Analyze the Persian Empire (Achaemenid Dynasty 550-330 BCE — Cyrus + Darius + Xerxes) on its own terms (per Touraj Daryaee), the Persian Wars (490 BCE Marathon + 480 BCE Thermopylae/Salamis/Plataea) taught with BOTH Greek AND Persian sources (Herodotus + Cyrus Cylinder + Behistun Inscription), the Peloponnesian War (431-404 BCE Athens-Sparta), and Alexander the Great's conquests (336-323 BCE)
Exercise Difficulty 4 ~7 min hist.g6.f.ex_25

Source Analysis

MG-7 Interactive Physical / non-image

Ancient-World 6-Question Source Card — 8.5x11 laminated tool with 6 questions: (1) WHO made this source and WHEN? (sourcing); (2) WHAT was happening in this civilization at the time? (contextualization); (3) DOES this source agree or disagree with other sources from the same civilization or other civilizations? (corroboration); (4) WHAT does this source actually SAY (close reading); (5) WHO are the LIVING DESCENDANTS of this civilization today, and what do they say about this source? (NMAI-inspired 5th move); (6) WHO TRANSLATED this source from its ancient language? WHOSE INTERPRETATION are we reading? WHAT IS LIKELY MISSING from the source-record entirely (silences)? (World History Association-inspired 6th move). Scaffolded short-form for Lessons 3-7; full form for Lessons 11-21. Style: educator-tool, durable laminated card.

Prompt

Apply MG-7 Source Card FULL 6 questions to the Cyrus Cylinder (539 BCE, British Museum BM 90920, Finkel 2013 translation). Particular attention to 5th move LIVING DESCENDANTS (modern Iranians + repatriation debate) and 6th move CORROBORATION (Hebrew Bible Ezra 1:1-4 corroborates).

How it's presented
mode text
Answer criteria
type rubric scored 6 question source card
rubric
3 stars all 6 questions answered substantively. 2 stars 5 answered. 1 star 4. 0 <4.
Hints
  1. The Cyrus Cylinder records Cyrus's religious-tolerance + return-of-exiled-peoples policies.
  2. Hebrew Bible Ezra 1:1-4 + 2 Chronicles 36:22-23 corroborate.
Misconceptions to watch
  • Calling Cyrus Cylinder simply 'the first human-rights declaration' uncritically
  • Forgetting the Hebrew Bible corroboration
Used in lessons