Life in the Turbulent 1600s

Imagine you are living in seventeenth-century Europe and are taking a trip. You can take one of the following identities:

• an aristocrat living in the court of Peter the Great
• a displaced peasant living in a German principality during the Thirty Years' War
• King Louis XIV of France
• a Dutch merchant
• an apprentice to a famous astronomer or scientist

Writing in the first person, describe your occupation, where you live and the reasons for your journey. Discuss the place you come from and your destination including descriptions of local customs, religion and rulers. Include also a description of the political situation pertaining at both your point of departure and your destination.

Details: The purpose of this assignment is twofold. Firstly, it should show your awareness of the diversity of early modern Europe in terms of its religion, classes and ethnicities. Remember that you need to put your character in the proper context of time and place. Secondly, this assignment calls for you to choose and evaluate secondary web sources.

So where should you begin? Start by looking up facts about the era and location you will be writing about in the online textbook. Then, go Wikipedia. Check out general information about your character as well as the time period during which he or she lived. You can also check out other websites to get additional information.
There is a lot of room for creativity, so use your imagination along with the research you do!

Requirements: Papers must be at least 750 words long.
The paper must include at least 4 sources (internet or print)
Bibliography (Chicago/Turabian style) or Works Cited page (MLA style) must be included.
Review the Grammar Guide that is attached with the assignment instructions, so that you do not make basic grammar errors.
Your essay must be uploaded into Blackboard.