Before break, you had the opportunity to study and observe many different ancient monuments. Now you have the opportunity to create your own. Using the five characteristics you selected in class, as well as your knowledge of ancient monuments of the world and their meaning, create your own fictional empire and an ancient monument that represents that empire.  

Think about it like this: before break, I gave you the empire and you had to discuss the monument. Now you’re creating the monument and the empire, then discussing it.

This assignment has several parts, so we’ll go over them step by step.

RUBRICS

Step 1: Design your empire (40 points)

Before you can create a monument, you need to discuss the empire that built it, including the history and origin story of the empire.  Using the characteristics that you drew in class, describe your empire. This will be the first part of your paper about the monument. Think of this as the background information that the reader needs to know to understand both the empire and the monument. It should be at least a few paragraphs in length and briefly touch upon the five characteristics woven into its history. Simply put, describe how each characteristic fits into the broader picture of your empire.

Things you should include in this section: 
  • Where in the world your civilization exists
  • How it was founded/where the people came from
  • Who is in charge (Who are you?)
  • What natural resources you have
  • What makes your society interesting/unique?
  • How your civilization relates to your political neighbors

Step 2: Design your monument (10 points)

Now that you have an idea of where your empire is, what their history is and what it is like, consider the aspects of your civilization. What would a monument in this society be about? What would it look like? Sketch out a simple draft of your monument. Be sure to include all of the characteristics of your civilization in the monument. ​

Step 3: Describe your monument and each characteristic in detail (60 points)

In this section, using the history you have created based on the characteristics you chose, focus on the monument itself. In five separate paragraphs, describe your monument and explain how your monument represents each characteristic of the civilization. As the architect of this monument, explain how each characteristic is represented in your monument, discuss how it appears visually in your monument, and why it is depicted in the monument in the way that it is.

For each characteristic, make a connection to a civilization or monument that we have studied, or another ancient civilization that we will study if one is not available. For example, if you have a seafaring people you could mention Greece or the Phoenicians and their customs in a paragraph about the aspect of the monument that reflects that. This is the most significant part of the project, and the part that will be weighted most heavily. ​

Step 4: Create the final representation of your monument (20 [+10] points)

Now that you have the hard part done, you can create your best representation of your monument. This should be a drawing or other visual at a minimum, but can be a 3D model for extra credit (up to 10 points). This piece must be in the classroom on the day of your presentation.

Step 5: Present your monument and civilization (20 points)

Create a short (3-5 minute) visual presentation that introduces the class to your monument and civilization. Be sure to mention all of the aspects of your civilization, how they are represented on your monument, and why you chose to represent them the way you did.

Step 6: Putting it all together

When you’ve completed all of the other steps, submit in one file all of the parts of this project with a cover page. Since you will submit this online, you can take a picture of your monument or drawing and paste it into the document. Here’s the order:
  1. Title page, with your name, the name of the civilization, and the name of the monument
  2. Description of civilization
  3. Description of monument
  4. Rough draft image of monument

The final draft of your monument should just come to class with you on the day you present.
General Guidelines:
  • All papers should be typed in Times New Roman 12pt font, double-spaced, with 1” margins all around (if you don’t change the default settings, then you’re all set on the margins).
  • You will submit your final draft of the project to Turnitin.com.
  • Be sure to use every aspect of your civilization throughout the project.

Characteristics

Natural Resources
  1. Horses and other herd animals
  2. Agricultural abundance
  3. Water
  4. Iron
  5. Bronze
  6. Lumber
  7. Accessible and easily worked stone
  8. High-quality quartz and marble
  9. Precious metals, gold silver

Geographic location of capital
  1. Arid river valley
  2. Archipelago
  3. Mountain Chain
  4. Fertile river valley
  5. Small but well-protected valley
  6. Vast temperate forest
  7. Marshlands/Swamp
  8. Arid pastoral land

How you came to power
  1. Latest ruler in a long dynasty
  2. Economic takeover
  3. Violent military conquest led by you
  4. Peaceful transfer between dynasties
  5. Gradual cultural infiltration
  6. Marriage into more powerful but culturally inferior people
  7. Took over based on your wealth
  8. A child of parents from warring kingdoms
What your society is famous for
  1. Law and Bureaucracy
  2. Art and Architecture
  3. Philosophy
  4. Intense religious devotion
  5. Emphasis on writing and learning
  6. Engineers and Mathematicians
  7. Militaristic
  8. Commercial
  9. Explorers (sea-farers, adventurers, etc.)

Modern political situation you are in
  1. Dominate neighbors by force
  2. Established cultural influence over wide regions
  3. Colonies and small outposts scattered far around neighboring regions
  4. Extensive trade network
  5. Friendly and peaceful cultural ties, no real political problems
  6. You are an extreme isolationist
  7. You are being threatened by larger powers