Done reading the novel?
Visited everyone in the library?
Finished creating your “European History: An Inheritance of Ideas” & Me scrapbook?
First, let’s transform your scrapbook into a scroll through time…
Take your one hundred twenty-two 8½x11 posters (yes, if some were created on a computer, now is the time to print them out if you haven’t done so already) and neatly, securely tape them together.
IMPORTANT: tape them side to side, not top to bottom. In other words, the taped sides are the long, 11” side.
When you are finished you will have a giant scroll, 11” wide by just over 1,000” (87 feet) long!
When you are finished, you will have an 87-foot long, 4,000-year timeline, from 2000BCE to 2000CE.
Now take a look at the examples of European History timelines that we’ve provided. They’re similar, but not exactly the same, in terms of the events they’ve chosen to include or emphasize – after all, history is not just facts, but also those facts’ interpretation.
In that spirit, put the sample timelines we’ve provided side by side and create your own European History timeline on the back of your scroll, underneath your timeline of philosophers, by copying what events YOU believe would make your timeline complete and yet not overcrowded.
Not sure how to choose which events to include?
Use what you learned from Sophie’s World and our library, what you remember learning about some of these events in earlier grades, and what you might have learned outside of school about these events through books, movies, the news, or even conversations with family and friends. Oh, yeah – and your opinion. This is your timeline. However, you should be ready to explain and defend what you chose to put on there and what you chose to leave out.
All set? Great. Now we’re going to repeat what we did for #4, but this time, instead of creating a European History Timeline, create a World “Everything-But-European” History Timeline on your scroll below where you put the one for European History.
Need help?
Once again, I’ve provided a sample early twenty-first century world history timeline (from textbook publisher Houghton Mifflin), but now that you have some experience, you can also look for one you like at a physical library or online. Just be certain it’s from a credible source.1
Alternatively, you could use AI to assemble one for you, but carefully engineer and document how you evolved your prompt to ensure what AI assembled for you is accurate.
Also, remember, this is an “Everything-But-European” World History Timeline. In other words, don’t copy European History events onto it. No event should appear twice, once on your European History timeline and once on your “Everything-But-European” World History Timeline.
Now, this wasn’t just busy work.
First, you got a sense of history’s scope this way – all 87 feet of it!
Second, the act of measuring and writing something out by hand is distinctly different from copying and pasting on a computer. On the computer it’s easy to zone out and do this task quickly without really paying attention to the information in front of you. And if you’re at a job and your boss needs something fast and accurate, that might be the smartest thing to do. However, doing things that way doesn’t necessarily make you smarter, and definitely doesn’t make you wiser, which are our goals for this class. So we hope you paid attention and reflected a little as you copied these events onto your scroll to create your three timelines.
Third, as you created your three timelines we hope some thoughts started to percolate, like:
“Hunh, I didn’t realize that was going on while so-and-so was philosophizing.”
“That’s interesting – what was happening at the same time in Europe and in (some other part of the world) was so similar (or different, depending on when you are talking about).”
“Wow, it’s almost like that philosopher predicted the future!”
If those thoughts didn’t cross your mind, take a quick glance back at your scroll now and let your mind start to wander in those directions before moving on to the last task to complete your scroll.
To complete your scroll, review and compare your three timelines and select 3 “periods” of events (no period should span more than 100 years) in which you believe the philosophers, the events in European History, and the events in World History both: (a) are closely related to each other; and (b) have had the greatest impact on your life today.
Draw a geometric shape around the related events within each of those 3 periods as described here. For the first period you chose, draw one square around the philosopher(s) of that period on your philosophical timeline, one square around the event(s) of that period on your European History timeline, and one square around the event(s) of that period on your World History timeline. That way you know those events from each timeline are related: they are each enclosed in a square. For the second period you chose, do the same thing but using circles, and the same for the third period using triangles.
Once you have identified your three periods and drawn your geometric shapes, reflect on (and maybe even do a little more research about) each of the periods you identified. Then, based on your research and reflection, create annotations and/or illustrations on your scroll in the space between your three timelines around each of those periods. How you do this is completely up to you so long as it makes the relationship among and the impact from the events in each period apparent to anyone who explores your scroll.
Next, review the 3 sets of annotations/illustrations you have created on your timelines and select THE ONE that, above all others, you would choose to convince someone that philosophy has a profound impact on everyone’s everyday life.
Now State Your Case.
- Title and central theme: “European History: An Inheritance of Ideas”
- Format: 5 - 15 college ruled 8 ½ X 11 handwritten pages (Note: 15 pages are not necessarily more complete or otherwise better than 5 pages; a philosopher at your stage probably needs at least 5 pages to be thorough but 15 or less to be concise. Within that range only quality matters).
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Outline:
First, introduce the time-period and events/philosophers therein that you chose to demonstrate philosophy’s profound impact on human existence – both “back in the day” of the period you selected, as well as how those ideas and events continue to have an impact on you today.
Second, explain why you selected that time-period’s set of events and philosophers as opposed to other potential candidates (e.g., you can compare the time period you selected to the other two on your scroll that you drew a geometric shape around but ultimately did not choose).
Third, identify and address – through the example of the time-period you selected – counterarguments to your premise that philosophy has been and continues to be of profound importance to everyday people’s daily existence.
Lastly, end with a compelling conclusion that flows logically from the arguments you have made.
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It should be obvious to your reader that your paper was written by someone who has read Sophie’s World and thoroughly explored the philosophers and philosophies therein by using our library (not because you tell the reader that, but because of your demonstrated command of the material and use of it in making your arguments).
In other words, although this paper is all about your opinion, you can’t support your opinion with just more of your opinions and feelings – you must use the philosophical ideas you have inherited!