History

Read A different mirror: A history of multicultural America. Pages 177-231  you will write a four-page double spaced paper (Times New Roman, 12pt font) explaining to your reading audience the author’s main argument. You will identify the strengths and weaknesses of the argument and explain why you agree or disagree. Either way, you need to provide supporting evidence from past research. Past research means that you may go into the library databases and find articles that support your contentions. Remember to cite in APA style writing throughout your paper and create a References section at the end (not a Works Cited). Another great idea is to find a scholarly social science peer-reviewed article or paper and pattern your work after that.

We are still arguing over the meaning of the Civil War (Was it about slavery? States rights?). In 1999, Senator Strom Thurmond of South Carolina claimed in a speech that he was “irked” (meaning angered) by anyone claiming that the Civil War was fought over slavery. Instead, Thurmond proclaimed that the war was fought over “the rights of the states to control their own destinies.” What these discussions often miss is the way that meanings and war aims might have changed during the course of the war. What did the Union and Confederacy think the war was about in 1861? What about in 1865? What happened in between?

To what extent were the American colonists united in their opposition to the British during the America Revolution?

write an approximately five to ten-page paper on that individual’s contribution to American Culture. The paper should consist of a brief biography of the individual and the importance of what that individual (or his family) contributed to American Culture. You should use a minimum of Five (5) sources one of which should be a Book Biography, not a web site. You are required to have footnotes and a bibliography. Use the University of Chicago style book if needed.

Artistic expression in the Western world appears to have reached its maturity in the twentieth century with works that expressed wider ranges of ideas and emotions. Concurrently, new forms of media arose  that artists to explore the depth of the human psyche in new ways. Write a short essay (2-3 pages) that examines the development of a new style, genre, or medium of artistic expression in the twentieth century. Your choices can be drawn from any of the subjects covered in the course: music, film, literature, theatre, painting, sculpture, architecture, etc.

Write a 2-3 (minimum of 2 full pages. Use a standard professional font – 12 point Times New Roman is best, 1-inch margins, double spaced, but no extra spacing) reflection on the video, Vesuvius Pompeii Documentary. Briefly summarize the contents of the video in about a page and then reflect for one to two pages. The reflection is open ended in nature. Pick something in the video that stood out to you and explain why and how it stood out. You should also connect the video to what we learn in class.  You need not consult any additional sources. Watch the video in question and summarize the major points that the docudrama is making. Then, in broad terms, reflect on it. Explain what you learned, how it helped you solidify the textbook or other videos you have seen on the topic, connect it to a different class you have taken or are taking, how the video’s style helped or hindered you, or any relevant reflection you have about it.

Option 1: Business and the Pandemic Write a paper of about 2,000 words in response to the question, “How can the history of capitalism explain the American response to the COVID-19 pandemic?” Make detailed reference to at least six readings from four modules of the class. Hints: Remember to have a thesis. That is still important even though this question does not force you to pick a side. But identify four or five key points to summarize in the first paragraph and then explain in detail through the rest of the paper. For each of your main points you need to do two different things to properly answer the question. First, explain an important feature of the American response to the pandemic. Then draw on the course readings and/or additional historical sources to explain why the US responded in that way. The papers from the last module give you a start on identifying important features of the US response to the pandemic, but you should find some other sources of your own to draw on. For the parts of the paper when you explain those features from a historical viewpoint, you MUST use assigned course readings. As with the other papers, finding additional historical sources (such as journal articles) will get additional credit but is not a substitute from showing knowledge of the course readings. I have attached a .zip file of a bunch of readings from the class. I can provide more, but these should do I think.

Characterize the abolitionist movements (white and black) in the mid-1800s? Note their purpose, their strategies and their goals. Take into account the various activities in which the abolitionists engaged. What were the range of abolitionist or anti-slavery activities that African Americans pursued? How was the abolition movement affected by other social and economic changes such as the rise in literacy, new print technology, and ideas associated with the market revolution? How was racism evident in the abolitionist movement? How did white women’s participation in the abolitionist movement push them to a new understanding of their own rights and oppression? How did the antislavery movement give rise to a new understanding of citizenship and the rights it afforded? What place did colonization occupy in the abolitionist movement?

“How did the War on Crime and War on Drugs disproportionately target people of color? What were the implications of these policies?”

book name: Hurd Michael. 2017. Thursday Night Lights: The Story Of Black High school Football in Texas. First edition. Opening Sentence. Your opening sentence should include the title of the book, the author, and publication date.  Summarize the book very briefly.  What is the book about?  What time period, event, controversy, person, etc. does it cover?  This can be done with a statement of “what and how” about the book. (For example: In his allegorical novel, Lord of the Flies, William Golding writes about [what?] the evil side of man [how?] by describing what happens to a group of young boys who are marooned on a desert island.) Use a passage from the book and follow it with a comment on how this quotation is typical (or not typical) of what is contained in the book. Author Info. You can present information about the author and his or her background, qualifications, or philosophy. Theme/Thesis. Finally, state your specific theme.  (Example: Nancy Shoemaker argues that Native American women adapted their cultural tradition and gender roles to seek power in Euro-American society.)  What do you think is the main thesis of the book?  What is the author’s main argument?  What main point do you think the author is trying to get across? (Hint: The author’s thesis is usually stated in the introduction or preface to the book.) State Three Points. State the three points you will address as the topic for your body paragraphs. Body (Three paragraphs) Use the following pattern two—three times:  State.  State an idea about your theme clearly (generalization).  (Example: “The Pima and Maricopa women of the Salt River Community were empowered through involvement.) Support.  Support each of your generalizations with specific details from the story (evidence). (Example:  As Hoikkala states, “Pima-Maricopa women’s responses to their work… attested to a significant change in their attitudes about themselves and the community.” (225))  Include page numbers in parentheses after quoting the author or citing an example.  You do not need to include the author’s name since you will only be dealing with one source.  Interpret.  Explain how each of these specific details proves your point (interpretation). (Example: The positive reaction of the women of this tribe shows how involvement through work empowered the Salt River women.) Success Paragraph(s) Evaluate the book writing a paragraph or two about the following points: Does the author succeed in proving the stated thesis/theme?  Support your answer with examples or quotes. Is this book convincing to you?  Did you enjoy it?  Was it helpful to understand the topic of the book?  Support your answer with examples or quotes. What are the holes or problems in the author’s book?  What does the author overlook or not prove?  Support your answer with examples or quotes. Conclusion Sum up your paper with a paragraph or two. Focus.  Bring your theme into final focus for the reader.  This can be done by restating the original theme/thesis that you started with in the beginning paragraphs. Conclude.  Arrive at a specific conclusion about your theme, or about the author’s purpose, or about the overall effectiveness of the book. Citation After the end of your paper, cite the book you reviewed in the complete Chicago format