Assignment 1: Essay – Exploring Ancient Mysteries Due Week 4 and worth 100 points Choose one (1) of the topics below and develop a three to four (3-4) paragraph essay (of at least 250-500 words) which adequately address the topic you have chosen. Topic Choices · There have been many theories regarding how the pyramids at Giza were constructed. Most experts agree that they were constructed as burial monuments for pharaohs, but “how” these ancient people constructed monuments of such great size without modern machinery is a mystery which is still being debated.       · No one can say for certain what happened to the great urban Mayan civilization, but theories abound and include varied possible alternatives to explain the relatively abrupt and mysterious disappearance of the Mayan civilization. · Tutankhamen died young, at approximately eighteen (18) years of age. However, his cause of death has been the subject of quite varied scholarly theories and conclusions. Did he die of an injury, of illness, of murder, or something else?. · Minoan Crete was a major civilization in its time, but several theories have been advanced to explain its demise, including speculations associating it with mythical Atlantis. What were the causes of Minoan Civilization's decline? · Great Zimbabwe is an enormous complex of structures in East Africa. Since the builders and occupants left no written records, several theories have developed as to the identity of its builders and the functions of the structures. Which theory makes the most sense? · The monumental size and complexity of the Tomb of Shihuangdi is astounding, yet its location and construction details were to be kept secret. What was the emperor’s purpose for such an elaborate, secret burial place? · Other topic choice recommended and approved by the professor and supported by the grading rubric. Write a three to four (3-4) paragraph paper in which you: 1. Clearly state the “mystery” and provide a brief summary of at least two (2) reasonable and scholarly theories which could explain the mystery. Because some theories may sound far-fetched, include the source or promoter of each theory – such as a scientist, a historian, a theologian, etc. 2. After summarizing at least two (2) scholarly theories, identify one (1) of the theories as the most plausible and provide at least two (2) convincing reasons why the theory you have chosen is the best one to explain the mystery. This will involve some critical reasoning skills on your part. 3. Use at least two (2) sources plus the class textbook. (Three [3] sources total as the minimum) Note: Wikipedia and other similar Websites do not qualify as academic resources. You are highly encouraged to use the Resource Center tab at the top of your Blackboard page. Your assignment must follow these formatting requirements: · Be typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides; citations and references must follow APA style format. B ...

1. Assignment 1: Essay – Exploring Ancient Mysteries
Due Week 4 and worth 100 points
Choose one (1) of the topics below and develop a three to four
(3-4) paragraph essay (of at least 250-500 words) which
adequately address the topic you have chosen.
Topic Choices
· There have been many theories regarding how the pyramids at
Giza were constructed. Most experts agree that they were
constructed as burial monuments for pharaohs, but “how” these
ancient people constructed monuments of such great size
without modern machinery is a mystery which is still being
debated.
· No one can say for certain what happened to the great urban
Mayan civilization, but theories abound and include varied
possible alternatives to explain the relatively abrupt and
mysterious disappearance of the Mayan civilization.
· Tutankhamen died young, at approximately eighteen (18)
years of age. However, his cause of death has been the subject
of quite varied scholarly theories and conclusions. Did he die of
an injury, of illness, of murder, or something else?.
· Minoan Crete was a major civilization in its time, but several
theories have been advanced to explain its demise, including
speculations associating it with mythical Atlantis. What were
the causes of Minoan Civilization's decline?
· Great Zimbabwe is an enormous complex of structures in East
Africa. Since the builders and occupants left no written records,
several theories have developed as to the identity of its builders
and the functions of the structures. Which theory makes the
most sense?
· The monumental size and complexity of the Tomb of
Shihuangdi is astounding, yet its location and construction
details were to be kept secret. What was the emperor’s purpose
for such an elaborate, secret burial place?
· Other topic choice recommended and approved by the

