SUBDOMAIN 117.1 – THEMES IN U.S. & WORLD HISTORY

Competency 117.1.9: Thematic Analysis – The graduate applies a thematic approach to the study and evaluation of significant events in world and United States history.

Introduction:

A thematic approach to history enables us to contextualize significant events, people, and intellectual developments. A thematic understanding of history also helps us identify the similarities among events separated by significant chronological, cultural, and geographic distance.

In this task, you will create a multimedia presentation (e.g., PowerPoint, Keynote, etc.) using graphics, images, text, and other artifacts. In your multimedia presentation, you will examine the four historical themes listed below:

• Geography and the development/diffusion of human society

• Historical systems of power, governance, and authority

• Individuals and institutions as mechanisms of social/governmental change

• Science and technology as the engine of economic growth and development

Note: Each historical theme should be represented by only one example.

For each of the four themes, choose a significant example from history that represents it. Your examples may include (but are not limited to) events, people, inventions, or physical geographical features.

Note: Please choose different examples for each theme. Examples do not have to be connected to each other, only to their respective themes.

Two of your examples should be from U.S. history, and two examples should be from world history. The examples you choose should not be the same as those included in the GKE1 course of study.

Task:

Create a multimedia presentation (e.g., PowerPoint, Keynote, etc.) in which you do the following:

A. Justify the historical significance of each of the two U.S. examples you chose.

1. Demonstrate how each of the two U.S. examples you chose represents a distinct historical theme from the list in the introduction.

2. Support how the two U.S. examples connect to the themes identified in part A1 using academic research (e.g. with images, details, charts, graphs, videos, maps).

B. Justify the historical significance of each of the two world examples you chose.

1. Demonstrate (e.g. with a thesis statement) how each of the two world examples you chose represents a distinct historical theme from the list in the introduction.

2. Support how the two world examples connect to the themes identified in part B1 using academic research (e.g. with images, details, charts, graphs, videos, maps).

C. When you use sources to support ideas and elements in a paper or project, provide acknowledgement of source information for any content that is quoted, paraphrased or summarized. Acknowledgement of source information includes in-text citation noting specifically where in the submission the source is used and a corresponding reference, which includes:

• Author

• Date

• Title

• Location of information (e.g., publisher, journal, or website URL)

Note: To adequately respond to the above prompts, use of sources is required.

Note: The use of APA citation style is encouraged but is not required for this task. Evaluators will offer feedback on the acknowledgement of source information but not with regard to conformity with APA or other citation style. For tips on using APA style, please refer to the APA Resources web link found under General Information/APA Guidelines in the left-hand panel in Taskstream.

Note: No more than a combined total of 30% of a submission can be directly quoted or closely paraphrased from outside sources, even if cited correctly.

Note: When bulleted points are present in the task prompt, the level of detail or support called for in the rubric refers to those bulleted points.

Note: For definitions of terms commonly used in the rubric, see the Rubric Terms web link included in the Evaluation Procedures section.

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