world cultures discussion 1
Each week you will be given three or four questions pertaining to important topics covered in the materials provided in the question itself, the textbook, the lectures, the other materials provided, and my comments in my Live Session. You choose the one you like and post a response of 125 words or more. You also need to respond to another post from one of your fellow students. This second post should be at least 60 or so words long and should not just agree with or repeat what has been said. Please use an example that has not already been used in the discussion.
- Absolutism succeeded for Louis XIV in France but failed for Charles I in England. How and why did Louis succeed when Charles failed? What lasting effects did Louis’ success have? What lasting effects did Charles’ failure have? We see strong executives all over the world today. Is this an effective way to govern? Should the US become more or less authoritarian?
- English and French music between 1550 and 1715 were very different. While the early Baroque music we heard last week was mostly religious in nature, Northern composers were asked to do other things with their music as well. Music and performances became important political tools. Compare English music to French music between 1550 and 1715, using one specific composer and composition from each country.
Examples:
Jean Baptiste Lully…various pieces, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5mVa1MB0nc4&list=RD5mVa1MB0nc4&start_radio=1&t=0
Elisabeth-Jacquet de la Guerre…Cembalo Suites
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V-C-iR2eUeQ
Henry Purcell…Sonatas
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PicGSNmWTlg
George Frideric Handel…various pieces
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=joVkx20oVIg
- Some of the most important and foundational ideas used by the founders of the United States were clearly defined by European thinkers between 1550 and 1715. Two witnesses to the English Civil War, John Locke and Thomas Hobbes explored the philosophical foundations of government in ways that still have relevance in our world today. Who holds power? What roles do the people and their government play and what is their relationship? What ideas from Locke and Hobbes do we see in the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States of America?
- Between 1550 and 1715, both the English and the French were building vast worldwide empires. How did they manage to create and control these far flung colonies? How did Europeans share their culture with the people they encountered? What did they bring back to Europe from these newly encountered lands and cultures?
Some good advice about discussion posts from Dr. Mike.
How to Improve Your Score with Discussion Boards
With the first week of Discussion Boards in front of us, it is a good time to pause and reflect before moving forward. If the score is the only thing you look at and moved on, you are doing yourself a disservice. Read the feedback and consider why you lost points, to prevent the same thing happening week after week.
Here are a few common mistakes to avoid:
- Not writing enough. This is a writing class. You are expected to read and listen to the materials, analyze and write an understandable response that covers the subject and answers the questions. Use complete sentences, as these are not short-answer questions. You might need to do a bit of extra research.
- Cite your sources at the end of the initial post. Never cut-and-paste materials from sources. We want to see your thoughts and not those of others. If you summarize someone else’s thoughts or you use a direct quote, cite them. With assignments of this length, do not use long quotes. A short phrase is the maximum.
- If your response to your classmates is “Great post!†“I agree with you!†are all you write, then you will not get points. Read their posts and find something they say that you can comment on. You can agree or disagree but provide evidence to prove your claims. The length here is important as well. Say something interesting that relates to the subject. Again, if you use outside sources, cite them.
- Make sure your comments are organized, relate to the subject and make sense.
- Check grammar, spelling, sentence structure, etc. As a college student, mistakes in these areas should not be present in your writing. When they are present, go back and review and learn why you made the mistake, so that you will not make them next time.
- When you have completed your post, before you post it, re-read and edit it. You send your best work to be graded. Grading should not be an editing service, but a confirmation of your hard work. You are not done and should not post until you have edited your work for errors.
- As a southerner, I often tell myself…Self, you cannot write the way you speak. Use your formal voice, with correct grammar and diction. To be honest, I was born a redneck, but I work hard to keep it under wraps in my writing. Writing well will become one of the greatest skills you can develop, but it takes constant work.
- Try to check and respond to your classmates throughout the week. Read my responses to your classmates as well. You will find that the give and take of the responses will add much to your understanding.