2. professor and supported by the grading rubric.
Write a three to four (3-4) paragraph paper in which you:
1. Clearly state the “mystery” and provide a brief summary of at
least two (2) reasonable and scholarly theories which could
explain the mystery. Because some theories may sound far-
fetched, include the source or promoter of each theory – such as
a scientist, a historian, a theologian, etc.
2. After summarizing at least two (2) scholarly theories,
identify one (1) of the theories as the most plausible and
provide at least two (2) convincing reasons why the theory you
have chosen is the best one to explain the mystery. This will
involve some critical reasoning skills on your part.
3. Use at least two (2) sources plus the class textbook. (Three
[3] sources total as the minimum) Note: Wikipedia and other
similar Websites do not qualify as academic resources. You are
highly encouraged to use the Resource Center tab at the top of
your Blackboard page.
Your assignment must follow these formatting requirements:
· Be typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size
12), with one-inch margins on all sides; citations and references
must follow APA style format. Both in-text citations and a
References list are required. Citations and references must
follow APA style format. Check with your professor for any
additional instructions. (Note:Students can find APA style
materials located in the course shell for guidance).
· Include a cover page containing the title of the assignment, the
student’s name, the professor’s name, the course title, and the
date. The cover page and the reference page are not included in
the required assignment page length. For our purposes, you may
omit any abstract page.
The specific course learning outcomes associated with this
assignment are:
· Explain how key social, cultural, and artistic contributions
contribute to historical changes.
· Explain the importance of situating a society’s cultural and
artistic expressions within a historical context.

3. · Examine the influences of intellectual, religious, political, and
socio-economic forces on social, cultural, and artistic
expressions.
· Identify major historical developments in world cultures
during the eras of antiquity to the Renaissance
· Use technology and information resources to research issues in
the study of world cultures.
· Write clearly and concisely about world cultures using proper
writing mechanics.
ENG122: Composition II
An Introduction to Logic and Syllogisms
P a g e | 1
English 122: Composition II
An Introduction to Logic and Syllogisms
Logic and Fallacy
Logic must be used to build a valid argument. Logic is not
persuasive on its own; rather, it is factual
evidence and builds the foundation for the paper’s logos, or
logical appeal. It is an effective tool for
creating legitimacy and adding credibility to the argument based
on fact and clear, sequential thinking.

4. Flawed logic, however, can crumble the foundation of the
paper’s logos. Errors in logical reasoning are
called fallacies and they should be avoided in all academic
writing. Many students write fallacies
unintentionally. They are not aware that their argument has
irrelevant points, lacks evidence, or contains
invalid conclusions.
Review the following common fallacies and ensure you have not
used them in your assignment. Double-
check each claim and associated conclusions/analyses for strong
logic and address any fallacies right
away. This is a very small list of fallacies found in arguments.
Use logic to avoid any flawed thinking,
misuse of logos, or loss of credibility in your work.
that something bad will
definitely happen if one small thing is allowed to occur.
w children of undocumented workers to
attend public
schools, there will soon be amnesty for all and terrorists will be
able to enter

5. the country freely and destroy America.
attend our schools
does not actually lead to terrorists destroying America. This
example jumps a
lot of steps to draw this conclusion. Since it not a logical
sequence, it is a
fallacious statement.
makes a conclusion regarding a
large group based upon the analysis of a small, non-
representational segment of the group.
want to exercise.
person is
lazy and does not
want to exercise. However, it is also possible that an overweight
person has
thyroid disease or a metabolic disorder. The person may have
terrible arthritis
and cannot physically exercise. People who have received organ
transplants
take high doses of medications to fight transplant rejection and

6. those
medications cause a lot of weight gain. Sometimes, overweight
people work
hard and exercise a lot but have other dietary issues preventing
weight loss. It
is not proper to assume that all people with weight problems are
to blame for
their condition. Therefore, it is fallacious to say that all people
with weight
problems are lazy and do not want to exercise.
ENG122: Composition II
An Introduction to Logic and Syllogisms
P a g e | 2
therefore, because of this.” This
fallacy occurs when the writer assumes that an earlier
occurrence is the cause of a later
occurrence. Superstitions are common post hoc fallacies.

