I'm going to have to write an in class essay comparing Blood Diamonds and Gold trade in Africa. I'll have to explore political, social, and economic consequences and their similarities across commodities. After doing research I know that Gold and Blood Diamonds have had similar negative consequences for the region. Namely that they both have funded war in the Africa, helped supply rebel groups with weapons, contributed to war crimes such as amputation and executions, and have benefited more developed nations through their use in jewelry and technology. My teacher said that the format of the essay will most likely be Thesis, 2 body paragraphs/2 main points, and I have to compare both commodities in both paragraphs. My question is where should I start? If anyone is really familiar with both of these could you maybe give me some good points to explore besides the obvious? And what do you think a good thesis statement would be? My preliminary one is: While the trade of blood diamonds and gold has provided luxuries and prosperity to the rest of the world, the greed and violence that have resulted from this trade have brought heinous war crimes against the African people, such as amputations, forced labor, torture, and needless killings.