Choose one of the topics below and write a 1000-word essay. The essay should be in MLA format. Use the sources from your book. You have access through Cengage to help you with the sources you need outside of the textbook. If you quote from somewhere, be sure to quote and cite the source appropriately. If the quote comes from the textbook, cite the chapter and page number as the source.
Choose one of the four topics listed. If the topic asks a question, you need to answer the question. I am looking for critical thinking in these essays. You should use the source materials to support your claims.
• How does modern law differ from that of the Code of Hammurabi? What are the advantages of our laws? Of Hammurabi’s code?
• What ideas from Greek philosophy persist in contemporary sciences, such as biology, physics, or sociology?
• Compare and contrast Greek, Roman, and American attitudes toward sports.
• Compare and contrast the functions of the Roman Senate and Assembly with the United States Senate and House of Representatives.
Sample Answer
The Evolution of Governance: A Comparative Analysis of the Roman and American Legislatures
The architects of the American republic were profound students of antiquity. In their quest to design a system that avoided the pitfalls of both absolute monarchy and "mobocracy," James Madison and Alexander Hamilton looked to the Roman Republic as a foundational, albeit flawed, blueprint. The resulting American legislative structure—comprising the Senate and the House of Representatives—bears a striking resemblance to the Roman Senate and the various Assemblies (Comitia). However, while the structural parallels are evident, the functions and
The Roman Senate versus the United States Senate
In Rome, the Senate was not originally a legislative body in the modern sense; it was a deliberative assembly of the aristocracy. As noted in the textbook, the Senate primarily served as an advisory council to the consuls, wielding auctoritas (moral authority) rather than formal legislative power (Chapter 3, p. 84). Senators were not elected by the people; they were appointed, usually for life, from the patrician class. Their primary functions included the management of foreign policy, the supervision of the treasury, and the oversight of religious ceremonies.