The Most Important Characteristics of the Silk Road
Hi, please just write it with simple sentences and with more sentences like "...that...", "...which..." and "...which means that/which lead to...". And the thesis is important because our instructor repeated times and times on class. The characters is in the second file. Thank you.
HIST:1016:0002
Instructions to Written Assignments
This semester, we have two written assignments, a short primary source analysis and a longer term paper. The longer term paper is designed to build on the short primary source analysis. Please see the instructions below
1. Short primary source analysis
Please select the favorite document (one document only) you have read so far from Valerie Hansen’s Silk Road: A New History with Documents, and write a short essay to analyze it. Please address the following questions in the essay: what is this document about? What was the historical context the document was produced? What parts of the document you find interesting? What does this document tell you about the life/society along the Silk Road? Based on your reading of the document, what was the characteristics of the Silk Road?
1) Purpose of the assignment: To build up your skill of analyzing primary sources, which is required for the term paper.
2) Length of the essay: 2 pages double spaced; font: Time New Roman; character size: 12
3) Due date: October 24, 11 pm, on ICON.
Note: I will assign a grade to the version you submit on October 18 and provide you feedback for improvement. You will have the chance to revise your essay based on my feedback. Once you have made improvement, I will update the grade.
4) Grading criteria:
a. A grades: Has a clear brief summary of the major points of the document, an in-depth analysis that relates the document to the historical context discussed in our text books, and the analysis can support the conclusion on the characteristics of the Silk Road.
b. B grades: Has a clear brief summary of the major points of the document, an attempt to relate the document to the historical context discussed in the text books, and an attempt to support the conclusion on the characteristics of the Silk Road based on the analysis.
c. C grades: Has a summary of the document, the analysis of the document is not sufficient.
d. D grades and below: The major points of the document was not clearly summarized, no attempt to analyze document to the historical context.
2. Term paper: The Most Important Characteristics of the Silk Road
After writing the short primary source analysis, you should have had an argument about the most important characteristics—those you feel most strongly about—of the Silk Road. Please take the understanding of the Silk Road you derive from the short primary source analysis and expand it into a 4-to-5-page essay (font: Time New Roman; font size: 12) on “The Most Important Characteristics of the Silk Road”.
Requirements and grading criteria for the essay (term paper):
The essay should draw from the textbooks, especially documents from Silk Road: A New History with Documents, and the lectures.
The paper is graded according to three major criteria: a) the quality of the analysis or argument; b) the accuracy, relevance, and quantity of evidence provided to support the analysis; and c) the quality and effectiveness of the organization and writing. An ideal essay will have the following features:
1) The thesis:
a. The essay should have a thesis in the first paragraph, clearly define the most salient characteristics of the Silk Road. b. The thesis should be drawn upon your analysis of the primary sources in Silk Road: A New History with Documents and your text books.
2) The use of evidences and the analysis: For the purpose of this essay, all your evidence should be drawn from Silk Road: A New History with Documents, the lectures, and The Cambridge Illustrated History of China. You should include THREE documents from Silk Road: A New History with Documents. One of the three documents should be the one you analyzed for the shorter assignment. The evidence selected should be thoroughly analyzed to support your argument.
3) Organization: The essay should have an introduction with thesis statement, a body with ample evidence and analysis, and a conclusion. Each paragraph should have a topic sentence that leads the whole paragraph. The paragraphs have a smooth logic flow.
4) References: All references are reliable. References are properly cited in the text, and, in the end, a list of references is provided in the proper format. A grade: Insightful thesis, skillfully argued, ample evidence from the assigned materials, and excellent writing skills.
B grade: Sound thesis, well argued, sufficient evidence from the sourcebook, good writing skills.
C grade: Some good ideas but less than adequate organization, use of evidence, and writing skills.
D and F grades: Poorly formulated thesis, little analysis, poor organization, inadequate evidence and writing skills.
Deadline: Essay due on ICON and in class on Dec 12.
Zhang QianLoulanNiyaKrorainaAurel SteinSven HedinKarosthiHan DynastyHan Wudi (Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty)XiongnuYuezhiKushan empireMahayana BuddhismNirvanaStupaKumarajivaKucha
Kizil Caves
Byzantium Empire
Sassanid Empire
Manichaeism
Zoroastrianism
Sogdians
Turfan
The Ancient City of Gaochang
Alexander the Great
Petra
Nabataeans
Barygaza
The Periplus of the Red Sea
The Sogdians
Samarkand
Sabao
An Jia
Shi Wirkak
An Lushan
Tang Dynasty
Chang’an
Nestorian stele
Hejiacun village
Dunhuang
Library Cave
The Mogao Caves
Khotan
Temujin (Genghis Khan)
Ogedai
Yuan Dynasty
Karakorum
Course
Instructor
Date
The Most Important Characteristics of the Silk Road
The Silk Road facilitated diplomatic relations between the Han Empire and other localities. The Han Emperor send the Chinese explorer, Zhang Qian to the far West. This is where the Silk Road extended to Eurasia. The Han Emperor wanted to establish diplomatic relations with the western parts of China, in particular, northern India and Persia. During this time, the biggest threat to the Han Empire was the Xiongnu, which was a confederacy of nomadic peoples. Zhang Qian's main task was to locate allies against Xiongnu. In particular, Han wanted to form an alliance with the enemies of Xiongnu. In this case, Han targeted Yuezhi, a nomadic people who had been displaced by Xiongnu. The presence of Silk Road was hence critical in reaching out to other people. Without the road, it would be impossible for emperors like Han to seek diplomacy with individuals in other territories.
Additionally, the Silk Road necessary for the exploration of other territories. Zhang Qian did not succeed in his mission of seeking diplomacy with the Yuezhi, his travels eventually landed him at the Bactrian region. Here, Zhang Qian noticed “bamboo staves from the Qiong region in Sichuan and cloth from the Shu region” (30). On enquiring about the source of the products, Zhang Qian was informed that the merchants in Bacteria purchase them from northern India. The Silk Road allowed him to explore other territories and learn about how Emperor Han could strategize and expand his territory. During his travel on the road, Zhang Qian learned that Ferghana, Bactria, and Parthia were large countries that had rare goods. Furthermore, their ways of life were similar to those of China. At the same time, their armies were weak which made it easier to conquer them. The people on the north, the Yuezhi and the Sogdians had strong armies. However, Zhang Qian learned that it was possible to offer them gifts and incentives so that they can pay their respects to the Chinese emperor. Moreover, Zhang Qian discovered that it was possible to establish contacts with the peoples of the southwest. Initially, such an attempt has proved to be too expensive. However, using Silk Road, Zhang Qian realized that one could reach Dian via Dian. This was a perfect opportunity for the Chinese emperor to use Silk Road to expand his influence on other territories.
The Silk Road was critical in enhancing relations between different territories. Document 4b tells of a dispute that arose regarding the value of camels that had been brought by the Sogdians to the Chinese. The document, originating from Xuanquan, narrates an incidence where the envoys complained because they had not been treated well as the previous trips. The Sogdians demanded that an investigation be launched into the matter, something that the Chinese government did. The complaint was based on the way the Sogdian envoys were treated badly on the second trip to China. In the previous trip when they came to the Han Empire to present a gift of camels, the Sogdians were provided with meals after passing through ...
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