The following comprehensive essay question
Although the United States of America has become a melting pot for a diversity of cultures, its basic institutions and ideals are essentially Western. Identify a specific characteristic of American culture that originated in each of the four major periods of
Western Civilization under study in this class:
the Ancient World (Near East and Egypt)
the Classical World (Greece and Rome)
the Middle Ages
the Renaissance/Reformation
In an essay, thoroughly discuss each chosen characteristic and explain its significance in the development of Western culture.
This essay should be written as a formal essay and will be graded as such. That is, you need to include an introduction and a conclusion, and structure your essay around a clear thesis statement. I am not looking for any particular information in this essay, though you do need to be specific about the topics you choose to highlight as you respond to the question. You are limited in the responses you can give to the essays by the 2 hour time limit on the exam. I do not expect you to write comprehensive histories in answering this question, but you do need to show that you have a grasp on the material and the impact of the topics you choose to discuss.