Global Honors Research Project

Global Honors Research Project Spiconardi

Directions: Choose one research topic from the list below and write a 5-page research paper. Due Date: Tuesday, April 3, 2012

1) Is the United States of America the new Rome? Compare Rome’s rise to power to that of America’s. Examine the collapse of the Roman Empire. Is America on a similar course? Could what happened to Rome happen to the U.S.? Analyze Rome at its height. Has America reached its peak? Examine key issues such as government corruption, economic environment, social issues, and foreign policy, and view by sovereign and colonized contemporaries.

2) Evaluate the reign of Julius Caesar. Was Julius Caesar a benevolent ruler or a tyrant? How did Caesar’s use of power threaten the Senate? Was the Senate justified in assassinating Julius Caesar? Did Caesar have grandiose visions of restoring the monarchy, with himself as king? Or was the Senate jealous of Caesar’s popularity among the common people?

3) Compare and contrast the military conquests of Alexander the Great and Chinggis Khan. Who was the greater military mind and conqueror? Who was the true military genius? Evaluate military campaigns. Whose conquests have had the greater impact on world history?

4) To what extent did pagan rituals influence Christianity? Examine the pagan influence in Christian writings, rituals, symbology, holidays, and traditions. Why did Christians embrace and adapt pagan elements? Where in the world were pagan influences more visible?

5) Examine the spread of Islam. How did a religion that began among desert dwellers emerge to develop great urban centers? How did pastoralists help usher in a period of remarkable growth? To what extent did education promote Islam’s expansion? How was Islam able to transcend international boundaries?

6) Research the impact and influence of the Mongols on one area of the world or on a particular group of people. Be specific. Select a specific country, such as Korea, Russia, Armenia, or India. Or a group, such as Buddhists or Muslims. Evaluate the impact of technological advances, political and fiscal policy, foreign trade, warfare, and military domination of these regions.

Requirements:  Clear and well developed thesis  Length: 5 full pages, double spaced, 12 pt. Times New Roman font.  Sources: 5 sources (Only 2 may come from the internet and one must be a primary source).  Cover page with name, date, class, title of paper (does not count towards the five pages)  Format pages with page numbers  Include works cited page (does not count towards the five pages)  Must cite/quote sources as evidence for your paper (parenthetical references)