Required Readings: Frankforter & Spellman: chapter 10, 297-304
WEBSITE: British Library, “Magna Carta (Links to an external site.)“
VIDEO: PBS, “The Greeks: Chasing Greatness (Links to an external site.)” [23:24-28:00 minutes]
PODCAST: Civics101, “Founding Documents: Magna Carta (Links to an external site)
PODCAST:
Your assignment is to write an essay to discuss the development of democracy in Athens and show how democracy gave way to monarchy and autocracy in the Roman empire and later in Europe during the Middle Ages. In the essay, you should discuss what a democracy was in Athens, why Athenians worked towards the common good, and instituted measures to address corruption. Also, how did that democracy fail and give way to a monarchy? Be sure to define each term. What rights did citizens have under Augustus? Finally, how did monarchy look like for the people of Europe during the Middle Ages? How did Europeans push back to try to gain more rights using documents such as the Magna Carta?
The Magna Carta, also known as the Great Charter, was signed by King John at Runnymeade in a concession to his barons. What was the purpose of the Magna Carta? Who did the Magna Carta apply to? What legal changes were the barons trying to make or and what were they trying to emphasize to King John? How many times was it reissued? What has the Magna Carta become a symbol of? What other important documents in history are modeled on the Magna Carta?
Use the videos above and your textbook to support your claim. Your essay will be graded on how well you (1) answer the questions posed; (2) develop a clear thesis statement and support it with evidence; (3) use proper citation; (4) use good English grammar and spelling to develop clear writing; and (5) explore the main ideas about democracy, monarchy, and the Magna Carta. You must cite your sources using Chicago Manual of Style Author/Date style.
Topic: Democracy, Monarchy and the Magna Carta
Due Date: Friday, May 1, 2020. Essays must be uploaded to Canvas by 12:00 Noon on Friday. NO EMAILS!!! It must be typed in Microsoft Word.
Length: 750-1000 words (3-4 pages double spaced), including cover page and bibliography page.
Format: Times New Roman, 12 point, double spaced
Citations: Chicago Manual of Style Author-Date format
Sources: The documentary, podcasts and webpage and your textbook ONLY!!!
