lynda Shaffer

Read the essay Southernization by Lynda Shaffer. 
Answer the questions that are posted in TeacherWeb Handouts.  Remember you must respond to the Blog at least twice (your own analysis and a response to a classmate's analysis).  

Prompt:  What is Lynda Shaffer's thesis?  Is her analysis valid? Why or why not?  Please be specific by providing evidence to support your opinion.

Southernization Essay

“Southernization”

Directions: Read the article by Linda Shaffer and respond in writing with specific references- use quotes and be prepared to discuss in class.    

1. What is Ms. Shaffer’s thesis in the article?

2. What does she (the author) mean by “Southernization”? 

3. How is the “South” defined in her article? 

4. List the ideas and inventions, as well as the agricultural, mineral, and manufactured products that she associates with “Southernization.” 

5. What places were the ideas, agriculture, minerals, and manufactured products associated with? 

6. What were the major contributions of Indians, Malays, Chinese, and Arabs to hemispheric development?

7. According Shaffer, what role did the Arabs and Mongols play in the spread of “Southernization”?

8. Why does she say that northwestern Europeans were most fully participating in the “Southernization” process only after they acquired tropical colonies?

9. Do you agree with her thesis?  Why or why not?  Think about Shaffer’s point of view. Analyze her bias using the APPARTS document analysis format.

Author: Who is this person?  What do you know about the author?  What is their POV?

Place and Time:  Where and when was the source produced?  How might this affect the meaning of the source?

Prior Knowledge: Beyond the information about the author and the context of its creation, what do you know that would help you further understand this source? Think about what you have learned in the past and what your own biases might be.

Audience: For whom was this text created and how might this affect the reliability of the source?

Reason: Why was this text created at the time it was produced? Does it matter?

The Main Idea:  You should know this already but think about the “BIG PICTURE”.  Overall, what point is the source trying to convey?

SIgnificance:  Why is this source important?  What inferences can you draw from this document?  Ask yourself, “SO WHAT”?