The passage discusses the debate between whether life was better for hunter-gatherers or farmers. It notes that while hunter-gatherers had more leisure time and did not have to work as hard as farmers, they were also more vulnerable to food shortages and famines. Farming allowed communities to support larger populations, but farmers had to work harder and longer hours to grow enough food. Overall, there are good arguments on both sides, and reasonable people can disagree on which lifestyle was ultimately better.

1. from The Worst Mistake in
the History of the
Human Race
by Jared Diamond

2. from The Worst Mistake in
the History of the
Human Race
by Jared Diamond

3. from The Worst Mistake in
Was life better for
the History of the
hunter-gatherers
Human Race
or
by Jared Diamond
farmers?

4. WRITING A THESIS
Write a clear, concise and, thoughtful thesis that responds to the
following question:
Is STAB a good school?

5. THESIS-WRITING
In responding to a question, the thesis should contain two
parts:
1. Your stance/position on the topic
2.Your reasons (3)

6. WRITING A THESIS
STAB is/is not a good school
because...x_____, y_____,
z_____.

7. BODY PARAGRAPHS
THESIS FORMAT:
YOUR STANCE “because” x (reason 1), y (reason
2), and z (reason 3).

8. BODY PARAGRAPHS
THESIS FORMAT:
YOUR STANCE “because” x (reason 1), y (reason
2), and z (reason 3).
•Body Paragraph 1 (x!)

9. BODY PARAGRAPHS
THESIS FORMAT:
YOUR STANCE “because” x (reason 1), y (reason
2), and z (reason 3).
•Body Paragraph 1 (x!)
1.Assertion (restatement of x!)

10. BODY PARAGRAPHS
THESIS FORMAT:
YOUR STANCE “because” x (reason 1), y (reason
2), and z (reason 3).
•Body Paragraph 1 (x!)
1.Assertion (restatement of x!)
2.Evidence to support assertion (with footnotes!)

11. BODY PARAGRAPHS
THESIS FORMAT:
YOUR STANCE “because” x (reason 1), y (reason
2), and z (reason 3).
•Body Paragraph 1 (x!)
1.Assertion (restatement of x!)
2.Evidence to support assertion (with footnotes!)
3.Concluding statement (ties argument back to thesis)

12. BODY PARAGRAPHS
THESIS FORMAT:
YOUR STANCE “because” x (reason 1), y (reason
2), and z (reason 3).
•Body Paragraph 1 (x!)
1.Assertion (restatement of x!)
2.Evidence to support assertion (with footnotes!)
3.Concluding statement (ties argument back to thesis)
•Body Paragraph 2?

14. Thesis:
Cyrus the Great was one of the most
Influential People in World History

15. Thesis:
Cyrus the Great was one of the most
Influential People in World History
Reason #1: Cyrus was a Great Military Leader

16. Thesis:
Cyrus the Great was one of the most
Influential People in World History
Reason #1: Cyrus was a Great Military Leader
Evidence:

17. Thesis:
Cyrus the Great was one of the most
Influential People in World History
Reason #1: Cyrus was a Great Military Leader
Evidence:
i. “About 553BC Cyrus rebelled against his overlord
(Median king), and after a war lasting for three years,
succeeded in overthrowing him.”

18. Thesis:
Cyrus the Great was one of the most
Influential People in World History
Reason #1: Cyrus was a Great Military Leader
Evidence:
i. “About 553BC Cyrus rebelled against his overlord
(Median king), and after a war lasting for three years,
succeeded in overthrowing him.”
ii.“His first target was the Lydian Empire in Asia
Minor...by 546BC, Cyrus had conquered the Lydian
Empire and made [king] Croesus his prisoner”

19. Thesis:
Cyrus the Great was one of the most
Influential People in World History
Reason #1: Cyrus was a Great Military Leader
Evidence:
i. “About 553BC Cyrus rebelled against his overlord
(Median king), and after a war lasting for three years,
succeeded in overthrowing him.”
ii.“His first target was the Lydian Empire in Asia
Minor...by 546BC, Cyrus had conquered the Lydian
Empire and made [king] Croesus his prisoner”
iii.“Cyrus then turned his attention to the east, and in
a series of campaigns subdued all of eastern Iran
(Persia) and incorporated it into his empire.”

20. Thesis:
Cyrus the Great was one of the most
Influential People in World History
Reason #1: Cyrus was a Great Military Leader
Evidence:
i. “About 553BC Cyrus rebelled against his overlord
(Median king), and after a war lasting for three years,
succeeded in overthrowing him.”
ii.“His first target was the Lydian Empire in Asia
Minor...by 546BC, Cyrus had conquered the Lydian
Empire and made [king] Croesus his prisoner”
iii.“Cyrus then turned his attention to the east, and in
a series of campaigns subdued all of eastern Iran
(Persia) and incorporated it into his empire.”
iv. “With his rear protected, Cyrus could now
concentrate on the richest prize of all, the wealthy
Babylonian Empire.”

22. Reason #2: The “Benign Character” of Cyrus’ Rule

23. Reason #2: The “Benign Character” of Cyrus’ Rule
Evidence:

24. Reason #2: The “Benign Character” of Cyrus’ Rule
Evidence:
“He was exceptionally tolerant of local religions and
local customs.”

