American History

You are an American Patriot involved in the Boston Tea Party. What factors drove you to your involvement in such a rebellious action against the Crown? Explain your motivations in a letter to your parents back home in London. Your letter shoud be approximately 175-200 words in length. Be sure to use proper formatting for a letter (date, heading, salutation, body, & closing) as well as correct spelling and grammar.

How and why did the 13 British colonies along the eastern seaboard of North America gradually conclude in the second half of the 18th century that they should declare their independence from Great Britain? In the struggle that followed, what were the advantages and disadvantages of each side?

I. Thesis Statement.  A thesis statement is the key to a paper—without it, you have nothing to write about.  I strongly suggest, but do not require, that your thesis statement explain the importance of your subject.  If your subject was the military campaigns of George Washington, for instance, then a good thesis statement might  begin something like: “The military campaigns of George Washington were important because…” II. Evidence.  Your evidence is a big deal here.  You want to think carefully about it. a.   Except for primary source, evidence MUST come from acceptable sources—books and library-approved websites only, please.  If you were with us in the computer lab, you’ll know how to find these; if not, please see me. b.   Evidence MUST be cited with Chicago style, using footnotes. Again, if confused, ask me! c.    Nothing makes a paper more convincing and powerful than clear, organized, carefully chosen, and specific evidence. III. Writing.   Writing counts.  A LOT!  Proofread, please, and when you’ve finished, proofread it again, read it aloud, and proofread it a third time.  The more work you put in here, the smoother it will be.  If you want help, PLEASE bring me a draft, and I’ll happily go over it so long as it’s not submitted the day before the due date or anything like that.   You’re also welcome to go to the ARC for help, of course—always! IV. Structure: A research paper is always structured the same way, with an introduction, a body, and a conclusion.  The introduction presents the problem to be solved, and MUST include your thesis statement.  The body presents your evidence.  In the conclusion, you’ll be explaining the importance of your conclusion a.   Introduction: A good introduction briefly introduces your subject, as well as introduces your argument about your subject.  Often, though not always, it will also give the reader some sense of how your argument will proceed.  For the essays you’re writing, they will likely be only one paragraph long. b.   Body: The body is where almost all the work of the essay will be found.  This is where you present the evidence for the thesis. i.   Each paragraph in the body MUST begin with a topic sentence, telling the reader what the paragraph is meant to accomplish. ii.   Each paragraph in the body MUST contain evidence.  While a longer research paper will occasionally be broken down still further, and might have paragraphs that don’t have evidence in them, your papers are too short for this, so every single paragraph has to have evidence.  If it doesn’t, go back over it—chances are it’s either part of a different paragraph or it isn’t necessary. iii.   Because every paragraph has evidence, every paragraph MUST end in a footnote.  This is important.  It’s a good way to make sure that you’re citing everything and that you’re not including paragraphs that don’t need to be there. iv.   You should think A LOT about how paragraphs move from one to the next.  There needs to be some sort of connection between them—but whether that connection is chronological, or relates to your argument in a different way—that’s sort of up to you.  (I generally encourage you to think about what order will best serve your argument.) c.    Conclusion.  These are notoriously hard to write.  A strong conclusion will allow you to reflect on what you’ve done.  You may want to think more about the events’ connection to today’s events, or you may want to think about how it might relate to other past events, or to other past issues we’ve discussed—what I’m mainly looking for in the conclusion is something to show that you’ve thought about what this essay can teach the reader.

why did the american revolution take place? describe the basic nature of the conflict between the colonies and england. how did the colonists react to britain’s new policies after the seven years war? when do u think the point of no return took place–when a fight between britain and her north american colonies was inevitable? why then and not at an earlier or later time? paragraph 1 intro hook me in. start essay with a question, or a quotation, or some statement that makes me want to read your paper. clearly state your thesis, the argument that you are making that answers the question, as the last sentence of your introductory paragraph. paragraph 2, 3, 4 make your argument. answer the questions being asked. use historical examples as evidence to prove your thesis. paragraph 5 conclusion. wrap it up. re-argue your thesis statement. summarize the key points of what you have written, be sure they all relate back to your thesis statement.

