HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE ESSAY Choose one essay question below. Write an essay answering all parts of the question. This essay should be at least 7 pages long with a 12-point font excluding bibliography page and cover sheet. This essay will be evaluated on historical significance and examples to support the essay question. You must use additional resources besides your textbook to fully complete this essay. Please do not use ALL internet sources to complete this assignment or you will automatically be deducted ten points from your paper.You must use primary and/or some secondary sources to complete this historical essay. Please save a copy of your essay on a disk or cd. 1. Explore the European impact, positive and negative, on the native populations of South America. How did the Spanish methods of dealing with their new territories in America affect the native population? Compare and contrast Spanish colonial rule in the sixteenth century with that of Portugal. BE VERY THOROUGH IN THIS ESSAY 2. What were the most significant results of European expansions into Africa in the early modern era? To what degree did European actions determine these results? Compare and contrast slavery in Africa before the sixteenth century to African slavery after the arrival of the Europeans. Are there any similarities and differences between the two forms of slavery? Explain. Finally, how and why, was the African slave trade altered by growing European participation after 1480? Did these alternatives affect Africa or other areas more? Why? 3. Define the religious sect called the Anabaptist that emerged during the Renaissance and Reformation Era. Make sure to discuss the origins of this group and why defining the Anabaptist can be quite controversial and complex. Also, does this religious group called themselves Anabaptists? Explain. Completely review the theology of the Anabaptists and was this theology contrary to Catholicism and Protestantism? Explain. Finally, why did the Catholics and Protestant groups cruelly persecute the Anabaptists during the Renaissance and Reformation Era? Explain. Is this religious sect still practicing their religion today in the 21st Century? If so, give details on how the religion evolved or remained true to its original theology? 4. Completely compare and contrast the Protestant Reformation, English Reformation and the Catholic Reformation. Make sure to discuss the key players in each movement and how the movement affected Europe at that time. 5. Completely analyze the major events surrounding the Salem Witchcraft trials. Make sure to discuss the following when completing the essay: outside influences that led to the hysteria (war abroad led to war and uncertainty into the American colonies), the key players of this movement, the Porter family, gender roles and sexuality, public trials, public executions, how the hysteria ended and Massachusetts restitution to wrongfully accused families. 6. Explain what elements aided, and li ...

1. HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE ESSAY
Choose one essay question below. Write an essay answering all
parts of the question. This essay should be at least 7 pages long
with a 12-point font excluding bibliography page and cover
sheet. This essay will be evaluated on historical significance
and examples to support the essay question. You must use
additional resources besides your textbook to fully complete
this essay. Please do not use ALL internet sources to complete
this assignment or you will automatically be deducted ten points
from your paper.You must use primary and/or some secondary
sources to complete this historical essay. Please save a copy of
your essay on a disk or cd.
1. Explore the European impact, positive and negative, on the
native populations of South America. How did the Spanish
methods of dealing with their new territories in America affect
the native population? Compare and contrast Spanish colonial
rule in the sixteenth century with that of Portugal. BE VERY
THOROUGH IN THIS ESSAY
2. What were the most significant results of European
expansions into Africa in the early modern era? To what degree
did European actions determine these results? Compare and
contrast slavery in Africa before the sixteenth century to
African slavery after the arrival of the Europeans. Are there any
similarities and differences between the two forms of slavery?
Explain. Finally, how and why, was the African slave trade
altered by growing European participation after 1480? Did these
alternatives affect Africa or other areas more? Why?
3. Define the religious sect called the Anabaptist that emerged
during the Renaissance and Reformation Era. Make sure to
discuss the origins of this group and why defining the
Anabaptist can be quite controversial and complex. Also, does
this religious group called themselves Anabaptists? Explain.

2. Completely review the theology of the Anabaptists and was this
theology contrary to Catholicism and Protestantism? Explain.
Finally, why did the Catholics and Protestant groups cruelly
persecute the Anabaptists during the Renaissance and
Reformation Era? Explain. Is this religious sect still practicing
their religion today in the 21st Century? If so, give details on
how the religion evolved or remained true to its original
theology?
4. Completely compare and contrast the Protestant Reformation,
English Reformation and the Catholic Reformation. Make sure
to discuss the key players in each movement and how the
movement affected Europe at that time.
5. Completely analyze the major events surrounding the Salem
Witchcraft trials. Make sure to discuss the following when
completing the essay: outside influences that led to the hysteria
(war abroad led to war and uncertainty into the American
colonies), the key players of this movement, the Porter family,
gender roles and sexuality, public trials, public executions, how
the hysteria ended and Massachusetts restitution to wrongfully
accused families.
6. Explain what elements aided, and limited, the spread of the
Ottoman power into adjacent territories in Europe, Asia and
Africa. Was the ottoman system of rule a significant factor in
determining the success of Ottoman imperialism? Why or why
not? Also, what were the central aspects of the religious and
social life of the Ottoman Empire? How did women fare in these
aspects of Ottoman life?
7. How did domestic change manifest itself in Qing China,
especially in terms of demographic growth and industrial
development? Also, how and to what degree, was family life
changed during the Qing Dynasty, particularly in relation to the
lives of women and children?
8. What caused the French Revolution to start and when did it
occur? Could its outbreak have been avoided, or possibly
postponed? Was the revolution inevitable? Why or why not?

