ESSAYS

Your essays should normally be chosen from the lists below. Essays should be between 1,500-

2,000 words long, should be footnoted and have an appropriate bibliography. My expectation is

that you will use the readings provided – assigned and recommended – as a basis for your

bibliography. Your essay will be marked according to the Grading Scale detailed in your syllabus.

Pay attention to the rubric: you will notice that to achieve higher marks you will have to read

beyond the literature we have provided, so familiarise yourself with the library!

Essays require that you interpret primary source evidence in historical context, drawing from the

assigned course readings. All of your papers must:

▪ closely analyze and describe primary sources using specifics and details;

▪ use scholarly secondary source texts for evidence about the historical context;

▪ select evidence to prove a thesis;

▪ draw conclusions beyond those that are immediately obvious from the evidence;

▪ write a paper that has a clear thesis, evidence organized into logical paragraphs, and a

conclusion;

▪ use correctly formatted footnote citations.

Essays should also:

▪ Consider different perspectives on a problem or controversy related to Modern US History

and attempt to reach a resolution about it. (Global Engagement)

▪ Appreciate that U.S. history cannot be understood in isolation from people and events from

around the world. (Global Awareness)

▪ Recognize that history is comprised of multiple stories, representing diverse experiences

and perspectives (Global Perspective)

▪ Construct an evidence-based argument that integrates multiple perspectives on an issue in

Modern US History. (Global Perspective)

PROMPT:

With the influx of immigrants in the latter decades of the 19th century, American society

changed in fundamental ways. Discuss these changes with regard to any three of the following:

economically, socially, culturally, demographically, and politically.