7. home games.
He wore the blue BVDs last year during Homecoming and they
won 13-0.
team to win a
game. Logic states that player preparation and performance can
indicate odds
of winning. Just because he wore those briefs and won once
there is no
evidence that they caused the win or will cause other wins in
the future. This is
a fallacy.
allacy occurs when the writer presents a
multisided issue in an oversimplified
way, offering only two sides or choices.
destruction of the earth.
o people than
living “off the
grid” or being responsible for the destruction of the earth. For
instance, people
can plant trees in areas destroyed by wildfire, use little
electricity, recycle

8. rainwater, use a bicycle instead of a car, and replace old
appliances with
energy-efficient models to avoid harm to the environment.
Boycotting the
energy companies is not the only other option. The overly-
simple presentation
of choices is fallacious.
cks the
person or organization presenting
the argument rather than addressing the argument itself.
healthcare. He’s a
socialist idiot.
socialist party (he
is not) with a very low IQ (he does not). Even if that were true,
his party
affiliation and intelligence level do not impact the policies put
forth by his
administration directly. It would be logical to oppose healthcare
policy based
upon research, budget, industry data, and other facts. It is
fallacious, however,

9. to refute the argument by attacking the president’s social
position or
intelligence.
popular sentiment rather than
logic to prove a point.
broken dozens
of album sales records.
make them a talented
artist. Selling records is not the same task as writing songs. In
fact, many of
Beyoncé’s “co-writing” credits are questionable within the
industry. It is
fallacious to say that something is “good,” “new,” or otherwise
described
simply because it is popular.
This fallacy occurs when the writer strays off
topic during the essay, drawing the
reader away from the actual argument. This fallacy is commonly
used in political debates and
was made quite popular by the 1985 cult film Clue.

10. d that many people have concerns about
my voting
record in Congress. These same people are more concerned
about my
ENG122: Composition II
An Introduction to Logic and Syllogisms
P a g e | 3
opponent’s DUI charge and suspicion of infidelity. After all,
how can someone
run a country if their own life is so out of control? My opponent
has spent
millions of dollars trying to attack me rather than taking the
time and money to
get help for his own vices. His character has been proven time
and time again
and I’m sure that’s not what we want in the White House.
strayed completely off
course until the original topic was completely abandoned? This
form of fallacy

11. is used to redirect the audience and avoid addressing the
counterargument.
There is no logical reason to move from one’s voting record to
the moral
character of another person.
oversimplifies the counterargument and,
therefore, provides an overly-simply or shallow rebuttal.
was built on a
foundation of every person’s right life, liberty, and the pursuit
of happiness.
Our country is not a nation of money and the haves and have-
nots.
single agenda, and
then attack that simple agenda item. Anyone interested in
politics knows,
however, that each political party has a rich identity with
positions on fiscal,
social, international, and other issues. A logical rebuttal will
address many
issues within the counterargument, not just the easy ones.

12. Using Syllogisms to Build Logical Conclusions
The Language of Logic
Logic uses the same concepts as argument but with slightly
different vocabulary. Review the following
terms to understand how the structure of logic relates to the
structure of argument you’ve already learned.
making and the evidence you use to support it) used in
an argument
premises. In short, this is the natural result that readers
will reach based on the evidence and claims you have
presented.
Argument: this is the entire statement of a conclusion based
upon logical premises
premises and conclusions
the basis for the conclusion—but
it’s not a slam dunk argument. In short, you want readers to

13. make connections between your
premises and conclusion and agree that the conclusion very
likely to be true.
provide conclusive proof for the
conclusion. In short, this is a slam dunk argument.
Claims, evidence, rebuttals, and analysis must be presented
logically to create a successful argument.
Pre-writing exercises can help you write a logical sequence for
your ideas before composing a draft. By
planning for logical sequence early, you can avoid mistakenly
writing fallacious statements that
undermine your entire paper.
ENG122: Composition II
An Introduction to Logic and Syllogisms
P a g e | 4
Syllogisms
The Greek philosopher Aristotle developed a simple formula for
creating a logical sequence, called a

14. syllogism. In this formula, the writer will take two premises
(claims with supporting evidence) and draw
a logical conclusion. Each premise provides half of the story.
Added together, they logically combine to
create a solid and logical conclusion. Sometimes two premises
are not enough. It is appropriate to present
multiple premises to logically lead to a solid conclusion.
Remember, each premise will be comprised of a
claim and its supporting evidence. If your conclusions are not
comprised of premises that include a clear
claim and scholarly evidence, it may be illogical or invalid.
Premise 1: All students have access to Microsoft Word.
Premise 2: Microsoft Word contains Times New Roman font.
Conclusion: Therefore, Times New Roman font is accessible to
all students.
This simple formula takes two valid statements and creates a
third statement that relies upon the factual
nature of the others. To make this logical conclusion in your
paper, provide the claims and evidence for
each premise, then lead into the conclusion.
Premise 1: The IRS prohibits partisan politics' involvement in

