Ms. Kinney

 

Ninth grade Humanities

Marble Hill School for International Studies

 

Classical Roots of Government

 

Introduction

 

Governments have to look after their citizens. Today government is viewed as being responsible for providing services to and protecting citizens.  Government today has its roots in ancient and classical times.

 

In classical Roman civilization the Senate was the ruling body. The Senate was composed of leading citizens who were members of the original aristocratic families in the old Republic. When Rome was a small city-state, the original purpose of this group was to advise the King. Later, the Senate gained more power. The two consuls, the chief ruling Magistrates of the Republic were chosen by the Senate, which served as the advisory body to the consuls.

A bit east of Rome, classical Greek city-states governed by a form of democracy. These democracies were not very much like those governments we call democracies today because only the upper classes could vote and hold office. Rights were few or nonexistent for the poor people of Greece. Furthermore, in most classical governments, women had few rights or none at all. (There were exceptions to this and studying them has always been one of the things that has attracted people to the study of history.)

 

TASK

Your group will research government systems in ancient Greece and Rome using the internet and library resources. Your group is responsible for writing a 3-page position paper which advocates for one particular form of government. After your research and paper are complete your group will try to persuade the rest of the class that your form of governance was the best.

 

You will need to use the 6-step public policy approach and complete the worksheets for each step in blue, on your own.  You should do the following in your paper: 

q       Describe and identify the problem of government reform. 

q       Gather the evidence of the problem by using class textbooks, notes and the internet resources below

q       Determine causes of the problem by using class textbooks, notes and the internet resources below

q       Evaluate the policy. Look at one policy of governance in place during ancient Greek and Roman times.

q       Complete a comparative analysis.  Choose another form of governance in place during ancient Greek and Roman times and complete a comparative analysis.

q       Select best policy. Using your analysis develop a position paper to advocate for the one you think is best.

 

 

Position Paper Guidelines

a) Include a cover page with your name, a title for the paper, and an image related to your paper.

b) Include a bibliography with at least 5 on-line sources where you obtained this information.

 

 

PROCESS

q       Use the internet to do research using the Global History Policy analysis model of the TIPS program. Use the sources listed below in order to gather information for your three-page paper and you point presentation.

q       Complete the 6-step public policy analysis work sheets and plan your paper.

q       Organize your notes from the resources into a logical and coherent format and write an outline and then a first draft that will be reviewed with a peer and/the teacher

q       Edit and rewrite your paper, meeting again with peers/teacher as needed

q       Submit your report. 


Internet Resources

           

http://members.aol.com/TeacherNet/AncientGreece.html

http://www.wsu.edu:8080/~dee/GREECE/ATHENS.HTM

http://home.freeuk.com/elloughton13/timeflie.htm

http://ancienthistory.about.com/library/weekly/aa042799.htm 

http://www.e-classics.com/solon.htm

http://www.holoka.com/solon.htm

http://www.pbs.org/empires/thegreeks/characters/cleisthenes_p1.html

http://www.in2greece.com/english/historymyth/history/ancient/cleisthenes.htm

http://www.in2greece.com/english/historymyth/ancient_hist_and_myth.htm

http://mars.acnet.wnec.edu/~grempel/courses/wc1/lectures/08pericles.html

http://www.e-classics.com/pericles.htm

http://www.anthro.mankato.msus.edu/prehistory/aegean/culture/classesofathens.html   http://www.pbs.org/empires/thegreeks/htmlver/index.html

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

EVALUATION

Your report will be graded based on the following criteria:

 

 

4

3

2

1

Total

Written

3-page report

In-depth and insightful analysis of the topic and use of the PPA format

- Clear and full development of ideas

-Shows sophisticated control of conventions

Thorough analysis of topic and use of PPA format

- Clear development of ideas

- Control of conventions with occasional errors in sophisticated language

Basic understanding of topic and use of PPA format

- Develops some ideas briefly

-shows minimal control of conventions that sometimes affect comprehension

Confused understanding of topic and little or no use of PPA format.  Incomplete development of ideas and lack of control of conventions numerous errors that often affect comprehension

 

Web Site Research

A variety of sites (5 or more) used from resource list and student researching that fully support the topic

Sufficient number of sites that support the topic.  Most are directly from resource list

Adequate number of sites but few support the topic

1-2 sites used and do not sufficiently relate to topic

 

 

STANDARDS

Students completing this project will meet the following New York State Standards:

 

Social Studies Standard 2

Students will use a variety of intellectual skills to demonstrate their understanding of major ideas, eras, themes, developments, and turning points in world history and examine the broad sweep of history from a variety of perspectives.

Key Idea 1: The study of world history requires an understanding of world cultures and civilizations, including an analysis of important ideas, social and cultural values, beliefs, and traditions. This study also examines the human condition and the connections and interactions of people across time and space and the ways different people view the same event or issue from a variety of perspectives.

Key Idea 3: Study of the major social, political, cultural, and religious developments in world history involves learning about the important roles and contributions of individuals and groups.

 

English Language Arts Standard 1

Students will read, write, listen, and speak for information and understanding.

Key Idea: Listening & Reading to acquire information and understanding involves collecting data, facts, and ideas; discovering relationships, concepts, and generalizations; and using knowledge from oral, written, and electronic sources.