World History Honors

A decision to take a class as "Honors" involves certain commitments.  First, honors work requires that the regular course work, as set out in the World History syllabus, be done with extraordinary thoroughness and thoughtfulness.  The student's work must demonstrate a grasp of the facts (from reading the text and/or from outside research that the syllabus indicates is necessary), as well as a well-conceived and sell-constructed written exposition of the issues presented in the questions.  The use of specifics (data) and examples from your reading is essential.  Opinions must be supported reasonably and logically.  Appropriate honors-level work will begin with the student asking herself/himself:  "How can I produce excellence here?"

Second, honors work in World History requires completion of TWO of the following supplementary assignments (choose two of these four possibilities):

        1.  Watch the film, The Mission.  Even if you have seen this movie already, watch it again, and pay attention to the history that underlies the film.  Do some research on the Jesuits.  What is the origin of this important religious movement?  Discuss the politics in Europe that effected the Jesuits.  The Society of Jesus (the longer name for the Jesuits) was a worldwide movement, but its work outside of Europe was greatly affected by what happened to them in Europe.  Research this out thoroughly.
            Following your discussion of the history of the Jesuits in Europe, and the way in which this affected the movement in other parts of the world, put the entire matter into the perspective of the the film.  How does the film depict the Jesuits' work in South America?  What happened to disrupt the work?

        2.  The modern period of world history has been greatly affected by revolutions.  It is possible to see three great revolutions as models for many, if not most, of those which would follow:  the American Revolution (1776), the French Revolution (1789), and the Russian Revolution (1917).  You have done some study of each of these.  For this assignment, you are asked to do further research to discover and analyze the following:
            a.  What were the political, economic and social conditions in each of the above nations which drove the people to revolution?  Be specific, and seek distinctions between the three:  there are significant differences which will help you to analyze the historical significance of each.  Record your findings.
            b.  What were the specific political, economic and social changes effected by each of the above revolutions?  Again, it is important that you seek distinctions among the three:  the end result of each revolution was not the same.  Record your findings.
            c.  Now place each of the above revolutions into this specific statement:
 The [American/French/Russian] Revolution became a model for a nation and people to shift from . . . . . . . . . . . [fill in a word or phrase]  to . . . . . . . . .  [fill in a word or phrase].
                    You will thus have THREE sentences using this model, one having to do with each of the three revolutions you have studied.  Now, after each one of the above three sentences, construct a few paragraphs to justify your analytical statements by appealing to the historical facts you have researched.

            Turn in all of the above:  your recorded findings for (a) and (b), and your three sets of paragraphs for (c).  If you need help to achieve clarity about this assignment, ask your teacher.

        3.  What is jihad in Islam?  You have already studied this doctrine briefly in Lesson 27.  Now do a much deeper analysis of this doctrine's origins in Islam.  This doctrine has had a powerful influence on the late 20th and early 21st centuries' politics of the Middle East, and indeed all over the world.  Do research on the effect of Islamic jihad and the radical Muslim movements in ONE of the following national contexts:

            a.  The Iranian revolution under the Ayatollah Khomeini (discuss the details of the revolution against the Shah).
            b.  Egypt under Anwar el-Sadat (discuss Sadat's role as a Muslim leader against Israel, how he shifted in that regard, and how that shift impacted him and his nation with respect to jihad.
            c.  Jordan under King Hussein (a very interesting story of the ability of a popular ruler in the Middle East to balance the extremem forces in his nation).
            d.  Iraq under Sadam Hussein, obviously before America's invasion of his country.  Discover Hussein's own religious leanings, and how he dealt with Islamic findamentalists in his region.  Find out why he went to war with Iran.  Can you draw any conclusions about what might happen in that region with Hussein out of the picture?  Are the jihadists going to take over?
            e.  The Palestinians in Israel under the Palestinian Authority (discuss the place of Muslim fundamentalists, jihadists, in the Palestinian movement, particularly Hamas and Fatah).
        Your report should be 3-5 pages, of which the first section is a discussion of the origins of jihad and the radical Islamic movement, and the second part deals with one of the issues above (choose one of (a) through (e)).

        4.  Compare and contrast the religious beliefs and practices of the ancient Maya and the ancient Egyptians.  Discuss the following:  divinities, religious ceremonies, beliefs about the afterlife and the means to achieve it, and religious architecture (specifically, the buildings of temples and pyramids).  Remember that these ancient peoples lived halfway around the world from each other, were separated by many centuries, and had absolutely no contact with each other.  What does your research tell us, if anything, about the religious tendencies and appetites of human beings?
            Your report should be 4-6 pages.