Questions and Topics We Can Help You To Answer:
Paper Instructions:

Choose an event, movement, person, or other topic from any time in American history up to 1877.  The topic should be something you consider interesting and important, and something that fits within the scope of our class (whether we actually discussed it or not).  For instance, anything from the geographic region that became the United States, from any time up until 1877, works.  We also discussed a few things that took place outside of the United States, but still within the Americas and still related to U.S. history.  For instance, we studied Spanish colonization in South and Central America, so that would work, but a paper about Spain in the 1860s (after colonization and not actually in the Americas) would not work.  If you’re not sure if a topic is appropriate, send me an email.

The paper must be at least 1250-1500 words (this is usually about 5-6 pages double-spaced, depending on your font). 

Your main goal is to discuss the history of your topic and its significance.  Pay particular attention to explaining why it’s important (for instance, did it influence later events, is it relevant today, who did it impact and why, and so on).  Include a thesis at the end of the introduction paragraph, then use evidence and examples to support your thesis throughout the paper.  (We’ll talk about theses in class.)  As with any history paper, be as specific and detailed as possible.  Think of your thesis as your main argument and your examples and details as evidence that proves your thesis.  This portion of your paper must be at least 1000 words.

And now for the more creative part: in at least 250 words explain how you would use a form of entertainment to teach this topic to the public.  For instance, you could create a museum exhibit, write a historical novel or make a movie, musical, t.v. show, youtube channel, podcast, etc.  Your job is to make the topic accessible and interesting, so it should be both informative and entertaining.  Hamilton the Musical, for instance, has played a big role in increasing public interest in Alexander Hamilton and the Early Republic.  It’s based on serious scholarly research, but some plot points and characters were modified to make it easier to tell the overall story.  So describe what you’d do and why.  If it’s a movie, book, or t.v. show, for instance, explain the plot and the characters and how you’d fit it all into a few hundred pages or a few hours of film (or whatever).  Here are some questions to consider: Would you make changes to the story and/or characters, and if so, why?  What type of people would be interested in it (adults? kids? people who love history? people who hate it? etc.)?  Why is this form of entertainment ideal for telling your story?  Be sure to use specific details in discussing your ideas. 

In total, your essay should be at least 1250-1500 words, double-spaced, not including the bibliography.  Upload a word file or a pdf to this link; do not cut and paste the text.



Sources

Use at least 5 sources; at least 3 should be primary sources and at least 2 should be secondary sources.  (You can use the textbook too, but it doesn’t count as one of the 5.)

List all your sources at the end of your paper in a bibliography (also known as a works cited list) using MLA-style or Chicago-style citations. The bibliography DOES NOT count as part of the page count.  We will talk about sources and bibliographies in class.
Secondary sources: Use the Reynolds library catalog or website (http://libguides.reynolds.edu/ushistory) to find books and/or articles in scholarly databases.
Primary sources (newspaper articles, letters, diaries, etc., from the time period): Use the Reynolds library website or other primary source sites, such as loc.gov/collections (the Library of Congress website), historymatters.gmu.edu, archive.org, or newspaper databases.
Ask a librarian (or me) if you need help finding sources
DO NOT just google your topic. Most websites do not count as appropriate sources and should not be used for your research or included in the bibliography; remember, your secondary sources should be scholarly ones, not just some random blurbs online.