Question 5 (20 points)
Please choose one of the following questions to answer from this set. Be sure to include specific details such as people’s names, dates, places, etc. in your responses.
- Compare and contrast the lives and reigns of the following rulers: Augustus, Constantine, and William the Conqueror. Who was the strongest leader? Who was the weakest? Why?
- The textbook readings end with a seemingly ominous statement: “wielding a newfound global power, Western civilization was unleashed on the world” (198). Based on what we’ve covered in class, what do you make of this final statement? Was Western civilization a positive or negative force at this point in history (roughly 1650)? Why?
- Some historians have argued that history is made not only by mankind, but by the world itself. To what extent, for example, were climate and disease key factors in prompting economic and social changes? Discuss at least two different time periods and civilizations covered in our class in your response.