25. Reason #2: The “Benign Character” of Cyrus’ Rule
Evidence:
“He was exceptionally tolerant of local religions and
local customs.”
“He was disinclined to the extreme brutality and
cruelty which characterized so many other
conquerors.”

26. Reason #2: The “Benign Character” of Cyrus’ Rule
Evidence:
“He was exceptionally tolerant of local religions and
local customs.”
“He was disinclined to the extreme brutality and
cruelty which characterized so many other
conquerors.”
“After Cyrus the Great had conquered
Babylonia, he gave the Jews permission to
return to their homeland”

27. Reason #2: The “Benign Character” of Cyrus’ Rule
Evidence:
“He was exceptionally tolerant of local religions and
local customs.”
“He was disinclined to the extreme brutality and
cruelty which characterized so many other
conquerors.”
“After Cyrus the Great had conquered
Babylonia, he gave the Jews permission to
return to their homeland”
“Even the Greeks, who for a long period considered
the Persian Empire to be the chief threat to their own
independence, never ceased to regard Cyrus as a
thoroughly admirable ruler”

29. Reason #3: Cyrus’ empire endured and continued to
expand even after his death

30. Reason #3: Cyrus’ empire endured and continued to
expand even after his death
Evidence:

31. Reason #3: Cyrus’ empire endured and continued to
expand even after his death
Evidence:
“In the middle of the third century BC, there was a
rebellion against Selucid rule, led by Arsaces who
claimed to descend from the Achaemenids (the
dynasty of Cyrus). The kingdom founded by
Arscases, the Parthian Empire, eventually gained
control over Iran and Mesopotamia.”

32. Reason #3: Cyrus’ empire endured and continued to
expand even after his death
Evidence:
“In the middle of the third century BC, there was a
rebellion against Selucid rule, led by Arsaces who
claimed to descend from the Achaemenids (the
dynasty of Cyrus). The kingdom founded by
Arscases, the Parthian Empire, eventually gained
control over Iran and Mesopotamia.”
“In 224AD, the Arsacid rulers were replaced by...the
Sassanids, who likewise claimed descent from the
Achaemenids, and whose empire endured for over
four centuries”

34. Reason #4: “The career of Cyrus the Great represents
one of the major turning points of world history.”
political structure of the ancient world.

35. Reason #4: “The career of Cyrus the Great represents
one of the major turning points of world history.”
political structure of the ancient world.
Evidence:

36. Reason #4: “The career of Cyrus the Great represents
one of the major turning points of world history.”
political structure of the ancient world.
Evidence:
“From then on, neither Mesopotamia nor Egypt was
the center of the civilized world, either politically or
culturally.”

37. Reason #4: “The career of Cyrus the Great represents
one of the major turning points of world history.”
political structure of the ancient world.
Evidence:
“From then on, neither Mesopotamia nor Egypt was
the center of the civilized world, either politically or
culturally.”
“Furthermore, the Semitic peoples who made up the
bulk of the population of the Fertile Crescent were
not to regain their independence for many centuries
to come.”

39. Reason #4: The empire Cyrus established
permanently altered the political structure of the
ancient world.

40. Reason #4: The empire Cyrus established
permanently altered the political structure of the
ancient world.
Evidence?

41. WRITING A THESIS:
QUESTIONS

42. WRITING A THESIS:
QUESTIONS
“Should the United States government raise taxes
for those making $250,000 and above?”

43. WRITING A THESIS:
QUESTIONS
“Should the United States government raise taxes
for those making $250,000 and above?”
“At what time should we start school?”

44. WRITING A THESIS:
QUESTIONS
“Should the United States government raise taxes
for those making $250,000 and above?”
“At what time should we start school?”
“Should your curfew be extended on weekends?”

45. BODY PARAGRAPHS
THESIS FORMAT:
YOUR STANCE “because” x (reason 1), y (reason
2), and z (reason 3).

46. BODY PARAGRAPHS
THESIS FORMAT:
YOUR STANCE “because” x (reason 1), y (reason
2), and z (reason 3).
•Body Paragraph 1 (x!)

47. BODY PARAGRAPHS
THESIS FORMAT:
YOUR STANCE “because” x (reason 1), y (reason
2), and z (reason 3).
•Body Paragraph 1 (x!)
1.Assertion (restatement of x!)

48. BODY PARAGRAPHS
THESIS FORMAT:
YOUR STANCE “because” x (reason 1), y (reason
2), and z (reason 3).
•Body Paragraph 1 (x!)
1.Assertion (restatement of x!)
2.Evidence to support assertion (with footnotes!)

49. BODY PARAGRAPHS
THESIS FORMAT:
YOUR STANCE “because” x (reason 1), y (reason
2), and z (reason 3).
•Body Paragraph 1 (x!)
1.Assertion (restatement of x!)
2.Evidence to support assertion (with footnotes!)
3.Concluding statement (ties argument back to thesis)

50. BODY PARAGRAPHS
THESIS FORMAT:
YOUR STANCE “because” x (reason 1), y (reason
2), and z (reason 3).
•Body Paragraph 1 (x!)
1.Assertion (restatement of x!)
2.Evidence to support assertion (with footnotes!)
3.Concluding statement (ties argument back to thesis)
•Body Paragraph 2?

51. THESIS AND BODY
PARAGRAPH
Which is the most important trait of
civilization and why?