15. non-profit religious organizations.
Premise 2: Partisan politics' involvement in non-profit religious
organizations would cause
ethnocentric values to enter government.
Conclusion: Therefore, the IRS prohibits ethnocentric values to
enter government.
Premise 1: School uniforms are less expensive than other
clothing options.
Premise 2: Other clothing options can lead to gang affiliations,
bullying, and sexual harassment.
Conclusion: Gang affiliations, bully, and sexual harassment can
be lessened by school uniforms.
Remember! Each premise must be credible and
valid to be used in your paper. This means the
claim should be clear and concise and evidence
must be cited and used to support each claim.
Logic and research should work together to
create a credible and valid argument. One
cannot replace the other. Use research to create
your claim and evidence. Use the claim and

16. evidence to develop a premise. Use syllogisms
to build logical conclusions in your assignment.
Assignment 1: Essay – Exploring Ancient Mysteries
Due Week 4 and worth 100 points
Choose one (1) of the topics below and develop a three to four
(3-4) paragraph essay (of at least 250-500 words) which
adequately address the topic you have chosen.
Topic Choices
· There have been many theories regarding how the pyramids at
Giza were constructed. Most experts agree that they were
constructed as burial monuments for pharaohs, but “how” these
ancient people constructed monuments of such great size
without modern machinery is a mystery which is still being
debated.
· No one can say for certain what happened to the great urban
Mayan civilization, but theories abound and include varied
possible alternatives to explain the relatively abrupt and
mysterious disappearance of the Mayan civilization.
· Tutankhamen died young, at approximately eighteen (18)
years of age. However, his cause of death has been the subject
of quite varied scholarly theories and conclusions. Did he die of
an injury, of illness, of murder, or something else?.
· Minoan Crete was a major civilization in its time, but several
theories have been advanced to explain its demise, including
speculations associating it with mythical Atlantis. What were
the causes of Minoan Civilization's decline?
· Great Zimbabwe is an enormous complex of structures in East
Africa. Since the builders and occupants left no written records,
several theories have developed as to the identity of its builders
and the functions of the structures. Which theory makes the
most sense?
· The monumental size and complexity of the Tomb of

17. Shihuangdi is astounding, yet its location and construction
details were to be kept secret. What was the emperor’s purpose
for such an elaborate, secret burial place?
· Other topic choice recommended and approved by the
professor and supported by the grading rubric.
Write a three to four (3-4) paragraph paper in which you:
1. Clearly state the “mystery” and provide a brief summary of at
least two (2) reasonable and scholarly theories which could
explain the mystery. Because some theories may sound far-
fetched, include the source or promoter of each theory – such as
a scientist, a historian, a theologian, etc.
2. After summarizing at least two (2) scholarly theories,
identify one (1) of the theories as the most plausible and
provide at least two (2) convincing reasons why the theory you
have chosen is the best one to explain the mystery. This will
involve some critical reasoning skills on your part.
3. Use at least two (2) sources plus the class textbook. (Three
[3] sources total as the minimum) Note: Wikipedia and other
similar Websites do not qualify as academic resources. You are
highly encouraged to use the Resource Center tab at the top of
your Blackboard page.
Your assignment must follow these formatting requirements:
· Be typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size
12), with one-inch margins on all sides; citations and references
must follow APA style format. Both in-text citations and a
References list are required. Citations and references must
follow APA style format. Check with your professor for any
additional instructions. (Note:Students can find APA style
materials located in the course shell for guidance).
· Include a cover page containing the title of the assignment, the
student’s name, the professor’s name, the course title, and the
date. The cover page and the reference page are not included in
the required assignment page length. For our purposes, you may
omit any abstract page.
The specific course learning outcomes associated with this
assignment are:

18. · Explain how key social, cultural, and artistic contributions
contribute to historical changes.
· Explain the importance of situating a society’s cultural and
artistic expressions within a historical context.
· Examine the influences of intellectual, religious, political, and
socio-economic forces on social, cultural, and artistic
expressions.
· Identify major historical developments in world cultures
during the eras of antiquity to the Renaissance
· Use technology and information resources to research issues in
the study of world cultures.
· Write clearly and concisely about world cultures using proper
writing mechanics.