3. Also, what were the major phases of the French Revolution?
Why did they take such different forms and produce such
different results? How did the French Revolution manifest its
destructive force?
9. How was Napoleon able to come to power, build his empire,
and meet his fate? Would France have been better off if he had
never attained political power? Why or why not? Also, in what
ways did the career and policies of Napoleon fulfill, destroy
and/or move beyond the ideas of the early French Revolution?
Was his regime a realization of the hopes of the philosophers?
Why or why not?
10. The United States Constitution abolished international slave
trade in January 1808. Yet, the international slave trade
continued illegally in the United States, Cuba, Brazil, and other
countries. Explain why the continuation of the illegal
international slave trade led to Amistad insurrection in 1839.
What were the key events of the Amistad insurrection and how
did it end? Make sure to discuss the key events of the
insurrection, what happen once the Amistad docked in the
United States, the court case(s) brought before the courts in the
United States and the final decision of the court case(s).
Finally, did this event have a positive or negative effect on
slavery in the Americas? Explain.
11. What factors determined that the Industrial Revolution
began where and when it did occur? Explain fully. Also, how
was the nature and pace of the Industrial Revolution influenced
by technological developments and did the Industrial
Revolution influence technological changes. Explain.
12. Is it correct to say that the advancement of mass society had
little or no impact on the lives of the working class, even
though it had a major influence on the numbers and position of
the middle class? Why or why not? Explain. Also, how did the

4. impact of the new mass society affect the lives of women, in
terms of work experience, family life, and the rise of feminism?
13. What caused the renewal of European imperialism during
the mid-and-late-nineteenth century? What were the dominant
influences at work? Did they change over time and/or with
relation to the actions of other imperialistic societies? Also, did
nineteenth century imperialism aid or harm the societies
involved? Why, and how? Did some groups gain or loose
significantly more or less than others? Which groups, in each or
either case? How, and why?
14. Was the Opium War a turning point in Chinese history?
Why and/or why not? Explain. Also, could China have avoided
the Opium War or the Sino-Japanese War of the 1890’s? Which
side had the “moral high ground” in each conflict, and why?
Explain.
15. Was the political and military leaders’ incapacity, mass
naiveté, or nationalism the most important factor in explaining
the onset of World War I? Explain fully. Review the possible
causes and events that led to World War I. Was World War I
inevitable? Why or why not? If inevitable, from what date or
from what event was there no turning back?
16. What early twentieth century developments changed both
the economic and societal bases of life in Latin America? How?
Did they cause or result from, the rise of authoritarianism? Why
or why not? Also, what difficulties or challenges did the United
States pose to the political, social, and economic development
of the Latin American nations in the interwar years? Be
specific. (Chapter Twenty-Three)
17. Describe the Holocaust in terms of its most significant
events and participants. Which groups were targeted and why?
What was the United States and Britain role in the Holocaust

5. and why did they wait so late to intervene in the horribl e event
in history? BE VERY THOROUGH IN THIS ESSAY AND
EXPLAIN.
18. What were the factors that led to the Chinese Communist
victory over the Nationalists? Explain. Was Mao Zedong’s
triumph over Chiang inevitable? Why or why not? Also, was the
foreign policies of the Communist Regime under Mao Zedong
were dramatically different or the same as those of earlier
Chinese regimes, and why? Explain.
19. How did the domestic and foreign policy goals and policies
Nikita Khrushchev and Leonid Brezhnev differ, and why?
Would the Soviet Union have been better off if Khrushchev had
been in power longer? Explain. What were the chief
characteristics of the rule of Leonid Brezhnev and his
immediate successors from 1964 to 1985? Was there any
forewarning in the early 1980s of the advent of perestroika?
Explain.
20. Have the major social and economic changes in Latin
America societies made them more or less alike? Is it still
accurate to treat them individually or is it now appropriate to
analyze them regionally? Why or why not, in light of
development since 1945? Also, how have Marxist leaders and
movement fared in Latin America since? For example, examine
post-1960 Cuba and to what degree have nationalism and
Marxism been blended in that nation? Explain.
21. How did the policies of colonial powers influence the way
nationalist leaders thought about and actually implemented the
creation of independent nations in Africa? Did the policies of
different imperial systems cause leaders to see situations and
goals differently? Furthermore, would Africans have been better
off if they had changed the existing colonial boundaries at the
time they attained independence rather than keeping them?
What advantage and disadvantage could different boundaries

