This is a take-home exam question. 

Students may use artificial intelligence tools, including generative AI, on this course as learning aids or to help produce assignments and tests. Please realize that AI is far from perfect. AI often produces errors of fact, irrelevant text, has not done the reading for this class or heard the lectures, and may plagerize the work of others. Students are ultimately accountable for the work they submit including work generated by AI.

You will submit your essay (or the revision of the AI document) via Turnitin in the lecture section of Brightspace by 6:00PM May 3. There is no hard copy submission for this essay.

Your answer should be no more than 1000 words in length. We will not read more than 1000 words. This essay is worth 40 points of the total of 100 points for the first exam.

Please put your name, your TA's name and your discusion section number on your paper.

 You should feel free to discuss the question with other members of the class and work in study groups.  However, you must answer the question on your own.  When the time comes to compose the answer to the question do it alone.  We will be systematically checking for answers that are too similar in composition.  IF YOU PLAGIARIZE THE WORK OF SOMEONE ELSE YOU WILL BE CHARGED WITH CHEATING, YOU WILL RECEIVE AN F FOR THE CLASS, AND YOU WILL BE TAKEN BEFORE THE UNIVERSITY HONESTY COMMITTEE.  

QUESTION:

The third section of the course has focused on ancient civilizations around the world and has argued that the concept of civilization is very problematic.  In this essay, we want you to develop and defend a thesis statement about the role of heritage and the definition of civilization in struggles about identity formation.  In your answer, be sure to consider three issues. First, what is the relationship of heritage, identity, and civilization?  Second, what is the traditional definition of Civilization as laid out by V. Gordon Childe, and how does Thomas Patterson critique civilization as an elitist invention.   And, Third, support your thesis using two specific cases from lecture or readings.

GRADING RUBRIC:

This essay is worth 40 points:

Writing = 2 points
Thesis statement about the role of heritage and the definition of civilization in struggles about identity formation = 4 points
Relationship of Heritage, Identity, & Civilization = 6 points
Traditional definition of Civilization = 5 points
Patterson's critique = 5 points
Case 1 = 9 points
Case 2 = 9 points

Click the link below to get help on writing a good thesis statement. 
http://www.easybib.com/guides/how-to-write-a-strong-thesis-statement/

Please focus your efforts on arguments, material and information presented in this class.  You will not find the answer to the question by googling web pages.  Always remember that in any exam or essay we will be evaluating you in terms of two major criteria: (1) how well you answer the questions and (2) have you done the work of the class.  Using Professor Google will probably confuse criteria one and will not demonstrate your completion of criteria two.