To what extent did women have agency in this time period?

Comprehensive Essay – Material from the entire semester (200 points):
Target length; approximately 1000-1200 words, not to exceed 1300.
Directions: This essay is open book and untimed. Please choose one of the following prompts and write a thesis-driven essay. Be
sure to include specific historical evidence (primary sources are especially helpful) to support all your points, all your claims, and your overall thesis. Also, look to show change over time with a breadth of knowledge. Your essay should include an Introduction,
several body paragraphs, and a Conclusion. It should cover all areas asked for in the prompt. (200 points)
Empires have been a recurring political structure throughout our study of world history before 1500 CE. To what extent were empires effective for their overall subjects, and not just the elites? To answer, look to the following empires: the Persian Empire, the Roman Empire, the Islamic Empire, and the Mongol Empire.

Belief systems were integral to several ancient cultures before 1500 CE. To what extent were religions and philosophies impactful, in ways that we could consider positive and negative, in ancient cultures? To answer, look to Hinduism in ancient India, Confucianism in China, Islam in the Islamic World, and Christianity in Western Europe.

Patriarchy was extremely common in the ancient world before 1500 CE. To what extent did women have agency in this time period? To answer, look to ancient Egypt, the Roman Empire, the Islamic World, and Tang and Song Dynasty China.
Where to Get Evidence and How to Provide Citations:
Your exam evidence should be drawn from your textbook, primary sources, supplemental materials provided on Canvas, and
discussions, not from random google searches.
You must also provide “citations,” which indicate where you got your information. To indicate where you got your evidence, you
must provide page numbers from the textbook and references to any supplemental Canvas materials (visual images, additional
readings, videos, links) that you use. Use the same format required in the mini-essays: parenthetical citation at the end of each SENTENCE containing such information and also after each DIRECT QUOTATION.
Academic Honesty:
Be aware that both exam questions are synched with turnitin.com In particular, be reminded that you must “paraphrase”
appropriately. This means that you must use YOUR OWN words, and not copy words directly from the textbook. If you do use the
textbook’s actual words, you must put those words inside quotation marks. Then, be sure to interpret the quotation in your own
words. Do not simply take a quotation and change a few words around – that does not count as writing in your own words. Express
the information in a unique way.

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