6. have brought Africans in the 1950s and 1960s, and since?
Explain.
22. What role has caste played in independent India? Has it
become more or less important since 1980? How or how not?
Make sure to explain the role of race or skin color in the caste
system in India. Also, how has the role of women been affected
by the independence in India and Pakistan? [BE VERY
THOROUGH IN THIS ESSAY].
23. How have the “everyday” options for women in Japan
change since World War II? With what results for women? Have
these changes been advantageous for women and or Japan as a
whole? Why or why not? Furthermore, describe the Confucian
values, other cultural traits, the actions of political elites, and
the infusion of Western capital and technology in the
development of societies and economies of Japan and other
nations of East Asia?
24. Discuss the ideology of black separatism, it origins and
evolution from the early 19th Century and throughout the Civil
Rights Era. In addition, by the 20th Century, what was
America’s effort in resolving racial problems? Who were these
participants if any? Explain the difference between racial
integration and racial segregation. How is racial separatism
distinctive from racial integration and racial segregation? What
was the solution to racial problems that Americans will embrace
as a result of the Civil Rights Movement, if any? Are there still
division within African American community over the merits of
racial integration, racial segregation and of black separatism?
25. Compare and contrast the cultural and societal changes that
occurred during the Cold War Era in Russia and China. Make
sure to discuss repressive agendas that was portrayed the
Communist governments in China and Russia; any restrictions
in the media and literature; and any societal changes that
includes higher education, the role of men and women in Russia

7. and China. Was equality even possible in Russia and China
during the Cold War Era? Explain. BE VERY THOROUGH IN
THIS ESSAY.
26. Examine the lives of Muslim women of different classes in
the countries of Iran, Saudia Arabia, Afghanistan, Turkey, and
Israel. How much has their obligations and opportunities have
changed since 1970? Explain. What are their differences?
Explain. Make sure to discuss how religion, culture, tradition
and politics shape their lives. BE VERY THOROUGH IN THIS
ESSAY.
27. Compare and contrast the ideas and careers of Mustapha
Kemal of Turkey, Ibn Saud of Saudi Arabia and Gamal Abdul
Nasser of Egypt. Make sure to discuss the positive and/or
negative elements and the major changes each man brought to
their country. Were these men successful? Explain. Did each
man have resistance from within their country? Explain.
Finally, what major impact did their policies have on their
constituents? Explain.
FORMAT OF ESSAY OR RESEARCH PAPER:
I.
INTRODUCTION (WITH THESIS STATEMENT)
II. FIRST THEME
A.
B.
C.
III. SECOND THEME
A.

8. B.
C.
IV. THIRD THEME
A.
B.
C.
V. CONCLUSION
**A BIBLIOGRAPHY AND/OR WORKS CITED PAGE IS
NEEDED WITH THIS PAPER AS WELL. REMEMBER TO
USE FOOTNOTES OR ENDNOTES TO REFER TO
ADDITIONAL SOURCES USED IN PAPER.**
Here are the complete instructions for writing the Historical
Essay:
1. This historical essay must be at leastSEVEN pages long of
content (excluding the cover page, bibliography and/or work-
cited page.
2. This essay should be double-spaced in regular 12 point font.
3. The students must use the standard essay/research paper
format, which includes an introduction with a thesis, the body
of the paper (main themes and arguments) and a conclusion.
4. The essay must answer the question analytically and with a
thesis statement that focus on the student’s position.
(Introduction)

9. 5. Student must answer each prompt of the question thoroughly
and provide supporting data for each point. (Body of the paper:
main themes and arguments)
6. The essay should be written as if the reader is not the
professor and is not familiar with the topic chosen.
7. The student must have a work cited page or bibliography and
a cover page. If there is no cover page and work cited page, the
paper will be deducted 10 points each.
8. Also, the student must use outside sources beside the
textbook to complete this essay. In fact, the textbook should
only be used as a guide for this essay, not the primary source
for the paper.
9. Do notuse all internet sources to write this paper. You must
use secondary and / or primary sources to write this paper. If
you use all or mostly internet sources, the student will
automatically be deducted 10 points from the paper.
10. This paper must be emailed to me by the due date. I WILL
NOT ACCEPT LATE PAPERS. You have plenty of time to
prepare for the essay. In case of an emergency, I will accept the
late paper with documentation. But each day you are late, you
grade will drop one letter grade.
11. PLAGIARISM: BE CAREFUL: When you write this essay
and any other assignments, remember to cite your sources. If
you have summarized thoughts, themes and copied information
from any source, please cite your source using Chicago, MLA
style, Turabian style, etc. You can use parenthetical citation,
endnotes and /or footnotes (in any format) to prove where you
got the documented information. If not, this would be
considered plagiarism and that would have severe consequences.
12. Please keep a copy of your essay on a disk or cd.

10. HINT: If you write a SEVEN page paper or less, the highest
grade you will probably receive is a C, depending on the
content of the paper. Hence, if you want or expect a higher
grade, your paper should be longer than 7 pages long and follow
all the instructions listed above.
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