AP Comparative Governments and Politics
Summer Reading Jumpstart Assignment
August, 2016
Machiavelli wrote The Prince in the 15th century and Sun Tzu wrote The Art of War in the 6th century B.C. yet they are still relevant in the 21st century. These classics provide you with a Western and Eastern perspective on government. Thomas Friedman’s The World is Flat and Fareed Zakaria’s The Future of Freedom: Illiberal Democracy at Home and Abroad and The Post American World are 3 studies of the world in the 21st century.
You are to choose one book from the pre-21st century (Szu or Machiavelli) and one book from the 21st century (Friedman or Zakaria) for this assignment. A total 2 books are required for this summer assignment.
A. Identify four (4) lessons (or more) that you learned from the pre 21st century book that you read for this assignment.
B. Based upon the readings, evaluate whether these lessons are still applicable in the 21st century world according to Zakaria or Friedman’s perspective.
C. Choose one 21st world leader/politician from either China, Russia, Iran, Germany, Mexico, Nigeria, Britain or Brazil and determine whether he/she is following the pre 21st century model or the 21st century model or perspective on government.
D. Write an essay that answers the following prompt:
Is (the 21st century leader) following the pre 21st century readings of Machavelli /Szu or has he/she evolved to the position of reflecting Zakaria / Friedman perspective on the world?
E. Use the lessons you learned from the pre 21st century books and primary source documents on the leader/politician you chose to establish your thesis. Include all the references in your essay.
Go to your class page the last week of July for further instructions on your summer project. www.mrsruthie.net AP Comparative Government and Politics.
Summer Reading Essay Rubric
Name:______
10 / 9 / 8 / 7 / 6 / 5Introduction / Present and well defined, sophisticated. Addresses the question fully and takes a position with a strong thesis. Provides organizational categories according to task. / Present and defined. Addresses the question and takes a position with a convincing thesis. Provides organizational categories / Position present in thesis, but not well defined. Provides some organizational categories / Position present in thesis, but flawed and incomplete. Provides some organizational categories / Poor thesis, does not address the task or cannot be defined.
May provide some organizational categories / Not present or poorly written.
No organizational categories
Addressing Task / Thoroughly addresses all aspects of the task by
accurately analyzing and interpreting the lessons from the books. Uses information from the books in the body of the essay, but does not copy document / Addresses all aspects of the task by accurately analyzing and interpreting most of the lessons from the books / Addresses most aspects of the task or addresses all aspects in a limited way; uses some of the lessons from the books / Attempts to address some aspects of the task, making limited use of the lessons from the books / Shows limited understanding of the task with vague, unclear references to the lessons from the books / Fails to address the question
Outside information / Incorporates excellent relevant outside information / Incorporates some relevant outside information / Incorporates limited or no relevant outside information / Incorporates no relevant outside information / Presents no relevant outside information
Supporting facts / Richly supports essay with relevant facts, examples, and details / Includes relevant facts, examples, and details, but discussion may be more descriptive than analytical / Uses some facts, examples, and details, but discussion is more descriptive than analytical / Presents few facts, examples, and details; simply restates contents of the documents / Attempts to complete the task, but essay demonstrates a major weakness in organization / Is illegible
Essay Organization / Is a well-developed essay, consistently demonstrating a logical and clear plan of organization / Is a well-developed essay, demonstrating a logical and clear plan of organization / Is a satisfactorily developed essay, demonstrating a general plan of organization / Is a poorly organized essay, lacking focus / Uses little or no accurate or relevant facts, details, or examples
Conclusion / Includes a strong conclusionthat supports the original thesis and affirms original position / Includes a good conclusion supporting the thesis. / Restates the thesis in the introduction and concludes with a simple restatement of the theme. / Has vague or missing conclusion / Has vague or missing conclusion / Is missing; a blank paper is handed in
Totals
Grade: ______
Comments: ______