INFORMAL READING RESPONSE to the Epic of Gilgamesh First, quickly read through all these directions, then start back at #1, following each of the directions step-by-step: 1. Find and carefully read the document “Historical Thinking Skills Checklist, and How to Write an Informal Reading Response” (that’s what you’re going to do!). You’ll find it in the “Resources” folder in Blackboard’s “Content” area. 2. Read the PDF file labeled “The Epic of Gilgamesh.” You will find it in Blackboard’s “Content” area in the in the “Readings” folder. (It’s assigned for Week 1 on the syllabus). 3. Write an informal reading response of at least one page (minimum 350 words) and no more than two pages (Typed, double-spaced). Use Microsoft Word. You can see the word count at the bottom of the document, or highlight a specific selection and click on “Review” and then “Word Count.” Please write the word count at the end. 4. In your response, convince me that you practice at least TWO of the historical thinking skills listed below (these are explained on the checklist I told you to read in direction #1): a. Sourcing: for this, you will probably need to consult a secondary source like the textbook or internet for more for information, which is fine, as long as you provide a reference for your source of information. b. Decoding c. Interpreting d. Contextualizing: to do this, remember that you need to provide additional information about history that was happening during the time, outside of what you can learn from the document itself; it’s a good idea to use your textbook for this. e. Corroborating: to do this, you would need to discuss at least two primary sources. But only one is assigned, so you would have to think of another primary source on your own (a good one might be the Bible, if you know it—the Book of Genesis) f. Critical Thinking g. Assessing 5. When you think you have used one of the historical thinking skills, signal in writing—at the end of the part you are referring to—which of those skills you are using. This helps me grade the assignment more effectively and also demonstrates that you are practicing “metacognition.” It’s best if you use brackets, like this: [Decoding]. 6. Include at least two direct quotes from anywhere in the assigned primary source (from the actual historical document, not the introduction). Put the quotes in quotation marks and reference the author (if known) and/or brief title, and page number, in a footnote. a. Many of you have never made footnotes, I know. You’ll find a useful guide “How to Make and Use Footnotes” in the “Resources” folder in Blackboard’s “Content” area. A quote with a reference to your source should look like this: “And then Enkidu ate the entire ox.” ß That little number one is a footnote, and it directs you to look down to the bottom of the page! b. In case you have trouble making footnotes, for now, I will accept parenthetical references, done like this: “And then Enkidu ate the entire ox.” (Gilgamesh, 6) 7. There is no “correct” answer in this assignment. There is, however, a correct method or process. In grading it, I will score based on how well you comply with these expectations. (See my scoring criteria below). 8. Submit your response in Blackboard as a Microsoft Word document by clicking on the assignment link and attaching the file. Please DO NOT simply write your response in the comment field below or as a “submitted text.” You may copy-and-paste your response into one of those fields strictly as a backup, as long as you also attach the Word document. If you can’t submit it as Word document, a PDF file is acceptable for now…or anything that I can actually see and read. But figure out the correct process as soon as possible! ??See Scoring Criteria below…. SCORING CRITERIA (out of 100) Automatic 30 points for submitting any writing that remotely resembles the assignment Some Possible Deductions (from 100): -8 for each missing direct primary source quote (there should be 2) -5 if a direct quote is mistakenly taken from something other than a primary source -2 if a quote is not referenced (author and/or title, page number) in a footnote or parenthetically -10 for each missing “historical thinking skill” (there should be two) (Note that merely identifying a passage as, say, [Critical Thinking] does not necessary mean that what you have written is a good example of critical thinking. It should be immediately clear to the reader. Look back at the checklist of skills to make sure you’re doing what you say you are). -1 to -10 for grammar, spelling, punctuation, etc. that is so flawed that it interferes with the reader’s comprehension -1 to -10 if you have fatally misunderstood something very important (like a vital fact or a basic point of a document). -1 to -50 if the response is not long enough—minimum 350 words (the deduction is calculated mathematically depending on how big the shortfall is). To check your word count, highlight your text and look at the bottom of the document, or click on “Review” at the top of your Word program and then select Word Count.

Reading: John McDowell Burrows, Fifty Years in Iowa (Davenport, Iowa, 1888), Chapters 1, 2, 9, 14, 23-26, 33-34 (corresponding to pages 1-11, 33-36, 52-57, 92-105, 125-132) In chapter 26 of his memoir, John Barrows mentions that he traveled with his wife to Steubenville, Ohio and then on to Albany and New York, New York.  The first leg of his voyage (Davenport, Iowa, to Steubenville, Ohio) occurred by steamboat.   The second leg (Steubenville to Albany, New York) involved railroads.  Your task is to re-construct his voyage using contemporary maps and a travel guide.  Part I. Write a letter or series of diary entries recounting Burrows's journey by water.  (You can write as Burrows, his wife, or another traveler taking the same trip).  Burrows and his wife traveled down the Mississippi River from Davenport, Iowa to Ohio City in a steamboat; then switched to another steamboat at Ohio City to travel up the Ohio River to Steubenville.  Describe two things (settlements or natural features) that they/you saw on the Mississippi River and two more that they/you saw on the Ohio River.  Consult the contemporary travel guide listed below for maps of the rivers and descriptions of all the cities and towns that travelers passed.  Suggested sites: Nauvoo (page 17), Devil’s Bake Oven (p. 28) on the Mississippi River; Louisville (page 116, map 111) and Steubenville (page 94) on the Ohio River. Travel guide: U. P. James, James’; River Guide Containing Descriptions of all  the Cities, Towns, and Principal Objects of Interests on the Navigable Waters of the Mississippi Valley (Cincinnati, 1857) https://archive.org/details/jamesriverguidec00jame/page/n5/mode/2up )   Part II. Burrows and his family traveled from Steubenville, Ohio to Albany, New York by railroad.  What route did they take?  Consult the railroad maps listed below to re-construct this part of their trip.

