[SOLVED] Course Name: American History I

Course Name: American History I
Number/Section: HIS 131 O1
Term Paper Requirements
Each student will be required to write a 750-1,000 word (3-4 page) paper. Writing a history
paper will give students a chance to learn important skills, especially written communication and
critical thinking skills, that lend themselves to any future career choice. The paper should make
an argument, not simply state facts about a topic. Students are expected to use proper grammar
throughout the paper and must use at least 3 different sources. Wikipedia is NOT an acceptable
source. It is suggested that you review your sources with your professor, although it is not
required.
Acceptable Topics
• You may choose any historical topic that falls between the years 1450 and 1865. Here are
a few suggestions, but you are NOT required to choose from this list.
o Early Native American cultures
o The impact of European contact on Native Americans
o The Lost Colony
o Jamestown: the first permanent English settlement in the New World
o The Tuscarora War
o Bacon’s Rebellion
o The Salem Witch Trials
o French & Indian War (Seven Years’ War) and its repercussions
o North Carolina during the American Revolution
o French assistance during the American Revolution: was it the reason America
defeated the British?
o Loyalists in the American Revolution
o The Founding Fathers and their legacy
o The weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation
o The Constitutional Convention
o The XYZ affair and its impact on American Domestic Politics
o The presidency of Thomas Jefferson
o The War of 1812 and American nationalism
o The presidency of Andrew Jackson and its impact on American democracy
o The Antebellum South
o Manifest Destiny and the shaping of America
o The Mexican-American War and its impact on the sectional crisis
o Disagreements between North & South during the 1840s & 1850s
o “Bleeding Kansas”
o The Kansas-Nebraska Act
o The Election of Abraham Lincoln and secession
o The Army of Northern Virginia and its role in the Civil War
o The Gettysburg Address and its place in American history
• Due Dates
o Topic Selection – No later than September 5
▪ Upload your topic in the assignment link located in the Blackboard.
o Optional First Rough Draft – Due by October 3
o Final Draft – Due by December 5
• Thesis/Central Argument
o The best papers will have a thesis or central argument. Basically, this means
rather than just writing a paper that simply describes a certain event, say KKK
violence in the South during Reconstruction, you actually make an argument
about the topic and attempt to persuade the reader to adopt your point of view.
o For example, rather than just describing the violence that Klansmen committed
during Reconstruction, you could ask critical thinking questions about the topic,
such as: why did Klansmen commit these crimes? What did they hope to gain?
What type of people (age, social status, etc) usually joined the KKK? Was Klan
violence more of a social or political statement?
▪ All of these types of questions would allow you to then make an argument
about your topic.
▪ If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me via email and I
will help you.
• Sources
o Your paper must use AT LEAST three (3) sources. Wikipedia IS NOT an
acceptable source. If you use Wikipedia, your paper will automatically receive a
30% penalty.
o Ideally, your sources should be scholarly books about a subject. Check out the
library on RCC’s campus. You can also request books from interlibrary loan, so if
the library does not have the book you are looking for, you can ask a librarian to
get it for you at no charge.
o If you want to use an internet source, you MUST clear it with your instructor first.
o The best papers will also integrate at least one primary source, although you are
not required to use primary sources. A primary source is a document (letter, book,
pamphlet, etc) that was written during the time period you are writing about. You
can see plenty of examples of primary sources on the Primary Source cd-rom that
comes with your textbook. You are also allowed, and encouraged, to incorporate
any of those primary sources into your paper.
▪ If you would like help finding a primary source, feel free to contact me via
email. I will try to help you find something relevant to your topic.