Letters from the Edge of Collapse
WORLDHISTORY PROJECTORIGINS / LESSON 5.1 CLOSERLETTERS FROM THE EDGE OF COLLAPSEUnless otherwise noted, this work is licensed under CC BY 4.0. Credit: “Letters from the Edge of Collapse,” OER Project, www.oerproject.com/PurposeReflect on what you learned in this lesson abouthow societiesand individualsexperienced both collapse and continuity—and how people adapted during times of uncertainty.Process1.Imagine you’re living through a moment of collapse—like the fall of the Roman Empire, Han China, or the Mayan city-states. Now it’s your chance to be like Dhuoda, (the worried mother from the Unit 5 Overview video) and write a shortletter to someone younger than you (a sibling, cousin, or future student), giving them advice for how to survive and thrive in uncertain times.2.Your letter should include:•One insight from the lesson about what happens when societies collapse (for example:loss of networks, rise of religion, shifting power).•One example of how people adapted, rebuilt, or preserved knowledge (for example:monasteries in Europe, survival of Mayan highland cities, Islamic scholarly networks).•One piece of personal advice (serious or humorous!) that reflects what you’ve learned from this period in history.