Write an essay on three things that you’ve found interesting . The essay has to have 5 paragraphs the three topics and a conclusion. Each paragraph must have 4 sentences. The three subjects are “The roaring 20’s”, “The great depression”, & “imperialism.”

Write an editorial for Harper’s Weekly that responds to two of questions listed below.  Editorials published in Harper’s Weekly were written exclusively by white men living in the North; however, you can exercise creative license and assume any identity (black or white, northern or southern, man or woman, historical or fictional).    If you want to refer to the 13th, 14th, and/or 15th amendments to the United States Constitution, you will find them here: National Constitution Center https://constitutioncenter.org/interactive-constitution/the-constitution   Questions for Editorial (Choose 2 questions, but write just one editorial): On what conditions should Confederate states be allowed back into the Union? What should happen to people who served in the Confederate army or held political offices in the Confederacy? Should they be deprived of any political rights? Should the federal government provide formerly enslaved people with assistance or protection? If so, what type of assistance?  In answering this question, you may use examples from the testimony of freedmen and freedwomen in the reading (see attachment).

All papers must be typed, double spaced, 10 or 12 point type and 10-12 pages long. All papers should be proof-read to insure there are no typographical, spelling or grammatical errors. Margins should be 1 inch. Footnotes or endnotes must be used. History uses the Chicago Manual of Style format, not the MLA or any other. Citing within the text is not acceptable. Your paper is an essay and should reflect your own thinking. The paper is a way to see how the student constructs an argument. It is less concerned with the one correct or “right” answer.  Papers should have a clear introduction and conclusion. Your argument should be clear to the reader from the introduction through the conclusion. Strategy:   A complete answer should set the historical place of your topic. Why is it important? How did it affect New England history? How did it alter the history of New England?  Strive to include as much primary source information in your paper as possible. As a rule, you should quote primary source material and paraphrase secondary source materia

