Honors History Essay Prompts on Greece

Honors Western Civilization                                                                                                      Name

Greece Test,  110 Points

Directions:  There are seven essays below.  Pick ONE from Group A, do the one in Group B and also any of ONE in Group C.   Answer the questions completely as directed, using complete sentences.  Spelling does NOT count in Group A, but does count in Groups B and C. 

Group A:  Done in Class: Pick ONE

1.        Write a paragraph telling about the early history of Greece.   Tell the story correctly using these words in your paragraph:  Peloponnesus, Mediterranean,, Climate, Myth, Bard, Epic, Mountains, Resources, City-state, Minoans, Mycenaeans, Troy, Trade, Dorians, Dark Ages,  Homer.

2.       Compare and contrast life in Athens and Sparta, addressing all of the following:  children, education of boys and girls, government types, reason why Athens became an open trade city while Sparta became a closed military city.  Also, why is it that so many schools use a Spartan as a mascot rather than an Athenian?  What does that say about us?  What do we value more, athletic ability or academic ability?  Why?

3.       Tell about each of the four main battles of the Persian Wars, in order.  Discuss the military strategies of Persia and Greece.  Tell what caused the Persian Wars.  Rank the four major battles in order of importance and defend your answer.

GROUP B & C:  Take Home.  Due Monday, November 6 at beginning of class.

 Group B Must do:  Edith Hamilton’s ‘The Greek Way’

Question:  “What made the Greeks so Great?”

Procedure:

1.        Read the passage, and as you do, consider what Xenophon thought it was the made the Greeks great.

2.       Take notes.  Jot down examples, ideas and quotes that you can use to answer the question.

3.       Make sure you include in your answer the qualities/adjectives of the Greeks that you and/or Xenophon feel makes them great.

4.       Make sure you include in your answer references and examples from the article.

5.       Make sure you title your essay.

6.       Make sure your essay has an introduction with a thesis statement, a body, and a conclusion.

Group C:  Pick One of the Following

4.       Tell two important facts about each of the three philosophers we studied—Plato, Aristotle and Socrates.  Then, select either Socrates or Plato.  For Socrates, explain how modern American schools could use his Socratic Method to increase learning.  For Plato, either agree or disagree with his belief that democracy is not an effective way to govern and that only those who are educated and/or informed should vote or hold power. 

5.       What events led to the Golden Age of Athens?  What were some of the achievements during the Golden Age?  Make sure to discuss art, architecture, government, drama, sports and philosophy.  How have these accomplishments affected the way we live in the United States today?  How could the U.S. attain a similar Golden Age today?

6.       Using Ancient Greece as a model, what important lessons could the United States learn about democracy, education, war, moral values, and popular culture?  Make sure to tie your answer in with each of the above themes.

Essay Prompt on Alexander the Great/Hellenism Test
5-paragraph essay.  Due Monday, November 11

What made Alexander the Great so ‘great’?  What are some of the ways.  Pick four qualities that he had that you could use to help yourself be a success in life and tell how you would use each to your advantage.