NAME: _________________________ BLOCK: _______ DATE: _________________

SHI HUANG DI ESSAY ASSIGNMENT PACKET

DUE: Monday, Nov. 2, before 3 p.m.

The purpose of this assignment is to evaluate the reign of Shi Huang Di of the Qin dynasty using
secondary and primary sources.

The final product for this assignment is a three-paragraph, thesis-driven analytical essay that
answers the thesis question using specific evidence.

Thesis question: Shi Huang Di’s policies are considered by many historians to be ruthless. Did
the results justify his actions?

Your secondary and primary source packet can be found on the class blog:
http://lexington169.blogspot.com.

You will need to turn in:

□ the essay
□ the rough draft
□ completed outline from this packet
□ the rubric that is in this packet

The essay itself should contain:

□ A thesis statement in the introductory paragraph, which will also have background
information to give historical context
□ TWO body paragraphs that include the following in EACH:
o A topic sentence
o Two pieces of specific evidence that prove one PERSIA GEM
o Background context that introduces each piece of evidence
o Analysis on each piece of evidence
o A link or transition to the next paragraph
□ Use of at least one direct quotation and one paraphrased quotation
□ parenthetical citation

The essay you turn in should:

□ Be final-draft quality
□ Be typed
□ Be formatted in 12-point Times New Roman, doubled-spaced
□ Be printed out before you get to class. I do not have a printer and do not accept e-mailed
assignments.
□ Have your name on it

The essay will be graded using the rubric included in this packet

This essay is worth a test grade of 80 points. Ten points will be deducted for each school day
the essay is late.
NAME: _______________________ COLOR: _________ DATE: ______________

THINKING ABOUT THE TWO SIDES

Thesis Question: Shi Huang Di’s policies are considered by many historians to be ruthless; did
the results justify his actions?

You might want to use your PERSIA GEM paper to help you think of how he helped/hurt
different aspects of society.

YES, the results justified his actions NO, the results did not justify his actions
Below, list all the possible reasons why… Below list all the reasons why… the harsh
his achievements, the effects of his or brutal actions he took… the human cost
achievements on China… (in detail) to his achievements… (in detail)

YOUR DECISION: Did the results justify Shi Huangdi’s policies?

NEXT STEP: Brainstorming a thesis statement.

NAME: _________________________ COLOR: _____ DATE: _________________

GETTING STARTED: PRELIMINARY OUTLINE FOR YOUR SHD ESSAY

I. Introduction

a. Background information: _____________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
__

b. Thesis statement: ___________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
___

II. Topic (PERSIA GEM) #1: ____________________________________________

a. Fact/evidence #1: ___________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
__

i. Citation needed? ________________________________________

ii. Why does this fact serve your thesis? (“so what?”) ___________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___

b. Fact/evidence #2: ___________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
__

i. Citation needed? ________________________________________

ii. Why does this fact serve your thesis? (“so what?”)
___________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
 III. Topic (PERSIA GEM) #2: ____________________________________________

a. Fact/evidence #1: ___________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
__

i. Citation needed? ________________________________________

ii. Why does this fact serve your thesis? (“so what?”) ___________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___

b. Fact/evidence #2: ___________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
__

i. Citation needed? ________________________________________

ii. Why does this fact serve your thesis? (“so what?”) ___________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___

No conclusion needed.