course material

1. In 1627, Mughal court chronicler Mu’tamad Khan wrote that “in warfare,
in comman
In 1627, Mughal court chronicler Mu’tamad Khan wrote that “in warfare, in command, in
sound judgement, and in administration,” Malik Ambar “had no rival or equal.” He
concluded that “History records no other instance of an Abyssinian slave arriving at such
eminence.”While Malik Ambar’s life trajectory – from being enslaved as a child in Ethiopia
to becoming an important military leader and de facto ruler in India – is remarkable, in
many ways, his life history is also very representative his time and place.Essay
question:First, pick one theme from Malik Ambar’s life.Then, answer this question: How
does Malik Ambar’s life add to our understanding of this theme in the Indian Ocean
world?Some potential themes include:SlaveryConnections between regions (i.e., Ethiopia –
India)Conflict/warfareGenderPoliticsReligionEssay guidelines:Your essay should be 3
pages, double spaced, 12 point font.It should explore ONE theme using specific examples
from Omar Ali’s book, Malik Ambar: Power and Slavery in the Indian Ocean World. You can
also supplement this with examples from lectures.Cite specific examples from the book
and/or lectures. You must cite your examples whether you are using direct quotations or
paraphrasing. For ease, I recommend parenthetical citations but you can also use a different
format if you wish. For parenthetical citations see examples below:(Ali, p., 10)(Lecture, Feb
15)**Please do not use any examples or evidence other than those from the book or things
we’ve discussed in class! If you do include any examples from outside of the book or class,
we will ask you to rewrite and resubmit your paper and automatically deduct 10% from
your final grade**Proofread your essay to make sure that it has a well-organized structure
and is free of grammatical errors.The imagined reader is not me or Sussy! Think of your
audience as a person who is curious but not by any means an expert on these materials.
Make sure you are introducing your argument and any examples that you use clearly.
Someone who is unfamiliar with the subject matter should be able to read your paper have
a sense of what you are writing about.If you need help structuring your essay, I recommend
the following organization:An introduction paragraph: Make sure it has the following
information:It should state your argument clearly: i.e. “In this essay, I argue that Malik
Ambar’s life provides valuable insights into [selected theme] in the Indian Ocean world by
showing [what things]A strong introduction will preview some of the specific examples that
you’ll analyze in the paper. In other words, tell the reader how you will support your
argument.Body paragraphs: Organize your analysis of evidence from the book into several

2. body paragraphs.3-4 paragraphs should be a good target for a paper of this length. Each
paragraph should explore a different aspect of your chosen theme and include multiple
examples.Don’t just regurgitate information from the book/lecture. Analyze your evidence
by showing the reader how the examples you are citing support your central argument or
thesis.Conclusion: conclude with a paragraph that reiterates your argument and
summarizes for the reader by connecting the different threads from the examples you’ve
provided in the essay