On September 22nd, 1862, President Lincoln announced the Emancipation Proclamation                 – Five days after Battle of Antietam and it would be effective on January 1st, 1863                                 – This proclamation would bring slavery to an end in the seceding states                                                 – It made no mention of the Union slave states or Border States                                                                 – Lincoln did not want to push them away to joining the Confederacy                                                                                 – However, this made clear that slavery had no future in United States                 – Lincoln needed a victory to announce proclamation and he used Battle of Antietam                                 – It was only a “tactical” victory for North, but it was enough for Lincoln                                                 – Importance of Emancipation Proclamation                                                                 – It gave a moral purpose to the war                                                                                 – It was to set people free, specifically the slaves                                                                 – Restoring the Union was still a goal                                                                 – This ended any possible international help for Confederacy                                                                                 – The Civil War was, without a doubt, about slavery                                                                                             – Other countries recognized this and would not interfere                                                                                                         – The South was isolated and alone – Many Southern slaves heard of the proclamation and Lincoln became their liberator                 – Some slaves fled their plantations, heading north and hurting labor in South                                 – Union Armies did not know what to do with runaway slaves at first                                                 – They were labeled “contra-band” because Southerners said they were property                                                                 – They were allowed to stay with Union Army and/or head North                                                                                 – After the proclamation, many volunteered to fight – After Emancipation Proclamation, runaway slaves and free African-Americans volunteered for Union Army                 – The Union Army enlisted approximately 186,000 African-Americans, in 63 separate units                                 – They fought in many battles and made up 10% of Union Army                                                 – Some were able to serve in the Union Navy                                                                 – Earned the respect of their Anglo-Union peers because they fought well                                                 – However, they faced discrimination in Union Army, being paid only $10 a month                                                                 – All other Anglo-Union soldiers received $13 a month – On January 26th, 1863, recruitment began for the first and most famous African-American unit                 – 54th Massachusetts Regiment was created in Boston, Massachusetts and it formed almost 1,100 men                                 – They were made up of runaway slaves from South and free African-Americans from North                                                 – Trained and led by Colonel Robert Gould Shaw (1837-1863)                                                                 – He was son of prominent abolitionist family in Massachusetts                                                                                 – On May 13th, 1863, the 54th Unit became “active”                                                                                                 – Inspired movie Glory, made in 1989                 – The 54th fought in minor skirmishes until July, 1863                                 – The regiment volunteered to lead attack on Fort Wagner, South Carolina                                                 – It was an important ‘battery’ south of Fort Sumter, near Charleston Harbor                                 – On July 18th, 1863, the Battle of Fort Wagner was fought                                                 – The 54th assault failed with heavy losses as they were unable to capture fort                                                                 – About 100 were killed, including Col. Shaw and another 275 wounded                                                 – Col. Shaw was buried in mass grave by Confederates, with his soldiers                                                                 – Intended for disrespect, Shaw’s father said his son would have “wanted that”                                                                                 – In defeat, African-American soldiers earned respect as a fighting force                                                                                                – They were brave soldiers, worthy of valor and proved freedom isn’t free Specific Discussion Board Post Instructions: Discussion Board Post Assignments are 100 Points Each                 – Edit function is disabled to prevent copy/paste or plagiarism of what other students have written after making original post                                 – This is standard procedure for online discussion board assignments                                                 – Examples are on a separate posted PDF document in Canvas                                 – Original 300-word post is worth 50 points                                 – Each 150-word reply posts are worth 25 points each                                                 – Loss of points will occur for not following Specific Discussion Board Post Instructions – Discussion Board Posts are worth 20 percent of student’s overall grade                 – Students must first make an original post before they can see and reply to other student’s posts                                 – Each original post (50 pts) must answer all questions listed on discussion thread, in the module                                 – The posts must have a title (-5 pts), which includes an accurate word count (-5 pts)                                 – The original post must have at least 300 words (loss of pts equal % short of 300 words)                                                 – Last question requires use of “I think”, “I believe” or “in my opinion” – After making an original post, two reply posts (25 pts each) must be made to other student’s original posts                                 – These reply posts must be a response to specific topic in other student’s original post                                 – These replies must be at least 150 words (loss of pts equal % short of 150 words)                                                 – Each reply must have accurate word count posted (-5 pts)                                                                     – Each reply post must be original and not copy and paste from any other post                                                                                        – Plagiarism of yourself or other student’s replies will result in zero – Standard rules for both original and reply posts:                                 – Late work is not accepted, with all posts completed fully, accurately and by due date (11:59pm)                                 – Students must answer the Discussion Board Post Questions in original post                                                 – Rambling text that does not specifically answer questions may result in a zero                                 –  College level work includes proper grammar, professional courtesy and respect other student’s posts                                                 – Neat and organized format is required, with at least three sentences for each paragraph written                                                                     – Never start sentence/paragraph with “Because”, “But”, and/or “So”                                 – Students must use their own words, never plagiarize others or themselves                                                 – Plagiarism includes copying one reply and pasting as a second reply to a different student                                                                     – Changing a few words or rearranging the reply is still plagiarism                                                                                        – It is best to keep each reply unique or about a completely different topic                                                                                                           – Plagiarism will result in a zero or possible removal and failure of course                                 – Do not copy/paste original posts or reply posts for duplication purposes or replies to others, as this is plagiarism                                                  – Reply about the historical topic of what the person wrote in their original post                                                                     – Do not be critical of another student’s writing style or grammar                                 – Only write about historical topic and not get personal such as ‘good luck with final’ or ‘happy birthday’ or ‘let’s hang out’                                                 – This has nothing to do with course material and will not count for assignment and may lead to reduction of points                                 – If student chooses to re-write the questions in their original post, this does NOT count as word count                                                 – There is enough material for at least a 300 word, original summary for all questions                                 – Works Cited or Bibliography is not required                                                 – Do not post original post multiple times                                 – Only written portion of discussion counts towards Word Count, not including title, hello “”  or word count: 150 Specific Discussion Board Questions (Answer ALL and give Opinions) On September 22nd, 1862, what did Abraham Lincoln announce and what was its importance? What are some of the facts and statistics of African-American soldiers during the Civil War? IN YOUR OPINION, how did the 54th Massachusetts (specifically the African-American soldiers) earn respect as a fighting force with their actions on July 18th, 1863? Defend your opinion.