World History II Name: _________________________

Ms. Murphy

ABSOLUTISM TRADING CARD ASSIGNMENT

ABSOLUTE RULER: ___________________________

DUE DATE: ___________________________________

Task: Your assignment is to create a trading card (i.e. baseball card) for an absolute monarch.

The trading card must include the following information:

FRONT:
• Picture or drawing of the individual.
• Name and/or nickname (You can create a nickname for your historical figure, for example,
Albert “E=MC²” Einstein)
• Approximate date of birth and death
• Empire with which he/she is associated (ex. Louis XIV-France)

BACK:
• Evidence that he or she was an absolute ruler. You should answer the following
questions:
o What policies, edicts or laws did your monarch enact?
o What were your monarch’s greatest challenges?
o What were your monarch’s greatest strengths?
o What was life like for his or her subjects?
o What were the symbols of his or her power? Art? Architecture? Clothing?
o How did your monarch justify his or her power? War? Territorial expansion?
o What did your monarch believe that he or she owed to his or her subjects?
• Favorite songs (2 total): Pick a song that shows how the monarch feels about his/herself or
his/her role as monarch. Pick a song that shows how the monarch’s subjects feel about
him/her.
• Hobbies: What does your monarch like to do when they are not governing the empire?
• Greatest achievement: What is your monarch’s proudest accomplishment? What would he
or she want to be known for accomplishing?

FRONT BACK

STATS
-Evidence proving that
your monarch was an
absolute ruler.
-Songs
-Hobbies
-Greatest achievement

NAME/NICKNAME
EMPIRE
D.O.B./D.O.D.
World History II Name: _________________________
Ms. Murphy

REQUIREMENTS:
 Must complete the front and back of the trading card as explained above.
 Must write one-two paragraphs that includes:
o For each song:
 Include the lyrics to each song. Identify at least 2 phrases or sections of the
song that relate to the monarch’s life.
 Provide two pieces of evidence from your monarch’s life for each song that
illustrates why the song you chose was appropriate.
o For the greatest accomplishment, two pieces of evidence from your monarch’s life
that illustrate why the accomplishment you chose was appropriate.
o For the nickname, two pieces of evidence from your monarch’s life that explains
why the nickname you chose was appropriate.
 You must use 3 sources that are not the textbook or the handout I gave you. Once source
can be for the picture. Reminder: You want your card to stand out so find information that
no one else may have.
o Sources must be properly cited.
You can find NoodleBib at http://lhs.lexingtonma.org/Library/ Resources 
Writing Center  NoodleBib.
 All information must be presented on 8.5 x 11 paper. It will appear as an enlarged version of
a trading card.

READING ASSIGNMENTS

Ruler Reading Assignment

Akbar 18.3
Elizabeth I Handout
Peter I 21.4
Philip II 21.1
Suleiman 18.1
Tokugawa Ieyasu Handout
 World History II Name: _________________________
Ms. Murphy

5 4 3 2
Evidence Employs sufficient Employs sufficient Provides some Provides little or no
and well-chosen evidence to evidence to evidence to
evidence to demonstrate how the demonstrate how the demonstrate how
demonstrate how monarch is an monarch is an absolute the monarch is an
the monarch is an absolute ruler. ruler. Defends choice absolute ruler. Does
absolute ruler. Defends choice of of song, nickname and not defends choice
Defends choice of song, nickname and accomplishment with of song, nickname
song, nickname accomplishment with weak evidence. and
and evidence. accomplishment
accomplishment with evidence.
with solid evidence.
Creativity Design is creative, Most of the design is Parts of the design are Design is not
colorful and well presented in a creative and clear. May original, neat or
executed. Choice of creative manner. be difficult to clear. Is poorly
songs, nicknames Choice of songs, understand. Choice of executed. Choice of
and hobbies nicknames and songs, nicknames and songs, nicknames
demonstrate hobbies demonstrate hobbies do not and hobbies does
creativity and creativity and necessarily reflect an not reflect an
understanding of understanding of the understanding of the understanding of
the monarchs. monarchs. monarch’s life. the monarch’s life.
Requirements All parts completed All but one part All but two parts Does not complete
thoroughly and on completed on time. completed on time. all parts on time.
time. Includes 3 Includes 3 outside Includes 1-2 outside Uses no outside
well-chosen outside sources. Sources are sources. Sources not sources. Sources
sources. Sources properly cited. properly cited. not properly cited.
are properly cited.
Conventions Uses appropriate Uses appropriate Makes grammatical Makes grammatical
grammar and spells grammar and and spelling errors that errors that
correctly spelling most of the distract but do not compromise the
throughout. time. Text and compromise the meaning. Text and
Text and graphics graphics are clear. meaning. Most text and graphics are not
are neat and clear graphics are neat and neat and
and easy to locate. clear. May be difficult information is
to locate information. difficult to locate.