At the end of our unit we will come together in role to discuss this inquiry question:
to what extent was the world truly “global” at the time of the Renaissance in Europe, approximately 1500? Who was in it? Who was excluded? Is it fair to call this a global time?
Note to teachers: I changed the inquiry question in 2025-26 to ask whether religion was the driving force in the world in the unit 1 time period.
Global Gathering Assignment, 2025-26
Step 1. Choose a role. This list of characters has also been updated but you can add your own from the 1450-1650 time period approximately.
Note to teachers: this assignment began as the Global Renaissance Gathering. I expanded it in the years after, thus I removed a number of Renaissance figures to make the characters more global. There’s still work that can be done on that.
Step 2. Do research on these three questions (point form notes using note-taking template):
- Connections to the global world (how your character interacted with parts of the world other than his/her own – could be through trade, exploration, curiosity, awareness, missionary activity, etc.) – New question: connections to religion (good and bad)
- Contributions to the world: positive – New question: connection to other (more secular) factors
- Blind spots / biases / prejudices / global limitations / negative influences and consequences – New question: biases, prejudices, negative influences and consequences (don’t be presentist but don’t overlook horrible actions)
Sample of note-taking by Ms. G (based on the orange topic)
Step 3: Write up your research in three paragraphs. Cite all evidence in proper Chicago style footnotes.
Step 4: Bring your notes and write-ups to the global gathering and participate in in-role discussion to come up with an overall answer to the inquiry question. There will be white boards for you to use to answer some sub-questions on the way to your group’s big answer. (I had students record their group discussions this year to make it easier for me to mark).
Assignment (this is the in-class participation portion)
Hints:
When to cite: every time you write something that you gathered from research, you must cite. Otherwise, you are plagiarizing.
Which sources to use: TDSB Virtual Library databases (history reference centre, global issues in context, Britannica)
When to use HTC: HTC is just a tool to help you analzye more deeply. So, whenever you make a connection to continuity and/or change, or view something from the point of view of a particular historical group (historical perspectives), you’re using HTC. The key is to use a wide variety of vocabulary to help you express these HTC connections. You are not limited to these two HTCs, but they are probably the most likely to be used.
Should you use primary source evidence? Since it is the best kind of evidence, yes, if you can. Make sure to cite it. And remember quotes can’t float. Integrate quotes into your writing.