Discussion Essay
Would you rather have lived in Sparta or in Athens during the classical period (5th and 4th century BCE)? Explain your answer using historical evidence from both
societies.
Essay Format
I. Introduction
a. Opening sentence that gets the reader’s attention
b. thesis statement: this is your argument in a nutshell! State your position.
c. give an indication of the sources/examples you will use to back up your thesis statement.
d. Example:
i. In the 5th century BCE, Athens and Sparta developed rival city-states
whose different cultures continue to influence our understanding of
western civilization. I would rather have lived in Sparta at the end of the
5th century BCE because it [example X, example Y, example Z]. This is
evident in Thucydides’
History of the Peloponnesian War
and in the way
that Lycurgus depicts Spartan social and military life.
II.
Body (minimum 3 lengthy paragraphs – go for more if you can/if you need to)
a. paragraph 1
i. Topic sentence – a “mini” argument that tells the reader what the
paragraph is about.
ii. explain with evidence
b. paragraph 2
i. Topic sentence
ii. evidence
c. paragraph 3
i. Topic Sentence
ii. evidence
III. Conclusion: reiterates your argument referencing the evidence used in the body of the
paper.
Solution Preview
Sparta and Athens were rival city-states in the 5th century BCE in Greece. They were some of the most developed areas in the classical era, thereby playing a vital role in western civilization. The two city-states had different cultures, thus making them distinct from each other…
(484 Words)